In the central town, all the nobles were on edge, their minds racing with thoughts.
How much wealth should they offer up during this self-examination to ensure they retained the most power and privilege?
Even with their lives on the line, these nobles couldn't resist scheming to protect their status and wealth as much as possible.
But what they didn't realize was…
The Revolutionary Army had already made plans for their assets. Without the support of these nobles, what dealings would the revolutionary soldiers, who had been helping and rescuing civilians, have with the dimensional merchants?
——
In the palace, Koala, still clutching her speech notes, wiped the sweat from her hands and let out a long sigh of relief. She turned to Nami and Carina, who were beside her.
"Everything's going smoothly!"
Nami stretched out her finger, mimicking the pain of missing a kimchi market deal, and smiled.
The three girls laughed together, then raised their hands into the air and gave each other a triumphant high-five.
Who would have thought that just three young girls could conquer this palace city not long ago, overthrowing the power of an entire country?
Carina grinned and said, "Those nobles who were once close to the royal family must be worried sick by now. I bet it won't be long before they bring loads of money and surrender it to the palace!"
Nami added, "I've arranged with Sir James and the others to submit the team task in five days and request another transaction."
As she said this, she suddenly frowned. "But if Sabo doesn't wake up within five days, who will represent the Revolutionary Army in the dimensional transaction?"
The mention of Sabo caused the other two girls to share her concern.
According to the Revolutionary Army's original plan, they intended to allocate all public resources to Sabo, elevate his VIP status, and then purchase more valuable goods.
However, given Sabo's current condition, they weren't sure if he would wake up within the next five days.
"This is indeed a problem," Koala muttered, biting her lip.
While any member of the Revolutionary Army could enjoy a half-price discount after completing the mission, considering the challenges of the Pokémon League Tournament, where trainers and Pokémon battle together, Sabo was clearly the most suitable candidate.
What should we do...
The three young girls stood in the temporary radio station, deep in thought.
——
Meanwhile, on the streets of the central town...
"Strange, why does the city feel so odd today?" Luffy, hiding in a corner with Froakie perched on his head, observed the nearby bread shop with curiosity.
After gorging on game, Luffy had decided to visit town for a change of taste. Of course, his method of payment remained unchanged—a zero-beli purchase that he had been using for years.
Although Ace had already taught Luffy how to use money to buy things, ever since setting out to sea, Luffy, who had no way to earn money, had lost his income. Occasionally, when his cravings got the better of him, he would revert to his old ways, just like when they were kids.
While his zero-beli shopping might annoy the bread shop owner, it also gave the boss a rare opportunity to exercise. After years of being pursued by Luffy and his brothers, the nearly 50-year-old bread shop owner was still impressively fit and agile.
Sacrificing some bread in exchange for good health…
If you think about it, the bread shop owner who was stolen from hadn't actually lost money; in fact, he'd gained something valuable!
After patting Froakie on his head, Luffy couldn't resist the lure of the delicious breads any longer. He pulled a bag from his back and handed it to the frog, saying, "Froakie, I'll distract them. You take the opportunity to grab all the breads and put them in this bag!"
"Croak~ (Leave it to me!)" Froakie's eyes widened as it nodded in agreement.
Having been with Luffy since birth, Froakie had already adopted some of Luffy's mischievous ways. Not only had it become adept at stealing, but it had also taken down numerous gangsters and bandits back in the garbage mountain!
With a strong kick from its light blue legs and a boost from Luffy's rubbery head, Froakie jumped directly onto the roof. Its small body made it easy to remain undetected, and in just a few seconds, it had reached the top of the bread shop's sign, giving Luffy an "OK" signal.
"It's my turn!" Luffy, eager to taste the delicious breads, grinned as he strolled out from the corner and swaggered toward the bread shop.
Though turmoil and war had erupted just a few days ago, the Revolutionary Army had not fired a single shot at the civilians. As a result, the outskirts of the town remained untouched.
