The Three Brothers' First Meeting

Dawn Island Coastline

The azure waves crashed against the golden sand, and the air was filled with the salty warmth of the sea breeze and sunshine.

Three figures suddenly appeared on the shore.

"Um?"

The moment he landed, Roy frowned slightly, his gaze passing over the woods and landing on his own yard in the distance.

A moment later, the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, a half-smile playing on his lips.

Ace keenly noticed the change in his expression and tilted his head to ask, "Roy, what's wrong?"

"Has Grandpa and Grandma prepared another big meal?" Luffy's eyes lit up, and he could almost smell it.

Roy didn't answer directly, but just smiled mysteriously, "Let's go, it seems we have guests."

"Guests?" Ace and Luffy exchanged a glance, their faces full of confusion.

Roy said no more and stepped into the wooded path.

Ace crossed his arms and followed, while Luffy, muttering "It must be delicious," jogged after him.

Dawn Island Rock Family Courtyard

As evening fell, the sunset glowed like gold, and wisps of smoke rose from the chimneys above the lush green old houses.

In the courtyard, Rock was wielding a large cleaver, his muscles clearly defined like iron in the twilight. With each rise and fall of the cleaver, giant cow bones were easily cleaved, and chunks of meat piled up like mountains.

Wearing an old apron, Airin deftly handled various seasonings, stir-frying, marinating, and simmering them in soup, all in one smooth motion.

Two unfamiliar young men were helping out nearby.

A Blond Hair boy was carrying a large piece of beef into the Kitchen;

Another girl with orange hair skillfully chopped vegetables, her movements clean and efficient.

In the corner of the yard, Sabo held a marinated steak, staring blankly at the mountain of meat piled on the cutting board.

"So much meat... Are you having a village feast?"

"This... this is way too outrageous..."

After preparing the vegetables, Koala stood beside a mountain of processed meat, her jaw nearly dropping in astonishment. "This amount should last us at least a month, right?"

"Haha!" Rock slung the knife over his shoulder, laughing heartily, "Is this all? Far from enough!"

"This is nothing! When my two grandsons come back, you'll see this isn't even enough to fill their teeth!" He spoke with the pride of someone showing off two mythical beasts.

"Yeah, especially Luffy!" Airin said with a smile, skillfully stirring the seasonings. "When I was little, watching him eat felt like watching a tornado go into the pot."

"Is that so...?" Sabo's face twitched slightly, and he almost dropped the beef in his hand. "Your grandson can eat so much?"

While silently stabilizing the rapidly falling pile of flesh, he muttered to himself, "What kind of constitution does this child have...?"

"You'll see in a bit," Rock said, his smile widening.

As they were talking--

"Squeak--"

The wooden door was pushed open, and familiar footsteps sounded.

"Dad and Mom, I'm home." A clear, deep male voice came from the doorway.

Before anyone could react, an even more excited shout rang out from the courtyard gate, "Grandpa and Grandma!! We're here!!"

A figure dashed in, followed closely by an even smaller and faster one.

"Bang!!"

"Ouch--"

"Whoa--!"

Thump!

Sabo was just turning around with a huge piece of pork rib in his hand when he was bumped right into by the two men who rushed in. The three of them rolled around in the yard, pork rib flying everywhere, cooking utensils rattling, chickens flying, and dogs running wild. The scene was as chaotic as Battlefield.

The air seemed to freeze instantly.

Ace, clutching his head, was the first to jump up, looking wary. "Who are you?!"

Luffy, still clinging to Sabo, blinked, "I don't remember you being in the village. Who are you?!"

Sabo lay on the ground, his face blank, staring at the two boys before him—

A tall, muscular man with his naval uniform open at the chest, exuding youthful energy and sharp wit;

The other one was shorter, but his eyes held a strange sense of familiarity... and a hint of warmth that stirred the heart.

His throat bobbed slightly, and his gaze unconsciously lingered on Luffy's face, like a lightning Inazuma piercing through his memories, striking the softest corner of his heart.

"This is... his grandson who can eat a lot?" He was shocked.

Just then, a lazy yet mocking voice rang out from the doorway. "Long time no see ~ Sabo."

Everyone was taken aback, and their gazes all turned to the doorway.

Roy leaned against the doorframe, looking relaxed, but his eyes held a deep, enigmatic meaning.

Upon hearing the voice, Sabo abruptly stood up. Seeing the newcomer, his expression immediately changed. "Mr. Roy...?"

"You actually remember me?" Roy walked in with a smile. "I heard you're the 'Chief of Staff the Revolutionary Army' now. Are you busy?"

Sabo nodded somewhat awkwardly. "I just didn't expect... to run into you here."

Roy casually closed the courtyard gate and chuckled, "Don't stand there, Sabo."

"Let's get ready to eat."

The setting sun painted the courtyard walls red, and the wind blew through the yard, carrying the aroma of firewood and hot soup. There were also three teenagers, reuniting for the first time after their fates had intertwined.

