Reluctant to Leave Their Companions, Setting Sail Once More

"You who once gave up on your 'dreams'..."

Don't try to take away someone else's dream!

Although Luffy mastered Conqueror's Haki Entwine during the battle, to be honest, for the young the Red Earl, it was nothing more than a superficial injury from a sudden, unexpected punch. What silenced the Red Earl as he rose from the ruins was Luffy's indomitable will and the contrast between him and Luffy...

"Don't deny the boss's dream!"

Just then, the little Tanuki Pajon ran up to the Red Earl and confronted Luffy. The Red Earl didn't argue, but Pato couldn't stand it anymore.

"The boss always says this: those people are much more than that..."

He had just earned the title of King of the Pirates when he surrendered to the Navy due to a terminal illness, and then had his head chopped off in his hometown...

The World's Strongest Man had no notable achievements at Marineford and ultimately died from being ganged up on...

"To die without being able to unleash one's full potential... Boss is very unwilling!"

"So, the boss... has never abandoned anything important!!"

In the Red Earl's heart, the most important thing is actually 'friends'.

He was simply upset about the fate of his friends.

"That's enough, Pato."

The Red Earl slowly stood up and took a step forward, looking at the swaying but still determined 'Luffy' before him. Compared to him, his own young body seemed so weak.

"I attempted to use my borrowed 'youth',"

"Go chase after the borrowed 'dream'..."

The Red Earl placed his hand on the head of elderly Luffy, who needed to support himself on his knees to stand, startling the Straw Hat crew! However, Roman's outstretched arm stopped their impulsive steps, because:

Buzzing~~

As if time were reversing, Luffy's emaciated body regained its fullness, his wrinkles smoothed out, and his silver hair turned jet black—

"... It's... recovered?"

"I entrusted my dreams to them without my consent, and after they left, I took it upon myself to inherit their dreams..."

While Luffy was still in shock, the Red Earl had already turned and walked towards another victim.

"They gave up fighting against 'aging' and chose the easy path of 'eternal youth'."

The Red Earl squatted down in front of Yadoya, the innkeeper girl whose 'lifespan' he had absorbed, and placed his hand on her aged face.

Buzzing~~

As the girl returned to her original form, the Red Earl transformed back into the appearance of a sinister old man.

"I've realized it, Straw Hat Luffy!"

The old man turned around, his cloak billowing, his face no longer showing the anger and resentment of before, but instead regaining its composure and arrogance.

"The title of King of the Pirates is not something that can be obtained cheaply by borrowing youth and borrowing dreams."

The old man opened his arms and Luffy.

"I will use this aging body to surpass Newgate, Roger, and everyone else!"

Even if I'm alone...

"I want to become the 'King of the Pirates' too!!"

With the Red Earl's declaration, a crimson Haki that soared to the sky erupted from his body!

This Haki was so intense that it materialized into a visible crimson aura filled with pride, confidence, domineering, and an indomitable spirit. It shot out in all directions like a thousand arrows, and surged towards everyone in waves like waves of blood.

Under this impact, the weaker members of the Straw Hat crew instinctively took a big step back and hid behind their companions, while only a few main force members fearlessly stood at the front.

"Hey, hey, hey, with that kind of aura... you can't see any signs of aging at all."

Zoro gripped the hilt of his sword, his words fierce, yet a smile played on his lips. The others' expressions also softened. In any case, it seemed today's events were about to end 'peacefully'.

Whew~~

Roman, who had been tense all along, also breathed a sigh of relief.

As expected of Luffy, even a top-tier powerhouse like the Red Earl is subdued by his aura...

"It's not just one person!"

Meanwhile, the little Tanuki Pajon caught up with the Red Earl and stood beside him.

"Boss Red, I want to be with you! I want to help you!"

"No matter if I'm abandoned or kicked away, I will never give up! Because this is my freedom, and this is my dream!!"

·······

"Heh, it seems the plan to entrust you to the Straw Hat crew has failed."

From the very beginning, it was the Red Earl who deliberately sent Pato onto the Straw Hat crew's path. Because they were aiming for the 'King of the Pirates' throne, because they were going to face that invincible figure for eight hundred years, they arranged their escape route early on...

"Fine,"

"This is King of the Pirates King's journey of 'one man and one tanuki'! Pato, then come along with this old man on the way!"

"Yes, Boss Red!!"

"Hehehe~~ See? As long as you persevere, you'll see results."

The little tanuki smiled as it looked at the grinning Luffy.

"Thank you, Luffy, Tanuki~~"

"But--"

As a morning sea breeze swept by, the magnificent captain's coat left behind by the 'copycat Luffy's rustled loudly—that's right, the coat wasn't an illusion, but an outfit that the 'copycat Luffy's had somehow acquired, and even after it disappeared, the coat representing the 'King of the Pirates' remained.

Call,

The sea breeze lifted the coat, and it flew all the Luffy's side, where he grabbed it and draped it over his shoulders!

