(At the Sea)

A submarine of yellow paint emerged from the water, that submarine was owned by none other than the Heart Pirates...

If one would ask… The Heart Pirates are an infamous and notable pirate crew from the North Blue Sea. Their captain, Trafalgar Law, is a member of the Worst Generation.

On board of this submarine, we would also find the captain of one of the most infamous pirate crews in the world, Monkey D. Luffy.

Monkey D. Luffy, an infamous person, known worldwide, most would call him a troublemaker, however, recent events have made people remake their minds to this particular individual, one of the most notable events this man has produced was the destruction of the Judicial Island, better known as Enies Lobby.

It was devastated, perhaps it served as a symbol that fairness disappeared, criminals could no longer be judged fairly any longer, it was the message passed after seeing the whole island burn to the ground.

But to some thinkers, the concept of fairness never existed in the world, to begin with.

Sad, but it was the right line of thinking, all one could say was... it is truly unfortunate.

Monkey D. Luffy, the pirate, the criminal, the worst…

After fighting numerous grueling battles from Impel Down to Marineford, his body was in tatters… Wounds covered his body...

If that wasn't enough, he also suffered the tragic loss of his older brother Portgas D. Ace who died at the hands of Admiral Akainu and in the process saved Luffy's life. There was nothing else the man Portgas D. Ace could have done, to save his brother, he gave his life.

There weren't just physical wounds on Monkey D. Luffys body, there were also deep, unending scars…

However these scars did not mar his body, but they branded his mind and his heart, terrible scars that constantly hurt.

However, these mental scars wouldn't have time to do that terrible work, to say the truth…

Monkey D. Luffy, this man with the Straw Hat… This man whose goal was to become Pirate King… This man who wanted it all…

… This man was dying …

They say a moment is all that's needed to change history.

A single moment can upset the balance of the world and give birth to hope.

However, hope can only be born in the face of despair.

The question remains.

Monkey D. Luffy, the dying man, could he ever grasp hope and salvation, in the midst of the drowning sea of despair...

"What is Luffy's condition…?! We would like to know!" An impossibly stunning woman walked, her steps were bold and loud.

There was a marine battleship docked on the side of the submarine. The yellow submarine that belonged to the Heart Pirates.

On the marine battleship, unusually, there were many life-size statues of marines on board, with hearts on their eyes, they weren't sculptures, no, they were humans who turned into stone.

They would probably remain so for a long time, or even forever, it all depended on the mood of the most beautiful woman in the world and one of the most powerful warlords of the sea the pirate empress Boa Hancock.

To those who turned into stone, there was no difference from death, and by the gorgeous womans mood, they were as good as dead.

There was no other way to say it, those marines were dead by her design.

"Man, good job figuring out that we emerged here… I thought the marines were still tracing us or something, is this some kind of sick joke?" A White Bear with an orange jumpsuit asked. Ignoring Hancock's question about Luffy's status.

"We had Salome trace you on the ocean floor… She can truly swim well..." Boa Hancock pointed at her unusual royal snake, her precious companion.

After the War of the Best, she had no injuries on her person, she was still peerless as ever, which in turn showed her perfect strength.

"..And, you! Bear! How dare you try and change the subject like that, you mere beast?!" Boa Hancock chastised the bear for ignoring her question about Luffy's condition,

The White Bear lowered his head, depression setting in.

"Sorry" the White Bear managed to speak out amongst his downtrodden depression.

"So weak-willed!" the other two crew members, of the Heart Pirates, cried in surprise.

Trafalgar Law opened the door, rubbing his bloody hands in a cloth, his face had some drops of blood, that he finally wiped.

"Captain!" the Bear cried.

"I did all that I could … but for this type and difficulty of operation, well... his life is currently being preserved - but..." he continued getting off the blood in his hands, Boa remained silent.

"He's accumulated an unbelievable amount of damage – There's no sign that he will be able to come back..." After that revelation, Boa Hancock still stayed silent, her blue gem-like eyes glittered with worry, a cold sweat on her forehead.

