Chapter 26

When the ships of the Spade Fleet led by Newt arrived, the Royal Aces were waiting for them at the port. The pirates Ace freed from the prison quickly told Ace that a fleet of pirates was coming.

Ace knew it was his fleet, so he reassured the pirates. He then ordered them to put the defeated marines in the prison underneath the base that Doppol quickly built. Ace was impressed with Doppol's ridiculous skill. He built a base only slightly smaller than the one he destroyed in less than an hour.

Most of the Spade Fleet that Newt worked hard to expand didn't dock in the port. Instead, they joined the pirates Ace recruited and patrolled the seas around Polestar Island where Loguetown was on. They would immediately call Newt's Transponder Snail if marines come.

Only Little Drake and Bezan Black docked in the port of Loguetown. Newt and Kuro walked out of their respective ships to greet Ace.

"We've arrived, Commodore! Apologies if we were too slow," Newt said as he slightly bowed to Ace. Kuro silently did so as well.

"No, you're just on time. Come," Ace and his crew turned around to lead Newt, Kuro, and their entourage. "We'll show you the base."

When they got there, Ace was still impressed with Doppol's skill. The base he built looked similar in design to the marine base, albeit without their colors. This time, Doppol led the group. He knew the layout of the building the most, so it was natural that he was the one to lead them to the meeting room.

Doppol stood in front of a set of double doors. He opened them and they entered a rather big room. There was a long rectangular table at the center of it with chairs on its sides. Only one short side had a chair on it and Ace sat there to cement himself as the one with the highest position in the room.

The Royal Aces sat on both sides of the table nearest to Ace. Newt and Kuro sat down on the chairs on the far side and the other pirates just stood away from the table.

"Welcome to the Loguetown Base of the Spade Fleet, gentlemen!" Ace said to Newt and Kuro. "Kuro, you'll be the Base Commander. But make no mistake, you still answer to Newt."

"Yes, Commodore. I understand," Kuro said calmly. "What are your orders?"

"Not much," Ace said. "Before anything else, Kuro! Have you changed your jolly roger yet?"

"Yes. Captain Newt already had one of his men change it," Kuro answered and Ace nodded.

The Black Cats' new jolly roger was their old jolly roger, but enclosed in a red spade. It was the same change Ace gave to the jolly roger of the Newt Pirates.

"Good. Next, let's talk about what it means to be in my fleet. You listen as well, Newt."

"I'm all ears, Commodore."

"As a member of the Spade Fleet, you have lost your right to call a territory you captured as your own. From here on out, any territory captured by any ship of the Spade Fleet belongs to the whole Spade Fleet. Understood?"

"Yes!" Newt and Kuro answered.

"I give this island as a gift. The first territory of the Royal Aces and the Spade Fleet. Did you see my mark?"

"Yes, Commodore," Newt answered.

"A red spade on a black flag," Kuro added.

"Yes. The mark of Spade Fleet territory," Ace said. "Finally, I have a job for you, Newt. Think of it as added instructions to what I already told you back at Baratie. Kuro, you'll help Newt with this as one of his Commanders."

"Of course, Commodore."

"Newt! Before finding someone to replace you so you could go to the Grand Line, I want you to make sure you're leaving behind a decent fleet."

"What will you have me do, Commodore?" Newt asked. He looked ready to do whatever Ace told him.

"Before you start looking for anyone, make sure the Spade Fleet's East Blue Division has at least 30 ships and 2,000 men. If you could, capture at least 3 islands as well. Can you do that?" Ace said, not really asking if Newt could do it, but more like making sure he knows the requirement.

"I'll make sure to meet your requirements!"

"Before the day ends, we'll set out and go to the Grand Line," Ace said, referring to his crew. "I'll expand our reach there. I expect the two of you to hold down this base as much as you could. But if you have to retreat, go ahead and do it."

"We'll hold this base with our lives, Commodore," Newt said.

"No, don't." Ace rejected Newt's enthusiasm. "Do your best, but don't kill yourselves. This place… Loguetown is special. I don't think the marines will just let this place be run by pirates. At least, not yet. I won't be surprised if they send an Admiral to clean you guys up."

Newt and Kuro gulped at the possibility that a Marine Admiral would come personally to liberate Loguetown from them. On second thought, what Ace said made sense. Loguetown was the place where the King of the Pirates was born and executed. Having such a significant place in the hands of the Navy is a huge power play against pirates and shows the world that marines are strong.

"When that happens, because I'm sure it will," Ace continued. "Make sure you guys run and regroup. Take over another island. Think of this place as practice. Learn to manage the fleet, learn to organize your forces, learn how to use the strength of having a great number of people under your command," Ace said mostly to Kuro.

Kuro was a man who wasn't ambitious at all. He'd rather be the boss of a small town than be a normal person in a great kingdom. His ambitiousness stopped at being able to have a comfortable and secure life. Being a Base Commander is one such job that would give him the benefits he looked for.

"Understood, Commodore," Newt and Kuro accepted Ace's orders.

"Good. Now then, I'll go ahead and free some of the prisoners." Ace stood up and walked to the double doors that led inside the room.

The Royal Aces followed Ace. They just watched from beginning to end to see if Kuro was someone that would follow their captain. The fact that Kuro was still alive means that he passed their assessment.

Newt and Kuro wanted to ask why Ace wanted to let some prisoners in the underground dungeon go, but it wasn't their place to ask. They held their tongue and bowed at the Royal Aces as they exited the room.

