Chapter 39. Love Stories about us

In a blink of an eye, half a year had passed.

Ace sparred with all his Nakama without rest, pushing their limits, he wasn't aware of the waves he had created, instead he was wholly focused on training.

Nami, Ronaldino Ronaldo, Yennow, Spikewards, Bepo and Gaga got trained by the Amazon warriors in Haki, martial arts and in weapon combat.

Ace, Urouge, Cavendish, Bonney, Law, Jojo and the three Boa sisters kept sparring with each other, changing sparring partner each day.

During these 6 months everyone of them grew. Especially Hancock, Cavendish and Law.

"Haa Haaa, captain, how come even after all this training, you're still haven't broken a sweat?" Jojo asked after they had fought for a whole day... he had bruises everywhere and a few more scars.

"Aren't I amazing?" Ace asked as he flexed a bicep.

"Amazing indeed, you might be as physically strong as Newgate was 20 years back!" He said.

"Actually, I have something for you!" Ace said as he threw a yellow fruit to JoJo.

"Huh, what kind of fruit is this, a devil fruit?" JoJo asked.

Ace still had the Thunder fruit. And at first he didn't know who to give it to, but after half a year of fighting with JoJo, JoJo had grown so much stronger that he might really give an admiral a run for his money.

So Ace decided that he wanted JoJo to eat the devil fruit. That would push him to become as strong as an admiral.

Seeing Ace nod with his grin, JoJo felt complicated.

"Captain, I have refused to eat a devil fruit all these years, I want to become strong without one!" JoJo said as he was about to hand the fruit back to Ace.

"It's the goro goro no mi, lightning logia fruit." Ace said, and JoJo's hand halted.

"Actually, the truth is that I never found a fruit that suits me. Now that you've given me this, I would be ungrateful if I didn't eat it!" Jojo said as he hurriedly took a bite.

He had changed his mind when he heard what fruit he held in his hand. It is one of the most powerful fruits out there.

Ace knew that if Jojo kept pushing himself like he did without eating the fruit, in another half a year, he might become strong enough to beat the weakest admiral.

But he wanted his vice captain to be more than that, he wanted him to be a force that is feared all over the sea.

So with the devil fruit, if he can become adept at controling it, he will certainly be a powerhouse in the seas.

After JoJo ate the fruit, suddenly sparks started coming out of his skin as his eyes became lightning blue.

"Impressive!" Ace smiled as the sound of thunder echoed throughout the Island.

Jojo suddenly looked at his captain with a wide grin.

"Watch out captain, I'm coming for you!" He laughed before big streaks of light ing shot at Ace.

It wasn't just one spark, it was hundreds of them.

Ace smiled and let them hit him, as they just passed through him.

Luckily they were on another island and didn't disturb the Amazonians, or so they thought.

Suddenly on Amazon Lily, the inhabitants heard monstrous thunder echo throughout the horizon, the Amazonians thought that they were about to be attacked by weapons of mass destruction.

Even the seas shook.

Another 8 months had passed since the Demon Ace pirates dissapeared. At this point it had been 14 months since Saint Segwey Jon, the world noble got killed by Ace.

The world had been shaken by his actions at that point, and every marine and world government agent searched the seas for the Demon Ace Pirates, but they had disappeared without a trace!

As for Ace, he was smiling brightly.

His crew had really grown during the last year, they pushed themselves to the limit without complaint.

And the ones that really went way beyond his expectations were Law, Cavendish and Hancock.

Boa Hancock had definitely become strong enough to beat an admiral, JoJo was a witness to that... Although in a real fight, that might last a few days, it's impossible to know who would come out victorious between her and one of the admirals.

Cavendish became very proficient in swordplay and in both of his Haki. He was really a genius in the sword, as his swordplay surpassed even Law by long shot.

If he continued like this, Ace could see him one day contend for the title of the worlds strongest swordsman. Sadly, although he was a genius in the sword, it was hard getting him to train willingly. Ace had almost killed him multiple times to get him stronger.

The worst thing, the dude didn't fear death, he feared that Ace would scar his pretty face!!!

Cavendish spent alot of time looking at himself.

Law was still stronger because of his devil fruit and haki that had also grown by miles. He also learnt to control his conqueror's Haki.

Ace suspected that Law is about as strong as he was when he went against big mom in the fiction of his past world. And Cavendish isn't far behind.

Urouge and Apoo also became much stronger as well.

Urouge fought Jojo lots since their statures are similar, yet the power difference between them was so huge that Urouge was the only one to benefit form their fights.

By this point, everyone on his crew learnt at least two types of Haki, with both Law and JoJo knowing the third type as well.

Nami was strong enough to equal a marine captain by this point! Even smoker would be smoked if he fought her, and she was the weakest link on his ship!

The Boa sisters were both stronger than the avarage Vice admiral and together they might be able to beat an admiral.

Even Hancock was very pleased as she had found some Kuja warriors with good potential during the last year and helped them grow.

As for Hancock, she had mainly developed her devil fruit... to a scary extent. She can now turn people by eye contact, and she also awakened her fruit which means that she can turn much bigger objects into stone.

Ace witnessed her turn a small island into stone, including every living thing on it.

'Women are scary' Ace thought when he saw that.

Her ability to command others through her devil fruit abilities also got stronger.

She can also release a burst of love energy which makes enemies super jealous of each other for being in her presence, which will lead them to start fighting each other.

Ace came to realise that her devil fruit is definitely one of the scariest out there.

Although it isn't a fruit with pure destructive power it's versatile enough that if you really learn to use it properly, like Hancock, it will be as scary as Big Mom's fruit.

"Hancock, thank you for everything this year." Ace said with a smile, he had really come to like this arrogant tsundere princess.

"Hmph, it's nothing!" She said as she tilted her head towards the sky.

'After all, We're wife and husband~~~' she finished in her mind.

Yet, it was only her that knew that they were married. Even Ace didn't know.

She had used her power as an Empress to secretly marry Ace as she had fallen head over heals.

Her love disease had started right after he killed Saint Segwey Jon.

"No, seriously, it means a lot. But it's time for me to set sail now." Ace said.

He hadn't told his crewmates that they'd leave yet. Hancock was the first he told.

She seemed slightly saddened.

"Actually, I wanted to ask ya to join my crew, but I know you can't with the responsibilities of being an Empress and taking care of Amazon Lily." Ace said with a disappointed smile.

Suddenly he felt anger boil inside of Hancock, although her face didn't change from her kind yet arrogant smile, his Haki picked up boiling anger inside her.

'huh why did she get angry? Did I say something wrong?' Ace wondered.

He wasn't aware that the moment he said that, he had sprouted a seed in her mind to burn down all of Amazon Lily.

Suddenly she felt like she needed to punish her people harshly with taxes and unjust oppression.

"Erm, ya alright?" Ace asked.

"I'm fine." She said with her usual facial expression.

"I see..."

"What's the hurry to leave, have you grown tired of seeing me?" She finally asked.

"I don't think that's possible?" Ace said as he looked at her face, after all, she wasn't known as the most beautiful for no reason.

"Ah, ehem, that's good then." She said breaking eye contact.

'Did he just proclaim his love for me? He basically admitted that he loves me and adores me? Maybe he'll send me letters and flowers. They might make love stories about us in the future waaaaaa how cute!' Hancock thought to herself in a blush.