Three days after the fall of the Yonko Kaido of the Beasts.
New World — Wano Country, Flower Capital.
A grand celebration feast was being prepared.
The great heroes who liberated Wano — the full Straw Hat Crew — were still recovering at the Shogun's residence.
Sanji, Nami, Usopp, and the others were only lightly injured.
After just a day, they had mostly recovered.
However, Captain Straw Hat Luffy and his "right-hand man" Roronoa Zoro were still healing.
They lay in a deep slumber.
---
In the Dream
Luffy was dreaming.
In that dream, he found himself two years in the past — back on that blood-soaked battlefield atop Marineford.
But this time, he was no longer weak or helpless.
No longer the kid who needed his brother to protect him.
He had become the man who could defeat even the strongest beings on the sea — a true Fifth Emperor.
With his newfound strength, he rescued Ace.
And this time, he blocked the magma fist that once took his brother's life.
Together, they escaped — safe and sound.
It was all so perfect.
"Luffy, you've truly become strong — even stronger than me!"
Ace ruffled his hair, laughing.
Luffy grinned wide, about to speak...
Pop!
His snot bubble burst.
The beautiful dream — ended.
---
Back in Reality
Luffy's eyes opened to the ceiling, disappointment washing over him.
"Luffy, you're awake! That's great news!"
Chopper cheered with joy.
"I'll go tell everyone right away!"
"Ughhh… So hungry… Meat!"
Luffy's stomach growled like usual.
He sniffed the air, instinctively drawn by the scent of grilled meat.
He walked, not knowing how far...
Suddenly, the smell disappeared.
He opened his eyes again — the scenery had completely changed.
There was no one around.
Nothing at all.
But Luffy wasn't scared.
He called out for his crew, walking toward the only source of light.
Eventually, he stepped out of the darkness...
And found a phone booth.
[Do you wish to return to the past?]
A divine voice echoed from the void.
"What does that mean?"
Luffy tilted his head in confusion.
[Do you want to return to two years ago?]
[Do you want to walk onto that battlefield again?]
[Do you want to change Ace's fate?]
"Wait, so this is still a dream?" Luffy blinked.
"But…"
He remembered the feeling from his earlier dream — of saving Ace.
That feeling still lingered vividly in his heart.
"If I really could go back… of course I'd want to save Ace again!
And this time, I'd show him how strong I've become!"
He answered confidently.
Click!
The door to the phone booth opened.
Luffy stood frozen.
Something pulled him inside.
He pressed the button:
"If a Telephone Booth..."
---
Time Twisted. Reality Shifted.
When the world around him cleared—
Luffy found himself sitting atop a mountain.
Next to him lay the still-unconscious Zoro.
"Where... is this place?"
Nearby, Nami gasped in shock.
"What's going on?! I was just cooking a feast for Lady Nami!"
Sanji grumbled.
"Hey, Usopp, doesn't this place feel kind of familiar?"
Chopper asked, puzzled.
"Yeah... I think I've seen this place before..."
Usopp nodded.
"Oi! Anyone wanna explain this? I was tuning up General Franky! How did we end up here?!"
Franky shouted.
"Yohohoho! I don't even know where to begin!"
Brook laughed.
"Luffy! Everyone's here... thank goodness!"
Jinbe sighed in relief — then froze.
He looked around the group carefully...
"Where's Robin?"
It wasn't until he mentioned her that the others realized — Robin was missing.
"Robin! Robin, where are you?!"
"I'm here!"
Robin's voice called out from a distance.
The full Straw Hat crew — all ten members — reunited.
---
"Everyone's okay... that's good.
But what is going on? Weren't we just preparing for the festival in Flower Capital?"
Nami looked around, confused.
"Could this be the work of someone with space-time powers?"
Jinbe wondered aloud.
"Wait, I remember now!"
Usopp suddenly looked shocked.
"Look around! Isn't this... Oden Castle?!"
"What?!"
Everyone shouted in disbelief.
"Oden Castle? But wasn't this place destroyed by Kaido's flame breath weeks ago?!"
Nami explained.
"Then how is it standing now?!"
"Don't tell me… everything we went through to defeat Kaido...
was all just a dream?!"
Nami, Chopper, and Usopp trembled in fear.
---
Suddenly—
"Luffy! Everyone!"
Yamato and Carrot came running from afar.
"This is Oden Castle! Meow~"
"But how did we get here? Wasn't this place destroyed?"
Nekomamushi and Inuarashi followed close behind.
"Are you serious?!"
Even Marco and Izou were stunned.
Elsewhere...
"Captain, I swear we've seen a ghost!"
Bepo clung to Law in terror.
"If I find out who's behind this creepy stunt, I'm going to crush them."
Kid growled.
"Kid, look! It's the Straw Hats!"
Killer pointed out.
"Oi, Straw Hat! You better explain what the hell is going on!"
Law sighed. Based on his months traveling with them...
Whenever something crazy happens...
It's always connected to Luffy.
And sure enough…