Chapter 9
Ace grinned wildly, his fiery eyes gleaming with excitement. He kicked off the tree, sending a wave of flames rippling across the surface of the bark before twisting his body in mid-air to land on another tree trunk—again without a single misstep.
Shanks shook his head, still trying to piece it together. “There’s no way this is normal... They’re like... what are they, acrobats? Or something more?”
Benn’s eyes darted from one kid to the other, unable to believe his eyes. “I’ve seen a lot of crazy things in my time, but this? This is something else entirely. They’re... walking on trees, like it’s nothing.”
They moved with such precision and grace that it seemed impossible for anyone, let alone kids, to have such control over their bodies.
Sabo threw a powerful punch from above, sending another gust of wind toward Ace, who dodged effortlessly, using the heat from his flames to propel himself up the trunk even faster.
“I’m not done yet!” Ace shouted, spinning and unleashing a fiery tornado that engulfed the tree where Sabo had been standing.
But Sabo wasn’t caught off guard. He whipped around and created a strong whirlwind, dispersing the flames before they could reach him. He shot forward, launching himself into the air, and aimed a strike at Ace, the wind whistling through the trees as he did.
Both boys crashed into each other mid-air, their attacks colliding with a force that caused the trees to shake. For a split second, it looked like neither of them would make it out unscathed, but they landed on the ground at the same time, sliding back a few feet, their chests heaving from the exertion.
“Damn, those kids are fast,” Benn murmured, now thoroughly confused. “And what is that wind power? Does he have a wind Devil Fruit?”
Shanks, still unsure, scratched his head, his grin widening with amusement. “Maybe. But that fire... it seems like Ace’s got a pretty destructive power. Devil Fruits, huh?”
The two continued their fast-paced fight, running up trees, jumping over each other, and using their elements to attack. It was like watching a dangerous dance. Every move was precise and calculated.
Finally, after a powerful clash, both of them landed at the same time, sliding a few feet back. They both stood there, panting and grinning, clearly tired but happy.
Sabo wiped his forehead and gave Ace a look. “Alright, I’ll call it a tie. You got close, but not close enough.”
Ace smirked, hands on his hips. “Next time, I’ll win for sure!”
Shanks leaned closer to Benn and whispered, “Did Sasuke teach them this?”
Benn shrugged, his eyes still glued to the fight. “If he did, then Sasuke’s even more impressive than we thought.”
Sabo and Ace looked up to the sky and called out in unison, their voices carrying through the forest. “Sensei, we have finished our daily practice! Are you coming down from Garuda’s back?”
Shanks and Benn blinked in surprise as the two boys seemed to direct their attention towards the sky. It wasn’t until they followed their gaze that they noticed the silhouette of a massive bird gliding through the air. The creature was enormous, its wingspan stretching far across the sky. As it descended, the sound of flapping wings grew louder, and it became clear that this was no ordinary bird.
The creature landed gracefully behind the trees, the ground trembling slightly as it did. Its feathers shimmered in the light, a mix of silver and gold. From its back, a figure jumped down—elegantly landing on the forest floor with the agility of a trained fighter.
It was Sasuke.
He stood tall, his raven hair slightly ruffled by the wind, his eyes calm but sharp as always. His clothing seemed to blend seamlessly with the environment, dark yet practical for a life spent in the wilds of the East Blue. As he walked towards the clearing, his presence commanded attention. There was a quiet intensity about him, an aura that made it clear this was no ordinary man.
“You two are done already?” Sasuke asked, his voice low but carrying across the clearing with ease.
Ace and Sabo grinned, both wiping sweat from their brows. “Of course! We’ve been waiting for you to join us, Sensei!” Ace called, his fiery grin wide.
Sabo, with a more serious look, added, “We’re ready for the next lesson. What do you have for us today?”
Sasuke gave them a small nod, his gaze flickering briefly to Shanks and Benn, who had been watching in stunned silence. “I see we have visitors,” he remarked, his tone neutral but not unfriendly.
