"No!"
It was Luffy, hands on his hips, mouth a straight line.
"How can Tomioka go to such a dangerous place alone?!"
Vivi also spoke from the side, looking at Tomioka. Even though she had witnessed the strength of the samurai before her, this was still Alabasta.
"I also don't support Mr. Giyuu going alone."
It was the gathering place for Baroque Works' high-ranking agents, and more importantly… Crocodile was there.
"Idiot!"
Nami couldn't help but shout at Luffy, poking his rubber head with her finger, "You know it's dangerous too! But they demanded only one person go! If we all followed, Igaram might be in immediate mortal danger!"
"But…" Luffy still wanted to argue, his face full of reluctance.
"Luffy." Zoro spoke, his voice low, "This is the most reasonable plan we can think of right now. We trust Tomioka's strength, just as we trust you."
Sanji also nodded, extinguishing his cigarette: "Exactly, and it's equally important for us to go to Yuba to stop the rebel army."
"Someone must expose Crocodile's conspiracy, otherwise this country will truly be finished."
Usopp's face also showed some worry, but he still decided to trust Tomioka and echoed: "Al… Although I'm worried about Tomioka, he can definitely do it, his strength!!"
Chopper also ran to Tomioka's leg, looking up with his little head: "Tomioka… you must be careful!!"
Tomioka looked at his companions arguing for him, especially Luffy's undisguised concern, and he spoke calmly:
"I can."
Vivi looked at Tomioka before her, clenching her fists tightly, her voice choked with emotion: "Mr. Giyuu… Igaram… I'm counting on you! Please… please be careful!"
However, practical problems always followed one after another.
Vivi suddenly remembered something, "But… Dash has already left with the letter I gave to my father, heading for Alubarna!"
"How will Tomioka cross this vast desert to Alubarna? Walking is too slow, and he could easily get lost!"
This was indeed a difficult problem, and everyone fell into contemplation again.
"Let's go back to the ship first!"
Nami immediately called out to the still-thinking group, "Standing here doing nothing is useless. Let's go back to the going merry, then sail along the Sandora River for a while, find a suitable place to drop off Tomioka, and then figure out the route!"
Currently, this seemed to be the most feasible plan… Back on the familiar deck of the going merry, just as the ship was about to set sail and the ropes were being pulled in—
Tomioka's peripheral vision caught a swift, familiar figure on the shore.
The figure then lightly leaped, landing steadily on the going merry's deck railing.
"Luffy." A gentle, smiling voice sounded.
The sudden appearance of Ace startled everyone on deck, and they subconsciously said: "Who?!"
Luffy spun around abruptly, and when he clearly saw the figure's appearance, the gloom on his face vanished, replaced by immense surprise: "Ace!!!"
The young man in the orange cowboy hat smiled as he jumped off the railing and landed on the deck.
He first nodded to Luffy, then turned to the other obvious Straw Hat on deck, bowing formally yet sincerely.
"My unruly younger brother, thank you for taking care of him." Ace straightened up, a smile on his face, "Thank you all."
Ace's sudden seriousness caught the Straw Hat and Tomioka off guard, just as before. No one knew who started it, but everyone began to mumble in agreement:
"Indeed."
Luffy completely ignored these formalities, throwing an arm around Ace's neck and excitedly said: "Ace! How did you find your way here?"
Ace let his brother hang onto him, smiling as he patted his back: "I was passing through this sea for some trivial matters, and of course, seeing you is the happiest thing."
His gaze swept over the going merry and its diverse crew, his eyes filled with contentment.
Suddenly, Ace seemed to remember something interesting. Looking at Luffy, he said half-jokingly, half-seriously: "Luffy, do you want to join our Whitebeard Pirates?"
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the others, "Of course, all your companions can come along too."
"No!" Luffy refused without thinking, "I'm the man who will become the Kaizoku-ō!!!"
Ace looked at Luffy's appearance, not only not getting angry but as if he had expected it, and laughed happily: "Hahahaha! You idiot, I knew you'd say that!"
After laughing, his eyes became serious and filled with reverence: "However, it's not you who will become the Kaizoku-ō, Luffy. It's Whitebeard."
Ace's tone was filled with immense conviction, "He is the strongest pirate I have ever seen, the man at the pinnacle of this era."
"Whitebeard?!" Usopp gasped, his voice changing pitch, "It's actually the Whitebeard Pirates?!"
Chopper was behind Usopp's leg. He wasn't very clear about these pirates and asked softly: "What is Whitebeard?"
Usopp explained to Chopper in a tone of awe: "That's the man known as the strongest in the world today!"
But Luffy was not at all intimidated by this title. He pulled down his Mugiwara firmly, his face showing an eager expression:
"We'll just duel then! We'll see who is the man who can become the Kaizoku-ō!"
Ace smiled and said nothing, no longer dwelling on the topic.
He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small white piece of paper, then handed it to Luffy.
Luffy curiously took it into his palm and found that the paper was trembling slightly and moving slowly in Ace's direction.
"What is this?" Luffy held the paper, turning it over and over.
Ace looked at the small piece of paper slowly moving towards him and explained: "You must always carry it. This way, no matter where we are, it can lead us to meet again."
Luffy looked at the magical paper in his hand, a smile appearing on his face, and tucked the paper into his Mugiwara: "Okay… Mhm!!"
Watching the interaction between the brothers, Usopp couldn't help but whisper to Chopper beside him: "Luffy's brother… he's completely different from Luffy."
Zoro gazed at the vast sky and the endless sea, and began his usual complaining: "The sea… it truly has all sorts of wondrous people and things."
Just then, Nami clapped her hands, her eyes lighting up. She looked at Ace, her face showing an expression as if she had seen a savior: "Luffy's brother! Ace, right! Could I ask you for a favor?"
Ace looked at the orange-haired girl and nodded kindly: "Please say."
"This country is in grave danger right now!"
Nami explained rapidly, "We need to send a companion near the middle reaches of the Sandora River so he can quickly reach Alubarna! But our ship needs to go in another direction right now…"
"Your ship looks like… it can carry one more