Chapter 381: Ace, the Scapegoat
Two years had passed.
Both Maude and Sunny had changed.
The only thing that remained the same was perhaps Sunny and Perona's equally modest chests.
Their long-awaited reunion brought countless things to talk about.
But Betty was clearly not about to let them indulge in their own conversation.
"Sunny, we're on a tight schedule."
A blunt and straightforward reminder instantly dampened Sunny's excitement.
"Mm."
Sunny abruptly halted her words, suppressing the joy surging in her heart, and gave Betty a slight nod.
Although the plan to overthrow Alabasta had changed, as Betty said, time was indeed pressing.
Maude glanced at Betty, reining in the joy of reuniting with Sunny.
The current situation was hardly suitable for catching up.
After cutting off Maude and Sunny's reunion, Betty stood with one hand on her hip. The jacket draped over her shoulders shifted to the left, revealing a faint glimpse of her ample curves.
Yet she seemed completely unconcerned, maintaining her posture as she looked directly at Dragon in the distance.
"You've seen who you wanted to see. Isn't it time to leave?"
Facing the leader of the Revolutionary Army, this straightforward woman showed not the slightest awareness of being a subordinate.
Dragon was long accustomed to Betty's personality. He paid no mind to her attitude and merely nodded to indicate he understood.
Betty's words made Maude realize Dragon's true reason for stopping here.
To see someone?
Most likely... Luffy.
Maude reached his own conclusion.
Sunny looked up at Maude and whispered, "I have to go."
"Leaving Alabasta, or...?"
Maude asked without reservation, directly probing into their movements.
"Ahem."
An older male Revolutionary member coughed deliberately, a reminder to Sunny not to reveal sensitive information due to personal feelings.
Hearing the reminder, Sunny fell silent.
In terms of both identity and position, she couldn't disclose their movements.
"We'll be heading to Alubarna, to witness this country's... impending fate."
Dragon appeared silently beside Sunny, answering Maude's question on her behalf.
Betty frowned but said nothing.
After all—
The one answering the question was her superior.
Still, what kind of magic did this man possess to draw such attention from so many comrades?
Even Dragon was now casting his gaze toward this man.
Betty shifted her gaze, scrutinizing Maude.
Handsome—without a doubt.
But that was all, right?
Betty thought to herself.
"Alubarna..."
Ignoring Betty's scrutiny, Maude's eyes narrowed slightly.
That city was the capital of Alabasta and the primary target of the rebel army's assault.
And Dragon spoke of witnessing...
Even with the Pump-Pump Fruit user present, were they really planning to remain bystanders, merely observing from the sidelines?
Wait—did the Revolutionary Army even participate in the Alabasta incident in the original story?
Maude's thoughts flickered before quickly settling.
Whatever role the Revolutionary Army intended to play in this conflict, what did it matter to him?
As long as they didn't interfere with his own plans, that was all that mattered.
Maude no longer dwelled on it, locking eyes with Dragon for a brief moment before turning to Sunny and saying softly, "Sunny, stay safe."
"Mm."
Sunny nodded. As if suddenly recalling something, she said weakly, "By the way, Maude, the Clear-Clear Fruit you gave me... I gave it to Sabo."
"Huh?"
Maude was genuinely surprised.
In his mind, the image of Sabo consuming the Flame-Flame Fruit in Dressrosa flashed by.
He had given the Clear-Clear Fruit to Sunny to enhance her self-defense abilities.
Unexpectedly, Sabo had ended up eating it instead.
The surrounding Revolutionary Army members, including Betty, all looked at Maude in shock.
Most core members of the Revolutionary Army knew that Sabo had eaten the Clear-Clear Fruit, but only a handful—such as Koala—knew where the fruit had come from.
Now, hearing Sunny's casual revelation...
So the Clear-Clear Fruit Sabo ate had been a gift from Maude to Sunny?
Sunny glanced at Maude's surprised expression and cautiously asked, "Maude, do you mind?"
"I don't."
Maude shook his head, but his expression grew more serious.
"However, Devil Fruits like the Clear-Clear Fruit, which are functional and capable of avoiding most direct dangers, are extremely rare. Sunny, I hope that next time you make such a decision, you'll consider yourself more."
"Mm."
Sunny lowered her head like a child caught making a mistake.