Shanks, ever the curious one, stepped forward with a wide grin. “Visitors, huh? You didn’t tell us you had a giant bird at your disposal.”
Sasuke’s eyes glinted with a hint of amusement. “Garuda’s a friend and he does like to help me out from time to time. As for the ‘daily practice,’ these two need to use their abundance of energy on something.”
"If they don't then what happens?" Benn curiously asked.
"If they don't," Sasuke began, his voice calm but carrying a weight of experience, "they get restless. And when they're restless, it gets... chaotic." He paused for a moment, as if weighing his next words. "These two have a tendency to cause problems when they don't have an outlet for their energy. It’s less about the training and more about keeping them focused. If they aren't challenged, they get creative in ways that are... not always ideal."
Shanks chuckled, glancing at Benn. "Sounds like they've caused a bit of a mess before."
Benn raised an eyebrow. "A mess? You mean more than just burning down the forest with flames and wind?"
Sasuke’s lips twitched slightly, though he didn’t smile. "That’s only one of their more... controlled incidents. When they’re not focused, they tend to either terrorize the Celestial Dragons or get very creative. And by 'creative,' I mean things like... feeding a useless Devil Fruit to a rat, then tossing it into seawater to see how long it could last before deciding to concoct a medicine that would allow a Devil Fruit user to stay unaffected by sea water for about ten minutes." He paused, glancing at Ace and Sabo. "Poor rats."
Shanks and Benn froze, their expressions changing instantly from casual amusement to pure shock.
“Wait—what?” Benn’s voice cracked, his eyes wide. "You mean they actually made something that lets a Devil Fruit user survive sea water?"
Shanks was equally stunned, leaning forward in his seat, almost spilling his drink. "Hold on a second… You’re telling me they came up with a medicine that counteracts the sea’s effects on Devil Fruit powers? For ten minutes?!"
Sasuke gave a small, almost imperceptible nod. "Yes, but only on a temporary basis. They tested it on some rats first. Unfortunately, it didn't go as planned."
Benn’s jaw dropped. “That’s… insane! How the hell did they even think of something like that?!”
Shanks was silent for a moment, trying to process what Sasuke had just told him. Then, he let out a low whistle. “That’s… a huge breakthrough if it works. Hell, it could change everything about how people view Devil Fruits.” His eyes narrowed in thought. “It’d be the ultimate weapon... or a massive advantage for any crew to have.”
Sasuke didn’t seem impressed by the idea, his tone dry. "Yeah, well, it was a mess when they tested it on the rats. They nearly flooded the lab when they tried it."
The two pirates looked at each other, exchanging a glance of disbelief. “They really just... tested it on rats?” Benn asked, his voice full of exasperation.
Ace and Sabo both shrugged casually, like this kind of thing was just another day at the office. "Hey, it worked, didn’t it?" Ace grinned. “We just needed a real test subject.”
Sabo gave Ace a side-eye. “Next time, maybe we don’t drown the test subjects in the process?”
Shanks could barely contain his laughter at the absurdity of it all, but there was no hiding the admiration in his voice. "So let me get this straight... they might’ve accidentally created a way for Devil Fruit users to survive in the sea for a few minutes, but they nearly destroyed the lab in the process?"
Sasuke nodded. "That sums it up pretty well."
Benn chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. "I've seen a lot of strange things in my life, but this... this takes the cake."
Shanks chuckled, his grin widening. "No kidding. Those two are trouble, but man, they've got potential. You might want to keep a tighter leash on them, Sasuke."
Sabo crossed his arms and glanced at Shanks with a knowing look. "Shanks-san, you're wrong. It should be us keeping our sensei away from the lab, because who do you think we learned all this from?"
Ace, grinning mischievously, added, "Yeah, sensei is the one teaching us all these crazy experiments. We just... help him with the execution!" He scratched his head sheepishly, clearly proud of the chaotic results.
Sasuke, who had been quietly watching the exchange, finally spoke up with a small, almost imperceptible smile. "They're exaggerating a bit," he said calmly, his voice cutting through the conversation. "I’m teaching them how to think like scientists, not how to make complete chaos."
