In the northern region of the Columb Mountain, was the grey terminal. And, in the northern region of the grey terminal, there is a city that had a restricted entrance. Surrounded by big stone walls, the only entrance to the city was called the Great Gate and from it, two times a day, trash was thrown to the grey terminal. Sometimes, those who lived in the grey terminal entered the city to sell their recycled materials. This was what Ace, Sabo, Luffy, and Haruno were trying to do by entering the gate. They wore a huge disguise to make themselves be a gigantic man. They were going to sell the crocodile"s hide, like in the anime. The stationed guard stopped them: "Hey! You! Wait! What is this?" the one that was going to be the voice to talk was Sabo. It was like Haruno had seen in the other world. However, their disguise was a head taller because Haruno was there too... Sabi said: "Crocodile"s hide. I"m going to sell it." The guard asked: "Crocodile?" They showed the head of the crocodile and entered the city. Behind the Great Gate, there was Frontier City.
The Frontier City is where all marginals and mercenaries live. Ace, Sabo, Luffy, and Haruno were walking as they found shady guys, the leader of the thugs looked at them and said: "Hey old man! Give us the merchandise!" He walked toward them, it was true their mismatched disguise gave them an olden age feel. In front of them with a bat in his hands, the other thugs walked over too, surrounding them. The leader asked: "Hey, are you mute?"
Then Ace, who was the head, said: "Shut up, bug." and Sabo, who was the legs, used his weapon to take the guy down. When the guy had fallen on the ground, Ace removed the disguise. Revealing four children stacked comically together to make one big guy. Ace said: "If you"re gonna rob someone... Be careful of your target!" One of the thugs who saw them, screamed: "I-it"s them!" Ace, Sabo, and Luffy jumped and attacked, while Haruno would be the support. They started to fight, Sabo on the left side, Ace in the middle and Luffy on the right one. When an attack was going to hit one of them, Haruno used his ability to create a portal and protect them, and when one of their attacks missed Haruno used the portals to make the attack hit the target anyway. He didn"t forget to shoot stones too.
In the middle of the city, there was another wall of separation. Behind it was where the n.o.bles lived. Its name was High City. This place is part of the Goa Kingdom! There is no trash in the street and it"s said that this is the most beautiful nation in the East Blue. While walking in the center of the city, Ace, Sabo, Luffy, and Haruno were disguised. Sabo said: "It"s good that they paid so much for the crocodile hide! Now we have more for our pirate saving!" Haruno looked around himself and said: "I hate those n.o.bles..." Luffy said: "I"m hungry..." Ace laughed: "Wait some more and we will eat ramen!" Sabo confused, asked: "Ramen... What is it? Is it delicious?" Luffy then said: "It doesn"t matter! I just want to eat now!" They walked until they arrived at the [Eiichiro Restaurant] Ace looked upward toward the plaque and said: "It is here." The receptionist saw them entering and said: "Welcome!" but when he saw the clothes that they were wearing, he rushed and said: "W-w-wait! What are you doing? People like you are not welcome here!"
Sabo grabbed a golden clock... Or something like that, that represents n.o.bles, when the reception saw it, he almost fainted, Sabo said: "We want the VIP room." the receptionist said: "T-this symbol! What an honor receiving a n.o.ble like you sir in our restaurant! We will prepare a room immediately!" after the receptionist left, Ace said: "That thing is convenient!" Sabo chuckled and said: "Well, I found it in the street some time ago..." after waiting for some minutes, they entered the VIP room. They received four portions of ramen and they started to eat after that woman left, Sabo"s head left the disguise and he asked: "Oh! This is ramen?" Luffy"s head appeared and he said: "Looks delicious!" Haruno"s head left the disguise too and he said: "Yeah, it looks very delicious!" Ace smiled and said: "Well, take a try!" Luffy was the first one that attacked the ramen, eating it at an extremely quick speed! Then he said: "Delicious!" Sabo"s eating speed was quick too, and he said: "Yeah is very delicious!" Haruno didn"t lose to them in speed and he said: "It is." Luffy ended his portion and he almost shouted that he wanted one more, but Ace stopped him, they weren"t hidden anymore.
Then Sabo coughed and demanded without poking his head from behind the curtains: "I want more, please. Four portions of ramen." and then +4 portions of ramen. And +4, and +4, and +4... And +4... And 4+... The only reason they had to stop was due to the gerant... He opened abruptly the door of the VIP room and saw Ace, Sabo, Luffy, and Haruno eating the prepared ramen. Ace then shouted: "Kuso! They found out!" Sabo then said: "Run!" Luffy didn"t say anything because he was trying to maintain the food inside his mouth while running, and Haruno just stored the ramen left because he didn"t eat it all. They jumped through the window while the gerant shouted: "They didn"t pay! Catch those swindlers!"
Ace learned early in his childhood how to eat and run at the same time. Haruno, on the other hand, just before he hit the ground, used telekinesis and reduced his momentum, landing carefully. A guard behind them shouted: "Those four again? Why did someone let them in? Don"t let them escape! Catch those four kids!" while they were running, a man on the side shouted: "Is it you, Sabo? Wait! You are alive!" This time, the four of them stopped and looked behind them to look at the man that knew Sabo. The man continued: "Let"s go home!" Ace then said: "Oi Sabo! This man is calling you!" Luffy asked: "Who"s that?" Haruno looked at Sabo and said: "Probably someone that knows Sabo or something like that."