Dawn Island Rock Family Courtyard

The glow of the setting sun spilled into the courtyard, where smoke curled and the aroma of meat filled the air.

In the center of the courtyard stood a long table that could seat more than a dozen people, its surface already laden with a mouthwatering feast.

The whole roasted beef was glistening with fat, the skin slightly charred and exuding a savory aroma;

The rich beef broth was fragrant and delicious.

The sizzling steak, pan-seared, is served with a family-secret mushroom sauce;

The meatball soup simmers with fresh vegetables and golden meatballs; each pot is like a bubbling treasure.

Ace and Luffy were like two ferocious beasts that had escaped from a famine.

"Wow!! This beef leg is amazing!" Luffy shouted, his mouth full of food, "Grandpa--ten more plates, please!!"

"I said it first! I'm going to eat all of Grandma's secret garlic roasted ribs!" Ace picked up a whole plate of Barbecue, not even leaving the bones behind, his mouth full of sauce.

The plates were stacked higher than a person, and the soup bowls were piled up like a tower, leaving almost no empty space on the table.

Sabo and Koala stared in disbelief at the scene.

"Are these two people even human?! They can eat two cows in one meal?!"

Sabo was holding a knife and fork, cutting his steak with elegant movements, but his lips were twitching uncontrollably.

He stared at the two "devouring behemoths" before him and asked hesitantly, "Are they... Mr. Roy's brothers?"

Koala stared in disbelief at the scene, slowly swallowing the food in her mouth. "Is this some kind of meat-eating contest?"

"Haha!" Rock brought a large pot of beef bone soup to the table. "Don't be scared, these two rascals have always been like this. They can eat a lot, they can make a ruckus, and they can fight too."

Airin kept adding food and meat to her grandsons' plates, her face full of love. "Eat more, you're growing, you can't miss a single bite."

"Is your grandson's stomach filled with black holes...?" Sabo muttered to himself, continuing to eat but feeling uneasy about the meat in his bowl.

At this moment, Roy raised his glass and smiled faintly, "I've heard about what happened today... Sabo, it's all thanks to you."

Sabo quickly waved his hand, a hint of humility on his face. "It was just a coincidence, there was no difficulty in taking action."

"However..." He paused, his gaze falling on Roy, "I really didn't expect to see you again here, in this way."

His gaze gradually turned serious, and familiar images surfaced in his mind, his thoughts drifting back to two years ago—

(Pirate King- style flashback)

Two years ago, at the Revolutionary Army Headquarters in Baltigo.

That year, Sabo had just been identified as an "elite officer" and was rapidly rising in rank under Dragon's command, showing his talent and potential.

One day, he overheard officers whispering in the headquarters corridor, "I heard that the earliest version of 'Red Thought' was casually told to the leader by a naval officer back then?"

"Yes, who could have imagined that those words would become the core ideology of our Revolutionary Army..."

"You mean Vice Admiral Roy? The one who met with the leader and talked all night... and the leader developed the rudiments of his ideology the next day."

Sabo was deeply shaken.

"Roy...?!"

I developed a strong interest in this name.

"What kind of being is someone that even the leader of Dragon takes so seriously?"

Finally, one day, he met the legendary man at headquarters—

Roy, dressed in a crisp naval uniform with his cloak draped like the night sky, stood beside Dragon, his hands behind his back, his expression calm and profound.

Sabo mustered his courage and stepped forward to speak. From their first conversation, Sabo was deeply moved by the words that went straight to the heart of the matter, and remained unsettled for a long time.

"Want to overthrow the World Government? You'll have to solve your 'food' and 'land' problems first."

"Justice is not just a slogan; it is a reconstruction of order."

"The victory of the revolution lies not in overthrowing the enemy, but in the subsequent reconstruction."

At that moment, Sabo understood for the first time what "the weight of thought" meant.

"This person's understanding of the world... is terrifying! Class conflict, productivity revolution, armed seizure of power..."

"Every word gets straight to the point!"

A passionate Sabo immediately issued a challenge, eager to experience the power of this "mentor of thought."

Then--

Just two seconds.

He didn't even get a glimpse of Roy before he was pinned to the ground, like a broken toothpick.

That man... he's unbelievably strong.

From that day on, Sabo was completely convinced.

He began to actively learn and imitate, even taking notes of every word Roy said.

Back to the dining table

"Sabo? Sabo?"

Koala gently shook his shoulder.

"Ah... sorry, I spaced out." Sabo scratched the back of his head somewhat sheepishly.

"Your piece of meat is almost cold, don't waste it." Koala smiled and handed over the condiment plate.

However, she had barely finished speaking—

"I want that piece of meat!" Luffy had already reached out, his eyes fixed on the meat on Sabo's plate.

"Don't even think about it!" Sabo grabbed the plate, his movements as fluid as if he were blocking bullets on Battlefield.

Everyone was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, the sound of which made the entire courtyard feel even warmer.

The setting sun lengthened their shadows and also brought them closer together.

Roy looked at the harmonious scene before him with a calm expression, but deep within his quiet gaze, a deeply hidden ripple stirred.