The evening sunlight streamed through the broken wooden wall, falling squarely on Ace's small but resolute back. His shadow stretched across the floor, giving Sabo an almost illusory sense of awe...
"Stop! He's got a sword!"
"He's nothing like those thugs in town!"
Sabo kept shouting, trying to stop Ace, but as soon as he finished, he felt a weight on his shoulder. The boy only a few years older than him silently walked toward Ace...
"Sabo, take Luffy and go. I'll be an idiot alongside Ace just this once. Running away with my tail between my legs would let my master down, too."
He looked back as he spoke and gave Sabo a brilliant smile. Luffy, slung over Sabo's shoulder, saw it too. That smile was familiar, just like... Shanks's smile...
"T-trust them."
Luffy coughed up a mouthful of blood over Sabo's shoulder, then spoke with conviction.
Sabo gave Luffy a puzzled look before turning his gaze back toward them. Jig's white shirt was stained with blood and dust, yet he seemed so tall, even though he was only a little taller than Ace...
Jig had already drawn his sword, but its pitch-black blade reflected not a single ray of sunlight...
Sabo gritted his teeth, shouted, and fled with Luffy!
"You'd better both come back!"
Only Porchemy, now missing a hand, and the two boys facing him, Ace and Jig, remained in the rather small room.
"Heh, I never thought I'd fight side by side with you."
Jig looked at Ace, who was a little shorter than him, and spoke with a chuckle.
Ace still wore the same cocky expression.
"Hmph. Nobody asked you to stay. You can still leave."
A wry smile crossed Jig's face.
But then Porchemy, standing opposite them, spoke.
"Hey, what's wrong with you two?