One Piece novel A

One Piece novel A (One Piece novel A (エース)) are two official novels about Portgas D. Ace's journey as a pirate.

Publication History
Originally, each of the three volumes of the One Piece Magazine published a third of the first volume of the story. It was later announced that the full story would be released in a book.

A sequel chronicling Ace's voyage in the New World was released in June 2018.

Vol. 1 - Spade Pirates Foundation
Portgas D. Ace and an unnamed man are stranded on the East Blue island of Sixis together, and Ace nicknames him Masked Deuce. Deuce is initially wary around Ace after discovering his heritage, but after he unsuccessfully tries ambushing Ace, he regrets his actions and the two become friends. Ace winds up eating the Mera Mera no Mi on this island, and the two work together to build a ship to escape, forming the beginning of the Spade Pirates.

As time passes, the Spade Pirates grow in number, adding top members Mihar and Skull while becoming more infamous. They are approached one day by Marine Ensign Isuka, who is accompanied by several warships. When they sink one of the warships, Isuka stops fighting to save her comrades, and Ace decides to save her from drowning in the process.

Isuka repeatedly pursues them, though is always ineffective, and the Spade Pirates reach the Sabaody Archipelago. There, Ace and Deuce end up on the Ferris wheel with Isuka, who tells them how pirates burned her village as a child before being rescued by now-Vice Admiral Draw. She offers Ace the chance to quit piracy, as she does not see him as evil, but Ace refuses. Isuka and Draw reunite, and three days later they give Ace the opportunity to continue pirating as a Shichibukai. Ace refuses, and Draw attacks him with flamethrowers, setting the homes around them on fire. Ace fights Draw, and manages to overpower the Vice Admiral as he gains the ability to use Busoshoku Haki. After Draw is defeated, the Spade Pirates and Isuka part ways as Ace leads his crew into the New World.

Vol. 2 - New World
Spade Pirates are in Fishman Island. In a restaurant, Ace meets Aladine and they talk about the protector of the island, Whitebeard. Ace seems interested and drinks up his liquor instantly as if he wants to declare that he will drink up Whitebeard as well. Aladine is wondering if Ace is just an idiot or a big shot. Ace comes back to his ship called "Piece of Spadille". Deuce returns to their ship and shows new Ace's bounty poster. Ace is glad that his bounty is more than 100 million berries now. On the other hand, Deuce is worried wether they could survive in the tough New World. He is surprised that Ace is staring at a pirate flag of Whitebeard. Ace burns Whitebeard's pirate flag with his devil fruit. He has to obtain a huge reputation that can change the era and go beyond Pirate King. Otherwise, his hatred toward his own father and the world would kill himself.

Spade Pirates arrive in New World. Ace wants to know what made Shanks become Yonkou and decides to meet him. The rest of the novel is an extended retelling of the flashback in manga's chapter 552.

Part 1 - Fire Fist looking to the future - the story begins here.
A man is trapped on the East Blue island Sixis, with the irregular current around it preventing him from escaping; he desires to write an adventure essay. He encounters Portgas D. Ace, and thinks the young pirate has come to rescue him, but Ace has actually been shipwrecked on Sixis as well for twice as long as the man. Ace offers for the two of them to build a raft together, and they find out they are searching for the same treasure on the island. Ace asks the man his name, and he is reluctant to give it because he cast it aside when he went out to sea. He tries to use Ace as his pen name, but Ace suggests the similar-sounding name Deuce. The man accepts it, and Ace decides to call him Masked Deuce because of the mask the man wears.

Masked Deuce tells Ace that he was a medical student with bad grades, and his parents were indifferent to him; he wants to go out to sea just so he can enjoy an adventure. Ace talks about his family as well, specifically Luffy, but during their conversation Deuce ends up mentioning that someone who was the offspring of Gol D. Roger would probably not be too happy, causing Ace to become sullen. Deuce realizes that Ace must be Roger's son, and with conflicting feelings, he departs from Ace and tells him not to talk to him anymore.

Several days pass, and Ace continues to be unsuccessful in escaping from Sixis, while Deuce cannot find any food or water. He sees Ace holding a fruit on the beach, and decides to kill him for the fruit. However, before he can attack with a tree branch, his stomach growls. Ace notices him and thinks he has come back to help build a raft, offering him his fruit. Deuce feels guilty about his intended actions and refuses the fruit, but when he reconciles his differences with Ace, the two decide to share it. It tastes terrible, but Deuce discovers that Ace's body is on fire afterwards; they realize that the fruit they ate is the Mera Mera no Mi. Several days later, Ace has learned to control his fire and the duo has built a ship called the Striker, which runs on Ace's firepower. Deuce reveals that there actually is no treasure hidden on this island, but the newly empowered Ace is not so sure. Ace offers for Deuce to come with him, and Deuce agrees, saying he can write an adventure essay now. The two shake hands, forming the Spade Pirates, with Ace declaring that he wants to go beyond Pirate King.

