Brothers Reunited
After that call, the beach fell silent for a moment.
Zoro loosened his grip on his sword slightly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes, but he dared not completely let his guard down, his gaze remaining firmly fixed on the flying warship hovering high in the sky.
Sanji put away the lit match, his brow relaxed, but his toes remained taut, ready to protect his companions at any moment.
Nami pressed her hand to her chest and let out a long breath, her heart easing slightly, but she still gripped the Clima-Tact tightly, not daring to let her guard down.
On the high-altitude observation deck, a clear look of surprise flashed across Second Golden Lion's eyes.
He knew Sabo's identity— Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army.
He never expected that this key figure who was shaking up the world was also Straw Hat Luffy's sworn brother.
His fingertips unconsciously rubbed the hilt of the knife at his waist. His already cold expression darkened further. He didn't give the order to attack for the time being, but instead coldly watched everything that was happening on the beach.
Stussy's expression turned complicated.
The anger from Ace Teuchi the situation was still lingering in his heart, but when he saw Sabo clearly, most of that anger was suppressed.
She lived through the time of Rocks and knew all too well the significance of Monkey D. Dragon.
Garp's son, the man who dared to directly raise the flag of rebellion against the World Government.
She vividly remembered Garp's earth-shattering strength. The powerful background of the Revolutionary Army made her wary.
She glanced sideways at Weevil, who remained motionless and unresponsive beside her. Edward Newgate's son showed no sign of making his own decisions and was simply passively awaiting her commands.
Ace stood at the bow of the small boat, arms crossed, looking at Luffy on the beach, and sighed softly.
"Alright, Luffy, stop standing there crying like an idiot."
The sea breeze whipped up waves that pounded against the mudflats of the deserted island. On one side were the Straw Hat Pirates, and on the other were Ace and Sabo. The Flying Fleet hovering high in the sky was like a heavy, dark cloud covering the island.
Multiple forces have come face to face in this place, and conflict is still imminent, but it has been temporarily suppressed because of this unexpected reunion.
After a moment of silence, Second Golden Lion suddenly burst into a loud, unruly laugh, the sound piercing the sea breeze and overwhelming the roar of the waves.
He leaned down, bracing his hands on the railing of the lookout tower, his gaze sharp as an eagle's, looking down at the small boats on the sea.
"What? Sabo, Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, are you planning to formally intervene in this conflict on behalf of the Revolutionary Army?!"
The moment the words were spoken, a cacophony of responses erupted from the several hovering warships circling the deserted island.
The group of powerful pirates recently subdued by the Second Golden Lion couldn't contain themselves. Many of them, with bounties exceeding one billion Beli, stood by the ship's side, weapons in hand, their auras pressing down on the beach.
This group of people were already arrogant and unruly. They were impressed by the Admiral-Emperor Level strength of the Second Golden Lion and harbored a fervent desire to follow him and recreate the glory of the Flying Pirates once dominated the New World.
"The captain is asking you a question!"
"Mind your own business, Sabo!"
"Dare to stand in our way, and we'll crush you all!"
An overwhelming pressure poured down, causing the sand and stones on the beach to churn and roll in the wind.
Sabo of the ship, remained unmoved. The shadow of his wide-brimmed hat fell on half of his face, and his tone was calm yet resolute.
"As the Chief of Staff of the Revolutionary Army, I will not intervene in this war. But—"
He paused, his fists clenched slightly, and a determined light shone in his eyes.
"As the older brother, I can't just stand by and watch my younger brother face a threat!"
Luffy instantly stopped the tears that had welled up in his eyes from the reunion, quickly pulled himself away from his excitement, and his muscles tensed up abruptly.
The pale red of the Gear Second crept back onto his skin, his rubber arms curled slightly, and his gaze was fixed on the hovering warships high in the sky, entering a state of full alert.
Ace took a half step forward and stood firmly beside Sabo. His fiery red hair was blown wildly by the sea breeze, and sparks kept flying from his fingertips.
As the elder brother, he would never let his two younger brothers face danger alone; flames slowly rose in his palm.
"That's right. Outsiders have no right to act recklessly here. If you want to mess with Luffy, you'll have to get past us first."
Stussy stood in the shadows of the beach, coldly assessing the situation before him.
She knew in her heart how heavy the price would be to face both Ace and Sabo at the same time, but she had already clashed with the Straw Hat Pirates, and there was no room for turning back.
She was well aware of the power of the Float-Float Fruit in the hands of the Second Golden Lion. If she had attached herself to him, there would still have been a sliver of hope. But now, she had no choice but to go down this dark path.
She glanced sideways at Weevil, who remained dazed and passive to the side, secretly preparing to order him to take action at any moment.
On the high-altitude observation platform, Second Golden Lion looked at Ace and Sabo standing side by side, his arrogant smile growing even more intense.
"Interesting. You think you can stop my entire Flying Fleet with just the two of you brothers, without even using the name of the Revolutionary Army?"
He raised his palm slightly, and several hovering warships around him trembled slightly, their cannons slowly rotating, all aimed at the beach and sea below.
"Then let me see just how capable these three brothers from Mount Colubo are."
Zoro's hands were already resting on the hilts of the three swords, and a faint Armament Haki enveloped his body;
Sanji lit a cigarette, and tiny sparks flew from his leather shoes;
Nami gripped the Clima-Tact tightly with both hands, and dark clouds were gathering faintly at the tip of the stick.
On the entire nameless deserted island, the sea breeze blew ever more fiercely, and various forces confronted each other, the fuse of a great battle already burning at their fingertips.
The next second.
With a casual flick of his wrist, the Second Golden Lion unleashed a sharp, piercing sound.
The first mate beside him, "The Slaughtering Swordsman" Ruth Ness, whose bounty was 1.7 billion Beli, suddenly sprang forward.
The jet-black longsword, wreathed in thick Armament Haki, swept through the air, unleashing a series of wide, crescent-shaped slashes that hurtled towards Luffy on the beach.
"Take off your Straw Hat!"
Ace and Sabo moved at almost the same moment.
The two did not stop Lute Ness from rushing over; their target was the Second Golden Lion high in the sky.
Sabo was enveloped in a layer of jet-black, translucent Armament Haki, unleashing all the fierce Taijutsu that Dragon had taught him over the years. The sea beneath his feet exploded, and he used the impact to charge straight at his opponent.
Ace's hands surged, Blaze erupted from the Flame- Flame-Flame Fruit, creating a vast expanse of Kakkō that blocked Sabo's retreat. The intense heat of the flames provided cover for Sabo's advance.
The two have their own independent moves, yet they complement each other perfectly in their advances and retreats, one close and one far, their coordination is seamless.