"You…"
The color drained completely from Kin'emon's face.
During their days in Dressrosa, he had witnessed everything with his own eyes. He had seen how the Monkey D. Luffy and the Straw Hat Pirates had helped them—complete strangers—without asking for anything in return.
They had risked their lives.
Luffy's pure-hearted nature and the way he cherished his comrades were so reminiscent of Kozuki Oden that it hurt to remember.
Kin'emon had believed—truly believed—that at the very least, young lord Kozuki Momonosuke would feel gratitude. That even in the face of absolute despair, he would preserve the most basic shred of honor and loyalty.
Yet that single, merciless stomp had pierced straight through the final line in Kin'emon's heart.
At last, he could no longer care about status or etiquette.
He didn't even call him "young lord" anymore.
"MOMONOSUKE!!!"
With a furious roar, Kin'emon stepped forward. His large hand shot out and seized Momonosuke—who was hiding behind Gern Reginald Sigmar—by the collar. With a single motion, he lifted the boy completely off the ground.
"You wretch—what are you doing?! Have you lost your mind?!" Kin'emon's eyes were bloodshot.
"Lord Oden… Lord Oden… how could he possibly have a son like you?!"
"How could you commit something so ungrateful—so shameless and vile?!"
Being hoisted up like a chicken and scolded like this in front of Gern and everyone else stunned Momonosuke for a moment.
Then humiliation and fury flooded his chest.
In his mind, Kin'emon was nothing more than a vassal of the Kozuki Clan—a servant who existed solely to obey and protect him unconditionally.
"How dare you!!"
Momonosuke shrieked and struggled wildly. Somehow, fueled by sheer panic and anger, he actually broke free from Kin'emon's grip.
He stumbled to the ground, then pointed accusingly at him, his small face flushed crimson with rage.
"What are you doing?! Is this how a retainer treats his shogun?!"
"You dare treat me like this?!"
Panting heavily, Momonosuke refused to look at Luffy or the others again.
Instead, he treated them as if they were nothing.
With brazen confidence, he addressed Kin'emon—and everyone present.
"Open your eyes and look clearly! Them? They're nothing but pirates!"
"Pirates! Do you understand?!"
He pointed toward Gern, raising his voice with the triumphant tone of someone who believed he had chosen the wiser path.
"Lord Ten-Zhen is a Marine! The Marines are the strongest force of justice on these seas!"
"As the future shogun of Wano, seeking the legitimate assistance of the Marines—how could that possibly be wrong?!"
"Isn't that the most correct and honorable path?!"
His words grew sharper and sharper, exposing the most calculating and self-serving side of his heart.
"To put it another way—those pirates… heh!"
He let out a scornful sneer.
"When I first approached them, it was only because they liked meddling in other people's business and had a bit of strength."
"I had them act as my hired muscle—to fight Kaido on my behalf. That was always the deal!"
When he finished, he looked one last time at Luffy.
The man sitting silently among the ruins was watching him without saying a word.
There was no guilt in Momonosuke's eyes.
Only the cold indifference of someone discarding a tool that had outlived its usefulness.
And a faint glimmer of smug superiority.
"Now that a stronger, more perfect option has appeared right in front of me, why should I continue associating with a bunch of failed pirates?!"
"Kin'emon, what exactly are you clinging to?"
"Are you a retainer of the Kozuki family—or a retainer of these pirates?!"
His words were like arrows of ice.
They pierced straight through the hearts of everyone who had still clung to hope.
Kin'emon staggered backward two steps as if struck by lightning.
He stared at the boy before him—this unrecognizable "young lord."
A chill shot from the soles of his feet straight to the crown of his head.
His lips trembled.
But no words came out.
Nearby, Roronoa Zoro slowly slid his sword back into its sheath. His cold gaze swept across Momonosuke, devoid of even the faintest ripple of emotion.
Sanji quietly lit a new cigarette. Smoke drifted upward, hiding his expression.
Nami and the others felt an icy revulsion spread through their bodies.
