Chapter Text
■■■■ ■■■■■■■■■ past, in shadows so deep. Where chains of oppression made nations weep. Tyranny reigned, a darkened domain, while voices of sorrow called out in pain.
In whispered prayers, their hopes took flight. For the ■■■■■■■ of ■■■■■■■■■■, a beacon of light. ■■■ ■■■ ■■■, ■■■■, their hearts did seek.
The ■■■■ of ■■■■■■■■■, in silence it stood. Hears the cries of the lost, in the depths of the ■■■■. From its ■■■■■■■■ fell a gift, a miraculous ■■■■■.
In a realm of wonders, where wisdom took wing, ■■■■■■ wandered, with dreams unexplored. Bored by the shadows that dulled his bright days, he grasped some fruit, and with it awoke, ■■■■.
Together they charted the seas, uncovering truths, igniting the breeze. From distant shores, allies gathered near, revealing a world marked by sorrow and fear. Upon his return to the realm of wonders, with purpose in hand, ■■■■■■ stood firm, ready to take a stand.
Determined and brave, he claimed his own fate, A king for the people, to challenge the hate. Together with allies, they envisioned a dawn, In the heart of his kingdom, a new world was drawn.
But fate, ever fickle, cast shadows anew . With ■■■’s ascent and betrayal, their hopes fell askew. A battle was waged, but justice fell short . As the flames of oppression began to distort. Yet whispers of prophecy lingered in air.
“■■■■ ■■■■■■■ ■■■■■ hence, a new dawn shall rise. The ■■■■■ of the ■■■■, will claim the sea.”
■■■■■■ inscribed their tales in stone. In his final breath, ■■■■, lent a hidden hand. Spreading the lore, ■■■■■■■■■■ scattered, for truth to be known.
And finally, ■■■■ dimmed, ■■■■■■ lost in the court.
Days after the war, from depths of despair, ■■■■ was reborn. Waiting for the one to carry the dawn. While ■■■■ fled, evading the tyrants' bind. He dodged their grasp, escaping their cage.
Till the ■■■■■ of the ■■■■ emerged, the light he had pined. A spark of rebellion, a heart full of dreams. A vessel of freedom, bursting at the seams.
With allies beside them, united they stand. The ■■■■■■■■ of ■■■■■■■■■■, reclaiming the sea.
For the chains of the past, they’ll shatter and break. Together they’ll rise, in the fight they will soar.
A legacy born from the battles of yore.
.
.
Luffy woke up, feeling like he had just had a strange dream. In his dream, it was like someone was telling a story, but parts of it were blurry, so he couldn't quite understand.
He glanced at the soft sunlight that filtered through the window. Slowly, he sat up and realized there was something heavy on both sides of him. His eyes landed on two figures he knew all too well — Ace and Sabo. They were asleep in chairs, their heads hanging off the edge of the bed.
Memories of the night before flashed in his mind. He had woken up in a panic from a nightmare — one where he lost both of them. Terrified, he had immediately hugged them both tightly, relieved to find them safe. But…
How did I end up back in bed?
And something felt off— He glanced at the table beside the bed. Oh! My hat!
Luffy reached over to grab his straw hat and placed it on his head. That was it — he had been missing his hat!
As he looked around the room, he fully realized where he was. This place was unfamiliar —not Dadan's cottage or their treehouse. He briefly remembered the figures in white cloaks from the night before.Strangers in a strange place ..
Still, Ace and Sabo were sleeping soundly. They looked so peaceful, so at ease—something that would only happen if they felt safe. So, even though this place was strange, Luffy knew it was safe.
A small smile spread across his face as he gently stroked their hair. Ace and Sabo were here. He hadn't lost either of them, and the overwhelming feeling of gratitude filled his chest. All of this was thanks to Nika! He needed to thank him later.
If Nika hadn't help him, maybe .. Everything would’ve turned out just like his nightmare.
Suddenly, Luffy’s stomach growled loudly like a wild beast, snapping him out of his thoughts and startling his brothers, who were still fast asleep.
Ace glared at him, with his eyes half-open but filled with irritation, he threw a punch at Luffy’s head.
“OW!” Luffy winced, clutching his head and curling up. “What the hell, Ace?!”
Ace grabbed his collar and shook him angrily. “You little brat! How many times do we have to almost get a heart attack because of you?! Do you think it’s funny passing out just because you’re hungry?!”
Oh .. That’s why.
Sabo sighed, look so tired. “Lu, how do you feel?”
“I’m fine!” Luffy shouted without thinking, before his stomach growled again. “Uh— I mean, I’m hungry!”
Ace rolled his eyes and let him go. Luffy could see the frown on Ace’s face start to fade. Sabo just shook his head, a playful smile on his face. "Alright, I’ll call the doctor."
Sabo left the room right away.
Luffy pouted. Doctor? But he was hungry! Was the doctor going to bring him food?
Sabo came back quicker than expected. Two people followed him into the room. Luffy recognized them, they were the ones in white cloaks from last night! So they were doctors?
Luffy scowled. None of them were carrying food!
The doctors approached with friendly smiles. "Good morning, Luffy," one of them said in a soft, caring voice. "How are you feeling?"
Oh, but they seemed nice!
Luffy smiled brightly. “I’m fine! Just hungry!”
