[Note:
" * " : Indicates abilities that can be upgraded with practice, experience, or unique opportunities.]
> System inner voice ["speaking"] <
> Ash inner speech "speaking" <
{}
ACE'S TRAIL:(continue....)
Ace exhaled sharply, finally lowering her weapons, but her glare never left Brutus.
Veyra rushed over to Ace, checking her for injuries. Ace gave her a small, reassuring smile. "I'm fine, Veyra. Thanks for worrying."
Veyra let out a breath before turning sharply toward Brutus, her tail bristling in anger. "You brute! Attacking your own teammates—do you have no sense of camaraderie at all?"
Brutus let out a mocking chuckle. "She's just an opponent after the 2nd trial. I simply wanted to take care of future competition. Besides…" He tilted his head slightly. "She was starting to get on my nerves."
Veyra stared at him in disbelief. Ace placed a hand on her shoulder. "Leave it, Veyra. We need to focus on the next trial."
Veyra exhaled sharply but gave Brutus a cold glare before nodding at Ace. Without another word, they both turned away, tending to their wounds and preparing for what was to come.
Not long after, Amunet's voice echoed across the arena once more.
"Now, the final trial is a three-way battle—only the last one standing will be declared the winner. The final trial begins now!"
The gong rang, signalling the start of the battle.
As soon as the gong rang, Brutus charged at Veyra with unexpected speed, catching her off guard. But before his attack could land, Ace stepped in, intercepting the blow with her machete.
Sparks flew as metal clashed against metal, the sheer impact pushing Ace back a few feet.
While holding off Brutus, Ace glanced at Veyra. "What do you say? Want to team up to take him down?"
Veyra, her eyes burning with anger, shot a glare at Brutus. "Thought you'd never ask. Let's take this ugly bastard down together."
Saying that she drew her twin daggers and lunged at him. But Brutus didn't even bother blocking—he simply trusted his armor to withstand the assault.
Ace fired high-speed bullets at close range with her Blaze Repeater, aiming at a single point in Brutus's armor, hoping to create a weak spot in the armor.
Meanwhile, Veyra relied on her speed, launching a relentless assault, searching for any gaps in the armor she could exploit. But Brutus didn't care. He trusted his defense completely, standing firm against their combined attacks.
However, the constant assault began to enrage him. With a furious growl, he lifted his hammer high, aiming for Veyra and Ace.
Brutus's attacks became wilder, more reckless, forcing Ace and Veyra to weave through a flurry of near-deadly swings as they fought to hold their ground.
As the battle continued, Ace gritted her teeth as Brutus's hammer came crashing down, sending a shockwave through the arena. She barely managed to block, her machete groaning under the force, cracks splintering further across its blade.
Her arms burned from the relentless impact, but she refused to yield. Not when Veyra was still fighting by her side.
A sharp clang rang through the air as Ace retaliated, her machete and Blaze Repeater working in tandem. Every time Brutus swung, she dodged, countered, and fired. High-speed bullets rained down at the same spot on his armor, one after another, aiming to weaken it.
Veyra danced around the battlefield, her daggers striking like fangs, trying to exploit any opening. But Brutus barely flinched. He took every hit, his lips curling in amusement.
Ace's grip tightened. They weren't doing enough damage. Their combined assault should have left marks—but Brutus stood strong, only growing angrier. They needed more power.
Veyra lunged, daggers flashing. Brutus whirled with brutal speed, his hammer swinging in a wide arc—and this time, it connected.
CRACK!
Veyra gasped, her body flung backward from the sheer impact. She crashed into the stone floor, coughing up blood.
Brutus sneered, lifting his hammer going for the killing blow.
Ace shot forward, intercepting his strike with her machete protecting Veyra again. In that instant—something changed.
For a fleeting moment, her weapon felt different. The air around it grew denser—as if a weightless force wrapped around the blade.
Brutus's hammer slammed into it again. Instead of shattering, the machete held firm.
She had been trying to use Armament Haki this whole fight—but just now, it happened. But before she could replicate it, the feeling was gone. She gritted her teeth, trying to force it out again and again—but nothing happened.
Just then –
Uncle Dragon's voice echoed in her mind, "To consciously imbue your weapon with Armament Haki, you must first understand and grasp the moment you unconsciously used it. Recall that feeling—not just the power, but the instinct that guided it."
"Don't try to force it into existence. Let it flow naturally, like a river finding its course."
"And the more you refine it in battle, the more it will become second nature for you."
Brutus lunged; his hammer ready for another crushing blow again. Ace took a deep breath and dodged the attacks with calm mind trying to get the feeling back without defending or responding to his attacks.
This time, she didn't force it—she let herself remember the feeling. The connection, the flow, the feeling of becoming one with her weapon.
