A Letter of Allegiance

"You—"

With his short pink hair and patterned headband, the young Marine standing opposite him looked very familiar to Luffy. But in his emotional state, he could not remember who the man was.

"Luffy, it's been three or four years since we parted ways at Water 7. You're still the same as ever."

Seeing the astonishment on his old friend's face, Koby smiled faintly.

Come to think of it, their last meeting had been after the "Enies Lobby Incident." To meet again aboard the Moby Dick today truly showed how fate toyed with people.

"Koby!"

At the mention of Water 7, not only Luffy but even Roronoa Zoro recognized who he was.

Wasn't this young man wearing a lieutenant commander's insignia their old friend, the cowardly Koby, from before Zoro and Luffy had set sail?

"Mr. Zoro, and everyone from the Straw Hat Pirates, it's been a long time."

They were all old acquaintances. There was no need to be at each other's throats. Koby quietly dispersed his Armament Haki and nodded at the Straw Hat Pirates, whose expressions all varied.

"You know each other?"

Seeing the expressions on Koby's and the Straw Hat Pirates' faces, Marco, captain of "Whitebeard's" Second Division, was somewhat surprised.

He had never expected a band of pirates to have ties with the infamous Marines of the New World.

"Old friends."

Before Luffy and the others could speak, Koby answered first, his tone full of emotion.

Meeting an old friend under such circumstances was not what he wanted.

Especially now, when their positions were so clearly divided. The identities of Marine and pirate were like an insurmountable chasm between them.

"Koby, what are you doing here?"

Luffy had wanted to settle things with Ace using his fists, but Koby's sudden interruption had disrupted his plans.