chapter 167 part 1
Chapter 167: The Flame-Flame Fruit? Not Even a Dog Would Eat It!
Ren Arakawa wasn't particularly surprised that Fire Fist Ace had appeared at the Sabaody Archipelago.
When he was breaking out of prison, he had heard from a new inmate who had just been locked up for a year that a Supernova had recently appeared on the high seas, taking down an old member of the Seven Warlords of the Sea right after his debut.
At this time, the World Government had not yet learned of Ace's true lineage.
For Ace to be active on the Sabaody Archipelago, it was likely that he was negotiating the terms of becoming one of the Seven Warlords with the World Government.
Alternatively, he could be taking advantage of his current momentum to pass through the Red Line via the Calm Belt and reach the New World.
Inside the noisy restaurant, the atmosphere suddenly grew tense and hostile.
After hearing Ace announce his name, the pirates who were trying to dine and dash were first stunned. A flicker of fear, not easily noticed, crossed their faces. But in the blink of an eye, they looked at each other and burst into raucous, ear-piercing laughter.
One of them, a brute with a face full of flesh and a hideous scar over his left eye, grinned and deliberately raised his voice so that it echoed through every corner of the restaurant. "Hmph, this brat looks so young! He probably just got lucky and used some sneaky tricks when the former Warlord wasn't paying attention. That's the only way he could've made a name for himself! If we take him down, our reputations will soar! Maybe we can even take his place and become a new, awe-inspiring Warlord of the Sea!"
These words, full of greed and arrogance, were like a stone thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples that spread outward.
The other pirates in the restaurant, who had been watching the spectacle, saw their eyes light up in an instant. Like starving wolves spotting a plump sheep, their minds began to race.
In a flash, the scattered crowd quickly closed in on Ace. Chairs and tables were knocked over, and the clatter of falling cups and plates filled the air. The once-spacious aisle was now packed solid, trapping Ace in one spot.
One had to understand that any pirate who could set foot on the Sabaody Archipelago had weathered countless storms on the Grand Line and fought their way through hails of bullets and blades.
Each one was far from a saint, their eyes glinting with the ferocity of seasoned veterans of the battlefield.
Although Ace had made a great name for himself shortly after setting sail, at this moment, facing a dense crowd of wolf-like, tiger-like enemies, even his extraordinary courage wasn't enough to stop fine beads of sweat from forming on his forehead. A patch of his shirt on his back was already slightly damp.
But the stubbornness and pride ingrained in Ace's bones were like a burning flame that hadn't been extinguished for a single moment.
He tilted his head up slightly, his chin raised at a defiant angle. He faced the group of malicious scoundrels surrounding him and roared, "If you really want to fight, then let's take it outside for a one-on-one! Don't wreck this man's restaurant!"
However, why would these pirates let go of such a golden opportunity for fame? And why would they give Ace a chance to go outside for a fair fight?
They had already decided to swarm him for a quick victory, a silent agreement passing between them with a single glance.
Just as Ace shifted his body, looking for a chance to break through, a pirate who had been hiding behind him—thin but radiating a sinister aura—saw his opening. A vicious light flashed in his eyes as he swiftly drew a blade from his back.
The blade glinted coldly under the dim lights, imbued with a chilling killing intent. With a *swish*, it slashed viciously toward Ace's back!
"Hmph!" As if he had eyes in the back of his head, Ace snorted coldly, and the aura around him changed abruptly.
The next second, he clenched his right fist, and a surging, torrential flame erupted from his palm. The flame seemed to have a life of its own, leaping and rolling wildly, instantly converging into a roaring pillar of fire.
The pillar of fire, carrying a temperature that could scorch everything and a devastating momentum, shot out with a *boom* like a cannonball fired from the depths of hell, heading straight for the ambushing pirate.
The pirate didn't even have time to let out a scream before he was engulfed by the pillar of fire. His entire body, like a kite with a broken string, was sent flying into the sky with a *whoosh*! Ace's eyes widened as he roared, "Fire Fist!"
Ace's "Fire Fist" was like a heavy bomb exploding in the middle of the pirates. The scorching heat and violent impact instantly caused the surrounding air to sizzle.
The pirate who was sent flying into the air screamed miserably. His clothes turned to ash in an instant, his hair was scorched, and like a burning bird, he streaked across the sky before crashing heavily in the distance, his fate unknown.
This earth-shattering move briefly threw the surrounding pirates into chaos. But the greed and ferocity in their eyes did not dissipate; instead, it ignited an even stronger will to fight.
How could anyone who went out to sea as a pirate be a saint?
And so, after a brief pause, the pirates roared again, brandishing a motley collection of weapons as they surged toward Ace from all directions.
Ace's eyes turned sharp. His feet, as if rooted to the ground, spread apart steadily as he sank into a solid horse stance.
Immediately after, he forcefully swung his left arm, which instantly transformed into a blazing flame. The flame roared and twisted, shooting a thick pillar of fire from his palm like a geyser. This was one of his signature moves—Kagerō.
The pillar of fire was like an indestructible shield of flame. Wherever it passed, the air itself seemed to burn, creating waves of heat.
The swords and sabers of the pirates melted into molten iron upon contact with the pillar of fire, dripping to the ground with a *plink, plink*.
A few pirates who tried to sneak attacks using their Devil Fruit abilities found their strange energy attacks also burned away by Kagerō, dissipating into wisps of green smoke in the air.
But the pirates had the advantage in numbers. They attacked wave after wave in a frenzy, giving Ace no chance to catch his breath.
In a gap between defending against attacks, Ace quickly changed his tactics.
He put the index and middle fingers of both hands together, like two sharp pistols, and pointed them straight at his opponents.
Following Ace's low shout, "Fire Gun!"
A series of small flames, like bullets, shot out with a *bang, bang, bang* towards the enemy. This was the Fire Gun technique. The power of each small flame was like a real pistol shot. When they hit the pirates, they exploded instantly, searing their flesh and causing them to howl in agony!
Under Ace's strenuous resistance, five pirates fell one after another. Some writhed on the ground, clutching their flame-burned wounds, while others fainted directly.
"Brothers! Get him! He can't have unlimited energy! Get him! Get him!"
The pirates continued to scream, utterly crazed.
Suddenly, a voice rang out.
"Since when is ganging up on someone a skill?"
The pressure was so tangible it felt physical, weighing down on everyone present until they could barely breathe!
A pirate who had just raised his greatsword high, preparing to cleave Ace in two, suddenly felt as if a great mountain was crushing his body. His legs gave way, and with a *thud*, he fell flat on the ground. His eyes were wide with terror, but he couldn't move a single inch.
The pirates looked around in horror, trying to find the source of this pressure.
They saw that at this moment, the only one still standing quietly by the wall was Ren Arakawa.
He stood tall and straight, his gaze as cold as a blade, like an insurmountable mountain of ice.