And a surge of power rushed through her as her weapons became an extension of herself. And then—her machete and Blaze Repeater became coated in an unseen force. Ace smiled at that she felt it, she consciously can control it now.
She then saw Brutus becoming more agitated at his attacks because of her continues dodging and not responding to his assaults.
Brutus roared, charging at her again with his hammer raised high, ready to crush her.
Ace then stopped dodging. Then she moved, using Soru, she lunged forward, meeting him head-on. Her machete, now coated in invisible Armament Haki, clashed against the descending hammer.
A shockwave erupted from the impact.
Brutus's eyes widened in shock as an overwhelming force sent him flying backward—his hammer dragged him along. He then crashed into the ground, sliding across the battlefield. For the first time, he was caught off guard during this round.
The battlefield fell into a stunned silence.
The stunned silence broke into a wave of cheers, the crowd erupting in excitement at the unexpected turn of events.
But Ace didn't care any of that. Without wasting a second, she used Soru, dashing toward Veyra, who was still on the ground.
She knelt beside her. "You, okay?"
Veyra grunted, coughing up some blood. "Tch… I'm fine. Not completely, though. Probably some broken bones."
Ace narrowed her eyes, looking her over. Before she could say anything, Veyra reached into a pouch, pulling out a small vial.
"It's just a temporary fix," Veyra muttered, drinking it in one go.
Ace gave a quick nod. "I've got a plan. You willing to go along with it?"
Veyra grinned weakly. "If it means taking that bastard down, I'm in."
Ace smirked. "Good. I just need you to buy me some time. Don't fight him directly—distract him, keep him moving, and avoid getting hit."
Veyra wiped the blood from her mouth. "Fine by me."
Both women rose to their feet, turning toward Brutus, who was still in the distance, slowly getting up.
His face twisted in disbelief—he hadn't expected Ace's last attack to send him flying.
With a firm nod from Ace, Veyra took off, sprinting toward Brutus despite her injuries.
Brutus scoffed, his eyes narrowing. "Tch… You just caught me off guard. Don't think you can actually defeat me!"
He lunged at her, hammer swinging in vicious arcs. Veyra dodged every strike, twisting and weaving through his attacks, never staying in one place long enough to be caught.
Ace, meanwhile, focused entirely on her next shot.
Her mind raced, recalling one of her newly developed bullets—Ignition Fang.
A bullet that sticks to metal, heats it up, and then explodes, turning it brittle or molten. Perfect for breaking that damn armor.
She poured everything into its creation, imagining it down to its finest detail. Blaze Repeater responded, its nozzle shifting. Ace aimed, her breathing steady.
"IGNITION FANG!" she shouted before asking Veyra to move far away from him.
The moment Veyra darted away, Ace clicked the trigger. The bullet tore through the air, its high velocity making it nearly impossible to dodge.
The round clung to Brutus's armor, its adhesive core locking it in place.
For a second, nothing happened.
Then—heat surged outward. The metal began glowing red, the heat spreading rapidly. Brutus gritted his teeth, feeling the temperature rise against his skin.
Before he could react—
BOOM!
A fiery detonation rippled across his armor, sending a blast of searing heat through the battlefield. The once-impenetrable plating weakened, slight cracks forming along its surface.
Brutus let out an agonized roar, his voice echoing across the arena, filled with pain and rage.
The metal of his armor, now superheated by Ignition Fang, had turned into a blistering prison. Steam hissed from the cracks, and the scent of scorched flesh filled the air. His body twitched violently as he tried to move, but the unbearable heat made every motion agonizing.
The crowd watched in stunned silence; their cheers momentarily halted by the sight of the once-unshakable Brutus writhing in pain.
Veyra's eyes widened in shock as she watched Brutus's armor begin to glow white-hot from the aftermath of Ignition Fang's detonation. She was thankful she had kept her distance—if she had been caught in that, it wouldn't have ended well for her.
Ace, however, was breathing heavily. The special bullet had drained her, but she wasn't finished. She gritted her teeth, tightening her grip on Blaze Repeater.
"Veyra! Don't move from where you are!" Ace shouted.
Veyra, still recovering, looked at her in confusion but nodded, trusting her.
Ace focused once more, her mind sharpening despite the exhaustion creeping in. This time, she needed the opposite effect—an intense, freezing shot to counteract the molten armor.
Her fingers tightened around the trigger as she concentrated, visualizing the bullet's properties. Blaze Repeater's nozzle shifted once more, responding to her intent.
Ace aimed at Brutus's exposed, weakened armor.
"CRYO CORE BURST!" she roared and fired.
The bullet pierced through the air, striking its target with pinpoint accuracy.