"Heee Haaaaw!" A voice resounded in the air.

"What in god's name is that?!" the heart pirates cried.

"Heee Haaaaw!" A man wearing a strange leather suit with a giant head compared to his body, having a purple Afro and purple makeup yelled

His body leaning off of the Marine ship.

He was Ivankov, king of Kamabakka kingdom, his people were also with him on the deck of the marine ship.

"That's right, Strawboy gave his best! – Thanks to him, we managed to escape!" Ivankov showed off what Luffy did for them.

"The prisoners from Impel Down… it seems that they're on Luffy's side - they snuck on the marine's ship." Boa remarked, a bit unimpressed by them, but they were Luffy's friends so she would tolerate them.

"-Now we can finally journey to 'Kamabakka kingdom' we've been dreaming for years! – From Newkama land to the headquarters of Newkamas!" they cheered on.

Ivankov landed on the submarine deck, he then took a more serious tone.

"Strawboy's body was already withered to the point where he could no longer even stand in Impel Down! –- Still gotta hand it to the brat for going that wild in the prison and in the war though! –-" Ivankov gave a bit of praise for Luffy's wild side.

"It was all for the sake of rescuing Ace! – and to think that… that same elder brother died in front of him, protecting him…Strawboy..." Ivankov had a bit of a forlorn expression.

"If I give up here I'll regret it!" Ivankov thought back to what Luffy said.

"What god would permit that…?! – that's something that would easily crumble someone's mind, nay two minds! To think Strawboy is passing through something so tragic..." Ivankov was sweating with worry.

"Come on! you can do it, StrawHaaaat! –- Hang in therrre!" the Newkamas cried, remembering the chant they did back in the prison when he was poisoned.

"What a tragedy… We wish We could have gone in his place… poor, poor Luffy… " Boa Hancock said as she faced away, her warm tears cascading down.

'M… Man, that must be nice! Getting doted on by the Pirate Empress like that…' the Heart Pirate crew cried in their minds in envy for the little guy with the Straw Hat. Although thinking again that wasn't a very enviable position to be in, critical condition and stuff, it wasn't worth it...

"By the by, Trafalgar Law, are you Strawboy's friend?" Ivankov asked the Supernova.

"… No, I am not." Law answered.

"...I have no obligation of saving Straw Hat-ya either, but if… kindness... makes you uncomfortable shall I make you a reason?" Law continued as he faced Ivankov.

"Nooo thank you! – there are times where our bodies move without reason." Ivankov responded, making exaggerated 'no' expressions.

"HEY, WAIT!" one of Law's crewmates cried.

"Jinbe-san…! You are still hurt." the crewmate continued his warnings.

"… Hah … Hah! " the 'Knight of the Sea' arrived on deck, his body was bandaged through, hiding his sun brand, he clutched his chest –- His body had sustained two injuries in the war from Admiral Sakazuki, the Magma Human, only now he had awakened.

"Trafalgar Law of 'North Blue' … I thank you for saving my life…!" Jinbe thanked the Captain of this submarine wholeheartedly.

"Sleep. Jinbe... You are going to die." Ivankov said, seriously, the way he said 'die' would have given any normal person a shiver up their spine.

"My heart will not settle down… not when Luffy-kun is wavering between life or death –- for me, who was close to Ace-san, it's impossible to bear, this sense of loss…! –- but what I am most afraid of is the time that he wakes up… Luffy-kun is his brother, the sense of loss isn't heartbreaking anymore, it's soul-crushing!" Jinbe said making everyone, realize how bad it was for Luffy.

"Beast! Do you have a Transponder Snail?" Boa asked.

"Yeah. – Ah…! Yes, we do, Ma'am! Sorry!" the White Bear's depression returning.

"You are like the Empress' slave or something..." his crewmate commented, receiving another sorry from the bear.

