While on Sabaody Archipelago, the Spade Pirates are warned to not cause any trouble with Marines, bounty hunters, and especiallyWorld Nobles, and Deuce keeps an eye on Ace to prevent him from harming the World Nobles while his captain searches for food. Isca 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 Goroseioffering Ace the chance to become aShichibukai, 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, usingBusoshoku 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 intoFishman Island and the New World with a burning passion, intent on takingWhitebeard's head.
