A day later, on the boundless sea, a s.h.i.+p was sailing.

This was a medium-sized sailing s.h.i.+p with a single mast. A black pirate flag was hung on the top of the mast. The pattern of the pirate flag was a normal grinning skull and crossbones wearing Ace's signature hat, which has two “smileys”, one smiling and the other frowning. The background of the skull was a spade, and the word “SPADE” is beneath it.

That's right. This was the Jolly Roger of the Spade Pirates.

On the s.h.i.+p, Ian was looking forward to him sitting on the deck, arms folded together, squinting at Ace in front of him.

And Ace having a smile on his face, he didn't care about Ian's look, and said, “Answer me! Are we good here?"

Ian raised his hand and said, “Enough! Enough with this madness. Stop saying such bulls.h.i.+t! Do you really want me to call you Captain Ace now?"

What the h.e.l.l is going on? This started after they put out the fire yesterday.

At that time, Ian could only run with Ace, who was dragging him, because of his lack of strength. He thought that Ace was just taking him away from the fire site. However, what surprised Ian was that Ace finally ran all the way to the port!

He didn't know where he got such a medium-sized s.h.i.+p, which was used as his pirate s.h.i.+p. When they arrived at the port, he threw Ian on the s.h.i.+p, and then ordered his crew to start sailing!

Ian was stunned at the time. When the s.h.i.+p left the port, he came back to his senses and asked Ace about what he's doing.

As a result, Ace told him straightforwardly that Ian would be his Deputy Captain!

At that time, Ian had the feeling of a kidnapped dog!

However, Ian was in a weak period. He has no strength to swim back to the Cactus Island. He could only watch the boat sail farther and farther.

In the following period, Ace kept pestering Ian, asking him to accept being the Deputy Captain.

Now there were only seven members of the spade pirate crew, including Ace. The other six members were those who have been following him. They witnessed Ian's chopping down the roof of the warehouse building at that time and were shocked by his strength. So when they heard that Ace asking him to join as the Deputy captain, all the members of the spade pirates raised their hands cheering for Ian.

But Ian was angry. That guy, Ace, took him on the boat without even asking for his agreement. He wanted to stay on the Cactus Island for two more days. After all, Bill was still on the Island, and Ian has to tell him that Roland Gail died. Many things haven't been solved yet, and he was dragged out to the sea by Ace.

Now, when Ian was out of his weak period, the s.h.i.+p was already in the vast sea. Where can he find a way back to the Cactus Island?

Ace sometimes looks silly and funny like Luffy, but actually, he is very smart. He used this method, forcing Ian to stay on his boat.

This was really a “pirate s.h.i.+p”!

So now, Ian was getting so angry at Ace! How could he agree to this request?

“Captain Ace, Master Ian, have your breakfast!” At this time, Jimmy, one of the members of the spade Pirate Group, who was a cook on the s.h.i.+p, brought two plates of food to them.

Now on the s.h.i.+p, the members of the spade Pirates call Ace the Captain and Ian, the Master. It seems that in their eyes, Ian was the Deputy Captain of the s.h.i.+p by default.

This made Ian very helpless, so he refused to talk and began eating his food.

Not to mention, Chef Jimmy's craftsmans.h.i.+p was really good. Ian could figure out why Ace wants to be a partner with these guys.

At this time, Ace was also eating. These two had bulging cheeks: “You are my good friend of mine. Why are you un… unwilling to be my de… deputy captain?”

Ian looked at him with an expressionless face and said, “Don't talk when you eat!”

“Oh! Sorry!” Ace bowed his head politely and apologized.

So they ate in silence. When they finished eating, Ian threw away the tableware. Then he said to Ace, “it's not that I don't want to be your deputy captain, but I can't become a pirate. If I have the ident.i.ty of a pirate, it would be so inconvenient for me to do many things.”

Yeah, in fact, it doesn't matter to Ian whether he is a pirate or a marine or a pirate hunter, because he is very clear that, with his own personality, even when he became a pirate, he will not be that kind of vicious pirate. Similarly, when he became a marine, he will not be sc.u.m like Captain Nezumi, as long as he can keep his consciousness, everything would be the same.

In-game terms, Ian is actually a neutral and orderly camp.

But when everything doesn't matter, it also depends on the situation. For him, at this stage, he must find a way to make easy money. If he went with the marines, he is strong enough to stay on the top, but he can't necessarily get a lot of money, because it's like the Marines' duty and obligation to catch pirates. He won't be able to get their bounties, he can only get achievements and upgrade his rank. And that won't work for him either if he became a pirate. Ian is not willing to become a robber and a bad pirate, and he will be only relying on adventuring and looking for the treasure. If anyone can find the treasure easily, there may be no pirates in the world.

After all, the status of a pirate hunter can't be lost temporarily. It may change in the future, but it's definitely not now.

Ian was very pleased with Ace's request. He knows that it is impossible for Ace to make such an invitation if he does not really regard him as a true friend and partner.

But just as Ian asked Ace not to be a pirate when they first met, and Ace could not agree. And now it is the same, Ian also could not agree to the fact that he turns into a pirate.

So Ian told Ace about his situation and why he couldn't be a pirate.

After hearing Ian's words, Ace finally stopped insisting and respected his decision.

However, Jimmy, the cook who has been listening to them, suddenly said, “Sir Ian, you are not turning into a pirate, just to earn money, are you? However, if you can become a s.h.i.+chibukai, you can be both!?”

Ian stared at Jimmy with sorrow.

'What the h.e.l.l! This makes sense! Why haven't I thought about it?'

Ian didn't really think about this before. He just thought he couldn't be Pirate, or he wouldn't be able to get bounties from the Marines, but he never thought of this. If he could become a member of s.h.i.+chibukai, that would actually be the same as being a pirate hunter, because s.h.i.+chibukai was originally the means of the government to check and balance the Pirates, Pirates captured by the s.h.i.+chibukai, can also be used to receive their bounties, which was admitted by the World Government.

Of course, if he wants to be s.h.i.+chibukai, the premise was that he could defeat one and get his place. Ian doesn't know powerful is he now, and how much he is strong compared with the s.h.i.+chibukai. It looks like their strength was also high and low, with “Hawk Eyes” Mihawk's Strength can be tied to Shank, one of the Four Emperor (Yonko). If he uses him as a comparison, Ian is not qualified now.

So, although Jimmy's words were reasonable, Ian was not going to think about it for the time being.

Now that he's already on Ace's s.h.i.+p, he'll just go with Ace anywhere. If he was alone, he wouldn't be able to sail. However, as Ace delayed on the Cactus Island for recruiting partners, his Log Pose has been full of the special magnetic waves. It could point to the next Island. If he moves forward, he can go to the next Island smoothly.

Ian asked them, and Jimmy said it would take about seven days to get to the next Island.

Such a long time can't be wasted, so Ian said to Ace: "Come and fight me!"

In fact, it's something Ian had thought of doing for a long time. Ace has eaten the Flame-Flame fruit. This idea came as to make great progress and advance rapidly in Ace's skills. Ace wasn't familiar with the abilities of the Flame-Flame fruit, and Ian intended to take this opponent to practice on his and level up faster!

As long as he can beat him, Ian can get a lot of experience, which is much better than taking Zoro to practice in Frostmoon Village.

In addition, there is another advantage of fighting with Ace, that is, acc.u.mulating early experience with Logia Devil Fruit User. When Ian was in Loguetown, although Ian battled twice with Smoker, but Smoker's Fruit Abilities were less offensive and more inclined to control, which was totally different from Ace's Flame-Flame Fruit.

Ian knows that Haki is something that everyone is born with, so he definitely has the potential of Haki, but it has not been developed. At present, all he uses is his Nen abilities. If he fights with a Logia Fruit User like Ace, he can also take a good look at it and see what difference between Nen Abilities and Haki.

At the same time, in this way, Ace can be familiar with his Flame-Flame Fruit Abilities as soon as possible…

After hearing Ian's proposal, Ace was also excited. In fact, the fight he fought with Ian in Loguetown was not serious. Now, seeing Ian's serious face, Ace knew that it was going to be serious.

“Let's fight!” Ace clenched his right hand and put it in front of his chest, opened his left palm with blazing flames on his five fingers, and posing his signature posture…

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h.e.l.lo, everyone, hope you enjoyed today's chapter!!

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