Chapter 27

"Pirates of the Spade Fleet!"

Ace called out to the pirates of his fleet as he stood on top of a makeshift wooden platform on the port. He used a small burst of Conqueror's Haki to capture their full attention and enamor them. They won't be completely loyal yet since he's still relatively nameless as a pirate, but they'll be thinking twice before even considering betraying him and the Spade Fleet.

"Some of you already know me! Some of you don't! I am Gol D. Ace! Captain of the Royal Ace Pirates and Admiral of the Spade Fleet!"

Ace's self introduction was met with raucous cheers and lively hurrahs. There were nearly a thousand pirates standing in front of him. Most of the citizens of Loguetown steered clear of the port at this time seeing the sheer number of pirates. A few brave ones were at the back watching or taking pictures.

"For now, I only have one Commodore under me. Salman Newt! Captain of the Newt Pirates and Commodore of the Spade Fleet's East Blue Division!" Ace introduced the first Commodore in his fleet.

The Newt Pirates cheered the most after hearing that their Captain was promoted to be the Commodore of the East Blue Division of Admiral Ace's Spade Fleet. They still remember that they set out with a goal, but Ace himself told them that he won't stop them from chasing it as long as they entrust their post to someone worthy. Of course, all of that was after they built a fleet for their Admiral.

"Soon, the Spade Fleet's reach will go far and wide! From East Blue to the Grand Line, our fleet will be the most infamous of all!"

The pirates cheered once again. Being enamored by Ace's Conqueror's Haki, they didn't feel an ounce of doubt at the moment. Right now, they truly believed that their Admiral could do it.

"Now, after I cast off with my ship, I need all of you to do something for me."

The pirates went quiet. Totally silent. Not even their breathing could be heard as they focused on the words that Ace would say next.

"Run wild! Sail the East Blue in my name and conquer pirates who don't sail with the mark of the Spade Fleet! Capture territories for the Fleet! Protect those territories and make sure the name of our Fleet resounds in this sea!"

"YES, ADMIRAL!"

Pirates are free men. If they ever go under the command of someone, they wouldn't want to have their fate rest in another's hand. Hearing Ace order them to run wild and sail as they did before becoming a part of his fleet, the pirates were naturally ecstatic.

Ace already ordered Newt to obey a few of his rules and make sure every member of the Spade Fleet was aware of it. First, all members of the Spade Fleet will sail with a jolly roger bearing the mark of the red spade. Second, any territory captured by any ship of the Spade Fleet will belong to all those in the Fleet. Third, all members of the Spade Fleet must never raise their weapons against another member of the Spade Fleet. Fourth, all those that violate the third rule will be blacklisted and sunk on sight.

'I need to write some kind of rule book someday. What should I name it? The Spade Fleet Codex?'

Ace's few words were very effective. Amidst the Spade Fleet's booming cheers and thumping excitement, the Royal Aces boarded the Ashen Dragon. They hoisted the anchor, unfurled the sails, and cast off into the sunset on their next adventure.

-----

(DAWN ISLAND, EAST BLUE)

Sabo and Luffy were sparring as usual in the training ground that they spent their childhood fighting on. Ace did always say that fighting was the best way to get stronger quickly.

It was a beautiful morning, one that is like any other. Only this time, Dogra's panicked shouting resounded and interrupted their spar.

"SABO! LUFFY! YOU NEED TO SEE THIS!"

Sabo and Luffy stopped their clash and looked to the side to see Dogra running at them as if something big had happened. He was waving around a newspaper in his hand as he ran to them.

"LOOK!" Dogra shouted as he shoved the newspaper he was waving around to Sabo and Luffy.

The two brothers took the newspaper Dogra gave them. They each held one side of it.

"What is it, Dogra? Is it really so important you had to stop our training?" Sabo asked, slightly annoyed.

"OOOHHH!" Luffy just exclaimed, much to Sabo's confusion.

"Look at the front page!" Dogra said.

It seems whatever it was, Luffy already saw it. So, Sabo went ahead and read the front page to see what was so shocking.

"OOOHHH!" Sabo exclaimed in a similar way Luffy did. Now he knows what the big news was.

"ACE!" Sabo and Luffy cried out upon seeing a clear picture of Ace grinning arrogantly on the front page of the newspaper.

"He's on the news! Sabo! Ace made it! This is great!"

"I know! Ace sure works fast! It's only been two months!"

The two brothers stopped freaking out in joy for a moment and read the title of the main article that featured Ace.

[THE KING OF PIRATES LEAVES A LEGACY! 'FIRE LORD' GOL D. ACE!]

The main article went on about how Ace proclaimed himself as the son of Gold Roger. But, there were some who doubted his claim because his name was different. Still, a large number of people believed him. It also talked about what he did at Loguetown yesterday. The source of the article was one of their journalists in Loguetown.

"HAHAHAHA! Ace sure is enjoying his freedom huh, Luffy?"

"Shishishi! I can't wait to set out!" Luffy seemed to be holding back a great amount of energy and excitement. In the end, he gave up holding it in and just released it by running into the woods. "Wait for me, Ace!"

