The going merry's sails slowly rose by the shore, about to lightly glide out of the port with the ship's hull.
On the deck, preparations for departure were still underway, with Usopp and Chopper frantically pulling ropes to secure the main sail's last line.
Usopp shouted, sweat beading on his forehead, "Heave-ho! Chopper, pull a little tighter here!"
"Okay, okay!" Chopper exerted all his strength, his small hooves clinging tightly to the rope, his entire body almost suspended in mid-air.
Tomioka stood beside them, leaning over to pull the rope with Chopper. As the sails filled with wind, the going merry began its new journey.
"Hey, all of you, make sure you've checked everything!" Sanji's voice came from the second floor. He stood leaning against the doorframe, a cigarette in his mouth, his gaze sweeping over everyone on deck.
"Is there anything missing? It's still not too late to say so now. If we have to turn back later because some idiot left something behind and trouble Vivi, I'll kick all of you into the sea to feed the fish!"
Chopper immediately stood at attention, raising his small hoof, "Reporting, Head Chef! Nothing is missing!"
Nami walked over, weighing a small bag of Berries in her hand, a hint of regret on her face, "In the end, all we got from this Alabasta trip was Igaram's Berries."
"There were a billion Berries right in front of me, and I didn't even try to get them. I'm really too kind."
Hearing this, Usopp stopped what he was doing and slapped the money bag in Nami's hand, "You devil! Alabasta has just recovered peace, and you're still thinking about those billion Berries!"
"Nothing's missing... but it seems like there's an extra item."
Luffy, who usually fooled around, was in a pensive mood at this moment, attracting everyone to come and see.
"Hmm?"
Zoro, arms crossed, leaned against the ship's rail, raised an eyebrow at the words, "Did you secretly sneak something strange onto the ship again?"
Under everyone's curious gaze, Luffy began to rummage through his vest, feigning searching, which made Zoro impatient. He walked over and directly reached in.
A mini Den Den Mushi with goggles, sound asleep, plopped onto the deck.
"A Den Den Mushi?"
Nami squatted down, curiously poking the small creature's hard shell with her fingertip, "Luffy, where did you get this from?"
Luffy propped his chin with one hand, closed his eyes, and frowned, trying hard to search his memory:
"This... I met him with Tomioka after defeating that Sand Crocodile in Alabasta... a stranger gave it to me. No, I don't get it!"
As he spoke, he started shaking his head frantically, his tone becoming a bit agitated, "He said his name was Sabo!"
"Sabo?"
Zoro also squatted down, looking at the Den Den Mushi on the ground, then looked up at Luffy with a puzzled expression, "What are you talking about, you idiot? Do you know him or not?"
"I don't know him! But he told me his name was Sabo!"
Usopp leaned over, looking bewildered, "Sabo? So what? It's just a name."
Bang!
Luffy fell backward without warning, lying stiffly on the deck, his Mugiwara rolling to the side.
"Sabo..."
He looked at the blue sky, his voice suddenly dropping, carrying a rare sense of confusion, "It's the name of my other brother... like Ace, we became sworn brothers when we were kids."
"But... many years ago, he died."
"Eh!?!?!?! Gh-Ghost!"
Usopp's jaw almost dropped to the deck, letting out an incredulous scream. Chopper was also stunned, frozen in place, his small mouth agape, muttering, "Dr. Kureha... the sea is truly amazing..."
Nami picked up the Den Den Mushi, placed it in her palm, examining it carefully, then looked at Luffy lying on the ground, trying to sort out the logic.
"Are you saying... someone using your deceased brother's name appeared in Alabasta and then gave you this Den Den Mushi?"
"I don't get it!" Luffy started rolling on the ground like a sulking child.
"At that time, he was completely covered up, I couldn't see what he looked like at all! But... but it felt... so strange!"
Tomioka, who had been silently observing, watched the agitated Luffy. Fragments of memories about that night and morning also surfaced in his mind.
"Blond hair, a scar below his left eye, carrying a pipe."
Before anyone on deck could form an image of this person in their minds...
"Eh!!!!!!!!!!!!"
The next second, Luffy sprang up from the deck like a spring, his arms instantly extending. He tightly grabbed Tomioka's shoulders with both hands, shaking him back and forth frantically:
"Really, really, really!? Tomioka! You saw him?!"
Tomioka felt a bit dizzy from the shaking. He steadily held Luffy's excited hands, stabilizing his body.
"Mm.", he affirmed.
He hadn't expected Luffy to care so much about Sabo. If that was the case, it might be better to tell him everything he knew.
Then, under everyone's bated breath, he continued to recall, slowly narrating the little interlude the Straw Hat Crew didn't know about:
"I met him in Katorea. He said he was a traveler named Sal."
"But then he kept following me, investigating the Rebel Army's situation, and finally went to Alabasta together. At that time, he suspected Koza was Mr.2 in disguise, so he went to the South Gate separately."
"Finally, hearing you say that the Royal Army and the Rebel Army didn't fight, it might also be related to him."
Sanji lit a new cigarette, took a deep puff, and smoke curled upwards, "He sounds like a pretty formidable guy."
"Exactly! Exactly!"
Luffy jumped with excitement, snatching the Den Den Mushi from Nami's hand. He held it tightly with both hands and shouted loudly at the still-sleeping Den Den Mushi:
"Sabo! Sabo! Sabo! Is that you! It must be you!"
"Sabo... he has blond hair, and he also uses a pipe as a weapon! It's him! Definitely..."
After his excitement, Luffy's emotions calmed down a bit, but his eyes were still fixed on the Den Den Mushi, hoping for some sound in return.
Tomioka looked at him, remembering Sabo's departing back and his final words, and added one last detail:
"When he finally left, he also said."
"He is part of the Revolutionary Army."
The dining room door was gently pushed open, and a slightly surprised, mature female voice came from within.
"Revolutionary Army?"
Robin leaned against the doorway, looking at the emotional crowd on deck, especially Luffy tightly hugging the Den Den Mushi, and Tomioka, who had just mentioned the Revolutionary Army.
"Did you just say... Revolutionary Army?