Shanks blinked, clearly stunned by the revelation. "Wait... you're telling me Sasuke's the one teaching you two to make these insane concoctions? The guy who’s supposed to be a doctor?"
Benn raised an eyebrow. "You’re teaching them how to... create things that mess with Devil Fruits and sea water? Is that what you're calling 'thinking like a scientist'?"
Sasuke leaned back slightly, his expression neutral but with a flicker of amusement in his eyes. "You could say that. They help with the experiments, yes, but I make sure the results are... well, controlled." He gave Sabo and Ace a pointed look. "Mostly."
Sabo shrugged, clearly not feeling guilty. "Sasuke’s brilliant, but sometimes his ideas get a little... out of hand. We’re just the ones who help him with the less dangerous parts."
Ace grinned, adding, "Yeah, like the time we tried to make a liquid that temporarily blocks a Devil Fruit user’s weakness to sea water. You should’ve seen the rat we tested it on—poor rat..."
Shanks' eyes widened in disbelief. "You did what?!"
Benn shook his head, speechless. "I thought you two were troublemakers, but this... this is next-level."
Sasuke, still calm and unruffled, nodded slightly. "They’ve learned a lot. Sometimes the most dangerous ideas lead to the most useful results." He glanced at Ace, then Sabo. "But not all experiments go smoothly. Like the rat..." His tone was flat, but there was a subtle hint of amusement.
Sabo grinned. "At least we learned a lot from it. We can now make a substance that protects Devil Fruit users from sea water for about ten minutes. Not that we needed to test it again... but you know, it was for science."
"Wait, so you're saying that Sasuke came up with this?" Shanks asked, trying to process everything.
"Yep," Ace said proudly. "He’s the mastermind behind all this." He shot Sasuke a playful look. "The genius."
Sasuke sighed, though a small smile tugged at the corner of his lips. "It’s not as dramatic as they make it sound," he said, his tone calm as ever. "I simply don’t like leaving any questions unanswered. Their curiosity is boundless, and I couldn’t resist experimenting to find the answers. I just explained the theory behind why Devil Fruit users get weakened in sea water. By blending Devil Fruit leaves with some rare herbs, I theorized it could provide resistance for a short period of time."
Sabo, clearly proud of his sensei’s work, grinned cheekily. "Sensei even spent a week researching Devil Fruits just because we asked him about it! He’s a genius!"
Ace, standing next to Sabo, added with enthusiasm, "Yeah! He didn’t just tell us the theory—he went all out to prove it. I mean, the way he explains stuff? It's like we're getting a private science class in advanced chaos!"
Benn and Shanks exchanged a glance, still processing the enormity of what Sasuke had just said. Devil Fruits were a dangerous topic, and the fact that Sasuke had spent a week researching them to create a resistance? That was no small feat.
"So let me get this straight..." Shanks started, his voice filled with both amusement and a hint of disbelief. "You two asked about Devil Fruit weaknesses, and Sasuke goes off and spends an entire week figuring out a way to make someone temporarily resistant to sea water?"
Sabo nodded eagerly. "Exactly! Sensei doesn't do anything halfway. He researched everything—the properties of Devil Fruits, the connection to sea water, the herbs needed—just to give us a proper answer. And the results were... well worth it!"
Benn rubbed his temples. "And you did all this... for science?" he asked, incredulously.
Benn rubbed his temples. "And you did all this... for science?" he asked, incredulously.
"Of course!" Sabo exclaimed. "We had to understand how it works. Sensei’s theories could be groundbreaking!" His grin widened as he added, "And the rats didn’t seem to mind either. They got to test it out first."
Sasuke gave Sabo a warning glance, though his expression was still calm. "Let's not mention the rats anymore."
Shanks let out a hearty laugh, clearly impressed by the sheer audacity and brilliance of Sasuke’s approach. "You’ve got one hell of a crew here, Sasuke. I didn’t think I’d be hearing about you researching Devil Fruits and herbs in the same sentence."
