Chapter 115 : The New Lineup Of The Straw Hats

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Conference Hall, Alabasta Palace

The entire Straw Hat crew, including Nico Robin—soon to join their ranks—and Bon Clay, who is also preparing to join, sat together in the grand hall. Joining them were Luffy's older brothers, Ace and Sabo.

Amid the lively atmosphere, Luffy turned to Sabo with wide eyes, clearly startled by what he had just heard.

"Sabo, what are you talking about? Do you want to join my crew too?"

Luffy's surprise was evident in his voice.

Sabo laughed lightly. "That's right! I'm pretty interested in this whole Private Marine idea!"

He grinned mischievously before adding, "Actually, it's not just me. Your father is interested, too!"

"My father?"

Luffy tilted his head in confusion, his expression blank.

"Wait... my father? Who's that? Do I even have a father?"

Sabo froze, speechless at Luffy's question. His silence wasn't just directed at Luffy but also at his mentor, Dragon.

With a sigh, Sabo finally explained, "Your father's name is Monkey D. Dragon. He's the leader of the Revolutionary Army and one of the most wanted men in the world!"

Seeing Luffy's blank stare, Sabo continued, "When I was severely injured by a World Noble's attack, it was Dragon who saved my life. That's how I became his disciple."

His words hung in the air, and an awkward silence followed. Most of the Straw Hats looked equally puzzled, with Luffy, Chopper, Usopp, and even Psyduck blinking in confusion.

Sabo, usually cautious about revealing such sensitive information, wouldn't normally have mentioned Dragon. But Dragon himself had given permission to share this with the Straw Hat crew.

"Monkey D... Dragon?"

Luffy remained clueless, but Vivi stepped in to explain, her tone carrying both awe and concern.

"Luffy, Dragon is recognized by the World Government as the most dangerous criminal alive. His Revolutionary Army aims to overthrow the World Government's control of the world!"

She paused, then added with a sigh, "I can't believe your father is the legendary revolutionary Dragon."

Vivi reflected on what she'd learned about Luffy's family recently. His grandfather, Marine hero Vice Admiral Garp. His older brother, Ace, the second division commander of the Four Emperors Whitebeard Pirates.

How powerful is Luffy's lineage? she wondered.

A thought struck her, and she recalled something Ikki once said about Luffy. "Luffy? He's just a spoiled second-generation rich kid traveling the world!"

The idea now seemed oddly fitting.

Luffy, oblivious to the weight of Vivi's words, laughed casually. "Well, I don't know about my dad, but since he saved Sabo, I guess I'm grateful to him!"

His carefree statement left everyone speechless.

But Luffy wasn't done yet. He turned to Ace, his usual bright grin on his face. "Hey, Ace! Sabo's joining my crew. What about you? Wanna come aboard too?"

Ace smiled but shook his head firmly. "I've already made my decision, Luffy. I'm going to help Whitebeard become the Pirate King. Sorry, but I can't join you. In fact, I might even be your opponent someday."

Luffy, however, didn't look disappointed. Instead, he laughed even louder. "That's fine! You might be my brother, but I'm going to be the one to become Pirate King!"

"Okay! Let's see!"

Ace's confident grin lingered as he turned to Ikki. "Ikki, when are you going to cure Sabo's amnesia?"

Hearing this, both Luffy and Sabo also turned their attention to Ikki, their curiosity evident.

After a brief pause, Ikki replied, "We'll need to go to a Sky Island first. The way to cure Sabo is there!"

"Sky Island?" Luffy's eyes widened, his amazement clear.

"An island in the sky? Is it really floating up there?"

Ikki nodded. "That's right. On Sky Island called Skypiea, there's a man named Enel, a Logia user with the Rumble-Rumble Fruit ability."

He continued, "If we find Enel and convince him to use his powers for a sort of... electric treatment, it might restore Sabo's memory."

What Ikki said was, of course, complete nonsense. His real goal was to keep Ace with the Straw Hats for as long as possible. Delaying Ace's inevitable encounter with Blackbeard could potentially prevent the catastrophic events of the Marineford War.

The current Straw Hats, while growing stronger, would be in no position to handle such a battle. Besides, the Marines had shown occasional kindness toward the crew, complicating the matter further.

Ikki was also preparing for the worst-case scenario. Even if Ace didn't get captured, it was possible that Blackbeard might capture someone else from Whitebeard's crew, forcing the same chain of events. Knowing Whitebeard's unwavering loyalty to his "sons," he would go to war to rescue any of them.

To ensure that didn't happen, Ikki had to act decisively to prevent Blackbeard from succeeding—and possibly eliminate him early.

Ace didn't dwell too much on Ikki's explanation.

"Alright. I'll come to Sky Island with you. I'll leave once Sabo's memory is back!"

Ikki, satisfied that Ace would stay for now, turned to Bon Clay and Nico Robin.

"Robin, Bon Clay, are you willing to join the Straw Hats?"

Bon Clay immediately agreed without hesitation. "We've been companions for a while now, haven't we?"

Robin, after a moment of thought, nodded as well. "I'll join."

After learning that Dragon was Luffy's father, Robin's decision became even firmer.

Who is Luffy? she thought to herself.

His lineage is like a bridge between light and shadow. The Revolutionary Army stands behind him in the shadows, and in the light, he has his grandfather, the Marine Hero Garp.

Still, Robin couldn't help but worry. What if the World Government discovered she'd joined the Straw Hats? Would they betray her to save themselves?

A bitter thought crossed her mind. 'Even if they hand me over, I can't blame them. I've lived my whole life in the space between betrayal and being betrayed.'

Robin, the archaeologist burdened by darkness, still carried a guarded heart.

Ikki, unaware of her inner turmoil, briefly considered helping Robin grow closer to the crew right away. But after some thought, he decided to let her integrate with the team naturally before addressing any changes.

And so, the Straw Hat crew welcomed several new members: Nico Robin, Bon Clay, Sabo, and for now, a temporary member in Ace.

Ikki glanced at Vivi, who stood nearby. He had wanted to say something to her but held back, knowing she had decided to stay in Alabasta.

'Luffy, Nami, Chopper, Sanji, and Usopp are all going to be heartbroken when Vivi leaves,' Ikki thought.

Noticing his expression, Vivi asked, "Ikki, do I have something on my face?"

Ikki quickly waved his hands. "No, nothing. I was just wishing you success in becoming the perfect queen!"

Vivi blinked, confused. "Queen?"

Nami laughed. "Ikki, what are you saying? Even if Vivi becomes queen, it won't be until we finish our adventure and come back!"

"Huh? Vivi's coming with us?" Ikki asked, genuinely surprised.

Vivi smiled and nodded. "Yes. After thinking about it for a long time and discussing it with my father, I decided to go with you all. I want to see the wider world."

Her expression grew determined. "That way, when I return to Alabasta, I can make it even more prosperous."