Chapter 43

The next morning, at dawn.

Ace and Luffy appeared before Luo En once again.

Ace said to him seriously, "Even though Sabo has left for now, Luffy and I have decided to keep training with you. When Sabo comes back next time, the two of us are absolutely going to give him a good beating."

Luffy also burst into a silly, big laugh.

From that day on.

The number of people training behind Luo En went from three to two.

……

Another half month passed.

Sabo still hadn't come back.

That day.

Luo En returned to the tavern from outside and suddenly learned some news.

"Sabo... he... was kidnapped?!"

Luo En heard this news from the sobbing, heartbroken Makino, and couldn't help but be stunned.

"What happened?"

"I'm not too sure either. I heard that after Sabo returned home, his parents locked him up. On the road where he knocked out the guards and ran away from home, he accidentally offended the World Nobles... and then he was taken away."

Makino cried very sadly.

"Sister Makino, don't cry. He was only taken away—maybe he can still come back."

Kuina comforted her from the side.

The tavern worker beside them shook his head and said in a low voice:

"Those are the World Nobles, the Celestial Dragons. To offend them—even a noble would probably..."

"Sabo..."

Makino covered her face with her hands.

Kuina couldn't bear to see her so heartbroken and cast a pleading look toward Luo En.

Luo En's expression was heavy; he stayed silent.

He hadn't expected that, after he had stepped in, the plot would develop like this.

Even now, as for him.

He also didn't know whether Sabo was alive or dead.

……

The next morning, at dawn.

Luo En met Ace and Luffy at the usual spot. Both of them had swollen, red eyes and low expressions.

"Are you two okay?"

The moment Luffy heard Luo En's words, tears couldn't help but spill out again. He raised his arm across his eyes.

"No crying, Luffy!"

Ace scolded Luffy, then forced an extremely ugly smile toward Luo En: "We're... fine. Sabo is very smart. Even if he was taken away by the Celestial Dragons, he'd definitely find a way to escape."

"Although it'll be a long time before we see each other now and in the future, I believe we'll definitely meet again on the sea someday."

"Definitely, we definitely have to meet again!"

Luffy said through sobs, his face covered in tears and snot.

He wiped the tears and snot from his face forcefully and stared fixedly at Luo En as he said:

"I'm definitely going to get stronger—stronger than you, Luo En—and then beat the tar out of everyone who took Sabo away!"

"Alright. Then starting today, training doubles!"

Sabo's sudden departure turned Ace and Luffy's playful hearts into a

longing to grow stronger, and they trained ever more desperately.

The two were also right in their growth period, improving rapidly.

That day, after training ended.

Ace lay spread-eagled on the grass, stared at the sky, and suddenly said:

"Luffy, Luo En, I've decided."

Luo En, who was standing beside him, and Luffy, who was lying next to him, looked at him.

"I'm going to set out to sea at seventeen and begin my adventure on this vast ocean!" Ace said firmly.

"Why seventeen?"

Luffy asked curiously.

"Don't you remember? In his letter, Sabo said he's a child from a noble family, and at eighteen he'll officially become a noble, so he planned to set out to sea at seventeen. So, I also want to set out to sea at seventeen."

"Th-then, I want to be the same as you guys too!"

"Haha, then you'll be three years behind me. By the time you set out to sea, I'll definitely already be a famous, formidable great pirate!"

Ace laughed, his eyes full of longing. "By then, I'll definitely go find Sabo, and the three of us brothers will reunite."

"Then it'll be up to me, the future Pirate King, to beat the tar out of those... Celestial Dragons who took Sabo away!"

Luffy, thinking of this, also grinned and burst into a big, giggly laugh.

"Luo En, when we meet again on the sea someday, I definitely won't be this weak anymore. When that time comes, let's have another match!"

Ace scrambled to his feet and looked at Luo En beside him, his face full of fighting spirit as he spoke.

"Sure, but if you lose then, you'll have to treat me to the best liquor."

Luo En said with a smile.

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