Luffy's consciousness had just resurfaced, and the sudden impact of everything left him utterly dazed. He mumbled to himself,
"Why...?"
Joy Boy responded,
"Because every time we fight, I have to hold back for your sake. Your subconscious is always resisting me. In this state, we can't wield our full power, and we will never be able to defeat the Celestial Dragons."
"You're saying... this is my fault?"
"No! Luffy, you've done nothing wrong. I understand you. Anyone would instinctively reject having their body controlled by someone else—it's only natural."
"But now... Nami and the others are gone. I have no crew left. Even if I defeat the Fleet Admiral... what's the point? What use is power to me anymore?"
"How can you say there's no meaning? You are not alone—you still have me! I will always be with you! Haven't you always wanted to become the Pirate King? The Pirate King is the freest person in this world. You and I share the same dream!"
"Pirate King..."
"Luffy, now is not the time to waver. Let me tell you something—you are speaking to the very first pirate in history! I was the one who defined what it means to be free as a pirate!"
Luffy was momentarily stunned. If what Joy Boy said was true, then wasn't he the ancestor of all pirates?
Joy Boy continued,
"Luffy, I come from 800 years ago. You could call me a relic of the old era. But to witness a descendant like you, here and now, after all this time... It makes me truly happy. I sincerely want to help you achieve your dream."
"But..."
Seeing Luffy still hesitant, Joy Boy pressed on,
"Luffy, your brother, your father, and your crew—they all died at the hands of the Celestial Dragons. Don't you want to avenge them? Do you know that even in his final moments, Brook was calling out your name? He was completely annihilated by them!"
Joy Boy's words pierced straight into Luffy's heart like a blade. Grief swept over his face, and two silent tears slid down his cheeks.
Though he had been in a dazed state before, Brook's final, soul-stirring cry now echoed in his mind once more.
Recalling the cruel fate of his loved ones, Luffy clenched his fists tightly, his eyes bloodshot. Gritting his teeth, he asked,
"What do I need to do?"
Joy Boy answered without hesitation,
"Accept me completely. Let us truly become one!"
"Become one? Would I still be... me?"
"Of course. This is your body. After we fuse, you will remain in control. As for me... I will completely disappear from this world."
"Nani?! Why would you do that?"
"For the dream. For the true liberation of this world. Luffy, when you ate the Nika Fruit, you inherited my will and power. From the moment it chose you, I was ready for this."
Joy Boy spoke with unwavering conviction. Luffy's heart pounded violently in his chest. He staggered to his feet, his head bowed in deep thought.
After a long silence, he finally spoke,
"Alright. I will inherit your will. I will defeat the Celestial Dragons, become the Pirate King, and free this world from their grasp!"
"That's the spirit, Luffy! You've finally made up your mind."
"So, what do I do next?"
"It's simple. Let go of all resistance. Accept my power."
Luffy nodded, then closed his eyes. He took a deep breath and, following Joy Boy's instructions, completely relaxed his mind and body.
"Now, it begins—ugh!"
Suddenly, Luffy clutched his head and dropped to his knees, his face contorted in agony.
At that moment, it felt like his brain was on fire, a searing pain threatening to tear him apart. His instincts screamed at him to resist.
Joy Boy's voice rang out again,
"Do not fight it! If you can't even endure this pain, how can you hope to defeat the Celestial Dragons? Think about it—compared to the pain of losing your crew, is this suffering really so unbearable?!"
Joy Boy knew exactly how to strike at Luffy's heart. With those words, Luffy gritted his teeth, his entire body trembling as he forced himself to endure.
"Keep going! I can take it!"
"That's the Luffy I chose as my successor! Just hold on—it will all be over soon. You'll be free."
Whoosh!
White flames erupted from Luffy's body. He gripped his face, struggling to his feet, staggering forward as an uncontrollable laughter bubbled from his lips.
As his laughter echoed through the land, a deep, ancient elephant's trumpet filled the air. In that instant, the clear sky was swallowed by torrential rain.
Heavy raindrops poured down, drenching Luffy's body, but the white flames burning around him remained unaffected. Instead, they grew even brighter, intensifying until they formed a brilliant sphere of light that enveloped him completely.
The glowing sphere slowly rose into the darkened sky, its radiance stark against the storm clouds.
In the nearby jungle, rustling sounds filled the air as numerous humanoid figures emerged from the shadows.
They were the Mink Tribe.
Their fur-covered bodies trembled with awe as they gazed at the floating orb.
Under their watchful eyes, the sphere flared even brighter. Then, a rhythmic drumming began.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
At the sound of the drums, every Mink's pupils glowed red, and their bodies began to sway.
They gathered beneath the glowing sphere, grinning wildly before breaking into an even more frenzied dance.
Gradually, the radiance of the sphere dimmed. A shadowy figure emerged within, its silhouette twisting and stretching in exaggerated movements, mimicking the motion of running.
As the figure took shape, the ground trembled beneath their feet.
"Oooooooh!!!"
The ancient elephant's trumpet sounded once more, but this time, it carried not sorrow, but excitement and joy.
The Minks halted their dance, staring in bewilderment—until a blinding white figure descended from the sky, landing right in their midst.
The figure crouched with legs spread wide, one hand pressing down on a battered straw hat with a hole in it. His skin gleamed with an almost ethereal whiteness.
Grinning broadly, he bared a row of gleaming white teeth.
Then, he threw both arms into the air and laughed wildly towards the heavens—
"I'M BACK!"
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+200 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg