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Chapter 54: Splitting Up
Sabo closed his eyes. When he opened them again, the panic in them had been replaced by an icy resolve.
His mind began to race.
He had been a part of that world. He understood how those nobles thought better than Ace or Luffy.
They were selfish, and cold, but they would never do anything that didn't benefit them.
What benefit is there in burning down the trash heap?
Unless...
Unless it's to please... a higher existence.
A word floated up from the abyss of his memory, a word that nearly froze his blood.
Celestial Dragons!
"It's the Celestial Dragons." Sabo's voice was soft, but it held a chill that could freeze the air. "A Celestial Dragon is coming to inspect the Goa Kingdom soon."
"Celestial Dragon?" Luffy tilted his head. "What kind of dragon is that? Is it tasty?"
"Shut up, Luffy!" Ace snapped, annoyed, but his eyes were also locked on Sabo.
"To welcome those 'gods' of the world, they have to present a flawless kingdom." Sabo's tone was filled with sharp self-mockery and hatred. "And this Gray Terminal... is the biggest, filthiest stain on this kingdom's face."
"So... they're going to wipe the stain away?" Luffy seemed to half-understand, but the coldness in his eyes grew deeper.
"Yes."
Sabo nodded.
"The root cause is the Celestial Dragon. As long as the Celestial Dragon's ship can't land at Goa Kingdom, then this fire... loses its entire 'reason' to exist!"
A desperate, all-or-nothing light shined in his eyes.
"I have a plan."
Sabo looked at his two brothers.
"I'm going to the port. I'll do whatever it takes to stop the Celestial Dragon's ship from docking!"
"No!"
"I'm going with you!"
Ace and Luffy roared at the same time.
"It's too dangerous!" Luffy's big eyes were full of anxiety. "We'll go together and beat up the bad guys!"
Ace lunged forward, his iron-like hands gripping Sabo's shoulders, veins bulging on his arms.
"Don't you f*cking go alone to die!"
"We're brothers! If we die, we die together!"
Seeing the absolute resolve on their faces, Sabo's heart ached. His eyes instantly burned.
But the next second, he forcefully broke Ace's grip.
"No."
Sabo took a step back, putting distance between them.
His usually gentle face was now as hard as iron, with none of its usual calm.
"This is my fight."
"Only I... know every street and alley in High Town. I know the guard's patrol schedule. I know where the blind spots are."
"If you come with me, we'll only be exposed faster, and caught faster!"
Sabo pulled a folded, worn piece of parchment from his coat and shoved it into Ace's hand.
It was a hand-drawn map.
Ace unfolded it, and his pupils shrank.
It was a detailed structural map of an incredibly lavish mansion, even marking the guard patrol routes and times.
"That's... my house." Sabo's voice was terrifyingly low.
"The one who proposed this plan to burn everything... was my father, Outlook III."
He raised his head, his blue eyes, burning with the fire of vengeance, staring straight at Ace and Luffy.
"Your mission... is to go there, and find him."
"At all costs... make him personally retract the order to burn!"
The forest was silent, save for the crackle of the fire.
The three brothers stared at each other.
Ace gripped the map, the edges of the paper nearly crumbling in his hand.
Luffy bit his lip. He looked at Sabo, then at Ace, his small fists clenched tight.
He knew Sabo was right.
Finally.
Ace, through gritted teeth, forced out one word.
"Fine."
No more words were said.
No hugs, no goodbyes.
Sabo took one last, deep look at them, as if to engrave their faces into his soul.
Then, he spun around.
Shua!
The cyan Wings of Gliding unfurled behind him, kicking up a gust of wind that made the bonfire roar.
The next second, Sabo's figure shot into the sky, becoming a streak of cyan light, disappearing into the deep night without a hint of regret.
Ace and Luffy stared at the spot where he had vanished, unmoving.
"Ace..." Luffy's voice trembled.
Ace looked down at the map, then up at the glittering lights of High Town.
It looked like a giant, opulent cage.
Boom!
A monstrous rage exploded from his body once more!
"Let's go!"
Ace roared. He grabbed Luffy and, carrying an all-consuming fury, charged like a feral beast toward the location marked on the map!
Meanwhile.
Goa Kingdom, Outlook residence.
The study was brightly lit, the air filled with the scent of expensive incense.
Outlook III held a glass of red wine, looking with satisfaction at his younger son, his adopted son, Sterry.
Sterry was wearing a crisp little suit, meticulously practicing complex noble etiquette.
"Very good, Sterry. Your movements are becoming more and. more standard." Outlook III took a sip of wine, his face showing unconcealed approval. "This is what the perfect heir to the Outlook family should look like."
Not like... that disgrace of a son.
The thought of Sabo made a flash of disgust cross his eyes.
But soon, all traces of that mistake would be purified by fire, along with the trash heap.
His mood brightened at the thought.
He had just closed the study door, preparing to enjoy a quiet evening.
Just then.
BOOM!!!
A terrifying crash, like thunder on a clear day!
The study's large, floor-to-ceiling window was violently shattered from the outside by an irresistible force!
Countless shards of glass and wood splinters flew into the room, cutting ugly gashes in the expensive carpet!
"Who's there?!"
Outlook III jumped, his wine glass nearly falling.
He spun around in anger and shock.
In the moonlight and dust, two figures leaped in.
They were in rags, covered in grime, as if they had just crawled out of a garbage dump.
But their eyes... did not belong to humans.
They were the eyes of two young beasts, cornered and burning with a ferocious, savage light that would incinerate everything.
The black-haired one's fists were already wreathed in crimson flames, illuminating his fierce face.
Outlook III's expression, upon seeing them, quickly shifted from shock... to extreme rage and disgust.
"It's you two... little rats from the trash heap?!"
Ace ignored his roar, taking a step forward.
A filthy footprint was left on the floor.
He raised his fist.
Crimson flames burned on that small fist, illuminating his fierce face.
His voice, holding no warmth, was squeezed from his teeth.
"Retract... your order."