One Piece - I Am A Different Luffy! - Chapter 502 - An alliance, Father?

[Chapter Size: 1900 Words.]
Third Person POV

Sphinx.

...

...

Sphinx continued approaching Wano, while the villagers looked up at the sky around the island, amazed. They were flying the island over the sea of the New World.

It was at that moment that Bepo picked up his den den mushi to speak with Luffy as soon as he saw the weather ahead of them.

"Captain, there's a storm ahead. I'm going to raise the island," Bepo said, as the weather started to turn.

The island began to rise higher, passing above the dark clouds. As they passed through them, several lightning bolts began to appear below the island.

Zoro was drinking with Jozu and others while enjoying the trip, Weevil and his “mother” were still unconscious and imprisoned.

Sitting in a corner of the island along with Ace, Luffy looked down while sipping something he had taken from his stash to spend time with his brother.

The sky around them was heavy, covered with dark clouds and lightning.

“It’s been a year, huh?” Luffy commented, now finally able to talk to his brother.

“Yes... it feels like so much has happened and you’ve gotten stronger, just like Lucy. I’m surprised the rubber fruit had the ability to turn into something mythical like you described about your appearance...” he commented, also looking at the clouds, but he seemed frustrated.

"But you got stronger, didn’t you, Ace? You learned armament haki and a bit of observation." Luffy asked.

“Yes... I started learning Haki. But I’m not strong enough," he murmured, feeling even more disappointed in himself.

"Don’t be so hard on yourself. What matters is that you're here and okay," Luffy said to Ace.

"You don’t understand, Luffy!" Ace burst out in frustration, clenching his fists.

“...” Luffy looked at him, silently, while Ace kept his eyes on the dark clouds, gritting his teeth.

"I couldn’t avenge my crewmate who was murdered aboard the ship and take down Teach..." Ace began and continued.

"I couldn’t do anything at Marineford. I just waited for you all to save me and made no difference in the battle when I was freed, and many of those I once called brothers died that day..."

"I couldn’t save Dad... while he sacrificed himself to help us escape from Teach. My own crewmates had to carry me out of there with seastone on my wrists, while everyone cried, knowing that Dad wouldn’t survive."

"I couldn’t do anything to protect Dad’s lands. I’m weak. Weak!" he shouted, his voice breaking.

"While everyone fought for me... I was useless. You, Lucy, and Sabo left me behind," he said, letting out a bitter laugh, with tears streaming down his face.

"I became the weakest... I think I was left behind," he murmured, almost voiceless.

Luffy remained silent through all that moment. Ace’s outburst was sincere, deep, and seemed to completely consume the brother.

"I can understand your frustration, Ace," Luffy murmured, touching his shoulder as Ace still cried.

"But what matters is that you’re alive. I promise, we’ll start your training as soon as we arrive in Wano. You never got proper training, having to fight all this time..."

"Don’t push yourself so hard for now. You’re still young. Maybe I, Lucy, am a lot stronger because of my training... but you’ll go through the same from now on."

"I know you don’t like Gold Roger... but I’m sure you can surpass him, Ace. You can surpass your old man too." Luffy gave a slight smile, trying to cheer his brother up.

"Obviously, you’re not going to surpass me... since I’ll always be the strongest." Luffy added with a grin.

Ace couldn’t hold back a small laugh, even with tears in his eyes, in response to his brother’s teasing.

"Surpass that demon...” Ace murmured.

It seemed that Ace had never really gotten over the matter of being the 'son of the Pirate King' at first. Though Luffy knew that Whitebeard clearly would have spoken better of Gol D. Roger before he died.

"Your father was incredible too, Ace. Even if you don’t like him... If you want to call someone the demon’s son, call me. After all, my father is Dragon — the world’s most wanted criminal," Luffy said.

"Spoken like his son, who's right behind me," Ace replied, looking at his brother for a few seconds, saying nothing more as he wiped away his tears.

“Hahaha!” Suddenly, both burst out laughing together.

"I'm happy we're together again, Luffy," Ace commented with a smile.

"Yeah..." Luffy nodded.

"Can’t wait to see Lucy and Sabo," Luffy said.

"Yeah... He’s dealing with some trouble. We just have to find him later." Luffy said.

"He’s with the Revolutionary Army, isn’t he?" Ace asked, but Luffy shook his head in denial.

"No... He infiltrated Mary Geoise during the Reverie. I haven’t heard anything from him since."

"What? At the Meeting of Kings? Why would he be there?" Ace asked immediately, surprised.

"They're investigating the defense system of the Holy Land... and also the Empty Throne of Mary Geoise. They're trying to confirm something," Luffy murmured.

"Confirm something?" Ace repeated, confused.

"That the Empty Throne... isn’t empty. That someone controls the entire world from there," Luffy said seriously.

"Is that possible?" Ace asked, surprised.

"Yes. There’s a king in this world, who controls the entire World Government, hidden from everyone... except the Gorosei themselves and the highest ranks of the government. Obviously, the whole world doesn’t know this. But he’s the real enemy... So powerful he can destroy entire countries like it’s nothing," Luffy said.

"And you intend to...?" Ace murmured after hearing that revelation.

"He’s the final enemy..." Luffy said.

"Vista mentioned your plans... You’re really going to involve the whole world in a war then..." Ace murmured.

"There’s no way to escape it, brother... war is inevitable." Luffy said with a serious tone.