Yet she could keenly feel Maude's concern, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
Maude patted Sunny's head, his thoughts suddenly drifting to the Door-Door Fruit user from CP9.
"I'll find you another Devil Fruit with a similar power in due time."
"No need."
Sunny refused without a second thought.
Her refusal was entirely within Maude's expectations.
He merely smiled and said nothing more.
Once the necessary matters were settled, he was determined to claim the Door-Door Fruit.
As for the Clear-Clear Fruit being consumed by Sabo, that was an outcome he could fully accept.
Some debts are worth remembering for a lifetime.
Whether it was Sunny Sol, or Sabo—who had once saved his life...
Belo Betty and the other Revolutionary Army members looked at Maude in surprise.
After all, in terms of compatibility, the Clear-Clear Fruit was an extremely rare Devil Fruit for the Revolutionary Army's cause.
Obtaining one was already a stroke of luck, yet Maude spoke of finding another with a similar ability.
Such a thing was akin to searching for a needle in a haystack.
However, from Maude's tone, it sounded as if it were no challenge at all.
Strangely enough, they found his words entirely convincing.
The Revolutionary Army didn't linger long. Under Maude's watchful gaze, they set off toward Alubarna.
A group of dozens walked beneath the scorching sun.
After traveling a considerable distance, Betty quickly glanced back at Sunny, who was walking in the middle of the group.
"Dragon, why do I feel... you waited here for half a day not just to see Maude, but to let Sunny meet him?"
"No need to overthink."
Dragon looked straight ahead, unwilling to say more.
Yet Betty's nature prevented her from letting the matter drop. She lit a cigarette and declared confidently, "Looks like I guessed right."
"..."
Dragon remained silent.
But sometimes, silence is as good as confirmation.
In the desolate land of Yuba...
With Dragon's departure, the wind ceased and the sands settled.
When Maude returned, he saw that an elderly, frail man had joined the group.
Nearby, Luffy was loudly complaining about how unreasonable the sudden sandstorm had been, while Vivi looked puzzled.
Ace, on the other hand, glanced thoughtfully at Maude, who had just returned after a brief absence.
As dusk approached, it was clear they would spend the night in Yuba.
A few days later—
The subordinates who had accompanied Pica to Alabasta finally discovered his corpse amid the scattered red rocks.
"Lord Pica... actually..."
At the sight of Pica's body, the group was struck speechless.
They quickly noticed that Pica's dried-out corpse bore not only conspicuous sword wounds but also extensive burns.
Even the red rocks scattered around bore scorch marks.
Such traces could not have been caused by ordinary flames.
Unless... it was the work of a Devil Fruit user!
"What happened here?"
They knew that among the Straw Hat crew, there was Zoro, a skilled swordsman, and Usopp, the sniper—but none who could wield flames.
Unaware of the battle's aftermath, they couldn't have known that the burns were collateral damage from the clash between Maude and Ace.
Their task was to report all findings, including Pica's death, back to Dressrosa.
Upon receiving the news, Doflamingo and his subordinates in the Dressrosa royal palace were visibly shaken.
Based on their understanding, the Straw Hat crew alone couldn't possibly have killed Pica.
Soon, reports surfaced that Fire Fist Ace had been seen in Spider Miles and had skipped out on several meals without paying.
This information naturally linked Ace to the burns on Pica's body and the scorched rocks.
"Fire Fist Ace... Whitebeard's Second Division Commander... Why would he...?!"
Veins bulged on Doflamingo's forehead as his ferocious aura surged, exuding a bloodthirsty menace.
Meanwhile...
Having reached Rainbase with the Straw Hat crew, Ace inexplicably sneezed several times.
"Ace, are you catching a cold? Let Chopper take a look! His medical skills are amazing!"
Seeing Ace sneezing repeatedly, Luffy expressed his concern immediately.
Hearing Luffy's praise, Chopper wriggled in embarrassment, turning into his grass-like bashful form.
Completely unaware of the trouble brewing behind his back, Ace waved his hand dismissively.
He still needed to confirm the rumors of the Blackbeard Pirates' appearance in Alabasta.
Without delay, the decisive Ace parted ways with Luffy upon reaching Rainbase.
-------
Want to read waaaay ahead of schedule? Head over to my Patreon ——— patreon(.)com/EmperorGarus [remove the parenthesis ( )]
There are more than 400 advance chapters available for you!