Night fell, yet Foosha Village remained brightly lit, with not a single household turning in for the night.
Even the youngest children were wide awake.
Far from sliding into slumber as they usually did at this hour, these youngsters were even more electrified and excitable than the adults.
For years, they had grown up on tales of Ace, Luffy, and their brothers. Though their parents always warned them never to turn out like those "notorious villains" who called themselves pirates, the kids had caught their parents and the village elders beaming with fond smiles whenever the conversation drifted back to Luffy and his crew.
A warm, radiant image of Luffy had quietly taken root in their imaginations.
Previously, they had only ever laid eyes on Luffy's bounty posters. For the children who had only started taking in the world over the past two years, the figures of Luffy and his brothers remained cloaked in a veil of heroic mystery.
Today!
They had finally beheld the living legends in the flesh!
How could anyone expect them to drift off to sleep under such circumstances?
And so...
"Hey, hey! Big Brother Luffy, tell us more stories about your adventures..."
"Yeah! We haven't heard nearly enough!"
"Big Brother Ace and Big Brother Drake too! You must have had some incredible, pulse-pounding escapades all across the Grand Line. Tell us some more..."
"Urgh!" Ace's expression shifted dramatically. Dealing with children was his absolute weakest skill.
Even with Luffy, his default response growing up had been to resort to physical discipline.
As for showing gentleness... that was something he only learned after Sabo and Drake had left...
Seizing a sudden flash of inspiration, Ace whipped his head around. "Oi, Sabo! You..."
Before he could finish, he noticed Sabo was already swarmed by a tight cluster of eager children, peppered with relentless questions about his days in the Revolutionary Army.
"Hey, hey! What's life like in the Revolutionary Army? Do you guys have specialized physical training routines?"
"Are there all kinds of crazy missions?"
"What are your comrades like...?"
"Tell us, tell us, Big Brother Sabo!"
Ace: "..."
Witnessing the scene, Ace realized appealing to Sabo for rescue was a dead end.
"Luffy!" Mayor Woop Slap suddenly hoisted himself up, addressing Luffy and his brothers. "And you three as well! I know full well that all of you have grown into figures standing at the absolute summit of the world."
"I'll spare you the long speeches. Tonight's banquet is held entirely to celebrate your homecoming. Come, let's raise a glass!"
A chorus of joyous laughter erupted as one villager after another hoisted their wooden mugs.
"Luffy, it's only been two years, but Foosha Village genuinely feels empty without you around. Tonight, we drink until we drop!"
"Come on! Cheers!"
Sensing the mood, the children very sensibly scampered off to the side to give the adults room.
"Shishishishi..." A sudden chuckle broke the air. Luffy vaulted to his feet, clutching a massive hunk of meat on the bone.
With lightning speed, he crammed the meat into his mouth, snatching up his wine mug with his free hand.
"AHAHAHA... In that case..."
"Cheers!" Luffy stretched his rubber arm all the way across the table, clinking his cup against the others.
"Cheers!" Ace, Sabo, and Drake rose in unison.
For the four of them, returning to Foosha Village had been an unplanned detour; their true missions and voyages were far from over.
The journey had to continue.
They could never afford to stagnate.
"Hahaha, Luffy, come here! It's been far too long, you and I need to share a few private rounds."
"Ace, count me in on that."
"Sabo, Drake! Don't just sit there..."
The atmosphere reached a fever pitch of celebration.
Nearby, Makino watched the scene unfold with a gentle, glowing smile. Those former little monsters who used to turn the village upside down had all matured into legendary titans of the high seas.
Simply watching them filled her chest with an overwhelming, cozy warmth.
Seeing them stride confidently down the paths they had chosen brought her complete and utter satisfaction.
What could possibly be more heartwarming than witnessing smiles on their faces that mirrored the boys they used to be?
Right as the revelry peaked, Ace roared over the din, "Everyone! Actually, I have one more piece of amazing news to share. The truth is..."
The crowd's attention snapped toward Ace instantly, every pair of eyes fixed on him with eager anticipation as they awaited his next words.
Makino looked on with curious wonder, glancing between Ace and Sabo's faces, trying to guess what kind of stunning news he was about to drop.
At that moment, Sabo and Drake exchanged a glance, breaking into simultaneous, knowing grins.
Luffy, meanwhile, had begun performing a bizarre, self-invented dance all by himself in the center of the clearing, completely ignoring Ace's speech.
Judging by that reaction, the secret undoubtedly revolved around Luffy.
Instantly, Makino's excitement spiked. Any news concerning Luffy was guaranteed to be wonderful.
How could she not be on the edge of her seat?
"Ace! Spit it out, what's the good news? We're dying over here!"
"Hahaha..."
"Alright!" Ace nodded, sweeping his gaze across the assembled faces before breaking into a wide smile. "The good news is... Luffy has finally realized his childhood dream!"
"He has become... the new Pirate King!"
The roaring, deafening celebration cut out instantly, plunging the clearing into absolute silence. Only Luffy remained in the middle, blissfully continuing his cheerful little dance.
Even Dadan, who hadn't lifted her head from her food since the banquet began, snapped upright, her eyes bulging to the size of saucers.
"Huh?" Noticing the sudden change in atmosphere, Luffy paused, blinking in confusion. "What's wrong?"
"The Pirate King?!"
Someone shouted the words aloud.
"Is this for real? Luffy... did you really become the Pirate King?"
"Yeah." Luffy flashed them a wide, toothy grin and nodded affirmatively.
Confirmation straight from Luffy's own mouth detonated like a thunderclap across the gathering.
Every single villager stood frozen in utter stupefaction.
Makino clamped both hands over her mouth, too stunned to utter a single syllable, while the massive chunk of meat Dadan had just shoved into her mouth slid clean out and fell into the dirt.
"Eh?!"
"The news only broke about a day ago, so it hasn't made print yet. Given the morning paper's schedule, tomorrow morning is when the papers will carry the story across the seas," Ace explained with a grin.
Deep into the small hours of the night, practically the entire population of Foosha Village had drunk themselves into a stupor.
Having no intention of pacing themselves in the first place, once the revelation of Luffy's coronation hit, the villagers had escalated the celebration into a fierce, no-holds-barred drinking marathon.
Fortunately, Drake possessed enough self-preservation to slip away quietly into the shadows right after the opening toast.
Atop the wooden roof of a Foosha Village cottage, Drake sat in solitude, letting the cool night breeze wash over him.
Gazing out at the familiar sights of the village, a wave of profound nostalgia washed over his soul.
He knew they couldn't linger here for long; they would likely set sail again come morning.
Ace and the others would undoubtedly do the same.
Their journeys were far from finished, and returning here had been a welcome deviation. After all, standing upon one's homeland invariably stirred a quiet, secret yearning to leave the chaos behind and settle into a peaceful life.
"So this is where you're hiding, Drake." A figure blurred through the air, materializing right beside him on the shingles.
"Why aren't you still down there drinking?"
Gazing out into the familiar, starlit night, Drake spoke quietly, "Ace... I suppose we'll be leaving this place tomorrow..."