Gol D. Ace In Coiling Dragon

Ace had no idea that the identity of his homeland had just been uncovered; he was more focused on his current destination.

He had just landed in what was known as the Starmist Sea of the Infernal Realm. It's the innermost sea and is bigger than any singular continent in the whole of the Infernal Realm. It's also the most rowdy and lawless region of the Infernal Realm, where pirates and bandits run rampant.

As soon as they entered the Infernal Realm, the natural laws that represented the Edict of Fate took a back seat, instead being replaced by the Edict of Destruction, a fact that greatly delighted Killian and Leona.

Although neither had a sudden epiphany or anything even remotely like that, they still felt a wave of relaxation they hadn't felt in the Celestial Realm as the essence of one of the Edicts they had an affinity with surrounded them in a way that neither had experienced before.

Still, any meditation would have to wait as the moment they entered, several High Gods and Full Gods attempted to order them around. Unfortunately, although they didn't have all their members, the Golden Sun Pirates were no longer the ignorant bunch of upstarts they were when they first entered the Celestial Realm.

They ignored the guard's commands and leisurely levitated out of the tower to head on their way.

Several guards tried to stop them when Ace glanced lightly in their direction. He knew they were just trying to do their jobs and follow the rules, but he couldn't be bothered with any of it.

Instead of trying to conversate with them and use a more peaceful approach, he hit each of them with a nondescript spiritual wave. Although it wasn't a technique as such, with the power of Ace's soul, he was able to knock each of them out, bar the guard commander, who was at the level of a seven-star fate seeker, or "Fiend" as they're known as in the Infernal Realm.

Without so much as a glance back, Ace and the others boarded their metallic lifeform, which proceeded to take off into the distance.

Thankfully, before leaving, Garot had given them a basic breakdown of the Infernal Realm, including where and how to find the Skyrite Mountains, which was the home of the Four Divine Beast Clans based in the Indigo Prefecture – the Easternmost continent of the Infernal Realm.

As famous as they were in the Celestial Realm, in the Infernal Realm, the Golden Sun Pirates were completely unknown; as such, over the next three years, as they gradually made their way west, they were repeatedly assaulted, but unless whoever their attackers were, were at least at the level of a seven-star fiend for Faye or Osiris to use as a whetstone, Ace would hit them with a spiritual attack before proceeding on his way, not even bothering to kill them and take their storage rings.

At their current level, chances were any wealth that the average High God had on them would just end up a drop in the bucket for their current wealth.

Still, every once in a while, they would run into a fairly strong seven-star fiend, and whenever that happened, Faye or Osiris would take centre stage.

It had to be remembered that although both of them had completely fused four mysteries of their respective elements and were in the process of working on their fifth – Faye, at around 50% completion and Osiris, at 99% - both were still only Full Gods.

It was because of that, slowly but surely, the fame of the duo slowly spread through the Starmist Sea as news of two experts following the path of a Supreme Genius was spread.

News eventually reached the Bagshaw Clan of Miluo Island. The Bagshaw Clan was one of the top forces of the whole Infernal Realm, with their Clan Leader, Mosi Bagshaw, being a Commander-level expert who was said to be blessed with the Bloodrune Titan bloodline and approaching the paragon level.

What wasn't quite so well-known, though, was that Mosi had an obsession with collecting and enslaving powerhouses, especially those with rare potential, bloodlines, or abilities.

Although Osiris and Faye didn't have any unique bloodlines or abilities in terms of potential, there were very few who could compare, which was why when news of the mysterious duo landed on his lap, he immediately ordered two of his strongest Commander-level experts to capture the duo, believing them to be the leaders of the group on the ship.

When the two commanders went out, they led a small contingent of a dozen experts to go with them, each of whom had at least reached the level of a five-star fiend.

As soon as they approached them, Ace, who had used his [Observation] infused haki to see through them, sensed the two commander-level experts among them and warned the rest of the crew.

Among those remaining, he, Leona, Killian, Alissa, and Kannal had all reached the level of a Commander. Unfortunately, Ace could tell that the two approaching had far surpassed the average Commander level, meaning that only he, Killian and Leona could deal with them.

