At the harbor of Marineford, two forces of unequal strength faced each other, tension crackling in the air.
Something unbelievable happened.
The normally dominant Starry Sky Pirates were… being overpowered in presence and aura!
This was the first time Luffy and his crew had ever suffered such a setback.
"Monkey D. Luffy?"
Iva, the Newtype Revolutionary known as the "Okama King," stepped forward. Before Luffy could speak, he spoke first, his expression a mix of curiosity and suspicion:
"Monkey D. Dragon… what is your relation to him?"
"He's my adoptive dad!"
Luffy grinned broadly, his answer casual.
"Wha… what!?"
Iva, along with several other Revolutionary Army members, were visibly stunned.
"Dragon… has a son!?"
They had assumed Luffy might be Dragon's nephew or some distant relative… but never had they imagined that Luffy was actually his son!
"As you can see, this is a Revolutionary Army officer, Okama King Iva," Luffy said directly, naming them without wasting words.
His father's identity brought him no advantage.
Luffy wasn't a pirate who relied on family connections.
He was a transmigrator who relied on systems and strategy!
"I may be your Revolutionary Army leader's son, but I have no interest in the Revolution's affairs."
"What do you mean?"
Iva asked curiously. Luffy continued:
"Our purpose in coming to Marineford is simple: we came for one person."
"You mean… the cyborg Franky behind you!?"
"And… if possible, could you tell us what happened in Marineford?"
"Ughh!!!"
Hearing his name, Franky struggled violently, his eyes glinting with tears as he looked toward Luffy, as though seeing a savior.
"Franky boy?"
Iva looked behind him at the cyborg and motioned with his hand.
Two Okama slowly set Franky down on the ground.
Of course, during the process, the Okamas couldn't resist giving Franky some… affectionate touches.
Those solid abs, powerful arms, and even his furry legs…
It's… irresistible…
Thud!
Thud!
Zoro and Sanji, standing near Luffy, instinctively took a step back.
Even Luffy had to hold back his unease as he addressed Iva:
"So… um…"
"Hmm? What is it, Luffy boy?"
Luffy finally could no longer resist the overwhelming sight of the Okama and Lightning.
"Why don't we move somewhere a bit more private, so we can talk properly…"
"And… what exactly happened in Marineford?"
======
Inside the Going Merry's cabin.
Iva, still in shock, slowly sat in the chairs Koby had brought over.
Franky clung to Brook's arm the entire time, unwilling to let go for even a second.
Sanji, following behind, frowned at Franky's over-the-top behavior.
"Hey! This is the guy we came to find!?"
"It's just a bunch of Okama… is it really worth all this fuss!?"
Hearing Sanji's teasing, Franky suddenly perked up, spinning around to shout at him:
"You don't understand!!! You'll never understand!!!"
His voice carried grief and fury, a bitter lament impossible to fully convey.
"Tch! I will never be like you!"
Sanji retorted proudly, though imagining the scene made his hands tremble slightly. He quickly lit a cigarette to calm himself.
Indeed… a bit terrifying.
Franky, having seemingly exhausted his last ounce of energy, sank into weakness and said in a faint voice:
"When you truly go through what I went through, you'll know what hell really is…"
"By the way, do you know where the cola is!? I ran out…"
"Ran out?"
Sanji, curious, inspected Franky, then stepped forward:
"Follow me… the cola is in the kitchen."
"Leave him to me, Brook!"
"All right, Sanji-san!"
=======
Some time later…
"Supper!!!"
"Tough Franky is back!!!"
After Sanji poured three bottles of his special super cola into Franky's abdomen, the cyborg instantly surged with energy, shouting and moving around the kitchen like a completely different person.
But…
Seeing the mechanical constructs of Franky's abdomen, Sanji muttered thoughtfully:
"This… should be the engine system of the Pluton, right?"
Franky froze mid-motion, his body stiff as if locked in place.
His head creaked like a rusty machine as he slowly turned toward Sanji.
"What… what are you talking about!?"
Seeing Franky's expression, Sanji's doubts quickly vanished.
"I wasn't mistaken—that is indeed the Pluton battleship's power system…"
"W-wait?!?"
"What are you saying!?"
"Pluton!? What's that!? I don't understand…"
Franky pretended to be clueless, slowly retreating toward the kitchen door.
"You won't leave without my permission! I'm in charge of this kitchen!"
Sanji backed toward the only free space in the kitchen, ignoring Franky's defiance.
But Franky's steel body wasn't easily stopped.
Bang!
He stumbled, clutching his head, finally steadying himself by leaning on the counter.
"I told you… you can't escape…"
"Who… who are you!?"
Realizing the Going Merry's crew weren't normal, Franky stopped struggling and asked, holding his dizzy head.
Sanji drew his green dragon-cutting blade.
Rooaar!
A spectral dragon coiled around him, glaring at Franky.
"We are… the Starry Sky Pirates!"
"Starry Sky Pirates? The Seven Warlords!?"
"Technically… the former Seven Warlords," Sanji corrected.
Franky, finally alert and serious, looked Sanji in the eye:
"How… how do you know about Pluton? And its power system!?"
"Because…"
"I ate Pluton!!!"
"Wha… what!?"
Franky clutched his ears, thinking he hadn't heard correctly.
Sanji wasn't surprised, though, and casually shifted the conversation:
"Iceburg… that's your senior brother, right?"
Franky stood silently, tacitly acknowledging the matter.
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Completed version available on P@treon(.)com/Veltoria