Chapter 11

Ace, Sabo, and Luffy were running around in the forest when they heard the wind rustling. Luffy's face gained a bright smile, making Ace and Sabo halt in their paths. Out of one of the trees, a man came in front. The man smiled at Luffy and the brothers instantly felt a protective urge and stood in front of their little brother, to protect him. But Luffy was not someone who could be halted, he was a force of nature. He was vibrating in his place and jumping.

"Papa!!" Luffy shouted and made his way toward the hooded figure. Ace and Sabo titled their heads in confusion and saw their little brother being lifted from the ground and in the arms of the man. They couldn't see his face clearly.

"I missed you!" Luffy chirped, like his usual self. Then he started babbling all about how he met Ace and Sabo and how they were brothers now. They could see the man smiling and approaching them.

"Thank you for taking care of my son!" The man said as he bowed a little with Luffy in his arms. The man's hood came down and Sabo felt like he was dreaming. His eyes widened.

"D-Dragon?" He didn't even think that he had uttered those words. Dragon wore an amused expression on his face.

"Yes!" Dragon gave a small smile and placed Luffy on the ground, with his brothers. He put his hands inside his pockets searching for something.

"Do you know him, Sabo?" Ace asked, looking not at all interested in the man and more interested in keeping an eye on Luffy who was jumping around and showing the beetles which he had caught a few minutes ago to his Dad, and his Dad was paying his full attention to the energetic kid.

Sabo nodded his head, "He is Dragon the Revolutionary. The World Government considers him the most wanted man in the World. The Revolutionary Army's main objective is to fight against the World Government's rule over the world."

Dragon raised an eyebrow at that. This kid seemed knowledgable yet with a Noble attire. "What do you think about Nobles?" Dragon asked, his curiosity getting the best of him. Sabo grinned maliciously and looked at Dragon straight in his eyes. His eyes held a mischievous twinkle which made Dragon smile.

"Nobles are worthless scum bags. They use their status and position to escape from their crimes, which is unacceptable." Dragon grinned at that. He already likes the kid. Dragon brought his hands back from his pockets and placed the bag of candies and sweets in front of the three kids. Luffy directly attacked them, making Dragon chuckle.

"Lu, you need to share it with your brothers," Dragon grinned and took out some picture books about pirates and handed them to Luffy, who was now visibly thinking about what he should do first. Eat sweets or read stories about pirates. Who was he kidding? He started doing both together. Ace and Sabo were now eating the sweets with Luffy, he could see the happiness radiating from them. Ace looked a little out of place, but in the face of food and sweets, he forgot everything and only focused on the candies in front of him. They were delicious.

Sabo grinned sheepishly after they ate everything and looked at Dragon and gave a little bow, making Ace copy him, "Thank you for sharing the sweets with us."

Dragon chuckled lightly. He could see the hot-headed kid, getting red on his face. He liked his son's brothers already.

The entire week that he spent with the trio was amazing. He saw them using their strength to fight the beasts of Mt. Colubu. He saw them fighting the thugs and stealing their treasures. The brothers exactly fit together. They fought together. He even met Dadan and stayed at the stuffed house, but it was all fun.

He showed some of his attacks to them, and they looked amazed. Sabo even asked him straight forward that he wanted to learn the Dragon Claw attack, which was followed by Ace's small but pure delight. From the looks of it, he also wanted to learn that but didn't know how to ask.

The more he got to know about the brothers, the more he felt relaxed. He could see their protectiveness for his son. He could see them ensuring him that his son was safe with them. He was visibly lightened up. He felt good to know that his son finally made friends and won't be lonely anymore. He was shocked when he didn't see his son cry when he was leaving him again. He felt a pang of hurt or envy, but it disappeared when he saw his son smiling brightly and saw the other two waving at him.

.

The brothers fought together, Sabo and Ace always protecting their weak brother, if anyone dared to hurt him. They bathed together creating a ruckus, they fought for food, not allowing the bandits to lay their hands. Luffy once even tried to eat Dadan, whose hair had a slice of meat stuck to it. They even dirtied the clean room, destroying the stove which was in the middle of the room. They disrupted Dadan's beautiful dreams by Luffy falling on top of her, followed by Ace and Sabo.

Dadan's health was taking a toll on her, her eye bags a clear sign of it. She was complaining about the boys and thinking about something to kick the brats off her house. When she felt the footsteps, she thought it was definitely Garp. She bowed on the ground, begging for forgiveness, but it was Mayor Wood Slap and Makino.

Luffy rushed out to meet Makino and hugged her. Makino gave the brothers clothes and adjusted the clothes for Ace and Sabo. Ace's face was completely red when he was standing in front of Makino. Luffy and Sabo took it as a thing to joke about in the future.

That night was the most amazing for Ace and Sabo and the bandits. They ate delicious foods like humans. They were discussing getting the best cook in their pirate ship when the bandits froze. They saw two shining eyes behind them, standing at the door. It was none other than Garp, who gave the three brothers fist of love with Dadan.

"Don't dare to hit our little brother!!" Ace and the new kid stood in front of Luffy hiding him. Garp laughed again.

"Who are you?" Garp asked the blonde kid.

"Sabo, old man!" He said with eyes glaring daggers at him like that of Ace.

Garp pouted at that, "Don't call me old man, call me grandpa, brat!!" He looked at the shocked expression of the kid and laughed it off and picked the trio up for training. He threw them into the jungle and beat them in the name of training.

Right now, they were laying on the ground, beaten up. Garp was there collecting firewood. Luffy had apparently fallen asleep. Garp set up a campfire. He sat in front of Ace and Sabo and started speaking.

"I want you both to protect Luffy," Garp said, his eyes landing on the boys. Ace frowned at that and Sabo raised his eyebrows.

