Chapter 12: Bonds Forged in the Mountains - I

[Note:

" * " : Indicates abilities that can be upgraded with practice, experience, or unique opportunities.]

> System inner voice ["speaking"] <

> Ash inner speech "speaking" <

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Garp stood tall in front of the bandits, pointing towards Lucy, Ash, and Uta. "From now on, these three brats will be staying here with you!" he announced with a booming laugh.

Lucy crossed her arms, glaring up at her grandfather. "I'm not staying here with these smelly mountain bandits, Grandpa! I'm going back to the village!" She turned on her heel to leave, only to feel the sharp impact of Garp's signature Fist of Love on her head.

"Oi, you'll stay here until I come back!" Garp barked, his tone leaving no room for argument. "And don't think about running away, or else I won't train you!"

Ash, sensing the seriousness in Garp's voice, decided not to provoke him further and simply nodded. Uta, however, placed her hands on her hips, puffing out her cheeks. "This place is so dirty! I don't want to stay either!"

Garp grinned down at the trio, his eyes filled with a mix of amusement and pride. "Tough luck, brats. This is where you'll toughen up, whether you like it or not!" With that, he turned back toward the mountain path. "I'll be back to check on you lot, so don't even think about slacking!"

As Garp's figure disappeared into the distance, Lucy groaned, rubbing her head. "Why does it still hurt? I'm supposed to be a rubber person!"

Ash chuckled. "Guess Garp's Fist of Love breaks all the rules."

Dadan and her crew of bandits watched the scene with exasperation. "Great, more brats to deal with," Dadan muttered under her breath, already feeling her patience wearing thin.

With no other choice, the trio settled into the bandits' house, though it was clear Lucy wasn't planning to make herself comfortable anytime soon.

Inside the dimly lit house, the atmosphere was anything but welcoming. Lucy crossed her arms, glaring at everyone. "I hate mountain bandits," she declared loudly, recalling her unpleasant encounter with Higuma and his gang in the past.

Dadan, who was in the middle of eating, immediately bristled, her shark-like teeth bared in frustration. "SHUT UP BRAT! We're already tired of dealing with the likes of you! If you don't like it here, go starve to death!" she shouted, slamming her cup down on the table.

"Boss, calm down," one of the bandits muttered nervously, pulling Dadan back into her seat.

Lucy, ignoring Dadan's outburst, scanned the table and frowned. "This is too little! I want more meat!"

Dadan growled, her irritation bubbling over. "Ace brought that buffalo, and we shared it with you lot! If you want more, then start pulling your weight! Clean the floors, do the laundry, and earn your keep!"

Lucy, still unfazed, ignoring her completely glanced across the table and spotted Ash and Uta happily enjoying their meals separately from the rest of them. What caught her eye wasn't just their smiles but the sheer variety of dishes in front of them, from roasted meats to perfectly steamed vegetables.

"Oi, Ash!" Lucy shouted, pointing accusingly at him. "Give me some of meat!"

The room fell silent as everyone turned toward Ash and Uta's plates, their mouths watering at the sight of the sumptuous feast. Even Ace, sitting quietly at her corner, couldn't hide her curiosity. The question ran through everyone's mind: "How on earth did these brats get all that food?"

Ash chuckled, leaning back in his seat. "Alright, Lucy, come here." He reached into his inventory, pulling out a steaming slab of roasted meat and handing it to her.

The moment the meat materialized in Ash's hand; the entire room froze. Dadan and her crew's jaws dropped comically to the ground, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets.

"HOW DID YOU DO THAT?!" they all shouted in unison, pointing at Ash as if he'd just performed a magic trick. Even Ace was surprised seeing this.

Still grinning, Ash casually pulled out another plate, loaded with a variety of dishes, and placed it on the table. "Like this," he said, chuckling.

"WE ALL SAW IT THE FIRST TIME!" they shouted again, their expressions of shock only growing wilder. "NO NEED TO SHOW IT AGAIN!"

Lucy and Uta burst into laughter, barely holding themselves together. This kind of reaction had become a regular occurrence whenever Ash used his inventory, and it never failed to amuse them.

Once the commotion settled, Ash turned toward Dadan and her bandits with a sly smile. "So, how about it? Do you guys also want to eat food like this too?"