"Oi, Luffy! We were sparring!" Sabo called out to Luffy to no avail. He then just sighed at seeing how excited his little brother was.

Sabo returned his gaze to the newspaper. An excited gleam was in his eyes.

"Just you wait, Ace! I'll set out in a month! I'll catch up soon!"

-----

(FLEET ADMIRAL'S OFFICE, MARINEFORD)

"What? Loguetown was captured by pirates?" Sengoku was shocked at the piece of information the marine told him.

"Yes, Fleet Admiral! The information was verified!"

"Who is it? Who are those damn pirates?"

Sengoku was disturbed. Loguetown was a special place. Holding it in the hands of the Navy means a lot since it was where the King of the Pirates was born and executed. It was a symbol that they needed to have. Loguetown falling under pirate rule is a big issue.

Loguetown had the biggest marine base in all of East Blue. No pirate from East Blue, the weakest sea, would even dare to think of taking over it. The Loguetown Marine Base was like a fortress after all. And yet, to think that it was now under the rule of a pirate…

The marine in front of Sengoku was about to answer him, but they were interrupted by a Vice Admiral who looked like he ran with all his strength to get to Sengoku's office.

"Fleet Admiral! You need to see this!" the Vice Admiral shouted.

"What is it? We're in the middle of something important here!"

"Fleet Admiral! I assure you, this is much more important!"

The Vice Admiral didn't stand on attention. Instead, he rushed to give Sengoku the newspaper he had in his hands. He placed it on the table for Sengoku to read. Sengoku was about to question the Vice Admiral when his eyes were caught by the headline of the main article as well as the picture that looked like the shadow of a face he knew…

Sengoku froze on the spot. He didn't tear his eyes away from the picture and the headline of the article. The two marines in front of him didn't interrupt and kept silent. The Fleet Admiral was currently letting out a dangerous air, and they didn't want to somehow receive the brunt of it.

It was a freezing silence. It would have continued longer, if not for the wall of Sengoku's office suddenly being smashed by something or someone from the other side.

"Yo, Sengoku! I'm back!" Garp greeted Sengoku.

"Why the hell do you have to enter from there, Garp?"

"It's a cool shortcut. Anyway! I see you bought more of my favorite!"

Garp walked to Sengoku's table and snatched the pack of rice crackers on it. Garp then walked to a couch in Sengoku's office before munching on the pack of rice crackers in his hand.

"What's that you got there, Sengoku? You look like you've seen a ghost!" Garp asked as he chewed rice crackers.

"Leave us…"

Sengoku ordered the two marines who were still frozen in front of him to get out of his office. They quickly obeyed his order. Once they were gone, Sengoku spoke again.

"Garp!" Sengoku raised the newspaper in his hand for Garp to see. "Roger had a son! He slipped past us somehow!"

Sengoku threw the newspaper to Garp for him to read it. Garp easily caught it and began reading. Soon, a wide smile grew on his face.

"BWAHAHAHAHAHA! He really went wild, huh? What an entrance! As expected of my grandson!"

Garp's words made Sengoku's ears visibly perk up. He slowly stood up and banged his hands on the table. He glared at Garp angrily.

"GARP!" Sengoku's shout shook Garp from his loud laughter. "You know about him? Don't tell me you took him in? Was that why he was never found?"

"Ahh… I shouldn't have said that, huh?" Garp scratched the back of his head before grinning widely. "Well, whatever! Forget what I said!"

"As if I could! Damn it, Garp! Keep your damn family under control!"

-----

(PANGAEA CASTLE, MARIEJOIS)

The Five Elders heading the World Government were focusing on the piece of new right in front of them. There on their table was a newspaper showing Ace's face as well as what he did at Loguetown.

"Tch! What a disaster!" Saint Ethanbaron V. Nusjuro had his fingers to his temple, already contemplating how to do damage control.

"To think that man actually had a son!" Saint Jaygarcia Saturn gripped the cane in his hands tighter.

"That mission all those years ago was a massive failure!" Saint Topman Warcury said through gritted teeth.

"We need to issue a bounty. For him and his crew," Saint Marcus Mars said.

"Someone like him shouldn't be running around free!" Saint Shepherd Ju Peter added.

The Five Elders spent much of their day thinking of how to handle the situation.

-----

(SOMEWHERE IN THE GRAND LINE)

Shanks, the Captain of the Red Hair Pirates, was busy nursing his headache. Partying all day and night on a tropical island was just asking for an intense hangover the day after.

The peaceful sounds of the waves rushing on the sand, the squawking of the seagulls, and the comfortable snoring of his men would have helped a lot in making his headache feel better…

But then, their cook had to shout so loud in the morning.

"Boss! You need to see this!" Lucky Roux rushed over to Shanks with a piece of meat in his mouth.

"What is it, Roux? My head still hurts, could you keep it down a little?"

Roux ignored his captain's request and instead shoved the newspaper in his hands to Shanks. After clearing his head for a bit, Shanks took a look at the newspaper in his hand. He read the headline and looked at the picture…

A few moments later, his eyes shot wide open. It was as if the hangover he was feeling was instantly gone, replaced by the sheer shock at what he was looking at.

