"Okay, I understand. Thank you, Makino."

Garp slowly placed the den den mushi back down, his face clouded in a rare seriousness. He turned toward Dragon, and in the next instant, his booming voice filled the room.

"Look at the son you raised! Do you even know what Luffy's gone off to do? He's become a Pirate, damn it! A Pirate!"

His words were punctuated with flying spit as he glared at his son.

Dragon, unshaken, narrowed his eyes at Garp. He waited until his father's tirade ended before answering with calm firmness.

"Father, you know better than anyone. Luffy barely saw me growing up. If anything, he spent more time with you than with me."

The veins on Garp's forehead bulged, his mustache bristling as his eyes widened.

"Nani!? Are you saying this is my fault, as his grandfather!?"

Dragon nodded without hesitation.

Garp clenched his fists, his body trembling with suppressed fury. His legendary Fist of Love was about to come crashing down when the doors burst open.

Two figures rushed in—Ace and Sabo.

Ace didn't hesitate; his voice roared through the room.

"So it's true! That idiot Luffy really went and became a Pirate? Does he have to go against Chiga-san!?"

Sabo, though calmer, carried no less worry in his expression. His voice was low, heavy.

"I've been feeling uneasy about him for a while now. Something about Luffy isn't the same. He's… different."

Both of them had been frequent visitors to Windmill Village. They had seen Luffy's subtle shifts—the way his smile sometimes seemed forced, the strange seriousness that occasionally crept into his carefree nature.

Dragon frowned, clearly unsettled. He had not been part of Luffy's childhood the way these two brothers had, so their observations carried weight.

"Sabo, what do you mean by different?"

"I can't explain it clearly," Sabo admitted. "But it feels like his personality shifted too much, too fast. It's as if… he's not the same person anymore."

Ace, who had been pacing angrily, stopped and drew a deep breath. His fists tightened.

"With Luffy's strength, he'll make a name for himself quickly. And when he does… it might already be too late."

The room fell into silence.

Then, Garp's gravelly voice broke it. He turned sharply to Ace.

"If Luffy truly becomes an enemy of the Navy, if he stands against everything Uchiha Chiga has built… what will you do?"

Ace's body stiffened. He inhaled deeply, then straightened his back, his expression hard as steel.

"Then I won't hesitate. Anyone who goes against Chiga-san goes against the King who saved the world. I'll never allow Luffy to walk that path."

His words carried conviction, but beneath them lay the pain of a brother forced into an impossible choice.

Sabo placed a hand on Ace's shoulder, ready to ground him with reason. But before he could speak, Ace shook him off and shouted,

"No! I can't just sit here. I have to stop Luffy before he makes a mistake he can't take back!"

With that, he stormed out of the room. Sabo cursed under his breath, then hurried after him.

Left behind, Garp and Dragon exchanged heavy looks.

"These brothers won't actually fight each other, will they?" Garp asked gruffly, though the concern in his tone betrayed him.

Dragon shook his head slowly, though his eyes remained fixed on the door through which the boys had left. His voice was quieter now.

"Not yet. But things are shifting."

His thoughts turned inward. He recalled classified documents he had once stolen from the World Government. They spoke of the Gum-Gum Fruit, the strange Devil Fruit that Shanks had once stolen. According to those records, the fruit had been of extreme importance to the Government, far more than they had admitted publicly.

Dragon's gaze darkened.

"The Gum-Gum Fruit… Could Luffy's changes be tied to that power?"

…

Later, Dragon sought out Uchiha Chiga.

When Chiga heard of Ace and Sabo's intentions, his eyes widened briefly in surprise.

"So, those two are chasing after Luffy?"

Dragon nodded firmly.

"Yes."

Chiga's expression shifted into something more complicated. He remembered the bond between Naruto and Sasuke, how friendship had turned into pursuit and conflict. For a moment, it almost felt like history was repeating itself.

Dragon, misinterpreting Chiga's silence, straightened and declared with sharp resolve,

"Chiga-sama, don't worry. If Luffy dares threaten the stability you've built, I won't hesitate to strike him down myself."

Chiga raised a hand casually.

"Calm yourself. Let's see what Ace and Sabo do first. If anyone can reach him, it's them."

…

Meanwhile, in the East Blue, Luffy drifted aimlessly on his small boat. The sea was calm, almost too calm, and boredom weighed on him like an anchor.

"The East Blue is too weak," he muttered, sprawled out under the blazing sun. "Not a single decent fight… so boring!"

His stomach growled, and he sat up with a frown. Just then, an island appeared in the distance. Luffy's eyes lit up.

"Food! Finally!"

He grabbed his paddle and rowed furiously toward it, only to slow down when he saw the Navy warships docked on the shore. At the center of the island stood a tall statue of Uchiha Chiga, carved in regal likeness.

Luffy froze, his jaw tightening. Memories of the overwhelming defeat at Chiga's hands washed over him like cold water.

"Tch. He's everywhere…"

Still grumbling, he lowered his head and continued rowing quietly toward the island.

On the shore, two Navy soldiers stood watch. When they noticed the boy in the straw hat approaching alone in his tiny boat, they exchanged puzzled glances.

"This is Konoha Village," one of them called out. "State your name and your purpose here."

Their tone was professional but not hostile. Ever since Captain Nezumi had been purged, the Navy presence here had been carefully chosen from trustworthy men. For them, this was no ordinary posting—this was the King's birthplace, and to guard it was an honor.

Luffy scratched the back of his head and answered with disarming honesty.

"I'm Luffy. I'm starving, so I came to find food."

The guards blinked at his bluntness. After checking him for weapons and finding none, they let him pass.

Inside the village, Luffy's jaw nearly dropped. Wide, spotless streets, bustling shops, and lively crowds filled the area. Konoha had transformed into a prosperous hub, more city than village now.

His straw hat and weathered flip-flops made him stand out immediately. Girls passing by giggled at the country boy look he gave off, but Luffy ignored them completely. Pressing his hat down, he wove through the crowd, eyes darting to the food stalls lining the streets.

His stomach growled again.

"Meat… I need meat!"

And with that, the hunt for food began.

---