In fact…
Because of the war, the soldiers who once patrolled the streets, bullying the weak and fearing the strong, had been imprisoned and replaced by the friendly revolutionary troops.
The ordinary residents of the Goa Kingdom were more willing to step outside and embrace the new era. The people at the bottom didn't care who ruled the country; they only cared about how the new rulers would govern.
At that moment, a fresh batch of fragrant butter bread had just come out of the oven in the bread shop. The bread was made from hand-milled flour from high-quality wheat and top-notch milk personally selected by the shop owner, resulting in an incredible texture and taste.
This was the main reason why the shop had remained open despite being robbed countless times by Luffy and his brothers!
Clang!
The metal tray holding the bread was placed on the shelf, and the bread shop owner turned around and stretched out of habit.
"I hope business is better today~" he murmured lazily before turning to open the door and start the day.
But suddenly, he froze mid-step. In his line of sight, a familiar straw hat appeared.
"It's you!"
The bread shop owner's expression faltered for a moment before a determined fighting spirit flared in his eyes. He quickly glanced around, grabbed a rolling pin, and rolled his ankles.
"Boy, you're here to steal my bread again!!!" the bread shop owner roared.
"Hehe!" Luffy, standing by the bread shop window, greeted the boss with a wide, familiar grin.
"Good morning, uncle!"
As he spoke, his rubber arm shot out and snatched the bread from the tray. With practiced ease, Luffy grabbed two freshly baked loaves and bolted.
The bread shop owner dashed out of the door, rolling pin in hand, chasing after Luffy!
"You rascal! Don't run if you dare!"
Swish, swish...
The two figures darted through the street.
However...
Both Luffy, eagerly anticipating the delicious bread, and the shop owner, enjoying the exercise, had forgotten one crucial detail.
The Goa Kingdom was no longer what it once was…
The soldiers patrolling the streets were no longer the ones who only bullied the weak and feared the strong. Now, they were revolutionary warriors willing to risk their lives for freedom and democracy!
"Huh?"
Several Revolutionary Army soldiers on patrol heard the commotion and hurried over. They arrived just in time to see an old man chasing a scruffy young man.
"Stop! Straw Hat boy! Give me back my bread!!!"
The bread shop owner gleefully chased Luffy, pretending to shout.
Why is he so happy after being robbed? Does he have some hidden attribute?
In reality…
Ace had already made all the arrangements for Luffy before setting out to sea. Before leaving, Ace had even visited the shop, not only compensating the owner with a large sum of money for the thefts over the years but also leaving behind some extra Beli as an apology for Luffy's mischief.
So for the bread shop owner, Luffy stealing bread was just a regular transaction. Besides, it allowed him to reminisce about the past and enjoy a bit of exercise.
When they were children, Sabo had taught Luffy manners, and Ace had taught him how to fight. But since Sabo's "death," Ace had changed, taking on a double burden.
To take good care of his little brother, Ace had transformed from his usual mischief into the gentle, elegant, and responsible brother he was now.
It's a pity that this good brother isn't in the Goa Kingdom right now.
Otherwise, there might be a chance for the three brothers to reunite.
——
On the other side...
The chase continued.
Hearing the bread shop owner's shouts, Luffy turned around, stuck out his tongue, and made a face.
"I won't give it back!" he laughed as he sprinted toward the inner city.
To buy more time for Froakie, Luffy deliberately chose the opposite direction. The thought of soon devouring the delicious toast made him giddy with excitement.
In Luffy's mind, savoring tasty food was as thrilling as becoming the Pirate King!
Unfortunately, Luffy had picked the wrong day to pull off his heist. The commotion he caused on the streets while the Revolutionary Army was overseeing the Kingdom of Goa immediately drew their attention.
As Luffy turned a corner, a group of soldiers suddenly appeared.
"Stop!!!"
The Revolutionary Army soldiers blocked Luffy's path, reaching out to stop him.
"Stop running! If you're hungry, we can give you something to eat!"
