"Hurry up and let him join the Marines!"
"This is so adorable! Who could resist this?"
The barrage of comments flooded in from both worlds.
(Present) Garp:Hahaha, my dear grandson! I really couldn't help myself at that time. If Commissar Ron hadn't given me a look, I don't think I could've controlled myself. After all, who could refuse such an adorable grandson? Hahaha!
Garp laughed heartily while patting Admiral Luffy on the head.
(Present) Luffy:Grandpa! Take your hands off me! There are so many people watching! I'm an Admiral now—please give me some respect! And move your chin away—your stubble is pricking me!!!
(Present) Momousagi:Luffy Admiral was much cuter when he was little. He wasn't so shy before.
(Present) Luffy:Shut up, Momousagi! Don't bring up the past!
(Present) Sengoku:Ahem… I just regret that I wasn't there at the time. I never thought Luffy Admiral would go through so many twists and turns before joining the Marines.
(Present) Tashigi:By the way, Luffy Admiral, can I interview you? Was your journey to joining the Marines smooth?
(Present) Luffy:Smooth? Are you kidding? It was a struggle! Now I regret it—I should have just agreed to Commissar Ron in the first place!
Sengoku from the original world watched the lively chat unfold.
The names were familiar—they all existed in his world as well. But something felt different.
How are they chatting so casually?
The Marines in my world have strict ranks and rules. No subordinate would ever speak this informally with their superiors.
Sengoku hesitated. He wanted to ask but felt embarrassed.
This was a public chatroom—asking would mean admitting that the Marines on Ron's side had a better atmosphere than his own.
I can't admit that.
But he couldn't deny it either.
"Forget it. I'll observe more through this video. Maybe I'll find some clues," Sengoku thought to himself.
He wanted to learn.
Luffy's Confusion
(Original) Luffy:Impossible! No way! There's no way I begged to join the Marines!
Luffy stared at the screen in disbelief.
Was that really him?
I can't imagine myself hugging Grandpa's legs and begging to be a Marine…
Across the world, the Straw Hat Crew members were equally shocked.
If Luffy had joined the Marines in that world…
What would have happened to us?
A Grandfather's Joy
Back on screen, little Luffy clung to Garp's leg, shaking it desperately.
"Grandpa! Please let me join the Marines!"
Garp's grin stretched from ear to ear.
He was about to immediately agree, but then—
He caught Ron's sharp gaze.
Garp froze.
"Grandpa can't decide this. It's up to Commissar Ron," he said reluctantly. "You have to convince him."
Oh, my heart aches.
Rejecting his grandson like this was painful.
Garp clutched his chest dramatically.
"Why does it hurt so much?"
Then, he realized.
My grandson wasn't always this cute…
He remembered the past.
Little Luffy had never said, I want to be a Marine!
Instead, he'd shouted, I want to be the Pirate King!
Garp clenched his fists.
"That wasn't cute at all."
(Original) Garp:Another me… please just say yes already. I can't take it anymore.
The original world Garp looked at his own Luffy and sighed.
"Why is my grandson so dumb?!"
When will I get to experience this kind of joy?
Meanwhile, his Luffy grinned widely.
"Don't worry, Grandpa! I won't beg you to be a Marine! I want to be the King of the Pirates!"
…
Silence.
…
Garp's veins bulged.
"You little—!!!"
"Say that again, and I'll hit you with my Iron Fist!!!"
Sengoku rubbed his temples.
Comparing ourselves to them only makes me angry.
"At least I don't have kids. If my son turned out like Garp's, I'd have a migraine every day."
But then—
He remembered.
"Wait… don't I have two children with Chief of Staff Tsuru in that world?"
Sengoku's heart skipped a beat.
"I wonder how they turned out?"
He wanted to ask.
But asking in public would be embarrassing.
"Maybe I'll find out in the video later," he thought.
He hoped they weren't as troublesome as Garp's family.
Luffy's Determination
Back in the video.
Little Luffy ran to Ron again.
"I want to be a Marine!"
Ron crossed his arms.
"No."
Luffy's jaw dropped.
"Why not?!"
Ron held up a finger.
"First reason—you're not ready."
Luffy frowned.
"Not ready? What do you mean?!"
"You're not a man yet," Ron said firmly. "You're too weak. Do you think anyone can become a Marine?"
Luffy pouted.
Ron gestured toward the thousands of Marines behind him.
"Look at them."
Luffy's eyes widened.
"The Marines fight on the battlefield," Ron continued. "Would you expect them to protect you?"
"Are you strong enough to protect them?"
"You think fighting is a game?"
"You think war is like playing house?"
"Can you look your comrades in the eye and say, 'You can trust me with your back'?"
Luffy's heart pounded.
For the first time, he saw the serious side of being a Marine.
The reality.
The responsibility.
The strength needed.
The thousands of Marines standing behind Ron—
Their uniforms. Their resolve.
It all overwhelmed him.
Ron's cloak billowed in the wind.
Luffy's eyes sparkled.
"So cool!!!"
He clenched his fists.
"I'll prove it to you!" he shouted.
"I am a man!"
Ron smiled.
"You'll have to prove it."
"I will!" Luffy declared.
"I will prove to you that I… I can make my friends trust me with their backs!"
The screen faded to black.
A Future Changed
(Present) Luffy:I was so naïve back then…
(Present) Garp:No, you were just adorable. Hahaha!
(Present) Sengoku:The Marines would've been very different if Ron had been in our world…
Somewhere, in the original world, Luffy stared at the screen.
A thought crossed his mind.
"What if… things had been different?"
(To be continued…)
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