A Lifetime Missed

Ryokugyu tossed out a harsh parting remark and left without hesitation, like a gust of wind—drifting in lightly and drifting away just as lightly.

With Shanks and Dragon joining forces, he had no desire to die here today.

"Luffy, what's wrong with Luffy?"

Dragon shook Luffy's arm. When Luffy failed to respond, he turned to Sabo with a questioning look.

Sabo explained what had happened to Luffy's companions.

"I see." Dragon reached out to check Zoro and the others' vital signs, then slapped Luffy on the head.

"Listen, Luffy. Your companions are only seriously injured; they aren't dead. You need to pull yourself together. Right now, you're the only one they can rely on."

Hearing his father's words, the vacant look on Lin Qi's face eased slightly. He clenched his fists, his nails digging into his flesh, and said in heart-wrenching pain, "This is all my fault. I'm the one who got them hurt!"

Luffy recalled their past adventures.

All along the way, they had laughed and fought their way through everything, charging headfirst at enemies without any real strategy.

Pirates, Enies Lobby, Impel Down—one enemy after another had fallen beneath their feet.

Their long streak of success had made him naturally overlook just how severe the consequences of failure could be.

For the first time, Luffy thought about his crew's future from the perspective of a captain.

This time, they had failed, and his father and Shanks had come to save them.

But what about next time?

Did he have to watch his companions die one by one before he learned to regret it?

He wasn't a qualified captain!

If he had thought things through more carefully, if he had stayed calmer, if he had been stronger, perhaps none of this would have happened.

Luffy was drowning in guilt,