Chapter 18: Luffy's Dream

Time slipped away like the flowing river, and the leaves fell in a gentle dance, marking the passage of the days.

Ace, Sabo, Kaito Sakamoto, and Luffy lived together in Dadan's household, facing the wilderness, the troublemakers of the town, the villains of Garbage Mountain, and the pirates of the bay.

Day by day, their reputation grew, reaching even the ears of the nobility in the heart of the town. Their lives were filled with excitement and challenges, but tranquility was never permanent. The tests of fate were always lurking around the corner.

One day, Ace, Sabo, and Luffy headed to the town. Kaito Sakamoto stayed behind, occasionally joining their "money-raising" activities. While thrilling, it could also be exhausting. He had intended to take a good nap, but a newspaper in Dadan's hands kept him wide awake.

"Dogura, Magura, what is this place, 'Goya'?" Dadan asked, cigarette in mouth, as she read the paper.

Dogura the Fish-Eye explained that Kolbo Mountain, Garbage Mountain, and Windmill Village all belonged to the Goya Kingdom. However, the king ignored the filthy lands beyond the walls, believing his kingdom should be pristine.

Kaito turned to the side, thinking Dadan didn't even know her own home.

But Dadan's next words made Kaito jump to his feet. "It seems the country is expecting a guest—a big shot."

"Big news on the front page! Is it really that important?"

"Those people called the Celestial Dragons?"

"What?!"

Kaito bolted upright, shouting in surprise.

"Geez!" Dadan jumped, startled. "You scared me! What's gotten into you?"

Ignoring her, Kaito quickly grabbed the newspaper from Dadan's hand.

"Descendants of the Creator! The world nobles—the Celestial Dragons—will visit the most beautiful country in the East Sea, the Goya Kingdom, in a month!"

The headline blared across the paper, particularly the phrase "Descendants of the Creator," bold enough for even the blind to see.

"W-what's wrong? Why are you so shocked? Is this serious?" Dadan questioned, noticing Kaito's unusual behavior. It was rare for him to snatch the newspaper like this.

"It is serious!"

"But it doesn't concern us at Kolbo Mountain."

"Exactly! It doesn't matter if the outside world crumbles." Dadan chuckled, feeling indifferent.

Kaito didn't reply; he dashed out, heading to find Sabo. If his father caught him, things could get messy!

Rushing out of Dadan's home, Kaito took the safest route to Garbage Mountain.

However, halfway there, he spotted Ace, Sabo, and Luffy by a tree at the edge of a cliff.

Ace and Luffy had Sabo cornered against the trunk, and Kaito thought it was too late; Sabo's noble father had already found him.

"Speak up, Sabo!"

"What secrets do we have left? Just tell us!" Ace and Luffy pressed closer.

Kaito approached them as well.

Sabo looked at Kaito as if he were a lifeline.

"Kaito, they keep pressuring me! I don't have any secrets!"

Kaito exchanged glances with Ace and Luffy, who were relentless.

"Just tell us, Sabo."

Sabo seemed surprised; he thought Kaito had come to rescue him, but he was just fueling the fire!

"Tell me! Be careful or I'll knock you away!"

Seeing Sabo like this, Ace's temper flared. He grabbed Sabo by the neck while Luffy joined in to make him confess.

"Ugh… okay! I'll tell you!"

Ace: "You're a noble's son?!"

Luffy: "Who?!"

Sabo: "Me!"

"So what?" Ace and Luffy replied nonchalantly, picking their noses. What was there to hide?

"Didn't you two want me to say something?!" Sabo shouted, frustrated, seeing the sudden indifference after being pushed so hard.

But then, Sabo's expression softened, a hint of sadness creeping in. "I lied to you; I'm sorry."

Luffy didn't dwell on it.

"Since you apologized, I forgive you."

Ace walked to the cliff's edge, standing side by side with Kaito, gazing out at the sea.

"But I'm surprised by this, Sabo. As a noble, why are you in Garbage Mountain?"

"Don't you know how nobles view the people of Garbage Mountain? They see them as trash beneath their feet."

"I'm not like them!" Sabo quickly retorted.

"I have parents, but I'm still all alone."

"They only care about people who can give them power and wealth."

"If I can't marry a royal daughter, then in their eyes, I'm worthless!"

"Nobility? Compared to that suffocating high town and the arranged life of the coming decades, I find my current life much better."

"A life with you guys."

Kaito turned to Sabo. For someone who loved freedom, being a noble was like wearing chains.

"So! Ace! Luffy! Kaito!"

"We have to set sail! Leave this country! Explore freely!"

"I want to see this vast world, and it won't hurt at all to learn about navigation through a book."

"Let's become stronger! To be true pirates!!"

Sabo ran to the coast, shouting his dreams toward the sea.

Ace smiled. "Hehe, you don't even need to say that!"

"Even if the whole world denies my existence, even if they all hate me, I will become a great pirate and make them pay attention to me!!"

After Sabo, it was Ace's turn. His desire was to escape the title of "Pirate King's son" and become a pirate who surpassed Roger!

After Ace and Sabo, Kaito looked at Luffy.

The anime didn't specify what Luffy's dream was.

Kaito was curious.

Would it leave Ace stunned and make Sabo laugh?

Would it leave Ace regretful at the moment of his death for not seeing it?

In Rayleigh's memories, Shanks said Luffy's dream was the same as Roger's.

This dream made Whitebeard think it was childish.

What could it be?

Seeing Ace and Sabo boldly shout their aspirations, Luffy couldn't fall behind either. He stood with his hands on his hips, facing the sea, and shouted,

"Alright! Then I..."