Chapter 11: Garp Adopted Ace

"This boy isn't as simple as he looks! Never judge a book by its cover. And that name... Uchiha? Never heard of such a clan. Mysterious," thought Shakki, narrowing her eyes.

"Kid, are you sure this information is reliable?" Rayleigh asked, now much calmer than before.

"Of course," Gin nodded with confidence. "After the disbandment of the Roger Pirates, Captain Roger sailed to South Blue. There, on the island of Baterilla, he met and fell in love with a woman named Portgas D. Rouge. After a year together, she became pregnant. Soon after, Roger turned himself in to the Marines, and the Great Pirate Era began."

Shakky's eyes darkened. "The World Government got wind of a possible heir and began hunting down pregnant women in South Blue. It was a massacre. I remember that time clearly... my husband was furious. But in the end, the mystery was never fully resolved."

"Many innocent women and children were slaughtered just to prevent the birth of one child," Shakky muttered with quiet sorrow.

Rayleigh looked grim. "So… did Rouge manage to survive the purge?"

"She did," Gin said, voice heavy with emotion. "She carried the child for twenty months—almost two years—hiding the pregnancy by sheer willpower. Vice-Admiral Monkey D. Garp secretly protected her. But... she died immediately after giving birth."

Shakky and Hikari were struck silent, hearts aching at the sheer strength and tragedy of such a woman.

"Garp… huh?" Rayleigh clenched his jaw. "Roger entrusted his child to him instead of me?"

He exhaled. "Well, it is just like Roger… Hmph."

"In truth," Shakky said gently, "that was the best choice. If the child had been given to you, Rayleigh, the World Government would've found him in a heartbeat. Every single Roger Pirate was under the tightest surveillance back then."

Rayleigh sighed, admitting defeat. "Yeah… you're right. We owe Garp more than we thought. But where is the boy now? I feel strange… thinking that Garp raised Roger's son."

"No," Gin shook his head. "Garp didn't raise him directly. He sent him to Foosha Village in East Blue. There, he left him in the care of a mountain bandit named Dadan."

"A bandit?" Rayleigh raised an eyebrow. "And then what? He passed him off as his grandson?!"

Shakky chuckled. "Sounds exactly like Garp. Probably did it on purpose—to one-up Roger by claiming to be a generation above him!"

"Haha!" Rayleigh laughed, helpless. "That old man's got some nerve!"

"If Roger were still alive, he would've fought Garp to the death," Shakky smirked, "and still ended up calling him 'Dad' at the end!"

Their laughter echoed, bittersweet. Those two—Garp and Roger—always stood at opposite sides of the same coin. Rivals. Friends. Enemies. Legends.

"Haha-haha-haha-haha!!" Rayleigh bellowed. "For that level of madness… Garp should pay! Still, 'Ace', huh? That name… it was also Roger's sword's name…"

"No," Gin corrected. "His name is Portgas D. Ace, not Gol D. Ace. The change wasn't just to hide his identity from the government—it was also because Ace despises his father. He refuses to acknowledge him. He blames Roger for all his pain—his mother's death, his cursed bloodline, everything."

Rayleigh sighed deeply, sipping his wine. "Poor kid… he must've endured a lot."

"And Garp…" he continued, "he's a hell of a Marine, but not exactly the best grandfather. If Ace turns out to be a pirate, I wouldn't be surprised."

He leaned back, eyes heavy with thought. "Garp probably wanted him to become a Marine, but deep down, even Garp doesn't believe in the World Government's 'justice' anymore. Otherwise, he would've raised him in the Marine headquarters—not with mountain bandits."

"I agree to your terms," Rayleigh finally said. "I'll write down everything I know about Conqueror's Haki, Rokushiki, and Seimei Kikan. But remember this—"

He pointed at Gin. "Conqueror's Haki isn't something just anyone can awaken. And you won't master it just by reading notes. If you do awaken it… come find me. I'll train you personally."

Gin nodded.

"As for Armament and Observation Haki," Rayleigh continued, "they require patience and intense training. Rokushiki is something you can learn on your own—it's a way to push your body beyond its limits and opens the door to Haki."

"But Seimei Kikan… that's another story entirely. It goes far beyond Rokushiki. Even I struggled with it. It allows control over your own biology—every muscle, every cell. Consider your limits before attempting it. It can't be rushed."