Uncovering a Shocking Secret! The World's Worst Criminal Appears, Luffy Makes His Debut!

Ace froze.

"Grandpa told us to stay here."

"Since when were you so obedient?"

Kahn glanced at Ace.

Provoked, Ace stiffened his neck.

"Who said I was obedient?!"

"Fine, let's go!"

The two avoided Dadan's gaze.

Then slipped into the dense forest.

Dadan was still staring blankly in the direction Garp had vanished, completely unaware that two little troublemakers were missing behind her.

Foosha Village's coastline.

Rain poured down in sheets.

Raindrops the size of beans slammed against the reefs, splashing up white spray.

A massive black sailing ship was moored at the shore.

Its prow was shaped like a ferocious dragon's head.

It flew no flag.

The entire ship radiated an aura that warned strangers to keep away.

Kahn and Ace lay prone in the distant grass.

Rain soaked their hair.

Ace wanted to speak.

Kahn clamped a hand over his mouth.

Then gestured for silence.

On the beach ahead.

Two people stood there.

One was Garp.

The other was a man entirely shrouded in a dark green cloak.

His face could not be seen.

Only the red square tattoo on the left side of his face was visible.

The rain automatically slid away when it came within three feet of the man.

It was as if even nature feared him.

Monkey D. Dragon.

The leader of the Revolutionary Army.

The world's worst criminal.

And Garp's biological son.

Kahn's heartbeat quickened slightly.

This was a historic moment.

"What are you doing here?"

Garp's voice was cold.

Mixed with the thunder, it sounded especially deep.

Dragon did not answer.

He held a bundle of cloth in his arms.

The bundle squirmed.

A faint cry came from within.

"It's inconvenient for me to keep him with me."

Dragon's voice was hoarse, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together.

"The World Government has already started watching my movements."

"If he stays with me, he won't live past three."

Garp looked at the bundle.

The muscles in his face twitched.

His expression was a complicated mixture of anger, helplessness, and reluctant acceptance.

"You bastard!"

Garp suddenly erupted.

He drove a fist into Dragon's face.

Dragon did not dodge.

He took the punch head-on.

His whole body slid backward several meters.

A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Yet the bundle in his arms remained perfectly steady, without even a shake.

"You chose this path yourself, so why should the child bear the consequences?!"

Garp roared.

Rain streamed down his aged face.

It was impossible to tell whether it was rain or tears.

Dragon wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth.

His eyes remained as calm as a dead pool.

"This world is sick."

"Someone has to cure it."

"Father."

There was no emotion in the way he said "Father."

It was like he was merely stating a fact.

Dragon stepped forward.

He handed the bundle in his arms to Garp.

Garp took a deep breath.

Those large hands that were always clenched into fists carefully accepted the bundle.

One corner of the wrapping was lifted.

It revealed a wrinkled little face.

The child was born with a rather foolish look.

He was even blowing bubbles.

Monkey D. Luffy.

The future One Piece.

And the chosen child of this world.

Kahn narrowed his eyes in the grass.

He had finally arrived.

The last piece of the Straw Hat brothers' puzzle.

"His name is Luffy."

After saying that, Dragon turned and left.

There was not the slightest hesitation.

He did not even turn back for one final look.

"Aren't you going to hold him?"

Garp shouted at his retreating back.

Dragon paused.

The gale swept up his cloak.

It revealed the never-drawn sword at his waist.

"No."

"When the day comes that this world is overturned."

"We'll meet again."

Dragon leaped onto the dragon-headed ship.

The sails unfurled on their own.

Carried by the wind, the ship quickly vanished into the boundless curtain of rain.

As though it had never appeared at all.

Garp stood in the rain.

He held the baby, who was still grinning foolishly, in his arms.

He let out a sigh.

It was a long sigh.

As if it had exhausted all the helplessness of his life.

"Come out."

"How long are you planning to hide?"

Garp said without turning around.

In the grass.

Ace's body stiffened.

Kahn, however, remained calm.

He had never expected to hide from Garp's Observation Haki anyway.

The two walked out of the grass.

They went over to Garp.

Ace stood on tiptoe curiously, looking at the baby in Garp's arms.

"Who is that?"

"He's so ugly."

