The man who held wealth, fame, and power—Gol D. Roger, the Pirate King. Just before his execution, he uttered a single phrase that would change the world forever.
"Do you want my treasure? If you do, find it! I left it all at that place."
Thus, the "Great Pirate Era" began, with people from all over the world surging into the seas.
As the number of pirates exploded, countless ordinary people—those without ambition or means—were swept into this tidal wave of turmoil.
Pain, suffering, hatred.
These innocent people cursed the pirates who had destroyed their peace, the Pirate King who had set this era in motion, and any trace of his lineage.
After Roger's death, the enraged World Government began a relentless purge of anything connected to Roger. They sought to eliminate his bloodline, ordering the Marines to track down any woman who might have borne his child.
To protect her son from the World Government, Portgas D. Rouge went to extreme lengths, delaying Ace's birth for a staggering fifteen months on the island of Baterilla. The strain of this feat claimed her life shortly after she brought Ace into the world.
Meanwhile, the government, operating in the name of the World Government, wiped out every pregnant woman who might possibly be connected to Roger.
"My birth… is pure sin. Just by coming into this world, countless people had to die…"
Ace's fists clenched weakly against the ground as his tears fell onto the grass.
"A person like me… was never meant to exist in this world..."
He shouted through his tears, his voice choked with anguish.
"Where am I supposed to go if I don't become a pirate? Can someone like me really live a normal life, without guilt?"
He turned to Luffy, his voice cracking with desperation. "Tell me, hero's grandson! Tell me!"
Sabo stood silently beside Ace, absorbing the weight of his friend's sorrow. Uta's expression softened, her bunny-like ears drooping as she empathized with Ace's pain. She had grown up hearing Shanks's stories of the legendary seas, tales that painted Roger as an incredible pirate. But hearing Ace's confession shattered that romanticized image, breaking it into pieces.
"You've worked so hard to live..." she murmured gently.
"Ace, you're a kind person," Luffy said, holstering his pistol. The fragments of Luffy's memories of Ace's story became clearer with Ace's words.
This world wasn't a simple one of good versus evil. Stories praised pirates for their freedom while quietly acknowledging their cruelty. The Marines, though cloaked in the banner of justice, sometimes carried out dark orders without question. Ordinary people, too, were capable of monstrous deeds, all for the sake of money or survival.
The world wasn't black or white; it was full of contradictions and complexity. Concepts like "good," "evil," "justice," and "kindness" were merely labels, molded by circumstance.
None of that mattered to Luffy, though. Even in a world without magic, such absurdities were all too common.
History had shown him that "civilization," "kindness," and "justice" were often masks worn by those in power. Words like these could be as hollow as a law in 19th-century America banning "unsightly" individuals—labeled "disabled creatures"—from appearing in public spaces.
Labels and ideals were fleeting; what truly mattered was strength. Without it, people would endure a life of pain and helplessness.
"Ace, you're a kind person," Luffy said again, his voice steady.
"It's your kindness that makes the weight of your so-called sins unbearable. Your kindness is what makes it hard for you to breathe."
"If that's the case, then don't become a pirate. You'll only end up hurting the few people who genuinely care about you."
"You want my answer? I'll show you the way, in the name of a king."
Luffy stood in front of Ace, his bare chest catching patches of sunlight filtering through the leaves. The light danced with particles in the air, like tiny stars encircling him.
"All you need to do is escape."
Luffy's face softened into a gentle smile.
"Run from those heavy burdens. The lives lost weren't your doing—they were the actions of the World Government and carried out by the Marines. You had no part in it."
"You never gained anything from your father's title or legacy. You survived because of my grandfather, Garp, not because of your father's status. The sins of your father aren't yours. You're a victim—born recklessly and left behind."
"Remember your mother. She fought with everything she had to bring you into this world. She must have loved you deeply, hoping you could live happily and freely."
"All you need to do is escape. Running away isn't defeat; it's victory."
"Treasure what you have now, not what's behind or ahead. We live in the present, after all."
"If you don't, you'll end up losing everything you hold dear. You'll look back one day, weeping over what you threw away."
"And the most important reason you need to listen to me…"
Haki surged through Luffy, gathering in his right fist.
Luffy raised his arm, his body radiating an intense aura. His muscles rippled with restrained power, his fist glowing with a fierce red as flames began to swirl around it.
In one fluid motion, he pushed Ace down with his left hand and slammed his right fist into the ground beside him. The impact shook the earth, leaving a crater where his fist landed.
Everyone felt the tremor, knowing that if Luffy had aimed at Ace, he could have easily shattered his body.
"Your inability to resist me… That's the real original sin."
"Power is what makes a king."
"Now, choose: Die with your pride intact, or live with your mother's love and watch me tear apart the world Roger created."
He released Ace, withdrawing his fist from the ground, completely untouched by dirt.
Ace, tears blurring his vision, stared at Luffy's blazing fist, captivated by the flame.