She giggles at that. "We’ll make sure you get enough food once we’re done, but first, let us check on you, okay?"
Luffy nodded, watching with curiosity as they examined him with strange-looking tools. When his arm was lifted, Luffy noticed a tiny needle attached to it — when had that been there? — before the doctor carefully removed it.
The doctor smiled and patted his shoulder. “You’re all good now.” He also nodded at Ace and Sabo, who both sighed in relief.
Meanwhile, Luffy was practically bouncing with excitement. Finally! He jumped off the bed.
“Now I can eat, right? Ace, Sabo! Let’s go eat! I’m starving here!” His stomach growled loudly, proving his point.
Ace and Sabo both snorted. "Yeah, yeah," Ace said before turning to the doctors. "Thanks, Paul, Florence."
Luffy blinked in surprise when he saw Ace and Sabo bowing their heads to them. That wasn’t like them at all. Ace and Sabo were being polite .. was the world about to end?
Ace and Sabo each took one of Luffy's hands. "Let’s go, Lu."
Luffy shook his head. He’d think about that later. For now, he want to eat! Luffy tightly held onto Ace and Sabo’s hands and followed them out of the room.
The sound of hands clinking against plates filled the Mess Hall. Luffy grabbed every dish that was served and ate greedily. With impressive speed, he had already devoured dozens of meals in no time.
His eyes sparkled, and his face showed just how much he was enjoying every bite. Was Luffy in heaven right now? He’d believe it if someone told him he was, because every dish that entered his mouth tasted amazing!
Not only was the food delicious, but the room itself was big and cozy, filled with the mouth-watering aroma of food! Can you believe he was on a ship right now? Ace and Sabo said so!
It seemed they were on the ship of the Revolt — Revolutin something, led by a man named Dragon — such a cool name! Was he a dragon?
And apparently, Luffy had been asleep for an entire week! Ace said his life would have been in danger if Dragon and his friends hadn’t saved him.
Luffy didn’t know these people, but since they helped, that meant they were good. It was proven by how the doctor treated him and how many of the people around him greeted him with smiles.
Luffy wasn’t surprised to hear his life was in danger. He had known it would happen. Nika had warned him about it, but Luffy hadn’t cared much about the warning.
He’d do anything to save his brothers, just like they did for him every day. And even though he’d nearly died, he didn’t regret it.
And if Luffy could say it, when Nika’s power flowed through him, he felt incredible and free! The freedom and power he felt at that moment made his soul surge as though he could fight a storm and dance with lightning, all to the beat of that beautiful drum and with a smile on his face!
“Luffy!”
Luffy snapped out of it, his hand still reaching for food and his mouth still devouring it, as he looked up at Ace sitting next to him.
“Were you even listening to us?” Ace asked, and Luffy nodded.
“Lu, you’re eating too much, you’re gonna blow up your stomach,” Sabo warned. And just then, Luffy’s stomach rumbled loudly. “Brat, don’t answer with your stomach.”
Luffy swallowed his food. “But I’m still hungry!” he said, before going right back to eating.
“Look at who’s looking so alive now.”
Hm? Who’s that—
“Good morning, kid.”
Suddenly, right in front of Luffy’s face, there was a face. A huge one .. Smiling widely .. With a bunch of line on it .. What was that?!
Luffy spit out all the food in his mouth and started coughing.
Ace slapped him on the back. “Crap— Iva! Don’t scare him like that!” Sabo quickly handed Luffy a glass of water, which he drank down in one go.
Iva laughed, standing with both hands on his hips. “I didn’t scare him. I just wanted to see the kid who finally woke up, up close.”
Luffy stared at Iva curiously. “Are you human?” he asked bluntly. He had never seen anyone with a face as big as him!
“Rude! I’m human!” He spread his arms wide, as if he were about to embrace the whole world. “Emporio Ivankov! King of Okama but also Queen of Kamabakka Kingdom, the land where freedom and self-expression flow like an unstoppable river! And one of the commanders of the Revolutionary Army! Heehaw!”
Luffy’s eyes widened, sparkling with admiration. “That’s amazing!” He didn’t fully understand everything Iva said, but it sounded great!
“Of course it is!” Iva leaned closer to Luffy. “Huh, not bad, kid. This is the reaction I was expecting. Your brothers aren’t much fun.”
Ace and Sabo exchanged a look, rolling their eyes with an expression that mixed amusement and annoyance. Luffy shrugged. “Ace and Sabo can be boring sometimes.”
“Hey! Don’t agree with him! Who’s side are you on?” Ace grumbled.
Luffy giggled, deciding to keep eating while listening to Iva talk. Ace and Sabo even chatted with him, looking pretty comfortable around him. Luffy overheard them thanking him for something, but he didn’t quite catch what for.
Has everything that happened really only passed in a week?
The doctors, Iva, and even the people around them all seemed to be good friends with Ace and Sabo. Luffy had taken three months just to get close to them!
He felt a little jealous, but also amazed. The people here were interesting, and they all radiated warmth. Luffy liked it, it reminded him of Makino and the peoples from Windmill Village.
No wonder Ace and Sabo were able to sleep so soundly, feeling safe. There must’ve been a lot that happened for them to win his brothers’ hearts so easily.
