"Sorry—Hancock just got a bit sensitive and impulsive!"
After calming Hancock down, Leno turned back toward Dragon and the others with an apologetic look. It hadn't been anything serious to begin with, and now that Leno had apologized, the Revolutionary Army members had no reason to press the matter.
Although Betty, who'd been kicked for no reason, was still annoyed, she didn't make a fuss about it. Soon after, under Sabo and Koala's guidance, Leno's group was led to the quarters arranged for them by the Revolutionaries.
Of course, people like Yamato couldn't sit still. Once they'd confirmed their accommodations, she dragged Nami and the others out, claiming she wanted to "take a tour of the Revolutionary Army base."
Seeing her slinging her kanabo over her shoulder, looking like she was itching for a fight, Leno could already imagine what was coming.
"Hey, Yamato, take it easy! Don't cause too much trouble!"
"Relax! Leave it to me!" Yamato waved a hand with a confident smile, then strode off.
Watching her disappear, Leno's eye twitched. Leave it to you? How do you even say that with a straight face...
Once everyone else had left, only Hancock, Leno, Koala, and Sabo remained in the room. They began chatting about what they'd each been through over the years—though it was mostly Koala doing the talking, with Leno occasionally chiming in.
Sabo, meanwhile, kept staring at Leno with eyes shining like stars. He opened his mouth several times, but the words just wouldn't come out, fidgeting restlessly in his seat.
Being stared at so intently by another man made Leno a bit uncomfortable. "Sabo, do you have something to say to me?" he finally asked.
Sabo froze for a second, then spoke with a mix of nervousness and excitement.
"L-Leno sir, I've been following your stories for a long time! From when you defeated the 'Golden Lion,' to your battle with Kaido, and finally your victory at Marineford—defeating the Navy and saving your family!"
"One event after another, shaking the whole world—it's really inspiring!"
At that moment, Sabo looked like an overexcited fanboy finally meeting his idol in person, gushing nonstop about Leno's legendary deeds.
Koala, startled by his sudden outburst, smacked him on the back of the head.
"Geez, Sabo, you big idiot! Don't make such a fuss!"
"Sorry! Sorry!" Sabo quickly apologized, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
Leno wanted to laugh—but somehow, this scene felt oddly familiar.
"Leno, sir, you're about the same age as me, yet you're as strong as a monster. It's amazing!"
Looking at this shy young man, Leno was a bit surprised. To think that the future 'Flame Emperor' who would one day storm Mary Geoise is actually a fanboy right now.
"Sabo, don't sell yourself short. Your future is just as full of potential."
Of course, whether he'd still earn that title of Flame Emperor was another story. After all, Leno had always had his eye on the Flame-Flame Fruit himself.
People said that fruit wasn't worth much—but only because they didn't know how terrifyingly powerful Logia fruits really were, especially one known for such overwhelming attack power.
Encouraged, Sabo clenched his fist with fiery determination. "Really, sir Leno?! I'll work hard to catch up to you!"
"Mm. Do your best. I'm counting on you."
"Yeah!"
After offering some motivational words to the hot-blooded young man, Leno casually picked up a newspaper from the table.
"Hm?"
"'Fire Fist Ace appointed as the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates?'"
Interesting. So the Pirate King's son has finally stepped onto the stage.
As a faint smile curved his lips, Hancock, who was standing beside him, asked curiously, "Lord Leno, do you know this 'Fire Fist Ace'?"
"Oh, not personally. I've just heard of him. A remarkable young man."
"You have heard of him too?" Koala chimed in. "That guy's been making waves across the seas lately. He's a Logia user—the Flame-Flame Fruit. Since setting sail, he's defeated countless powerful opponents, though he finally lost to Whitebeard and ended up becoming his 'son'."
Leno looked at Sabo with an amused smile. "Is that so? Sabo, don't you think this 'Fire Fist Ace' looks a bit familiar?"
"Eh? Mr. Leno, you feel that way too? When I first saw his picture, some images flashed through my mind, as if I'd seen him before."
'As expected of my idol,' Sabo thought excitedly, 'even our perceptions are so similar.'
"Maybe you two actually knew each other before," Leno said casually.
Sabo's gaze drifted toward Ace's smiling face in the paper. "Knew him... before?" he murmured softly, his voice distant.
"Hey, Sabo! Don't push yourself. You know what happens when you overthink things," Koala quickly warned, seeing that look in his eyes again. She still remembered all too well the last time his head injury flared up and he'd writhed on the ground in pain.
"Sorry, Mr. Leno," she said hurriedly. "Sabo suffered a head injury as a kid. He lost a lot of his memories, and certain triggers give him headaches, so..."
Leno of course knew the real reason behind Sabo's amnesia—but he had no intention of interfering.
As for Ace's eventual fate, Leno didn't really care. They didn't even know each other.
Truth be told, he preferred for certain major events in this world to unfold as they were meant to. That way, he could better predict what was coming.
He didn't want a single flap of his butterfly wings to cause such chaos that his "foresight" stopped working entirely.
When Koala and Sabo finally left, Leno stepped out onto the balcony.
Watching the busy figures moving below, he couldn't help but feel content. Good thing I'm not obsessed with building an empire—this kind of free, peaceful life suits me better.
As he pondered, a soft, slender body pressed gently into his back. Hancock nestled against him, her gaze dreamy and warm.
"Lord Leno, when our voyage is over... let's find a quiet place, just the two of us, and spend the rest of our lives there, okay?"
Hearing her soft, hopeful words, he turned over and his arm naturally circled around her waist.
"Hancock, when all this is over, let's go back to Skypiea. You'll give me a whole bunch of children, and we'll live happily together."
Hancock's eyes grew hazy again as she drifted into her own little fantasy.
A group of children calling her 'Mom,' calling Leno 'Dad,' all of them living happily together every day...
In the middle of them all, Leno takes her hands and confesses, 'Hancock, I love you. I love you... you!'
"Hey—Hancock! Hancock!"
Seeing her suddenly go limp in his arms, Leno had to shake her awake.
When she came to, Hancock threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.
After a long, breathless moment, she whispered softly, "Lord Leno, I love you too~"