Luffy's Family Background!

Rayson watched Luffy and Usopp trade barbs from the side, smiling without a word. He always felt that Luffy was doing it on purpose. Against mediocre opponents, he introduced himself only as "Luffy"; only when facing truly formidable mortal enemies did he call himself "Monkey D. Luffy."

"Luffy? Some nobody. Never heard of him." Fullbody curled his lip disdainfully.

Just like Morgan before him, Fullbody was another mediocrity who valued rank and empty reputation above all else.

"A pirate crew without even a name... What an eyesore. I might as well sink you all right now." Fullbody's gaze swept roughly across the others aboard the Merry.

Yet when his eyes passed over Luffy and finally settled on Rayson not far away—

"!!!" Fullbody rubbed his eyes, then stared fixedly at Rayson's face, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

A dense layer of cold sweat quickly covered his forehead.

"H-Heavenly King Rayson?!!!" Fullbody's teeth chattered as he confirmed that he had not misseen him.

"A piece of trash like you dares call yourself Iron Fist? That title shares a name with that Marine hero." Rayson looked at Fullbody with a faint, mocking smile.

In the East Blue, the home waters of Marine hero Monkey D. Garp, this Marine captain had the nerve to swagger around wearing an iron ring and calling himself "Iron Fist." His courage was truly admirable.

"So awesome! Your reputation is incredible, Rayson! Even an officer from Headquarters is scared stiff of you!" Usopp shouted with a look of worship.

This was what a truly imposing pirate was like!

"..." Hearing the mockery in Rayson's words, Fullbody's eyelids twitched wildly, yet he did not dare talk back.

He only dared use that nickname to put on airs before ignorant commoners in the East Blue, known as the weakest sea. At Marine Headquarters, where powerful figures abounded, he was merely an insignificant low-ranking officer, not worth mentioning at all.

But the man before him, "Heavenly King" Rayson, existed on an entirely different level!

A wielder of Conqueror's Haki! A super monster who had caused a tremendous sensation!

Ordinarily, an officer at Fullbody's level would find it difficult to learn the secrets of Conqueror's Haki.

Ever since the tripartite balance of Emperors, Headquarters, and Warlords had been established, large-scale clashes among top powerhouses possessing King's Disposition had been rare.

Yet the World Economy News Paper's feature report on "Heavenly King" Rayson had caused an uproar within Headquarters.

Though Fullbody had little say at Headquarters, thanks to his connections, his intelligence channels were far better informed than those of Marines stationed at local bases.

The bearing of a king, possessed by only one in a million! Anyone who awakened such power was destined to become a towering figure who shook the seas!

There were even rumors that the three Marine Headquarters admirals currently in the limelight might not have possessed such talent in their youth.

Some higher-ups had even declared that if this boy could be recruited, he would absolutely be a future admiral candidate.

To wield Conqueror's Haki freely at such an age... Even if this man arrogantly called himself the "Heavenly King," no one within the Marines who understood the weight of that power would consider him a boastful fool.

Those with King's Disposition ought to look down upon the world in this manner.

It was said that Headquarters' upper ranks were urgently drafting this man's bounty, and it would certainly be an astronomical figure that left people speechless.

That drove Fullbody mad with jealousy. If he had such talent, why would he need to throw his weight around in the East Blue by borrowing others' prestige?

A future admiral! What glory! What power!

Why had a monster with such talent chosen to become a detestable pirate?!

But... if I capture him here, wouldn't that achievement let me rise straight into the ranks of the flag officers?!

Such unrealistic fantasies inevitably flashed through Fullbody's mind.

But now, when he truly faced this super rookie—

Meeting Rayson's faintly smiling gaze, Fullbody trembled all over, his palms drenched in sweat.

That man... merely stood at the bow with his hands behind his back, yet the pressure he radiated made Fullbody feel as though he had plunged into an icy abyss.

The moment he truly confronted Rayson, he sadly realized that he did not even have the courage to draw his gun.

He suddenly remembered! Damn World Economy News Paper!

That report had repeatedly used bold black print to emphasize the brat named Luffy's surname, "Monkey," and the mysterious letter "D."

At the time, Fullbody had been completely absorbed in the report on "Heavenly King" Rayson. He had not remembered the "Luffy" mentioned at the end, which was why he had failed to recognize him immediately.

This was bad! Just now... he had actually threatened to sink the ship carrying "Heavenly King" Rayson?!

The cold sweat on Fullbody's forehead flowed even faster.

"Marine hero? Who's that?" Luffy tilted his head in confusion. That title sounded strangely familiar.

"You don't even know the Marine hero? Monkey D. Garp! He's a legendary figure renowned across the seas!" Nami poked Luffy's forehead in frustration.

At the level of the World Government, the letter "D" was an absolute taboo. On top of that, Garp's biological son was none other than Monkey D. Dragon, leader of the Revolutionary Army...

When publicizing Garp, the authorities went to great lengths to downplay his full name, just as they referred to "Gol D. Roger" as "Gold Roger."

Most people only knew Garp by the titles "Hero Garp" or "Iron Fist Garp."

Very few people across the seas knew Garp's full name.

"Ah! You mean that old bastard!" Hearing the name, Luffy suddenly shuddered as unpleasant childhood memories surfaced in his mind.

"Old bastard?!!!" Nami, Usopp, and even Zoro stared at Luffy in utter shock, their eyes practically falling out.

Johnny and Joseph looked at each other, too frightened even to breathe loudly.

"Wait... My head's a mess." Nami rubbed her eyes, feeling a headache coming on.

"That Marine hero, Garp... is your biological grandfather? Your real grandfather?!" Nami demanded in disbelief.

"Yeah! That old bastard was brutal!" Luffy shrank back at the thought of Garp's old "training" methods. A trace of genuine fear actually flashed through the eyes of someone who feared neither heaven nor earth.

Rayson watched from the side and nearly laughed out loud.

This family... was truly full of oddballs.

Garp's son, Dragon, had become the leader of the Revolutionary Army seeking to overthrow the World Government.

And Luffy... Garp's methods for turning him into an outstanding Marine had been extremely brutal.

Throwing him into bottomless chasms, tossing him into primordial forests teeming with savage beasts in the middle of the night, tying him to balloons and letting him drift into the sky...

Every time Garp tortured him, he roared that Luffy had to become the strongest Marine! No wonder young Luffy had developed such deep-rooted resistance and hatred toward becoming a Marine.

Even if he had never met Shanks, after being put through Garp's treatment, Luffy could never have become a Marine.