A New Kind of Adventure:

Prologue:

Why?

That was the one question Luffy had been thinking ever since he arrived at some strange white room.

But that didn't stop him from remembering all that had happened so far.

First, they rescued Trafalger Law from Doflamingo and Issho on Dressrosa.

Then, Luffy and Zoro got a higher bounty, when Luffy beat Big Mom and Zoro beat Doflamingo.

Finally, Luffy reunited with Red-Haired Shanks in over a decade to return his hat to him... only for Shanks to give it back to him and say ' The Pirate King needs his crown with him, shouldn't he? '.

But then, Fleet-Admiral Sakazuki A.K.A. Akainu arrived at Raftel with an entire fleet of 600 Marine Battle-ships with 1,000 Marines on each of the ships, the Seven Warlords, and the Yonkou by the name of Marshall D. Teach A.K.A. Blackbeard.

They put up quite the fight, but they all fell to the might of the World Government.

Jimbei was the first to die, after he took down 10 Marine ships, before Admiral Borsalino A.K.A. Kizaru used his Yasakani Sacred Jewel twice on the Fishman.

Chopper and Brook both fell at the same time, when Akainu sent a Hell Hound into Chopper's chest and he broke open Brook's skull and dumped his body into the ocean.

Franky was the next to go when he sacrificed himself to turn into a living bomb capable of trapping light in 5 mile radius. He took out 60 Marine ships, 6,000 Marines and Admiral Kizaru himself.

Zoro then fought his teacher, Dracule Mihawk, to a swordsman death-match before killing Mihawk. He took his Black Blade and sliced the ocean in half, taking out 130 Marine ships and 13,000 Marines before dying of his wounds.

Usopp and his father managed to take out 3 Marine ships and 300 Marines before he was beheaded by sergeant Tashigi.

Nami managed to take down 700 Marines and 2 Pacifistas, that had just came into the battle, before she was blown to bits by a cannon.

Sanji took out 200 Marine ships and 2,000 Marines before his head was incenerated by Akainu's Hell Hound.

Shanks took out 200 Marine Ships and 15,000 Marines and severly wounded both Blackbeard and Akainu, before dying of his wounds.

Luffy, upon seeing his father-figure die, was clouded by rage and attacked all Marines in his way before being pinned down by Akainu. As he waited for Akainu's fist to descend upon him, it didn't come.

Instead, when he opened his eyes, he saw his crew-mate, Nico Robin, take the blow for him in a way similiar to Ace's death.

As she laid dying in his arms, she told Luffy that she loved him ever since he rescued her from Enies Lobby two years ago, but was afraid to tell him her feelings. She gave Luffy his first passionate kiss and then died.

As Luffy held her corpse, Akainu mocked and belittled him saying about how he can't protect those precious to him like his brother.

Suddenly, something in Luffy snapped and he had just one objective in his mind.

Kill Akainu.

He beat all those in his way and even sent Blackbeard flying, before he re-encountered Akainu and fought him.

Their battle dragged on for 3 days, but Luffy managed to kill the Fleet-Admiral with a Red Hawk in his chest, symbolizing Ace's death.

Suddenly, Blackbeard came and absorbed Luffy's Devil Fruit, before he slowly choked him to death.

The cowardly rat's last words to Luffy' Say hello to your brother for me. ZEHAHAHAHA~ '.

And then he ended up in this strange room with pain and confusion swimming his mind, but all the painful deaths of his friends and the woman who loved him.

Suddenly, he felt something wet roll down his right cheek, then his left cheek, before it started to pour down his face.

It was then he realized... he was crying.

He hadn't cry since Ace's death, sure he might have shed a tear a few times in the New World, but this was the only time that this feeling happened.

The feeling of being defeated. The feeling of being alone in this world.

The feeling then finally hit him clear as day... it was failure.

He failed to stop Blackbeard, he failed to save his crew, he failed to save Ace, hell he even failed to save the woman who loved him.

And the reality hit him like a ton of bricks.

" DAMN IT! " he yelled, punching the white floor with his fist " DAMN IT! DAMN IT! Damn it! Damn it, damn it. ".

He then started to bawl uncontrollably on the floor.

" WHY? " he asked " Why did they die? What did I do to deserve this? Is it because I have the blood of a demon. Is it because I'm a bad captain? Is it because I became Pirate King? If so, WHAT DID I DO? ".

He kept weeping, not noticing the glowing form appearing from behind him.

" What kind of Pirate King am I? " he asked himself " What kind of captain am I? What kind of... WHAT KIND OF FRIEND AM I? ".

" So you're just going to give up? ".

' That voice, ' Luffy thought with wide eyes.

He hadn't heard that voice in nearly 3 years, the voice of the man who he failed to save at Marineford, the voice he had longed to hear.

Slowly turning his head around, his beliefs were confirmed when standing there was none other than Portgas D. Ace.

" Ace... " he said quietly, not believing his eyes.

" Hey Luffy. " Ace replied awkwardly, not really knowing what to say his little brother, who had last seen him dying in his arms.

Suddenly, Luffy sat up and ran towards Ace.

" ACE!~ " he yelled in delight with tears of happiness falling from his eyes.

He grabbed Ace into a bear hug, surprising the fellow D. carrier, but then Luffy started to cry into his shoulder while Ace hugged his little brother back.

" I missed you, so much! " cried Luffy with tears falling heavily from his eyes.

" I missed you too, Luffy. " Ace whispered to his little brother.

For a moment, they didn't say anything because they didn't need too. The brotherly bond that they shared spoke all the words that they needed.

Then, Luffy released the hug from Ace and sat back down on the ground with Ace copying his movements.

" So, " Luffy started to say " Why are you here? Not that I'm happy to see you, but why are you here? ".

" Well, " Ace began " I'm here, because you've been given a second chance. " and at his words, Luffy gazed at his older brother in shock.

" But... how? " Luffy breathed.

" Well, I sorta have connections with the Shinigami, " Ace said, rubbing the back of his neck sheepishly " We met at a bar, when I was alive and bought him a few beers. ".

" Wait, " Luffy asked " How was the Shinigami able to stay in our world? ".

Ace shrugged. " He said that whenever he takes a soul, he's aloud to stay in our world for a few hours. It's like a privilege for being a Shinigami. ".

" Wow. " Luffy said, amazed.

" Anyways, we had a few drinks and before he left, he said that he would repay me back in a favor one day. So, when I died, " Ace said with a sour taste in his voice about him dying " I was pretty shocked that the Reaper was someone I had a drink with. ".

' I'll say. ' Luffy thought with a sweat-drop.

" So, when I had heard you had died, I asked him if you could have a second chance. At first he said no, but when I offered him some booze, he just took it and said ' Permission granted. '. " Ace finished his story.

" So, you offered the Grim Reaper booze so that I could have a second chance. " Luffy said in a deadpanned voice.

" Yep! So you have your awesome brother to thank for this. " Ace said with that D shaped grin. " And he also told me that all your powers, strength and intelligence will remain with you, as well as that scar on you body. ".

Suddenly, Luffy's body started to glow and particles began to disperse from his body. " What's happening? " Luffy asked, afraid of what's happening to him.

" Hm, " Ace mused " You must be returning to life. ".

Before Luffy disappeared, Ace gave him another grin and said " Try to save me this time, little brother. ".

Luffy replied with the same grin and his infamous chuckle. " Shishishi, you got it! ".

And with that, everything went white before Luffy had his final thoughts.

' Here we go again. '.