Luffy, Ace, Sabo.

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•———•———•———•———•

Chapter Events:

—————————

"Wow!! This is even better than mine!! How did you get so much money!?"

A boy wearing a hat was counting the money that Ace had stolen. He seemed to be the same age as Ace.

[Sabo (Ten years old) A boy living in the Gray Terminal]

"I found it near the gates. I stole it from some punks! Maybe they were carrying it for some merchant ships."

Ace replied, explaining the source of the stolen money.

"Daaamn, you beat me again today."

Sabo still had a smile on his face.

"Does it really matter? We're going to use it to buy a pirate ship someday."

"It's already been five years since we started saving. It hasn't been easy."

Ace revealed the real reason behind their money-stealing efforts.

"Yeah, I wonder how much it takes to buy a pirate ship…"

Sabo pondered.

"Dunno… Ten million, maybe a hundred million? We've still got a long way to go. Be quiet, quick. Someone might see us…"

Ace and Sabo didn't realize it, but a certain boy had overheard everything.

"A pirate ship!? Are you guys gonna be pirates!?"

Luffy, who was hiding under a tree, was excited.

"Me too!!!" he exclaimed.

•———•———•———•———•

"So it turns out Ace had a friend… He wasn't as alone as I thought."

Garp's eyes sparkled with interest as he gazed at the kid in the hat and blue clothes, who looked about Ace's age.

"Sabo? He seems like a boy from a noble family who's been exiled," Dragon said, narrowing his eyes.

"Five years of saving stolen wealth… to buy a pirate ship. If my counterpart finds out, he might just faint, Buwahahaha!!"

Garp laughed, imagining the reaction of his counterpart who believed Ace would become a Marine under his supervision.

"You can't hold back the dreams of youth for long, old man."

"Someday, they'll spread their wings and soar into the vast sky."

"And when that day comes, even if their wings break and they fall from the sky afterward, it won't matter. What matters is that they followed their desires."

As he said this, Dragon pointed to Ace.

Crocodile, who overheard, nodded with a satisfied expression, acknowledging the wisdom of his leader.

The same went for Kuma, Ivankov, and Inazuma, while Garp continued laughing as if he didn't care.

"Buwahahaha! So my grandson has found you, you foolish boys! Now, what will you do? Will you kill him?"

Garp was eager to see the next development and to witness the brotherly bond between Ace and Luffy, as well as the newly introduced Sabo.

…

Drum Kingdom:

The heavy snow covered the sky and the earth. Although it was daytime, the harsh climate made it impossible for the kingdom's residents to see sunlight for long periods.

But this was no longer a problem. With the advent of the Sea Train, connecting many islands in the Grand Line and beyond, and the hunters's private shipping company, the people of Drum Kingdom could leave the island whenever they wished and return the same day.

In contrast to the stormy, cold weather outside, the world inside the Art Store was different—warm and full of emotion. The warm Art Store had long since become an irreplaceable recreational haven for the residents of the Winter Kingdom, even on days without a specific manga release or anime episode, they spent most of their day inside.

Even their king and queen did the same!

…

"It seems they've gotten into trouble this time,"

Seeing the pirates, from whom Ace had stolen money, take Luffy, who had exposed himself and failed at lying, Hiriluk felt a pang of sympathy.

"I see this perilous situation is what will make these kids brothers."

Kureha smiled as she said this.

Kureha and Hiriluk had been sitting together for a long time. Although they enjoyed watching Luffy and Ace's past, they also wished to see Chopper again, who hadn't appeared in a while.

…

•———•———•———•———•

"Lemme go!! You bastard!!"

"Who's this kid?"

Luffy was captured by the pirate who was looking for Ace and Sabo.

(How did he get caught!!?) Ace and Sabo couldn't understand what had happened.

"Help me, Ace!!!" Luffy unconsciously screamed Ace's name.

(That idiot said my name!!) Ace was worried.

"Did you just say, Ace?" The pirate holding Luffy was surprised.

"You… know Ace?"

"He's my friend!! Ah… He was about to kill me, though…" Even as a child, Luffy was still Luffy.

"He just won't shut up…" Ace was furious.

"Lemme ask you something. Today, Ace stole some of our money and ran… You know where it is?" The pirate asked Luffy, trying to trick the child.

"This is bad… they're gonna take all our treasure!!" Sabo shivered as soon as the thought crossed his mind.

"That idiot better not say anything!!" Ace felt the same.

Luffy started sweating, his lips twisted to the side as he glanced away, saying, "I… I dunno."

(He's such a bad liar!!!) The pirate's eyes widened.

"Kuku. All right, if you don't know, you don't know…"

"Kukukuku!! We'll jog your memory. Don't worry about it!!"

The pirates turned and left, taking Luffy with them.

"What? Hey!! Lemme go!! Where are you taking me!? Damn it!!!"

No matter what Luffy did, he couldn't break free from the man's grip.

Ace and Sabo stood in shock as they watched the pirates leave with Luffy in their grasp.

•———•———•———•———•

Ohara:

"Don't tell me that bastard is going to torture Luffy?!"

"He's just a child at this point!"

"This is outrageous!"

"What do you expect from pirates?"

"Not all pirates are the same, man."

"But most of them are trash. What do you expect from a pirate living among garbage? He'll definitely torture him."

"No, no, I won't let my kids see the next scenes."

…

Olivia was staring at the scene, her hand covering her mouth in shock. She didn't expect to see young Luffy endure such brutal torture.

"Even so, he didn't say a word about Ace and Sabo's hideout…" she gasped in surprise.

"Of course, he didn't. He knows he can't become their friend if he does. Don't underestimate the intelligence of kids, my dear."

Rob patted Olivia's shoulder as he said this.

Robin was hugging her father's leg, also staring at the manga volume.

"Luffy had a strong will, even when he was just a little boy," Little Robin said with a sad expression.

…

"That scum… If he knew he was beating Garp's grandson, Dragon's son, and Shanks' friend, I don't know what his reaction would be, but I bet he'd wet his pants instantly."

Brook was furious when he saw the filthy pirate named Porshemi punching Luffy with spikes on his knuckles.

His expression darkened as he saw Luffy crying and screaming in pain.

"He's just a kid… Doesn't that scumbag have a heart?!"

"Oh my God! This is violent!"

"Luffy…"

Some readers began covering their children's eyes to avoid such bloody scenes… especially since the one being tortured was the protagonist!

_________________

Upcoming chapter titles (spoilers):

_________________ 

Chapter 788: The Birth of Brotherhood.

Chapter 789: I Have No One Else.

Chapter 790: A Kingdom Free of Trash?

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