Baltigo - Revoloutionary Army Base
The moon hung low over Baltigo, its pale glow scattering over white stone mesas and the sprawling fortress carved into the landscape.
Torches flickered against the night, casting long shadows across the training grounds where soldiers drilled in silence. The air tasted of dust, wind, and something else—
Anticipation.
Inside the command tower, at the highest window overlooking the valley, stood a tall figure wrapped in a cloak of black and green.
Monkey D. Dragon.
Leader of the Revolution.
Enigma of the world.
Father of the boy whose name had just begun to echo across the seas.
The winds circled him as if recognizing their master.
Footsteps approached from behind—light, steady, practiced.
Sabo stepped into the room, stopping just beside him.
"You called for me?" Sabo asked. His blonde hair hanging loosely, shifted in the breeze.
Dragon didn't turn—not yet. He watched the horizon as if something beyond it whispered to him.
"Sabo," he said quietly, "we're leaving."
Sabo blinked. "Leaving? Where?"
Dragon's eyes narrowed.
"Loguetown."
Sabo's brows shot up. "Loguetown? The town of beginnings and endings?" He crossed his arms. "We don't have any missions there. No targets, no supplies, no Revolutionary activity that much. Why would we—"
Dragon finally turned. The faintest smile—not warm, but knowing—touched his lips.
"You and I will go alone."
Sabo stiffened. "Just us?"
"Just us."
Sabo hesitated. "Dragon… why?"
Dragon looked back to the storm building on the horizon. Thunder rumbled despite the clear sky.
"Because fate rarely calls twice," he said softly. "And tonight… I hear it."
Sabo tilted his head. "Fate?"
Dragon nodded. "Something is stirring in Loguetown. A storm that does not come from weather… but destiny."
Sabo frowned. "You're being cryptic again."
Dragon placed a hand on Sabo's shoulder—firm, steady.
"I saved you once," Dragon said, "and since then, you've trusted me even without your memories." His grip tightened. "Trust me now. There is someone I must see. Someone at the crossroads of fate."
Sabo paused.
Then nodded. "If you're going… then I'm going too."
Dragon closed his eyes for a brief moment.
"…Thank you."
He turned toward the doorway, cloak trailing behind him like a shadow.
As they descended the tower, the winds intensified—whirling around the command post, stirring lantern flames, shaking old banners loose from the walls.
At the base of the steps, Sabo squinted into the sudden gale.
"What's with this wind…?"
Dragon paused beside him, eyes half-lidded, listening to the storm that wasn't a storm.
"It's telling me," he murmured, "that the world is about to change."
Sabo looked over, confused—but before he could ask, Dragon stepped forward, disappearing into the roaring gust.
Sabo chased after him.
As the two revolutionaries vanished into the night toward the shore, the wind whispered a single name across the stone fortress—
Luffy.
Dragon heard it.
And smiled.
"Your journey begins now, my son."
———Voice of All Things———————-
LOGUETOWN — THE TOWN OF BEGINNINGS AND ENDINGS
The Going Merry glided into the bustling harbor of Loguetown, its sails catching the late-morning sun as ships hustled across the waters like schools of fish.
Merchants shouted prices.
Sailors unloaded crates.
The salty air mixed with the smell of street food and smoke.
Luffy leaned over the railing, jaw slack with awe. "WHOAAAH! This place looks HUGE!"
Nami smirked. "Of course it is. This is Loguetown."
Luffy blinked. "What's a Loguetown?"
Usopp tripped. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN 'WHAT'S A LOGUETOWN'?! It's one of the most famous places in the entire EAST BLUE!"
Sanji slid beside Luffy, lighting a cigarette as the wind ruffled his coat.
"Loguetown," he began dramatically, "is the town of beginnings and endings."
Luffy tilted his head. "Beginnings and endings? Like… what begins and what ends?"
Nami crossed her arms and leaned on the railing. "Your dream, Luffy."
The straw-hatted captain perked up.
"Huh?"
Nami pointed to the city in the distance, at a tall silhouette rising above the rooftops—a wooden structure built like a looming monument.
"That's where the Pirate King was executed."
Luffy froze.
Sanji continued, "Gold Roger was born here… and he died here."
Luffy's eyes widened slowly, wonder filling them like starlight. "This is where the Pirate King… stood?"
Nami nodded. "The very place he smiled before he died."
"…Smiled…"
Luffy whispered the word like it was sacred.
The crew watched as something powerful flickered across his expression.
Excitement.
Curiosity.
Admiration.
A burning determination.
Luffy's grin spread across his face. "I wanna see it."
Usopp shuddered. "Man, you're gonna get cursed, I just KNOW it—"
But Luffy wasn't listening. He was already leaning forward, eager, bouncing on his toes.
"This is where he began everything… and where he ended it…"
He clenched his fist. "I wanna stand where he stood."
Sanji smirked. "Figures the future Pirate King would want to see the last place of the old one."
Luffy laughed. "YEAH!!"