The instant it hit; a blinding pulse of frost exploded outward.
A wave of freezing energy surged across Brutus's body, locking onto the superheated metal. The sudden clash of extreme heat and cold created violent cracks, weakening the structure even further.
If Veyra had been standing too close, she would've been caught in the expanding frost. But thanks to Ace's warning, she remained safely at a distance, watching in awe.
Brutus, however, felt the full brunt of the attack. His armor groaned under the strain, the metal warping, cracking—weakening even further.
Ace let out a breath, her chest rising and falling. She had pushed herself hard, but now, it was time to finish the job.
Ace exhaled sharply, then lunged forward with Soru, closing the distance in an instant.
"TEMPEST FURY!" she roared, unleashing a relentless barrage of air blades using Rankyaku. Sharp, crescent-shaped shockwaves tore through the air, slamming into Brutus's armor in rapid succession. Each impact sent vibrations rippling through the weakened metal.
CRACK.
A deep, groaning noise echoed across the battlefield as the first fracture widened.
Ace didn't stop. She kept firing off Rankyaku after Rankyaku, each one striking with precision, targeting the armor.
Then—
CRACK…. CRACK…. SNAP!
A slow, grinding noise filled the air.
Then, with a deafening shatter, Brutus's armor finally collapsed.
The once imposing steel shell exploded into fragments, falling away to reveal the grotesque, battered form beneath.
Brutus staggered forward, his breath coming in ragged gasps. His entire body was swollen and discoloured, covered in boiled, blistered skin from the extreme heat and cold.
The sight was so horrifying that Veyra felt her stomach churn. She clenched her jaw, nearly gagging. Ace wasn't much better off. She instinctively grimaced, fighting back the nausea that rose in her throat.
For a long moment, neither of them moved. The crowd, too, was silent.
Brutus stood there, heaving, his massive frame trembling from the sheer pain.
Ace and Veyra tightened their grip on their weapons, preparing for whatever came next seeing he was still breathing.
Brutus staggered, his breaths coming out in ragged gasps and his body twitched with pain. His lips curled into a grimace as he spat blood onto the arena floor due to biting his tongue.
"I underestimated you, brat..." His voice was hoarse, his words slow and grudging. "I should've finished you off when I got the chance."
Then, without warning—he charged at them with his fist raised in fury.
Despite the damage, despite his body screaming in protest, he exploded forward, fists clenched. His knuckles, where chunks of molten armor had fused into his skin, swung wildly, each strike carrying raw, desperate power.
Ace and Veyra moved in sync. They kept moving, their bodies weaving between his strikes, attacking when they could.
Veyra at one point so an opening and weaves past his attacks and went low. Her daggers flashed as she slashed into his leg, aiming to cut through his tendon. Brutus let out a growl but didn't slow. Instead, he retaliated, swinging his massive fist toward her.
Veyra managed to block with her daggers, but still the force sent her skidding backward, her boots scraping against the stone floor as she struggled to stay on her feet.
Ace seeing that immediately fires an ice bullet at his legs strong enough to hold him still at his place.
She then with her hardened body with Tekkai, letting Armament Haki flow through her, reinforcing her strength. Then, in an instant, she vanished, using Soru to accelerate.
Brutus who had barely freed himself from the ice couldn't react, as Ace slammed into him with full force. The impact sent him staggering back, his massive frame skidding across the arena. He grunted in pain, barely able to keep himself upright.
Heaving, Brutus lifted his head—and notices his hammer near him where he had landed.
With a grunt, he stretched out his hand, fingers curling around the handle as he slowly forced himself up, spitting blood onto the ground.
Brutus wasted no time and a wave of pure bloodlust erupted from him—something akin to Conqueror's Haki, bearing down on the arena like a crushing weight.
Ace didn't flinch. Instead, her own Haki flared, clashing against his, the air between them crackling with invisible pressure also covering Veyra.
Brutus leaped high, his massive frame casting a shadow over the battlefield. With a thunderous roar, he swung his hammer down as he descended, aiming to pulverize everything beneath him.
Ace and Veyra dove aside, barely avoiding the devastating strike. The hammer slammed into the ground, the sheer force shattering the earth, sending deep cracks tearing through the arena. The impact split the two apart, forcing them to opposite sides with Brutus standing right between them.
Neither wasted a second. They rushed in from both sides, attacking at full force. Brutus fought them both head-on, his sheer strength allowing him to withstand their relentless assault.
Though they landed multiple hits, Brutus also managed to strike back, his brutal swings smashing into them. Ace, in between her attacks, even fired a shot at his shoulder, trying to weaken his grip on the hammer. The bullet hit deep, making Brutus grunt in pain, but he still refused to let go.
The battle dragged on, both sides growing more battered—until Brutus seized an opening.
