The late afternoon sunlight stretched across the trees of Mt. Colubo. Near a large stone by Dadan’s house, two boys sat quietly — one with spiky black hair and sharp, unreadable eyes, the other a quiet boy with messy dark hair, his gaze turned to the sky.

  Portgas D. Ace, ten years old, rested his arms on his knees, eyes fixed on the forest ahead.

  Yasuragi, about the same age, leaned back slightly against the stone, lazily watching the clouds drift by.

  Suddenly, a burst of sound came from the woods — a boy with a straw hat chasing after a blue dragonfly.

  “Wait up, bug!”

  The straw-hatted boy dashed past the stone where the two sat.

  As he did, Ace casually leaned forward and — ptui! — spat, hitting the boy right on the cheek.

  “Wha—!?”

  The boy froze, wiping his face in disbelief as his expression twisted in anger.

  “WHO DID THAT?! Come out and say sorry!”

  He spun around, eyes darting between the two boys on the stone. Yasuragi met his gaze, calm as ever. Ace stayed silent, his expression unreadable.

  Before the moment could boil over, a loud, familiar voice echoed through the trees.

  “Ace! And… you, unknown kid?! You two are back!”

  It was Garp, stomping into view with a wide grin splitting his face when he saw Ace.

  Ace said nothing.

  Garp turned to the straw-hatted boy, roughly ruffling his hair.

  “Oi, Luffy! Listen up! Those two brats — the one on the left is Ace, and the other’s one of Dadan’s kids too. They’re three years older than you. From now on, you’ll all live together!”

  “But he spit on me!” Luffy snapped, pointing furiously.

  Garp snorted.

  BONK!

  A meaty fist landed on Luffy’s head.

  “OW!”

  Garp didn’t care.

  “Anyway, settle it yourselves.”

  Without waiting for a reply, Garp turned and made his way down the mountain path.

  “I’m heading back to Foosha Village,” he called over his shoulder. “Take care of yourselves, you three!”

  And just like that, Garp disappeared into the trees, leaving Ace, Yasuragi, and Luffy behind.

  Later that evening, Dadan’s house was filled with the rich, savory smell of roasted bison meat. Ace and Yasuragi’s successful hunt — a large bison — was roasting over the fire, filling the air with a mouthwatering aroma.

  “Meat! Now this is the life!” Dogra grinned, tearing into a juicy piece.

  “Pass the ribs, Magra!” another bandit called.

  Ace and Yasuragi quietly filled their plates, savoring the tender, smoky meat.

  Luffy sat at the edge of the group, eyes locked hungrily on the food, but no one paid him any mind.

  “I want some too!” he whined.

  The bandits ignored him. Ace didn’t even glance his way. Yasuragi remained silent, calmly enjoying his share.

  Finally, Dadan let out a sigh and handed Luffy a small bowl of plain white rice.

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  “Here, brat. That’s all you get.”

  Luffy grumbled, staring down at the rice as he ate it begrudgingly.

  And so, evening settled over Mt. Colubo. Three boys, under the same roof — not yet friends, not yet brothers, but unknowingly taking their first steps toward a bond that would one day tie their fates together.

  “Let’s go,” Ace muttered, gripping the rusty pipe he always carried.

  Yasuragi followed without a word. He felt tense, knowing what was coming. As they made it past the clearing—

  “Wait for me!”

  Luffy came running out, his straw hat bouncing with every step.

  Ace’s face darkened instantly. The boy didn’t like being followed, especially by strangers.

  When they reached an old rope bridge stretched over a steep ravine, Ace crossed it swiftly. Yasuragi hesitated just a bit behind him.

  “I’m coming too!” Luffy shouted, stepping onto the bridge.

  Ace turned without saying a word and swung his pipe at Luffy’s stomach.

  THWACK!

  The blow knocked the breath out of the boy and sent him tumbling backward. Luffy screamed as he lost his balance and fell off the bridge, crashing down the hill.

  Ace turned away, still silent.

  Yasuragi’s hands trembled. Luffy… it’s really him… and I…

  He swallowed the feeling, forced a scowl onto his face, and followed Ace into the trees.

  The two of them spent the day prowling Gray Terminal. They snuck through abandoned shacks and piles of junk, picking fights with smugglers and thieves, stealing coins and valuables wherever they could. Their biggest score of the day was a fat, fresh fish caught at a stream on the far side of the dump.

