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Ace watched Whitebeard carefully, growing more and more anxious as the old man laughed.
"Gurararara…"
"Come on, Pops! What happened in my hometown?!"
Before Whitebeard could answer, another voice called out behind him.
"Ace!"
Ace turned. An unmistakable figure with pineapple-shaped blond hair and a half-open purple shirt approached.
"Marco?!"
The First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates— Phoenix" Marco walked over and clapped Ace on the shoulder.
"You really don't know yet? That guy from the East Blue Aero has just filled the vacant Warlord seat."
"…That's it?!" Ace blinked, confused. He'd honestly expected something terrible to have happened in the East Blue.
Marco chuckled and pulled a wanted poster from his coat, handing it to Ace.
Ace studied the poster for a moment then burst out laughing.
"His bounty's even lower than mine!"
But after laughing for a while, his expression softened. Staring at the youthful face in the photo, he muttered:
"My little brother should be around this age now… Luffy, wherever you are… you'll be setting sail soon. Guess we'll be seeing each other before long."
The whole deck laughed softly to themselves. They already knew whenever Ace looked like that, he was thinking about his little brother back in the East Blue.
---
"W-Warlord?! Same rank as that guy!?"
In the East Blue, Zoro stared at the headline in complete shock.
Of course, "that guy" referred to Hawk-Eye Mihawk, the man he swore to surpass.
"Tch… and Aero still owes me a drink. Can't believe he's gone this far ahead…" Zoro grumbled, annoyed.
"…Hey Johnny, maybe we should set sail." He said it quietly, almost absentmindedly.
Johnny nearly choked.
"B-b-b-big bro… W-we're bounty hunters! Becoming pirates is not—"
"—I'm kidding." Zoro snapped, bursting into laughter.
…but Johnny and Joseph didn't believe him. They were convinced their boss had made up his mind already.
---
On Whiskey Peak, Vivi stood by the window with Mr.8 at her side.
"Mr.8… Aero has become a Warlord," she said softly.
"I know," Igaram replied with a sigh. He could tell she was still clinging to a tiny shred of hope.
---
Baratie — East Blue
"Chef Zeff!! Look!! That kid actually became a Warlord!!" Patty burst into the kitchen waving a newspaper.
Zeff took one glance at the headline and tossed the paper to Sanji.
"Hmph. So? You still think watching someone else chase their dream is better than chasing your own?"
Sanji didn't look up from the newspaper. "My dream is to find the All Blue. I'm a cook, not a pirate."
"Hah! Sure, kid." Zeff headed back toward the kitchen but paused.
"If another chance like that ever comes again… go to sea. See the world with your own eyes. Got it, Sanji?"
Sanji's eyes widened. "Old man… what the hell are you saying?"
"Nothing! Just talking to the air!" Zeff barked, waving him off.
"…Damn geezer."
---
Cocoyashi Village
"Nami… are you really going?" Nojiko asked, watching her sister sling a packed bag over her shoulder.
"Yup. I want to draw a map of the entire world!" Nami grinned.
Nojiko narrowed her eyes. "You're not doing this just because Aero became a Warlord… right?"
"Wha—h-how did you—?! Don't tell Genzo!!" Nami shushed her quickly.
"I just… want to see why he's different from other pirates, that's all! I am not becoming a pirate!"
"Hmm? Nami! Where do you think you're going?"
Nami froze. The windmill creaked as it turned.
"…G-Genzo?!"
"If you don't explain yourself properly, you're not going anywhere."
"Noooo!"
---
Somewhere in a forest, a gruff voice echoed:
"LUFFY!"
A gust of wind ruffled the boy's messy black hair as he stopped in his tracks.
"You know perfectly well your dream of becoming a pirate is ridiculous."
"—Ow! What was that for, Gramps?!"
Garp's fist had slammed into the top of Luffy's skull.
"You're going to grow up to be a Marine, got it?!"
He cracked his fists menacingly and stepped toward Luffy, ready to knock the pirate dream right out of him again.
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