In the end, it came down to a game of rock, paper, scissors between Killian and Leona – a weird but doable game for a lion to play. Still, in the end, it was Killian who came out victorious.

When Killian went out to meet them, the two Commanders were taken aback, having expected to be greeted by at least either Faye or Osiris. Still, understanding the potential that both Faye and Osiris had displayed, even if they were still weaker than them, neither of the Bagshaw Clan representatives wanted to go too far; as such, they asked Killian to get his boss.

In response, though, Killian indifferently told them that he wasn't interested in speaking to them.

The two commanders, as well as their subordinates, frowned. They all believed he was speaking about Osiris as he appeared to be the stronger of Faye and him. Still, Osiris could at most be considered a peak seven-star fiend; he wasn't a match for even the weakest of Commanders.

The more impatient of the two Commanders drew his sword and threatened to Killian and drag out his boss if he didn't hurry up and fetch his boss.

One of the subordinates snorted disdainfully, saying that these young upstarts were getting braver and braver these days. First, it was that arrogant monkey, and now, it is these pirates.

In response, Killian, still as indifferent as ever, casually swung the War Cleaver that suddenly glided from its usual resting place on his back into his palm.

Although Killian was too lazy to use any of his techniques, it had to be remembered that he was a three-way soul mutate that had begun to comprehend *True Earth*. That seemingly casual attack was no weaker than the ultimate technique of an expert like Druelle.

The commander who had tried to order Killian around found his body all but obliterated, along with a third of his subordinates.

It was at that moment that the group understood that a freak like that was someone only their Clan Leader could talk to.

Killian watched indifferently as the group scattered like insects, too lazy to chase them down, before returning inside the ship with the rings of the now deceased.

Ace, though, was focused on the words of the subordinate who spoke before Killian's attack.

As Killian returned to the ship, Ace's body flickered, appearing before the only remaining commander who desperately tried to flee, unable to make it far before feeling his neck being pinched by the hand of yet another expert he had no knowledge of.

He was just about to go all out in an attempt to hopefully kill his captor and escape before Killian captured him when he felt a powerful spiritual assault threaten to incinerate his soul.

Although his soul wasn't exactly a weakness, against the soul of a freak like Ace, he never stood a chance.

It was then that Ace asked the question that was burning a hole in his mind. Upon asking, he found out that a few years ago, not long before Ace and the others first arrived in the Infernal Realm, a young man with ape-like features appeared with three other experts. Although none of the other three were as strong as the Monkey, they were all still following the path of a Supreme Expert, and two of them were even Divine Beasts.

It was for that reason that their clan leader tried to recruit them to join, but like Ace's group, this mysterious other group said no and violently sent those that tried to recruit them on their way.

Normally, after realising that not even Commanders were a match for the monkey, Mosi would let them go, but the Staffmanship the Monkey displayed was on a whole different level. Mosi, believing there had to be a secret behind it, set out to capture the Monkey himself.

Beneath the true paragons, there were very few deities who stood a chance against Mosi. Not even the combined efforts of the Monkey and his friends were enough. They were barely able to retreat with their lives, but his dark-haired middle-aged friend ended up being captured.

After that, the monkey fearlessly charged into Miluo Island on his own to try and save his friend. He slaughtered many of the Bagshaw Clan's experts, but once again, Mosi suppressed him. However, before Mosi could finish him, the Monkey ended up entering a berserker-like form.

In that form, he was barely able to hold his own against Mosi. Unfortunately, it wasn't enough. He ended up wasting a drop of Sovereign's Might to once again barely escape with his life.

Subsequently, Mosi, in an attempt to draw the Monkey back out, spread news of the public execution of the Monkey's captured friend.

Hearing that, Ace's body trembled, as did Alissa's, who had come to a similar conclusion as Ace after hearing the story.

When asked the names of the monkey and the prisoner, the man confirmed that it was precisely who they thought it to be – Cesar and Wukong!

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