"I'm going to be the King of the Pirates!"

·······

"Then let's go!"

The little raccoon climbed onto the Red Earl's shoulder and pointed his umbrella at the entire Straw Hat crew, while the other members of the Straw Hat crew walked Luffy, who was wearing the King of the Pirates's coat.

"Roman, that gust of wind just now..."

"Hehe, don't you think that captain's coat suits Luffy very well?"

"Whatever makes you happy,"

Of course it's a perfect match. It was originally something that Luffy copied, so it's like Luffy chose it himself. —Although Luffy usually seems indifferent to everything, his aesthetic sense is always on point.

Well, aside from his obsession with firing lasers and transforming...

"Bring it on--"

This time, there were no other distractions. Both sides focused solely on the battle.

The White Knight's armor was accompanied by raging winds and crackling lightning, while his black and white longswords slashed across the ground. The three samurai swords were shrouded in a dark, Haki, ghostly energy, and murderous intent, tearing everything apart. His jet-black legs kicked out in rapid succession, their kicks fierce and unstoppable, burning like fire. Amidst the rolling waves, his fists were swung out day after day for decades.

There are also wind, clouds, thunder, lightning, plant bullets, Seven-Stage Transformation, Ice Rapier, laser cannons, petal arms...

As well as:

"Rubber Tyrant Lion Spinning Ball!"

As Luffy's Gear Fourth Gear spinning fist, imbued with Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, slammed into the Red Earl's chest with a trail of black Inazuma, the crimson figure flying backward signified the end of this 'King of the Pirates' battle.

Bang!

They lost.

Indeed, this era belongs to you.

Before the panting Straw Hat crew, the Red Earl slowly stood up, straightened his bright red scarf and purple ruffled collar, and then:

Snap,

The old man knelt on the ground.

"Boss Red..."

Seeing the worried look in Pato's eyes as he transformed from a fountain pen into a little raccoon, the Red Earl patted his head affectionately.

"In the end... the gap between being single was just too long."

After decades of peaceful living in Impel Down, and then fighting a battle with his own body, it seems...

It's not so bad to lose to these young people?

Clang, clang~~

As soon as the Red Earl uttered the words of surrender, the entire Straw Hat crew instantly collapsed to the ground, limp and exhausted.

"Tsk, if this counts as a 'single period,' then what are we...?"

Roman, sitting on the ground, glanced self-deprecatingly at the Red Earl, who still had the energy to tidy his appearance, and pursed his lips.

"You old men who live on the high seas are all incredibly strong, like monsters. And you still have the nerve to say you're old..."

"Heh, that's enough for today."

The Red Earl stood up and placed the little Tanuki Pajon on his shoulder, while Brook, after catching his breath, sheathed the Soul Solid in his hand, his empty eyes looking at the sinister old man in front of him, connecting him with the reclusive boy deep in his memory.

"Oh, it's you, Patrick Redfield."

When he was still human, the Rumbar Pirates passed through a village, and the carefree, joyful music attracted a reclusive boy.

Why is joy the only thing in your hearts?

In response to the boy's question, the man with a thick afro, small sunglasses, and a scar on his forehead let out his signature laugh.

'What reason is there? Isn't music meant to bring joy to people?'

'Can I be like you?'

Of course, on this vast ocean, everyone is bound to meet true friends! And everyone will surely have moments of hearty laughter!

"Later you also went to sea,"

Brook looked at his former junior, the legendary Great Pirates now with a full head of white hair, with a sigh. Although things had changed, things remained the same:

"'Pato' was your nickname when you were a newcomer; you gave him your name—"

His wistful gaze fell on the little raccoon on the Red Earl's shoulder.

"From the very beginning, you have never given up anything."

This is the origin of the little raccoon's name.

"I never expected to run into you here, 'Humming Three-Verse' senior Brook."

Although Brook usually has a weird and funny skeleton look, he is actually a 90-year-old skeleton.

"Hahaha~~~"

The rosy-cheeked old man laughed heartily, "Today is truly a wonderful day!"

As the sun rose above the horizon, golden sunlight fell upon the island, causing the Red Earl to open his umbrella to shield his face, leaving only a slight upturn of his lips visible.

"Let's go, Pato."

"Our journey is only just beginning—"

As the old man walked away into the rising sun, the Straw Hat crew all wore smiles, except for:

"Count the Red Earl, remember not to use our clones to cause trouble. And if possible, please don't attack the navy—you know why."

"Hey, hey, hey, the atmosphere's all ruined!"

"Roman is really..."

"I played all night, and I feel like I'm falling apart."

"When faced with difficulties, take a nap!"

"Sanji, I want to eat meat! I'm starving!"

······

"Here it is?"

When the innkeeper, the bespectacled girl Yadoya, woke up, she saw a battlefield in ruins and a group of Straw Hat crew lying soundly asleep next to her.

And Roman, the only one sitting on guard.