Chapter 128: Impulsiveness

On the Grand Line, Haki users are uncommon. Ace's own strength has also been rapidly improving, which is why he was previously invited to join the Shichibukai but declined.

Lacking strong opponents on the Grand Line, Ace's confidence has inflated, leading him to enter the New World. His goal is simple: defeat Whitebeard.

After all, Whitebeard held the title of "strongest man in the world" for a long time. While that title has now unquestionably shifted to Luo Ning, Whitebeard's reputation remains a powerful deterrent.

"Ace! It's Impel Down's ship! Coming from the direction of Cake Island, it's probably Luo Ning's crew!"

Ace's companions quickly spotted Luo Ning's approaching vessel.

"Luo Ning's ship? Perfect! I was planning to challenge Whitebeard. Now that he's surpassed everyone, I'll defeat him to claim the title of strongest!"

Ace's confidence, fueled by the invincibility his Mera Mera no Mi grants him, has reached a delusional point. He even plans to take on Luo Ning.

This is partly due to Ace missing the live broadcast of the previous battle. Focused on his own ventures, he was unaware of the war's live broadcast. He only learned about it through newspapers afterward. Without witnessing the battle firsthand, Ace lacks a true understanding of the power he's about to face.

Conversely, Ace believes his elementalization is invincible. This might have been true before encountering enemies who could use Armament Haki, including Enel, who was completely ignorant of Haki's existence.

While Enel unknowingly combined his Goro Goro no Mi with Observation Haki, he had no concept of Haki itself. However, his unfortunate encounter with Luffy, who could counter his abilities, ultimately led to his defeat.

Logia Devil Fruit users can be formidable, especially those with Haki knowledge. However, those without it are sitting ducks, and Ace currently falls into that category.

"Ace, why don't we reconsider? The guy's newspaper boasts paint a powerful picture, and we might not be strong enough to challenge him."

While he acknowledge Ace's strength and the formidable nature of the Mera Mera no Mi, which nullifies physical attacks, he's also aware of its weaknesses. Seawater and Seastone can still harm Ace, and these are significant drawbacks.

"How can we just back down? We set out to be the strongest! Taking him down would make our names!"

Ace remains unconvinced. This impulsiveness is precisely his biggest flaw, mirroring Luffy in that regard. When emotions take hold, neither considers the consequences.

Remember Luffy's fight with the Celestial Dragons at Sabaody Archipelago? They weren't exactly skilled fighters, but their weakness was a different story. Challenging them inevitably attracted Marine Admirals. Without Bartholomew Kuma and Silvers Rayleigh's intervention, Luffy wouldn't have survived.

While neither Kizaru nor Kuma intended to kill Luffy, they did send him packing. However, with Akainu in their place, the outcome would have been fatal. Even with future experiences, Luffy's impulsiveness persists, hindering his ability to grasp the bigger picture.

This is why Luffy garnered a significant number of critical fans later on. Compared to other popular shonen protagonists like Naruto Uzumaki, Ichigo Kurosaki, and Natsu Dragneel, who matured from their initial impulsiveness, Luffy seems stagnant. He continues to act impulsively, leaving the impression that he hasn't grown at all.

Therefore, the reception of the series among fans seems to have worsened in the later stages compared to the earlier ones.

One could argue that Ace's impulsiveness is hereditary. While chasing Blackbeard, he displayed restraint, understanding his responsibility as captain towards a subordinate. Getting captured then wasn't due to impulsiveness, but to a calculated pursuit.

However, the Summit War showcased a different side of Ace. After his rescue, Akainu's mocking words triggered another impulsive reaction.

While Akainu's taunts were undeniably infuriating, it's worth considering if others felt the same level of rage. Did Marco and the Whitebeard Pirates not view Whitebeard as their father figure?

Ultimately, it was impulsiveness that led to Ace's demise. Retreating wouldn't have guaranteed their safety, but it certainly wouldn't have resulted in his death.

As for Akainu attacking Luffy, if memory serves Luo Ning correctly, it was Ace's initial aggressive attack that triggered the chain reaction. Once Ace stopped his assault, the others instinctively followed suit, leaving Luffy, the easier target, vulnerable to Akainu's redirection.

At that critical moment, Ace chose to intervene. Arguably, if he hadn't stopped his attack, this tragic sequence of events could have been avoided.

However, Ace's life was no longer solely his own. The Whitebeard Pirates sacrificed countless lives to secure his rescue. A portion of that responsibility falls on Ace, as his impulsiveness in stopping his attack played a significant role in the events that unfolded.

This incident undeniably tarnished Luo Ning's perception of Ace.

Of course, he wouldn't say disgust, but his previous positive impression of Ace has definitely diminished.

"Looks like their ship is heading this way. Pirates? Who'd have thought there'd be some crazy enough to tangle with Impel Down?"

Nami, along with everyone else, was confused by the sight. Pirates usually do their best to avoid them, wishing for their ships to sprout legs and speed away. Yet, this one crew was approaching on their own.

"Not entirely unexpected," Luo Ning said, eyeing Ace. "Seems like the kid's gone off the deep end." Luo Ning planned to talk some sense into Ace and, if possible, convince him to ditch the pirate life.

Honestly, Luo Ning never understood Ace's motivation for becoming a pirate. Knowing his father Roger's exploits, Ace initially hated pirates. But somehow, he ended up on that path.

The Summit War didn't evoke pity for Ace from Luo Ning. Garp, on the other hand, seemed more deserving of sympathy.

Garp took a risk raising Roger's son, even though it was more like temporary care. Regardless, Ace ended up under Garp's wing. Garp clearly saw Ace as family, but Ace's actions went against everything Garp believed in.

Some criticize Garp for stopping Marco, claiming he wouldn't have done the same for Luffy since they're blood-related. That's ridiculous. One's his grandson, the other a boy he raised – how many people can guarantee they'd be completely impartial? Garp never owed Ace anything. In fact, it's the Ace family who owes Garp a debt.