The Straw Hat, Nika, and the Savior!
Straw Hat Kid, Sun God Nika, Monkey D. Luffy...
Storm originally thought that the phrase "I'm going to be the Pirate King" represented the Son of Freedom's relentless pursuit of his dream.
But later...
Only then did Storm realize it.
This is not a romantic adventure story about "a person's dream never ending".
The so-called "I'm going to be the Pirate King".
This statement cannot even be called a "dream".
Rather, it was an incredibly accurate prophecy of a chosen one's own future!
Storm originally thought...
Monkey D. Luffy ate the Rubber Fruit, and it was a monkey who picked up the stick from the ground.
That monkey will use its stick to explore, struggle, and fight for a brilliant and dazzling life.
But later, he learned that --
Not all monkeys are the same.
The story of the Straw Hat Kid.
It was never some "idiot kid who ate the fruit of comedy".
This means the Crown Prince has finally reclaimed the imperial jade seal that was ordained by Heaven!
How ironic!
According to Storm...
From the moment the [Rubber Fruit] became the [Sun God Nika Fruit].
The story of Straw Hat Kid is no longer just about a passionate young man chasing his dreams.
The Great Pirate Era, a time of surging waves and towering tides.
The Straw Hat Pirates set sail from Foosha Village in the East Blue, defeating countless powerful enemies along the way, until they became the Pirate Emperor of the New World...
This story merely reveals a stark, bloody truth about the ocean to the world.
In this world, you need influence and connections.
Monkey D. Luffy, son of the revolutionary Dragon, grandson of Hero of the Marines, Red-Haired, successor to the Pirate King, owner of the [Sun God Nika Fruit], and reincarnation of the savior from eight hundred years ago...
How can you compare to those other petty thugs and small-time pirates?
According to Storm...
Of all Luffy's powerful allies, the one who had the most profound influence on him wasn't his father Dragon or his grandfather Garp, but rather someone who wasn't his father, yet was even more influential than him—
Shanks!
Shanks is a very interesting man, and he is shrouded in many, many mysteries.
He is the "youngest" of the Yonko, and also the "oldest" of the Yonko.
Shanks' life story is equally legendary.
He was an apprentice on Roger Pirates, the Captain of the Red-Haired Pirates, and the fourth Pirate Emperor of the New World.
And after the Summit War ended.
One by one, the Yonko' pirate crews of the Old Era are leaving the stage.
The Whitebeard Pirates, the BIG MOM Pirates, the Beasts Pirates...
One by one, they became history.
Shanks, as the last "Pirate Emperor of the Old Era," led his Red-Haired Pirates into the final battle for "ONE PIECE (the Great Treasure)."
This is a man who inherited history and propelled the future forward.
All along.
Storm didn't quite understand what Shanks was doing.
What puzzled him most was Shanks' attitude towards the [Rubber Fruit].
It was about six years ago.
That is, the year 1512 of the Grand Line Era.
Shanks led his subordinates in a forced ramming of the World Government's treasure ship and stole the unique [Rubber Fruit] from the vessel.
Judging from the situation at the time, Shanks was definitely aware of the unique properties of the [Rubber Fruit], which is why he deliberately launched this precise sniping operation and forcibly snatched this Devil Fruit from the World Government.
Because of that attack.
Who's Who, the former CP9 agent responsible for escorting the [Rubber Fruit], was punished by the World Government imprisoned. He later became Flying Six of the Beasts Pirates...
What was Shanks like six years ago?
At 27 years old, one is almost at the peak of human physiological function, and still has both hands intact!
This only exists in a fantasy world.
"Red-Haired both hands!"
Even if Shanks ate the Rubber Fruit on the spot and evolved into "Sun God Nika"...
Storm wouldn't find it strange at all.
But...
After accurately targeting and forcibly stealing the [Rubber Fruit], the Red-Haired Pirates did nothing else.
The Red-Haired Pirates simply arrived in the East Blue, at Dawn Island, and at Foosha Village...
Then we stayed here for a whole year!
Everyone knows what happened next...
The Rubber Fruit was eaten by a brat, Shanks "gambled" his arm on the new generation, entrusting his Straw Hat, inherited from Gol D. Roger, to the brat who ate the Rubber Fruit.
Throughout the whole affair.
What puzzled Storm the most was...
Why would someone other than Shanks come to the East Blue?
Why didn't Shanks, eat the Rubber Fruit himself?
Why would Shanks, lose to the Near Sea King and even have his arm bitten off by Near Sea King?
Instead...
Why Monkey D. Luffy?
Before that.
Shanks' life trajectory is also very clear.
Aside from when he was on Roger Pirates.
Shanks and Hero of the Marines Garp have absolutely no connection whatsoever—at least, there's no indication that their stories intersect.
This means that...
Shanks and Monkey D. Garp are not acquainted!
One of them is a pirate, and the other is a marine; their faction relationship is "hostile."
This leads to the conclusion.
When the Red-Haired Pirates arrived in the East Blue and set up camp in Foosha Village.