A moment passed, and Luffy let out a satisfied burp, then sighed in satisfaction. “Ah, I'm full!"
Ace and Sabo stared at the mountain of plates in front of Luffy, now counting the food he’d eaten. “Lu, you just might have eaten most of the ship’s food supply.”
“Iva-san, sorry, are you all okay with this?” Sabo asked Iva, a concerned look on his face.
“Oh, it’s fine. The important thing is that he’s full. Especially since this kid is in recovery, right? He needs to eat more!” Iva ruffled Luffy’s hair, and he laughed. His touch was ticklish but felt nice.
“Good morning, Dragon-san!”
“Good morning, everyone.”
Luffy’s eyebrows shot up. Dragon? That was the name Ace and Sabo mentioned! Luffy turned his attention to the person everyone was greeting.
He saw an older man with long black hair and sharp eyes — where did his eyebrows go? — and strange tattoos on his face — it looked cool!
Ace and Sabo greeted him too as he stood in front of them. Luffy exchanged glances with him, sensing something in the way the man looked at him that he didn’t quite understand.
“How’s the food?” Dragon asked.
He was a bit intimidating, but not like a bad guy. His voice was firm, yet there was a softness to it. Luffy smiled wide. He decided this guy was good! After all, he saved him, didn’t he? And if he was the leader of these good people, then he had to be a good person too! Like Shanks, for example!
“It’s amazing! Everything tastes so good! Well, Makino’s cooking is still the best in the world, but this is great too!”
Dragon nodded with a faint smile. “Glad to hear that.”
“Hey, your name’s Dragon, right? Does that mean you could actually become a real dragon?” Luffy asked, his curiosity getting the better of him!
The room went silent for a moment, until Ace broke the tension. “What are you talking about? Just because his name is Dragon doesn’t mean—”
“Sadly, no,” Dragon interrupted, “But, because my name is Dragon, maybe one day I could become a real dragon.”
Everyone stared at Dragon in disbelief, but Luffy looked at him with wide eyes. I hope you can become a real dragon, he thought. That would be so awesome!
"Hey, if you become a real dragon, would you still poo—"
Ace and Sabo froze, their hands quickly covering their mouths. Luffy blinked in confusion as they suddenly stopped him, “Oh my god, shut your mouth, Lu!”
Dragon as if actually considering the question before answering. “Hmm, maybe I could—”
“Why are you answering that, Dragon?!” Iva quickly interrupted, stopping him before he could continue.
Luffy couldn’t help but chuckle to himself. Dragon was better than he thought!
Dragon cleared his throat. “Luffy, you like the ocean, right?” he asked, changing the subject.
Luffy, freed from Ace and Sabo’s grip, nodded enthusiastically. “I love it!”
“Wouldn’t you like to go outside and see it? The sea is calm and beautiful this morning.”
Luffy’s smile grew wider as he almost forgot, with everything going on, that he was on a ship! In the middle of the ocean!
Without another thought, Luffy jumped out of his seat, imagining the vast ocean outside. The salty air and the sound of the waves crashing seemed to call out to him!
“I’m going!” Without hesitation, Luffy darted past Iva and Dragon.
“Hey! Wait—damn it, Luffy!” Ace and Sabo jumped out of their seats and hurried after him. “You don’t even know where the exit is!” they shouted from behind.
Dragon’s gaze followed the three brothers as they rushed out. He smiled faintly. Luffy’s boundless energy melted away any worry he had about him.
Dragon could also see that Ace and Sabo were more alive now than they’d been in the past week.
"He’s such an energetic kid. I never would have guessed he’s blood-related to someone," Iva said suddenly, glancing at him with a meaningful look.
Dragon sighed. "Yeah."
Iva frowned. "You're really going to hide who you are from him?”
“If we’re going to deceive the enemy, we have to deceive those we want to protect first,” Dragon answered without hesitation. “Besides, we’ll send the three of them back to Dawn Island after all.”
“Ace and Sabo seem comfortable here. It’s not like we don’t have kids like them. We could always add a few more.”
“It seems like it, but Luffy would definitely follow his brothers if they ended up joining us. And as long as I can, I want to keep him away from getting involved with us.”
“Protective.”
“Most parents are like that, Iva. Besides, they each have their own dreams. There’s no reason for them to settle down with us.”
“Uh— Dragon-san, Iva-san.”
Their attention shifted to the head cook, Kai, right away.
“Oh, Kai, great job with you and the others. You must be tired, take a break.”
He chuckled, “Not tired. It’s just fun seeing the kids eat so well. But I wanted to let you know, it’s probably a good time to head to the next island.” He scratched his cheek with a shy smile. “Our food supplies .. Well, you know.”
“I’m guessing ‘well, you know’ means ‘we’re running low’?” Iva said with a grin.
Kai gave a small laugh. “Something like that, yeah.”
Luffy was enjoying the sea. The wind, carrying the refreshing scent of saltwater, felt invigorating against his skin. The sound of the waves crashing in the middle of the ocean and the distant calls of birds seemed like music that calmed his heart.
Did Shanks always feel like this when he sailed? Luffy couldn’t wait to set sail himself! Why couldn’t he be 17 years old already?
It felt strange being out in the middle of the ocean before he’d even become a pirate. But Luffy was happy! He felt like he was exactly where he was supposed to be. The ship itself was big, spacious, and not to mention, it had a dragon figurehead— how cool!