To the Revolutionary Army, someone stealing food was likely desperate, so they didn't draw their weapons, hoping to appeal to Luffy instead.
But Luffy, as always, had his own way of doing things and wasn't about to let anyone get in his way.
"Darn it! They've blocked me!"
He pouted, though a mischievous glint still lingered in his eyes.
"If that's how it is, then I'll just have to do this!"
"Gomu Gomu no…"
"Rocket!"
*Whoosh!*
A fist suddenly shot over the heads of the Revolutionary Army soldiers, grabbing onto a chimney on the rooftop behind them.
"What!?"
The Revolutionary Army soldiers were stunned.
"A Devil Fruit user!!!"
In the blink of an eye, Luffy was yanked off the ground by the elasticity of his rubber arms, soaring over the soldiers and landing on the rooftop.
"Hehe! Only an idiot would stop!"
Luffy paused briefly, then turned back, grinning mockingly at the Revolutionary Army.
The soldiers stood frozen for a moment, wanting to give chase but knowing they couldn't match the agility of a rubber-powered fighter.
Watching Luffy disappear over the rooftops, one soldier quickly pulled out a den-den mushi from his pocket and began to speak urgently:
"Captain Kuro! There's a situation in Block 26!"
"A Devil Fruit user just fled towards the palace. He was last seen moving across the rooftops. He looks to be a boy around fourteen or fifteen, wearing a straw hat."
*...*
The den-den mushi let out a faint crackle before slowly opening its snail-like eyes, revealing cat-like pupils.
"I got it,"
Kuro, who had been dining in a nearby tavern, suddenly stood up, grabbed his weapon—the Cat Claw Ten Blades—and ordered,
"Liepard, there's an emergency, follow me!"
"Nyaae! (No problem)," came the reply.
Kuro smirked, a mysterious smile forming on his lips. He was starting to understand the meaning behind Liepard's growls.
The two figures swiftly left the tavern, heading towards the Revolutionary Army's last reported location.
——
——
"Huh~ Where am I?"
Luffy, who had been dodging pursuit, suddenly stopped. He pulled out a piece of bread and stuffed it into his mouth, looking around as he chewed.
"It seems like I've never been here before!"
"Hmm..."
A puzzled Luffy scratched his head, extending it upwards by more than half a meter as he looked left and right.
Because the central town had four entrances and exits, Luffy had forgotten which one he had entered from while fleeing.
"No! I still can't find the way out!"
Though he wasn't as hopeless as Zoro, Luffy's sense of direction was close to zero.
Suddenly, he brightened, clenching his fist and smacking it into his palm.
"That's right! Ace said that when you're lost, you should find a higher place to get your bearings!"
A wide grin spread across Luffy's face.
He quickly set his sights on the tallest structure in the entire city...
The palace of the Goa Kingdom.
With a flick of his wrists, his rubber arms shot out, grabbing onto the eaves of the buildings on either side of the street.
In a secluded spot where no one could see him, Luffy retracted his arms with all his might.
In an instant, his body launched like a slingshot, soaring towards the palace.
——
——
Meanwhile, back at the palace...
To ensure good ventilation, Koala had placed the unconscious Sabo in a room with a large window.
At that moment, Sabo appeared to be trapped in a nightmare, his brow furrowed, his eyes shut tight.
In his dreams, he was a child again...
One moment, he was being ridiculed by a snobbish noble couple, the next, he was being chased by wild beasts in the forest. Then, a blazing cannonball would strike him...
And the cycle would repeat.
It was as if he were trapped in a series of nightmares. Each time the cannonball hit, he would start over from the beginning.
As the cycles repeated, Sabo seemed to gain some control over his dreams.
For instance, when the noble couple mocked him, he could choose to turn away...
When the beasts chased him, he could see two other children about his age, their faces blurred...
But when the cannonball hit... it was as if fate itself held him captive, unable to move.
Until...
A voice echoed: "Sa...Sabo!!!!!!??"
(End of this chapter)