"If we call the Kuja We can cross the Calm belt and heal Luffy -– if Luffy's survival is made known to the government they will not relent, we witnessed this at Marineford, We must hide in my kingdom, and as long as We hold the title of Warlord we will be able to treat him safely and without foreign interference" Boa commented and ordered them, Jinbe, Law, and Ivankov, were comfortable in the backseat, so to speak.

"Well then… My mission to protect Strawboy ends here! Heee Haaw! – I'm gonna leave everything to Y'all here, is that alright Jimbei?!"

"Yes. I still can't swim freely with these wounds… I will ascertain Luffy's recovery with my own eyes". Law looked on and Boa was still anxious, terribly worried over Luffy.

"Seee yaaa, Straw Haaat! thanks for letting us see the light of this corrupted world again! – Once he wakes up give him our best!" the newkamas cheered them a goodbye as Ivankov steered the ship away from the submarine and the Kuja's ship that had arrived.

'If fate may have it, then let us meet again! – don't you die now Luffy, Heeee Haaaaw!'

Amazon Lily ~~ The island of women in the 'calm belt' ~~

Treated as a special exception the heart pirates were allowed to stay and dock on the beach.

"Captain… his heat is.. giving out!" one of his crewmates cried.

Luffy was convulsing and groaning out in pain.

"Hurry and hold him down! Damn, this isn't looking good. Inject him with a shot of sedative and prepare for manual resuscitation"

The situation looked grim and the atmosphere was suffocating.

The seconds that ticked by felt like hours and everyone held their breath as Law did his best to stabilize Luffy.

In the end, however, he failed as Luffy's heart rate monitor flat lined.

Silence descended upon the occupants of the room as the harsh reality they were faced with dawned upon them. Regardless of their best efforts, the outcome was still a failure.

"Damn" he punched a wall in frustration, his pride as a doctor was severely crushed.

On this day both Edward Newgate, Portgas D. Ace, and Monkey D. Luffy died.

However, even if he died, it was not the end of Luffy's adventure…

(in Luffy's mind)

"Where am I...?!" Luffy was on the ground kneeling, his hands on the ground, he had no clothes on, however memories came rushing, the realization set in.

"I… I see, I lost ace" His hands cupped his face painfully, pressing his cheeks so hard that a normal human would have their skulls broken.

His eyes scanning the whiteness of space.

"W… where?"

"Oh… A white space that goes on forever… I am probably dead... Hahaha… I am such a weakling, … I couldn't save my crew, Bon-chan sacrificed himself so I could escape, and in the end … I couldn't save Ace!" he started crying in earnest.

"All that talk about being Pirate King and I couldn't do nothing against them" He remembered Kizaru, that Sumo guy, Magellan, Blackbeard, Hawk-eye, and Akainu, how they were so strong and looked down on him, he wasn't a match for them.

He clenched his hands painfully, his wrist clicked with the force, almost breaking them as he punched the ground, making two craters on the floor.

His tears flowed freely, he cried and screamed for hours, another sibling was taken from him, first Sabo now Ace, what's next? His friends!?

He stopped that train of thought, he stopped mourning, he spent hours, days, here in this white space, the reason he stopped screaming? His friends were still alive, that's all that mattered to a simple heart like Luffy.

"I can't stay dead like this…! I must get up! And train harder to become stronger! So that I could protect my friends! Avenge Ace! By killing Blackbeard and Akainu!" he clutched his chest, his eyes shined defiance and ambition.

There will be a new Luffy. He was going to get stronger and go on his new path of vengeance upon the Celestial Dragons who killed Sabo, Blackbeard who turned Ace into the Navy which got him executed in the first place, then the Navy, a Admiral named Akainu who killed Ace right in front of him! And last but not least the World Government who nearly tried to kill Nico Robin.

"My dream of Pirate King will not end here… It cannot finish here, I am not a man who will end here!" Luffy's whole body seemed to move, the heaviness in his movements caused an oppressive atmosphere, that gathered around him, as if a storm blessed him.

