In Hitetsu's telling, he was a man as dazzling as the blazing sun.
"That man named Ace broke free of the thick hemp ropes we'd tied him with in an instant, as easily as snapping a few blades of dry grass!"
"At that moment, crimson flames rose around him. All the villagers closed their eyes in despair, thinking we'd enraged a powerful pirate. We braced ourselves for brutal revenge, perhaps even a massacre."
"But..."
Hitetsu's voice trembled slightly. "Not only did he not unleash his fury, he actually put out the flames.
He brushed the dirt off himself and looked at us, the thieves who'd stolen his food. Then he broke into a smile as warm as the sun and asked us loudly:
'Hey, everyone! Did you get enough to eat?!'"
"We were all too stunned to speak."
"What kind of pirate worries about whether the bandits who stole his food have eaten their fill?!"
"From that day on, rather than leaving, Ace stayed in the village with his companions for several weeks."
"He helped us hunt and taught us to fight. Tama, especially, grew incredibly attached to him. She trailed after him every day like a little shadow."
"Who could have imagined it?"
Hitetsu let out a long sigh, tears glimmering at the corners of his eyes.
"In this hell called the Land of Wano, a group of shipwrecked pirates saved our lives in the gentlest way imaginable."
When Hitetsu finished his story, the only sound in the house was the crackle of burning wood.
Luffy sat quietly, the shadow beneath his hat's brim hiding his eyes.
After a long while, he slowly raised his head, his lips curling into a radiant smile filled with pride and longing.
"Hehe... so that's what happened!"
Luffy's voice was clear and firm,