Navigation: The Intuition is Against Heaven, and the Deduction of the Start is a Cremation

Chapter 3: Awakening! The Power of Conqueror’s Haki!

Ace struggled to open his eyes, a piercing light flooding his vision. The first sight that greeted him was a face of unparalleled beauty. Yet, despite her delicate features, Portgas D. Rouge was visibly weak—her forehead glistening with beads of sweat. Each breath she took seemed to drain her remaining strength.

To evade the relentless pursuit of the Marines and the World Government, she had prolonged her pregnancy far beyond the natural term, carrying Ace for an astonishing twenty months. Now, she had exhausted every last ounce of her life force. Yet, even as her life waned, she gazed down at Ace with an expression of pure love and boundless devotion.

“Roger’s child, is it?”

Standing beside her was a tall, broad-shouldered man clad in a black suit. His once resolute eyes flickered with a rare trace of emotion.

Monkey D. Garp—the legendary Marine Hero, a man of the Marines, now sharing a room with the wife and child of the Pirate King was an ironic sight indeed. Yet Rouge paid him no mind. Instead, she took a deep breath, gathering the last of her strength as she looked at her son with unwavering tenderness.

“Ace… you must eat well and never be picky. Grow up strong. Make sure to take warm baths daily, rest well, and never stay up too late. This sea is vast—you will make many friends. But true friends need not be many; just a few genuine ones will suffice. Wait until you’re twenty before you start drinking. Drinking too much will harm you—be mindful. And one day, Ace, you will take an interest in women. But promise me, don’t be fooled by strange women. Find someone like your mother. You will face hardship and pain, but stay true to yourself. Never lose sight of your dreams. And above all…”

Her voice trembled as tears streamed down her pale cheeks.

“I wish I could teach you more. I wish I could stay by your side forever. Ace, my child… I love you.”

With the last of her strength, she pressed a gentle kiss upon his forehead. Then, ever so slowly, her eyes closed.

Ace felt the lingering warmth upon his skin, his heart growing heavy. Tears welled in his eyes. In his previous life, he had been an orphan—never had he experienced a mother’s love so pure and unyielding. Yet now, that love was slipping away. Even the ever-resolute Garp was shaken by the moment, standing in silence.

But suddenly, his Observation Haki sensed something amiss.

“Rouge!”

Though his Haki had already confirmed her passing, he still called out, as if unwilling to accept the truth.

Silence.

With a deep sigh, Garp gently lifted Ace from his mother’s lifeless embrace.

“I swear, I’ll raise him safely to adulthood.”

His once-conflicted gaze hardened with determination. Raising the Pirate King’s son—this was the weight of his vow. Yet, within Garp’s arms, Ace instinctively reached out towards Rouge, as if trying to hold onto the warmth that was fading away. Suddenly, Ace’s vision darkened.

……………………………………………………………………………………..

When he opened his eyes again, he found himself surrounded by Marines. And beside him, a golden-haired man exuded an aura of dominance.

Silvers Rayleigh—The Dark King?!

A jolt of realization surged through Ace.

“Roger Pirates! Surrender at once!”

A Marine Vice Admiral stood at the forefront, barking commands in a voice that betrayed his unease.

“Oh? Hahahaha!”

Ace let out a resounding laugh—one brimming with audacity and power.

“If you want to capture me, go fetch Garp and Sengoku themselves! Hahahaha!”

His laughter faded, and in an instant, his eyes sharpened. An overwhelming force erupted from within him.

Boom!

An electrifying surge of purple-black lightning burst forth. The heavens and earth trembled under its violent might. The very clouds overhead dispersed, rolling away in waves of invisible pressure. Before him, countless Marines—including the Vice Admiral—staggered, their eyes rolling back as they collapsed, unconscious.

No one could stand above a true king. In the presence of a conqueror, mere mortals were unworthy even to look upon him. This was… Conqueror’s Haki!

Huff!

In the blink of an eye, the vision shattered, and Ace once more found himself gazing upon Rouge.

【Your comprehension is unparalleled. Through intense emotional turmoil and visualization, you have awakened Conqueror’s Haki!】

The previously composed Garp stiffened, his expression changing dramatically.

Boom!

A wave of sheer force rippled through the air.