There were more people on the deck now, the atmosphere lively and full of energy. But Luffy couldn’t help wondering, why were so many of them wearing bandages? And were those burns? Why were so many of them injured? Had they just been in a fight?
Luffy’s thoughts were immediately distracted from his questions when someone mentioned that they were heading to an island.
This was Luffy's first time visiting an island other than Dawn Island!
Ace and Sabo’s reactions were just as interesting. They both shouted, “An island?!” and their faces lit up with excitement. It was so funny that Luffy couldn't help but laugh. They looked even more excited than he did.
They arrived at the island when the sun was high in the sky. It was a big island! When they reached the dock, Luffy looked around. The place was bustling. There were plenty of ships docked, too. The wind on the island carried a familiar scent .. Like oranges!
"Remember, Luffy, stick with us and don’t wander off, okay?" Sabo reminded him before they disembarked.
He pouted but nodded reluctantly, knowing it was the only way they’d let him go ashore. Still, it sounded boring. He wanted to go on an adventure.
On the island, the crew members scattered to take care of their tasks. Luffy wandered around with Ace, Sabo, and Kai, helping carry things while Kai decided what they needed to buy.
Everywhere Luffy looked, the streets were crowded with merchants. Some with shops, others carrying baskets and walking around. It was a lot different from Dawn Island. The streets were also lined with flowering bushes that Luffy thought were beautiful.
“What did you say?!”
Just as Luffy was passing an intersection, a voice caught his attention. He looked down a quiet alleyway, where he saw a girl with a basket full of oranges, arguing with two boys. Were they fighting?
“I told you, the Bellmere oranges taste awful! Anyone who eats them will get a stomach ache!”
“And their hair will turn an ugly color, just like the oranges, just like yours!”
They laughed at her. Luffy glanced over and saw the girl clenching her fists, as if she was about to punch them, but she held back. Why didn’t she hit them? Those kids were being really annoying.
The boys taunted her as they walked toward Luffy, sticking out their tongues. They weren’t paying attention to where they were going .. And a brilliant idea sparked in Luffy’s mind.
Whistling innocently, Luffy casually stuck his leg out to the side, right in their path. As expected, the boys tripped over his foot and crashed to the ground with a loud thud.
Luffy immediately clamped his mouth shut to keep from laughing, then his gaze shifted back to the girl, who raised an eyebrow at him, looking surprised. Without a hint of guilt, Luffy opened his mouth and flashed a wide, victorious grin. An the girl gave him a small, knowing smile, trying to hold back her own laughter.
"Hey, you!" One of the boys yanked at Luffy’s collar roughly. Their eyes locked onto him, burning with irritation.
"Did you do that on purpose?" one of them snapped.
Luffy glanced away nonchalantly, still whistling, "I-I don’t know what you mean."
The boy clicked his tongue, lifting his fist. "We'll teach you a lesson!"
The girl seemed about to jump in, perhaps to stop them, but before she could move any closer, Luffy acted quickly.
With a quick step to the side, he raised his leg and lightly kicked the first boy’s foot, causing him to lose his balance and fall backward.
Luffy spun around, and with a swift movement, raised his right hand to shove the second boy, who was coming at him from behind, straight into the one who had just fallen.
Luffy smiled to himself, pleased. It was a trick Nika had taught him—a trick that had once opened up opportunities for him to beat Ace and Sabo. It was tough to pull off against someone much taller, but against someone around his size? Easy.
Luffy stood there, looking completely unfazed, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened. "So, who's getting the lesson now?"
The two boys stared at him in disbelief, their eyes tearing up, before they scrambled to their feet and ran off, crying. "We'll tell on you!"
Luffy snorted. Cowards. They were nothing more than annoying kids.
Turning his attention back to the girl, Luffy exchanged a grin with her.
"You’re amazing," she said as she walked up to him.
"Of course I am! And I know you could’ve taken them down too. Why didn’t you punch them? I bet you could." Luffy asked, knowing full well the girl could probably kick their asses with ease. She looked tough.
"I've done it before, but then they complained to their mom and brought the problem home. Even they're the ones in the wrong," she scoffed, frustration clear on her face.
She picked up an orange from her basket and tossed it to Luffy. He caught it easily. "This is for you! That performance was really great."
Luffy beamed. "Really?! Thank you!" He eagerly started peeling the orange. The sweet, refreshing taste immediately burst on his tongue, and he smiled with satisfaction. "Hey! This is really good! Those kids are stupid for saying it’s disgusting. Is this orange called Bellmere?”
The girl’s face lit up with a broad smile, her eyes sparkling with pride. “They really are stupid. Bellmere is my mom’s name; she planted all of these.” A look of love filled her face when she mentioned her mother. “What’s your name? I'm Nami.”
“Monkey D. Luffy,” he replied.
She hummed. “Nice to meet you, Lu—” Her sentence was cut short as a fist landed on Luffy's head.
“Ow!” Luffy winced, rubbing his head in shock. “Who was that?!” He spun around, ready to fight back, but his expression quickly turned to horror when he saw who just hit him.
Ace and Sabo stood there, their faces dark with anger, eyes blazing like fire.