Part 2 - Taking all the world has to offer in his hands.
Ace became widely known for his kindness as a pirate captain, and this resulted in problems during the beginning of the Spade Pirates' voyage as many bounty hunters tried to take advantage of Ace's kindness to capture him. However, Ace and Deuce manage to repel all of them, with Ace gaining better control of his Devil Fruit ability. One time, a bounty hunter tried to hit Deuce with a sneak attack, but was shot by Mihar, the crew's sniper. Mihar was a teacher and wants to help children who cannot get an education, and despite a formal appearance and a strong desire to stay indoors, he is a powerful fighter. Another time, a crewmate named Skull took a liking to a bounty hunter's pistol with a skull design and used his knowledge of the gun's design to jam and steal it. Skull claims to be a pirate enthusiast rather than an actual pirate, who has been inside many pirate ships and stolen many of their goods. A lot of the Spade Pirates viewed Skull as useless, but Ace accepted him because of his expertise in pirating, and Skull appreciated him for that. Together, Deuce, Mihar, and Skull form the Spade Pirates' brains while the rest of the crew is mostly combatants, who easily deal with the bounty hunters. The bounty hunters are also threatened by a lynx named Kotatsu, whom Ace had saved from a poacher's trap. He was once cowardly due to being in a freak show, but has grown more courageous with the Spade Pirates, and likes being around Ace due to the warmth of his Devil Fruit. All the members of the crew had no place to go before meeting Ace, who takes them in based on their personality rather than appearance.

Ace throws a party, although is tired of the increasing number of bounty hunters after him. The crew notices many warships approaching them, and Deuce plans to lead the ships to a rocky reef area, but to their shock a female Marine with a rapier and a burn scar on her hand has already come onboard. She easily blocks a shot fired by Mihar, and Skull reveals that she is Isuka "the Nailing" because she uses her rapier to leave people's bodies full of holes. Isca prepares to arrest Ace and his crew, but Ace is not scared and cracks jokes. Isuka attacks Ace with fast attacks, and is unable to hit him due to him turning his body into flames, but is able to dodge the Spade Pirates when they try attacking her in return. The Marine warships catch up to the Striker and begin attacking, as Isuka had come onboard earlier to distract the Spade Pirates from the warships' approach. However, Deuce's plan had also been in full effect the whole time, and one of the warships hits the rocky reef, causing it to sink. Isuka quickly stops fighting and jumps into the water to save her shipwrecked crewmates, but after a while she grows weaker and is threatened by a large wave. However, Ace saves her life by throwing her a life preserver, and she is angry at his actions. Deuce wonders why Ace did this, as this means she will continue chasing them, but Ace replies that it will be better than being chased by the usual bounty hunters.

The Spade Pirates continue their journey, and as they approach the New World, the crew now consists of 20 crewmates as well as Kotatsu. Several of them besides Ace have become infamous, with Ace having defeated many famous pirates. They stop at Sabaody Archipelago, and although Ace does not like having to wait three days for their ship to get coated, he becomes attracted to the variety of food sold in the archipelago. Deuce writes about Sabaody, and when some of his crewmates make fun of his writing skill, he decides to not include their names in this book.

Part 3 - The seas shines from the light of a man like the sun.
While on Sabaody Archipelago, the Spade Pirates are warned to not cause any trouble with Marines, bounty hunters, and especially World Nobles, and Deuce keeps an eye on Ace to prevent him from harming the World Nobles while his captain searches for food. Isuka then reappears on Sabaody and tells Ace to come out of his ship; she and the Spade Pirates have run into each other countless times during the crew's voyage, but she is seen as little more than a nuisance since Ace always handles her easily. Ace makes casual conversation about the food on Sabaody before escaping into town, much to Deuce's shock. Deuce goes into town, and sees many angry food vendors whom Ace did not pay for their food. He finds Ace asleep on a bench next to the Ferris wheel, and Ace takes Deuce on the Ferris wheel since Deuce is fascinated with it. However, when the ride ends, Isuka finds them, and as she and Ace quarrel, their gondola is locked and the three are sent on the ride.

While the mood is initially awkward, Isuka tells Deuce that the burn scar on her hand that he was staring at came from when pirates burned down her village when she was a child, which killed her parents. She had been saved from the fire by Lieutenant Commander Draw, who is now a Vice Admiral, and now wants no children to go through the same experience as her. She offers Ace the chance to become a Marine, as she does not see him as evil, but Ace does not like the idea of quitting piracy and jumps out of the gondola. Deuce wonders if Isuka will take him hostage to get Ace to come back, but she replies that Justice does not take hostages and says that she is on holiday today.