Benn looked a little shaken but intrigued. "And the rats didn’t... explode or something crazy like that?"
Sasuke’s eyes gleamed with a touch of humor. "No, the rats didn’t explode. They survived the test just fine... for about ten minutes."
Ace, still grinning from ear to ear, added, "But it wasn’t enough time for them to try and swim away and get into trouble. So, that’s something."
Sabo nodded enthusiastically, "Yeah! Sensei’s theories are solid, we just need a bit more time to fine-tune it. Imagine if we could make it last longer... we could help Devil Fruit users resist sea water! That’d be huge!"
Shanks scratched his chin, a thoughtful look crossing his face. "I’ll be honest, that’s impressive. But the way you two talk about it, it sounds like things could get a little... out of hand if you’re not careful."
Benn added, "You don’t want to be attracting too much attention, especially from the wrong people."
Sasuke gave them both a measured look. "I’m aware. That’s why we’ve kept the results to ourselves—for now." He glanced at Sabo and Ace. "But they’ve learned their lesson. For the most part."
Ace threw his hands up in mock surrender. "We’re not that reckless. We’re just curious!"
"Curiosity killed the cat," Benn muttered under his breath.
Sabo, not missing a beat, grinned mischievously. "And cats have nine lives," he shot back, raising an eyebrow at Benn, clearly proud of his quick wit.
Shanks burst out laughing, slapping Benn on the back. "Looks like you’ve met your match, old man!"
Sasuke, hearing Sabo's comment, looked up at the sky, his face a picture of utter defeat. "At least they aren’t using humans for their tests," he muttered under his breath.
Benn, ever the sharp ear, caught the remark and raised an eyebrow. "Did he just...?"
"Yep," Shanks grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "And that's the most comforting thing he's said all day. I thought for a second we were going to hear about some new human experiment, but luckily—"
"Not yet," Sabo interrupted, turning toward the two of them with a completely serious face. "But we've been searching for someone who would volunteer to be our test subject in Grey Terminal. So far, we’ve only found two people, but we haven’t gotten permission from our sensei."
Ace nodded, his expression thoughtful. "Yeah, we’re still trying to persuade sensei to let us do it. He’s... not exactly on board with the whole 'volunteer' thing."
Shanks blinked in disbelief, his grin faltering for a moment. "Wait, you’re trying to convince your sensei to let you experiment on people?”
Sabo and Ace shared a glance, both nodding earnestly. “Yeah, but we’re still working on convincing Sensei. He keeps saying, ‘No more experiments on living things,’ or ‘Find a safer method,’ or something like that.” He threw up his hands in mock frustration. “I mean, come on! It’s for science!”
“You two are seriously trying to get people to volunteer for your... science experiments?” Benn asked, raising an eyebrow. He didn’t sound shocked anymore—just utterly bewildered.
Sasuke, who had been silently listening to this conversation, finally let out a long, pained sigh. “I specifically told you two to never bring up that idea again,” he muttered, rubbing his temples. “You’re supposed to be researching Devil Fruits, not... whatever it is you’re doing with ‘volunteers.’”
Sabo tilted his head innocently, giving Sasuke a wide-eyed look. “But Sensei, how will we ever know if the Devil Fruit affects someone’s will to live if we don’t test it out?”
Ace joined in with an exaggerated gesture, as if it were a perfectly logical argument. “Exactly! Plus, we already found two willing subjects! They’re just... waiting for the green light.”
Shanks and Benn exchanged horrified glances, their faces pale. “You found willing subjects? In Grey Terminal?” Benn asked, unable to believe what he was hearing. “What, you just walked up to random people and said, ‘Hey, wanna be a test subject for some crazy experiment we’re doing?’”
Sabo and Ace exchanged a look before Sabo shrugged casually. “Pretty much, yeah.”
“Not exactly like that,” Ace chimed in, though his tone suggested it was close enough. “We offered them a deal. Free food, shelter, and... scientific curiosity. You know, the usual.”
