Usopp understood that by ninja he meant that he was taken for a tour in Ken's Devil fruit and thus gained the character of a ninja. How many ninjas are there exactly and how come he didn't get one? Though he loved the fact that his own character was really powerful, he envied Luffy and Ken sometimes.
And now there was another one with the character of a ninja. Usopp had made up his mind that he would try to complete his character as fast as possible so he might get the chance to get ninja from the Devil fruit of Ken.
"He is just a nobody with some logia devil fruit powers. Why should I care?" Ace argued.
"You have met Shanks haven't you?" Ken asked.
"Shanks? You met Shanks? Really? How is he? Is he good? Where is he?" Luffy got excited at the mention of Shanks.
"Yes. I wanted to meet him because he had saved your life so I wanted to pay regards. What of it?"
"Really? Ace... You are such a good person." Luffy had sparkles in his eyes while Ace felt a little embarrassed for showing his caring side to Luffy. He always used to call Luffy by crybaby and thus he felt if he showed Luffy his vulnerable side, Luffy might lose respect.
But then again, Luffy never cared for his feelings and was just happy to see one of his brothers take care of him.
"Do you remember those scars on his right eye? Those scars which seemed like a claw mark?" Ken asked. Ace stiffened at this question. He didn't spend much time with Shanks that time because he was an upcoming supernova at that time and many people in the crew felt uncomfortable having him around Shanks. Though Shanks and his immediate crew were very close to him, others who worked for Shanks didn't feel the same way.
But he did remember that claw marks on his eye.
"That claw mark?... Huh.." At that time, he remembered the signature weapon of Teach. Teach always carried a metal claw that he put on his knuckles to fight. If what Ken was pointing out was true, then Teach had once clashed with Shanks and had managed to wound Shanks.
"You are saying Teach had once clashed against Yonko?"
"Yes."
"But how is that possible? He is a nobody while Shanks is a Yonko."
"I don't know. But I just know that they had clashed. A person who could injure a Yonko should always be respected while here you dive head first into something that you don't have the picture of."
"How do you know this? Nobody spoke of this to me."
"Does it matter?"
Ace was silent as he didn't know what he should say here. It was his fault that he didn't gather more information about his own crew mate. Teach had been living with them for such a long time and now it seemed that there were many aspects that he didn't have any idea about.
"But I am not going to stop just because he clashed with a Yonko. I will bring him to my father."
Luffy for the first time heard about the scars of Shanks. He had seen them before but never asked him, thinking it was some kind of confrontation he had in the sea. Now it seemed like there was a story behind it. Ken just sighed seeing that. He already knew that his words would just fall in deaf ears.
Ken had been living with him for quite a long time and even after years of telling him to change his hotblooded ways, this stupid guy didn't. Now it was too late. He was an adult and there was no way he was going to listen to Ken.
"I knew you would say this. Idiot brother of mine."
"Who are you calling an idiot?"
"I am."
"You are an idiot."
"No, you are..."
"No, you..."
Seeing the banter both Usopp and Luffy laughed and later Luffy joined in the argument saying both of them are idiots.
"No wonder they are brothers." Usopp thought seeing the brothers lose some brain cells while being together.
"Ace, do you want to go for another character?" Ken asked after some time. Since he couldn't stop Ace it was better to give him some help while he can. Ace had already finished the character of Neji long back in the sea and he needed a second boost.
"Another one? Am I allowed?"
"Of course. Didn't you see I have already become a ninja."
"Who did you become?"
"Obito."
Hearing the answer Ace got silent. Obito was the reason he had died in the war and now his brother has taken the character of his murderer? What a twist.
"With the Ten Tails?"
"Of course no. It's a devil fruit. Not a God."
"So can I go for another character?"
"Of course."
"Oye Ken, when will you be sharing the powers with the other crew members?"
"I hope soon enough after we see who has genuinely joined the group officially. They haven't joined as of yet. By the way, do you want to come with us?" Ken asked.
"Do you even need to ask?" - Luffy and Usopp
'System, simulate a character for Ace.'
With that monologue in his mind, all the 4 people vanished in their places and were thrown into a different dimension.
[
Simulating character for Portgas D. Ace.
...
Simulating.
...
Choosing character..
]
Ace had already disappeared from their place while Luffy, Usopp and Ken were looking at the character which Ace had taken over as a new character. Ken's eyes got wide open when he saw the character that Ace was given.
Ace was born in a normal family with both father, mother and even an elder brother. The family was happy and his brother really loved him to death. But everything when the fire nation...
*cough*
*cough*
I mean everything changed when a dragon attacked their village and in this attack, Ace's family including Ace himself died.
---
Read 18 chapters ahead on my p@treon.com/thelightedghost