One Piece, Vol. 18: Ace Arrives

Monkey D. Luffy has wanted to be King of the Pirates since he was a child. A mishap gave him a body that stretches like rubber, and the price was that he can never swim again. Years later he sails with his Straw Hat crew, hunting the One Piece, a treasure rumored to outvalue every other on earth.

In this volume the Straw Hats finally reach Alabasta. Their stay is short, because Luffy draws far too much attention from the Navy and the crew has to deal with the pressure almost at once.

Luffy is not the only one watching. Someone from his past has been waiting to meet him, and that person's arrival gives the volume its title.

Elsewhere, the agents of Baroque Works are called together. Their leader, Mr. Zero, who is also Sir Crocodile, has learned that Luffy is still alive. He orders that Luffy be eliminated without delay.

This is volume 18 of a long-running pirate adventure manga. It mixes comic energy with action, and the pace moves quickly as pursuers close in from several sides.