“We told you, don’t wander off!” Ace yanked at Luffy's cheek while Sabo pulled at his ear. “Why is it so hard for you to listen!? Don’t just disappear like that!”
“S-Sorry.”
Kai walked toward them, smiling with relief. “Phew, you found him.” He sat down beside Luffy and said, “Luffy, we heard some little kids crying to their mother, saying that they were hit by a straw hat kid. What happened?”
His brothers let him go, waiting for an explanation.
“They were being annoying!” Luffy pointed at Nami, who was standing behind him. “They were bothering her, saying nonsense about how her delicious oranges! And her hair— Oh Nami, your hair is cute! And they were the first ones to throw a punch!”
“Y-Yeah, even though I was the one who tripped them first, they totally deserved it! Oh, and I didn’t hit them at all!”
Kicking and shoving didn’t count as hitting, right?
The three of them stared at Nami, as if asking, ‘Is that true?’ Nami nodded emphatically.
Ace sighed. “You really are something. You disappear for a bit and suddenly you're kicking someone’s ass.”
Sabo shook his head with a bittersweet smile. “Why were we worried in the first place?”
Kai chuckled softly, then stood up casually. "Well, if that's the case, there's nothing more to discuss. Before Luffy is found, we should head out now."
He walked over to Nami. “Are you selling those, little girl?” he asked, pointing at the oranges in her basket.
“Yes?”
“Can I buy them all?”
Nami looked surprised, but her face lit up with joy. “Absolutely!”
After the transaction was completed, Kai signaled for the others to leave. Luffy and Nami waved at each other, already feeling like close friends despite just meeting. Luffy was sure he’d run into her again. Why? He just had that feeling.
After they finished their supply run on the island, the ship set sail again. Since neither he nor his brothers had anything else to do, they decided to roam around, chatting with everyone Luffy met.
The fun times seemed to pass by so quickly.
Dinner was over, and now Luffy and his brothers were on their way to Dragon's room. They said they needed to talk about something. Luffy had asked Ace and Sabo earlier, but they just told him he'd find out soon enough, with expressions that .. Well, were they serious? Tense?
They arrived at Dragon’s room, which was spacious but filled with stuff. Especially the desk — why were there so many papers on it?
Iva was there too.
Luffy become more curious about what they needed to discuss with everyone gathered here.
"Hey, Luffy," Dragon greeted, "How was your day?"
"It was amazing!" Luffy replied, his face lighting up with excitement. "I got to eat so much good food, and the people here are really nice! They all want to be friends with me. I’m so happy we went to an island too! It was the first time I’ve ever gone to an island besides Dawn, and it was great! The sea was awesome! But Ace and Sabo wouldn’t let me jump in to swim!"
Behind Luffy, he could hear them muttering, “You can’t swim, idiot.” But Luffy ignored them and kept going.
“Oh, and I met this cool girl on the island, she was nice. Her name’s Nami! We’re already friends! Her oranges were so sweet! She said her mom, Bellmere, grew them. I hope I get to see her again!”
"Anyway, this is definitely one of the best days of my life!" Luffy grinned, crossing his arms in front of his chest, proud of his day.
Dragon smiled faintly, his eyes full of understanding as he listened. "I’m glad to hear you enjoyed your day. But how about you? Are you okay?"
Luffy clenched his fists and raised them in the air, practically bursting with energy. "I’m great! I’m so excited, I feel like I won’t be able to sleep tonight!"
Iva, who had been standing next to Dragon, couldn’t help but laugh at Luffy’s overflowing happiness. "Goodness, you’re one energetic kid," he said with a wide grin. "But save some of that energy for tomorrow, or you’ll be exhausted in the morning and might miss out on more fun stuff."
Luffy paused, thinking about Iva’s words. His face brightened, and he nodded as if suddenly enlightened. "You’re right, Iva-chan! I’ll make sure to get a good night’s sleep tonight!"
"Well then," Dragon cleared his throat, his face now serious, "Before it gets too late, let’s move on to the main topic."
Luffy’s excitement faded slightly as he sensed the shift in the room’s atmosphere.
"Luffy, that day when you saved your brothers .. How clearly do you remember it?"
Luffy’s eyes widened. He hadn’t expected a question like that. Was this the talk Ace and Sabo were referring to?
"I remember it like it was yesterday," Luffy answered nervously.
"I see," Dragon nodded slowly before continuing. “In that case, may I ask about the power you used to save your brothers?”
Luffy’s heart skipped a beat. He had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going. "W-What?" he asked, pretending he didn’t understand the question.
"To put it simply, Luffy," Ace interrupted, sensing Dragon was about to speak again, "Who is Nika, and what did they do to you?"
Shit.
Of course, after seeing himself change like that, there was no way Ace and Sabo wouldn’t be curious about it. Everything had gone so smoothly that Luffy hadn’t thought about it!
But how did they know about Nika? How could they know Nika's name when Luffy had never said anything?
What should he do now? Nika had told him that no one should know about him. But now his power, his form, and even his name had been exposed. Luffy swallowed nervously, wondering how he could avoid this—
"Luffy," Sabo called, his voice low, "You can’t avoid this this time. We saw everything."
Luffy felt cornered.
