"Seraphina"
Luna suddenly interrupted.
"You have to call me 'Older Sister'! Otherwise, I'll seal Luna's mouth shut and won't let Luna eat!"
Saint Roselith Seraphina gently pulled Luna's cheek again.
"Ah! Luna doesn't want to go without food!"
Luna hurriedly surrendered.
Why did Seraphina always bring food into everything?
Eating was one of Luna's favorite things.
"Seraphina is so mean!"
Luna puffed out her cheeks in dissatisfaction.
Sea Kings would never become slaves!
Unless someone used food to tempt them.
Seraphina heard Luna's complaint and gave her a faintly gloomy look.
"Hmm?"
"Seraphina-neechan…"
Luna finally gave in.
It was only a change in how she addressed Seraphina, so there was nothing particularly difficult about it.
"Speak."
"What is it?"
Seraphina's expression immediately softened, and even the arm wrapped around Luna became gentler.
Such a quick change in expression!
Luna blinked before finally revealing what she wanted.
"That's right!"
"Luna wants to become like Seraphina!"
"Luna wants to learn how to fight!"
Luna pleaded with determination.
She wanted to become stronger because she knew that her mother had been killed by other Sea Kings.
That memory had remained deeply rooted within her.
She did not want to remain weak and helpless.
She wanted to become strong enough to protect herself and those she cared about.
As a Sea King herself, Luna possessed an instinctive awareness of the strength of other creatures.
And whenever she sensed Seraphina, that instinct gave her the same overwhelming answer.
Seraphina was strong.
Extremely strong.
Her presence alone was enough to make Luna understand the enormous difference between them.
"Sure."
Seraphina did not hesitate for long.
She had been involved in Luna's birth and had watched the little Sea King grow.
How could she fail to understand what Luna wanted?
"Really?!"
Luna became incredibly excited.
Her tiny hands trembled with anticipation.
"Of course."
Seraphina smiled.
"If you truly want to become stronger, I'll teach you."
"Luna will work hard!"
Luna immediately became enthusiastic.
"Then you'd better be prepared."
Seraphina gently tapped Luna's forehead.
"Training will be much harder than eating."
Luna suddenly became serious.
"Then…"
"Can Luna eat after training?"
Seraphina laughed.
"Of course."
"Then Luna will definitely become stronger!"
…
East BlueFoosha VillageFar away from the chaotic seas of the Grand Line, the peaceful village of Foosha remained as quiet as ever.
Yet within this ordinary village, two brothers were already dreaming of a future that would eventually shake the entire world.
"I'm going to become the Pirate King!"
"Luffy!"
"I'll become the Pirate King even faster than you!"
Portgas D. Ace stood confidently before his younger brother.
Although Ace believed that Luffy might accomplish something extraordinary one day, his own pride would never allow him to simply surrender the title.
He wanted his younger brother to succeed.
At the same time, he wanted to surpass him.
Who would have thought that such contradictory feelings could exist within the same person?
"Damn it!"
"Ace, let's have a match!"
Monkey D. Luffy immediately challenged him.
He was unwilling to admit defeat.
Every time he sparred with Ace, he lost.
But Luffy had never accepted that those defeats meant he would always remain weaker.
One day, he would definitely beat Ace.
He was absolutely certain of it.
Luffy also hated the way Ace sometimes treated him like a child.
He wanted to prove that he was capable of standing beside his older brother.
"Alright."
Ace thought about it for a moment.
If he refused to compete with Luffy again, his younger brother would probably keep nagging him until he agreed anyway.
It was better to settle the matter with another race.
"Let's run from here to the shore!"
The moment Ace finished speaking, Luffy, who had been standing beside him, had already disappeared.
Ace stared at the empty space beside him.
"Damn it!"
"Why did you start already?!"
Luffy's voice came from farther ahead.
"The Pirate King will be me, Monkey D. Luffy!"
Luffy turned around and laughed loudly.
Ace immediately chased after him.