His burning desire for the One Piece shone through, however now he had an additional dream, remembering one of the titles old man Whitebeard had.

He wanted that title, and it wasn't the emperor of the Sea...

He mustered his fists, he raised himself from the ground and screamed to the high white heavens, his new dream.

"I will become the most powerful man in the world!" His yell, fueled by his ambition made the ground heave as if it was alive, in awe of him, Luffy could honestly say that it felt like the ground was massaging his feet, the air around touched him, as if worshipping his will.

'So that I will not lose another loved one ever again'

(Amazon Lily In the submarine)

Law was about to give the bad news after mourning for about 9 minutes, however…

Ba-dum, ba-dum…

He looked shocked at the monitor, it was flat-lined for more than 9 minutes, he should have already been brain-dead.

"Straw Hat-ya …?!" he rushed towards Luffy's side.

"I will not lose you again, I am one of the best doctors in the Grandline ya hear?!" He worked tirelessly, for what seemed like hours, and finally, Luffy was stable enough, his wounds were healing at an astonishing rate.

Luffy jumped out of his bed, his body moving with his will.

"Watch out! calm down, straw hat!" one of the heart pirates cried.

(line Break)

"Where did that guy Jinbe go?" One of the heart pirates asked.

"He went after Straw Hat, I think... he rushed to the forest" The other responded.

Law picked up the Straw Hat that Monkey D. Luffy wore, a silent look on his face.

There was a trail of destruction in the forest, Luffy's fists were bleeding, he tried extending his arms, however, he couldn't understand, he didn't understand what was happening...

Where had his power gone? Where was his devil fruit!?

He sat on a rock he looked towards his newly made friend Jinbe, Luffy's glare could pierce any man, and on one of his hands was the vivre card for old man Rayleigh.

"If I die like this… sorry, but take care of my little brother for me Jinbe" Jinbe was silent, remembering the past.

"Luffy-kun… the war is over… Ace-san is..." Jimbei did not look down, he met Luffy's grey eyes head on.

"Dead..." Luffy's voice cut through, the voice that came out was deadly serious, and silent, yet those words could cut through and intimidate most people, it was so uncharacteristic of the easygoing, passionate Luffy.

His silent tears bled through, Luffy had already come to terms with the death.

At that moment on the coast Rayleigh arrived, swimming through all of the calm belt like nothing.

The heart pirates left, with the Straw Hat safely in Rayleigh's hands.

"Jinbe, I want to see my crew again, however, I am too weak like this, I lost my devil fruit, I couldn't win against all of those tough opponents, I need to get stronger..." Luffy looked at Jinbe, the truth coming out, he was still weakened by the wounds on his body, but they were healing.

"Luffy-kun, you need to heal your wounds first, after that you will know what to do." He carried Luffy on his back, towards the beach.

At that time a cart of food was dragging towards the coast, a caravan with Boa Hancock, to deliver food towards her beloved Luffy.

"Rayleigh!" Luffy called out on the muscular old man, in the shore sitting on the stone, a happy expression overcame both of them.

"Luffy-kun"

"What are you doing here…!? – I believe my vivre card is still pointing towards the sea..." Luffy grinned.

"I left mine with Shakki back there on Sabaody archipelago" Rayleigh responded.

It was at this moment that Boa Hancock and company arrived.

Both sisters and Gloriosa greeted Rayleigh, but Boa only fussed after Luffy, however, Boa noticed something different about her beloved, he seemed more mature although he still joked around with everyone else, she could see a serious look cross his face, well to her he seemed even more handsome.

"Luffy, I could barely sleep, I was so worried about you… here I prepared a feast for you" Hancock said as she put her fingers on the fruits.

Luffy grabbed her hand, his eyes intensely stared at her face, a pink hue appeared on his cheek, his eyes searched her thoroughly as if discovering something new about her.

"Hancock, thank you, for everything!" she blushed up a storm and almost fainted.

Jimbei noticed the assortment of foods, his stomach growling like a tiger.