There's absolutely no way Shanks is staying here because of Monkey D. Luffy!
That [Rubber Fruit] couldn't possibly have been brought to Foosha Village specifically because Shanks wanted to give it to Luffy.
Unless Shanks has lost his mind.
Otherwise.
He went through countless hardships to steal the [Rubber Fruit] from the World Government.
Just to give this significant "fruit of destiny" to Hero of the Marines, to the enemy's grandson?
Storm was initially very puzzled by Shanks' specific methods of handling the [Rubber Fruit].
But from the moment he saw Portgas D. Ace.
Storm suddenly realized something.
Shanks probably didn't stay in Foosha Village for Luffy's sake.
Shanks probably came for Ace!
Ace was Roger's son.
It's highly likely that Shanks East Blue Foosha Village intention of entrusting both the [Rubber Fruit] and the [Straw Hat] to Ace.
As an apprentice in the Roger Pirates, he is the "third generation of Straw Hat Kid" after Joy Boy and Gol D. Roger.
Shanks handed over the Straw Hat entrusted to him by the Captain, along with the Rubber Fruit symbolizing a new era, to the Captain's son Ace...
This makes sense.
It's a pity.
The will of mortals cannot shake the will of gods.
As far as Storm knows.
Over the past eight hundred years.
The World Government has been relentlessly searching for the whereabouts of the [Rubber Fruit], constantly seeking to retrieve and seal away this "God Fruit" that once posed a great threat to them.
But it never succeeded.
Each Zoan Devil Fruit contains a unique will.
The so-called [Rubber Fruit].
That is, [Zoan, Human-Human Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Sun God Nika form].
The [Nika Fruit], named after a "god," seems to possess its own unique will, actively avoiding the clutches of the World Government.
Shanks, carrying the [Nika Fruit], crossed the sea and arrived at Foosha Village.
Perhaps he genuinely wanted to entrust the "divine fruit" and the "Straw Hat" to Ace.
However, the [Nika Fruit] did not choose this son of the Pirate King.
It appears that Monkey D. Luffy ate the [Rubber Fruit] by chance.
But in reality, it was the [Nika Fruit] that chose Monkey D. Luffy!
Storm rode his Blue-Eyes White Dragon and landed on a deserted island not far from Dawn Island.
The Near Sea King' corpse was left on the island like weeds.
Storm slowly drew his [Alcohol Iron Ore Katana] from his waist, intending to deal with the Sea King's corpse.
This is an incredibly enormous sea monster in the eyes of the people of the East Blue.
To Storm, however, it was a tiny, somewhat deformed Sea King...
It's only this big; it's a disgrace to the Sea King!
However.
Before Storm could even wield his knife to kill the fish...
Ace, who had been silent the whole way, finally spoke.
"What did you mean by 'Straw Hat,' 'Red-Haired,' and 'fate'...?"
Ace stared at Storm and asked the question that concerned him most.
"What do they have to do with my brother?"
"Simply put, there was a savior eight hundred years ago, and his will has been passed down from ancient times to this day."
Storm wielded his knife to kill the fish, bleeding it, scaling it, skinning it, removing the tendons, and deboning it, cleaning up pieces of fresh fish meat.
"That straw Straw Hat and that [Rubber Fruit] both belonged to the savior from eight hundred years ago."
"Your father, the Pirate King Gol D. Roger;"
"And your father's apprentice crew member, now the Pirate Emperor of the New World, Shanks."
"Both of them inherited the 'Straw Hat' of the savior from eight hundred years ago, and the former even inherited the surname 'D,' but neither of them inherited the savior's 'Devil Fruit ability.'"
"Until now, the 'Straw Hat' and the 'fruit' have appeared on your brother at the same time. He is also a descendant of the 'D Clan,' and he has obtained all the key items."
"How interesting, your brother, Monkey D. Luffy, he will be the destined savior!"
"Destiny or something..."
Ace clenched his fists tightly, staring at Storm in disbelief.
"Who would believe that!"
I just don't believe it.
Storm shrugged and said sarcastically.
"A guy who failed once eight hundred years ago has somehow become the savior that everyone is hoping for now."
"This kind of thing sounds absolutely ridiculous!"
"However, Portgas D. Ace, that's the truth."
"Your younger brother, Luffy, he has a 'D,' a 'Straw Hat,' and a 'Devil Fruit,' so he is the chosen one."
Storm swung his [Alcohol Iron Ore Katana], unleashing a fiery slash that ignited a raging inferno on the deserted island.
The meat chunks of the Near Sea King released a rich aroma as they were roasted over the flames.
The dazzling firelight illuminated Ace's face, revealing his ever-changing expression.
"Portgas D. Ace."
Storm looked at Ace and extended the invitation again.
"Do you want to come with me and smash this ridiculous, eight-hundred-year-old destiny of the sea?"
Two chapters delivered! 6k words! Please subscribe! Please vote with monthly tickets!
There will be more updates this afternoon; I'll try my best to update.