Ace and I tended to Dadan, who had multiple first- to third-degree burns and was bleeding from the fight. Ace even ran back into town to get medicine. Then we spotted patrols—hazmat soldiers from the city—sweeping the forest for survivors to kill. We hid inside a hollow tree and covered the entrance with brush so we wouldn't be seen. Two days crawled by. On the third day, the guards stopped searching the forest. Something big was happening in town.
The World Nobles—the Celestial Dragons—were coming to the kingdom. Thousands waited for their arrival. Fireworks burst; flags snapped in the wind; the air smelled of smoke and salt.
A kid in a black top hat with blue goggles strapped to it, grinning for adventure, rowed a small fishing boat straight into the bay—toward the World Noble's ship for the ceremony.
"What a nice day! It's perfect for setting sail!" Sabo said, riding the chop out toward the East Blue. He raised a black pirate flag painted with a bold S—no skull, just crossed bones like an X.
"Kid, get back here now!" a port guard yelled. Sabo looked back with a smile.
"The scariest fate for me is losing myself in this country and becoming someone else! I'm not going back!" he shouted, and sailed on.
Dogra, back at the port, realized it was Sabo slipping away.
The government ship came into view—seven big cannons on each side, fifteen smaller ones below, a lion carved at the prow. On its deck stood a Celestial Dragon, face pale behind a transparent bubble helm that gleamed like a glass crown, the bubbles shimmering with the reflected fireworks.
"The ship is huge," Sabo breathed.
"I'll die if I crash into it—let's avoid that," he said, steering right.
On the World Government ship, the Celestial Dragon watched the crowds. "It seems the commoners are welcoming us. By the way—what is that?" he asked a bodyguard.
"It looks like a fishing boat, sir."
Sabo smiled as he slipped past the massive vessel. "It'd be nice to captain something that big one day," he murmured.
"Commoner," the Celestial Dragon hissed. He lifted a launcher and fired. Bang. A hard shock thumped through the air; powder smoke stung the nose. Heat flashed across the water. Sabo's little sail cracked, the flag snapped and caught, and flame raced the lines. The skiff rocked from the blast as splinters hissed into the sea.
Sabo's fishing boat burst into flames. The hull sank. The flag burned. His hat spun on the waves.
—
Ace and I carried Dadan back to the mountain bandit camp. Luffy and the bandits rushed out, on the verge of tears.
Inside, Luffy lunged at us, eyes brimming. "Ace! Sora!"
"Did you think we were dead?" Ace asked.
"But—"
"Why are you crying? I'm not dead!" He smacked Luffy on the head.
"We don't die easy, Luffy," I said.
"Go easy on him—Luffy's happy," Magra said.
I chuckled.
The bandits asked what happened after they left, and we told them—about the fight, and treating Dadan's injuries.
Dogra stumbled back that evening, shaken.
"What?! Sabo is— Stop lying, you fool! Don't even joke about it!" Ace roared, tackling Dogra and cocking a fist.
"I'm not lying or joking! It was so sudden—I could barely believe what I saw! I thought I was dreaming," Dogra said, frantic.
"Shut up! Sabo went back to his family's home! How could he be at sea?!" Ace yelled.
"That's right—he went home!" Luffy echoed.
I stayed silent, arms folded, eyes downcast.
"A hoodlum like me can understand how he feels!" Dogra shouted, shoving Ace off. "People don't always want to go home! If he was really happy, he wouldn't have gone to sea! He wouldn't have gone out alone—with a black flag on his ship!" Dogra's voice broke; tears ran down his cheeks.
His words finally hit. The room went quiet. Only the curtain snapping in the wind.
Luffy's eyes filled again. His voice sliced the silence. "Sabo… he wasn't happy!" he sobbed.
Ace slumped into a seat, gritting his teeth as realization set in.
Tears slid down my face as I leaned against the wall, then sank to the floor.
"Why?! Why didn't we go get him back?!" Ace rasped. He sprang up, seized Dogra's collar, and demanded, "Where is the guy who killed Sabo?! I'm gonna kill him!"
"Kill a Celestial Dragon? That's impossible…" Dogra said. Ace snatched up his iron pipe, ready to charge back into the burning city.
Dadan—bandaged and furious—lurched up and slammed Ace's head into the floor. "Stop it, you little shit."
"Move," he growled.
"How can you be so confident when you're not even that strong? What can you do? They'll kill you! You'll die and people will forget you by tomorrow! You're just a nameless kid! Sabo was killed by this country—by this world! What can you do about it? Your father changed the world with his death. When you become a man that important, then you can do whatever you want. Tie this fool up," she ordered.
Luffy stood frozen, crying Sabo's name.
Then she looked at me. "Do I need to tie you up, too?!"
"No. I know we're weak and need to get stronger. Don't worry—I won't challenge the world that killed Sabo… yet. I'm going to rest tonight," I said, feeling hollow.
Luffy cried through the night. Ace struggled outside, tied to a tree, revenge burning in his eyes. "Shut up! Stop crying, Luffy! Sora—What are you doing? Let's go avenge Sabo!" I didn't know you were a coward." he yelled.
I lay on the floor, staring at the ceiling, one thought circling in my head: I need to get stronger.