Ch 70 - A Noble's Dilemma

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It was a pleasant day, the kind where the sun filtered warmly through the trees, casting long shadows on the ground.

Luffy had been lounging on a rock, pondering the next stage of training for Ann and Uta. Both girls had committed themselves fully to his crew, and Luffy, ever the determined captain, had no intention of holding back.

He had been contemplating the Hyperbolic Training Chamber, a unique gift from his system. Since the cooldown period had ended, it was ready for use again. His thoughts lingered on who should use it first, leaning toward Uta, given her steady improvement.

But before he could share his decision, he saw Sabo sprinting toward them from the city.

Sabo's face was ghostly pale, his blue eyes wide and unfocused, as if haunted by something unspeakable. His breathing came in ragged gasps, and beads of sweat trailed down his temples from the frantic sprint that had carried him here.

Luffy's casual demeanor evaporated, replaced by a sharp alertness.

Ann and Uta froze mid-conversation, alarmed by the unusual state of their normally composed friend.

"Sabo! What's wrong?" Ann's voice was high-pitched, the urgency in her tone unmistakable.

"Sabo, are you hurt? What happened?!" Uta added, stepping forward, her fingers twisting anxiously around the edge of her sleeve.

Ignoring their barrage of questions, Sabo stumbled to a halt, doubling over for a moment as he tried to catch his breath. Then, with a visible effort, he lunged toward Luffy, grabbing him by the shoulders with trembling hands. His grip was ironclad, desperate, as though he were clinging to the last thread of sanity.

"Luffy!" He choked out, his voice a mix of panic and fury. "I just… I just found out something horrible!"

Luffy's eyes narrowed, his entire frame tensing as he reached up to hold Sabo's wrists gently but firmly.

"Tell me," He commanded, his voice low and steady, a stark contrast to Sabo's agitation.

Sabo swallowed hard, his throat visibly constricting. "In the city… I overheard some nobles. A Celestial Dragon is coming to the Goa Kingdom in three days."

His voice cracked with barely contained emotion. "The nobles… they're planning to burn Grey Terminal. All of it. Every hut, every shack, everyone living there… they're going to torch it all. They want to… erase it to make the kingdom 'presentable.'"

The words hung in the air like a curse. Ann's breath hitched audibly, and her face paled to an almost sickly white.

Uta staggered backward, clutching at the nearest tree for support, her hands shaking.

"B-Burn it?" Uta's voice trembled, barely louder than a whisper. Her bright, innocent eyes were clouded with horror. "They… They'll burn people alive?"

"How could they…?" Ann's voice cracked as she stepped closer, her fists trembling as her nails dug into her palms. "Those poor people…"

Sabo let go of Luffy's shoulders and stumbled back, looking down at his trembling hands as though they, too, carried guilt. His eyes filled with tears as he clenched them into fists. "I… I can't believe it. All this… all this just to impress a Celestial Dragon. They don't care about the lives they're throwing away."

His voice rose, choked with fury and anguish. "It's sickening! I feel ashamed—ashamed of being a noble!"

Before Sabo could spiral further into his self-loathing, the sharp sound of flesh meeting flesh rang through the clearing.

Luffy's palm connected with Sabo's cheek—not hard enough to hurt, but forceful enough to jolt him out of his frenzied thoughts.

"Snap out of it, Sabo!" Luffy's voice was a thunderclap, cutting through the whirlwind of emotions like a blade. His dark eyes burned with intensity, his gaze locking Sabo in place.

"Luffy…" Sabo muttered, his voice weak.

"Listen to me," Luffy said, his tone firm but calm, each word steady as stone. "You didn't choose to be born a noble, just like Ann didn't choose to be Gol D. Roger's daughter, even I didn't choose to have Garp as my crazy grandfather or Uta didn't choose to grow up alone on Elegia. We don't get to choose where we come from. What matters is who we are now."

Luffy's words struck like a hammer on steel, the conviction in his voice causing Sabo to lift his eyes and truly see his younger brother's determined expression.

"And you? You're my brother. You're family. That's what matters to me," Luffy said with a small, unshakable grin.

Ann, still shaken, stepped forward, her usual fiery personality resurfacing. "Luffy's right, Sabo. You're not like them. You've always stood with us, against the ugliness of what the nobles stand for. And that's what counts."

"You're part of our family," Uta said softly, her voice laced with compassion. She placed a hand on Sabo's arm. "You've already proven what side you're on."

Sabo exhaled, his trembling subsiding as he absorbed their words. Slowly, a flicker of hope crept into his haunted gaze. He offered them a shaky smile. "Thanks… I needed to hear that."

But just as quickly, the worry returned to his face. "Still… what about the people in Grey Terminal? They'll—"

"They won't burn," Luffy interrupted with a voice brimming with calm certainty.

Sabo blinked, startled. "What…?"

Ann and Uta exchanged confused glances.

Luffy's grin widened, something almost mischievous sparkling in his dark eyes. He turned his back to them and started walking toward the dense forest.

"They won't burn. No one's dying in Grey Terminal. Someone's going to save them," He said, his tone casual, as though he were commenting on the weather.

The certainty in his words made Sabo's breath hitch. He stumbled after Luffy, grabbing his arm. "What are you talking about?! Who?!"

Luffy glanced back over his shoulder, his eyes gleaming with untold plans.

"You'll see."

For a moment, the group was silent, his cryptic words weighing heavy in the humid air.

"Luffy, wait—what do you mean?!" Ann demanded, running to keep up.

Uta tugged on Luffy's sleeve, her voice rising with desperation. "If you know something, tell us!"

Luffy just waved them off nonchalantly, his laughter light yet maddeningly mysterious.

"You'll just have to trust me," He said, breaking into a jog and disappearing into the trees.

Sabo, Ann, and Uta stood there, staring after him with expressions of bewilderment, disbelief, and reluctant hope.

Ann folded her arms, huffing with irritation. "I hate it when he gets all mysterious."

Uta nodded in agreement, though her lips quirked into a faint smile despite herself. "But… doesn't he always pull through?"

Sabo's lips tightened, his chest still tight with worry. Yet, as he gazed at the spot where Luffy vanished, something inside him stirred.

Hope.

Luffy's confidence had a way of being contagious, after all.

"I hope you're right, Luffy," Sabo murmured, his resolve hardening. "I hope you're right."

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