Three days pass, and Ace and Deuce end up in a slum area, where they see some starving children. Ace gives them his food, and the two pirates are approached by both Isuka and Draw. Isuka reveals a letter from the Gorosei offering Ace the chance to become a Shichibukai, but Ace refuses, saying he does not like the Shichibukai system. Draw smiles and reveals that he shares the same sentiment, but then starts attacking Ace, taking the opportunity to take him down now that he will not be a Shichibukai. Draw reveals flamethrowers attached under his arms, and prepares to fight Ace's fire with his own as he unleashes his weapons, causing the slum around them to light up. Ace is appalled and tries to save the children in the slums, but the fire is too strong. However, while Deuce occupies Draw, Ace and Isuka manage to save the children. Deuce removes Draw's fuel tank, and Ace punches the Vice Admiral in the face, but his punch does no damage. Draw grabs Ace by the neck and lifts him off the ground despite Ace's Logia power, using Busoshoku Haki which Ace was aware of. Draw prepares to kill Ace in the name of Justice, and Ace criticizes Draw's Justice causing him to burn children. Draw reveals that he sees burning innocents as a necessary cost of taking down pirates, and this revelation shocks Isuka, who breaks down crying.

Ace's flames cause Draw's fuel tank to explode, injuring both of them. The two continue fighting, and Deuce knows that Ace can win despite Draw's abilities. Ace overwhelms Draw in combat, and Draw reveals that Ace is now using Busoshoku Haki, which Ace does not put much thought into. The two of them punch each other in the face at the same time, which ultimately defeats Draw. Deuce lends Ace a hand back to their ship, but Ace cannot leave Isuka behind in despair. He puts his hand forward and offers to let her come on his ship, where she can be a bounty hunter and pursue him while on the same ship as him. Isuka laughs in bewilderment at his request, saying pirates and bounty hunters do not shake hands. Ace tells her to get onboard his ship as it starts to leave Sabaody, but she stays behind, intending to continue her path as a Marine. She thanks Ace, calling him by his name rather than his epithet for the first time, and Ace is saddened to part ways with her. However, he takes care of the Marine warships pursuing them, and heads into Fishman Island and the New World with a burning passion, intent on taking Whitebeard's head.

Vol. 2 - New World
Chapter 1 begins with the Spade Pirates in Fishman Island. Many of the crewmates visit Mermaid Cafe as soon as they arrive at the island. Ace is sleeping with eating in a cheap restaurant in Gyoverly Hills. Customers are staring at this weird man. When he wakes up, Ace wipes his face with a apron of a female staff (eel fishman). A tough-looking guy with a long hair talks to Ace. He tells Ace that Princess Shirahoshi has no choice but to hide in a Palace due to Vander Decken IX. Ace tells him that rebellions might occur under such a weak King who can't even protect his Princess enough. The long haired guy warns Ace not to say that again. Ace apologizes that he doesn't care about a country he passes by since he is a pirate. The guy tells Ace that rebellions will never occur thanks to two guys; Whitebeard and Jinbe. Ace seems interested and stares at the long haired guy. The guy feels he shouldn't underestimate Ace despite his young age. Ace drinks up his liquor instantly as if he wants to declare that he will drink up Whitebeard as well. The guy asks Ace about his name. Ace replies, "I'm Portgas D Ace. Even in this deep sea, everyone will hear my reputation in the future." The guy is surprised since he has already heard about his name via newspaper. The guy turns out to be Aladine. He is wondering if Ace is just a idiot or a big shot. The restaurant staff realizes that Ace left without paying money.

Ace comes back to his ship called "Piece of Spadille". He says to the other crewmates that the weakest point of Spade Pirates is that they don't have a cook. A middle-aged female pirate named Bancy usually cooks for them, but Ace says that even the bandits in Mount. Colbo ate more delicious food. Deuce returns to their ship and shows new Ace's bounty poster. Ace is glad that his bounty is more than 100 million berry now. On the other hand, Deuce is worried if they can survive in tough New World. He is surprised that Ace is staring at a pirate flag of Whitebeard. Ace burns Whitebeard's pirate flag with his devil fruit. Crewmates come back to the ship. None of them have a fear even after seeing Whitebeard's flag burned by Ace. They need to leave Fishman Island before many people notice this incident. Ace's ambition is burning like a fire. He has to obtain a huge reputation that can change the era and go beyond Pirate King. Otherwise, his hatred toward his own father and the world would kill himself.

Chapter 2 begins with the Spade Pirates arriving in New World. Ace wants to know what made Shanks become a Yonkou and decides to meet him. To let crewmates know about Shanks' personality, Ace mentions the incident between Shanks and a bandit (Higuma) in Windmill Village. Deuce asks him if Ace has met Shanks before, but he denies.

Ace appears in a cave in winter island where Red Hair Pirates are holding a dinner party. None of the executives are not surprised at his sudden visit. The rest of the novel is an extended retelling of the flashback in manga's Chapter 552.

Trivia

 * The two volume covers are in fact one continuous image, seen by Isuka's sword end on the second volume cover.
 * Ace is smiling on the right side of the first volume cover, and frowning on the left side of the second volume cover. This is similar to the smileys on his signature hat: A smiling one on the right, and a frowning on the left.
 * So far, this is the only One Piece novel to be considered canon.
 * The second volume revealed new information like the name of the Spade Pirates' ship (Piece of Spadille) and Thatch's occupation (head chef).
 * The second volume canonizes several anime additions like Thatch delivering the news about Ace to Whitebeard, Ace receiving his over 100,000,000 bounty around the time he crossed into the New World and his talk with Shanks as their crews celebrated on a snowy island.

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