The bandits immediately stiffened, crossing their arms and turning their noses up in unison. "No need!" they huffed, trying to maintain their pride.

In the background, Uta, understanding Ash's plan, leaned over to Lucy. "Hey, Lucy, try this," she said with an exaggerated tone of delight, holding up a perfectly cooked piece of meat. She took a dramatic bite, savoring it with an audible "Mm!" and adding, "See how juicy it is? It's amazing!"

The bandits watched the display, their mouths watering uncontrollably. They struggled to keep their composure, their pride fighting a losing battle against their hunger. Finally, as if on cue, they dropped to their knees like synchronized swimmers, bowing their heads.

"W-We would also like some, please," they admitted in unison, pretending as if nothing had happened.

Ash laughed heartily, pulling more dishes from his inventory and placing them on the table. "Alright, everyone, dig in!" he said, grinning.

The bandits didn't need to be told twice. They pounced on the food like starving wolves, tearing into the dishes with reckless abandon. Dadan, however, sat in her chair, grumbling under her breath. "Hmph. Look how easily they all switched sides… Spineless fools," she muttered, shooting a glare at her crew, who were too busy devouring the food to notice.

Ash noticed Dadan's reluctance and raised an eyebrow. "What about you, Dadan? Not interested in joining them? You don't seem like the type to get swayed so easily," he teased, pulling out another platter of even more tempting dishes.

Dadan's resolve visibly wavered as she eyed the new food. The aroma wafted over, causing her to gulp audibly.

Ash smirked. "Tell you what. If you agree to a little deal, I'll make sure you get food like this occasionally during when we stay back here. No more cleaning or laundry for us, and in return, you'll let us leave us to do what we want during the day and crash here at night. Don't worry we will try to help you with the house work occasionally. Deal?"

Dogra immediately turned toward her; their mouths still full. "Boss, come on! You have to accept! This is amazing!"

"Yeah, boss, you can't let this slip by!" replied supporting him.

Dadan tried to maintain her composure; her fists clenched tightly on the table. "You think you can buy me off with food?! I'm not that easy to manipulate!" she barked.

But as Ash casually placed another platter filled with golden, crispy meat and glistening sides, Dadan's resolve crumbled entirely. Her hand shot out toward the food, and she mumbled, "Fine. You've got yourself a deal."

The bandits cheered, raising their plates in celebration, while Ash and Uta exchanged triumphant smirks.

Lucy, laughing, pointed at Dadan. "See? Even you couldn't resist, huh?"

Dadan grumbled, stuffing a piece of meat into her mouth. "Shut up, brat."

As Ash noticed Ace's scowl, he couldn't resist teasing her. "So, Acelyn, what do you say?"

Ace's face reddened in an instant, and she shouted, "I told you, don't call me Acelyn! It's Ace!"

She stormed off, leaving the group behind. Lucy immediately finishing her meal tried to follow her, calling out, "Ace, wait up!"

The bandits, still a little dazed from the food and the sudden turn of events, scrambled to stop Lucy but were weak. Lucy just laughed mischievously. "Shishishi! You guys are too weak to stop me! I'm going to be a pirate! No small-time bandits like you can hold me back!"

Dadan's eyes widened in shock. "Did you just say pirate?" thinking few hours back how Garp warned them that the brats should not spout about becoming pirates and other nonsense when he returns back or they will face his wrath. Thinking that everyone shuddered how they will face Garp as they can't control these brats.

Ash and Uta both chuckled, exchanging amused glances before shrugging and following Lucy out. "We'll be back soon," Ash called over his shoulder.

Lucy, still chasing after Ace, shouted, "Hey, Ace! My name's Lucy! I wanna be your friend! And don't worry about that whole spitting thing—I forgive you. It's nothing to get upset over!"

Ace didn't respond but instead snapped, breaking a nearby tree and hurling it at Lucy. Without hesitation, Lucy punched the tree and split it in half.

Ash, who was following behind with Uta, shouted to Lucy, "Leave her be! She's too weak! She's not worth our time."

Ace, now clearly angry, spun around, yelling, "Shut up, you idiot! Who are you calling weak?"

Ash smirked. "You. You're weak," he said, mocking her.