Sabo made a disgusted expression and said: "He confused me with another person. Let"s go." They started to run again, but they could hear the last shout of the man: "W-wait!!" after leaving the city, they started Sabo"s interrogation. "What? I"m not hiding anything!" "Oh? No?" "He is! Tell us! Sabo!" Haruno looked at Sabo and said: "Sabo, we all have secrets, but some of them... You can"t hide them all from people you like. I will tell you a secret of mine. I secretly store ⅛ of all the food that we hunt. That"s it." all the three looked at him and their stunned expression changed to anger as they started to attack him. While being attacked, Haruno laughed and said: "Wait! I have a reason!" They all stopped and Haruno continued: "*cough* I"m storing ⅛ of all food because one day we will have to leave Dadan"s place. And if you need one more reason..." He opened a portal to his storage area and removed some meat. With a smile, he threw it toward them and said: "Obviously I"m storing it for snacks!" Sabo then asked: "So... Why didn"t you give us food when we were hungry in the city?" Haruno gulped and said: "Because I wanted to eat ramen! Oh! I remembered something else!" then Haruno removed the ramen that he had stored and continued to eat it. Then Ace and Luffy looked seriously at Sabo and said: "Tell us your secret!"
But Sabo said: "I already told you... I"m not hiding anything..." Ace and Luffy started to corner him while Haruno was eating his ramen slowly and watching them. Ace menaced: "Tell Us! Idiot, if you don"t, I kill you!" Sabo said with difficult: "Okay! I"ll talk! *cough* *cough* I"m the son of a n.o.ble." Luffy: "Eeeeh!?!" Ace: "Son of a n.o.ble?" Haruno: "Oh." Luffy and Ace: "Who?" Sabo: "Me!" Ace and Luffy put their finger in their nose and with a funny expression and saying: "E?" Haruno gulped down the ramen and said: "I already had found out." Sabo, angry shouted: "You guys were the ones that asked! Eh? You already knew?" Haruno sat cross-legged and started to explain: "Well, you are very smart. Smarter than those two idiots." Luffy and Ace: "Oi." Haruno continued: "You knew what an Ak.u.ma no Mi no Encyclopedia was. Marines or n.o.bles are the only ones who have this book. Well, a minority of normal people have it too... But it is rather rare." Sabo said: "Well, the truth is that my father and mother are still alive. I"m not an orphan and I did not live in the grey terminal. The man that called me in the street... He was my father. I lied to you guys, I"m sorry."
"He apologized, we have to forgive him," said Luffy while looking at Ace and Haruno. But Ace said: "Not so fast. I want to hear his explanation. Why do you wish to live here? If you are from a n.o.ble family..." Sabo took a deep breath and explained further: "I ran away because..." and he started his explanation. [Ep 496.] "They love to keep their privileged status and defend their priorities and ambitions... But not me! If I do not marry a woman from royalty... I would be deemed useless! That"s why I pa.s.sed every day in the study and my etiquette cla.s.ses. And every day I was scolded for not doing well enough... I don"t have a place in that family! I know your pain as orphans guys... But I prefer to live alone than to live with my parents. The n.o.bles see the grey terminal with bad eyes, but in my opinion, it is much better than the High City, where they live your life for you." Ace sighed and said: "Got it."
Getting up, Sabo said: "Ace! Luffy! Haru! One day we are going to the sea. We will leave this nation and live freely! I want to see the outside world and write a book about it. I want to study as well, but navigation this time. We will become stronger and become pirates!" Ace, Luffy, and Haruno chuckled. Ace approached the cliff and shouted: "I was going to be a pirate, you didn"t even need to say anything! I will be a pirate, defeat other pirates and be famous around the world! And then, I will prove that I can live! The world can hate and despise me, but I will become a great pirate and I will show them what I can do!"
He continued: "I will not run, I will not surrender! Even if I am to be feared, my name will be known in the world!" Luffy chuckled, rushed toward the cliff, took a deep breath and shouted: "I will be the king of pirates!" this made Sabo and Ace stunned for a while, Haruno chuckled and Ace said: "You idiot... I was imagining what you would say..." Sabo laughed and also added: "You are so funny, Luffy. I can"t wait to see what you will accomplish in the future!" Haruno then laughed and said: "I... will put a sea king in a tiny aquarium!" this time, everyone laughed about Haruno"s "dream". Then Sabo said: "We all can be pirates... But what if everyone wants to be the captain...?" Ace said: "I wasn"t waiting for that. I thought that you, Sabo, would want to be my navigator." Haruno smiled and said: "I can be the cook if you want." Ace smiled and responded: "That"s a good idea!" Luffy quickly followed by: "You guys can come to my ship!" All three of them shouted at the same time: "I refuse!"
Then Luffy shouted: "Eh?!? Why?!? Come on! If I invite you, you have to accept!" Ace shouted: "That would never happen!" Sabo and Haruno nodded in the background in sync. Sabo added: "Yeah, Never." Luffy shouted: "Nandato?!?... Okay, I"ll convince you later..." Haruno laughed and said: "What?" Sabo laughed at the falsely sulking kid as well and said: "Man! You really are funny Luffy!" they all laughed.
On that same day, they were waiting for Ace that asked to: "Wait here." after some minutes, Ace appeared with a sake bottle and four little cups, he then said: "Well, let"s wait until the time comes. Maybe one day we all will have our adventure." Luffy looked at the bottle and realized: "Ah! You stole Dadan"s bottle!" Ace said: "Do you guys know?" he removed the bottle"s cork and filled the four tiny cups with sake. He continued: "If we drink this sake together, we will become brothers!" Luffy smiled and asked: "Brothers? Really?" Ace continued: "When we become pirates, we may not be on the same ship, but we always will be together because of our brotherly bond! Wherever we go, whatever we do, we will always be together!" they took their cups and smiled, then Ace continued: "So, from today onward, we are brothers!" Ace, Sabo, Luffy, and Haruno shouted at the same time: "Yeah!"
This was their Oath of Brothers!
[Edited by Aaronji.]