"Mom…"
Ace sobbed, the floodgates of his pain and grief finally breaking open.
The others held their breath, waiting for his decision.
"I… I still have a reason to live. Luffy, can you really destroy the world Roger created?"
"Yeah."
Luffy straightened up.
"Let me take all the responsibility. Since you lack the power, just run. If anyone has a problem with it, they can take it up with me. It's my command that you live, free from guilt."
Ace was crying hard now, his words barely a whisper. "Shut up… I'm three years older than you! I won't run away!"
Problem solved? Maybe. Even if it wasn't, it was out of his hands now. Luffy had done his best—punching Ace to death wasn't an option.
"Come with me to Foosha Village. You can live there, and you can always come back to visit Dadan if you miss her. She could even move to the village; the mayor wouldn't refuse."
Ace sniffed, nodding as he wiped away his tears.
"That's great!" Uta beamed. "It's a happy ending!"
"Not completely," Luffy replied with a smirk. "Ace still has a debt to settle."
"Is it about stealing from the pirates? Returning the treasure won't win their forgiveness, will it?" Ace asked.
"I hid it in the trees," Ace admitted.
"Why return it? If the pirates can't guard their loot, that's their own fault. They're just third-rate idiots." Uta scoffed.
"Exactly. All we need to do is eliminate the Sapphire Pirates," Luffy said. "Bring the treasure back as a thank-you gift for Dadan or as rent for bothering the villagers."
"As for the pirate crew, just tell Grandpa. Let him deal with them," Luffy shrugged, turning to head back to the village.
Sabo stepped forward, falling in beside them. "Take me with you. I'm Sabo. I ran away from home, and Ace and I have been friends for five years."
"Welcome!"
Uta smiled, glancing at Sabo, then back at Ace, and finally at Luffy. Her eyes sparkled with curiosity.
"Luffy, who are your parents? You've never mentioned them. Has Grandpa ever told you?"
"Nope. Never asked, either."
Luffy smiled softly. Just the grandson of a grand hero, living in this world all on his own—it was a pretty cool persona.
Uta giggled, remembering her first encounter with him.
He'd grabbed her wrist, pushed her to the ground… but she'd repaid him tenfold. Luffy had no idea how much she made him work as her dream-world assistant each night.
"Luffy, I'm tired…"
"Then let me carry you. You could've said so sooner, you know."
Luffy slipped his arm under her knees and back, lifting her effortlessly.
"This position…" Uta blushed as she wrapped her arms around his neck, adjusting to the warmth of his embrace.
With Uta no longer slowing them down, the group's pace quickened. Up in the trees, Ace retrieved a share of the treasure for Sabo, their joint spoils.
High above, Garp watched with misty eyes as the children made their way to Dadan's place.
"Ace… there are some things even Grandpa doesn't know how to handle. I just chose the easiest way out…"
Hearing the gunshots earlier, he'd rushed over, worried, only to find Luffy talking to the others.
Back when Roger was back in the cell, he had pleaded with Garp, saying, "The child is innocent." It was his request, his final hope, that Garp would protect Rouge and the child she was carrying.
The World Government, however, had discovered Roger's traces in that lost year after he became Pirate King. They suspected he had left a hidden legacy and began searching for any sign of his family. Driven by a need for control, they ordered the Marines to track down any potential mother who could carry his bloodline.
Faced with the choice to hand over Rouge and her unborn child or let hundreds, maybe thousands, of innocent women die, Garp had struggled with what was right. He hadn't known how to handle it. In the end, he had chosen silence, believing it was the lesser evil. And so, the World Government's purge began, claiming the lives of many.
Garp looked down at his hands, hands that had held a newborn Ace. The thrill of new life had soon been overshadowed by guilt—a guilt that only grew as he realized the responsibility he bore for Ace's fate. Unable to bring himself to be a constant presence in Ace's life, he had instead left him in the care of Dadan and the mountain bandits.
He watched now, from afar, as Ace handed over some of the treasure to Dadan. The boy announced, "I'm moving to Foosha Village, but I'll visit often." Tears welled in Dadan's eyes as she gruffly accepted the treasure, trying to hide her emotions.
"That brat…" Dadan muttered, her voice catching in her throat. She took five cigarettes, lighting them all at once to cover her tears. "Don't you dare cause trouble for anyone in the village!" she yelled, feigning her usual harshness.
"Yeah, yeah, don't worry," Ace called back with a small smile. Then he turned to wave to the rest of the bandits. "I'll see you all soon."
The bandits nodded in silence, watching their reluctant ward walk away, their hearts heavy but hopeful.
As Garp looked on, he felt a bittersweet mixture of pride and sadness. For years, he had hoped the children would find their own way, a path beyond the constraints of legacy or burden. And now, watching them leave to
gether, he couldn't help but think maybe they had.
In that quiet moment, he whispered to himself, "Ace, Luffy… you two might just be the ones to change this world after all."
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