"Hey, wake up!" A large face loomed over Orochimaru, but he remained unfazed. He scanned the room, searching for Sabo. Spotting Sabo lying on another bed, he checked his injuries and breathed a sigh of relief when he confirmed his recovery was progressing well.
"Thank you for saving Sabo," Orochimaru said solemnly.
He surveyed the crowd, recognizing only a few familiar faces: Ivankov, the Okama King, and Inazuma.
"Excuse me," Orochimaru began, "does your ship happen to have a man in a green trench cloak with a slipper mark on his face?" He struggled to describe Dragon vaguely, wary of revealing his name and arousing suspicion.
Pfft... Pfft...
The group clamped their hands over their mouths, struggling to stifle their laughter. They knew they shouldn't laugh at their captain, but they couldn't hold it back any longer and burst into laughter.
"What's all this noise? What's going on?" Dragon strode into the room, drawn by the commotion. The sight of him sent the crew into another fit of laughter, Ivankov rolling on the floor in hysterics. "Hahahaha... a slipper mark!"
Dragon glared at Ivankov, bewildered by their amusement and growing increasingly annoyed.
Orochimaru studied the man with a strange mix of awe and respect. 'He's strong...' In a way, simply surviving to adulthood as Garp's son was enough to earn his admiration.
"Hello, it's a pleasure to finally meet you. I've heard so much about you. May I speak with you privately?" Orochimaru approached Dragon with utmost politeness.
Remembering the boy's miraculous healing abilities, Dragon nodded, curious about what this extraordinary young man wanted to discuss.
"Hello, Mr. Dragon. I'm Orochimaru, Luffy's younger brother. Grandpa Garp took me in. He's told me about you. Would you consider taking Sabo aboard your ship? He's also Luffy's brother." Sensing his explanation might be insufficient, Orochimaru quickly added Garp's name to bolster his request. He proceeded to explain Sabo's identity, his past, his relationship with Luffy, and his reasons for wanting to set sail.
After a moment's thought, Dragon replied, "The Revolutionary Army could certainly use fresh blood. However, the decision ultimately rests with Sabo himself once he awakens."
Orochimaru wholeheartedly agreed. He returned to Sabo's side and resumed channeling chakra into him, focusing on the brain injury that threatened his memories. Watching Sabo gradually regain consciousness, Orochimaru called out, "Sabo, wake up! Do you know who I am?"
Sabo stirred from the darkness, disoriented. He remembered being struck by a cannonball. Hearing the familiar voice, he clutched his head and slowly sat up.
"Orochimaru?" Recognition dawned. "Orochimaru! What are you doing here? Where am I?"
Orochimaru explained everything that had happened since their separation: how he'd been rescued, learned Sabo didn't want to return to his old life, and hoped he'd consider staying on the ship.
Sabo was confused. "Why do I need to stay here? I can manage on my own."
Orochimaru pulled Sabo aside and whispered, "See that green-cloaked man over there?"
Sabo nodded.
"That's Luffy's father—Garp's son." Sabo was stunned, then a look of sympathy and respect, identical to Orochimaru's, spread across his face.
"So, I don't need to tell you about his strength," Orochimaru continued. "Besides, they're the Revolutionary Army. I think you'd fit in well there. But if you don't like it, we can stick to our original plan: you'll set sail when you're seventeen." Sabo nodded again.
Together, they approached Dragon and explained their decision. Dragon agreed to take Sabo with him back to the Revolutionary Army headquarters.
As departure neared, Orochimaru bid farewell to Sabo and the Revolutionary Army members. Ivankov, for some reason, was particularly fond of Orochimaru, convinced the boy had great potential and reluctant to let him go. He insisted Orochimaru was welcome to visit Kamabakka anytime. Orochimaru, equally intrigued by Ivankov's abilities, promised to visit if the opportunity arose. After thanking Dragon one last time, he prepared to leave.
Standing on the ship's railing, Orochimaru paused, gazing at the vast ocean surrounding them in a daze. Suddenly, he turned back and tugged on Dragon's sleeve.
The group tilted their heads in confusion. Why were they turning back again?
Orochimaru cleared his throat, struggling to maintain his composure. "I'm lost. Could someone give me a ride?"
The entire group promptly collapsed in a heap.
In the end, Dragon carried Orochimaru to the shore near Windmill Village. After all, Orochimaru was practically one of his own kids.
