Chapter 172: Parting Words
Baltigo - Training Ground
"BOOM—!!!"
An explosion like a clap of thunder rang out!
The moment flames collided with the Dragon Claw, the entire training ground floor was instantly torn apart, creating thick fissures. A scorching heat wave soared into the sky, sweeping up the surrounding sand and dust!
Amidst the smoke, Ace knelt on one knee, hand supporting him on the ground, his body still wreathed in white-hot residual flames. Sabo, meanwhile, had been blown back several meters, landing heavily and leaving a long skid mark!
"Cough... cough..." Sabo pushed himself up, his face a mix of shock and amusement. "That Fire Fist of yours... it's a lot fiercer than before!"
Ace grinned, brushing his hair back casually. Under the sunlight, his eyes shone like burning amber.
"I've been training, you know!"
He walked slowly over to Sabo, reaching out a hand to pull him up. His tone was light and confident. "A couple of days ago in Alabasta, I even took down that Warlord, the Sand Crocodile~"
Sabo: "...Huh?"
Koala, who was running over with a water canteen, froze in her tracks. "What did you say???"
"A Warlord of the Sea?!"
Sabo and Koala's eyes widened simultaneously. "Crocodile?!"
Ace shrugged. "Yeah. He was pretty tough, but I still burned him into glass."
Sabo: "..."
Koala: "..."
Before they could even begin to process or retort, the air in the training ground vibrated slightly—
"SWISH!"
With a soft sound of space shifting, a ripple cut through their vision. Roy appeared at the edge of the field with Dragon, Ivankov, and Robin.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You guys nearly dismantled the ground." Roy walked forward, his tone helpless.
Ace scratched the back of his head. "Hehe, got too excited."
Sabo, however, immediately ran up to Dragon, excited as a child. "Chief, Chief! Ace just—"
Dragon waved a hand to stop him. "I heard."
He glanced at the ruined ground of the training field, his gaze deep. "Both of you... are very good."
Ivankov twisted his massive body, laughing loudly. "Hee-haw! As expected of the brats Roy raised!"
Standing to the side, Robin smiled gently. For the first time in this "noisy" organization, she felt a warmth she had never experienced before.
At this moment, Roy noticed a complex flash of loneliness in Sabo's eyes as he looked at Ace.
He immediately leaned in with a mischievous grin, hooking his arm around Sabo's neck. His tone was light but meaningful. "Sabo~ Do you want to eat a Devil Fruit?"
"Just say the word, and Big Bro will get one for you~"
Sabo paused. "Big Bro Roy, are you serious?"
Ace leaned in too. "Eh? Sabo wants to eat a fruit too? Which kind do you want? Logia? Zoan? Or Paramecia?"
Koala panicked. "W-Wait a minute... don't just suddenly discuss matters involving world-class powers like it's nothing!!!"
Amidst the yellow sand and ruins, the laughter of young men rang out, carried by the wind to the horizon.
After the laughter faded, the sand wind blew gently as the sun dipped below the horizon. Baltigo was bathed in mottled golden-red light.
An inconspicuous small boat was docked on the wasteland. A handwritten wooden sign hung from the bow—"S.S. Salty Fish."
Roy and Ace stood by the boat, bidding farewell to everyone as they prepared to return.
By the boat, the Revolutionary Army gathered to see them off—Dragon, Ivankov, Sabo, Koala, and Robin, who had just officially decided to stay.
The air was filled with the quietude of imminent parting.
Just as Roy stepped forward to board the ship, Dragon suddenly took a step forward, his voice low but powerful.
"Roy... what do you think of the path of the Revolutionary Army?"
His tone was calm and rippleless, yet like an invisible wind, it instantly silenced the port.
Sabo stopped laughing, Koala's gaze sharpened, and even Ivankov's smile faded slightly.
Even Robin, standing at the back, couldn't help but look up at Roy.
Roy paused. He didn't look back but stared at the deep blue horizon in the distance. His eyes were so still they seemed to see through the world beneath the clouds.
He spoke faintly, his tone clear and unhurried. "A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery."
"It cannot be so refined, so leisurely and gentle, so temperate, kind, courteous, restrained, and magnanimous."
"What you want to overthrow isn't just a King, or a system."
"It is the root cause of why the entire world is distorted, concealed, and squeezed dry."
He narrowed his eyes slightly. The sunset reflected in his pupils like a kindled flame.
"But remember—"
"A true revolution isn't about making the people sacrifice for an ideal, but making the ideal serve the people."
As soon as these words came out, it felt like thunder pressing down from above, yet also like sweet rain soaking into the earth.
Dragon stared at him for a long time before slowly nodding. "You haven't changed..."
