Garp, How Could You Forget Something Like That?!

East Blue, Mount Colubo.

The cicadas chirped noisily in the woods, raising a cloud of dust on the dirt road in the mountains.

"Luffy! Ace! Stand at attention!"

Garp grabbed one of the kids by the back of the collar, his beard practically sticking up to the sky in anger.

The two children were kicking their legs in mid-air, each with a large red bump on their head, but they still stubbornly refused to back down.

"The number of pirates I've captured could stretch all the way to Marine Headquarters!"

"You guys are something else, always talking about going to sea and becoming pirates! What's wrong with being a navy?!"

"Let me go! I want to be the Pirate King!"

Luffy flailed his arms and legs wildly, his Straw Hat strap dangling around his neck.

Ace frowned as well. "What I do in the future is none of your business."

"Fine! You're all being stubborn, aren't you!"

Garp lifted the two kids up, preparing to continue his lesson.

Just then, a soft sound came from beside me.

Click.

An Air Door slowly opened.

"Hey, old man Garp."

Ron stepped out of the door, his gaze sweeping over the two children hanging in mid-air. A smirk played on his lips. "Are you disciplining your grandchildren, or have you just caught two little bounty hunters?"

Garp was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, loosened his grip, and the two children fell to the ground with a "thud".

"Ron! You've come at the right time! Quickly teach these two good-for-nothing brats a lesson for this old man!"

"Open the door, brother!"

Luffy's eyes lit up instantly. He scrambled to his feet and dashed to Ron, stretching out his long arms to hook himself onto him.

"Why are you coming out through the door again? Is it okay to go inside and play?"

"Let's get down first and then talk."

Ron laughed and pushed him back to the ground.

Ace brushed the grass clippings off his pants and casually walked this way.

"Haven't seen you for a long time."

"Great, you've grown quite a bit taller."

Ron patted him on the shoulder, his tone casual. "I just heard that you two are still determined to become pirates?"

"That's right!"

Luffy straightened his chest.

"I want to be the Pirate King!"

Ace gazed at the distant sea.

"We promised each other that we'd go to sea when we grow up."

"Including Sabo's share."

Upon hearing this name, Ron instinctively glanced at Garp.

"Sabo? You haven't received any news from him?"

Luffy gripped his Straw Hat tightly.

"What news? His ship was sunk by that bad guy with the bubble hood!"

"We searched for a long time, but we couldn't find him..."

Ace kept his head down.

That's why we agreed to take his share too.

Ron turned to look at Garp.

"Grandpa Garp."

"Ah?"

Garp, with half a rice cracker in his mouth, looked up with a blank expression.

"Didn't you tell them that Sabo is still alive?"

Click.

The senbei in Garp's mouth broke in two.

He was stunned.

"... ah?"

The words had barely left his mouth.

Ace suddenly raised his head, Luffy jumped up even more.

"What--?!!"

"Brother Ron! You're saying Sabo is still alive?!"

Ron didn't answer, he just stared at Garp.

"Kuma sent me a photo before."

"It's a blond kid that Dragon saved; he looks exactly like Sabo."

"At the time, it hadn't been fully verified yet. Didn't I ask you to tell them first that Sabo might still be alive?"

Garp was stunned for a long time.

"Uh... it seems like that's true."

"Then what?"

"I originally intended to wait until I had a clearer understanding of the situation before making a decision... but then I forgot about it."

"Forgot--?!!"

Ace exploded on the spot, veins throbbing on his forehead. "You damn old man! How could you forget something like this?!"

Luffy lunged at Garp and hugged his arm, tears and snot smeared all over his clothes. "Chicken Sauce!!"

"You knew perfectly well that Sabo might not be dead! Why didn't you tell us?!"

Hey! Don't pull my clothes!

Garp, flustered, said, "Back then, even I wasn't sure if it was true or false!"

"Why don't you go and check?"

"Exactly! Stupid Chicken Sauce!!"

Two little devils clung to him, one on each side, pulling and making a ruckus.

Garp raised his fist several times, but ultimately couldn't bring himself to actually punch it. He could only stubbornly shout, "I just forgot! Okay?"

Ron sighed, rubbing his forehead.

I shouldn't have expected you to remember things.

Seeing that both children's eyes were red, he stopped joking and waved.

"Come here, sit down and talk. I have definite news."

Ace and Luffy immediately let go of Garp and rushed to Ron.

"Tell me quickly! What happened to Sabo?!"

Ron found a flat, large rock to sit on, and waited until both of them were quiet before slowly speaking, "Sabo's ship was indeed sunk by the Celestial Dragons back then, but someone arrived in time and rescued him from the sea."

"He was badly injured when he was rescued and was unconscious for a long time, but he pulled through in the end."

"I've fully recovered now, I can run and jump again, and I'm still learning new skills from others."

Luffy's mouth was agape, tears still clinging to his cheeks, which he had forgotten to wipe away.

"Really? You're not lying to me?"

"Real."

Ace stared into Ron's eyes, his voice trembling slightly. "You saw him with your own eyes?"

"No. But I've had a reliable person verify it."

Ron paused, then said, "The person who saved him is called Dragon, Sabo is indeed alive and well."

