The Sea Restaurant, Baratie.
It was a sea restaurant located in the Sambas Sea of the East Blue.
Its shape was a giant ship, with fish-shaped figureheads at both ends.
Many people specifically came here to taste the delicious cuisine prepared by the owner and head chef, Zeff. Even important Marine figures would come here to eat.
After sailing, this very unique sea restaurant appeared before Lu En and the others.
"Sugoi! A giant fish!"
Looking at Baratie's unique appearance, Luffy drooled and shouted.
Such a design, just by looking at it, could whet Luffy's appetite.
"Beep beep!"
Just as the group was about to approach Baratie, a whistle sounded.
"A-A Marine battleship?!"
A battleship much larger than the Going Merry, with a conspicuous Marine emblem on its main sail, rapidly approached the Going Merry.
The moment Usopp saw the battleship, he instantly broke into a sweat and exclaimed.
"Tsk, encountered annoying guys."
Zoro also felt troubled.
"Hmm?"
Lu En was still looking at the battleship with interest, then suddenly looked amusedly at Nami, who was hiding behind him.
"Um, I'm used to it."
Feeling Lu En's gaze, Nami, who subconsciously hid behind Lu En, blinked, her pretty face slightly flushed.
Since Cocoyasi Village, every time they encountered danger, Lu En would protect her. This made Nami somewhat accustomed to it.
The moment she saw the Marine battleship, Nami instinctively ran behind Lu En.
But it had to be said, being behind Lu En truly gave her a sense of security.
Nami watched Lu En move his feet, better shielding her behind him, and pursed her red lips.
For Nami, who experienced Belle-mère being killed in front of her as a child and her hometown Cocoyasi Village being violently ruled by Arlong, a sense of security was truly precious.
"It's a pirate flag I've never seen before."
On the deck of the Marine battleship, a man wearing a white patterned suit, with pink hair, dark skin, and iron gauntlets, appeared before Lu En and the others.
Looking at the Straw Hat Pirates' flag, the man's eyes narrowed.
"I am Marine Headquarters Captain Fullbody! Who is your captain, state your name!"
Fullbody raised his fist and shouted.
"I'm Luffy!"
Luffy stepped forward and shouted.
"I'm Usopp!"
Usopp also came to join the fun.
"I'm the captain! The pirate flag was just decided."
Luffy glanced at Usopp, then shouted again, stating his captain identity.
"I drew the pirate flag!"
Usopp said.
Hearing Luffy and Usopp's antics, a strange smile played on Lu En's lips.
He wondered if Luffy was doing it on purpose. When encountering obviously weak minor characters, Luffy's self-introduction would only be 'Luffy'.
But if he encountered strong characters, Luffy's self-introduction would be 'I am Monkey D. Luffy'.
"Luffy? Never heard of such a minor character."
Fullbody's lips curled in disdain.
Fullbody, like Morgan, believed that titles were everything in the Marines.
"An unknown pirate crew, how annoying. I'll just sink you."
Fullbody shifted his gaze to the others on the pirate ship.
Immediately, he saw Lu En not far behind Luffy.
"!!!"
Fullbody rubbed his eyes, widening them as he looked closely at Lu En's face again.
Cold sweat began to pour.
"Heavens, 'Heavenly King' Lu En?!!!"
Fullbody confirmed his eyes weren't mistaken and exclaimed in surprise.
"You, a minor character, can also be called Iron Fist? And share a title with a Marine Hero?"
Lu En looked at Fullbody with interest.
Taking a title similar to that of the Marine Hero, Luffy's grandfather, Monkey D. Garp, and flaunting it in Garp's hometown, the East Blue,
A mere Headquarters Captain, he truly had courage.
"Sugoi! Lu En, your fame is truly high. Even the Marine Headquarters knows you."
Usopp looked at Lu En with reverence.
As expected of a true pirate!
"..."
Fullbody's mouth twitched upon hearing Lu En's mockery, but he dared not retort.
He only dared to use this title to satisfy his craving for recognition in the weakest of seas, the East Blue. In Marine Headquarters, he was just an unremarkable captain, where titles were meaningless.
But the man before him, 'Heavenly King' Lu En, was completely different!
A Conqueror's Haki user! A super rookie who appeared out of nowhere!
Originally, as a mere Headquarters Captain, he didn't understand the power of Conqueror's Haki.
After all, after the formation of the three major powers of the sea—the Four Emperors, Marines, and Seven Warlords—battles between Conqueror's Haki users rarely broke out.
However, the World Economic Journal's report on 'Heavenly King' Lu En caused quite a stir at Marine Headquarters.
