The Gray Terminal, also known as the Trash Heap.
At the northern edge of this garbage mountain stood a small town, separated by thick, towering walls. The only way in or out was through the city gate, known simply as the Main Gate.
Twice a day, the Goa Kingdom dumped massive amounts of trash here. The people who lived in the Gray Terminal scoured the heaps for food and usable goods. They'd sometimes sell what they salvaged in the town, but never begged to live there.
After all, no one wanted to live like that, trapped between disgust and indifference.
Beyond the gate stretched a broad road where passersby could be clearly seen. This led to the "Edge Town," a district with a faint stench lingering in the air. It was home to shady characters, outlaws, and thugs.
Farther in was the pristine Central Street, clean, orderly, polished.
And at its heart, a towering wall loomed again.
Behind that wall lay the High Town, the exclusive residence of the kingdom's royals and nobles.
The Goa Kingdom was known as "the cleanest country in the East Blue." Spotless. Unblemished. Pristine.
Why? Because anything unwanted was thoroughly expelled. It was the model of a perfectly segregated society.
The gates between Gray Terminal and Edge Town were guarded daily by rotating squads of royal soldiers.
Today was no different.
"You hear me?! After sunset, the Trash Hunters will sweep the town, watch yourselves if you value your lives!"
A guard barked the warning at the long line of scavengers waiting at the gate.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
"Catch them!!"
A commotion broke out in one of the town's diners. Clattering and crashing sounds rang out.
"Catch them!" shouted a balding, middle-aged man in an apron, banging a ladle against the ground as he stormed out onto the street.
Bystanders stopped to stare as three young figures dashed away, laughing.
"Thanks for the meal!!" The trio, Luffy, Ace, and Sabo, shouted over their shoulders as they ran gleefully out of town.
"Damn brats!! Don't ever come back!!"
The exhausted restaurant owner shouted after them, stomping his feet in frustration.
Just as he was catching his breath, the local peacekeeper waddled over, sweat dripping from his jiggling body.
"You let them in?! You know they're repeat offenders!!"
Poor owner. Not only did he lose twenty-six bowls of ramen and a shattered window, but he now had to endure a lecture too.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
"Ahahahaha!"
The three boys laughed as they ran full-speed toward the gate, paying no mind to the startled pedestrians in their path.
Up ahead, a slightly chubby man in noble finery was strolling down the road. Hearing their laughter, he twitched, there was something oddly familiar about that voice.
As the three darted past, his face suddenly twisted in shock.
"Sabo?! Is that you, Sabo?! Stop right there!! You're alive?! Come home, now!!"
Sabo froze for a moment, but didn't stop running. His expression darkened.
"Hey, Sabo! That guy's calling your name!" Ace asked, puzzled.
"Probably mistaken identity," Sabo said flatly, waving it off. "Let's just go."
Luffy, who knew the truth, said nothing.
─────────🏴☠️─────────
Back in the restaurant, the owner grumbled to the waitress,
"We lost twenty-six bowls and a pane of glass…"
She blinked in surprise.
"Can't believe they jumped out the window. And this is the fourth floor!"
─────────🏴☠️─────────
The trio ran all the way back to their secret base.
After catching their breath, Ace stood and looked directly at Sabo.
"Sabo, who was that guy? Why did he know your name? Are you hiding something?"
Sabo's mood dropped. "What? What could I be hiding?"
"Don't lie! Just tell us already, Sabo!"
"Yeah," Luffy added, "What's the point of secrets between us?"
Sabo stood there, dazed for a moment, then sighed and began to speak.
"…Actually, I'm not an orphan. I wasn't born or raised in the Trash Heap.
I have parents. That man who called out to me… he's my father."
His voice grew heavier with each word. Finally, he lowered his head.
"I'm sorry. I lied to you."
Luffy grinned.
"It's fine. You apologized, right? I forgive you!"
Ace turned away, loudly grumbling,
"Man, that caught me off guard. If you're some noble's kid, why run away and live in the dump?"
Sabo went quiet, lost in painful memories. He didn't answer.
Trying to shift the mood, Luffy jumped in.
"Alright, alright. Ace, everyone has things they don't wanna talk about. But seriously, Sabo… you're the weakest of us!"
Sabo blinked in confusion. "Huh?"
Luffy turned to Ace.
"Hey, you don't mind if I tell him about you, right?"
Ace tensed slightly, gripping the metal pipe in his hand. But then he relaxed.
"…It's fine."
Luffy looked at Sabo and smiled.
"Sabo, since you told us your secret, we'll share ours too. Portgas D. Ace, son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger. Monkey D. Luffy, grandson of the Marine Hero, Monkey D. Garp, and son of the Revolutionary Army's leader, Monkey D. Dragon."
─────────🏴☠️─────────
Silence.
Sabo's jaw dropped so hard it practically hit the floor.
Luffy gave a helpless shrug and glanced at Ace, who had the exact same expression as Sabo.
"Wait, Luffy! You're Dragon's son?!"
Even Ace couldn't contain his shock.
Even though he wasn't one to follow the news, he knew Dragon was the World Government's worst nightmare!
Sabo just stood there, stunned into silence.
Luffy casually patted Sabo on the shoulder.
"That's why I said you're the weakest one. You should leave the group! You're just some normal noble's kid! Ahahahahaha!"
He burst out laughing, completely ignoring the stunned looks from the other two.
"You guys are way too incredible…" Sabo muttered, still dazed.
But Luffy's playful teasing helped lift the weight in his chest. He actually felt a little better.
Ace, on the other hand, seemed a bit melancholic, his past had been dredged up.
"C'mon, Ace." Luffy placed a hand on his shoulder again, this time speaking seriously to both of them.
"Our parents? They don't define us. We were born into this world, so this world belongs to us.
There's something I never told you, Ace. Once, some of Roger's old crew came to me.
They wanted you to inherit Roger's will. But I said no!Because we're not someone else's legacy.
We're ourselves. We fight for our own sake!
And someday, I want the three of us to become legends.
I want us to be the kind of people whose footsteps alone shake the entire world!"
==========
You can find much more on my Patreon: Patreon.com/Veltoria
There are currently 5 active fanfictions on Patreon, with over 394+ advanced chapters available across them!
From Naruto Onwards, I Control Time — Up to Chapter 263
Haikyuu!!: Rise of Sengoku — Up to Chapter 187
Danmachi: Is It Wrong To Aspire to Be An Adventurer? — Up to Chapter 97
Legend of Hogwarts (Harry Potter x League of Legends) — Up to Chapter 105
I Am Luffy: Partner System Online (One Piece) — Up to Chapter 88