The Next Day, Deep in Mount Colubo
After parting ways with Robin and the others for a bit, Luffy and Ace spent the night at Dadan's house. The next morning, they found themselves walking once again along a forest trail they had both traveled countless times before.
Since Luffy had left, Ace had spent nearly all his time training deep in the mountains, rarely returning to Dadan's home.
Last night, to celebrate Ace and Luffy's reunion, the entire Dadan family partied through the night, leaving neither brother with much sleep.
Not that it mattered to Luffy, at his current level of physical ability, sleep was more of a habit from his old life than a real necessity.
"Are we there yet, Ace?"
Dragging his feet behind Ace and staring at the seemingly endless, unchanging forest, Luffy couldn't help but groan again.
He'd once roamed these woods like the back of his hand, and yet he still couldn't figure out where Ace was taking him.
It had already been nearly an hour since they'd entered this familiar stretch of forest.
"Almost there... Just a little farther," Ace replied half-heartedly, not even bothering to turn around.
"That's the eighth time you've said that!"
"And it's the ninth time you've asked!"
Ace puffed out his cheeks, freckles twitching in exasperation.
Luffy didn't care in the slightest. He was the younger brother, and younger brothers were entitled to certain privileges.
As they bantered back and forth, time slipped by unnoticed.
Suddenly, Ace reached up and pulled aside a thick curtain of vines blocking the path ahead.
A blinding ray of sunlight broke through the dense forest canopy like a beam of life itself, sweeping away the shadows and breathing vitality into the woods.
The view before them opened up.
Golden sands stretched out beneath the clear blue sky. Waves lapped gently at the shore. A modest wooden cabin stood not far from a small, brand-new ship anchored by the beach.
And nearby sat a wiry old man with a scraggly head of white hair, a tattered wizard's hat on his head, and a long smoking pipe clenched between his teeth.
"Master!"
The moment he saw the old man, Ace waved excitedly and shouted.
"Master! My little brother's here!"
Luffy stepped out from behind Ace and paused in his tracks. The instant he saw the old man, something clicked in his memory, the figure overlapped perfectly with someone he'd once heard about.
Naguri.
A once-notorious pirate of the Grand Line. A peer of legends like Roger and Whitebeard. A titan from the second great wave of pirate crews.
He had clashed directly with the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger, and suffered defeat. After losing contact with his crew, he drifted endlessly at sea before finally settling in the East Blue, taking up quiet residence in the Goa Kingdom.
"Well, well… if it isn't little Ace, back at last…"
Naguri took a slow drag from his pipe. Pale smoke curled around his weathered face as he spoke, drifting lazily into the air.
"Please, Master! I'm an adult now, you know!"
Being called "little Ace" in front of his younger brother clearly embarrassed him. Ace's cheeks flushed red as he scratched his head awkwardly.
"Hahaha!"
Naguri let out a hearty laugh, then turned to Luffy with a glint in his eye.
"So, you're Luffy, Ace's younger brother. He talks about you all the time."
"Really? He hasn't been badmouthing me, has he?"
Luffy grinned widely.
"No, not at all," Naguri chuckled. "He looks up to you, actually.
When word came that you'd become a Warlord of the Sea, he was excited for days!"
"Master!"
Ace's voice rang out in protest. Hearing his admiration laid bare was almost too much to bear. He was beginning to regret bringing Luffy here in the first place, his big brother image was crumbling fast.
"Thank you for looking after this idiot of a brother all these years!" Luffy said with a bow and a smile.
"Haha, no need for all that."
Naguri tapped the ash from his pipe and said warmly, "To be blessed with such a gifted apprentice at my age... that's one of life's rare joys."
The curling smoke veiled Naguri's eyes as he gazed toward the sea.
Age had made the distant horizon harder to see.
But here, in his little corner of the world, with a student by his side, the days had passed in quiet peace.
"Oh, right! Master!" Ace suddenly perked up, dashing toward the small ship near the beach.
"Luffy helped me get everything you asked for, I'm ready to set sail in the next few days!"
The ship was one Ace had built himself under Naguri's guidance. It was more than just a vessel, it was a dream, crafted with his own hands.
But Naguri's expression turned distant as he watched Ace buzz excitedly around the ship.
So, Ace was really leaving…
Would he be alone again?
Just like before?
Over the years, Naguri had gotten used to Ace being around. Used to hearing that familiar voice call him "Master." Used to sharing quiet meals and lively training sessions.
He had deliberately made Ace's departure a bit difficult, asking him to gather specific materials he knew would be hard to find in a small kingdom like Goa.
All because… he didn't want Ace to leave just yet.
Suddenly, a voice rose in Naguri's heart.
"Keep him here."
"You really want to be alone again?"
"There's not much time left. Do you really want to spend your final years all by yourself?"
No!
Naguri shouted aloud without realizing it.
Startled, Ace and Luffy turned toward him, surprised by the sudden outburst.
Under their gazes, Naguri's stiff frame slowly moved, his voice low and strained:
"Not yet… Ace… the sea… it's dangerous."
"If you're not strong enough…"
"No!"
"You can only leave, only, if you can defeat me!"
"Huh? Why, Master?" Ace asked in confusion.
He'd been so close, just days away from setting off to chase his dream of freedom.
But now… his master's reasoning didn't make sense to him.
Even Luffy looked puzzled.
To the two young men, eyes filled with dreams and ambition, the thoughts of an old man fearing loneliness made no sense.
Naguri, realizing his emotions had gotten the better of him, quietly placed the pipe back between his lips.
"This is your final trial."
"If you can defeat me, Ace…"
"I won't stop you anymore."
"Master…"
Naguri's sorrowful tone weighed on Ace, and his mood grew somber as well.
"…I understand, Master."
Ace clenched his fist, now cloaked in hard black Armament Haki. A sharp intensity flashed between his brows.
His rubber-like skin, a result of his Devil Fruit, gleamed with quiet strength.
Setting sail…
It was his promise to Luffy and Sabo.
It was his dream.
Naguri lowered his pipe and coated it with Armament Haki.
"Ace…"
His voice trembled.
He knew this wasn't right, but just this once, he wanted to be selfish.
Just once, in this whole lifetime.
Come on, then…
Golden sunlight bathed the beach as two overwhelming auras collided.
The air itself seemed to explode with crackling, unseen lightning. Invisible shockwaves whipped through the sky like whirling gales.
Every blow sent shock tremors through the sand, carving deep fissures into the earth.
And standing off to the side, Luffy watched silently, waiting for the result.
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