*The seas had finally become quiet.
Not silent — never silent — but free.
The age of fear ended the day Monkey D. Luffy became the King of the Pirates.
Not because he ruled the world.
Because he refused to.
For the first time in centuries, people could sail without chains around their hearts. The Celestial Dragons were gone, the great wars had ended, and nations once crushed beneath tyranny could finally breathe. Pirates no longer chased conquest alone — many chased adventure again, inspired by the man who laughed at the edge of the world itself.
And even after all those years…
Luffy never changed.
Older, yes.
Now forty years old, his body had become immense from decades of battle. Broad shoulders, powerful arms, scarred hands, and a muscular frame built from surviving impossible wars. His black hair had grown longer and wilder, falling around his shoulders, while a rough beard framed the grin the world knew so well.
He wore an open blue pirate shirt with long sleeves rolled near the elbows, exposing his scarred chest and abs. Brown trousers. Sandals. The straw hat remained untouched by time.
The eyes, though…
They were calmer now.
Still carrying that same childlike freedom.
Still shining whenever adventure called.
The Thousand Sunny had been retired years ago. Not abandoned — honored.
It rested safely near Water 7 like a sacred monument. People crossed entire oceans just to see the ship that carried the future Pirate King.
Franky nearly cried the day they docked it for the last time.
Then immediately built something even crazier.
The new ship, the Rosemary Treasure, was a masterpiece beyond imagination. A gigantic crimson vessel combining the majesty of ancient pirate ships with futuristic technology Franky developed over decades. Massive lion-headed cannons lined the sides. Mechanical sails adjusted automatically to storms. Entire gardens and training halls existed inside. There were libraries, observatories, hot springs, kitchens the size of restaurants, and enough room for thousands.
Yet somehow…
It still felt like home.
The Straw Hats had all achieved their dreams.
Roronoa Zoro became the greatest swordsman in history.
Nami completed the first true world map.
Sanji found the All Blue.
Tony Tony Chopper became the doctor capable of curing nearly every disease known to man.
Nico Robin uncovered the True History.
Usopp became a legendary brave warrior of the sea.
Franky created the greatest ships ever built.
Brook became immortalized through music across every ocean.
Jinbe helped create peace between humans and fish-men.
Even after achieving everything…
They still sailed together.
Because the adventure itself mattered more than the destination.
One evening, the Rosemary Treasure sailed along the outer waters near Wano Country. The sunset painted the ocean gold while music echoed across the deck.*
