The Abyss Has Long Been Gazing Upon You

"Please... can you save him?"

Makino turned her head, her pale lips pressed tightly together, and looked at Shirahoshi beside her with an almost humble, pleading gaze.

Rationally, she knew very well that Luffy shouting that he would go to sea and become the Pirate King was, in itself, a challenge to the authority of the World Government.

As one of those in power, Shirahoshi had no reason whatsoever to save a rebel.

But emotionally, watching that boy who was practically half a son to her struggling on the brink of death, she truly could not remain indifferent.

"Save him? Miss Makino, you're underestimating him far too much. He has his own great adventure ahead of him, you know."

Shirahoshi admired the footage casually, the corner of her mouth curving into a meaningful smile.

"Did you know? The Devil Fruit he ate is recorded by the World Government as a fruit revered by countless prophecies as one of destiny. He is the chosen child fated to raise the banner of rebellion at this specific point in the era and overthrow the rule of the World Government."

"You... you knew all of this from the start?!"

Makino only felt a thunderous buzz in her head, as if she had been struck by lightning.

As for the secrets of Luffy's fruit, when Shanks and Dragon had plotted in the tavern, they had only occasionally lowered their voices, but they had not deliberately hidden it from her.

In those two men's descriptions, the true name of Luffy's fruit and what it represented had always been treated by them as the highest secret, a secret that absolutely could not be allowed to become known to the World Government.

Logically, the World Government should never have known any of this.

In Shanks and the others'