Monkey .D. Izuku!

Bye Bye, Ace!

Somewhere on the Grand Line, the Red Hair Pirates' giant ship, the Red Force, making its way through the sea, while their captain, Red-Haired Shanks, stood on the deck, gazing out over the ocean.

"I can't believe it's already been three years since we left Foosha Village," Shanks said with a gentle smile on his face. "Time sure does fly fast."

"No kidding," Benn agreed, taking a drag of his cigarette. "I wonder how Uta is doing these days."

"Yeah, she must have grown and changed so much," Shanks mused, turning to look at his first mate. "Honestly, I think we made the right choice by leaving Uta back in the village, considering the things we've gotten involved in over the past three years."

"You're right about that," Benn nodded. "It's probably best to keep her connection with us on the down-low. Especially her connection with you, Captain. At least until she can fend for herself."

"I also think that a peaceful village would be a better place for her to grow up than these wild seas," Shanks added. "Plus, Makino and Izuku would be better influences on her compared to whatever characters we come across here at sea."

"Speaking of Izuku, he's one strange kid, isn't he?" Benn said. "And the Devil Fruit he ate was equally strange as well. I've never seen or heard of a Devil Fruit that can give users so many abilities."

"Yeah, his Devil Fruit definitely stands out, compared to what other devil fruits we have seen so far," Shanks replied, thinking back to the various applications of Izuku's Devil Fruit.

As he thought about Izuku, his mind drifted to the conversation he had with the green-haired boy two days before leaving the village.

*Flashback*

"So you want to become Pirate King, huh?" Shanks asked, laughing out loud. "Can't say I'm surprised. A lot of kids your age hold onto that dream."

"Oh no, Shanks, you didn't understand," Izuku shook his head with a smile. "Becoming a Pirate King is my goal, not my dream. My real dream is much more grandiose than that."

"And what is your 'grandiose' dream?" Shanks raised his brow.

"It's a secret for now," Izuku said, putting a finger to his lips. "But it's gonna take me years to make it happen. So first, I gotta become the Pirate King and carve out my own name in this world."

*Flashback End*

'That kid is treating becoming 'King of Pirates' as a means to an end,' Shanks thought with a strained smile on his face. 

Just then, their attention was drawn by approaching footsteps. Looking towards the sound, they saw Yasopp walking towards them with a huge grin across his face.

"Captain, you've got to see what my kid has whipped up this time," Yasopp said in an eager voice.

"Again?" Benn raised an eyebrow teasingly. "You sure he's your kid? I don't remember you being this intelligent or crafty."

"He takes after his mother in that department," Yasopp chuckled, scratching his head sheepishly.

"And also that long ass nose of his," Benn smirked at Yasopp as he made an off-handed remark.

"What was that, Scarface?" Yasopp yelled in an irritated voice while his eye twitched in annoyance. "You want to go a few rounds?"

"Calm down, Yasopp, Benn is just messing around," Shanks said, defusing the situation. "But I have to agree with Benn. Your kid is quite an inventor; now, the only thing he needs is a bit of backbone."

"Give him a break, Captain," Yasopp sighed. "He's had a very rough life after his mother's death. And the villagers didn't make his life any easier just because he's a pirate's kid. Even now, we encounter crazy strong people, which isn't doing any wonders for his confidence."