Sabo's eyes shone. "As expected of Big Bro Roy..."
Koala smiled. "He's never been one to beat around the bush."
Ivankov let out a "Hee-haw" laugh. "A sharp and handsome lad~"
And Robin looked at the young man before her, her eyes firmer than ever before.
Roy suddenly turned around and waved his hand. "Alright, alright, don't make it look like a funeral."
He winked at Robin. "Robin, stay here and study with peace of mind. No one will force you to do anything."
Then he turned to Dragon, the corner of his mouth lifting. "Of course, if Brother Dragon dares to bully you one day..."
He raised a finger and tapped the railing of the boat lightly.
"I'll come back personally and beat up his son."
Dragon: "..."
(Standard anime gloom lines appear on his face.jpg)
Ivankov laughed so hard he bent over backward. "YEE-HAW! Dragon! To think even you would have a day like this!!!"
Sabo looked panicked upon hearing this. "Don't! Don't beat up Luffy anymore!! Being assigned to G-3 is miserable enough already!!!"
Koala unceremoniously grabbed Sabo's cheeks and pulled them in opposite directions. "Sabo, you idiot! Can't you tell he's joking?!"
Robin laughed softly, watching the two figures board the ship, her eyes holding a gentleness never seen before.
"Those two... are truly incredible."1
She whispered, "Thank you..."2
"SWISH—!!!"3
Accompanied by a distortion of space, the entire boat vanished instantly from the spot, leaving only a ripple gently spreading on the water, reflecting 4the last glow of the sunset.
Grand Line - Somewhere at Sea
Countless miles of azure waves surged.
A small boat floated leisurely on the sea surface, swaying gently with the breeze.
Ace leaned against the deck railing, a blade of grass in his mouth, sunbathing and humming a tune.
Roy lay lazily on a custom lounge chair at the stern, holding a fishing rod, planning to enjoy some leisurely fishing.
However—
"Pururururu...!!!"
A crisp Den Den Mushi ringtone broke the silence of the sea.
Roy rolled over and pulled the snail from his coat.
The Den Den Mushi had an afro-like explosion of curly hair, a green sleep mask on its forehead, droopy eyelids, and a face that screamed "lazy."
Roy glanced at it, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Oh my, oh my... I seem to have forgotten to say hello to him."
Ace leaned over, realizing instantly upon seeing the snail's appearance. "Ahahaha! You're done for, Big Bro Roy~!"
Kacha. He answered the call.
The next second, the snail raised its eyelids slightly. The voice was lazy but carried a hint of "you're in trouble."
"Arara~ Roy..."
"Did you recently visit... a place that isn't quite suitable for someone of your status?"
Roy pretended not to understand, staring at a cloud on the horizon. "Huh? You mean 'not suitable'... like bad weather? I did get a bit of a tan recently."
Ace laughed so hard he rolled around on the deck. "Pfft-hahahaha! You even alerted Admiral Kuzan!"
"..."
The snail was silent for two seconds before Aokiji's drawling voice came through again. "Did you... take someone there?"
"For example... a certain archaeologist the whole world is paying attention to?"
Roy shook his fishing rod and replied, "Oi, oi, Senior Brother, you're being too vague."
"If you want to ask, just ask directly—'Where is Nico Robin', right?"
The snail clicked its tongue, sounding lazy. "I didn't say that, you did..."
Roy smiled, speaking leisurely. "Me? ...I just moved her from a broken ship that was about to sink to a port that can weather the storm a bit better."
"It's better than staying in Alabasta, working for a guy who lost his conviction and just plays with sand, right?"
Kuzan fell silent for a few seconds, then sighed lightly. "You really do have a big mouth, as always..."
"But..." He paused. "She will be safer there."
Roy raised an eyebrow and smiled. "Does that mean... you tacitly agree my arrangement was pretty good?"
The snail's mouth moved, finally spitting out a single sentence. "Hmm... you brat."
Roy put the blade of grass back in his mouth, lying back on his chair with a grin. "Relax. She'll live well there, and she'll find her own value."
"This world needs people who remember the past, and people who try to overthrow the future."
The snail was silent for a while before saying lazily, "Just don't make me clean up your mess..."
"Later."
Click. The call ended.
"Tsk, same as always. Lazy and morally ambiguous."
Roy shook his head looking at the silent snail.
Ace lay on the deck, panting from laughter. "The rhythm of your conversation is too weird, Bwahahahaha—"
Roy closed his eyes, hands behind his head, crossing his legs. The sea breeze blew, and sunlight poured onto the sails.
The small boat drifted leisurely on the sea, sailing toward the greater unknown.
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