"Hey, everyone! A Marine warship is here!"
The villagers of Windmill Village, who were busy with their daily affairs, immediately gathered upon hearing this. In this peaceful town, the Marine name carried a sense of security rather than fear. After all, the hero of the Marines, Vice Admiral Monkey D. Garp, was from here. Over the years, several young men had followed in his footsteps and joined the Marines. Today, they wondered which one had returned.
Under the villagers' curious gazes, a tall, handsome young man in civilian clothing stepped off the ship. His posture was relaxed, yet his aura carried an undeniable sense of strength and authority.
The moment they recognized him, the villagers' faces lit up with joy.
"Sure enough, it's you, Luo Ye!"
"You finally remembered to come back and visit us after all these years!"
"Look at you! It feels like just yesterday when you left with Garp as a little kid!"
Luo Ye smiled at the familiar faces, waving in greeting. "It's been a long time, everyone. How have you all been?"
The warmth of the villagers made Luo Ye feel a bit nostalgic. His gaze softened as memories surfaced. He had been in this world of One Piece for many years now. When he first arrived, confused and ignorant of his new reality, he almost perished at sea. Fate led him to Vice Admiral Garp, who took him in and raised him in this very village. He became the older brother figure to Ace, Sabo, and Luffy, guiding them as they grew.
For the past ten years, ever since Garp brought him to Marine Headquarters, Luo Ye had been focused on his training and duties, leaving little time to return home. Now, he had finally come back—not just as a Marine officer, but as the youngest Admiral in history.
Taking a leave of absence, Luo Ye returned to Windmill Village, wanting to ensure that no pirates would dare trouble his hometown. His position as Admiral had not come easily. Garp had fought fiercely with the Five Elders—part pleading, part threatening—to get Luo Ye promoted. The Elders, recognizing Luo Ye's monstrous talent, ultimately conceded.
"Luo Ye!"
A familiar, cheerful voice called out, and a woman with soft green hair ran toward him. It was Makino, the kind-hearted tavern owner who had watched over them since childhood.
Seeing her, Luo Ye smiled warmly. "Makino, it's been so long. How have you been?"
Before Makino could respond, another voice rang out—loud and indignant.
"Luo Ye, you bastard! It's been years, and you never came back to visit! Do you know how damn mad I am?!"
Luo Ye turned toward the voice and found himself face-to-face with Curly Dadan, the mountain bandit who had raised Ace, Sabo, and Luffy. Though she put on an angry front, the way her eyes glistened betrayed her emotions.
Luo Ye laughed. "It's good to see you too, Dadan."
His return had stirred excitement throughout the village. The chief, noticing the growing crowd, clapped his hands.
"Alright, alright! Let's not block the road. We'll have a banquet tonight to celebrate!"
The villagers cheered.
"Haha, some things never change," Luo Ye chuckled, watching their enthusiasm. It was nostalgic. The tradition of hosting a feast for every joyous occasion had started with him long ago, and it seemed to have endured.
—
Later, at Makino's tavern, Dadan and her bandits, along with a few other close villagers, sat around a table with Luo Ye. The drinks flowed, and the air was filled with laughter. After taking a large swig of sake, Dadan leaned forward, her curiosity evident.
"So, Luo Ye, how's life at Marine Headquarters?"
Everyone turned their attention to him, eager to hear his answer.
Luo Ye smiled. "Not bad. I was promoted to Admiral a few days ago, so I finally got some time to come back and visit."
Silence.
Then—
"BIG… ADMIRAL?!"
Makino, Dadan, and the others gawked at him, mouths open in shock.
They had known Luo Ye was talented, but never in their wildest dreams did they expect him to become an Admiral at only twenty-four. No Marine in history had ever reached that rank at such a young age.
Dadan recovered first, bursting into laughter. "Hahaha! No wonder you decided to show up again! I can't wait to see the look on Garp's face when I rub this in! That old man's been a Vice Admiral forever, and now his brat has outranked him!"
Luo Ye smirked, but said nothing. If Garp had ever wanted the title of Admiral, he could have had it decades ago. He simply never cared for the position. But Luo Ye let Dadan enjoy her moment, imagining her boasting to Garp.
The village chief, who had been quietly observing, suddenly asked, "Luo Ye, what about Ace, Sabo, and Luffy? How are they doing?"
Luo Ye's expression softened at the mention of his younger brothers. "Ace and Sabo are both Marine Majors now. As for Luffy, he recently joined and is still in the training camp."
The tavern erupted in even more excitement.
"Seriously?!"
"I thought those three always wanted to be pirates! They actually became Marines?!"
Luo Ye chuckled. He had changed many things in this world, and one of the biggest was the fate of those three. Once, they had dreamed of becoming pirates. But after years of training, discipline, and well-placed beatings, they had come to understand that a pirate's path only led to ruin. They had chosen to fight for justice instead.
Of course, the so-called freedom that pirates preached had always seemed foolish to Luo Ye.
Freedom at the cost of innocent lives was nothing more than selfish destruction.
As the night went on, the celebration continued, filled with laughter, food, and stories of the past. Luo Ye sat back, watching the people he had grown up with, feeling at peace.
For now, the world could wait. Tonight, he was home.