One Piece: Marine Luffy, Garp regrets it

"Oh, by the way, things have gotten even worse for me recently."

Luffy leaned back in his chair, arms crossed behind his head, exhaling a long sigh.

"Did you know that the Four Emperors, Kaido and Big Mom—Charlotte Linlin—have formed an alliance?

And guess what? Their alliance is actually aimed at me. Right now, I'm caught between internal and external threats. You have no idea how miserable I am."

Luffy continued his complaints, expecting some sympathy, but his brothers, Ace and Sabo, were no longer paying attention. They exchanged glances, both clearly uninterested in hearing Luffy's gripes.

"Alright, alright, leave this kind of trouble to the big shots in your Marine," Ace interrupted, waving his hand dismissively. "No matter how tough things are for you, it's still way better than what we've been dealing with."

Sabo stood up and stretched, rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. He gave Luffy a regretful smile before speaking.

"Sorry, Luffy, but we can't help you with this. We're just passing through. We plan to restock some supplies on Onigashima and then set sail again."

Luffy blinked in surprise, his complaints forgotten as he straightened up.

"Huh? You're leaving already?"

Sabo nodded, his expression unusually serious.

"I don't have a choice. After hearing what you said, I realized that my strength is still far from enough. If I truly want to explore the world freely without any regrets, I need to get stronger as soon as possible."

His voice carried a deep conviction, an unwavering determination.

"That's why Ace and I are heading to the Sabaody Archipelago as soon as possible—to find the old Rayleigh you mentioned."

Luffy recognized the weight behind those words. This time, Sabo had been too reckless. He had failed to fulfill his responsibilities as both vice-captain and strategist, nearly leading Ace and their crew to their deaths. That kind of failure wasn't something he could just brush off.

Sabo clenched his fists. If he wanted to protect his dream—and Ace's—he had to master Haki. He had to become stronger, strong enough to face any threat that came their way.

Ace, standing beside him, shared the same thoughts. Though he was more carefree on the surface, this failure had shaken him.

They had barely set foot in the New World, yet they were already forced to retreat.

To Ace, who had always moved forward without hesitation, this setback was a bitter pill to swallow. He had to accept the fact that he wasn't strong enough. Not yet.

Perhaps this defeat would serve as a wake-up call. A chance for him to reassess himself, to grow stronger without reckless overconfidence.

Luffy remained silent for a moment before grinning and standing up.

"Well, since you've made up your minds, I won't stop you," he said, clenching his fist and holding it out. "Keep pushing forward, and next time we meet, let's see who stands at the peak."

Ace and Sabo smirked, bumping their fists against his.

Ace couldn't resist adding a playful jab.

"What peak? If we wait for that, it'll take forever. I was planning to challenge you after I finished my training—gotta get back at you for mocking me, after all."

Luffy shot him a sideways glance and smirked.

"What's wrong? Our super rookie, Fire Fist Ace, suddenly lacking confidence?"

His smirk widened as he added in a sarcastic tone:

"I plan to become a Fleet Admiral within three years. By then, even if you're not aiming to be Pirate King, you should at least become one of the Four Emperors, right?"

Ace and Sabo burst into laughter, but Sabo shook his head in exasperation.

"A Fleet Admiral in three years? You sure know how to talk big, Luffy."

He sighed, rubbing his temples as if he had a headache.

"But since you said that, we can't afford to slack off either. Just wait and see—I'll make sure Ace becomes one of the Four Emperors before you reach your goal."

"Damn right," Ace added confidently. "Don't get scared the next time we meet."

Seeing their determination, Luffy felt a fire light up inside him as well.

"Then it's settled!" He grinned, clenching his fist. "If you can't do it, it'll be really embarrassing."

"Don't worry, we'll definitely make it happen!"

With their promise sealed, Ace and Sabo prepared to leave.

Luffy personally walked them to the edge of the restaurant, watching as they disappeared into the bustling crowd. Even after they were gone, he stood there for a long while, lost in thought.

Then, shaking himself from his reverie, he turned and headed toward Olive headquarters

Luffy knew that the world was shifting, deviating from its original trajectory.

Sabo and Ace will have Rayleigh's guidance. Ace had his own ambitions. Their fates had already changed.

If things continued down this path, Ace would never join the Whitebeard Pirates. That single fact alone could alter history in unimaginable ways.

If Ace never became Whitebeard's son…

Would the Marineford War, The Paramount—the battle that shook the world—still happen?

Would the world still follow the same course?

Or would Ace and Sabo carve out a new path, one where they were the ones standing at the top?

Perhaps, in another timeline, Ace and Sabo would take up the mantle of Pirate King, becoming the greatest enemies of the World Government.

Or maybe, in some cruel twist of fate, they would fall in battle before ever reaching their dreams.

One thing was certain—the butterfly's wings had already flapped, and the winds of change were sweeping across the world.

But Luffy wasn't concerned. He had his own path to follow.

One day, he would wrest this world from the hands of the Celestial Dragons.

"Joy Boy? What a joke."

"In the future, people will only remember one name—Luffy, the Thunder God and the King of the Marine!"

Olive's headquarters was located close to the Marine's base. The surrounding area was filled with major businesses, towering skyscrapers, and high-end shopping districts.

To avoid drawing attention, Luffy transformed into a bolt of lightning, flashing across the sky in an instant.

A second later, he reappeared on the rooftop of the Olive building, overlooking the city below.

Without hesitation, he stepped into a private elevator—one constructed solely for him.

It descended swiftly, heading straight for his personal office on the 22nd floor.

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