One Piece Thundergod Marine

As a massive surge of seawater shot upwards, far above on the Red Line, in a small, unnamed country, a Rebel Army camp bustled with tension.

"Calm down, Sabo! Don't get so worked up!" 

"Let me go, Koala! How can I stay calm when that's my younger brother!"

A heated argument broke out in the command tent. Sabo was trying to dash out of the camp, but Koala clung to him tightly, refusing to let him leave.

"That Soryu (Azure Dragon), that monster— hasn't he done enough to Ace already? How can I stay calm?!"

Sabo being alive was something Luffy still didn't know. The three brothers had their own paths and goals and weren't bound by feelings of sentimentality. If fate allowed them to meet, Sabo would naturally reveal the truth to Luffy. But if they didn't cross paths, he wouldn't go out of his way to contact him.

Once someone sets sail, everything is left to chance.

However, that didn't mean Sabo could stand by and watch as Luffy got captured! 

Especially not if he was captured by Soryu (Azure Dragon)!

The tragic fate of Ace and the Spade Pirates still haunted him. The mere thought of Luffy facing the same suffering was enough to make Sabo lose all composure.

"But if you leave, what will happen here? The responsibilities that Dragon entrusted to you—are you just going to abandon them?"

Having witnessed the terrifying power of that man, Koala was filled with an enduring sense of dread. She certainly didn't want Sabo risking his life.

Moreover, as she mentioned, the Revolutionary Army couldn't afford to lose Sabo at this time.

"I..." Sabo hesitated upon hearing this.

That's right!

Ever since they lost Dragon, the Revolutionary Army had, as he expected, managed to stay out of Soryu (Azure Dragon)'s sight.

But as a result, some of the soldiers had begun to lose morale, sinking into pessimism and insubordination.

In order to carry on Dragon's will and hold together the Revolutionary Army, which was on the verge of collapse, Sabo had no choice but to step up. Before the eyes of the four commanders, he became the new leader of the Revolutionary Army.

If something happened to him now, the Revolutionary Army would fall apart completely.

Even though the Revolutionary Army was united by a shared ideal, they were still human, and humans have their own thoughts.

Selflessness? 

It's just a word, created and confined by its own definition.

Unless someone as dazzling as Dragon emerged to carry the banner forward...

But unfortunately...

There was no one like that!

If Kuma hadn't been planted within the World Government, he would have been the perfect candidate.

But life doesn't work with so many "ifs." Kuma's public identity forced him to remain a hidden pawn, burning himself out to light the Revolutionary Army's path until his last breath.

On one side was justice, and on the other, family.

Sabo clutched his head in pain. "Damn it, why did I have to remember my past?!"

If he hadn't remembered, he could've focused solely on maintaining the Revolutionary Army without the heartache of this impossible choice.

Koala hugged him tightly, patting his back.

"It's okay, Sabo. Didn't you hear? It's the Marine Fleet Admiral who doesn't want Luffy to follow the same path as Ace, which is why he ordered G-10 to cooperate in this operation."

"If the Marines don't want Luffy to become the next Ace, then for now, they should be safe."

"Koala's right."

At that moment, a tall figure walked into the tent.

"Kuma?!" Koala called out joyfully. "Hurry, talk some sense into Sabo!"

Without showing any emotion, Kuma nodded and, in his unusually clean voice for someone of his size, said, "The spies just received word. Fleet Admiral Sengoku has ordered Luffy and his crew to be imprisoned. He's also promised that as long as Luffy gives up being a pirate, all of them will be released without charges."

"As for their public bounties, since they won't even be seen on the seas anymore, it won't be hard to find some look-alikes to fake their existence."

"Luffy won't agree to that, Kuma. I know him." Sabo shook his head.

Even if it's just a threat, once Luffy makes up his mind about something, he'll go through with it—no matter if he knows he's going to die or even the exact time of his death. 

That's just the kind of stubborn little brother he is.

"Naturally. But that gives us time to plan a rescue."

Kuma closed the tent flap behind him and added, "If we assume it will take Vice Admiral Garp, who's currently far away in the New World, two months to reach G-10 and personally try to talk Luffy out of this, we have plenty of time to make a plan and save him before the Marines lose their patience."

"Kuma, why are you saying this too?!" Koala protested in frustration.

She had hoped Kuma would convince Sabo to focus on the Revolutionary Army, not join in on making plans to save a pirate.

She naturally did not have any personal grudges with Luffy, but she deeply understood that she was part of the Revolutionary Army, and she knew exactly what she needed to do.

Koala knew her path clearly. No matter how much pain or torment she faced, even if her hands were stained with blood they shouldn't be, she remained steadfast in her resolve.

In this regard, Koala was far stronger than Ace had been back then—a woman proving herself no less capable than any man.

After all, when Ace was captured, he didn't even understand what he did wrong by setting out to sea.

Setting sail, in the eyes of the Marines, was already an unforgivable crime!

"Koala, saving Luffy isn't just for Sabo, it's also for the Revolutionary Army."

Kuma understood this well. From the perspective of the Revolutionary Army, he explained, "Luffy has been chosen by Shanks, identified as the pioneer of the New Age, and the inheritor of Roger's will."

"I don't believe Shanks' judgment could be wrong."

"Given time to grow, Luffy will undoubtedly become a serious threat to the government, which would create opportunities for the Revolutionary Army. When the time comes, we could even collaborate with him to overthrow the Celestial Dragons' rule."

There are no grand heroic ideals driving people forward, only interests.

This statement shocked Koala more than Kuma's suggestion to save Luffy.

She stared at Kuma in disbelief, as if she was seeing him for the first time.

That was Sabo's younger brother! How could he speak so coldly, as if Luffy were just a tool to be used?

If Kuma could read Koala's thoughts, he would probably say:

"Woman, your name is contradiction."

You're the one without emotion, yet you accuse me of being heartless.

_(:3」∠)_

"And to add on, we owe Shanks a favor. Saving Luffy would repay that debt— killing two birds with one stone."

"I believe if Dragon were still alive, he would make the same decision."

Not just because Luffy is his son, but for the greater good, for the world's freedom from the Celestial Dragons' oppression, Dragon would be willing to sacrifice everything... even his own flesh and blood.

If Sabo is to inherit Dragon's will, he must be prepared to sacrifice everything, even his sworn brother.

After saying his piece, Kuma stood quietly aside, waiting for Sabo to make his decision.

After a long silence, Sabo slowly pushed Koala away and sat down on the ground.

"You know, Kuma? Back then, we shared a cup of brotherhood wine... We're brothers!"

The tattoo on Ace's arm with the word "ASCE", where the S was crossed out, was to honor the memory of Sabo, whom he once believed to be dead. It was a reminder that, aside from Luffy, he had another brother.

"But why have things come to this?"

"Why is it that even when I want to save my brother, I have to weigh the pros and cons?"

"Why?"

Kuma knew Sabo wasn't asking for an answer, so silence was enough.

But if he had to answer, what could he say?

Perhaps... this is what it means to grow up.

Because as you grow, you have your own path to follow, and if others aren't walking that path with you, making choices becomes an unavoidable challenge.

The fate of the three brothers—Ace, Sabo, and Luffy—was like three lines forming the character for "person" (人). They had the same starting point but were destined for three different endings.

On their respective roads, the three drifted farther and farther apart, never to cross paths again. The scenery along the way was different for each, and the only thing keeping them connected, the only thing that reminded them of where they came from, was that unchanging starting point.

But that was all.

(End of the Chapter)

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