What is this power… this light yet powerful force surging into his body from that azure ornament?
Sabo stared blankly down at the azure current swirling around his arm.
He could feel it.
This power was filled with the essence of freedom.
Unbound, undefined, doing as it pleased, just like how he most yearned to be in his dreams!
This wasn't the nauseating control his father exerted, built on power and status.
Nor was it the cold, obedient violence of the guards.
This was… wind!
It was the wind that swept over mountains, the wind that caressed the sea!
It was the freest thing in the world!
"This…" Sabo's lips trembled, his blue eyes reflecting the azure current, shining astonishingly bright.
Instinctively, he raised his hand.
With a thought.
Whoosh!
A clearly visible whirlwind materialized out of thin air in his palm!
The whirlwind spun faster and faster, stirring up grass and dirt from the ground, making a whooshing sound!
"Waaah!" Luffy's jaw nearly dropped to the ground, he pointed at the whirlwind in Sabo's hand, jumping excitedly on the spot. "So cool! Sabo! You're amazing!"
Ace was completely dumbfounded too.
He stared intently at the small whirlwind in Sabo's palm, his black eyes wider than brass bells!
Wind!
That was real wind!
This guy… Sabo… he could actually control wind?!
"No way…" Ace muttered to himself, he even rubbed his eyes, thinking he had seen wrong.
Sabo felt the increasingly clear power in his palm, and slowly, slowly, he opened his hand.
Whoosh—
The whirlwind didn't disappear; instead, it transformed into a gentle current, circling around him, ruffling his golden hair.
This power felt like a part of his body.
No!
Rather, this power was an extension of his soul! It was his entire cry for freedom!
Sabo suddenly looked up, an unprecedented light bursting forth in his blue eyes!
He turned around, looking at Ace and Luffy's faces, which were filled with shock.
He grinned, revealing a brilliant, dazzling smile!
"Ace! Luffy!"
His voice no longer held its previous tremor and despair, but was filled with a newborn joy and power!
"Look! It's wind!"
"I can… I can control wind!"
The initial shock faded.
Replaced by something even stronger.
It was envy!
"Waaah! That's not fair!"
Luffy was the first to protest!
The bright smile on his silly face instantly collapsed, his mouth pursed, tears almost gushing out!
He rushed to Sabo in two strides, extended a finger, and poked the still-glowing azure ornament.
"Why do only you have one!"
"Boss Bai Ye is playing favorites!"
He stomped his feet in anger, then suddenly tilted his head back, yelling at the empty sky at the top of his lungs.
"Hey! Boss Bai Ye! Did you see that?!"
"Playing favorites! I want one too! I want this glowing thing too!"
"I want a red one! With a meat pattern on it!"
After shouting, he looked down and started frantically patting himself.
He lifted his red vest, revealing his round belly.
Nothing.
He tugged at his blue shorts.
Still nothing!
"Waaah! Why don't I have one?!"
Luffy spun around in a panic, just like a monkey who couldn't get a banana.
"Idiot!"
Ace's low growl, suppressing his anger, interrupted Luffy's pig-like wailing.
He looked at his stupid brother, who was rolling on the ground, snot and tears smeared all over his face, and a vein throbbed in his temple.
Envious?
Of course, he was envious!
Who wouldn't want a cool glowing thing that could control wind!
But!
Looking at Sabo's face, which had regained its vigor, looking at the light of hope rekindled in his blue eyes.
An emotion hotter than envy surged from the bottom of Ace's heart!
That was joy!
It was sincere joy for his brother!
This fool finally didn't have to bear those heavy things that didn't belong to him anymore!
"Shut up! Luffy!"
"It's just a glowing thing! What's so great about it!"
He spoke tough, but his black eyes couldn't help but glance at the azure ornament on Sabo's waist.
Damn it.
It glows and makes wind.
It's actually… pretty cool.
"I don't care! I want one too! I want one too!"
Luffy's wailing, combined with Ace's roar, sounded particularly harsh in the tranquil grassland.
And it was this noise that startled something that shouldn't have been disturbed.
"Yika!"
"Dala kucha!"
Strange, meaningless shouts came from the nearby woods.
From the waist-high grass, several strange figures slowly swayed out.
They were short, wore comical masks, and held crude wooden sticks and stones.
They made meaningless, babbling sounds.
Ace's pupils suddenly contracted!
Although he didn't know what these things were called, he was all too familiar with that undisguised malice!
"Luffy! Sabo!"
Ace growled, his muscles instantly tensing, taking a fighting stance.
"Enemy!"
Luffy, who was still throwing a tantrum, stopped crying abruptly.
He scrambled up from the ground, his silly face, smeared with snot and tears, also turned towards the approaching Hilichurls.
His expression instantly switched from grievance to curiosity.
"Wow! Masked monkeys!"
Sabo also immediately put away the joy on his face.
He shielded the still-glowing azure ornament in front of him, warily watching the uninvited guests.
He could feel the primal and chaotic hostility emanating from these strange creatures.
"Yi ya!"
The nearest Hilichurl seemed to be enraged by Luffy's shout.
It shrieked, raised the wooden stick in its hand, and with its two short legs, charged towards Luffy!
"Seeking death!"
Ace's eyes hardened, not waiting for the opponent to get close at all!
He pushed off with his feet, launching himself like an arrow from a bow, delivering a fierce side kick, slamming it into the Hilichurl's head!
Bang!
A dull thud!
The Hilichurl didn't even have time to react, it was kicked flying, rolled several times on the ground, and then lay still.
"So weak."
Ace shook his leg, sneering disdainfully.
But the next second.
"Ya! Ya! Ya!"
The remaining four or five Hilichurls were like an enraged swarm of bees!
They all let out sharp cries, brandishing their weapons, and swarmed towards the three brothers from all directions!
One Hilichurl even picked up a stone from the ground and threw it directly at Luffy's head!
"Luffy! Watch out!"
Sabo's face changed drastically!
Without thinking, almost instinctively, he reached out and waved at the flying stone!
Whoosh!
A visible azure wind blade appeared out of thin air!
The wind blade precisely struck the stone in mid-air!
Splat!
The stone split in two with a sound, falling at Luffy's feet.
Luffy stared blankly at the shattered stone on the ground, then looked up at Sabo's hand, which was still in the waving posture.
"Wow…"
Stars started to appear in his eyes again.
"Nice job, Sabo!"
Ace laughed, turning around and punching another charging Hilichurl to the ground.
But he quickly stopped laughing.
Because more babbling cries echoed from the grass in all directions!
One, two, ten, twenty… countless Hilichurls kept emerging from the grass, from behind the hills!
They formed a huge encirclement, trapping the three brothers tightly in the middle!
"Whoa, whoa, whoa…"
A bead of cold sweat appeared on Ace's forehead.
"You've got to be kidding me? Why are there so many?!"
💎 Power Stone Bonus: Every 100 Power Stones = +1 Extra Chapter
🌟 5-Star Review Bonus: Every 5 (5-Star) Reviews = +2 Extra Chapters
💬 Comment Speed-Up: If any chapter reaches +10 Comments = The Next Chapter Will Be Released Faster!