"Jinbe…! We did not prepare this food for you…!"

"Hancock … it's ok… he is my friend" he patted her head, she almost fainted.

"No more than a mouthful, you hear…!?"

A dragon's roar was heard, all around the island, all looked at Luffy's stomach, he blushed a bit, scratching his neck.

"Luffy-kun…. You should eat up! – for to eat… is to live!" Luffy did not need to think twice, he attacked the food like a man possessed, putting fruits, seafood, meat and all other assortments of foods in his mouth.

Afterward, Luffy invited Rayleigh and Hancock to eat with him, Rayleigh started discussing the letter Shakki sent to the snake sisters, it was finally then that Boa noticed Rayleigh, Gloriosa was shocked.

"So Luffy-kun, how are you feeling?" Rayleigh asked.

Luffy was strangely composed, even after waking up he hasn't broken down yet, mentally.

"I feel like I was hit by an entire warship, everything hurts, if I move my arm it feels like it's ripping apart, if I move my neck, it strains badly," Luffy said with a sigh.

"It's not surprising you're in that much pain considering what you went through. It's pretty normal so it seems you're doing OK" Jinbe said.

"No... Actually, this is far from normal, at least for me." Luffy told them.

"I'm a rubber-man, pain isn't something I feel regardless if the kind of beating I take, It's one of the reasons I won the many fights I was in so far."

"My endurance and stamina as well as my ability to tank as many hits mostly come from my Rubber powers. The fact that I'm feeling this much pain after almost 10 years probably says that I lost my ability". Luffy said nonchalantly to those around him as he punched the air and his arm failed to stretch.

The others were shocked, but Rayleigh, on the other hand, laughed heartily.

He already predicted this outcome so he wasn't surprised, Trafalgar Law had already told him that Luffy was dead for more than 8 minutes. What did surprise him, however, was Luffy's calm and nonchalant attitude.

It wasn't a bad thing per se, but he'd like to know the reason behind it.

"You seem awfully calm about this considering the circumstances…. Not counting the traumatic events you went through you were also dead for almost 9 minutes…! That is the reason you probably lost your ability – It was a close call –" Rayleigh explained to them why Luffy had lost his powers for good, while staring at Luffy's eyes, with a smirk.

"Is there a reason why you're not panicking or throwing a tantrum as I expected you to...?" Rayleigh asked Luffy with a knowing smile on his face.

He deduced that Luffy reached a similar conclusion as he did and was happy, now his plan would go a lot more smoothly. The Boa sisters, Jimbei and Gloriosa chose to be silent and just watch thing play out between the two for now.

"Ace is dead, all I could do now is just accept that. And walk a whole different path , I was too caught in his promise that he would never die… that I did not want to believe … I already cried enough… " Luffy said, as he ran his fingers through his hair.

"Then what happened? Obviously, you're still alive so it stands to be reasoned something gave you the strength to fight your way back". Rayleigh asked with knowledge of Luffy's answer.

"I was in a white room, I don't know if it was a dream, or if it was the afterlife... but I took a long time there crying and coming to terms with Ace's death… " Luffy said with a forlorn look into the distant sky on the horizon, before facing the group.

"But I've come to terms with it, I have a lot to live for… I will not let my dream come to an end! – I will be the Pirate King!" he yelled to the high heavens

"Given my weakness, I've decided... I am going to become the strongest man this world has ever seen… that was the title the old Whitebeard had, didn't he?" he asked determination shining through his deep eyes as he opened them.

"Hooh, I can see you've taken things seriously and I can tell you've reached the same conclusion. So, what do you want to do now?" asked Rayleigh in all seriousness. Now was the time to see whether Luffy knows what was to be done.

Luffy took a while to settle his thoughts. He looked up at Rayleigh with fierce will burning in his eyes.

"What I want is to see my crew again. What I want is to get back on my ship and go on more fun and exciting adventures with them" Luffy exclaimed passionately.

Rayleigh nodded in understanding but an undertone of disappointment can be detected.

