The town's marketplace was bustling, with a man wearing an orange cowboy hat, shirtless, carrying a green cowboy bag, and the Whitebeard Pirate King's symbol printed on his back.
"Yo~ little bro, never seen you before, is this your first time in Alabasta?" A vendor holding a golden apple greeted a passerby.
"How about it, take a look... a golden apple! Wait, I'll only tell you... I actually found this incredible secret treasure when I snuck into ancient ruins."
The vendor looked around cautiously and whispered to the young man in front of him.
"It's a fantastical golden apple that lets you live for a thousand years if you just take a bite."
"Sorry..." The young man's voice gave people the illusion that he was a very steady person.
"I'm not interested in living for a thousand years, but my youngest brother would probably be interested, though he doesn't need it."
"Tsk," the vendor clicked his tongue in disdain... he hadn't managed to trick anyone again.
But then he turned and saw Chopper and Usopp, wide-eyed and drooling at the golden apple... "A golden apple that lets you live for a thousand years! Is it really true?"
"You have excellent taste, customers! Oh, and right now, I'll give you a discount, only a thousand Berries!"
"We'll buy it, we'll buy it!" Usopp and Chopper cheered with raised arms, but less than a second later, Nami, who was behind them, disciplined and dragged them away.
"Seriously... what were you thinking?"
Zoro pulled open the curtain next to the vendor, and inside, someone was applying golden dye to apples.
"Don't take it seriously... look."
Nami dragged Usopp and the muscular Chopper away, looking speechless.
"Stop doing unnecessary things. Hurry up and find Luffy for me. We've bought everything, so once we find Luffy, we'll head to the next town."
"Where did that guy Luffy run off to?" Zoro looked around, suddenly spotting a figure, his expression becoming serious.
"That guy is..."
"I'd like to ask... have you seen this man?" The fortune-telling old woman carefully examined the bounty poster in the man's hand and read it aloud, "Monkey D. Luffy?"
Hearing the familiar name, everyone turned together. Orochimaru, who was gnawing on an apple, looked at the man wearing only shorts with a dark expression, and walked over aggressively.
"Wait, Orochimaru, that man..." Zoro quickly pulled Orochimaru back, seeing him about to start a fight.
Orochimaru, who was being held back, threw an apple that hit Ace on the head.
"Who!" Ace quickly turned... looked at the dancer being held by Zoro... took a closer look... then froze, and then burst into laughter.
"Hahahahahahaha... Orochimaru... hahaha... what's with that outfit... but Sabo would definitely be happy if he saw it."
Ace clutched his stomach, laughing until tears came out.
Zoro and Nami's group blinked... it seemed they knew each other.
Ace wiped away his tears of laughter and walked over to pat Orochimaru's head.
"Long time no see, Orochimaru, but it looks like you haven't grown taller in these three years."
"(╬•᷅д•᷄╬) Huh? What nonsense are you talking about, stupid Ace? Where are your clothes! You exhibitionist! How many times have I told you! Put on your clothes! Have you even abandoned your jacket now?! Fasten your pants button properly! Why don't you just go naked?!"
Ace blocked Orochimaru's roaring face with both hands, chuckling, "Uh... where's Luffy?"
"Lost him!" Orochimaru said with a gloomy expression.
"Uh... I... I'll go find Luffy, see you later, ha... hahahaha... I'm leaving now." The guilty Ace quickly ran off, not understanding why Orochimaru became so talkative when he saw him. It definitely wasn't his fault... why was he like this?
The originally curious group, looking at the Orochimaru whose personality had changed, whistled at the sky, "Uh, let's hurry and find Luffy too." Everyone suppressed their curiosity and chased after him in that direction.
Meanwhile, Ace found Luffy in a restaurant. Just as he was about to speak, Smoker slammed him into the ground.
Smoker walked towards Luffy, who was eating.
"Straw Hat!!!"
Luffy, who was gorging himself, showed no reaction and remained there.
(ㅇ～ㅇ) Chew! (￣～￣) Chew!
"I had a hard time finding you, Straw Hat Luffy. You really came to Alabasta." Smoker, with a cigarette in his mouth, walked up to Luffy.
(՞•～•՞)ﾉ???? Chew... chew emmmm
"Stop eating!!!" Smoker roared.
(՞•～•՞) Luffy, who was eating faster, looked at the person and thought, who was this person? Ah... it seemed to be that smoke man who flew at him in Loguetown, apparently a Marine, and then Orochimaru flicked him away with a tail... then he reacted, and with a 'poof,' sprayed Smoker's face with food.
"Wait!" Luffy held out his hand, making a stop gesture, then stuffed all the food into his mouth and ran off. Turning a corner, he saw the group of people looking for him.
