5 Chapter 5

Ace sensed the presence of his target with Observation Haki. He and Sabo trained their Observation Haki to a degree that they can cover a large area with the senses. But they weren't as good at it as Rayleigh did at Rusukaina. Ace was excited to reach that level and beyond. He stopped at a thick branch of a tree outside the giant bear's cave. He inhaled to take a deep breath before shouting out loud to call the bear.

"HEY! YOU FAT BEAR! COME OUT!"

The birds flew away and small animals ran away from Ace's loud shout. They were surprised by the volume of his voice and the shaking of the ground. Ace felt it too. The bear was getting up to go out and meet him. Ace gulped in both anticipation and anxiety.

A dark shadow slowly stepped out of the cave. Once it was out, it stood up and revealed its full height. Ace still had no idea how a bear can become bigger than an elephant.

The bear roared. The sheer volume and power in that roar was enough to tempt Ace to take a step back. But he didn't. Ace held on and met the bear's glare with his own. Then, their battle began.

Ace took the first move. He took to the skies with Air Jump before using the same technique to build power and momentum for his overhead strike. Ace raised the steel pipe in his hands as he was falling. The bear just watched for now. Just when Ace was about to swing his steel pipe down, the bear snapped at him.

Ace didn't panic and used Air Jump to change directions. The bear snapped its mouth shut, biting air. Ace was still above the bear. With a backhand strike, Ace landed a hit on the bear's snout. It didn't do as much damage though because the momentum he gained was lost when he avoided the bear's bite that can chomp him whole.

Ace retreated back to the same branch he stood at when he called the bear out. He grinned smugly at the bear. The giant bear growled and scowled in response. It went on all fours and bounded towards the tree Ace was standing on. It clawed on the trunk of the tree, breaking it in half.

Ace took the chance and used Air Jump and Finger Lance to puncture holes on the bear's back. He was only able to stab until his finger's first joint because the bear's skin and muscles were immensely tough. Still, it was a great feat. His and Sabo's Finger Lance wouldn't have been that strong without Garp's teachings. They really had crap technique.

The bear only growled in annoyance at Ace's attacks. Ace was still a child. His fingers were still small, so it didn't inflict that deep of a wound on the giant bear. But he wasn't bothered. That's his path to victory, wearing down the bear until it tires out. Now, he only had to avoid the bear's attacks.

The bear quickly turned around and swung his huge claws at Ace when he got down from his attacks. Ace used Flicker to retreat to a safe distance. The fight continued with Ace's hit and run tactic. The bear was tougher and stronger, but Ace was faster. Ace used his strength wisely.

He eventually started seeing signs of fatigue on the bear. Its attacks got slower, its movements more sluggish. Ace inwardly celebrated at the fact that he was actually winning.

But it was a mistake.

Ace had a momentary lapse of focus from being happy that he was slowly winning. His Observation Haki waned and the bear coincidentally took that chance to pounce on Ace with all its remaining strength.

Ace was unable to react in time. The bear pushed him down with all his strength and weight. Ace felt the air in his lungs forcefully pushed out of him. He felt his bones creak and his muscles slowly turn to mush under the weight and pressure of having the bear on top of him. If he wasn't so unnaturally tough, his ribs would've broken and punctured his lungs before dying a painful death. Ace swore the bear just grinned after it successfully caught him.

'Shit! What the fuck! I shouldn't have celebrated early, damn it!'

Ace could only scream in his mind. He had no air in his lungs to shout out. He only had his head and right arm free from under the bear. He watched the bear enjoy its victory by slowly opening its mouth as it went down to bite Ace's head off him.

'Damn it! Am I really gonna die here? Fuck! I don't want that! No! I haven't even set out yet!'

Ace was very much unwilling to die. Despite the hopeless situation, he fought. With his free arm, Ace pounded on the paw that was holding him down. But it was ineffective. He didn't have enough raw power to inflict pain on the giant bear.

The bear's mouth slowly approached Ace. The moment it was about to snap close, Ace felt an immense strength rush through his body and into his free arm. Somehow, he was also able to shout.