Shanks read the article, went back to the headline, then stared at the picture. He did it again and again just to make sure he was seeing things clearly and that he wasn't dreaming.

The newspaper was telling him that his Captain had a son, and that son was the young man staring right back at him in the picture. Then, a few seconds of silence later, Shanks laughed. Loudly. Very loudly. Loud enough to rouse the rest of his sleeping crew from their sleep.

"He's the spitting image of Captain! Everyone, wake the hell up! We're not done partying! DAHAHAHAHA!"

Soon, the rest of the Red-Haired Pirates got rowdy enough to start partying again. In the middle of all the noise, Shanks looked back at the newspaper in his hand.

"Gol D. Ace," Shanks whispered the name to the wind. "I wonder. Did I bet on the wrong seedling? No, I definitely didn't. So, just what is your purpose in this new era? I can't wait to meet you, Ace!"

-----

(SHAKKY'S RIP-OFF BAR, SABAODY ARCHIPELAGO, PARADISE)

"I'm back!" Rayleigh greeted his wife the moment he opened the door.

"Ahh, Ray-san! You're back early! You haven't even been gone a month!" Shakky happily welcomed her husband back.

"Well, I can't help it. I came across something that really brightened up my day," Rayleigh said as he sat on the bar counter in front of Shakky.

"What is it?" Shakky was curious.

The way Rayleigh looked right now in her eyes, it seemed as if her husband regained a portion of his youth and vitality back. Just what was it that he found?

"Take a look!" Rayleigh put a newspaper on the bar counter. Shakky read it and she was shocked. Soon, she was happy as well.

It was a newspaper that has circled all over the world. A newspaper that told of the emergence of what could be a prominent figure in the coming years. The son of the King of the Pirates has shown himself to the world.

"That's great news! Your captain is really something!"

"HAHAHAHA! Shakky, let's have a drink!"

"It's barely afternoon, but I guess it can't be helped. This deserves a celebration!"

Shakky took the best booze she had in the bar and filled two glasses with it. Rayleigh and Shakky had a toast and drank.

"After all these years! Even after dying! You really know how to shake things up, Roger!"

Rayleigh raised the newspaper again. He stared at the picture of the young man on it. That wild black hair. That confident wide grin. It was like looking at a distant past.

"Gol D. Ace! I'll be waiting!"

-----

(TWIN CAPE, PARADISE)

"GURARARARA! So you had a son, Roger?" Edward Newgate, better known as Whitebeard, laughed at the newspaper he was reading.

Whitebeard was about to get a barrel of booze, but his nurses stopped him. Whitebeard was getting old and they were there to make sure he stays in the best condition possible.

"Captain, I think you had enough booze for today!"

"Nonsense! How bad can booze be?"

Whitebeard ignored his nurse's advice and tried drinking straight from the barrel. However, he was stopped.

"Come on, Pops! The nurses said it'll be bad if you keep drinking-yoi!" Marco, the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, stopped Whitebeard from drinking.

"Tch! When did my sons get so nosy!" Whitebeard sighed at seeing Marco and his other fellow division commanders drag away the barrels of booze.

"What a shame. I definitely needed a drink for this," Whitebeard whispered mostly to himself as he returned his gaze back at the newspaper. "That face is definitely the spitting image of you when you were young, Roger. But, what a tragedy."

"To think that your son didn't inherit your will…" Whitebeard shook his head. "That hidden glint in his eyes… his actions so far… so your will lives on, Rocks?"

"ZEHAHAHA! Pops, what's got you looking so sad? Do you already miss me?" a voice called out from the side of the flagship of the Whitebeard Pirates, the Moby Dick. Whitebeard was shaken off his silent musings.

"GURARARARA! Are you having second thoughts, my stupid son?"

"No, I'm serious! I'll make my dream come true!"

"I already told you countless times, Teach! I don't care about becoming King of the Pirates!"

"ZEHAHAHA! You have no choice! Watch me, Pops! I'm gonna build a fleet of my own and make you king!"

-----

The next day's edition of newspapers included the bounties given to all the members of the Royal Ace Pirates. It was distributed via different newspaper outlets. In the end, their bounties were spread far and wide.

Hepha's name was included as one of the Royal Aces. Being in the crew of the son of the King of the Pirates, her bounty gained an incremental change.

[WANTED: ONLY ALIVE - 'Fire Lord' Gol D. Ace: 100,000,000 Berry]

[WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE - 'Stampede' Vash: 50,000,000 Berry]

[WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE - 'Black Mask' Terzo: 42,000,000 Berry]

[WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE - 'War Hammer' Hepha: 2,110,000,000 Berry]

[WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE - 'Armada' Doppol: 44,000,000 Berry]

[WANTED: DEAD OR ALIVE - 'Steel Joint' Cauldrons D. Soma: 30,000,000 Berry]

Rookies being assigned relatively high bounties before even entering the Grand Line was unheard of. Needless to say, the Royal Aces garnered a lot of attention.

But, they didn't care. At the moment, they were focused on their journey. Soon, they'll be entering the greatest sea in the world: the Grand Line.