"Roger, I might have a plan to help us reach the war in time!"
Crocus said seriously.
"Huh?"
Roger frowned slightly.
"First, we'll have Laboon take us around the edge of the Grand Line. It should take about three to four days to reach Gourmet City, Pucci. From there, we can transfer to the Sea Train—it'll take us straight to Water Seven. After that, if we push hard, we should be able to make it!"
"Plus, while we're en route to Pucci, I'll prepare the perfect batch of medicine for you!"
Crocus added.
"Sea Train?!"
Roger's eyes lit up.
"Tom's Sea Train project was a success?"
He immediately thought of Tom, the legendary Fish-Man shipwright of Water Seven.
Back in the day, the Roger Pirates' flagship, the Oro Jackson, was built by that very man.
They had a close relationship.
"Yes, Tom's Sea Train was completed ten years ago. I've never ridden it myself, but it only takes a day to get from Pucci to Water Seven."
Crocus explained.
He had learned about the Sea Train mostly from newspapers.
"Hahaha! That's incredible! Thank you, Crocus!"
Roger beamed with joy.
With his own plan, he wasn't sure if he could make it in time.
But if they could reach Water Seven in five days—
Two days would be more than enough to travel from there to Marineford!
"Then let's not waste time—let's set off now!"
Standing on Laboon's head, Crocus pointed toward the sunset.
"Laboon, head that way! Full speed ahead!"
"Grrroooar!!"
The island-sized whale let out a spirited cry, waving its massive tail and charging forward.
"Roger, let's go inside Laboon for now. I'll run a full medical check on you."
Crocus said.
"Inside Laboon?"
Roger was startled.
"Yes, over the years, to treat Laboon, I've made some internal modifications to his body!"
Crocus smiled.
"That sounds amazing. Please, I'd love a tour!"
Roger followed Crocus into Laboon's interior.
"By the way, Crocus, what's the deal with that silly drawing on Laboon's head?"
"Oh, that! I nearly forgot. You need to hear this—remember the straw hat you gave to Shanks? In this era, someone has inherited it!"
Crocus grinned.
"Who? Could it be… Joy Boy?"
Roger's eyes sparkled.
"That Straw Hat kid—Monkey D. Luffy. He is Joy Boy!"
Crocus replied.
"Monkey D.?"
Roger's expression turned strange.
No one understood that surname better than him.
"Wait, wait, wait… This era's Joy Boy is Garp's grandson?!"
"Monkey D. Luffy… Monkey D. Garp. Yep, that's right!"
Crocus nodded.
"Hold on a second. I've got all the newspaper clippings about Luffy and his crew in my room. You can read them over the next couple of days!"
"Ahahaha, this couldn't be better! Seeing you again was definitely the right choice!"
Roger laughed in delight.
A man, a doctor, and a whale, traveling under the fading sun, raced toward the battlefield.
---
Night falls.
On the vast Grand Line, people from different places begin their journeys—each carrying the same dream—headed toward the final battlefield.
---
Somewhere on the sea, disguised as a merchant vessel, a Revolutionary Army ship cut through the waves.
Atop the lookout post, two identical blond-haired young men stared into the ocean, deep in thought.
"Sabo!"
A girl's voice rang out.
Both young men turned their heads at the same time.
"It's getting late. You should both get some rest."
Koala said warmly.
"It's fine. I just want to sit with myself a bit longer and reflect on the past."
Sabo from two years ago replied.
"In that case, I'll sit with you."
Koala sat down comfortably between the two Sabos.
"Having two Sabos with me like this—it feels unreal."
She smiled, squinting her eyes happily.
"Yeah, getting the chance to come back two years and fix the past... it's probably the most unbelievable thing in the world. I don't know who brought me here, but… thank you."
Sabo from two years later bowed deeply to the sky.
"You know, Sabo, if you could come here... do you think others might have also appeared in this strange timeline?"
Koala suddenly asked.
Both Sabos froze.
"That's a great point! Why didn't I think of that? Thanks for the reminder, Koala!"
Sabo slapped his forehead.
"Sabo, did someone come to mind?"
Koala asked eagerly.
"If there's anyone in this world who shares, or even surpasses, my desire… it would be our younger brother, no doubt about it."
Sabo said with deep emotion.
"You mean... Straw Hat Luffy?"
Koala guessed correctly.
"Exactly! Maybe Luffy also came to this era, just like me, and he's currently rushing to the battlefield!"
Sabo from two years later looked hopeful.
"If it's the Luffy from two years later, he could change the tide of battle entirely! Our chances of victory would skyrocket!"
"Eh?! Really?!"
Koala was shocked.
"But even if he's the Luffy from two years later, he's still just around twenty. Can one person really affect such a massive war?"
Koala couldn't help but question Sabo's faith in his little brother.
After all, what could one person possibly do in such a massive war?
"Never underestimate my brother's potential. Two years later, he became the fifth Emperor of the Sea—he even defeated Kaido, the Beast Emperor!"
Sabo from the future said solemnly.
"WHAT?!"
Both Koala and the past Sabo shouted in disbelief.
In no time, the shockwave of their screams spread across the Revolutionary ship, leaving everyone onboard stunned.
After all, this news from the future Sabo was earth-shattering.
Kaido, the Beast Emperor, was one of the Yonko who ruled the New World—
The strongest creature alive, feared by all.
And yet—
He was defeated by Straw Hat Luffy two years later?!
Even Dragon, the leader of the Revolutionary Army, couldn't stay calm.
The man whose face rarely changed showed a flicker of emotion.
"My son… defeated the strongest creature in the world, the Yonko Kaido, at age nineteen?"
"Impossible. Absolutely impossible. There's no way my son could become that powerful!"
Dragon thought instinctively.
---
At that same moment—
In a remote part of the New World.
A warship bearing the Beasts Pirates' emblem plowed through the waves.
"Luffy, do you think others, aside from us, might also have come to this era?"
Robin asked thoughtfully.
"Hmm..."
After thinking for a bit, Luffy responded seriously:
"Sabo!"
"Sabo? I'd love to see him again!"
Robin smiled.
Everyone on the ship perked up.
More allies in the coming war could only be a good thing.
---
And not just Sabo or Luffy from two years later—
At this moment…
On the island of Amazon Lily, located in the Calm Belt between South Blue and the Grand Line—
The Luffy from two years ago was also preparing with all his might for the upcoming war!