"Ahh, before I forget," Ace suddenly said the moment he opened the double doors leading into the room. "Gather all the men at the port when sunset comes. Including the ones we freed, the East Blue Division's fleet should have 18 ships now."

"We'll tell them as soon as we can, Commodore."

The Royal Aces left the room. The pirates they left behind didn't stop bowing until the doors closed.

"Who would've known pirates can be so… obedient?" Vash commented.

"Well, I'm the newest one here. But I can definitely tell our Captain is something special," Soma added.

"HAHAHAHA! Am I that great? Man, you guys are gonna make me blush." Ace waved off the compliments he imagined were coming.

"Not really," Hepha said bluntly.

"You're still as harsh as ever, Hepha." Ace sighed before turning to Doppol as they walked. "Say, Doppol. Where's the dungeon again?"

"Right this way," Doppol said before leading the group in the direction Ace wanted.

"Hey, Ace. Do you mind if I go on ahead back to the Ashen Dragon? I'm kinda sleepy." Terzo asked as he yawned.

"Hmm? Sure, no problem. If you guys wanna go back, go ahead," Ace said.

"In that case, I'll go on ahead too," Hepha said. "I wasn't done shopping for supplies when you lit up that flare."

"Ahh, really? My bad." Ace grinned sheepishly.

"Don't mind it," Hepha said with a wave before dragging Soma by his collar. "You're coming with me, kid."

"Huh?! Why would I?" Soma tried prying Hepha's hands off him to no avail since Hepha was still much stronger than him. "Let go of me, damn woman!"

"No, you're gonna help me. How the hell would I know what high quality tenderloin looks like? Meat is meat," Hepha said as she dragged Soma away.

"You coming with me, Vash?" Ace asked, seeing how Vash said nothing and remained rooted in his spot.

"Of course. Someone's gotta look out for your reckless ass," Vash said as he chuckled.

"Ha! If you say so."

Doppol, Ace, and Vash took a set of stairs down to where the dungeon was. The design of it was similar to the cells that held Ace and the others earlier today. It was well lit and the conditions weren't that bad.

The captive marines sat dejectedly in their cells. Bandages covered their faces, courtesy of Vash. He offered them the small mercy of treating the burns on their faces to not let it get infected when the battle was over. Instead of glaring at Ace, the marines looked at him fearfully. Their spirits were broken.

Doppol gave Ace the key that opened the cells. When Ace told him to make a dungeon prison, Doppol decided to get the help of Hepha. As a forgemaster, Hepha was very skilled when it came to working with metals. She helped make every metallic component in the base. The fact that all of it took only one hour was something Ace decided to stop thinking about and chalk it up to his friends being very talented.

Ace opened the cells holding the broken-spirited marines. They shuffled farther away from Ace.

"Marine officers, stand up," Ace said.

Hearing Ace's words, a handful of marines stood up. Ace got out of the way of the open cage, signaling them to come out. The officers tentatively took steps, and when they saw one of them go free, they followed. But Ace stopped the seventh person who was about to go out.

"Six is enough. Sit down," Ace said. He didn't have to raise his voice. The officers remaining in the cage sat back down.

"Follow."

Ace led the way out of the dungeon. He was followed by the six marine officers. Vash and Doppol brought up the rear. Following Ace, they walked out of the base and went to the port where a small ship was waiting for the marines. It carried the colors of the marines. It was one of their smaller vessels, a ship that can be sailed with a few people.

They entered the small ship. Ace leaned on the main mast as he faced the six marine officers he brought out of prison.

"You six are lucky. You get to go report what happened here to another marine base."

"Wh-Why are you doing this?" an officer bravely asked Ace.

"Hmm?"

"It doesn't make sense. Why let go of us? Reinforcements will come if you let us go."

"HAHAHAHA! You-! Do you not want to live?"

"I-It's not like that! I just-"

"Alright, alright. Sheesh, calm down." Ace sighed. "Whether I let go of you or not, reinforcements will eventually come. I let you six go so you could narrate how oh-so-scary I am so I can have more chances to have a high first bounty."

"...that's it?" the officer asked through gritted teeth.

It was obvious that Ace was just playing around with them. The officers gritted their teeth and endured the shame of having their lives in the hands of a pirate who think being a criminal is fun and games.

"Yup. That's it." Ace grinned as if he enjoyed the faces the six officers were making. "Tell them, if my bounty isn't at least 60,000,000 Berry, I'll kill every single marine in that cell you were in."

Ace watched the faces of the six marine officers pale even further. They held their heads down and bit their lower lips.

"...we will," the officers said, barely louder than a whisper.

"That's good, that's good!" Ace stood up straight and left the ship. Vash and Doppol followed him. "Now, off you go! May the winds and currents favor you!"

Ace waved them off as if he was seeing off friends. The officers stopped paying attention to him and took the chance he gave them. They quickly got to work hoisting the anchor and unfurling the sails to cast off and sail to the nearest marine base they could go to. Ace, Vash, and Doppol watched the small ship sail off.

"Were you serious?" Vash asked Ace when the ship that carried the marine officers became just a speck in the distance. "Will you really kill those prisoners?"

"Pfft! Of course not. I told you, we'll be casting off at sunset. We'll be long gone by the time they reach a marine base."

Ace walked back in the direction of where the Ashen Dragon was docked. Their ship was a big galleon, so it wasn't difficult to see where it was. He won't be waiting for news on his first bounty. He was confident it'll be in the newspapers. What Ace didn't know was that he didn't really need to let those marines go to make sure he had a high bounty…