"Wait for me, you idiot!"
…
"Ace!"
"You can't catch me now!"
"I'm going to become the Pirate King!"
Luffy sprinted forward with all his strength.
His small legs moved as quickly as they could.
However, Ace was older, stronger, and more physically developed.
Despite Luffy's desperate effort, Ace gradually began closing the distance.
"It's not over yet…"
Ace increased his pace.
"The Pirate King?"
A calm voice suddenly came from ahead.
Before Luffy could react, the tip of a sword scabbard appeared directly in front of him.
"Whoa!"
Luffy tried to stop.
He was too late.
His body crashed straight into the scabbard.
"Ouch!"
Luffy staggered backward while rubbing his forehead.
Ace immediately stopped and looked toward the person standing before them.
A silver-haired young woman wearing a Marine uniform stood calmly in their path.
A sword rested at her side.
Her expression was composed, but there was an unmistakable sense of strength surrounding her.
Luffy stared at her in confusion.
"Who are you?"
Ace's expression changed.
"Saint Roselith Seraphina."
Luffy tilted his head.
"Who?"
Ace rubbed his forehead helplessly.
"You seriously don't remember her?"
Seraphina had once saved them.
How could Luffy forget her so easily?
Yet this was Luffy.
His attention often wandered from one thing to another, especially when something more interesting caught his attention.
Luffy continued staring at the silver-haired Marine.
"You are…"
His eyes suddenly widened.
"Wait!"
"You're Saint Roselith Seraphina!"
Ace stared at him.
"You only remembered now?"
Luffy's face immediately brightened.
"That's right!"
"It's the Marine big sister!"
Seraphina looked at the two brothers and smiled faintly.
"Ace, Luffy, you two are still as energetic as ever."
Her gaze settled on Luffy.
"Vice Admiral Garp still hasn't managed to change your minds?"
Luffy immediately became nervous.
"Why do you sound like Grandpa Garp?"
Seraphina chuckled softly.
"Because I know Vice Admiral Garp."
"And I know how he trains you."
Ace narrowed his eyes.
"Were you also sent by the old man to persuade us?"
His gaze briefly fell upon Seraphina's Marine uniform.
Considering Garp's constant attempts to make them Marines, Ace naturally assumed that Seraphina might have been sent for the same reason.
"No."
Seraphina calmly shook her head.
Ace was slightly surprised.
"Then why are you here?"
Seraphina looked at both brothers.
She already knew that attempting to persuade them would accomplish very little.
Luffy's determination was obvious.
Ace's determination was even stronger.
Neither boy would abandon his dream simply because an adult told him that the sea was dangerous.
Seraphina understood that perfectly.
That was why she had no intention of wasting time trying to lecture them.
Instead, she wanted to see something for herself.
"I came to test you."
"Test us?"
Ace's expression became serious.
"Yes."
Seraphina's gaze remained calm.
"You both talk about becoming the Pirate King."
"But having a dream and possessing the strength necessary to pursue that dream are two completely different things."
Luffy clenched his fists.
"I'll become strong!"
"I know."
Seraphina nodded.
"That is why I'm going to test you."
Ace immediately understood.
"You want to know whether we're serious."
"Exactly."
Seraphina placed one hand on the hilt of her sword.
"I'm not here to decide your dreams for you."
"If you want to become pirates, that is your choice."
"But if you intend to set sail one day, you need to understand what awaits you beyond the East Blue."
"The Grand Line is not a place where determination alone will keep you alive."
Ace's eyes sharpened.
He knew that.
Vice Admiral Garp had told them enough stories about the Grand Line to make it clear that the seas beyond the East Blue were filled with powerful pirates, dangerous islands, unpredictable weather, and monsters unlike anything they had encountered.
Seraphina slowly drew her sword.
The blade emerged from its scabbard with a quiet metallic sound.
Ace immediately became alert.
However, instead of pointing the blade toward them, Seraphina planted it firmly into the ground.