"We won't let anything happen to him, old man!" Ace said, his arms crossed on his chest and faint reddish blush carving up on his face.

"You don't have to tell us, shitty Gramps!" Sabo nodded in agreement.

"I know, I know," Garp grinned but soon his face changed into serious, "But he is not normal like others."

"We already know who his mom is," Sabo said. Garp nodded.

"About his father?" Garp asked with raised eyebrows. Ace and Sabo both nodded their heads.

"He is very light-lipped and says things that will definitely lead to his hunt," Garp sighed. Ace raised an eyebrow at this, "What do you mean he will be hunted?"

Garp frowned, "I believe that he had already said the name of his devil fruit?" He saw them nodding and Sabo informed him.

"If any of the World Government agents heard the word 'Nika' and understood what he is, he will be killed in an instant, regardless of who his father is," Garp said and he could see the horror in the eyes of the boys.

"What do you mean by 'Nika'?" Sabo further asked. Luffy groggily opened his eyes, and spoke, "Did someone call me?" Garp frowned at that.

"Luffy, your name is Luffy, not that!!!" He said with anger. Luffy who sat up now glared at Garp before frowning, "But why do I need to hide my real name?!!!" He asked and crossed his arms on his chest. "I don't understand at all!!"

"Your real name is Nika?" Ace asked to which Luffy nodded happily. Garp scratched his head in worry.

"Fine!" Garp said, "Listen to me!" Luffy looked at Garp and the others even did the same. "If the marines ever come to know about your real name, and if by any chance the World Government came to know about your existence they will kill you in spot."

"Why will they kill me, coz of my name?" Luffy frowned but soon burst out laughing, "And do you think," Luffy's eyes flickered to golden, "they can kill me?" Luffy started laughing hard, his one hand on his stomach and the other on his eyes.

The last part of the voice, didn't seem like Luffy, but yet, it did. The voice held authority, power, and above all, a peal of carefree laughter. It was as if a sleeping part of Luffy had just spoken.

Ace and Sabo chose to remain quiet as they saw their grandpa frown at that and what he saw, "Listen Luffy, I told you to not use that name, then I have a freaking reason!" Garp landed a fist of love on Luffy's head.

"OWWW!! OWW!! That hurts!!" Luffy glared.

"If you can't handle this, then how the heck will you fight them?" Garp yelled. Luffy seemed to consider that but soon a grin appeared on his face.

"Fine!" He grinned brightly, "When I will become strong I will use my real name!" Luffy pumped his fists in the air. Garp sighed and agreed. He waited for Luffy to fall asleep again, which didn't take long.

"Why will they want to kill him coz of the name?" Ace frowned.

"There was an Island called 'Ohara', which was wiped off the surface of the map ten years. The Island was notable for the Tree of Knowledge, a gigantic 5000-year-old tree, which served as a library and a hub for archaeologists from around the world," Garp's eyes fell on the fire. "The scholars of the Island unveiled The True History of the 100 years gap, known as Void Century, and when the World government came to know about it," Garp gritted his teeth, "They erased the whole Island from the map of the World."

Ace's and Sabo's eyes widened in horror. They couldn't believe that knowing the past could lead to such outrageous punishments.

"I only know one thing," Garp locked his eyes with the two kids, "That name goes way back in the Void Century. That name can lead the World Government to destroy anything in their path to remove it forever."

"So, that is the only reason why our brother will be hunted?" Sabo frowned.

Garp shook his head. He knew he was giving too much information to them, but he knew that they will give their lives for each other and Luffy needed someone who would keep him on watch. "He is the son of the sea and the things that I have seen in him, it all points to one direction," Garp looked at Ace and Sabo, "He is a reincarnation of the previous wielder of that name."

"No way!" Ace said disbelieving the words.

"If it's true, then it doesn't seem like he knows that completely. Or he doesn't have enough knowledge of his previous life." Sabo said as he glanced at Luffy. Garp nodded.

"He might have some but not all." Garp completed. Ace and Sabo understood the grave danger their brother was in. "But I do believe, as the days pass, his knowledge and conscience will wake up."

"Don't worry! We will keep an eye on him," Sabo said and Ace nodded in agreement.

Garp felt a worry lift his chest. He patted their backs and finally allowed them to rest.

He was staring at the stars. His mind leads to many questions, with no possible answers. Why did the World Government so desperately want to hide the truth of the Void Century? Why was the name a danger? He had overheard Senguko talking about shipping a devil fruit, namely Gomu Gomu no mi, under high protection. The fruit was guarded by CP0 agents. But the fruit was stolen by Red Hair and was eaten by Luffy, who claimed it as if it was a part of his body. He did understand why the World Government hid the name of the devil fruit by Gomu-Gomu no mi, but why was that even required?

The first time when he heard Luffy call himself 'Nika', his mind landed him in a cell, where he was meeting Roger. After he had met him, and was passing by he heard someone ask 'Nika' to save them, to free them, to liberate them. He had asked them who that guy is, though, he had thought he was wishing that a friend of his, whose name is 'Nika', will save him. But when he had asked, the prisoner paled. He refused to speak a word. Garp had shrugged it off but the name had lingered in his mind. The next time when he was about to lead his best friend to his execution, he found the cell, which the prisoner had occupied, empty. When he asked them about it to the guards they said he was killed for naming someone.

Roger had asked about the name, to which one guard had spilled it off, while the other guard had visibly paled, fearing for his life. Garp didn't understand. But he saw the pity in the face of his best friend. When asked he said, the name is someone who will change the era if born again. Someone who will bring real justice to the World and whom the top dogs fear, who would go to any extent to remove the name from history itself, as they had done centuries ago.