Wrapped head to toe in bandages, Luffy knelt on the ground and pleaded with the old Keek in front of him.
This appearance, completely disregarding pride, along with those firm and earnest eyes, truly moved Keek.
"Become stronger, huh..."
At this moment, Keek's murky gaze carried a hint of reminiscence.
At some point in the past, he too had harbored such a dream—to personally cultivate a monster of the seas.
Orin was the most talented and terrifying monster he had ever seen.
Born with monstrous strength, as well as innate Observation Haki, all of it signified a naturally born king that could never be replicated.
He was destined to become a powerhouse like Captain Rocks, someone capable of contending for the title of King of the World.
But unfortunately, halfway through, he was abducted by that bastard Roger.
So what about this kid in front of him, who didn't look too bright?
Even if he couldn't reach Orin's level,
He'd probably still become something like a tyrant of the seas?
That would barely count, I suppose...
Keek pondered silently, and in the end decided to let Luffy stay.
If Orin becoming king was just a coincidence, that wouldn't prove any inevitable connection with old Keek.
But if Luffy also became a great pirate of the seas,
Then it wouldn't be a coincidence.
He, Keek,
Might really be able to become a king-maker.
"Come with me, kid."
With that thought, Keek clasped his hands behind his back and led Luffy toward the open ground behind the royal palace.
"You participated in the Summit War, so you must already know just how big the gap is between you and those true monsters of the sea. So where do you think the difference lies, specifically?"
Keek, now earnestly moving toward the role of a "renowned teacher," explained things to Luffy.
"What... what is it?"
"Is it... Devil Fruits?"
Luffy frowned deeply in thought, and in the end arrived at this conclusion.
Because whether it was Whitebeard's Tremor-Tremor Fruit that shattered the seas, or the despair-inducing, near-unsolvable Logia fruits of the three Admirals, they all left him feeling helpless.
"Especially Orin, his Devil Fruit ability seems omnipotent, and just one is already strong enough—but who would've thought he could even make clones!!!"
"Devil Fruits, huh..."
Keek nodded after hearing this.
"That is indeed one factor. After all, what you mentioned are among the very top Devil Fruits on this sea.
But Roger, Rayleigh, and your grandfather Garp—they had no Devil Fruits, yet they could still contend with the monsters you mentioned."
"That..."
Thinking about it, Luffy realized it was indeed true.
"This is what you currently lack, kid. People with powerful Devil Fruits might not be weak, But those who can truly stand at the very peak of the sea will push every kind of power to the extreme—and that is Haki!!!"
Keek was gradually transforming into a master teacher.
"Only Haki can stand above everything else!!!"
And so, Keek continued explaining.
Along the way, he even demonstrated some not-so-powerful Haki techniques as teaching material.
The injuries on Luffy's body also slowly began to fade.
A few days later, after one lesson ended, Luffy made a request to temporarily leave.
"Old man, I want to make a trip to Marineford, and then come back to find you."
"Hm?"
Luffy's face was filled with seriousness.
"I want to pay my respects to Whitebeard, and the pirate companions who died there, and also tell my companions... Right now, we're too weak. We can't possibly deal with the powerhouses of the New World. We need to agree to meet again in two years!!!"
Keek listened, his gaze going blank.
"Pay respects... and companions, huh..."
Wasn't he the same? Someone who had walked out of a buried era—the former companions of the Rocks Pirates had died, grown old, or fled.
And now even that Captain Newgate was gone too...
"Such a willful kid. Then go ahead and make the trip."
"Huh?"
Luffy was dumbfounded.
But old Keek merely kept his hands behind his back.
"What's the Summit War anyway? I've taken part in wars far more exaggerated than that. There's nothing scary about Marine Headquarters."
"It's just that I don't know where that brat Orin ran off to..."
...
On the other side,
After the Summit War ended, Orin and the Shichibukai stood at the harbor.
He instructed Jinbe,
"Go take Straw Hat Luffy to Duramos. The old man being an empty-nest elder must be pretty bored too."
Jinbe nodded upon hearing this.
"I understand, Orin-san. Even if I have to risk my life, I'll deliver him there!!!"
"No need to be that dramatic..."
Orin smiled and patted Jinbe on the shoulder, watching as he swam away to deliver a package to the old man.
At the same time, he also noticed Crocodile leaving.
"Hey, Crocodile, where are you going!!!"
"To realize my ambition. What—are you planning to sponsor me?"
Looking at Crocodile's sour face, Orin didn't mind. He knew she was harboring resentment—after all, he hadn't gone to Impel Down to pull her out for so long.
And it had been twice.
"Didn't I already give you some before? Even though Baroque Works went under, there should still be quite a bit of money left, right?"
"Tch..."
Seeing her attempt to mooch fail, Crocodile turned her face away. Her tall, domineering figure walked toward another harbor, with Mr. 1 following beside her.
"Such a bad-tempered crocodile, huh~"
"Fufufufufu~"
Doflamingo also departed. He was very satisfied with this grand spectacle.
"Kuma, are you leaving too?"
At this moment, Orin also noticed Kuma arriving with his wife. Ginny was already middle-aged now, but she had taken good care of herself.
"Yes. We're planning to go look for Bonney. That child hasn't been heard from since leaving the Sabaody Archipelago. As for Kuma himself..."
Bartholomew Kuma proactively took over the conversation.
"I'm preparing to return to the laboratory. After all, it's become even more dangerous there now."
"Alright. Be careful."
And just like that, the couple went their separate ways—one returning to work, the other going to look for their troublesome child.
Among the Shichibukai, the only ones left were Mihawk and Hancock.
And neither of them showed any intention of leaving.
Just as Orin was about to say something, a squad of Marines approached at that moment,
Instantly putting the two on alert.
But Orin waved his hand, signaling them to relax.
"Isn't that Doll~ long time no see."
"Orin-sensei..."
At this point, Doll had already grown into a standard mature beauty, more composed and developed, with a naturally cool and dashing aura.
Only in front of Orin would she reveal a trace of feminine softness.
Even though the person in front of her was, in theory, now an enemy of the Marines, she was stationed at the Sabaody Archipelago, and it was reasonable for her to come negotiate.
It was just that due to differences in position, they couldn't be as close as before.
"If you return to the Sabaody Archipelago and need anything, you can come find me at the Marine branch base."
"Okay~"