She then removed the scabbard and held it in her hand.
Ace stared at the weapon.
"You're going to fight us with the scabbard?"
Seraphina nodded.
"Yes."
Ace's expression darkened.
To him, it felt like an insult.
"Saint Roselith!"
"I'm not the same person I used to be!"
Ace clenched his fist.
Although he was still young, Ace had already developed considerable physical strength through his harsh life and the training he had received from Garp.
He refused to be treated like a helpless child.
"You said you wanted to test us."
"Then show us your real strength!"
Seraphina calmly raised the scabbard.
"This is more than enough."
Ace's expression became even more displeased.
Seraphina was not mocking him.
She simply understood the enormous difference between their current levels of strength.
At this point in their lives, Ace and Luffy were still children.
Their bodies had not yet reached physical maturity.
Their combat experience was still limited.
They had not yet developed the Haki that would eventually become an important part of their future journeys.
They were still far from the strength they would eventually possess.
Against Seraphina, using a sword would be unnecessary.
A scabbard was enough.
Ace's pride, however, refused to accept that.
"You'll pay for your arrogance!"
"I'm not the same person I used to be!"
Ace suddenly lunged forward.
His fist shot toward Seraphina with considerable force.
The punch created a sharp gust as it tore through the air.
For someone his age, Ace's physical ability was already remarkable.
But Seraphina did not need to meet force with force.
Her Observation Haki quietly spread through the surrounding area.
She could perceive Ace's movements before his attack reached her.
Seraphina simply shifted her body to the side.
Ace's fist passed harmlessly beside her.
"What?!"
Ace's eyes widened.
Before he could regain his balance, Seraphina moved.
The scabbard in her hand swung forward.
It struck Ace directly in the stomach.
"Gah!"
The impact drove the air from Ace's lungs.
His eyes widened as his body was sent flying backward.
He crashed onto the ground and rolled several times before finally stopping himself.
Ace immediately pressed a hand against his stomach.
The pain was intense.
"How can she be this strong?!"
Ace gritted his teeth.
She had not even used the blade.
She had not used any Devil Fruit ability.
She had not displayed an elaborate sword technique.
One simple strike with a scabbard had been enough to send him flying.
Luffy stared at his brother.
"Ace!"
Ace slowly forced himself back onto his feet.
"I'm fine."
Seraphina lowered the scabbard.
"You're tougher than you look."
Ace glared at her.
"Don't talk like that!"
Seraphina's expression remained calm.
"Then prove me wrong."
Luffy's eyes immediately lit up.
"Okay!"
He clenched both fists.
"Ace and Luffy versus Saint Roselith Seraphina!"
Ace looked at him.
"You're joining me?"
"Of course!"
Luffy grinned.
"I want to beat her too!"
Seraphina looked at the two brothers.
For a brief moment, she remembered their declaration.
They wanted to become the Pirate King.
They were still children.
Their bodies had not yet matured.
Their combat experience was limited.
They had not yet developed the abilities that would one day make their names known across the seas.
Yet there was something in their eyes that Seraphina could not ignore.
Will.
Determination.
And an absolute refusal to surrender.
Those qualities mattered.
Strength could be cultivated.
Experience could be gained.
Techniques could be learned.
But an unyielding will was far more difficult to create.
Seraphina respected that.
However, respect did not mean she would go easy on them.
She raised the scabbard.
"Come at me together."
Ace's expression became serious.
Luffy lowered his stance.
Seraphina's eyes narrowed slightly.
"I'm here to test the strength that Vice Admiral Garp has been cultivating."
"So show me what you two can really do."
The moment her words fell, both brothers charged.
Ace attacked from the front.
Luffy rushed in from the side.
Seraphina remained completely still.
Neither boy realized that their first real lesson had already begun.
The difference between their current strength and the monsters they would eventually face on the Grand Line was enormous.
And Saint Roselith Seraphina was about to make them understand exactly how enormous that gap truly was.
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