What was he supposed to do? He had made a promise to Nika, and no matter what, Luffy wanted to keep it. "I-I—"
Luffy blinked in surprise as a blinding golden-white light suddenly appeared before him.
The figure was bathed in shimmering white light. His sharp red eyes glowed with an intensity that was almost unbearable, like flames burning in the darkness. The clouds gently moving across his back made it hard for Luffy to think of anything else except how beautiful he looked.
Nika.
Luffy froze, his heart pounding in his chest. But he knew that no one else in the room could see him. Only he, only Luffy, could feel Nika’s presence in the silence.
Nika knelt down, aligning himself with Luffy, then placed his palm on Luffy’s head. The touch instantly eased his nervousness, melting it away in an instant.
"Luffy... It’s okay. You don’t need to hide it from them," Nika said, gently taking one of his hands in his.
Nika was always full of energy, laughing and cheerful, but in moments like this, when Luffy felt uneasy, Nika became softer, more comforting. He liked that. His soft voice always calmed Luffy in every situation.
"Just explain it to them the way I explained myself to you, okay? I’ll help you if you have trouble."
Luffy nodded faintly, making sure no one noticed. If Nika said it was okay, then it was okay. Luffy didn’t want to hide it from Ace and Sabo forever, either.
"Luffy?" Ace called again, concern now evident on his face. Luffy had been quiet for a while, and Ace was probably getting worried.
Luffy took a deep breath, his eyes locking with Nika’s, searching for courage. “N-Nika is... H-He’s my best friend. He—” Luffy stumbled over his words, immediately unsure of what to say next.
But Nika squeezed his hand gently, signaling him to follow his lead. "Nika .. Nika is the Sun God. The Devil Fruit I ate is his manifestation. T-The fruit holds Nika’s soul and power, and the rubber ability I have is actually just one form of his power."
Nika smiled at him, and Luffy exhaled, finally relieved to say what he had kept hidden for so long. It wasn’t that Luffy fully understood what Nika meant, but he had wanted to keep it a secret.
What had made Nika change his mind?
He gave his head one last gentle pat before disappearing, just like that. Nika was truly kind, always appearing when Luffy needed him most.
He would talk things over with Nika later.
Luffy looked around the room again. Sabo and Ace looked confused but their expressions didn’t show the kind of shock one might expect, while Dragon was watching him with an unreadable expression. Iva seemed more serious than usual.
"What does that mean?" Ace asked, breaking the tense silence.
"It means," Iva began, "Nika is the Devil Fruit that Luffy ate. The Gum-Gum Fruit, but the rubber power isn’t the true core of the fruit, it's just one form of it."
"Everything’s starting to make sense now. The ability to change and the immense power that comes with it .. Luffy didn’t eat a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit, but a Zoan," Dragon added. "And because Nika is the Sun God, that means it’s not just any Zoan, it’s a Mythical Zoan."
"Does that mean .. Luffy, who ate that fruit, is like one with Nika?" Sabo asked, his voice shaking.
"Basically, yes. Because he’s the one who ate it, and because of that, there’s nothing we can do about it."
"Luffy!" Ace suddenly stepped forward, gripping both of Luffy’s shoulders tightly. "You told us that your fruit was just a fruit that make you a rubber!"
"I-I thought it was, at first! Shanks told me it was like that! Then .. Then Nika explained everything."
Ace stared at Luffy with an expression that was a mix of shock, anger, and confusion—emotions that Luffy couldn’t quite decipher. But there was something deeper there too, like a creeping fear starting to form in Ace’s eyes.
Luffy could feel it—the weight of something heavier than just anger. Ace was worried.
"We thought we could just get rid of him, or he would disappear on his own, or whatever, but turns out he’s the manifestation of the Devil Fruit you ate? What the hell, Luffy!"
"Get rid of him?" Luffy frowned, "Why? He's my friend! Ace, you can't just get rid of him!"
"We think it's necessary, Luffy," Sabo stepped forward, looking at him with the same serious gaze as Ace. "Because of him, you almost lost your life."
"What? What do you mean by that?" Luffy shook his head, not believing what he was hearing. "It’s not his fault! Nika didn’t do anything, I was the one who asked him!"
Both Ace and Sabo raised their eyebrows, and Luffy continued. "I was desperate back then, I was scared I’d lose you guys, so I asked Nika to lend me his power. Nika explained to me that my life might be at risk after that, he told me I wasn’t ready, but I pushed him, and Nika .. Nika just granted my wish."
"What—"
"Are you out of your mind?!" Sabo exploded, cutting off Ace with a louder and more emotional voice than usual, even shoving Ace aside. "What the hell were you thinking? You could've lost your life! Did you even use your brain?!"
Luffy's eyes shook in surprise. He hadn’t expected Sabo to explode like that. But under the intense gaze of both his brothers, Luffy stood firm, staring back at them with resolve, not a trace of regret in his expression.
"I did use my brain! That's why I asked Nika to do it!"
Luffy wasn’t wrong. He saved his brothers. Nika wasn’t at fault, he only followed his wishes. And now, everything was fine. That was the important part. So why were Ace and Sabo making a big deal out of it?
