【One Piece】Dawn in the Darkness

Chapter 430: Quarrel, outbreak

"Lucci! They are my friends, the best! They didn't let me down! You can't say that to them!" Luffy angrily interrupted Ace, glaring at Lucci and shouting angrily, "I'm not your weak little brother, I don't need protection!"

"Luffy, you know that's not what Lucci meant," Sabo placed his hand on Luffy's shoulder, trying to comfort him.

"That's what he meant!" Luffy angrily waved away Sabo's hand and shouted at Lucci, "I am the captain. Protecting the crew is my duty. I am willing to get hurt or die for them!"

"Shut up Luffy!" Lucci yelled, clenching his fists, trying to suppress the anger that was rising. "Stop saying that. They are not worth your life. No one is worth your life, and I will not let this happen!"

"This is my own decision!" Luffy glared at Lucci angrily. "You can't interfere with my decision, Lucci! I don't care even if I die for my friends!"

"Why did you do that to protect that group..." Lucci bit his lower lip hard to stop himself from saying anything uncontrollable. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down. He couldn't continue talking to Luffy like this. He couldn't have a head-on conflict with Luffy. He tried to speak to Luffy in a calm tone.

"Luffy, I know that you are the captain and it is indeed your responsibility to protect your crew, but I can join you and help you protect the crew. To protect you, you should know that I would rather die than see you get hurt again and face death."

"I said! I don't need you to protect me! I don't want you to do this either!!" Luffy became even angrier after hearing Lucci's words and shouted angrily.

Lucci clenched his fist, then immediately released it and turned around and said, "Luffy, you are not calm now. I can't explain it to you clearly. Let's discuss this matter next time."

"Lucci! You're the one who doesn't understand!" Luffy looked at Lucci's back and said firmly, "I have my own adventures, and I often get into trouble, but these are my own choices! I don't want you to worry about me, and I don't want you to do anything for me. I want you to do your own thing!"

"I've always been doing my own thing." Lucci turned and frowned at Luffy. "What I've always done, what I've always wanted to do, is protect you!"

"I'm grown up now, you can't treat me like a child anymore!" Luffy shouted angrily, "You should pursue your own goals!"

"My goal is to always stand by your side, to protect you, and to help you. I will help you clear the enemies ahead and help you realize your dreams..."

"No!!" Luffy interrupted loudly.

Luffy shrank back and subconsciously took a step back. "Luffy, this is what I have always wanted..."

"No, this is what I want to do, this is not what you should do!" Luffy glared at Lucci angrily.

"I said yes!" Lucci shouted angrily, not understanding Luffy's inexplicable denial. "This is what I have always wanted to do, and this is what I want. Why do you keep denying me?"

Lucci tilted his head and looked at the angry Luffy, confusion evident on his face. "Yeah, Luffy, why do you keep rejecting my protection? Do you really not want to accept your brother anymore, and do you no longer need a brother?"

"So you regret inviting me and don't want me to join you?" Without waiting for Luffy to answer, Lucci pulled the corner of his mouth and showed an ugly smile, "But why? Why don't you want me anymore? Do you think I'm too useless to protect you? Or is it because you think I will cause you trouble? If that's the reason..."

"No!" Luffy exhaled angrily. "Of course I hope you join, but I don't need you to protect me. I don't need you to stand in front of me. Whether I am injured or dead, you should not stand in front of me. The enemies and dangers that appear on the road to my dreams are things I have to face. You can't come to help me block them!"

"If you still joined me because you wanted to protect a little brother, then..."

"Luffy!" Sabo tried to stop him, but Luffy continued.

Luffy looked up at Lucci, his voice a little unsteady, but still firm "I refuse your joining!"

"Why would you refuse?" Luffy looked at him pleadingly. "I just want to protect you, Luffy. You can't let me watch you get hurt in front of me and do nothing! I can't accept this. Please, Luffy, you can't do this to me."

"Don't you understand yet? Lucci!" Luffy shouted angrily, "I don't need you to help me, nor do I need your protection! Your protection will only become a burden to me!"

"Luffy, stop talking!!" Ace was completely frightened by Luffy's sudden words and interrupted him hurriedly, but it was too late. Ace and Sabo looked at each other, their eyes full of worry and anxiety. They were completely unable to stop the development of the situation.

Ace looked at Lucci worriedly, his expression seemed to have returned to calm, but he could sense that something was wrong.

Lucci ignored the shouts of the people around him, still looking at Luffy and asked softly, "Has my protection been bothering you?"

"I'm sorry, Luffy, I just want you to know that although I am your brother, I have my adventures and you have yours, and you can't do it for me..." Luffy lowered his eyes and tried to explain.

"Then why did you break into Impel Down?" Lucci interrupted Luffy, straightened up, and asked calmly. Without letting Luffy answer, Lucci continued, "Isn't it because we are your brothers? You were the first to break the rules, Luffy."

"That's different!" Luffy raised his head and retorted, "After this is over, we will return..."

"What's the difference? You can't be so selfish, Luffy. You can't accept your brother's death, so why do you think I can accept it? Why do you think I can accept watching you get hurt and die in front of me?" Luffy smiled and continued without waiting for Luffy's answer, "Because you don't care about my feelings at all, you don't care about my anxiety and fear. You only care about yourself, your adventure, your dream, and nothing else matters."

"I'm not..." Luffy looked at his brother with trembling lips "I don't want you to..."

"You just need to agree with me and let me do it..."

"No!" Luffy still insisted.

"Then what do you want me to do? Watch you die in front of me again!?" Lucci suddenly exploded, punching the wall next to Luffy angrily. "Why can't you just listen to me and stay here so I can save you! You always don't care about anyone loving you, and selfishly risk your own life! Completely disregarding my concerns!"

"I'm not dead! I won't die, and I don't need you to save me. You don't have to worry about me!" Luffy retorted with equal anger, "I'm not a child or a crybaby anymore!"

"Lucci, you should trust Luffy more." Sabo couldn't help but advise from the side.

"What do you want me to believe about him? That he broke into Impel Down again? That he struggled to death or died in front of me again? Or that he still has a few more decades of life to live!!"

Lucci gasped, glaring at Luffy with red eyes "You keep doing stupid things! Stupid ideas! Stupid sacrifices!!"