Although Fullbody was inconspicuous at Marine Headquarters, he was still a member of it. The advantage of being in Headquarters was that one got a lot more information than elsewhere.
A king's disposition! Any awakened one was a strong individual with a formidable reputation on the great sea!
Rumor had it that even the three towering Admirals in the Marines didn't possess this power.
Rumor had it that anyone who awakened this power would be groomed to become a future Marine Headquarters Admiral.
At worst, they could become an Admiral candidate.
So young, yet having awakened Conqueror's Haki—even if this person arrogantly called himself 'Heavenly King,' those in the Marines who understood the true value of Conqueror's Haki didn't say that this person was overestimating himself.
It was only natural for someone with a king's disposition to be arrogant.
Rumor had it that Headquarters was already discussing how much bounty to put on this man. There were even rumors that it would be a terrifying, unimaginable figure.
These rumors made Fullbody incredibly envious. If he could awaken Conqueror's Haki, he wouldn't need to take on the title of Iron Fist and satisfy his craving for recognition in the weakest of seas, the East Blue.
A Marine Headquarters Admiral! What glory, what power!
How did someone with such powerful abilities turn out to be a damned pirate?
However, if he could capture this guy, would he be able to rise quickly through the ranks?
Fullbody sometimes harbored such fantasies.
And now, he had encountered this super rookie.
Looking at Lu En, who was watching him with a half-smile, Fullbody's forehead dripped with countless cold sweats.
This man, just standing there, felt terrifyingly strong.
He realized it only when he met him: facing this man, he didn't even have the courage to make a move.
He remembered! That damned World Economic Journal!
When they reported on this kid named Luffy, they highlighted his surname, Monkey, and the seemingly meaningless 'D' in bold,
His attention was so focused on the name 'Heavenly King' Lu En that he completely forgot the name Luffy, which led to him not recognizing the identity of this kid named Luffy at first.
What to do now? He just said he was going to sink the pirate ship Lu En was on?
Fullbody's forehead began to sweat cold.
"Marine Hero? Who is that?"
At this moment, Luffy suddenly tilted his head. He always felt that title sounded somewhat familiar.
"You don't know Marine Hero? Marine Hero Garp is common knowledge on the high seas."
Nami looked at Luffy helplessly.
At the World Government level, 'D' was an absolute taboo. Coupled with the existence of Garp's son, the Revolutionary Army leader, Monkey D. Dragon,
Therefore, in external propaganda, just like Gol D. Roger, whose name was changed to Gold Roger by the World Government,
Garp was also only referred to as Marine Hero Garp, or Iron Fist Garp.
The name Monkey D. Garp was only known by a minority on the high seas.
"Oh, it's Grandpa."
Luffy shuddered when he heard the name, recalling many unpleasant memories.
"Grandpa?!!!"
Nami, Usopp, and even Zoro showed expressions of disbelief.
Yosaku and Johnny even hugged each other, looking at Luffy in shock.
"Wait, wait, my mind's a little messed up."
Nami covered her head, shaking it.
"Marine Hero Garp is your grandfather? Your biological grandfather?"
Nami looked at Luffy in disbelief.
"That's right. Grandpa is very scary."
Luffy recalled Garp's training methods. Even the usually carefree Luffy's eyes showed a hint of fear.
Lu En looked at Luffy with amusement.
This family, indeed, was full of talented individuals.
Garp's son, Monkey D. Dragon, became the leader of the Revolutionary Army.
And Luffy—Garp, wanting him to become a Marine, subjected him to exaggerated training.
He would throw Luffy into bottomless abysses, or exile him to rainforests full of ferocious beasts late at night, or simply tie Luffy to a balloon and release him into the air.
While training Luffy like this, he would also shout for Luffy to become a strong Marine. One can imagine how much psychological trauma this inflicted on the young Luffy.
Not to mention if Luffy hadn't met Shanks, he wouldn't have become a Marine under such circumstances.
"No matter who Luffy's grandfather is, he is now a pirate, a man who will become the King of the Pirates."
Lu En looked at the still-shocked crowd and summarized with a smile.
"That's right! Hee hee hee!"
Luffy swept away his psychological shadow of Garp, grinning and shouting.
"Bond increased, attribute loading progress increased."
Dealing with Luffy, simple as that.
Lu En's lips curled. Then he looked at Fullbody on the opposite Marine battleship, who was dumbfounded by their conversation.
"I heard you were going to sink our pirate ship?"
Lu En chuckled, seeing Fullbody's expression.
"!!!"
And Fullbody, at this moment, was completely paralyzed.
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