"You almost sacrificed your life! Do you have any idea what kind of nightmare we went through, seeing you like that?!" Sabo’s voice broke, his words filled with emotion. "Listen, Luffy, if you died back then because you were trying to save us, we—"
Luffy bit his lip, his eyes starting to fill with tears. "Then what about me?!" Luffy yelled, his voice trembling, full of raw emotion. "What did you think I was going to do? Just stand there and watch while that bastard father of yours took you away? Let him tear your freedom from you again? Let Bluejam and his crews hurt Ace more?!"
As the memory of his desperation and fear of losing his brothers surged back, Luffy felt a sadness so deep that tears flowed from his eyes.
"Ace and Sabo always saved me, they always protected me whenever they could, even when it meant putting themselves in danger! I want to do the same for both of you! What’s wrong with that? If you can do it, why can’t I?!"
He looked down, sobbing, unable to hold back the flood of emotions any longer. “I’m not afraid to lose my life! I’m more afraid of losing you, losing Ace! I just want you both to be safe, I want us to always be together!”
On the other side, Ace and Sabo were silent. They stood there, each with an expression that words couldn’t capture.
They still wanted to scold Luffy for what he had done, for how reckless his actions were, even though they knew that his decision came from the same love and fear they felt.
In the midst of the silence, soft but sure footsteps approached. Ivankov and Dragon stepped forward.
Without a word, Dragon bent down slightly, his large, solid hand gently touching Luffy’s head. Ivankov, equally concerned, also bent down and stroked Sabo and Ace’s heads at the same time.
Their touches gave a sense of calm, soothing the emotional turbulence inside them all.
“Luffy, you want to protect your brothers, but you must also remember that they just want you to stay alive,” Dragon said in a voice soft yet deep. “So, from now on, remember, sacrificing your life isn’t the only way to protect. You can also use your heart and mind to protect, in a wiser way.”
“Ace, Sabo,” Ivankov said, full of understanding, “You’ve both fought so hard for him. Now, how about let him fight in the way he chose, and appreciate it?”
Ace and Sabo exchanged a glance, thinking about Ivankov’s words. They couldn’t justify what Luffy had done, but they also couldn’t deny that, if they were in Luffy’s shoes, they probably would’ve done the same.
After a moment, they stepped forward and hugged Luffy tightly. As if trying to send him strength and reassurance through that embrace, they held him with all the affection they had.
"Luffy .. We're so sorry," Ace said, and Luffy could feel the tremble in Ace's hands as he embraced him. "We got too carried away and forgot that you also have your own decisions, your own reasons for doing what you did. Thank you, for saving me, for saving Sabo. You're so cool, and what you did really brought us out of the darkness that day. But please .. Don't ever try to sacrifice your life again to save us."
"I’ll always save you. That’s just how it is. But maybe... I’ll try not to risk my life next time," he whispered softly, almost like a promise.
Sabo nodded. "Let’s train harder then, get stronger than we were yesterday. So, we can protect each other without any of us having to sacrifice our lives." He added, his voice rough, as if Sabo was doing everything he could to hold back tears.
Ace and Luffy both nodded. Luffy buried himself in their embrace, seeking warmth and comfort between his brothers, surrounded by such deep love and understanding giving him strength and peace.
Dragon and Ivankov watched the brothers with quiet attention.
"Are you crying, Iva?" Dragon whispered so as not to disturb their moment.
"I-I’m not crying!" he whispered back, protesting before his nose started to turn red. "Okay, fine! It’s impossible to see this and not cry, alright?!"
Dragon just shook his head with a soft smile, amused by his easily affected friend.
They waited until them calmed down, the previously tense and emotional atmosphere now enveloped in a peaceful silence.
"Let’s continue the conversation we were having earlier, about Nika," Dragon began in a calm voice. "So, Nika’s abilities also mean Luffy’s abilities, since you ate the fruit. But Nika himself doesn’t pose a threat, and you can control it, right, Luffy?"
Luffy nodded, wiping his still-runny nose. "Nika doesn’t threaten anyone, he’s my best friend! I don’t control him either, Nika has his own will, just like me. But he’ll never do anything I don’t like.”
Dragon look at Luffy with thoughtful look. Though his face was serious, there was a hidden relief in his eyes. "Hm, I see," he said quietly. "But still, be careful. Even a friend can put us in danger without us realizing it. Especially when we don’t know where the boundaries are."
Luffy lowered his gaze, thinking about Dragon’s words. No matter what he say, Luffy still felt there was nothing to worry about with Nika.
"So, Nika can talk to you .. Has he ever said or whispered something he shouldn’t?" Ace asked, his tone serious and full of concern.
Luffy immediately shook his head. "No, Nika is really nice! He’s never said anything I didn’t like!"
"Are you really sure about that?" Sabo, who had been silent until now, asked.
"Yep! Nika never had bad intentions, I’m sure of it! If you guys could see him too, you’d know how good Nika really is!”
Ace and Sabo exchanged glances before shrugging. “Maybe you’re right. If you say Nika’s not bad, we’ll trust you. But like Dragon said, we’ll still be cautious,” Ace said.
Iva chuckled softly. “Oh wow, so you don’t hate him anymore? Just a while ago, it seemed like you guys were ready to kick him out. Hah!” Iva gave them a mischievous look. “Looks like Luffy really managed to convince you all, huh?”
Ace sighed deeply, a tired smile on his face. “Unfortunately, Luffy’s rarely wrong when it comes to judging someone, even if they’re a Sun God or whatever.”