And Luffy—
The man who hadn't even closed his eyes when his face had been stepped on—
Now slowly… very slowly… closed them.
There was no roar of rage.
No scream of pain.
Only silence.
A dead silence.
And that silence was far more terrifying than any shout.
Gern watched Momonosuke's "brilliant performance," along with the shifting expressions of everyone present.
The curve of his smile grew deeper.
Excellent.
The chess piece had begun moving exactly the way he had anticipated.
Beside him, Enel turned his head away completely, as if even one more glance would stain his eyes.
Under his breath, he muttered with naked disgust.
"Trash."
At the same time—
Luffy's slow, stubborn recovery—no… perhaps it would be more accurate to say—
The resilience born from the Will of D and the peculiar nature of his Gomu Gomu no Mi—was finally beginning to reveal itself.
His ragged breathing gradually steadied.
The stamina he had exhausted moments ago began recovering at a startling pace.
His tightly closed eyes opened again.
There was no confusion within them.
No pain.
No anger.
Luffy pressed both arms against the rubble and pushed himself up from the broken ruins.
Gravel cascaded from his battered body.
He didn't look at anyone.
Silently, he bent down and picked up the straw hat that had fallen nearby, now covered in dust.
Carefully, he brushed the dirt away.
Then he placed it back onto his head with quiet reverence.
He lowered the brim slightly, casting a shadow across most of his face.
Only his tightly pressed lips remained visible.
"Luffy."
Zoro immediately sensed the shift in his presence and called out in a low voice.
Luffy didn't respond.
He simply began walking forward.
Each step was still slightly unsteady, but his stride was firm.
Step by step, he walked toward Momonosuke—
And the man standing behind him.
Gern Reginald Sigmar.
Seeing Luffy approach, Momonosuke felt a jolt of fear.
Instinctively, he tried to retreat behind Gern again.
Yet his mouth forced out a bluffing shout.
"W–What? Pirate!"
"You wouldn't dare attack me—the future shogun—right in front of a Marine adm—"
"SHUT UP!!"
The furious roar cut off the rest of his words.
Luffy suddenly raised his head.
Beneath the shadow of his hat brim, those eyes locked directly onto Momonosuke.
"Momo…"
He still used the nickname.
But there was no warmth left in his voice.
"I'm going to Wano."
The words stunned everyone present.
Luffy continued quietly.
His voice wasn't loud.
But every single person heard it clearly.
"Because Kin'emon told me something."
"He said that under Kaido's rule, the people of Wano live like slaves."
"They suffer every day."
"I heard that. And I remembered it."
He paused briefly.
His gaze shifted to Kin'emon, whose body trembled violently as tears streamed down his face.
Then Luffy looked back at Momonosuke.
The coldness in his eyes made the boy's face turn pale.
"But I was never helping because of you—'Kozuki Momonosuke.'"
"And definitely not for some 'shogun's throne.'"
His words fell like iron.
Drawing a clear line between them.
"I'm going for the people who are suffering."
"I'm going to beat the guy who made an entire country cry."
"That's all."
After saying those words, Luffy didn't hesitate any longer.
Nor did he give Momonosuke any chance to argue or cling to him again.
He simply walked past him.
Momonosuke stood frozen in place, his face deathly pale.
Under Gern's thoughtful gaze—
And Enel's faintly surprised raised eyebrow—
Luffy walked over to the unconscious Sabo.
He bent down.
Carefully lifted Sabo from the ground.
And slung him across his back.
After adjusting his breathing, Luffy raised his head.
His gaze passed over the chaotic streets and fixed itself on the distant, towering royal palace of Dressrosa.
His objective remained clear.
At least for now, he was still the ally of Trafalgar D. Water Law.
And the promise tied to this country—the request Law had made—was not yet finished.
So without looking back at anyone…
Luffy carried Sabo on his back and began walking again, step by step, toward the royal palace.
The straw hat on his head trembled slightly in the wind.