"Ace, I long for the wonderful adventure in the Blue Sea. Can you let me board your ship and become your partner?" Urouge looked at Ace and asked sincerely.
"Of course!" Ace laughed heartily and said to Urouge, "I'm officially announcing that from now on, you're a member of the Spade Pirates!"
"Please take good care of me in the future, Captain Ace!" Urouge smiled brightly.
"And us too!"
"Sage Monk, you can't forget us!"
"That's right. Wherever Master Sage goes, we'll follow!"
Seeing Ace accept Urouge as his crewmate, the other wayward monks quickly rushed over, their shouts of excitement making Urouge dizzy.
"Captain Ace..." Urouge scratched his head and looked at Ace somewhat awkwardly. "Can I bring them aboard too?"
It was clear that Urouge was reluctant to part ways with his band of fellow monks.
"Of course." Ace nodded with a big grin. "You're all welcome!"
After inheriting the original Spade Pirates, Ace never considered going the route of a small elite crew like the Red-Haired Pirates or Roger Pirates. The Spade Pirates had always been a sizable group, and Ace's ambition was to grow them into a great pirate crew—one rivaling the likes of the Whitebeard Pirates.
When the errant monks heard that Ace was accepting them too, they were overjoyed. They immediately bowed respectfully and shouted in unison:
"Boss Ace!"
Ace laughed heartily. "Welcome aboard! Once we return to the Blue Sea, I'll introduce you to the rest of the crew. But for now… Let's have a banquet!"
"Oooh! Banquet, banquet!"
"It's party time!"
Their enthusiasm was contagious. Driven by the monks' joy, the people of the Sky Island momentarily forgot their grief over losing their home. Everyone pitched in to create a grand feast that lasted until nightfall.
---
Late at night, after the entire island had fallen asleep from the exhausting celebrations, Urouge sat alone at the edge of the clouds, deep in thought.
"You've found yourself a very good partner, Urouge." Salman walked up beside him. "I can see that you truly admire someone like Ace-kun."
"Ah... this must be fate," Urouge smiled. "Though Captain Ace carries heavy karma, I can tell he'll be a great leader. I'm honored to be accepted by him."
In truth, nearly a month ago, Urouge had planned to take his fellow monks and descend to the Blue Sea. But on the day he made his decision, a mysterious voice echoed in his heart, urging him to wait.
Having eaten the Cause-Cause Fruit (因果果実), which granted him the ability to perceive cause and effect, Urouge trusted that voice. So, he held back his desire to set sail—and eventually, he met Ace. This truly was destiny.
If Urouge were to tell Ace about the timing of that voice, Ace would be shocked—it was the exact day he'd arrived in this world. Indeed, some Paramecia-type Devil Fruits had incredible power.
Seeing the peaceful smile on Urouge's face, Salman was genuinely happy for him. He knew that Urouge had longed to visit the Blue Sea. Sometimes, he even wondered: what if he had been the one to eat the Cause-Cause Fruit instead? Then maybe Urouge would have gone off to pursue his dreams earlier.
But it wasn't too late. Urouge had found a reliable companion.
"By the way." Salman picked up the sacred pillar beside him and handed it to Urouge. "Now that the Sky Temple is gone, there's no use in leaving this behind. It's a perfect fit for your abilities anyway. Master asked me to give it to you."
Urouge accepted the sacred pillar without hesitation. "Is Master Sage okay?"
"He's fine." Salman nodded. "Though seriously injured by Enel's 'Judgment of God,' his life isn't in danger. He said himself he'll live another ten years at least."
"That's good to hear."
---
The next morning, before dawn, Salman and the monks began constructing a new Sky Island using milky cloud shells on a flowing White Sea current.
Almost all the adult residents joined in to rebuild their homes, while the monks who had broken their vows also contributed.
Buildings on Sky Island were made from the milky clouds ejected by Dials, making construction convenient—so long as they had enough materials.
Sky Island was incredibly rich in Dial resources. Ace even asked the locals to help him gather rare types like Flame Dials, capable of releasing fire.
"Everyone's really motivated," Ace said as he approached Urouge, watching the community come together to rebuild.
"Yes, we all look forward to our new home." Urouge smiled. Then, turning to Ace, he asked, "Captain, when do we head to the Blue Sea?"
"Ah..." Ace scratched his head awkwardly. "I came to Sky Island this time to train. I might not be heading back for a while."
He added thoughtfully, "Right now, I'm still too weak compared to the top fighters on the sea. To grow stronger, I'm waiting here for someone to teach me. It may take a few years. You can head down first."
Ace believed Silvers Rayleigh would one day come looking for him.
"What? A man like you thinks you're weak?" Urouge was stunned. If someone as powerful as Ace considered himself weak, just how fearsome were the top-tier fighters of the Blue Sea?
The thought only made Urouge more excited to journey downward.
---
Half a month later, after helping Salman and the others finish rebuilding the new Sky Island, Urouge and the errant monks set off for the Blue Sea.
Ace entrusted Urouge with Vivre Cards for his former crewmates from the Spade Pirates. Urouge expressed great anticipation about meeting them, curious about what kind of people they were.
That day, while Ace was testing new flame-based moves using Flame Dials, he suddenly heard a familiar voice calling from afar:
"Ace-kun! You're really hard to track down!"
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