Dragon observed them, thinking for a moment, before nodding. “Alright, I think we’ve covered enough for tonight. You all should get some rest. This conversation must’ve been exhausting.”
Luffy wiped his still slightly red eyes, a faint smile on his face, grateful that the discussion had ended on good terms. “Night!” he said cheerfully.
Ace and Sabo looked at Dragon and Iva. “Thanks for giving us the chance to talk about this,” Sabo said.
“Oh! Don’t mention it! We needed it too,” Iva replied proudly.
They all smiled at each other before heading out of the room, leaving Dragon and Iva standing there, watching them with understanding in their eyes.
"Now we understand why CP-9 was guarding that fruit," Ivankov said. "The Devil Fruit Encyclopedia was basically created by the World Government, and the lack of information about the Gum-Gum Fruit’s connection to the Sun God, Nika, is obviously something they’ve hidden."
Dragon stroked his chin thoughtfully. "Whatever their reasons are, it's definitely something big for the World Government."
"And I've never heard of a case like Luffy’s," Ivankov added. "A Devil Fruit that has a will of its own and can actually speak to its user? That's strange. Could it be because the fruit holds the power of a god?" Ivankov paused. "Maybe they never expected a seven-year-old to be the one who holds it. But there's no guarantee they won't figure out that Luffy’s the one in time."
“Dragon," Ivankov continued. "They have their own dreams, sure. But after getting to know them, after seeing all this, I think it's better if we keep them close for now. Protect them, until the time comes for them to follow their own path."
Dragon reflected on Ivankov’s words. He truly didn’t want Luffy and his brothers involved in the revolution at this point, but at the same time, after everything that had happened, he wanted to be able to protect them up close.
The revolutionaries could look after them, sure. The kids also wanted to grow stronger, and they could train them. But knowing their nature, they wouldn’t just sit still at the base. Sooner or later, they’d want to get involved in the revolution’s work too.
Those kids, Ace, Sabo, and Luffy .. They weren’t just children to be protected. They were more than that. They were a reflection of hope, spirit, and a future that couldn’t be ignored.
No matter what decision he made, it was clear those three would play a part in the great battle to come.
And then there was Nika .. Dragon had heard much of the legend from Kuma, and he couldn’t help but be intrigued by the figure. Someone even the World Government had tried to erase from history.
It made sense, though. Nika was a symbol of hope for those under the Government's control, and as such, an enormous threat to them.
Luffy had said that Nika had his own will. What was that will? And now that he was with Luffy, would his will align with Luffy’s?
So many questions, so many dilemmas. But amid it all, Dragon felt a flicker of hope. Maybe, just maybe, history could change this time. With Nika by Luffy’s side, maybe it wasn’t just a coincidence. Maybe it was fate guiding them.
And he wanted to watch it unfold, to make sure everything stayed on track.
"Sabo never mentioned it, but with what Luffy said earlier, it turns out that the one who wanted to kidnap him and collaborate with those pirates was his own father. Take away his freedom .. Do you really think that boy would want to go back there? After what he witnessed in Grey Terminal, his kingdom, and the nobles, one of whom could very well be his own family?" Iva added, pressing his point further.
In that case .. His decision was made.
"You’re right, Ivankov. But in the end, they’ll choose their own path. We’ll just .. Offer them another choice."
Luffy sat at the edge of his bed after turning down the offer to sleep with Ace and Sabo. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to be with them! He really wanted to be close to his brothers!
It’s just that, after spending the whole day with them, Luffy had already told himself he wanted .. To talk more with him.
"Nika?"
As soon as he called his name, a familiar light appeared next to him, and Nika materialized, sitting beside him with a wide grin.
Luffy’s face lit up, and he immediately jumped into his arms—Nika was so warm!
"Thank you! For helping me earlier. Oh, and not just that! Thanks for helping me save Ace and Sabo too."
Nika chuckled, returning the hug and gently running his hand through Luffy's hair, gently stroking it.
"That was the last time, though. I won’t do that again, it was hard."
“Shishi! But I really love your power, Nika! It’s amazing, super amazing!”
“Of course, I’m the strongest!”
They laughed together, but then Nika pulled him into a tighter embrace. “But seriously, I mean it. It was really hard, so don’t expect me to do it again.”
Luffy was taken aback. He had never heard Nika’s cheerful voice sound so pained before.
Nika pulled back and laughed lightly. “You should get some sleep now.”
Luffy watched him closely. There were so many things Nika seemed to be hiding. Luffy really wanted to ask him about it, but something .. kept him from doing so.
He nodded, “Okay!”
Luffy lay down, while Nika sat beside him. Maybe Nika already knew, but Luffy still told him everything he’d experienced that day. Nika listened intently, and as Luffy’s words slowed, his eyelids grew heavy. Just before he drifted off to sleep, he whispered.
“Nika, no matter what Ace and Sabo, or anyone else says about you, I’m really glad you’re here with me.”
“Yeah..” Nika’s voice was soft, his warm hand holding Luffy's small one. “I’m glad you’re here with me too, Luffy.”
And what Luffy heard from Nika after that was faint, so faint that he couldn’t make it out, but he caught just a few last words.
“I will always .. Look after you till the end.”