He was happily surprised however by Luffy's next words.

"As much as I want that to happen... I know that right now, it's not what I need" Jinbe and Hancock looked shocked as did the others, except Rayleigh. They knew how badly Luffy wanted to reunite with his crew.

He has said so on many occasions.

They've come to realize how much he cherished the bonds he created and knew the bonds he had with his crew were unbreakable. Hearing such words from him was a little unsettling and it worried them, especially Hancock.

She remembered the time before she got to know him and fell in love with him, how he profusely begged her, on his knees even, and threw away his pride and dignity in order to obtain a ship to leave the island to find his crew.

She remembered the look of complete and utter joy plastered upon his face when she agreed to lend him said ship. Although at the time she felt sad at the thought of him leaving and never seeing him again.

However, fate decided to flip the proverbial table of his reunion and throw the boy into the whirlwind of events that culminated in the loss of his brother and his death for almost 9 minutes.

Of course, he fought through that and knowing him as well as she thought she did, the first thing he would do was ask to find his crew and reunite with them especially after going through such an experience. She felt he needed them now more than ever.

Even if she did wish from the depths of her heart that he would regard her with as much importance as he gave to his crewmates sometime in the future.

However, he seemed to be a man who never failed to surprise those around him.

The fact that he seemed so serious about it was even more alarming.

"I don't understand Luffy…! You've been desperate to find your crew since I first met you... I thought for sure after all that has happened that you would want to be with them" Hancock stated with an unusually solemn expression directed at Luffy.

All traces of her school girl side disappeared and she was now serious and stern.

This was truly the face of the cool and indomitable 'Pirate Empress'.

After witnessing her slightly eccentric behavior around him, for the most part, made Luffy almost forget that underneath all those layers she put up, lied a fierce and powerful warrior, one that reached Warlord Status. A title only held by 7 people at a time.

He couldn't help but be captivated by her strength of spirit even if that adoration lasted only a few seconds, after all this was the woman he would be forever indebted to. After a second he regained his composure before taking on a serious expression. He faced her with an equal level of presence, it was his form of giving respect to her.

"There are too many tough enemies in my adventure… to become the Pirate King I need to become much stronger… I feel inside of me… something waiting to burst out… I can grow stronger still… but like how I am I am weak!" Luffy pointed at his chest.

"Luffy-kun don't be ridiculous. You are strong, I've seen that for myse-" Jinbe was cut off from his little attempt to reassure Luffy by the man himself.

"Jinbe… please… let me finish. I used to think of myself as strong." Luffy walked forward and sat on a rock next to Rayleigh.

"...I didn't have much else to boast about. What strength… ?" Luffy continued, after getting a bit more comfortable to tell a story.

"I was raised by mountain bandits, strength was all that mattered in that place, however that strength wasn't enough. I came to the Grand Line with a crew of 5 on a small ship, armed with a devil fruit and thought I could take on the world..."

"...And I did for the most part…. I don't mean to brag but how many other rookies can claim to have defeated 2 members of the Warlords. To have saved a country from civil war, To have defeated a man called God and… To have crushed the most powerful and feared assassin from the governments CP9. To have sunk the World Governments Judicial Island, Enies Lobby. This was all within a few months of their journey… I don't think any rookie can boast to have done all of this." Luffy continued his monologue with a fond smile as he recounted the many achievements of him and his crew during their journey. However, he took on a more solemn countenance as he continued.

"While all those look like good achievements on paper and speech and they make me seem really strong, in the end, that's all a lie..." He faced them with a serious look.

"All those battle I fought drove me to the brink of death! I had to struggle! I barely crawled my way out of them. My crew was in just as much danger. It was only thanks to my devil fruit abilities that I miraculously survived." He put in perspective, of how much those adventures could have cost him and his crew.

