The Last Poneglyph

A straw hat drifted slowly down from the sky on the breeze, until a large hand caught it.

Holding the straw hat, Shanks walked step by step into the ruins of the collapsed castle. He stopped beside Luffy, who lay on the ground with several enormous boulders pinning down his arms and legs.

After fighting for so long, Luffy could no longer maintain his Nika Form. His hair had turned black again, and blood streamed from the huge slash across his chest.

Once the fighting stopped, all the pain and exhaustion that had built up came crashing down on him. Luffy found it hard even to catch his breath.

Just as Beckman had said, Luffy no longer had the strength to fight Shanks.

"What a shame. Looks like it's not time for me to take this hat back from you yet."

Shanks smiled softly and crouched down, placing the straw hat over Luffy's head.

"I'll have to ask you to keep looking after it, Luffy."

"You're really strong, Shanks. I thought I'd definitely beat you this time."

Luffy sighed regretfully. The hat slid off his face and landed on the ground. He stared blankly up at the blue sky.

"Hahaha! Well, don't lose heart, Luffy."

Shanks chuckled and sat down cross-legged, looking at Luffy with pride.

"You've already done something incredible. If we fought again, I might not win for sure."

"Really?!"

"Yeah, really."

"Then let's fight again, Shanks!"

Luffy pulled his limbs out from under the rocks and sprang upright, fighting spirit blazing in his eyes once more.

"This time, I definitely won't lose!"

"Give it a rest."

Seeing how fired up he was, Shanks waved him off with an exasperated look.

"I'm tired. More than a fight, all I want right now is to go back to the bar, drink, and rest."

Grrrrrr~

At that, Luffy's stomach rumbled reflexively, and hunger washed over him.

He covered his stomach, looking utterly dejected after being so fired up just a moment ago.

"Ahhh, I'm so hungry. I want meat."

Shanks: "..."

A while later, the tavern in Giant Village was lively once more, with members of several pirate crews mingling and raising their cups in a boisterous toast.

Huge round wooden tables filled the hall. In the middle, Shanks had one foot up on a table, his face flushed with drunken excitement as he raised his cup and shouted:

"Brothers! A toast to Luffy!"

"Woo!"

"Cheers!"

"Hahaha!"

The hall was filled with friendly cheer. At the bar, Nami leaned her arms on the counter and listened to the commotion behind her, looking exasperated.

"What is this? They were fighting like mad just now, and now they're all buddy-buddy."

"It's Luffy, after all. Maybe this is what being a pirate is all about."

Robin smiled softly, turning to look at Luffy, who was surrounded by the Red-Haired Pirates' officers as they cheered and clinked glasses with him.

He was always free and unconstrained, with freedom woven into everything he did. At the same time, he brought liberation and salvation to those around him.

If consciousness really did dwell within Devil Fruits, then perhaps that was why Nika and Luffy had been drawn to each other.

"Another toast to Luffy's crew!"

"Woo!"

"Cheers!"

The crowd erupted in cheers once more. Red-Haired eagerly raised his cup and downed it in one gulp, liquor trickling from the corner of his mouth.

While everyone was drinking heartily, Luffy had already gulped down his drink and escaped from the enthusiastic crowd.

"Hey, Robin!"

Luffy stretched his arm up to the bar, which stood over ten meters high, then swung himself up and crouched in front of Robin with a broad grin.

"Shishishi! It's about time we went to see him, right? The giant who took care of you."

"Mm."

Robin smiled faintly. "Are you all coming too?"

"Of course. It's a captain's duty to visit someone who took care of one of his crewmates."

Luffy nodded with a grin.

"Nice one, Luffy. I was wondering why you'd disappeared while we were drinking."

Shanks walked over from behind, sounding somewhat pleased.

"Well said, Luffy. Looks like you've really grown up. In that case, handing it over to you wouldn't be a bad choice."

"Handing what over to me?"

"An impression of the Poneglyph. You're only missing the last one, right?"

Shanks took a rolled-up sheet of paper tied with a cord from inside his coat and showed it to Luffy.

The tavern fell silent at the sight of it.

"That's..."

"An impression of a Road Poneglyph!"

"That's what can guide someone to Laugh Tale, the final island, and help them find the legendary Greatest Treasure."

As soon as the scroll appeared, everyone's attention turned toward it, their expressions varied.

Someone in the crowd swallowed, staring fixedly at the scroll in Shanks's hand and struggling to suppress the impulse stirring inside them.

Even Usopp and the others held their breath, unconsciously clenching their fists.

Only Luffy looked merely surprised by what Shanks had said.

"Wait, weren't you going to give it to me only after I beat you?"

"I lost our duel just now, didn't I? If so, I don't want it. I won't accept it until I've truly surpassed you, Shanks."

Luffy put his hands on his hips, turned away, and flatly refused.

Everyone who had been waiting around them stared in disbelief.

"Hey, that's the last Poneglyph you're missing!"

"He actually turned it down? Is he crazy? If he doesn't want it, he can give it to me!"

"Get lost! What's it to you? Do you think you deserve a treasure like this?"

"I've already accepted you, Luffy. And as for our duel..."

Shanks still wore a smile, seemingly unsurprised by Luffy's decision. He spoke gently.

"Pirate King isn't a title that measures someone's strength. I inherited Captain Roger's will, and I want to pass it on to the right person."

"And I chose that person twelve years ago, Luffy."

Shanks's voice was calm. As Luffy stared at him in a daze, he slowly reached out and offered him the impression.

"When you stood before me wearing that hat, my test was already over. Now it's up to you to fulfill the promise Captain Roger and I made, Luffy."

"Shanks..."

Luffy still seemed unable to take it all in. He accepted the scroll in a daze and looked down at the impression in his hands, his eyes clouded with emotion.

"From East Blue to the Grand Line, then the New World, you made your way to Elbaf, crossing this vast and turbulent sea. You gathered a crew who are every bit our equals, and you've been through countless adventures."

Shanks's deep voice echoed through the tavern, growing more impassioned.

"Go, Luffy! Reach the end of the Grand Line and pursue the greatest treasure of all!"

"One Piece!"