Ace gave a remarkably fair assessment.

Newborn babies really were not very good-looking.

They were wrinkled like monkeys.

Garp smacked Ace on the head.

"He's your little brother."

"Luffy."

Ace covered his head, his face full of disgust.

"I don't want a crybaby like that for a little brother."

"Having Kahn is annoying enough."

Kahn ignored Ace's complaint.

He extended a finger.

And poked Luffy's soft cheek.

Luffy opened his mouth.

Then bit Kahn's finger.

He had no teeth.

Just drool everywhere.

Kahn pulled his finger out in disgust.

Then wiped it on Garp's coat.

"He's pretty strong."

Kahn commented.

Garp looked at the three little brats.

Suddenly, his head hurt even more.

Roger's son.

The Revolutionary Army leader's son.

With these three together.

Would these seas ever know peace again?

After the rain, the air in Foosha Village was almost absurdly fresh. The smell of earth mixed with the salt of the sea, rushing straight into their noses.

Garp carried Luffy as if he were a chick in one huge hand.

The baby in his arms had stopped crying and was staring around with wide eyes.

"Really ugly."

Ace walked behind them and kicked a pebble by the roadside.

He repeated himself.

"Like a monkey."

Kahn walked at the very back. The oversized shirt he had swiped from Dadan earlier hung on him like a robe.

"Stop complaining."

Kahn looked up at the sky. The clouds had dispersed, and the sun was out again.

Wonderful.

Warmth seeped in through his pores, and his innards, still reeling from the earlier fall, seemed to cheer.

The group arrived at the tavern by the village entrance.

The wooden door was pushed open.

The bell chimed crisply.

There were not many people in the tavern.

Sunlight streamed through the windows onto the wooden floor.

A green-haired woman stood behind the bar.

She was carefully polishing a glass.

She was the tavern's owner.

Makino.

Foosha Village's prettiest girl.

Her personality was gentle enough to drip water.

Her current bounty was zero.

Yet in this village, her status surpassed everyone else's.

Garp strode inside.

He set the cloth bundle in his arms directly on the bar.

"Get me a beer."

"And get something to eat for these three brats."

Garp pulled out a barstool and sat down.

He shouted at the top of his lungs.

Makino set down the glass.

She looked curiously at the cloth bundle on the bar.

A tiny hand poked out from the bundle.

Luffy was chewing on his own fingers.

He ate them with great relish.

Drool had pooled everywhere.

Makino covered her mouth and laughed softly.

"Mr. Garp."

"This is...?"

"My grandson." Garp gulped down a mouthful of beer. "Luffy."

Makino brought over a clean towel.

She gently wiped the drool from Luffy's face.

Ace sat beside them.

He turned his head away.

He refused to look at the baby no matter what.

Kahn, however, stared at Makino for a while.

This woman would have ties to Red-Haired Shanks in the future.

She could be considered one of the most powerful backers on these seas.

Makino brought over two plates of roasted meat.

She pushed them in front of Ace and Kahn.

"Eat up."

"You must be starving."

Ace grabbed a bone-in piece of meat and stuffed it into his mouth.

He looked just like a wild beast guarding its food.

Kahn picked up a knife and fork.

He cut the roasted meat into small pieces.

Then he ate slowly and methodically.

His body needed a great deal of energy to recover from its earlier injuries.

This transmigrator's body was very unusual.

Its cells were astonishingly active.

As long as he had enough food, he could recover quickly.

Garp wiped the beer foam from the corner of his mouth.

"This old man is returning to headquarters tomorrow."

"Luffy is too young."

"That bandit hag Dadan can't take care of a baby."

"Village chief!" Garp shouted toward the door.

Woop Slap, the chief of Foosha Village, walked in leaning on a cane.

His face was full of resistance.

Garp stuffed Luffy into the village chief's arms.

"This child will be raised in the village."

"I'm counting on you."

The village chief was so angry that his beard stood on end.

"You bastard Marine!"

"It was bad enough that you turned your son into a Revolutionary Army member!"

"Now you're dumping your grandson on the village too?!"

Garp picked his nose.

He flicked out a clump of something unidentifiable.

He acted as if he had not heard a thing.

He was an extremely irresponsible grandfather.

Kahn saw that very clearly.