Chapter 278: Is This My Grandson?

East Blue, Foosha Village.

After a year apart, the Lei De Hair Pirates, aboard the newly completed Lei De Force, returned to Foosha Village to fulfill their promise with Yasopp.

Gazing at the dragon-headed ship docked at the pier, Yasopp's expression instantly turned somewhat playful.

"Captain, this ship... looks somewhat familiar, huh."

As everyone knows, the greatest pride of the East Blue these past years has been the Morning Star Crew Captain Saint Saint Saiwen and the East Blue Donghai Dihuang.

The signature feature of the East Blue Donghai Dihuang is the black dragon head, red sails, and flame flag, while the Lei De Hair Pirates' ship is also dragon-headed, albeit a red dragon head...

It inevitably makes one suspect imitation.

"Ahem~" Shanks coughed lightly.

"Yasopp, you know."

"Saint Saint Saiwen and I grew up together; it is very reasonable for brothers to share some common interests..."

Shanks was actually quite troubled; on the journey from Reverse Mountain to Foosha Village, he had heard others discussing it more than once.

Another imitator of Saint Saint Saint Saiwen.

And compared to those clumsy imitators, the Lei De Force at least imitated quite convincingly.

Shanks felt utterly aggrieved.

He wanted nothing more than to rush forward and argue: I am not an imitator; this was my idea first! That bastard Saint Saint Saiwen stole my idea!

No way around it; who could blame a good brother who was already famous throughout the seas, while he, Shanks, remained an unknown pirate?

"Understood, understood." Yasopp smiled.

"You all wait at the pier for a moment; I'll go back and tell my wife."

Shanks hurriedly called out to Yasopp: "Take these Berries; we don't want you to become a low-class pirate who abandons his wife and children."

"Low-class pirate?" Yasopp was somewhat stunned.

At that moment, Benn Beckman, cigarette in mouth, handed Yasopp the latest New Issue of the newspaper.

"Here, Saint Saint Saint Saiwen's discourse."

Once upon a time, they thought inviting Yasopp aboard was no problem at all; who could stop a man from chasing his dreams?

But after seeing the latest New Issue of the newspaper before departing, Shanks and Beckman fell silent.

Robbing civilians belongs to low-class pirates; abandoning one's wife and children is no different!

Especially since Yasopp's son had just turned a month old, and Yasopp had impatiently contacted the Lei De Hair Pirates to come pick him up and take him to sea.

Such conduct perfectly fits the definition of a low-class pirate.

Precisely for this reason, Beckman thought of a compromise: leave enough living expenses for Yasopp's wife and child, and have Yasopp return once a year.

So as not to miss the child's childhood.

That Saint Saint Saint Saiwen, besides his remarks on high-class and low-class pirates, once said a famous line—

A happy childhood heals a lifetime; an unhappy childhood requires a lifetime to heal.

Beckman grew increasingly curious about Saint Saint Saiwen; if he hadn't already become the Lei De Hair Crew's first mate, Beckman would truly have gone to see the Morning Star Crew.

What kind of experience could make a twenty-year-old... Saint Saint Saiwen, the same age as Shanks, utter so many profound truths?

Truly a great literary figure of the pirate world.

After reading the newspaper, Yasopp awkwardly realized: his act of abandoning his wife and child to go to sea had been precisely categorized under low-class pirates.

"This... what shall we do?"

Before even setting sail, he was inexplicably branded with the low-class pirate mark; how could he ever become famous throughout the seas afterward?

Even if he became a pirate with a fifty-billion bounty, as long as the fact of abandoning his wife and child was discovered, he, Yasopp, could never shake off the low-class pirate label.

Before Beckman could speak, Benn Gatz, who was teasing the monkey Mosquito, made a suggestion.

"Captain, I have an immature suggestion."

Shanks asked in surprise: "Speak."

"Everyone should know that the Captain's brother's Inazuma is not only called the safest nation on the Grand Line but also the most livable country."

"Rather than leaving sister-in-law and the little nephew in the East Blue, why not send them to Inazuma to settle?"