  As the late afternoon rolled in, they returned to Dadan’s hideout carrying the fish slung between them.

  Dogra saw them and waved. “Oi, just you two?”

  Yasuragi nodded. “Yeah.”

  “No sign of that Luffy brat?”

  Ace didn’t reply. He just tossed the fish onto the table and headed for the fire.

  Night came, and the fish was roasted over the flames. The smell filled the shack, making everyone’s stomachs rumble. The bandits dug in eagerly.

  Except for Luffy.

  It wasn’t until late into the night, under a starlit sky, that a dirty, scratched, and tattered boy in a straw hat staggered through the doorway.

  “I’m… back…”

  Dadan looked up. “What the hell happened to you?”

  “Got chased by a wolf… down the hill.”

  Dogra burst out laughing. “BAHAHAHA! Stupid brat!”

  No one offered Luffy any of the roasted fish. Instead, he was handed a cold bowl of plain rice. He ate it without complaint, though his stomach growled painfully as he watched the others feast on the fish.

  Ace sat by the fire, silent and cold as ever.

  Yasuragi avoided Luffy’s gaze, hiding his guilt under a stiff, cold expression.

  And so the night went on — with a determined straw hat boy, two older kids pretending not to care, and a campfire burning in the heart of Mt. Colubo.

  The next morning came with the same stubborn sky — and the same stubborn boy.

  As the first rays of light crept through the cracks in Dadan’s run-down shack, Ace and Yasuragi were already slipping out. Neither spoke a word. Ace’s pipe rested lazily on his shoulder, while Yasuragi trailed close behind, mentally bracing himself for what he knew was coming.

  “Wait for me!!”

  A familiar voice rang out behind them.

  Luffy came charging after them, his straw hat askew on his head and that same eager grin on his face, despite the fresh bruises from yesterday.

  Ace sighed sharply through his nose, irritated. He didn’t even bother replying. As they made their way down a narrow forest path, Luffy followed a few paces behind, refusing to be left behind.

  When they reached a crossing at the edge of the Gray Terminal, Ace bent down, picked up a small stone, and casually tossed it at Luffy’s head.

  BOP!

  “Yowch!”

  Luffy stumbled, rubbing his head, but kept moving. “I don’t care! I’m gonna follow you guys no matter what!”

  Yasuragi clenched his fists. He’s really persistent… just like in the story…

  Ace shot him a glare before suddenly taking off down a steep, leaf-littered slope. Yasuragi followed, and, predictably, Luffy gave chase.

  But the terrain was rough. Luffy’s foot slipped on a patch of loose dirt, sending him tumbling head over heels into a bramble bush.

  “AAAGH! Ouch! Ow! Hey — wait up!”

  By the time he wriggled free, the other two were gone.

  And so it went, the same routine playing out all day. Every time Luffy managed to get close, Ace would trip him, shove him into a puddle, or knock him off a log. Yasuragi, too anxious to speak up, pretended not to notice — though his heart twisted with guilt each time he saw Luffy pick himself up, dirt-smudged and scraped, yet still grinning, still chasing.

  By late afternoon, Ace and Yasuragi returned to the hideout with another haul — this time, a couple of fat hares and a bag of stolen fruit.

  Dogra met them at the door. “Oi, you two alone again?”

  Yasuragi nodded. “Yeah… no sign of Luffy.”

  “Hmph. That brat just doesn’t know when to give up.”

  Night fell. The hares were roasted, and the bandits gathered for their usual loud, messy meal. And just like the night before, Luffy stumbled in after dark, covered in dirt, scrapes, and leaves.

  “I’m… back…”

  Dadan snorted. “You again? Where the hell’ve you been this time?”

  “Got chased by a snake… and fell in a ditch…”

  The bandits burst out laughing.

  As before, someone slid a cold bowl of plain rice in front of Luffy while everyone else dug into roasted meat and fresh fruit. His stomach growled, but not a single word of complaint left his mouth.

  Ace leaned back against the wall, arms crossed, eyes flickering to Luffy for a brief moment, then away.

  Yasuragi’s chest tightened. Luffy… you’re really something else…

  The night settled in with the crackle of firewood and a stubborn, unyielding resolve hanging in the air. One thing was certain: no matter how hard they tried to push him away, no matter how rough they got — Luffy wasn’t going to stop chasing them.

  Not now. Not ever.