"In the end, you can say that I did pull through and those experiences have made me a better person, sure, I did win against all odds. But now, looking back...it all seems so hollow. While I consider myself strong, I don't think I'm as strong as I could or should be." Luffy could have done better, he could have done much better... If there was only a way to return in time and do it all over again… But this was not to be, he had to live with the consequences of his actions and the actions of the world around him.

"After my little performance in the war with my temporary alliance with the old man Whitebeard, and fact that the world knows my connection to Ace and to top it off they know who my father is, the world knows… People will be after us, marines and pirates alike, only to make a name for themselves. I'm not strong enough to get through them all. I need to be better, stronger, faster, smarter. I just don't know how to go about doing that". Luffy finished, balling his fists tightly whilst making a frustrated expression.

"Hahaha, I came here to see you Luffy-kun, I saw you fight in the war in Sabaody, will you listen to my plan? – Naturally, it is up to you if you accept it or not" Luffy faced him, his head already formulating theories as to what Rayleigh said.

"What plan are you talking about?". Luffy asked with an interested expression on his face.

"Hoho… Well, I see no harm in telling you… I planned on taking you back to Marineford to do a little ceremony for the dead so to speak… We will do a lap around the island, ring the ox bell and lay some flowers for those lost in the war… This is to tell the world that you're still alive and to make a statement as well…"

"But the main purpose of doing this is to get a message to your crew… To let them know that you all will be taking a break from your journey to improve yourselves and prepare for the New World… I remember you all saying that you'd meet in 3 days at Shakki's bar… We need to change those '3 days' to '2 years'… This is for the purpose for you all to train and improves yourselves, mentally and physically for the New World and come back better than ever… "

I was thinking we can do the message in the form of an Ink mark on your arm… So what are your thoughts on this…?" Rayleigh asked him seriously.

Luffy was a little taken aback by the thought of not seeing his crew for 2 years. He wanted to get stronger but he didn't think about what that would mean for the rest of his crew.

"From that look on your face I can see that you want to train me but what about them…? How will they improve…? I don't even know where they are"

"I thought you might ask that…. I actually do know where they are. The same way I knew where. The person who sent you flying to this island told me so, he saved your lives" Rayleigh said with a smile.

"what?! – that Paw Guy did!?" He thought about that guy's actions, it was true, if he was not there to send them away, Kizaru would have eliminated them all there, or the other bear guys and that sumo guy would, Luffy was certain of that.

"You may not realize this Luffy, but on the Sabaody Archipelago when your crew was cornered by Kizaru and those pacifistas you had absolutely no hope to win.

When Bartholomew Kuma sent you all flying he actually saved your lives. His actions allowed your crew to get out alive and live to fight another day. That was his last act as a human being as I'm sure you know by now that his personality was erased and he was turned into a human weapon". Rayleigh told him with all seriousness. He had come to have a great deal of respect for Kuma after his actions.

"But...why?". Luffy was even more confused than before. That just brought up more questions than actual answers, what was the Paw Guy's objective?

"As for your crewmates, he sent them to places where they can get hands-on training in their specialty skills to improve themselves. For example, your cook is with your friend from the war Ivankov and your swordsman is on an island belonging to Dracule Mihawk, just to name a few. They are with people who can improve them and most importantly they are safe."

"So now I ask you again. You are the captain, the decision lies with you. What do you think of my plan?" Rayleigh asked him once again. Luffy smiled, It was not his usual face-splitting grins, it was a small one, however, the most important part was his eyes, they stormed with overwhelming confidence.

"There's only one answer… " Those words gave everyone a pause, after they left Luffy's lips.

(One week Later after stopping at Marineford)

He raided Marineford listening to Rayleigh's plan and sent put a cryptic message to all his surviving crew members, to return to Sabaody Archipelago in two years three days later.

That cryptic message would tell them to train for two years in order to prepare for the new world.

He himself is training with Rayleigh and will get himself a new devil fruit since he is no longer rubber. And that he has to master all three forms of Haki.

He has a lot to accomplish if he is aiming to be king of the pirates and average Ace.

Now at a island with Rayleigh his training begins.

To be continued