When the name "Dragon" was mentioned, he glanced at Garp.

Garp blushed for once, pretending to look up at the sky, and whistled.

Luffy's tears welled up instantly.

"Great... Sabo isn't dead!"

Ace lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

He thought he would never see Sabo again in his life.

Suddenly, Ace looked up sharply.

"Where is he now?"

"Can we go find him?"

He's with the people who rescued him and he's safe.

Ron shook his head. "I can't just say the exact location, and I can't reveal their hiding place over there either."

"However, there's something I need to clarify with you first."

He paused, then softened his tone.

"Sabo injured his head that time, and he can't remember many things from the past."

Luffy looked up, his face streaked with tears, and asked, bewildered, "What's wrong?"

"Including you."

"He... forgot about us?"

Luffy was stunned.

You don't even remember Ace?

Ron nodded.

Luffy lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

"But we're brothers..."

Ace pressed down on Luffy's shoulder.

So what if you forget?

"Just being alive is enough."

"If we meet again in the future, we can just get to know each other again, right?"

Even if he doesn't remember, we do.

Luffy paused for two seconds, then suddenly raised his arm and vigorously wiped his face, covering his tears with them.

"Right!"

"We'll have another sworn brotherhood drink then! Three big bowls!"

"You're still young, why are you drinking?"

Ron couldn't help but laugh.

"Then let's drink juice!"

Garp stood to the side, having long since stopped chewing on his senbei.

He reached out his large hand and patted the two children's heads somewhat awkwardly.

"This matter... is my fault for not handling it well."

Ace snorted, but didn't dodge.

Luffy immediately looked up, sniffling, and said, "Grandpa, you mustn't forget again next time!"

"Okay, okay!"

"Real?"

"Really! I guarantee it!"

Ron looked at him and slowly added, "Why does that sound so familiar? You made the same promise last time."

"You brat! You want a punch too?!"

Laughter finally broke the silence on the mountain path again.

After resting for a while, Luffy sat on a rock, swinging his legs, and suddenly looked up and asked, "Brother Ron, once we set sail, will we be able to find Sabo?"

"When you have the ability to get to where he is, you'll have a chance to see him."

"Then I must become stronger!"

Ace nodded emphatically beside him.

Looking at the light in their eyes, Ron casually asked, "So, even knowing Sabo is still alive, you still want to be pirates?"

"Certainly!"

Luffy didn't even think about it.

Ace nodded.

"I don't want others to dictate how I live my life."

"Then why does it have to be pirates?"

"Ah?"

Luffy tilted his head, not understanding.

Who says going to sea means you have to become a pirate?

Ron took a piece of paper out of his pocket and handed it to Ace.

"Marine Headquarters has recently begun piloting Adventure Ship Registration."

"You can still go on sea adventures without stealing ships or harming anyone."

Ace looked down at the paper.

"No need to be a pirate?"

"Of course not."

Ron smiled.

"Which island you want to go to, what treasure you want to find, that's your own business."

"As long as it's not illegal, the navy has no reason to chase after you."

Luffy immediately leaned in, his face almost touching the paper.

"Can we go to the Sky Island?"

"If you're so capable, then go up there."

What about Fish-Man Island?

"We'll see when we get there."

"Where's ONE PIECE?!"

You're amazing if you can find it.

"Can we ask Sabo?!"

Ron laughed, "Of course you can, the sea isn't just for pirates."

Wow! That sounds a lot like One Piece!

"Not at all."

Ron glanced at Luffy.

If they really resort to the pirate tactics, they'll still capture you.

Ace frowned.

"We never intended to harm ordinary people."

"That settles it."

Ron pointed to Garp beside him.

"You don't want to set sail only to find the old man chasing after you with warships, bombarding you with cannonballs, do you?"

The two imagined the scene and simultaneously shuddered.

Garp nodded vigorously beside him, his mustache bristling with delight. "Yeah! Adventure Group is great! It's much better than being a pirate!"

Luffy suddenly raised his hand.

"But... can Adventurer become the Pirate King?"

The title 'Pirate King' is naturally associated with pirates.

"Then I still want to be the Pirate King!"

Luffy pulled his Straw Hat down over his head.

Shanks said, "The Pirate King is the freest person on the sea!"

Garp raised his fist again.

Ron reached out to stop him.

"Fine, you can be it if you want."

"However, before that, let's figure out what the ocean is like."

Luffy scratched his head.

Ace glanced down at the paper again.

"I'm actually quite interested in this Adventure Group."

He folded the documents and stuffed them into his clothes.

The sky was getting dark.

Luffy suddenly jumped off the rock and ran into the depths of the forest.

"Ace! Let's go! Time for training!"

"Hey! Wait for me!"

"Sabo! You wait for us!"

Luffy and shouted, his voice carrying far along the mountain path.

I will definitely find you!

Ace didn't shout back, but quickly followed after them.

Garp watched the two children run off into the distance, then turned to look at Ron.

"Adventure Group..."

He stroked his chin. "It seems... to be more reliable than being a pirate."

Ron smiled.

"Sir, you should first remember what you need to remember."

"Haha! I got it, I got it!"

Ron shook his head as he watched Garp laugh carefree.

Never mind.

I'll keep an eye on it myself this time.