Chapter 153: Memories of the Past

Following that, Rolan and Sabo discussed several specific matters regarding their cooperation in great detail for a long time. However, because Sabo could not make executive decisions on certain issues, he would have to wait until he consulted with Dragon before giving Rolan a definitive reply.

Rolan did not mind this at all, as such important alliances could hardly be settled in a few words. Regardless of the ultimate outcome, at least for now, Sabo and Rolan were getting along quite pleasantly.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and swapping of cups, Rolan suddenly thought of something. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Mr. Sabo, do you happen to have a period of lost memory?"

Rolan recalled that Sabo at this point in time seemingly had not yet remembered the existence of Ace and Luffy. If he could help Sabo recover his memories, it might add an extra layer of certainty when the time came to recruit Ace.

"Rolan, what do you mean by that?"

Although the fact that he suffered from amnesia was practically common knowledge among the top brass of the Revolutionary Army, outsiders had no way of knowing it at all. Even the most formidable intelligence operatives could never dig up this information, because the revolutionaries never brought it up. So where on earth had Rolan heard about this?

"I previously ran into a guy named Luffy. He said that one of his reasons for becoming a pirate was because he had been influenced by two older brothers when he was little. One of them is named Ace, who is currently the Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates."

"As for the other one, he shares your exact name and surname, and is called Sabo."

"When I asked just now, it was merely because this memory suddenly crossed my mind, and I felt you looked somewhat like the brother named Sabo that Luffy described," Rolan explained.

"Ace?"

"Luffy?"

Listening to these two names, Sabo felt they sounded extremely familiar, yet he could not recall where he had heard them. He was not completely estranged from these two fellows either, as one was a rookie pirate who had made a great name for himself across the Grand Line two years ago, while the other was the central figure who had caused a massive incident in Loguetown back in the day. As the second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army, he had naturally heard of both of them, but at the time he had not made any connections, merely finding the names vaguely familiar.

Yet now that Rolan brought them up, Sabo realized that these two familiar-sounding names were far from simple.

Where on earth had he heard them before?

Sabo rested his forehead in his hands, thinking deeply.

Suddenly, as if his brain had been struck a heavy blow by some blunt object, Sabo clutched his forehead and let out a cry of agony. Cold sweat continuously streamed down from his brow. Right now, Sabo looked as though he were enduring intense torment.

***

"Sabo, what is wrong?"

Seeing Sabo's agonizing expression, Koala sprang up from her seat, looking at him with deep concern.

Yet the next moment, she watched as Sabo burst into tears, while his face blossomed with a radiant, joyful smile.

"We must set sail, leave this country, and embrace our freedom..."

"You don't need to tell me that, I'll do it anyway. I'm going to become a pirate and keep winning forever..."

"Me..."

"Starting today, we are brothers..."

A rapid succession of memories surged into Sabo's mind. Those long-lost childhood memories of his—every single event, every single occurrence—all appeared in Sabo's mind as vividly as if they had happened just yesterday.

"I remember! I remember! Ace! Luffy! Ace! Luffy!"

Sabo wept and shouted with overwhelming emotion, starkly contrasting with the joyful expression on his face.

"Thank you, Rolan. Truly, thank you so much. You are the one who made me remember all of this, making me realize that I was never alone and that I still have my dear brothers."

Sabo looked at Rolan with intense emotion, expressing his sincere gratitude.

"Ah, well, I just mentioned it in passing. I never expected that you truly are the older brother Luffy spoke of." Rolan waved his hands repeatedly, feigning a look of astonishment.

"Koala, you know that my childhood amnesia was caused by an artillery bombardment, right?"

Once his emotional surge subsided, Sabo's expression shifted into one of deep resentment.

"Yes. Chief Dragon said that back then, you seemed to have suffered severe injuries, and at the time he thought you were merely a survivor from a merchant ship attacked by pirates," Koala said, tapping her chin in thought.

"The bombardment is correct, but do you know who was responsible for it?" A rare trace of hatred flashed in Sabo's eyes as he spoke bitterly.

"Who?"

Koala swallowed hard, feeling a tinge of fear. This was the first time she had ever seen Sabo like this.

"The Celestial Dragons. Back then, because of an incident in my hometown, I didn't even get to say goodbye to Ace and Luffy. At seven years old, I intended to set sail alone on a boat. But not long after I left that island, a ship belonging to the Celestial Dragons suddenly appeared."

"Just because I, a mere child at the time, happened to appear right in their navigational path, they opened fire and sank me without a second thought."

Sabo recounted slowly.

"The Celestial Dragons?!"

Koala was utterly shocked. She had never expected that the culprits behind Sabo's tragic accident were none other than the Celestial Dragons—the very people Sabo now sought to overthrow.

"I'll tell you some of the details when we get back," Sabo said, choosing not to dwell further on the matter. He turned his grateful gaze toward Rolan and said, "Thank you, Mr. Rolan. Had you not told me, I never would have imagined that I could have forgotten those two."

"As a token of my gratitude, let me share a piece of news with you as well, Mr. Rolan. I am certain it will catch your interest."

"What news?"

Rolan grew somewhat curious. What kind of news could possibly make Sabo so certain that he would be interested?

"The World's Strongest Supreme Swordsman, Warlord of the Sea Dracule Mihawk, will be appearing on Salvador Island within the next few days. I do not know his specific purpose, but some of our Revolutionary Army members have already spotted him en route to Salvador Island," Sabo said with a smile.

"You're saying Hawkeye is coming?"

Rolan was instantly taken surprise. This news was mildly interesting to him personally, but if Zoro were to find out, the swordsman would surely leap out of his hospital bed in excitement. Zoro's dream was to become the world's greatest swordsman, and his undefeated myth in the original story truly began only after he encountered Hawkeye. Now, because of Rolan's intervention, Zoro had not met Hawkeye in the East Blue. Though his progress remained swift, Rolan felt that without Hawkeye's stimulus, Zoro's full potential had yet to be completely unlocked.

Armed with this news, Rolan parted ways with Sabo, left the tavern directly, and headed toward the docks.

He had already acquired his prized blade, and he had toured the museum of famous swords as well; he had no further interest in anything else on the island. He needed to return and share this news with Zoro.

Rolan believed that the moment Zoro heard these words, even if he were still fast asleep, he would leap straight up from his bed. The two words "Hawkeye" held far too deep an influence over Zoro. To become the world's greatest swordsman, and to make his name echo across the entire Grand Line—all the way up to the heavens—he had to defeat Hawkeye. For only by doing so could Kuina hear it, and only then could Zoro fulfill the promise he had made to her.