Ace glared at him, her fists clenched, but then, after a tense moment, she scoffed, shaking her head. "You're not worth my time," she muttered and walked away, disappearing into the forest.

Ash chuckled to himself, then glanced at Lucy and Uta. "Well, that was fun."

Lucy grinned. "Shishishi, I'll get her to be my friend one day."

Uta giggled. "You sure about that?"

Lucy nodded enthusiastically as they continued on their way.

They stopped at a quiet clear spot along the mountain path, surrounded by trees and the sound of nature. Ash turned to Uta and Lucy, a serious look on his face. "Alright, listen up. I've got a plan to get stronger, and I'm going to need both of you to focus on your training as well."

Uta raised an eyebrow, curious. "What's the plan?"

Ash smirked, pulling out the Training Manual: Advanced Physical Techniques from his inventory. "I have already shown you guys this before. It's going to help us improve our physical strength. If we follow this guide, we can get stronger quicker, and that's exactly what we need to keep up with everyone else."

He held up the book, showing it to both of them. "The techniques in this manual are tough, but they'll push us to our limits. We're not just going to get stronger physically—we'll have to get smarter about our fighting styles, too. Trust me, this will help us in the long run."

Uta nodded, clearly focused. "Got it. I'll start practicing right away."

Lucy looked at the manual, skeptical but determined. "I'll do my best, too. I'm going to be a pirate queen, after all."

Ash smiled at her determination. "That's the spirit." He then began his own training, following the instructions carefully. Uta and Lucy mimicked him, focusing on their own movements, trying to match Ash's pace. It was tough, but Ash kept pushing through the exercises, feeling his muscles burn with each rep.

As the hours passed, the sun began to set, casting an orange glow across the horizon. Ash wiped sweat from his brow and stood up straight, stretching. "Alright, we've done enough for today. We'll continue later, but we need to head back to Dadan's house for now. We don't want to keep her waiting."

Lucy and Uta nodded, both still a bit winded but looking determined.

As they made their way back, Ash couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. This was just the beginning. If they kept this up, they'd be strong enough to face anything ahead of them.

As they returned to Dadan's house, Ash couldn't help but notice the eager looks on everyone's faces. The bandits, Dadan included, were all waiting for his food. Uta and Lucy looked at him with expectant smiles, both knowing what was coming. Ash chuckled and started preparing plates from his inventory. The familiar scent of delicious food filled the air as the bandits' eyes widened in anticipation.

Just as they were about to dig in, the door swung open, and Ace entered, carrying another mountain buffalo. She looked at the spread of food on the table and scowled, clearly annoyed. "Hmph. You guys always get all the good stuff," she muttered to herself kind of envy in her eyes.

Ash noticed her gaze and couldn't resist teasing her a bit. He smiled and waved his hand. "Hey, Ace, if you're thinking of cooking that meat yourself, I've got a better offer."

Ace raised an eyebrow, not quite sure what he meant. "What are you talking about?"

Ash grinned and pulled out a plate of food from his inventory, offering it to her. "I can give you a plate, and you can exchange it for the buffalo meat. Trust me, it's way better than whatever you're planning to cook."

Ace stared at the plate for a moment, clearly skeptical, but after a second of consideration, she sighed and accepted it. "Fine. But don't expect me to be all grateful."

As she took the plate, Ash chuckled, knowing she wasn't one to ask for food easily. However, she did seem interested in trying it out. A moment later, she looked back up at him, a bit sheepish. "Alright, but can I have more? This actually tastes pretty good."

Ash couldn't help but laugh. "Of course, here you go." He handed her another plate, amused at how quickly she changed her mind.

Ace took the plate with a muttered "Thanks" before she sat down to eat, her usual tough demeanor cracking a little in the face of such delicious food. The bandits, seeing all of this, looked at each other, eyes wide with curiosity.

"Looks like Ash's food is the real deal," one of the bandits mumbled to Dadan.

Dadan just shook her head, grumbling under her breath. "I don't even know why I'm surprised anymore. I guess I've to get used to it."

The laughter and chatter filled the room as everyone dug in, Ash and the girls now slowly becoming part of the mountain bandits strange family, even if it was just for the time being.

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The next day, everything played out as expected. After finishing breakfast, Lucy, full of determination, ran outside, intent on following Ace again. Ash and Uta, as usual, followed close behind, knowing where this was heading.

