Absalom was completely overtaken by nerves the moment he received the news — Luffy himself had summoned him.
The mere fact that the "Captain" was calling for him personally was enough to make his pulse race. After all, Luffy was not the kind of man who wasted words or time on trivial matters.
"Captain Luffy…" Absalom muttered, swallowing hard as he hurried through the corridors.
When he pushed open the doors to the living room, the sight before him made his knees weaken. Luffy sat at the center of the room, calm and composed, his expression unreadable behind a faint smile that seemed to conceal a thousand thoughts.
Absalom instinctively knelt, bowing his head in absolute respect.
"I have an important task for you," Luffy said, raising a small sealed envelope adorned with the Straw Hat symbol. "This is an invitation—to a wedding that will take place one month from now. I want you to deliver it personally to the office of the Five Elders."
Absalom's heart nearly stopped.
For a moment, silence filled the room like lead. He stared at the golden envelope, then at the calm—almost teasing—smile on Luffy's face. His hands began to tremble.
The Five Elders…? he thought, stunned. Those men were the most feared, untouchable figures in the world. And he—a mere subordinate—was being asked to cross seas, islands, and the very gates of hell in Mariejois to hand-deliver a wedding invitation?
His mind screamed in protest, but his lips refused to move.
Unable to contain his doubt, Absalom cast a desperate glance toward his former captain, Gecko Moria.
Moria folded his arms and let out a lazy, raspy laugh.
"Absalom, with your ability, that shouldn't be a problem. Even if they catch you, I'll drag you back myself—even if I have to tear you out of hell to do it."
His words were simple, yet they carried an unshakable confidence.
Still, Luffy's calm, steady voice cut through the tension—radiating a strange mixture of power and serenity.
"Even Observation Haki can't detect you when you use your Devil Fruit," he said. "Go without fear."
Absalom hesitated for an instant—but he knew the captain was right. His invisibility wasn't perfect, but even the most skilled users of Observation Haki would struggle to sense him. Only those on an absurdly high level—like Luffy himself—could perceive his presence.
And right then, Luffy's sharp gaze seemed to pierce through everything—through flesh, through walls, through souls.
At that moment, Absalom knew his heart had been completely read.
[The Captain's right. Observation Haki can't detect me. I proved it when I fought Doflamingo!]
[If I pull this off, my status in the Straw Hat Fleet will skyrocket!]
Fueled by that thought, he stood tall, thumped his chest with determination, and declared with conviction:
"I understand, Captain Luffy! I'll complete this mission—no matter what it takes!"
Luffy gave a faint smile and nodded once.
A second later, Absalom vanished into thin air, leaving behind nothing but a whisper of displaced air.
When silence returned, Moria let out a heavy sigh and looked at Luffy with concern.
"You sure about this? The Five Elders aren't exactly… welcoming."
Luffy rose slowly, adjusting his straw hat. His face showed no emotion.
"There won't be a problem."
He walked out of the room, leaving Moria behind in a haze of confusion and disbelief.
The idea of sending a wedding invitation to the supreme rulers of the world was so absurd it bordered on provocation. It was ironic, audacious—and, in its own way, a declaration of war wrapped in golden paper.
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of Luffy's lips.
And if they actually accept the invitation? he wondered, amused.
The odds were almost zero—but if it did happen…
Well, then he'd have to admit those five old men had guts.
---
As he walked down the corridor, the Den Den Mushi on his belt began to crackle. Luffy answered it, immediately recognizing the gruff, booming voice on the other end.
"Grandpa, what's left of that mess with the Golden Lion?" he asked casually, though his tone carried a hint of interest.
On the other side, Garp burst into his trademark explosive laughter.
"Ahahaha! Luffy! The East Blue's completely safe now! Some of the leftovers ran back to the Grand Line. And I saw the news about you storming the Holy Land—what a ruckus you made! Hahaha! You really are my grandson!"
There wasn't a hint of worry in Garp's voice. The fact that Luffy had slaughtered a group of Celestial Dragons seemed almost to make him proud.
He knew his grandson better than anyone—and he knew there was no universe where Monkey D. Luffy and the World Government could ever coexist.
Now that he was no longer a Marine, Garp could support his grandson openly, without restraint or regret. He knew the truth behind the Government—the corruption, the hypocrisy, the rot of the Celestial Dragons. To him, they were nothing more than worms wearing crowns.
Luffy nodded lightly.
"Grandpa, I'm planning a wedding with Big Mom. The ceremony's in a month. I want you to be there."
On the other end, the old man nearly had a heart attack.
"WHAT?! You're marrying Charlotte Linlin?!" Garp's shout nearly burst the Den Den Mushi's shell. "You damn brat! What about Nami?! What about the princess of Alabasta?! Marrying Big Mom—over my dead body!"
Luffy sighed as the Den Den Mushi morphed into Garp's furious face.
The very idea was absurd—the age gap, the contrast in personalities, and, of course, Big Mom's grotesque appearance. Garp even wondered if Luffy had been forced into it for political reasons—perhaps to forge an alliance against the World Government.
Before he could continue his rant, a familiar female laugh echoed through the line.
"Grandpa, it's not Luffy who's getting married!" Nami said between giggles, her tone brimming with mischief.
She then explained the captain's plan and the logic behind the temporary alliance with Big Mom.
When she finished, Garp exhaled deeply—then burst into laughter again.
"Ahahaha! So that's it! In that case, you have my support, brat. Count me in!"
Luffy smiled faintly on the other end.
"By the way, Grandpa… do you still have my father's contact?"
For a moment, Garp went silent. He knew exactly where this was heading.
Luffy was planning something enormous—something that would demand the presence of every major force in the world: pirates, revolutionaries, even the Government's most powerful enemies.
"I do," Garp finally replied, without hesitation. "I'll send you his number now."
Luffy jotted it down calmly.
But he didn't call.
Not yet.
Unlike Garp, Monkey D. Dragon was a man who lived in the shadows—a revolutionary leader waging war against the world order. Luffy knew that speaking to him required the right moment.
For now, simply having the number was enough.
The first step had been taken.
Naturally, he also intended to contact Red-Haired Shanks and Whitebeard's crew.
In a single month, the eyes of the entire world would turn toward the most insane wedding in the history of the seas.
---
(End of Chapter)