"I'll help you..." Ace said. "I’ll get stronger and I’ll fight your enemies too, Luffy."

"So you’re joining my fleet, brother?" Luffy asked with a smile.

"No, Luffy! I need to be strong this time. I’ll earn my place on the seas, I’ll become a Yonkou, but I’ll be your ally in the fights to come and I won’t get in your way to the One Piece." he said.

Luffy smiled at that.

"That’s good. I’d like to see you at your peak too. You’ll soon rise to Whitebeard’s role and surpass him," Lucy said.

"Yeah. I want to protect all of you," Ace replied, gaining a sense of determination, and Luffy seemed satisfied with that.

It was at that moment that the Den Den Mushi in Luffy’s pocket began to ring. As he pulled it out, still traveling through the storm, he noticed that it wasn’t the regular Den Den Mushi, but the one used for direct connection with Dr. Vegapunk through a private, untraceable line.

Luffy found it strange that he’d reached out at a time like that. "Could the Government have started to act and found out his intentions?" Luffy thought as he answered it.

With the familiar sound, the Den Den Mushi connected. But it wasn’t Vegapunk’s voice he heard.

"Son..." The voice only said that word. Luffy narrowed his eyes, surprised. Without saying anything, he stood up.

"I’m going to talk to my father. Ace, I’ll find you all later," Luffy said, and walked to another part of the island — after all, this would be a private conversation, and Ace nodded, watching Luffy head off.

"What should I say... 'Nice to meet you, Dad,' after the meeting at Marineford? Or even that one in Loguetown, before entering the New World?" Luffy murmured as he arrived at the wreckage of the mountain he had destroyed with Weevil’s body.

It was only the third time he could remember, in life, having contact with Dragon. The first time in Loguetown, then Marineford, and now... After all, he couldn’t exactly say this was a very present father. But he could also understand his reasons — the only thing that prevented the Government from destroying the Goa Kingdom was thanks to Luffy’s grandfather, the Marine hero.

"I know this isn’t the best time... this is all very sudden. But I wanted to talk to you about your current activities and about what Sabo said when he returned from his encounter..." Dragon said, sharing his suspicions.

"How is he? Did he manage to escape from Mary Geoise?" Luffy asked.

"We don’t know. We lost contact... but we know he escaped on his own," Dragon replied.

"I see... I believe he’s heading to Lulusia, if I’m not mistaken," Luffy commented, without yet revealing its destruction.

"He said he would look at the Empty Throne to see it... Are you sure about this, Luffy? Is there really a king who rules the world?" Dragon asked.

"Come on, Dad... I know you’re not that naive. You know it, maybe better than I do," Luffy retorted.

There was no way Dragon didn’t know. There were still many things he didn’t have clear information on. What Dragon saw in the past, especially in the case of Gold Valley, where it all happened... It was there that Dragon turned against the World Government, for he entered that island as a marine and left as someone who declared he would destroy the government.

Certainly, Dragon discovered something that day — something even bigger than just the Tenryuubito hunting people for fun and the fight between the Rocks Pirates and the alliance of Gol D. Roger and Garp.

Dragon stayed silent for a few seconds, not answering Luffy’s question.

"I had suspicions... but I don’t know many of the unknown things, son," he finally murmured.

"Then I’ll have to act, Dad. Don’t send anyone to look for Sabo... If Sabo went to Lulusia, the World Government is going to use a weapon there. They’re going to run a test."

"A weapon? How do you know that?" Dragon asked.

"They possess one of the Three Weapons, Uranus, Dad. You shouldn’t be surprised that the Government has it. However, they recently activated it because of a device called MotherFlame, which Dr. Vegapunk himself built... without really knowing what it would be used for."

"They plan to use Lulusia because it’s nearby... and because Sabo is there. I believe that second reason is less important than the first," Luffy said.

To see how diabolical Im and his subordinates are... They didn’t even care that the kingdom was in the middle of a civil war. That there was an important Revolutionary Army member who had information about the Empty Throne. They were just doing it because it was closer. They wanted to test it. They didn’t choose a deserted island... but rather to destroy an entire civilization.

After cutting off its communications, so that no one in the world could contact the kingdom, at the same time they erased Lulusia from the records, as if it had never existed. As if they could dictate who existed and who didn’t in this world...

'They dictate the past to control the future...' Luffy thought.

"They intend to destroy the kingdom?" Dragon seemed surprised by that.

"Yes. Either way, I’ll handle it. It wouldn’t be good for you to get involved with this."

"Are you sure?" Dragon asked, with a serious tone.

"Yes. I’ll take care of it. I know exactly when it’s going to happen, thanks to the seer who showed me its destruction, I’ll have just one week. Anyway... you called me for more than just this, didn’t you?" Luffy asked.

"Yes. I hadn’t made direct contact because you were never as tangible as you are now in your stance against the World Government. However, that’s changed now."

"After your battle against the Yonkou... the war against the World Government... your threats... Some kings we have alliances with spoke about what happened at the Reverie. And I’m surprised your bounty isn’t higher than mine," he said.

"So you want an alliance?" Luffy asked.

"I think that’s the best path, son," Dragon said.

An open alliance between the revolutionaries and the pirates of the dawn... That would make the Government truly terrified.

"Very well. I agree with that. After all, you have someone I’d really like to have by my side in the final battle. I want you to send her to Wano, if she’s not too busy," Luffy said, fully aware of how dangerous that fruit could become — and that he could enhance it himself.