Ace, noticing them behind her, whipped around and scowled. "Just because you shared a meal with me yesterday doesn't mean I'm your friend," she said, her voice sharp. Without waiting for a response, she turned and ran off, her footsteps quick and determined.

Lucy, however, was undeterred. "Wait, Ace! Wait for me!" she shouted, her pace quickening. Ash and Uta exchanged glances, then followed her, both understanding her determination to make a new friend.

As they closed the distance, Ace noticed them gaining on her and instinctively picked up speed, trying to escape. But Lucy was relentless, and Ash couldn't help but smile.

A brief flashback crossed Ash's mind, bringing with it the memory of Lucy's request the previous day. She had looked up at him with bright, earnest eyes and asked, "Can we be friends with Ace? I want to be her friend. You, too, right, Ash! Uta!?"

Ash had smiled back, knowing what he had to do, and nodded. "Of course, Lucy. We'll all be friends with her, I promise."

The flashback faded as Ash remembered the quest that had triggered when Lucy made her request. He mentally reviewed the details:

Quest: Befriend Ace

Objective: Gain Ace's friendship.

Rewards: 100 Coins, 2500 XP, Bonus Reward.

Ash's mind sharpened with the thought of completing the quest but getting to know this worlds Acelyn, sorry it's Ace but he kept his focus on Lucy, watching her determination to reach Ace. This wasn't just about the rewards; this was about helping Lucy achieve her goal and forging new bonds and along with his.

Lucy, now ahead of Ash and Uta, was getting closer to Ace, who, despite her attempts to outrun them, was looking over her shoulder more frequently, noticing how hard Lucy was pushing to catch up.

Ash, Lucy, and Uta finally overtake Ace, standing in front of her with grins on their faces. Ace's eyes widen in surprise as she skids to a stop. "How are you idiots so fast?" she asks, clearly taken aback.

Lucy, never missing a chance for a playful moment, bursts into laughter. "Shishishi," she giggles. "We're stronger than you, Ace! Although Uta's about somewhat at same strength as you," Lucy teases, her eyes gleaming with mischief.

Ash steps forward with a more serious tone, his eyes focused on Ace. "If you want, you can get stronger too. But you'll have to be our friend first," he says, offering her an opportunity.

Ace's face changes, her mocking expression shifting as she crosses her arms. "No need for that," she snaps, clearly not interested in the idea of becoming friends.

Ash shrugs nonchalantly. "Fine," he replies, "But if you change your mind, you know where to find us."

Ace glares at them, her pride refusing to let her admit any interest, and huffs. "Don't follow me!" she shouts, turning on her heel and running off again.

Seeing Lucy prepare to follow her again, Ash gently stops her. "Let's try again tomorrow. Today, we focus on training," he says, giving her a reassuring smile.

The group nods, then continues their training for the day. As evening approaches, they wrap up their session and head back toward Dadan's house. On their way back, they encounter three mountain buffalo. Without hesitation, they engage in battle, taking down the massive animals with skillful teamwork. Once the buffalo are defeated, they collect the large, juicy pieces of meat and begin carrying them back toward Dadan's house.

The air is filled with the satisfaction of another day's work and the anticipation of a hearty meal waiting at home.

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When Dadan and her crew see Ash, Lucy, and Uta carrying the massive mountain buffalo meat, their eyes nearly pop out of their sockets in disbelief. Lucy, noticing their astonished faces, chuckles mischievously. Uta, never one to pass up on a chance to tease, adds, "See how powerful we are? We're aiming to be pirates, so we train every day."

The bandits, sweating bullets, start to panic internally. They remember again what Garp had told them before leaving: that Ash, Lucy, and Uta were to not have any thoughts of becoming pirates by the time he came back. The thought of Garp finding out about their training and dreams makes them nervous. They are certain that if Garp catches wind of their ambitions, he'll do more than just scold them.

Ash, sensing their anxiety, stops them with a grin and reassures them, "Don't worry about it. I'm going to cook for you all."

At the mention of food, Lucy and Uta's faces light up. Both of them jump in joy, knowing Ash's cooking skills are always top-notch.

Dadan, still skeptical, asks, "Really? You also know to cook as well?"