Sanji flicked his lighter, cigarette glowing. "Still, I get it. It's a legendary spot for any pirate." He exhaled. "A good omen before entering the Grand Line."
Zoro stretched his shoulders. "Symbolism aside—this town has a good weapon shop. I need two new swords."
Nami rolled her eyes fondly. "Of COURSE you do."
She then pulled out a map. "Alright! Loguetown is huge, so everyone split up. Get what you need. Meet back at the Merry before sunset!"
"AYE!!!"
The crew scattered into the city.
Sanji heading toward the marketplace in search of rare spices.
Zoro immediately getting lost despite walking in a straight line.
Nami making a beeline for some stalls and botiques.
Usopp browsing weapon stands looking for gadgets and ammo.
But Luffy?
He walked with purpose for once.
His sandals slapped against the stone roads as he made his way deeper into Loguetown, his excitement rising with each step.
"It's close…" Luffy muttered, nose almost twitching like he could smell history. "The place where the Pirate King stood…"
His heart pounded.
Not from fear.
Not from danger.
But from a dream inherited.
He didn't notice eyes tracking him from above.
A tall figure stood on a rooftop, coat billowing in the sea air. Two cigars burned between his teeth, smoke curling like serpents around his head.
Marine Captain Smoker narrowed his eyes at the straw hat below.
"So…" he muttered, crossing his arms. "That's Monkey D. Luffy."
He took a long drag, exhaled a thick plume, and stepped forward onto the ledge.
"Thirty million berries and stupid enough to walk into a Marine-controlled town."
His boot crushed the cigar butt beneath his heel. "Time to reel in a rookie."
———————-
Moments Later
Smoke still hung in the Loguetown plaza from the chaos Buggy had caused moments earlier.
Luffy sprinted through the streets, laughing breathlessly. "Shishishishi!! I'm alive!! That was close!"
Behind him—
THUD. THUD. THUD.
Heavy boots hit the ground with purpose.
"STRAW Hat…!"
Luffy glanced back and paled.
A trail of smoke stormed after him.
"GYAAAH!! He's still chasing me?!"
Citizens dove out of the way as Luffy zig-zagged through the plaza. Marines shouted for him to stop. The sky overhead was clear, but the air felt thick—charged.
Smoker blurred forward in a burst of white smoke—
WHOOOSH—CLANG!
His jutte slammed into the ground beside Luffy, blocking his escape.
Luffy skidded backward, dust flying.
"You again?! Why are you so fast?!"
Smoker cracked his neck, smoke curling around him like a living beast. "You escaped an execution. You caused chaos. You're a pirate in my town."
His grip tightened on the jutte. "Did you think I'd just let you walk away?"
Luffy scowled. "Tch. I don't know who you are, but I'm not losing here!"
He launched forward—
GOMU GOMU NO… PISTOL!!
His punch shot out with explosive force—
—and passed straight through Smoker's chest in a burst of vapor.
Luffy froze mid-punch, wide-eyed. "What—?! Why didn't that work?! I didn't miss!"
Smoker didn't even budge. "You can't hit me, kid."
Luffy's arm snapped back painfully. "OW!! But why?!"
Smoke wrapped around Smoker's arm like coiling chains.
He leaned forward, voice low and blunt. "Because I'm your worst nightmare."
He surged at Luffy.
Luffy dodged under the first blow—barely—but the smoke tendrils lashed out, catching his leg and yanking him off his feet.
"WAAAH—!"
SLAM.
Luffy hit the stone hard, coughing.
Smoker didn't stop.
He pinned Luffy with a boot to the chest as the smoke held him down like iron.
"This is the end, Straw Hat."
He lifted his jutte—its tip gleaming with Seastone—
"NO ESCAP—"
A hand closed around the weapon.
Firm.
Silent.
Unshakeable.
Smoker's eyes widened. "You—!"
The wind shifted.
The air trembled.
Standing there, gripping Smoker's jutte effortlessly—
Dragon.
His cloak billowed like the wings of a storm.
Smoker strained to pull his weapon free—but it didn't budge an inch.
"You shouldn't interfere!" he spat. "He's a pirate!"
Dragon didn't answer him.
He looked at Luffy.
Only Luffy.
And the wind swirled protectively around the boy.
Luffy blinked in confusion. "Huh? Who are you?"
Dragon's grip tightened.
A single gust erupted—
BOOM.
The shockwave blew Smoker backward, hurling him several meters away.
Luffy was lifted gently by the storm, carried up and set down onto a nearby rooftop like a feather.
Luffy stared, amazed. "WOOOAH!! COOL!! Thanks, wind!!"
Dragon didn't move to follow.
Smoke coiled violently around Smoker as he slammed his fist into the ground. "DAMN IT!The World Government is looking everywhere for you—why save that man?! DRAGON!"
Dragon's reply was calm.
"…Pirate King, huh?"
He looked at Luffy's silhouette—bright, laughing, fearless.
"If that is his choice…
then who am I to stop him?"
The wind roared.
Smoker wiped dust from his face, fury boiling. "You let a dangerous pirate escape! Why?!"
