On a stormy day on Dawn Island.
A few days had passed since Naguri set off on his adventure. After saying their farewells, the boys returned to their training.
"There it is! A storm's coming!" Ace shouted, gripping the wooden wheel at the helm of their treehouse, fully immersed in his role as helmsman.
Sabo stood at the bow.
"Bring it on! We're ready!" he yelled into the wind.
"Let's ride the wave! Pull up the anchor!" Ling ordered with a grin.
"Sabo, furl the sail!"
"Aye aye!" Sabo called back, scrambling to secure the cloth.
Luffy was perched up in the crow's nest. Winds blowing his hair.
"So cool! It's getting windier, and the waves are getting bigger!" he shouted.
"Luffy! Hold on to the flag!" Ling called.
"It's uncool for pirates to let their flag get blown away!" Sabo added with a laugh.
"Alright! Come on, wild wind and waves!" Ace whooped as he pretended to steer their "ship" through the storm.
"Bring it on, violent storm!" Sabo's full of excitement.
Luffy clutched the mast, gripping the fluttering pirate flag tightly.
"Bring it on, you stupid storm!" he yelled into the sky.
"Brace yourselves!" Ling shouted as the tree swayed under the force of the wind.
"Here it comes!" Ace announced dramatically.
An hour later…
"Hahahahaha!" Everyone burst into laughter.
Now, all of them were lying sprawled across the floor.
"Luffy, how did you get blown away like that?!" Sabo said between fits of laughter.
"Hmph! You guys didn't even help me back up! Ace, Sabo, Ling!" Luffy huffed, pouting.
"Hahahaha!" The three of them just kept laughing at his expense.
"Cool! We survived the storm!" Luffy said, instantly back to his cheerful self.
"But the treehouse has been damaged," Sabo said, sitting up and surveying the damage.
"Okay, let's collect some materials!" Ace said.
"I want a telescope this time!" Luffy added with a wide grin.
On the other side, Ling sat in silence, his mind drifting far from their usual games.
'It's finally happening. Sabo's father and Bluejam will appear. And tomorrow, the royal family of the Goa Kingdom will burn the Grey Terminal.'
'Bluejam might bring more people.'
'No, he will bring more because of me'
'But there's no need to be troubled. If everything goes according to plan, it'll work out.'
'Even if the future shifts slightly, it's okay. If something happens, I know how to fix it.'
After sorting through his thoughts, Ling stood up.
"Let's go."
The four boys set off toward the Grey Terminal.
It took them around thirty minutes to reach it.
"Let's find a telescope!" Luffy said, full of excitement.
"You'll never find one, stupid," Ace retorted while picking up some metal scraps.
"I'd rather find a cannon," Sabo added.
"It'd be cool if we actually did!" Luffy grinned.
While the three of them talked and scavenged, Ling suddenly sensed something, a presence watching them.
'They're here.'
'Only three? I guess they're just scouting.'
'They'll make their move once we split up.'
'Fine. I'll give you exactly what you want.'
"It's no good, Luffy," Ling said, faking disappointment.
"I don't think there's a telescope here. Let's split up and look for one."
"Luffy, come with me. Ace, Sabo, you guys focus on finding materials for the treehouse."
"Agreed!" Ace replied without hesitation.
Luffy nodded.
"Sabo, you check over there. I'll go the other way," Ace said, pointing to their respective directions.
Everyone separated. Ling and Luffy moved off together.
"Oh! There's a lot of good wood over here!" Sabo called out, scanning the area.
Then, his eyes lit up.
"Whoa! A telescope! Luffy's gonna be so happy..."
Suddenly, multiple figures appeared in front of him.
Sabo looked up. A tall, ugly man wearing a blue cape stepped forward, eyes narrowed.
"Hey, boy."
"I didn't know one of those four infamous brats was from a noble family," the man said.
"Bluejam!" Sabo growled.
"How do you know?"
Bluejam smirked.
"Alright, boys get him. But don't leave a mark!"
Six thugs moved in, circling Sabo.
One lunged at him, but Sabo dodged and kicked him square in the face.
"You really want to fight?" Sabo hissed.
Elsewhere, Ling's eyes snapped in the direction of the fight.
'It's time.'
He turned to Luffy. "Luffy, Sabo's in danger."
"What?!" Luffy's eyes widened.
The two sprinted toward Sabo.
Meanwhile, Ace, having spotted the commotion from afar, bolted in.
Just as one of the attackers went for Sabo's back, Ace leapt in and punched the man straight in the face.
Ling and Luffy arrived next, each landing a blow on one of the thugs.
Sabo took out the last two.
"Ace! Ling! Luffy!" Sabo called out, catching his breath.
"You okay, Sabo?" Ace asked.
"Yeah!" Sabo nodded, his grin returning.
But their victory was short-lived.
More men emerged, surrounding them.
'Thirty? But I can sense nearly seventy more people hiding.' Ling thought.
'So he brought a hundred in total, huh?'
'He probably hired thugs in Edge Town. Well, nothing has changed besides the number.;
Bluejam, watching from the shadows, stepped forward clapping.
"Nice. Nice," he said with a wicked smile.
"If the four of us fight together, we can easily take these fools down!" Ace said with a wide grin.
"That's right! We even beat the big tiger of Mt. Colubo!" Luffy added proudly.
"You little shits!" one of the thugs snarled.
"Let's wrap this up and take out their captain after," Sabo said.
"Attack!" another thug roared.
The thugs charged.
Ace was the first to move.
He ducked under a swing and drove his fist into a thug's stomach. The man folded.
"One down!" Ace shouted.
Luffy stretched his arms, grabbing two thugs by the collar.
"Double punch!" he yelled, slamming their heads together. Both dropped like rocks.