"This way, big brother Yasopp need not worry about becoming a low-class pirate, and we can also take the opportunity to go to Inazuma to learn how to do business."

"We Lei De Hair Pirates cannot, in the future, live by robbing civilians like other low-class pirates, can we?"

Hearing this, Beckman's eyes lit up.

"Captain, it is worth considering."

Besides his wife and newborn son, Yasopp had few relatives in the East Blue anyway; settling in Inazuma would be excellent.

After Saint Saint Saint Saiwen became the Raiden Shogun of Inazuma, in just two short years, not only did Inazuma's national strength grow mighty, but its people also lived in peace and prosperity.

He is recognized by the seas as a wise ruler.

Although Shanks felt somewhat tempted, he still decided to prioritize the opinion of the person concerned.

"Yasopp, what do you think?"

"I certainly have no objection." Yasopp sighed with relief: "However, will Inazuma accept foreign immigrants?"

"Leave this to me."

If he couldn't even accomplish such a small thing, Shanks felt he might as well not go to sea as a pirate; he might as well return to the Holy Land to be a Celestial Dragon.

Given his years of brotherhood with Saint Saint Saiwen, Saint Saint Saiwen would certainly give him face.

Even if there was a one-in-ten-million chance of disagreement, there were still Uncle Lei Li and Aunt Xia Qi in Inazuma.

At worst, he could just act spoiled with Uncle Lei Li.

"Very well, Beckman stays; the rest of us will go help Yasopp move."

Meanwhile, also in the East Blue.

Windmill Village, the Garp old residence.

Garp, returning home to visit relatives, carried a huge bag of small toys, preparing to give his beloved grandson Ace a surprise.

However, Garp never could have imagined that his good son, Monkey D. Dragon, would give him a huge surprise.

Looking at the tiny infant in Dragon's arms, Garp couldn't help but feel tears welling in his eyes.

"Is this my grandson?"

Dragon nodded: "Monkey D. Luffy. The name the child's mother gave him."

"Where is the child's mother?"

"His mother is a bit busy."

While the father and son stood in silence, four-year-old Ace, clutching a newspaper, rushed into the courtyard shouting and clamoring.

"Mom, Mom, I want to be a High-Class Pirate!"

Garp's eyes went black and he nearly lost his footing; the impact Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen's words had caused upon the seas had surpassed Garp's imagination.

Not only had the pirates gone mad, but even within the Marines, the distinction between High-Class Marines and Low-Class Marines was being hotly debated.

By the time the World Government and the Marines reacted, the newspapers had already sold out; there was no way to stop it in time.

Ace's reaction was the best proof.

Rouge hurriedly grabbed Ace by the ear; the situation she feared most had finally shown some signs.

"I told you to be a High-Class Pirate."

Ace's ears were tough; he not only felt no pain, but his attention was instead drawn to the stranger's silhouette appearing in the courtyard.

"Eh? Grandpa."

"Who is this uncle?"

Garp scratched his head: "This is Grandpa's son, your uncle Dragon, and your little brother Luffy."

"Little brother? Luffy?"

Ace also scratched his head: "Grandpa, then is my father that son of yours?"

"Pffft hahaha~"

Garp nearly laughed himself to death; if Roger had heard these words, he would surely have been so angry he turned red.

"Your father..." Garp quickly changed the subject: "Go quickly and see the toys Grandpa brought you."

As for Ace's background, Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen had repeatedly warned that it must absolutely not be exposed.

After sending Ace away, Garp finally took the sleeping little grandson from Dragon's arms.

"Are you planning to leave Luffy here?"

"I have such an intention." Dragon's tone shifted, predicting his old man Garp's prediction.

"Or send him to Inazuma to settle."

Hearing that Dragon wanted to send his beloved grandson to Inazuma, Garp was instantly furious.

"Don't even think about it."

Garp couldn't understand it; where exactly was Barzab Saint Saint Saiwen so good?

Some time ago, Rouge had even suggested: go to Inazuma to settle with Ace, to avoid causing trouble for Garp if the World Government discovered the clues.

Was he, Garp, a person afraid of trouble?