"Yo! Mina!! So you guys were here!" Luffy ran over with a group of pursuers behind him. "What are you doing! Run!"
"It's all your fault!!!"
The group started running together. Smoker accelerated and used his ability on Luffy, but Ace, who had arrived, blocked him.
"Stop it. Although you are smoke, I am fire. With our abilities, we won't be able to determine a winner..." Ace was enveloped in flames.
"Who is this person anyway? Why is he helping us...?" Usopp asked curiously.
"Ace...?" Luffy was surprised.
"Luffy, you haven't changed at all..."
Orochimaru, hearing Ace's words, still couldn't help but say, "Ace! Did your knowledge get eaten by a dog?! Did Haki get eaten by you?! Have you forgotten how to use Haki against Logia users?! #@?"
Ace had a headache, "Luffy... Orochimaru is yours, I'll hold them off... you guys go first."
Orochimaru was dragged away by Luffy, who covered his mouth... "See you later then!"
The group ran, curious. It was their first time seeing such a talkative and sharp-tongued Orochimaru... "Hey... Luffy... who exactly is that person?! And you're suffocating Orochimaru! Let go!" Nami asked while running.
"Is he someone Mr. Luffy knows?" Vivi also couldn't help but be curious.
"Mm... that's mine and Orochimaru's brother." Luffy smiled brightly.
"Brother???!!!" Everyone was extremely shocked.
Behind them, fire blazed across the sky. Nami turned to look at the figure, "But Luffy, is it true? Was that person just now your brother?"
"Mm... his name is Ace." Luffy was very proud.
"While I'm not surprised he's your brother, why is he also on the Grand Line?" Zoro wondered.
Orochimaru wiped his mouth, "That exhibitionist is also a pirate. He left the island three years before us to search for One Piece. Hurry and run, we'll talk about the rest on the ship..."
"That's easy then!" Luffy laughed loudly, wrapping one arm around everyone and extending the other hand to grab the ship's railing.
"Stop it!!!! You idiot!! Ah ah ah ah ah ah!" The group screamed as they were flung onto the ship, landing sprawled out.
"Hahahahaha... safely arrived."
ヾ(≧∪≦*)ノ〃
"Hahahaha... Sorry."
Luffy scratched his head and chuckled foolishly.
Sanji vigorously shook Luffy's collar.
"You idiot! Don't you know how to reflect?"
"He's right, do you know how much trouble you've caused everyone? You should at least have some self-awareness as a Captain," Nami complained.
"My bad... By the way, Ace," Luffy blinked.
"Is it okay to leave him alone?" Usopp walked over and looked at Luffy.
"It's fine... he's tough," Orochimaru supported himself, getting up while clutching his forehead... If this happened a few more times, he felt he'd have to consider getting himself some kind of counter-armor. He wondered if maximizing soft body development could make him immune to physical attacks.
"Ace is really strong. Before he ate a Devil Fruit, I never beat him once," Luffy leaned against the railing, telling Chopper.
"You never won once? Against a normal person?" Nami was shocked.
"That's a bit of an exaggeration. Luffy never beat any of us brothers; he was always the bottom-ranked little weakling. But he was indeed a very talented and hardworking little weakling," Orochimaru clicked his tongue.
"Eh???!!! Never once?"
Nami exclaimed.
"Yeah, I always lost, hahahaha... But now, I'd definitely win... Ah hahahaha... Hahahaha," Luffy swayed proudly... "You! Who can you beat?!" Ace jumped directly from the small boat on the sea to the railing of the merry, squatting there and looking at the group. Luffy stumbled and sat on the deck.
"Hey... Ace... these are my Companions," Luffy looked up at Ace.
Ace bent down, resting his hands on his knees, "Well, it seems my brothers have been a burden to you all."
"No... Not at all..." Everyone reacted simultaneously, bowing their heads.
"This kid is a bit ill-mannered, you must find him troublesome too, right?" Ace smiled with narrowed eyes.
"No... Not at all..." Everyone bowed their heads again.
Orochimaru, who had gone to wash his face, came out and saw Ace like this. He immediately delivered a sweeping kick, pinning him to the ground.
"Huh??? You're just as bad! If you're going to greet people, stand up properly and do it! What kind of decent person squats on a ship's railing to greet others? Don't you feel ashamed of that posture?! And how many times have I told you! Button up your pants!!! Nami and the others are girls!"
He kicked him directly into the air.
Everyone swallowed, pulling Luffy aside. "What's wrong with Orochimaru... He seems to have broken..."
Luffy whistled, looking at the sky at a 45-degree angle, feeling a bit guilty, "I don't know... I don't know anything... It has nothing to do with me."