After bidding Dragon farewell, Orochimaru followed the forest trail back to Dadan's House. There, he found the mountain bandits clinging to him, sobbing. He tearfully told them about his disappearance and Sabo's death.
Orochimaru felt awkward, unsure how to react to this sudden outpouring of concern. He stood frozen with his arms raised as the burly men wept. After ten minutes, he couldn't resist kicking them all away and heading for a bath and fresh clothes.
He reassured them that Sabo was alive and learned from their questioning that they had received Sabo's final letter. Together, they went to the cliff near their secret base.
When they arrived, Orochimaru found Luffy sprawled on the ground, sobbing and muttering, "I need to get stronger... stronger... stronger... stronger... Then I can protect everyone, and no one will ever leave me again. So please, Ace, don't die..."
Ace punched Luffy on the head.
"Worry about yourself first! You're way weaker than me, Luffy! Listen up! I'm not gonna die!"
"Ace, you said it yourself—you won't die. But if you ever beg for death... I'll drag you back from hell myself." Orochimaru's raspy voice emerged from the trees.
Luffy, seeing Orochimaru return, ran to him, bursting into tears as he hugged him tightly. "Orochimaru! Sabo... Sabo's dead! Waaaaah!"
Orochimaru tried to pry Luffy off him. "Uh..."
Ace cut him off. "I'm not smart enough to figure out exactly what killed Sabo. But it's gotta be something the opposite of freedom."
Orochimaru hesitated. "Well, um..."
"Even though Sabo died before he ever tasted real freedom..." Ace stared solemnly at the sea.
Orochimaru shuffled his feet, nudging Luffy aside. "Actually..."
"But we're still alive! We drank sake with Sabo!"
Orochimaru clearly didn't want to talk.
"Fine, fine, just say it."
Ace planted his hands on his hips. "So listen up, Luffy! Orochimaru! We gotta live lives without any regrets!"
"Yeah," Luffy nodded through his tears.
Silence fell as Ace and Luffy turned to Orochimaru, puzzled by his lack of response.
Orochimaru smiled. "So, are you two finished?"
Tears welled in their eyes as they nodded.
"I just wanted to say that Sabo is still alive," Orochimaru continued, "but you kept interrupting me, you blockhead, Ace."
Orochimaru shrugged.
The brothers stood frozen, their emotions swirling between shock, disbelief, and overwhelming joy that brought them to tears of relief.
Orochimaru recounted his pursuit after the incident, explaining how he had searched the seas for Sabo only to discover he had already been rescued. Now Sabo was traveling with his rescuers, learning from them and carving out the life he had always dreamed of.
Luffy threw his arms around Ace, sobbing uncontrollably. Though he didn't fully grasp the details, he understood that Sabo was alive. "This is amazing! Sabo... Sabo's alive!"
Ace was equally overjoyed, but his earlier boastful words suddenly resurfaced in his mind, flushing his face crimson with embarrassment and anger. "So you knew Sabo was alive all along, Orochimaru! Why didn't you say so earlier instead of watching Luffy and me cry?!"
Orochimaru tilted his head. "But... you wouldn't let me speak."
"Time to die, you cunning snake!" Ace roared, his shark-like grin bared as he lunged at Orochimaru. Luffy, never one to miss a fight, joined the fray, and the three tumbled into a chaotic brawl.
"You stood there and watched us cry!" Ace shouted.
"Yeah, exactly!" Luffy chimed in.
"You acted all innocent in front of Grandpa while we got beaten up!" Ace continued.
"Yeah, you sly Orochimaru!" Luffy echoed.
Orochimaru, caught in the scuffle, glared with dark lines forming on his face. 'Just how deep does this resentment run?' he wondered, yanking Luffy off his leg. "What are you even doing here, you weak little punk who can't even win a fight?"
Luffy scrambled to his feet, casually picking his nose. "Grandpa never spanks me anyway," he declared.
An eerie silence fell over the clearing. Ace froze, his gaze instinctively drifting behind Orochimaru before snapping back to Orochimaru's face. Orochimaru's golden eyes had turned blood-red in an instant. Luffy finally realized the danger and broke out in a cold sweat.
That day, the two witnessed true chaos: snakes spitting swords, swords spitting snakes, snakes spitting them out, and them spitting out swords. Birds and beasts scattered from the forest as Ace and Luffy fled for their lives.
ε=ε=ε=┏(°ロ°;)┛!!
"Grandpa! Save us!!!"
"Grandpa! Help!!!"
To be continued...