"Deuce, that mask on your face... is it because you're just really ugly?"
Ace casually pointed at the mask covering the man's face.
Deuce looked annoyed and started to protest.
"Hey! You're calling me Deuce before I've even agreed to that name?!"
But then he sighed, giving up.
"Whatever… call me what you want. There's nothing special about the mask. I just like wearing it."
Hearing that, Shin crossed his arms and nodded seriously.
"A habit? So the mask is the real face?"
"Hmm... as expected. Some people are just built like that," he added thoughtfully.
Ace chuckled and nodded in satisfaction.
"Alright then, let's make it official—Mascude Deuce!"
"Don't go giving me weird names!" Deuce barked. "I wear the mask because I chose to when I left home. I just don't want to show my real face."
It wasn't just a quirky fashion choice. The mask symbolized something deeper—a line in the sand. It was the day he sealed off his identity and left his old self behind to try and survive on his own at sea.
Ace narrowed his eyes, eyebrows furrowed like he'd caught something interesting.
"Oh? So you're a fugitive after all?"
"I'm not! I didn't do anything! Stop jumping to conclusions!" Deuce snapped, waving his hands in protest.
Shin shrugged and said calmly, "Hey, man. It's fine if you're into masks. Everyone has their quirks. As long as you're not hurting anyone, who cares?"
Ace tilted his head, still confused.
"I don't really get it."
"Stop guessing!" Deuce groaned. "Back where I'm from, people who go to sea in search of freedom get mocked. Sometimes their families suffer for it, too. I left because I want to be an adventurer—and write stories about it."
Shin scratched his head.
"Sounds like... you still care about your family."
"I don't!" Deuce immediately snapped. "If I cared, I wouldn't have left! And I wouldn't be stuck here now!"
Ace smiled softly and said,
"Really? You sure?"
"I've got a younger brother—he's not related to me by blood, but he's loud, reckless… kinda like a monkey. We fought all the time, but after I left, I realized I missed him."
Shin glanced over at Ace, recognizing the description.
"Monkey D. Luffy, huh?"
"How nice… At least you guys have something to go back to," Deuce muttered bitterly. "A family… a home…"
"I'm nothing like you! You probably had parents who loved you. A nice warm house, maybe even someone waiting for you to come back!"
His voice cracked as the memories came flooding back, and he suddenly turned around, stomping off.
Ace looked down and quietly said,
"My parents… they're both gone."
Deuce froze.
"…Ah."
He realized he'd said something he shouldn't have.
"My father…" Ace continued after a long pause. "He was a criminal. Not exactly the kind of legacy you brag about."
Deuce winced and tried to smooth things over.
"Still… at least you have some memories, right? That's something."
Ace shook his head.
"No. I've never even met my mother."
"…Wait," Deuce hesitated, noticing the shift in Ace's tone. "You're not saying… your father's that guy?"
"…The Pirate King?" Shin asked, eyes narrowing.
Ace stared out toward the ocean, then gave a small nod.
Deuce blinked in disbelief.
"You serious? You're Roger's son?"
Silence followed. No jokes. No punchlines. Just the weight of the name between them.
If they were in a town, Deuce would've thought Ace was crazy. But on an isolated island, there was no crowd to scoff or laugh.
Finally, Deuce spun around and shouted,
"Ugh! I can't take this anymore!"
He tried to walk off again, but Ace called after him with a grin.
"Wait! Didn't we agree to build a boat together?"
"Who agreed to that? I never said I'd help!"
As Deuce stormed off, Shin placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Come on, man. We're all stuck here. Might as well make the best of it."
"As the saying goes, 'It takes ten years to share a ship.' We're all just trying to escape this floating prison. Let's work together."
Ace joined in. "Yeah! We're friends already, aren't we? Don't worry—I won't steal your food!"
Deuce looked at the two grinning idiots in front of him, totally thrown by how fast they switched moods.
"…Fine. But based on what I've seen, food and materials are scarce here."
"There's enough fresh water to survive, but not enough supplies to build a proper boat. And with the strange currents around the island, we won't get out with just oars or sails."
Shin and Ace listened carefully as Deuce shared what he'd learned.
Apparently, when he wasn't yelling at skeletons or having emotional meltdowns, Deuce actually had a sharp mind and solid survival skills.
Suddenly, Ace grinned and beckoned them.
"Come on. I've got something to show you."
"Huh? What is it?" Shin asked.
"You'll see."
The three made their way through the island until they arrived at a rocky bay. The cliffs partially enclosed the shore, creating a natural shelter from storms. Sunlight poured through gaps above like golden beams from heaven.
And there—resting against the shore—were shipwrecks.
Dozens of them.
At the center, a massive battleship loomed like a sleeping giant, its weapons rusted and ancient. A broken greatsword lay embedded in the deck, split clean in two.
"…This belonged to the Giants, didn't it?" Shin asked.
Deuce's eyes sparkled. "Giants!? They actually exist?!"
Ace nodded with a smile. "Yeah. I've heard stories from the old man. Who knows, maybe we'll meet one someday."
"You've seen them?" Deuce asked Shin.
"Me? Nah. But look at you—you're almost giant-sized yourself."
Deuce rolled his eyes at the sarcasm, but before he could reply, Ace chimed in:
"Long ago, the Giants were known as mighty warriors who could split mountains with their axes…"
As Ace recounted the legends, Deuce stood there, quietly moved. All his life, he'd dreamed of becoming an adventurer, sailing across the world, writing the stories others only dreamed about.
Maybe, just maybe… this was the start of that story.
The next few days were tough. With food running low, the three of them worked nonstop to build a new boat.
Shin tried using the Supreme Fast Rod from the system, but each cast only brought up junk—rotten socks, broken pots, even a moldy hat.
Still, it was something.
But the hunger was real. As their energy wore down, so did their spirits.
Deuce nearly collapsed. Shin and Ace kept pushing through, and eventually, the boat was finished.
Just when they thought they could finally escape…
BOOM!
A storm slammed the island without warning.
Trees were ripped up, debris flew through the air, and their painstakingly built boat was smashed to pieces in seconds.
"…You've gotta be kidding me," Shin muttered, watching the wreckage with a dead expression.
Ace scratched his head and tried to laugh it off.
"Well, guess we're trying again. Third time's the charm, right?"
"Let's build it in front of the cave this time," Shin suggested. "It's more sheltered, even if the roof's a little thin."
But Deuce had had enough.
"I can't take this anymore!" he cried out, falling to his knees. "You two have been sneaking food, haven't you?!"
"Huh?" Shin blinked. "What are you talking about?"
"The storage crates from the shipwrecks—we all searched them. Now they're empty! And I haven't eaten in two days! You two must've—"
He suddenly grabbed Shin by the collar, shouting.
Before either of them could respond, Deuce shoved Shin back and turned to run.
"Is this… betrayal?" Deuce muttered bitterly as he stormed off.
But before he could get far, rubble fell from the cliffs above—followed by a screech from the skies.
A massive bird-like beast swooped down at lightning speed.
Feeling the rush of air above his head, Deuce dove and rolled just in time to avoid the creature's talons.
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A/N: Please Leave A Comment Or Drop A Powerstone It'll mean alot to me...