One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 251: Shanks—”It’s You, Garp’s Son!?”

On the Sabaody Archipelago, in the illegal port zone, the ship of the Red Hair Pirates was docked. Somehow, Shanks and his crew had ended up on the archipelago.

"They'll never see this coming," Shanks said with a grin as he stepped off the ship.

"This place isn't exactly safe, it's way too close to Marine Headquarters," Beckman said calmly, his tone cautious.

"Doesn't matter. Let's get the ship coated now. If Garp shows up, we'll just dive straight to Fish-Man Island and head into the New World. Let him chase his own tail for a while," Yasopp said with a laugh.

Munching on a drumstick, Lucky chimed in, "What's up with that guy anyway? We haven't attacked any Marines in the New World. Why's he always on our tails?"

Yasopp adjusted his gun and smirked. "Maybe it's because you were on Roger's crew, Shanks. Garp might be after you because of that."

Indeed, after Shanks and his crew had entered the New World, they'd made quite a name for themselves, causing enough trouble to earn widespread recognition. But for some reason, Garp—Marine Headquarters' infamous "Mad Dog"—had taken a particular interest in them. Wherever Shanks and his crew appeared, Garp would soon follow, relentlessly hunting them down.

The major players in the New World knew of Garp's reputation for wreaking havoc, but none dared cross him. Instead, they secretly supplied Garp with information about Shanks's movements. The New World was already rife with internal conflicts, and no one wanted to openly antagonize Shanks, who was rising fast as a powerful force. But with Garp chasing him, they saw an opportunity to weaken the Red Hair Pirates without getting their hands dirty.

No one knew why Garp had made it his mission to hound Shanks, and frankly, they didn't care. It wasn't their problem to figure out.

As a result, Shanks's crew had been cornered several times in the New World. Only their exceptional strength and a good dose of luck had allowed them to escape each time. Still, the constant betrayals and ambushes had left them frustrated and wary.

In response, Shanks devised a clever ploy. He faked a move deeper into the New World while secretly buying supplies and slipping out. Their real destination? The Sabaody Archipelago.

Surely, Garp was still prowling the New World, searching for them in vain. For now, they'd lay low and wait for the heat to die down. Garp was an unstoppable force, and while Shanks and his crew could hold their own in a fight, defeating him outright wasn't an option. Taking him down could provoke the Marines into a full-blown retaliation, something they couldn't afford.

"Originally, I planned to claim the title of Pirate Emperor in the New World," Shanks said with a wry smile. "But now look at us, being chased around like dogs. What the hell's wrong with Garp? Did we somehow offend him without knowing it?"

Due to certain circumstances, Luffy had avoided significant trouble. The infamous Bandit King, who had once threatened the village, had been dealt with by Lucky before anything escalated. As a result, Luffy never faced the sea monster, and Shanks had no reason to sacrifice his arm in a dramatic rescue.

Because of this, Shanks remained physically whole, much to the annoyance of Mihawk, who still frequently challenged him to duels. Their clashes had stirred up plenty of waves in the New World, further solidifying Mihawk's reputation as the world's strongest swordsman.

"What does any of this have to do with Luffy?" Shanks asked, puzzled.

"Do you even know Luffy's full name?" Beckman asked pointedly.

The question caught everyone off guard. Shanks and the rest of the crew exchanged blank looks, none of them seeming to have the answer.

Beckman sighed in exasperation. "You gave your precious hat to the kid, and you don't even know his full name?"

"Does it matter?" Shanks asked, genuinely confused.

"Well, it does now. The kid's full name is 'Monkey D. Luffy,'" Beckman revealed with a hint of resignation.

"Monkey... D... Luffy?" Shanks repeated, frowning as the name stirred something in his memory. It sounded familiar, but he couldn't quite place it.

Then, suddenly, it hit him. His eyes widened in shock as realization dawned. "Wait a minute—Monkey? You mean Luffy is Garp's son?!"

Beckman nearly choked on his cigarette. "What the hell are you talking about? Son? He's obviously his grandson, given the age difference!"

***

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