Benn gaped, his mouth moving soundlessly for a few seconds as if trying to process the absurdity of the situation. Finally, he found his voice. “This... this is insane. You’re actually trying to get people to volunteer for whatever twisted experiment you’ve got cooking?”
Shanks, who had been chuckling, suddenly stopped and gave a half-hearted glare at Sasuke. “This is your doing?”
Sasuke, now rubbing the bridge of his nose, just groaned in response. "I’ve tried everything. I’ve locked the books up, I’ve hidden the notes, I’ve told them no more... but they keep coming up with new ways to twist my words." He shot a pointed look at the two boys. "And they keep thinking they’re ‘helping’ me."
Sabo grinned widely. “We’re just being proactive, Sensei. You can’t blame us for wanting to be thorough.”
Ace gave his best puppy-dog eyes, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Don’t worry, Sensei. We’ll be careful. We’ve only got, like, two willing subjects. What’s the worst that could happen?”
Shanks and Benn stared at them, completely at a loss for words.
Benn finally found his voice. “The worst? You’re really asking that?”
Sasuke rubbed his forehead again, the headache growing stronger. “The worst is always what happens when you don’t listen.” He muttered under his breath. “Maybe I should let them try to experiment on themselves...”
Sabo and Ace’s eyes lit up at the prospect.
“Wait, no!” Sasuke quickly added, as though reading their thoughts. “Absolutely not. This ends here.”
Benn looked over at Sasuke, who was rubbing his forehead in frustration while scolding his students on why they shouldn't experiment on themselves. "I feel bad for him," Benn said dryly, his voice laced with a hint of sympathy.
Shanks chuckled as he heard Sasuke’s exasperated voice. “Stop saying it’s for science reasons! Find a better excuse than that! Don’t think I don’t know you two just wanted to cause chaos!”
“But Sensei—” Ace whined, his eyes wide and pleading, turning to Sasuke with an exaggerated puppy-dog look.
“No, Ace,” Sasuke replied sternly, not missing a beat. “You’re going to read another 3000 pages from the surgery book and write a full report on it.”
Ace dramatically gasped, clutching his chest as if his heart had been shattered. “Three thousand pages?!” he wailed, spinning dramatically toward Sabo for support. “This is inhumane!”
Sabo, who had been trying to subtly look like he wasn’t involved, froze when Sasuke’s gaze shifted to him. “And you,” Sasuke continued, his tone unwavering. “You’re going to write a research document based on Ace’s report.”
Sabo’s face drained of color as he slowly raised his hand, as if trying to appeal to a higher power. “S-Sensei, that’s... that’s not fair! Why do I have to do the paperwork?”
“Because,” Sasuke said, his voice laced with a quiet menace, “you’re the one who thinks everything is a ‘science experiment,’ so now you get to apply the theory.”
“Because,” Sasuke said, his voice laced with a quiet menace, “you’re the one who thinks everything is a ‘science experiment,’ so now you get to apply the theory.”
Ace and Sabo exchanged a horrified glance, their faces paling at the thought of the dreaded 3000 pages of surgery books. It was clear they were both wondering how they’d ever survive this punishment.
Sasuke’s expression softened slightly, satisfied with his work. He leaned back, arms folded, watching his two students stew in their misery. “This is what happens when you don’t listen, boys. Consider it a lesson.”
Shanks and Benn, on the other hand, were barely containing their amusement.
“And you two, why are you here?” Sasuke’s voice was calm but firm as he addressed Shanks and Benn. He had sensed their presence long before they even set foot on the mountain. He was also well aware of their inquiries back in Foosha Village. Sasuke wasn't one to hide his identity—after all, it was hard not to recognize the doctor from nowhere, especially when his appearance was so… distinctive.
The combination of a man in his twenties with black hair and eyes, traveling with two kids—one with black hair and silver eyes, the other with blond hair, black eyes, and one missing tooth—made them easy to spot. It didn’t take much for anyone with half a brain to make the connection.