Chapter 31 : Removing the Seastone Handcuffs

"What? How could there be such a father?" Ace said incredulously. "He must be bluffing you!"

Youta smirked, knowing that Kaido wasn't bluffing about the bomb inside.

Of course, whether the bomb could kill Ace was another matter. With Ace's current physique and formidable Armament Haki, he might only end up severely injured or disabled.

But regardless, when Kaido first put the Seastone handcuffs on Ace, Ace's defense was certainly not as strong as it is now. In other words, Kaido's words were true, not a bluff.

"Although I always thought Dad might be lying to me, when I think about his personality carefully, I dare not gamble," Ace sighed, lying on the ground like a puddle of mud.

"That's why I've never really set sail!"

"Well..." Youta seemed to want to say something but was interrupted by Ace.

"Don't worry, Ace!" Ace's eyes sparkled with determination. "When the time comes, I'll help you break free from all constraints! Then you can sail with me!"

"I say..." Youta seemed hesitant to speak, but Ace interrupted.

"Relax, Ace!" Ace's eyes were bright. "Even if I can untie this Seastone handcuff right now, you two don't need to be so excited!"

Youta couldn't hold back any longer and blurted out without pause.

Ace: "Huh?"

"This is a special handcuff made of Seastone! And there are special mechanisms inside. Can you really unlock it?"

Ace looked uneasy, excited, and worried, looking at Youta.

"Yeah, Youta, isn't it impossible for your Gulp-Gulp Fruit ability to process Seastone?" Ace frowned, looking puzzled.

Youta rolled his eyes and looked at Ace. "This guy doesn't understand my Devil Fruit ability, which is forgivable, but why don't you? Why should I struggle with this Seastone handcuff?"

"Don't forget, my Gulp-Gulp Fruit can reshape the human body. As long as it's not instant death, even if your head is chopped off or your body is split in half, I can still bring you back without any lasting effects!"

Ace blinked, quickly understanding Youta's plan. "You mean, just chop off my hand directly?"

"Ah? Isn't that too much of a price to pay? While I want freedom, chopping off my hand..." Ace opened his mouth, a bit confused.

"No, just now, didn't you hear Youta say that even if your head is chopped off, as long as you don't die immediately, he can bring you back, let alone your hand." Ace explained hastily.

"Really? That's amazing." Ace's eyes lit up. "Let's start now!"

Youta was surprised by Ace's enthusiasm. He thought Ace would doubt him and was prepared to demonstrate his Gulp-Gulp Fruit ability.

After all, Ace and the Black Spade Pirates were just enemies, but she unexpectedly trusted him so much.

But since Ace believed in him, there was no need for Youta to waste any more words.

"Okay, then relax your arm. With your body strength, even without Haki, it's hard for ordinary weapons to cut your flesh."

Youta used his Soul-Calling Technique to summon a large fast sword and swallowed it whole. Then, his entire arm turned into a fast sword, and the black Armament Haki instantly wrapped around it.

"Okay, I got it." Ace extended his hands, relaxing to the extreme.

Although there were many people in the world who could withstand steel with their bodies, they were generally prepared. They accelerated the flow of blood in their bodies like iron blocks, increasing their body strength.

But without preparation or when exhausted, their physical strength would drop significantly. Just like executing two ordinary people when Roger was executed, and Gomu Gomu no Mi could be killed by a bullet. As long as the muscles were completely relaxed, even someone like Ace, a child of the Devil, couldn't withstand the sharpness of Armament Haki plus the fast sword.

With a flash of light, blood splattered, and Ace's two hands fell to the ground.

Youta opened his mouth, becoming incredibly large. He swallowed Ace directly, then took off the Seastone handcuffs from the broken arm, and then stuffed the two broken arms into his mouth.

Then, Youta closed his eyes, as if using his Devil Fruit ability. After a while, he opened his mouth wide and spit out Ace.

"Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! What happened? Was I eaten just now?" Ace, standing up, looked panicked and reached out to pat himself, suddenly stopped, and saw his two hands.

"Awesome, you really reattached my hands, and the Seastone handcuffs are also removed." Ace's face showed a happy expression, and his aura suddenly burst out.

Wearing Seastone handcuffs since childhood, Ace's strength was suppressed a lot. Now that he had removed the shackles, his strength instantly skyrocketed.

Feeling the aura on Ace's body, Ace's expression suddenly stiffened. Although he knew that the Seastone handcuffs suppressed part of Ace's strength, he didn't expect Ace to be so strong after removing the Seastone handcuffs.

This is not good. After all, Ace is going to board his Black Spade Pirates' ship!

As a captain, if his strength is not superior to that of his subordinates, then he really loses face.

Originally, with Youta chasing him up behind him, it was already very stressful, and now there is a stronger Ace...

Although Ace was not worried that there would be any power conflicts after boarding the ship, after all, he still believed in Ace's character.

But as the pillar of the Black Spade Pirates before, always protecting the crew below, he also regarded it as the captain's responsibility.

Now that his strength is not as strong as the crew members, will he have to rely on Ace to protect himself as the captain in the future?

Although Ace was also an optimist, he was not brainless like Luffy. He still cared about his face very much.

He had decided that after he went back, he would train hard! If he couldn't beat Ace to at least a tie, he wouldn't go to find Whitebeard!

Otherwise, if he were beaten up by Whitebeard later and needed Ace to come to the rescue, his face as the captain of the Black Spade Pirates would be completely lost.