Chapter - 45

"How did it happen?" Chopper finally asked Sabo quietly.

Sabo folded his arms before speaking.

"Luffy saved her from falling from the tower, she had no damage to her head. It was the blunt force of the abrupt stop, the impact was too much for her internal organs. No normal human could've survived that, if I'm assuming Luffy did what I think he did— I'm truly sorry, but your friend was in a freak accident. We have the man responsible in our custody."

Hearing this the straw hats rose ready to attack Sabo if necessary.

"Give him to us." Zoro said a deadly look in his eye.

"I want too, but I can't. He's on life support." Sabo spoke calmly expecting them to be at his throats.

This only seemed to anger them further. "We're going to kill him for what he did to Nami, so give him to us." Sanji said standing next to the vice captain.

"Luffy wants to deal with him personally, he already cut off his right arm and his left leg, the admiral will be a cripple when he wakes." The straw hats seemed to calm slightly returning their attention to Nami.

"Luffy said to stay safe, and to take care of her." Sabo said nodding towards Nami.

"Where's Luffy going to go?! Chopper asked threatening to cry again. Sabo reassuringly squeezed his shoulder.

"I'm not sure he didn't say, I'm going to track him down after this, I'll be sure to keep in contact." Sabo spoke approaching the ship. "Take care, straw hats." Sabo said tipping his hat towards them before disappearing in flames.

"Franky... we have to get out of here." Robin spoke calmly not taking her eyes off her friend.

"Where too?"

"Anywhere but here." Robin was threatening to break down again.

"Right." Franky answered wasting no time flying the ship away from Mariejois.

The straw hats couldn't help but watch the catastrophic event unfold before them. Luffy's meteor was larger than half the city finally descending from the sky making its way surely to the city. The crew could hear the millions of holy citizens scream in terror as the large meteor covered in hellfire picked up momentum closing in the city. Some citizens were trying to break down the gates hoping to escape, others held their families praying to whatever God they believed in, some just stood calmly enjoying the view as if they were on vacation—ready to welcome death.

Within seconds the world fell silent before a large wind broke through the ocean sending mini tsunamis in all directions. The meteor easily broke through the Navy's protective barriers and artillery. They were helpless as the meteor engulfed and incinerated everything it touched. The ground shook violently causing an earthquake, with the ground collapsing in on itself from the sheer mass and velocity of the attack.

The straw hats watched with indifference as Mariejois the holy land, and all its holy citizens were wiped off the face of the earth. The crew should've been celebrating but they were still very much grieving.

Silently Chopper's large form picked up Nami's lifeless body, carrying her into the infirmary— Robin and Brook on his heels.

Zoro and Sanji were in the middle of the deck where they last seen Nami lay.

"What the hell was all this for? What's the point of getting strong when I can't even protect my friends." Zoro said still emotional from the loss.

Sanji was taking it just as hard as everyone else, but he knew the ship needed a captain right now.

"I understand, but nows not the time to waver captain. If you waver than who can we trust?" Sanji spoke the words Zoro said to Luffy all those years ago at Water 7.

"Zoro nodded, his crew needed him. "Alright then cook, let's start with coffee."

"Franky steer us toward the West Blue." Franky followed the captain's order.

"Aye Aye captain." Sanji said heading off for the kitchen. Once he got to the kitchen and started boiling the water the chef once again choked into sobs, barley able to light his cigarette.

Everyone in the ship could hear the blood curdling scream from miles away. It was an inhuman mixed with the familiar voice of their captain. A few seconds later the clouds broke open abruptly as Luffy flew far out of sight in the blink of an eye.

Zoro and Franky continued to stare up at the figure they knew was their captain. Dragon's words played back in their minds—the two men couldn't help but wonder if they would ever see Luffy again.

Far off in the distance a straw hat blew through embers filling the air. A crater in the place of the holy city Mariejois, the outer island barley remained, keeping the land afloat. Borsalino Kizaru watched from a distance grabbing the straw hat out of the air examining it. Tucking it into his jacket before vanishing in a ray of light.

As soon as Sabo left the Thousand Sunny he headed for higher ground towards Luffy. He desperately tried to reach his brother yelling for him to talk to him. Luffy instead gave a loud roar like an untamed wild animal before flying off. He was fast, almost too fast for Sabo to catch him. The Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army chased his brother for two nights. Stopping to only rest and look for the holes he was leaving in the clouds— following his brother's trail Sabo started to reach familiar territory. He was heading home. Mount Colubo, Foosha Village. For the first time in three days Sabo had smiled.

The world was still in shock after the destruction of Mariejois. Not everyone felt the same about ending all the celestials while others said good riddance. The world was divided right now— the Navy was dead, and the revolutionary army had yet to earn the people's trust. This was just the beginning of the new era in the world. A world where Luffy would rule as he would see fit. For better or for worse.

Sabo finally landed on his foster mom Curly Dandan's doorstep. Straightening his tie he knocked before entering.

He could see Dandan already up sitting across the table from Luffy. He was back to his normal self.

"Sabo good to see you boy." His foster mom said embracing the blonde man.

"Nice to see you too Dandan." Sabo was glad to see her again, it'd been awhile. Taking a seat next to Luffy he touched his brother's shoulder to get him out of his trance. Luffy shook off his hand.