With a snarl, he caught Veyra in one hand and slammed her into the ground with monstrous force. The impact cracked the arena floor beneath her, her body jerking violently before falling still.
She was already exhausted at this point but this attack drained her causing her to finally fall unconscious.
Brutus then raised his hammer high, ready to finish her off.
Ace, seeing this from where she was at instantly rushed like before, to block the attack—determined to save Veyra.
Brutus let out a low, guttural chuckle, as if he'd been waiting for this exact moment. "You really think I'll let you save her again?" he growled.
And mid-swing—he changed his target.
Ace Observation Haki warned her too late.
Brutus's massive hammer veered toward her instead, the overwhelming force barreling down at her in an impossible speed.
Ace could only react in the last second, the impact crashing into her with brutal intensity. She was hurled backward, her body slamming into the ground, the shockwave kicking up dust and debris.
She felt blood rise in her throat, coughing it out as she struggled to breathe.
If she hadn't kept Tekkai and Armament Haki reinforced over her body the entire time, she would have fallen to this attack.
Brutus loomed over her, a cruel sneer twisting his battered face. He kicked her hard in the side saying "Get up, brat. Where's that courage now?"
Ace rolled across the ground, her body aching, her strength barely holding on. Each brutal kick sent pain shooting through her, but she didn't stop—she couldn't. Her fingers clenched around the Blaze Repeater, the weapon trembling slightly in her grasp.
A faint glow pulsed from the gun's barrel which got unnoticed by Brutus.
Brutus chuckled mockingly as he stopped his assault, towering over her. "Pathetic," he spat. "Let's finish this."
With that he lifted his massive hammer high and brought it down, aiming to crush her, to end it once and for all.
At the same instant, Ace lifted her blaze repeater through shear will and fires yelling –
"Velocity Fang!"
The bullet tore through her barrel, racing toward its target covered in her Armament haki. It pierced straight through the hammer mid-swing, shattering the weapon into fragments.
Brutus eyes widened in shock. His body tensed, but he couldn't react in time. The bullet, still traveling, shot between his eyes, burrowing deep into his forehead before—
BOOM! SPLAT!
His skull exploded, spraying gore in every direction. Blood and brain matter splattered across the ground, the walls, even Ace herself as the sheer force of the shot sent her rolling back a few feet.
For a moment, there was only silence even from the spectators.
Then with dull thud Brutus massive body collapsed lifelessly, among hammer fragments scattered around him.
The crowd, who had been deathly silent till now, suddenly erupted into deafening cheers. Ace had won.
Before the echoes of victory could settle, a deep, resonant gong rang out, Amunet's voice resounded across the colosseum—
"The third trial is complete! We have our champion!"
But Ace couldn't focus on any of it.
Her pistol remained gripped in her raised hand, the weapon that had fired the final shot. But as the last of her strength drained away, her arm went limp, falling to the ground beside her.
Her vision blurred, her breath shallow, exhaustion consuming her.
Then—a faint glow bathed the colosseum, golden light spilling across her fading world.
Ace blinked sluggishly, barely registering the small ball of light descending toward her, delicate wings fluttering.
She couldn't see clearly, couldn't comprehend, but in the haze, she caught fragments of words—
"…Bearer of Ra's flame…"
"…wavered… flickered… never died…"
"…stood against the storm… refusing to be extinguished…"
"…through battle… through defeat… you rose…"
A warm weight settled on her chest. The final thing she heard before unconsciousness took her—
"…I deem you worthy."
The brilliant light engulfed her completely, swallowing her figure into its radiance. Then, as if carried away by the very flames of destiny, Ace vanished along with the light that consumed the colosseum.
///////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
P.S.:-
Hito Hito no Mi - Model: Ra
The fruit resembled a twin-lobed loquat, golden in color, with raised spiral ridges that curled outward like sunrays erupting from its core. They emerged from the surface in smooth, natural arcs, like sun-forged growths shaped by light itself.
Veins of deep red and lapis lazuli glowed faintly beneath the skin, flickering like trapped embers. At the top, a coiled stem curved like a hooded cobra, while subtle feather-like spines framed the base, hinting at falcon wings folded in stillness as the fruit pulsed with quiet warmth.
//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
To be continued...
Hey everyone! I'm always looking for ways to make this story even better, and I'd love to hear your ideas. What powers do you think should be available in Ash's store? Maybe you have some cool concepts for abilities, weapons, or items that could make the adventure even more exciting!
Feel free to drop your suggestions in the comments, and if there's anything specific, you'd love to see in future chapters, let me know! I might even integrate your ideas into the story.
Also, don't forget to give some Power Stones if you're enjoying the journey! Your support means the world. 😊