It has been a few weeks since he met Ace and Sabo. During this time, Lucias would go to the waste terminal with Ace and Sabo every day to find useful items and rob other gangsters of their treasures.
At the beginning of each of their duels, Lucias could not keep up with the attacks of Ace and Sabo. After several weeks of forest training, with Lucias' attacking skills and strength, he can now fight them back and forth, and the three of them are now basically tied most of the time.
During these two weeks, Lucias was slowly looking for the way back, but every time he passed through the forest, he would be ambushed by many large animals, making it impossible to get through, so he could only explore bit by bit.
After three months of exploration, Lucias found a road in the forest leading to the village.
"I haven't seen Luffy for a long time. I wonder how he's doing recently," Lucias thought excitedly.
"But I have to talk to Ace Sabo first, and find some gifts for Luffy. Otherwise, it will be hard to appease that guy if he gets angry after not seeing him for so long," Lucias thought helplessly.
"Sabo," Lucias shouted under a big tree.
After a while, a boy with blond hair appeared.
"What's wrong, Lucias?" Sabo asked, yawning.
"I found the way back," Lucias said excitedly.
"Oh! Really? That's fine. Have you searched the forest in every direction?" Sabo asked with a smile.
"Yes, I plan to go back tomorrow, but I need to say hello to you. I may not come over for the next few weeks, but I will come to see you every day in the future. After all, we still have 50 training sessions every day," Lucias said with a smile.
"Oh, then let's go to Gao Town today after Ace comes back. We just happen to have some crocodile skins to sell as well," Sabo said with a smile.
"Oh, okay, then let's go hunting first and prepare our lunch," Lucias said with a smile.
"I must be bigger than you," Sabo said with a smile.
"That's impossible, it must be mine that hit the hardest," Lucias shouted.
...
In the afternoon, Lucias, Ace and Sabo successfully sneaked into Gaozhen City. The three of them hid in the alleys to avoid the guards and prepared to find buyers to sell their crocodile skins.
"Ace, Sabo, I have something to do. You go sell the crocodile skins first, and I will come to find you later," Lucias whispered to them.
Ace looked at Lucias suspiciously.
"Then you have to hurry up, we need to get out before the city gate closes," Sabo said to Lucias.
"Okay, I'll be there soon," Lucias said, then turned and ran into the crowd.
"Sabo, is there something wrong with Lucias? It feels like he is hiding something from us," Ace said with a serious face.
"Well, a little bit, but there's nothing we can do about it. He doesn't want to say it," Sabo said, scratching the back of his head.
"But today Lucias said he found the way back and plans to go back tomorrow. He said he won't be with us for the next few weeks, but he will come back later," Sabo said to Ace.
"Whatever he wants." Ace said disdainfully.
"Let's go sell the crocodile skin first." Sabo looked at Ace's arrogant expression with helplessness.
"What gift should I bring back to Luffy?" Lucias pondered, wondering how Luffy was doing now, and whether he had listened to Makino's words. A doting smile appeared on Lucias' face.
Lucias looked around and walked to a candy store without realizing it. Looking at the various candies inside, Luffy would probably like them. But the prices were too high, and Lucias looked frustrated.
"Hehe! Looks like that's the only way I can do it," Lucias thought with an evil look on his face.
...
"Stop, the boy in front of you, stop right there..."
"Ace, did you hear anything?" Sabo asked doubtfully.
"It seems like someone is being chased." Ace looked at the commotion not far away.
"Never mind, let's go back first. The city gates are about to close, but a lot of crocodile skins are sold today." Ace shook the bag in his hand.
Sabo nodded. "But they seem to be running towards us."
"Ace! Sabo, let's run!"
"What, Lucias, what are you doing? Why did you attract so many people?" Ace shouted angrily.
"Stop talking, let's go," Sabo said anxiously.
"Phew! Fortunately we arrived." Sabo wiped the sweat from his head.
"Oh!"
"Lucias, what are you doing? Why did you attract so many people?" Ace said angrily as he punched Lucias on the head.
"Ouch! It hurts, Ace!" Lucias held his head and yelled at Ace.
"Okay, okay, Lucias, what did you just do?" Sabo pulled Ace aside and asked Lucias curiously.
"I stole some candy from him," Lucias said with a smile, showing the candy in the bag.
"Just for this, are you still a child? You like eating candy!" Ace yelled at Lucias angrily.
Lucias dodged Ace's shouting. "Hey, hey, kids like to eat this, you try it, and I'm not just taking it for myself," Lucias said as he stuffed some candy into Ace's mouth and also stuffed some into Sabo's mouth.
"You're not taking it for yourself? Then who are you giving it to?" Sabo asked curiously while eating.
"Uh! It's my brother," Lucias said sheepishly.
"Brother! You actually have a younger brother?" Sabo and Ace shouted in shock.
"Hey, hey! Why are you acting like it's weird that I have a younger brother?" Lucias yelled in dissatisfaction.
"But I didn't expect you to be the older brother, so are you going to bring him to your younger brother?" Sabo scratched his head. Ace was thinking beside him, not knowing what he was thinking.
"Yes, I'm going back tomorrow." Lucias asked excitedly, "By the way, do you want to go back with me? It's on the other side of the island, and my brother is very cute."
"No! I have something to do tomorrow," Ace said in a deep voice.
Then he walked away alone. "Ace!" Sabo chased after him.
Lucias followed with a puzzled look on his face.
"Sabo, what happened to Ace?" Lucias asked as he walked.
"It's okay, he may not want to leave the forest, let's prepare dinner first," Sabo said helplessly.
Although Lucias was confused, he nodded.
...
"Ace, Sabo, I'm going back," Lucias said while waving.
"Okay, remember to come find us," Sabo said, while Ace watched Lucias walk away in silence.
Great, I finally got out. Lucias walked to Makino's tavern, opened the door and shouted, "Luffy, I'm back!"
Before Lucias could enter, he was hit by a small cannonball.
"Nisan, where have you been?" Luffy said while crying.
Lucias smiled and touched the head of the person in his arms. "Luffy, don't cry. Luffy is a man, and men don't cry, right?"
Little Luffy pouted cutely and looked at Lucias with tearful eyes.
"Brother is on an adventure," Lucias said happily.
"Really? I want to hear my brother's adventure stories," Luffy said excitedly.
"Lucias!" Makino asked in surprise, "What took you so long to come back?"
"My grandfather tied me to a balloon and we floated all the way to the forest. I got lost in the forest and only found my way back recently." Lucias scratched his hair embarrassedly.
"But I met two friends," Lucias said excitedly.
"I want them too. I want to be friends with them too." Luffy jumped up and down excitedly.
"Okay, okay, as long as Luffy behaves and doesn't cry, I will take you to see them," Lucias said gently.
"I'm not crying, I'm a man," Luffy shouted angrily.
"Yes, yes, our Luffy is a man." Lucias touched his head.
"Whee!"
"Lucias, you haven't eaten yet, come over and eat something first," said Makino.
"Okay! Thank you, Sister Makino." Lucias shouted quickly.
"I want a big portion of meat," Luffy said excitedly.
"Yes, yes." Makino smiled and touched Luffy's head.
After eating, Lucias and Luffy sat on the beach and played until the sky was gradually covered by the orange-red sunset.
"Sister Makino, Luffy and I will go back first," Lucias said to Makino as he looked at the gradually darkening sky.
"Goodbye, Sister Makino," Luffy said in a childish voice.
Ah! Luffy is so cute. Lucias showed a doting smile on his face. When Luffy grows up a little bit, I will bring Luffy to Ace and Sabo to meet him, Lucias thought.