Uta, smiling brightly, responds, "Oh, he's amazing. Not only does he have the heart to make the best meals, but he's got the skills to back it up."

Ash grins at the praise and begins to set up, pulling out spices and other necessary items from his inventory. The bandits watch in awe as he starts preparing the meal, the large pieces of meat sizzling as he works with precision and ease. The savory aroma soon fills the air, leaving everyone eagerly waiting for the meal.

Ace joins them a while later and sees all enjoying Ash's cooking. Ash seeing her gives her share Ace reluctantly accepts even though her mouth waters to the aroma.

Over the next few days, the cycle continues. Ash, Lucy, and Uta train diligently, and each day, they share meals and interact with Ace, slowly breaking down her resistance. Ash can see that Ace is starting to soften, her earlier defensiveness giving way to more tolerance. She no longer scowls every time they approach her, though she's still distant.

Ace Relationship Meter: 20% (Tolerates, still distant but no longer actively hostile)

At this stage, Ace is beginning to see them less as annoyances and more as people she can tolerate. She might not fully trust them yet, but there's a shift in how she views them, particularly with how they keep offering friendship and sharing meals.

Ace's POV:

Ace grinned to herself as she made her way through the forest. Finally, she thought. I've finally gotten rid of them today. No annoying idiots annoying her to become their friend and follow me around, no one trying to force their way into my life.

She picked up her pace, feeling a sense of triumph at having finally escaped their persistence. She allowed herself a small chuckle, relieved that she had a moment to herself, when suddenly—

CRACK.

Her foot caught on a branch she didn't see, and before she could react, she stumbled forward, crashing to the ground. Pain shot up her leg, and she winced, gritting her teeth.

Damn it... she thought, trying to push herself up. But before she could, she heard the unmistakable rustle of something moving nearby, much too large to be an ordinary forest creature.

Her eyes widened. From the trees ahead, a massive mountain tiger—much larger than the one she had escaped from before—emerged, its yellow eyes locking onto her.

Shit... not now...

She tried to scramble to her feet, but the pain in her ankle made it impossible. The tiger's gaze seemed to fixate on her injury as it prowled closer, its sharp claws scraping against the ground.

Memories of the last encounter with this creature flashed in Ace's mind, how she had barely escaped, managing to injure the tiger and slip away before it could catch her. But this time, she wasn't sure she could get away.

Her heart pounded in her chest as she quickly assessed her situation. The tiger also seems to recognize. It looked at her even more dangerous now after seeing her again.

This is it... Ace thought, her breath quickening. Is this is how it ends...

She gripped the ground beneath her, ready to face her fate. The tiger's low growl filled the air, sending chills down her spine.

But she wasn't going down without a fight.

As the tiger took a step forward, she tried to push through the pain in her ankle, preparing herself for one last effort to escape took out her pistol and knife in another hand.

Meanwhile...

Ash, Lucy, and Uta had been following Ace like past few days, but despite their best efforts, they had lost her today. As they reached another clearing, Ash paused, sensing they lost her.

"She got good at avoiding us more than usual," Ash murmured, scanning the area.

"Yeah, and I'm pretty sure it's because she's knows the forest better than us, since she has grown here," Uta added, frowning.

Lucy, determined as ever, turned to Ash. "Today, we have to try again and make her our friend, Ash. We're not letting her run anymore."

Ash chuckled and nodded. "Alright, no training today then. Let's go find her."

But neither of them knew that Ace, at that very moment, was getting ready to fight for her life.

Ace's P.O.V:

As the tiger ready to lunge forward with a deafening roar, Ace clenched her fists around the knife and pistol, her body trembling but her resolve unbroken. If this is it... I'll face it head-on, she thought, bracing herself. But just as the beast closed in, a familiar voice echoed through the forest—strong, confident, and unyielding:

"Ace, hang on!"

To be continued...

Hey everyone! I'm always looking for ways to make this story even better, and I'd love to hear your ideas. What powers do you think should be available in Ash's store? Maybe you have some cool concepts for abilities, weapons, or items that could make the adventure even more exciting!

Feel free to drop your suggestions in the comments, and if there's anything specific, you'd love to see in future chapters, let me know! I might even integrate your ideas into the story.

Also, don't forget to give some Power Stones if you're enjoying the journey! Your support means the world. 😊