(σ 3)
"It definitely has something to do with him..." Everyone thought with blank eyes.
Luffy couldn't help it. Ever since Sabo left, and Luffy accidentally let Ace know about that incident, Orochimaru had been 'broken.' Especially when it came to Ace... He was venom-tongued and verbose, truly narrow-minded. Luffy, the culprit, whistled, looking at the pitiful Ace, feeling some sympathy. Grandpa said this was also a way of expressing love; both of them were stubbornly awkward people.
Although Orochimaru was the youngest brother, Luffy was the one who was most pampered. Who could refuse a crybaby little rascal?
Sanji, holding a cigarette, looked at Ace climbing out of the deck: "How about you go wash up? Let's have some tea together."
Ace used his Mera Mera no Mi to light his cigarette, "No need to trouble yourselves, thank you."
The others were somewhat surprised ૮ ⚆ ⚆ ა
Usopp: "That's really unexpected."
Zoro: "Indeed."
Usopp: "I thought he was even more self-centered than Luffy."
Nami: "No way... How could such a sensible person be Luffy's brother?"
Zoro: "He's so considerate of his brother, he's a really good person."
Chopper: "Having brothers... is really nice."
Sanji: "Truly unpredictable, the sea is full of wonders."
Vivi looked somewhat flustered at the group speaking frankly: "Wait... You guys..."
Orochimaru calmly sipped his tea, "You're not wrong in what you're thinking. He is indeed more self-centered than Luffy. This behavior is something he specifically learned for you many years ago."
Luffy picked his nose and nodded, "Mm-hmm... Learned it from Orochimaru and Sister Makino."
"For us...?" Everyone was surprised.
"Yes, to thank those whom Luffy caused trouble for. He only acts this way in front of you. The truly gentle and considerate one is Sabo... Sigh..." Orochimaru rolled his eyes at Ace and sighed.
Everyone blinked, then looked at Ace, whose veins were bulging, with some gossip in their eyes, wanting to hear more.
Chopper bit his paw, "Who is Sabo?" Good job, Chopper! Everyone perked up their ears, waiting for the gossip.
"Sabo... I miss Sabo so much," Luffy pouted when Sabo was mentioned, looking resentfully at Orochimaru, then at Ace... with disdain.
"Hey! Luffy! What kind of expression is that?!" Ace roared at Luffy with a shark-like face, "Do you really wish it was me who left that day?!" (ꐦ ° ᷄ д ° ᷅ )
"Eh!..." Orochimaru and Luffy both drew out their voices, drooping their heads dejectedly.
"So, Orochimaru... who is Sabo?" Chopper's little paw tugged at Orochimaru's skirt, looking up eagerly.
Orochimaru quickly pressed down to prevent any exposure, then patted Chopper's head.
"Sabo is a very gentle older brother to Luffy and me. We are four brothers. For some reasons, he set sail a very, very long time ago."
"By birth order, Ace is the eldest, Sabo should be the second, then Luffy, and finally me. But if you count by psychological age, I'm the oldest," Orochimaru said proudly, hands on hips.
Ace and Luffy both scoffed, "Hmph, what's the use of being proud? We're both Grandsons. If you're so capable, go tell Grandpa."
As if anticipating something, Orochimaru shot a death ray.
The banquet began, and everyone raised their glasses to celebrate Ace's arrival.
After the banquet, a group of people lay snoring on the deck. Orochimaru walked over to Ace.
"Are you happy in the Whitebeard Pirates...?"
Ace was silent for a moment, "Yeah... Old Man accepted me... I don't know how to explain it, but I know I want to stay with the Whitebeard Pirates."
"That's good then... You can't beat Blackbeard... You might die," Orochimaru's voice was somewhat somber.
"Is that so... No, I won't... I believe I won't die easily," Ace's hand paused.
"These are for healing. Keep them in your tattered pocket... Remember to eat them before you die... And wait for me to save you, don't give up on life so easily... I should have told you, if you dare to die carelessly, I'll drag you back... You should know I've done many experiments," Orochimaru stuffed a pill into each of Ace's pockets.
...Ace was a bit speechless... I haven't even gone yet... and you're already thinking about me dying.
"Um... I've been to Wano Country..." Ace hesitated... He had learned some things while with the Whitebeard Pirates. Because of Orochimaru's prior involvement, he didn't have much good impression of Oden... After understanding the situation, he only told Whitebeard about Wano Country, but didn't mention anything about avenging anyone.
"Oh... Does that concern me?"
Orochimaru's voice was very calm. He hated this feeling; this was clearly a system-generated background, and he believed it to be so... But why did he occasionally feel emotions like resentment?
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