First Meeting with Monkey D. Garp

After Ye Feng and Avril reached the foot of the mountain and returned to the bar, they found it empty. After asking the nearby villagers, they learned that, after they had left, the bandit Gram's younger brother, Grat, had kidnapped little Luffy. They hurried toward the shore.

When they arrived, they saw a large crowd gathered there. Ye Feng immediately took his sister's small hand and stepped forward to see what had happened. Once Ye Feng and Avril got closer, they found Shanks standing there—but his left arm was all that remained at his shoulder.

Upon seeing this, Ye Feng stepped forward, stared at Shanks, and asked solemnly, "Was it really worth it?"

Shanks froze for a moment at those words, then smiled. "It was. Because I bet it on the new era."

Early the next morning, the Red-Haired Pirates prepared to set sail. They had likely received word that the Marines were coming and were preparing to flee. Still, Shanks gave his Straw Hat to Luffy, telling him to return it once he had gone to sea.

The people of Windmill Village all came to see off the Red-Haired Pirates. Just as they were about to leave, Shanks, standing at the bow, suddenly seemed to remember something. He leapt off the ship and, under everyone's puzzled gazes, walked over to Ye Feng and asked seriously, "Can you tell me what your dream is?"

After hearing the man before him speak, Ye Feng raised his head, stared at him, and gave a mysterious smile. "Freedom. Freedom without restraint."

Shanks paused at those words, then understood their meaning. He said to Ye Feng, "I wish you success! I'll be waiting for you in the New World."

After the Red-Haired Pirates left, Ye Feng and Avril stayed at Makino's bar for the next few days. Aside from practicing swordsmanship every morning, Ye Feng and Avril also met two of little Luffy's other friends: the Pirate King's son, Portgas D. Ace, and Sabo, the future second-in-command of the Revolutionary Army.

However, they had both been drawn over by Ye Feng's younger sister Avril's beauty.

So they came to Makino's bar every day to play with Avril, annoying her so much that she beat all three of them up every day. Before long, they became familiar with one another.

By the morning of the fifth day, Ye Feng and Avril had gotten up early and practiced swordsmanship on the beach. More than half an hour later, just as Ye Feng and his sister Avril were preparing to head back—

As the older brother, Ye Feng sensed a ship approaching through his Observation Haki. He paused, then said to Avril, who was about to leave with her sword, "Sis, they're here."

After hearing her brother Ye Feng's words, Avril looked out over the sea with him.

Upon the usually calm ocean, a warship with a dog's head was slowly sailing toward them. Garp had not needed to return, but news from the Grand Line had reported that Shanks, captain of one of the Four Emperors, the Red-Haired Pirates, had lost an arm in his hometown.

So Fleet Admiral Sengoku had sent him to investigate the matter.

As Garp stood atop his dog-headed warship and looked toward his hometown, Windmill Village, his Observation Haki also detected two children standing on the beach.

He saw that they were a boy and a girl, and thought they were his grandson Luffy. Had that brat finally gotten a clue and found himself a little girlfriend?

He immediately used Moonwalk from the Six Powers, stepping through the air as he flew toward the shore. This concerned the continuation of the old Monkey family line—he could not afford to take it lightly.

Once he flew into the air and clearly saw the little boy's face, he realized that it was not his grandson. Still, the two of them looked familiar, as though he had seen them somewhere before. After thinking about it and failing to remember where, he decided not to bother with it. His grandson was more important.

Garp flew down onto the beach with Moonwalk, looked around, then fixed his gaze on Ye Feng. "Kid, what's your name?"

Ye Feng replied calmly, "Ye Feng."

Then Garp looked at Ye Feng again and asked, "Ye Feng, have you seen this old man's grandson?"

After hearing Garp's words, Ye Feng's eyes filled with fighting spirit. "Luffy is with Dadan behind the mountain."

Upon hearing that, Garp turned toward the Marine warship that had just arrived at the dock and said, "Starting now, I'm giving you three days off. Come back here in three days to pick me up."

Then he turned and headed toward Windmill Village. At that moment, Ye Feng suddenly drew his sword behind him.

He swung a crescent-shaped sword aura at Garp's back. Garp sensed it with his Observation Haki.

He immediately leapt into the air and dodged the slash, then glared furiously at Ye Feng. "Kid, what are you trying to do?"

Ye Feng answered just as calmly, "Nothing. I just wanted to slash you once." As he spoke, he sent another sword aura toward Garp, who was still suspended in the air.

A thick layer of Armament Haki covered Garp's right hand, and he shattered the incoming sword aura with a punch.

He glared at Ye Feng even more angrily. "Then let this old man teach you how to respect your elders."

With that, he charged down at Ye Feng from the air, his left hand coated in Armament Haki as it smashed toward him.