"LET ME GO YOU STUPID BEAR!"

The bear stopped moving after Ace shouted. But Ace didn't care. He still punched the bear's snout. He felt a great power surge into his fist as if his entire soul and his whole body was behind his punch. But, his fist didn't connect the way it normally would.

It was a strange sight, seeing a normal fist punch air. But Ace instantly used Observation Haki. By using it, he saw his fist glow black with red lightning surging in the space between his fist and the bear's snout. Not a second later, the bear was sent flying through the air, crashing through a line of trees.

'Was that Armament and Conqueror's Haki? It must be. No other explanation. Why the hell is it so strong though? Is it because I have two souls in me?'

Ace pushed his questions to the back of his mind. He remembered the lesson he was taught just now by life itself. Never be distracted from a fight.

Ace slowly tried to get up. His body groaned in protest. He was almost crushed to death just now, but here he was pushing his body to get up and fight. He had no choice. He wasn't safe yet.

But apparently, he was.

When Ace got up to face the bear for another round, he spotted it lying down on the ground without moving an inch. It was still twitching though. Maybe it was still alive.

Still, Ace didn't celebrate. He watched the bear closely, ready to react the moment it got up. But it didn't. The bear stayed there, down on the ground. Ace finally reacted. He pumped his fists in the air and celebrated.

"HOLY SHIT I WON!"

Ace laughed and was giddy at the feeling of tasting victory after such a near-death experience. It was an addicting feeling. No wonder some people love the thrill of danger. Being alive has never felt so good! Ace even forgot the pain he was feeling all over his body.

Ace kept laughing in celebration as he relished his victory. A few moments later, he heard a voice shout in surprise.

"Ace! You won?" Ace recognized the incredulous voice as Sabo's. He turned around and saw a badly bruised and lightly wounded Sabo along with Luffy who looked like he rolled around in mud.

"Sabo! Luffy! What're you doing here?" Ace asked. He didn't expect to see Sabo, much less Luffy.

"We came to save you! I felt you were in danger, pinned down under the bear. How'd you beat him?" Sabo asked, his concern for Ace's safety replaced by curiosity.

"I don't know yet. I think I have a new technique! I'll teach you when I master it," Ace quickly answered. "Never mind that! You already beat that giant tiger?"

"Ahh, no. I was about to be eaten too. Then, Luffy came to my rescue," Sabo said, gesturing at Luffy.

Ace turned his attention to Luffy. The straw hat boy was making an Enel Face as he stared at the giant bear that Ace defeated.

'It's great that Luffy saved Sabo. But how the hell did he find Sabo? Don't tell me he just ran in a random direction? I honestly wouldn't be surprised if he did. Destiny is such a strange thing.'

"ACE! Did you really beat that giant bear? That's amazing! You gotta teach me how to do that!" Luffy had stars in his eyes as he begged Ace to teach him.

"Alright, alright! Sabo and I will teach you," Ace said before approaching Luffy. He propped his two hands on Luffy's shoulders. "Thanks for rescuing Sabo, Luffy!"

"Shishishi! Don't mind it! I told you I should have come!"

The three boys laughed before helping Ace walk back home. He was the most injured of the three of them. Sabo and Luffy held an arm each to help Ace.

"After I get healed up, I'll treat you to ramen," Ace said to Luffy.

"What's ramen?" Luffy asked.

"What the-! You never ate ramen before, Luffy?" Sabo asked Luffy.

"Nope! What is it?"

"It's the best food there is! The noodles, the flavorful soup, the softness of the egg, the mixture of different ingredients! It's the food of gods!" Sabo declared almost zealously. Back when Ace introduced Sabo to eating ramen, the blonde boy was addicted. Ramen became a vital part of his diet.

"Ehh? But nothing's better than meat!" Luffy defended the title of meat as the best food.

"Ramen can have meat in it, Luffy," Ace said.

"Woah! That means it's delicious! Alright, let's have ramen later!"

"Hey! I don't heal that fast!"

"Heal faster, then! Shishishishi!"