Sabo dodged a wooden club and countered with a spinning kick that knocked the guy out cold.
"Too slow!" Sabo said.
Ling didn't say anything. He moved silently.
A man aimed a punch at his face Ling easily dodged.
He swept his legs.
Before the thug hit the ground, Ling struck his neck with a clean chop. Out cold.
Two more came at Ling with pipes.
He narrowed his eyes and dashed forward, weaving past them.
He slid under a swing, grabbed one by the ankle, and threw him at the other.
"Get out of my way."
Ace got hit in the cheek.
"Tch!"
He grinned and headbutted the guy.
Luffy got caught in a bear hug.
"Let go!" he yelled, then bit the man's arm.
"AGHHH!"
Freed, Luffy stomped on his foot and uppercut him in the jaw.
One thug tried to sneak behind Sabo.
Too late.
Sabo spun, elbowed his chin, and kneed him in the gut.
"They just keep coming!" Ace shouted, laughing.
"Bring it on!" Luffy grinned, bruised but fired up.
Ling looked around.
"Twenty down."
After taking down the last one, the four of them charged straight at Bluejam.
"Damn!" Bluejam cursed, pulling out his pistol and firing.
"Cover!" Ling shouted.
The boys dove behind a mountain of scrap.
"Alright, brats, don't move!" Bluejam grinned, pistol still raised.
"We're not scared of you!" Ace shouted back.
But while they were distracted, Bluejam's main crew slipped in from behind.
"Got them!"
"Let me go, you bastards!" Ace roared, struggling.
"You punks!" Sabo yelled, thrashing.
"Get off me! Or I'll kick your butt!" Luffy screamed, pinned to the ground.
Ling was caught too, but vanished the moment they grabbed him.
Skip.
He reappeared behind his captor, driving a kick straight into the back of his head.
Bluejam and his men froze in shock.
"Tch. That kid… does he have powers?" Bluejam muttered, eyes narrowing.
"Now that I think about it… didn't that brat's hands stretch earlier?" He glanced at Luffy.
"You all!" Bluejam shouted.
"Come out and deal with him."
He pointed to Ling, then to Sabo.
"I've got business with those two. Don't kill the kid, just beat him unconscious." He grinned.
"Maybe we can sell them."
Laughter echoed as seventy more men stepped out from hiding.
Ace, Sabo, and Luffy stared, stunned.
"Ling!!" they shouted in unison, panic creeping into their voices.
"Let me go, dammit!" Ace struggled harder.
Ling was now surrounded, fists raised, holding his ground.
They swarmed him.
He fought hard, slipping and sliding through them. But it was overwhelming.
'Not yet,' Ling thought, weaving between fists.
'Everything is going according to plan.'
'Still… this will be tiring.'
"Get him!"
The thugs laughed, thinking they had him on the ropes.
On the other side of the scrap heap, more figures appeared men in uniforms, rifles in hand.
At their front stood a tall man in a black suit and top hat.
"I barely made it in time," he said coldly, surveying the mess.
"Dad…" Sabo's voice was barely a whisper. His face went pale.
Ace and Luffy looked at him, stunned.
Bluejam immediately straightened up and approached.
"We didn't hurt a hair on him, sir," Bluejam said, bowing slightly.
"Hey! Bring him over!"
Sabo was yanked toward his father.
"Damn it!" he shouted, trying to wriggle free.
"Sabo!" Ace and Luffy cried out.
Ling was still locked in battle, blood dripping from his lip. He didn't look away.
'Just a little longer.'
Sabo gritted his teeth, staring at his father.
'He wanted to find me so badly… he hired pirates?'
Outlook III looked over the boys.
"So… these are the ones who tempted Sabo into wickedness," he said casually.
"Give him back!" Luffy snapped.
Outlook's eyes narrowed.
"Give him back? He's my son."
"Children live by the will of their parents. We brought them into this world."
He pointed a gloved finger at Luffy.
"And how dare you tempt my son into rebellion, you little brat."
"You thuggish wannabe pirates… are you after my money?"
Ace's temper exploded.
"What the hell did you just say, you fu—"
Before he could finish, he was slammed into the dirt.
"Ace!" Luffy cried.
Sabo's rage boiled over. He broke free and ran toward his father.
"Stop it! Nobody tempted me! I ran away on my own!"
"You stay out of this!" Outlook barked, signaling the guards.
They grabbed Sabo roughly.
"I'll leave the rest to you pirates," Outlook said to Bluejam, calm as ever.
Bluejam grinned.
"Of course, sir. You already paid. We'll make sure these pests never bother your son again."
Sabo's stomach dropped.
"Wait! Don't…!"
"Dad! Please, that's enough!" he shouted, panicked.
"I understand now!"
"What do you understand?" his father asked coldly.
"Don't do it, Sabo!" Ace shouted, struggling.
Sabo bit his lip hard.
"I'll do as you say. I'll live the way you want. Just don't hurt them!"
"I'm begging you, they're my brothers!"
Ace and Luffy stared at him, wide-eyed.
"Sabo…" Ace breathed.
"Then go home. Right now," Outlook said.
"You're done playing pirates. It's a waste of time."
Sabo held back his tears and began to walk.
"Hey! Don't go!" Ace shouted.
"Shut up!" A pirate slammed him again.
"Sabo, run! Don't worry about us!"
Ace groaned from the ground.
"You said you wanted to live free!"
"Sabo! Don't go!" Luffy cried out.
"Are you going to throw away your dream?!" Ace roared.
"SABO!!"
Sabo clenched his fists.
His shoulders shook.
He stopped walking.
His tears finally fell.
And he walked again.
"Sabo!!" Luffy called, voice breaking.