Dragon turned slightly, enough for the lower half of his face to be visible beneath the hood. "For the same reason I oppose the World Government."
He stepped away. "Every man deserves the freedom to chart his own path."
Smoker grit his teeth. "Freedom? He's a criminal!"
Dragon paused.
The sky above darkened instantly.
Thunder rumbled. "He is more than you think."
Wind exploded—
And Dragon vanished into the storm.
Smoker slammed his fist into the ground.
"Damn… DAMN YOU, DRAGON!!!"
————————
From the highest shadowed rooftop of Loguetown, Dragon's presence was unseen, unknown, untraceable.
And yet—
He saw everything.
Below him, across a maze of rooftops lit by afternoon sun, Luffy was sprinting toward the harbor after the winds carried him off safely, laughing like a child who had outrun the world.
"Shishishi!! I can't believe I survived that!! Grand Line, here I come!!!"
His voice carried through the air.
Dragon closed his eyes.
When he opened them again, there was a softness there—something neither revolutionary nor warrior-like.
Something purely human.
"Luffy," he murmured, "you grow stronger by the day."
Wind curled around him, rippling his cloak.
Not violent.
Not harsh.
Gentle.
Almost tender.
"He looks so much like you, Ada…"
A faint smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.
"…and yet he laughs like me."
For a long moment, he simply watched Luffy grow smaller and smaller until the boy vanished down the final street leading to the Going Merry.
Then—
Dragon turned.
In the next instant, a spiraling gust engulfed him.
And he was gone.
————————
Sabo stood on the small revolutionary vessel, leaning against the railing, tapping his foot impatiently.
"Took you long enough," he muttered.
When he saw Dragon silently materialize on the deck, wind peeling back like a curtain, Sabo stiffened.
"You… didn't run into trouble, did you?"
Dragon walked past him, expression unreadable.
"No trouble."
Sabo frowned.
But there was something different in Dragon's eyes—an emotion Sabo could not name.
Before he could ask, Dragon quietly said.
"We're leaving."
And that was enough.
Sabo nodded, raising the sails.
Winds—not wild, but deliberate—filled them instantly.
Dragon stood at the stern of the ship, looking back toward Loguetown as it shrank on the horizon.
The wind whispered around him.
"Ada… our son is growing." His voice carried only to the sky.
"He walks the same wild path you once did.
A pirate.
A dreamer.
A storm beginning to awaken."
The sails billowed.
Their ship turned toward the vast New World.
And Dragon finally slipped into his cabin.
Dragon then closed the door behind him.
The small room was dim, lit only by a single lantern swaying with the ship's movement.
He picked up a transponder snail.
The line connected.
The snail opened its eyes—soft, mature, feminine.
Ada's voice drifted through like smooth wind.
"Dragon… why the sudden call?"
She sounded curious.
And warm.
And perhaps—a little worried.
Dragon leaned back, folding his arms.
"I saw him off," he said simply.
Ada froze.
"…him?"
Dragon's voice softened more than anyone in the world ever heard.
"Our son."
The room fell into a deep, tender silence.
Ada inhaled sharply. "…Luffy?"
"Yes."
Dragon closed his eyes. "He just left. Running toward the harbor… laughing like a fool. Excited. Fearless. Reckless."
Ada's soft chuckle came through the line like a caress. "That sounds like him."
"Mm."
"He looked strong," Dragon continued. "Determined. He… he reminded me of you."
Ada's breath wavered just slightly.
"Dragon," she whispered, "I wish I could have seen him."
"You will," Dragon said. "One day."
Ada's voice grew warm—glowing with a pride she didn't bother hiding. "He's really setting sail for his dream."
"Yes," Dragon murmured.
"And we should be proud," Ada said.
"We are," Dragon replied.
The snail clicked.
The wind in Dragon's cabin died down.
And for the first time in many years…
Dragon smiled.
————————
Moments Later
Dark clouds churned like living beasts above the entrance to the Grand Line.
The Going Merry rocked as powerful currents clashed beneath her keel.
The Straw Hats stood on deck, eyes wide, hearts racing, dreams burning.
Luffy placed a barrel in the middle of the ship.
"One last thing before we go!"
The wind howled.
The seas roared.
But the crew stood firm.
Luffy stepped forward and slammed his foot on the barrel.
"I declare that I will become the King of the Pirates!!!"
Zoro smirked, stepping up next. "I'll become the world's strongest swordsman."
Nami placed her hand on her tattoo—her voice steady. "I'll draw a map of the entire world."
Usopp puffed out his chest. "I'll become a brave warrior of the sea!"
Sanji flicked his lighter, cigarette glowing.
"And I'll find the All Blue."
They all grinned.
Then, together—
"TO THE GRAND LINE!!!"
CRACK!!
Their feet shattered the barrel.
The Merry plunged downward—
swallowed by roaring currents—
the Reverse Mountain spiraling them toward destiny.
They didn't scream.
They laughed.
They laughed like fools racing toward the edge of the world.