š HEAR YE, HEAR YE, BRAVE SOULS! šāØ
š„ Let the drums of destiny roar as we welcome our newest LEGENDARY adventurersā¦ āļø Buddyschlym! āļø and āļø Moran! āļøšā”ļø Our journey just leveled UP with their arrival!
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As the group settled in for the evening around a warm campfire, Dragon observed the young children training diligently under Luffy's watchful eye. After a while, he broke the silence, his curiosity getting the better of him.
"How are you doing this, Luffy? These kids are awakening their Haki faster than some of my top officers. What's your secret?"
Luffy leaned back, stretching his arms with a casual grin. "Well, it's all about pushing boundaries. I've been researching Haki for a while now, and I've figured out a few things."
Dragon leaned in, intrigued. "Go on."
"For starters," Luffy began, "Haki is like a muscleāit grows stronger the more you use it, but just like lifting weights, you need the right kind of stress. I created exercises that force them to use their Haki instinctively. Observation Haki? I blindfold them and make them dodge attacks, starting small and building up. Armament Haki? They clash their fists or weapons against meācoated in my own Haki, of course. It's like sharpening steel with steel."
He gestured toward the children, who were practicing with visible focus and determination. "And Conqueror's Haki? That one's tricky. It's all about willpower. They had yet to show any signs of awakening it... but I always force them to stand up to my own Conqueror's Haki. I have the feeling that the clash might be able to push them to awaken their own."
Dragon blinked, as if hearing things. "You have Conqueror's Haki?!"
Luffy shrugged casually, as if he'd been asked about the weather. "Awakened it about a year ago, give or take. Didn't think much of it at firstājust got kindaā¦"
Dragon was dumbfounded, feeling his lips twitching. He stared at his son with a look of shock. His eyes then widened in genuine shock, a rare crack in his stoic demeanor as he asked.
"Youā¦ you've been forcing them to withstand your Conqueror's Haki?!"
His voice carried an edge of disbelief, his gaze sharp as if trying to piece together the kind of monster his son had become.
Luffy laughed heartily, rubbing the back of his head with a sheepish grin. "Yeah! It's no big deal. At first, they just keeled over like dominoes. But each time, they held out a little longer. I kept pushing, and eventually, they started pushing back. Turns out, all they needed was a good sparkāand I just fanned it into a roaring flame!"
Dragon's admiration for his son deepened. "You've created something remarkable, Luffy. These methodsā¦ they could revolutionize how we train. Imagine the possibilities for the Revolutionary Army."
Luffy grinned, pulling out a worn notebook from his bag and handing it to Dragon. "I wrote down everything I've learned. This has the basicsāhow to sense Haki, exercises for developing it, and ways to challenge it. For the advanced stuff, I'm still experimenting, but this should give you a solid start."
Dragon flipped through the notebook, his expression a mixture of pride and astonishment. "This isā¦ incredible. You've grown into someone far beyond what I could have imagined, Luffy."
Luffy shrugged. "It's nothing much. I just had some free time on my hands and decided to use it for something fun."
As the fire crackled, Dragon looked at Luffy with a rare, genuine smile. "You're something else, son. I'm proud of you."
The mood shifted slightly as Dragon's expression turned serious. "But tell me, Luffy. What's your next move? What are you aiming for now?"
Luffy's response was so unexpected that it left everyone stunned. "I'm going to join the Marines."
The silence that followed was shattered by Ann and Uta's simultaneous exclamations.
"WHAT?!"
Even Sabo froze, his mouth agape. "Luffy, have you lost your mind?!"
Luffy burst into laughter, holding up his hands. "Relax! I'm still going to be Pirate King. But Grandpa's getting old, and I want to make him proud for a few years before I go my own way. Plus, think about it! I'll learn everything about their systems, their strengths, their weaknesses. Imagine how much I can use that when the time comes!"
Dragon crossed his arms, smirking as the firelight danced across his face. "You remind me of myself, you know. Bold, unpredictable. Your grandfather's going to lose his mind when you leave the Marines, just like he did with me."
Luffy's grin widened. "That's the plan. I owe him that much. But when it's time to sail again, nothing will stop me from being Pirate King."
Before leaving, Dragon reached into his cloak and pulled out a small piece of paper. He handed it to Luffy. "This is my Vivre Card. If you ever need to find me, use it. No matter where I am, it'll lead you to me."
Luffy took it, his expression unusually serious. "Thanks, Dad."
Dragon nodded, his voice low but filled with warmth. "The world will change because of you, Luffy. I'll be watching."
----
Sabo ate the devil fruit that night, wincing as the bitter, awful taste overwhelmed him. Flames erupted from his fingertips almost immediately, dancing in the air like an extension of his will. Luffy clapped excitedly, offering tips between bursts of laughter. "You've got to feel it, Sabo! Like it's part of you, not just fire!"
The four of themāSabo, Luffy, Ann, and Utaāspent the night reminiscing about their childhood adventures, laughing until their sides ached and sharing dreams for the future.
At dawn, Sabo made his way to Dadan's hideout one last time. The forest was still and quiet, the air heavy with anticipation.
When he arrived, Dadan was sitting on the porch, pretending not to notice him.
"What the hell are you doing here, brat?" she barked, though her voice trembled slightly.
Sabo grinned. "Good morning to you too, Dadan."
"Morning, my foot! Don't you 'good morning' me after sneaking off to eat a devil fruit and joining up with some shady revolutionary! You're going to get yourself killed, you idiot!"
Sabo's expression softened. "You don't mean that."
Dadan huffed, crossing her arms. "Of course I don't mean that, you little punk. But can't you justāstay? For a while longer?"
Sabo walked up the creaky steps, the warmth in his smile matching the heat flickering faintly from his hand. "You know I can't."
Sabo stepped forward and hugged her tightly, catching her off guard. He said firmly. "You're my family, Dadan. No matter where I go, you'll always be in my heart."
Dadan sniffed, smacking him lightly on the back. "Don't get all sappy on me, you brat. And don't think I'll forgive you if you die out there! You'd better write, or I'll hunt you down myself!"
Sabo chuckled. "I promise. I'll write."
"Good." She pulled away, wiping at her eyes. "Now go on, get out of here before I change my mind and tie you up to keep you here."
Sabo laughed and stepped back, saluting her with a playful grin. "Thanks for everything, Dadan. I'll make you proud."
As he walked away, her gruff voice followed him. "You'd better, or I'll find a way to beat some sense into you, devil fruit or not!"
Later, as the sun climbed higher, Luffy, Ann, and Uta stood together at the cliff's edge, watching Sabo's ship disappear over the horizon.
Ann hugged her knees, her voice soft. "He's going to do amazing things, isn't he?"
Luffy grinned, the wind tugging at his hat. "Yeah. And so will we."
Uta nodded, her voice filled with determination. "Together."
--- ā¦ ā¦ ā¦ ---
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