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Coby, observing the scene from a distance, couldn't help but grin like a child. The scenes playing before him mirrored those of his favorite anime, a story he had followed with bated breath every time he watched it. He thought of intervening and dealing with Krieg swiftly, but the thought of breaking the plot again but the potential arrival of Mihawk and the legendary scene that would follow gave him pause. His eyes flickered with anticipation, already brimming with excitement to see the legendary slash.
Zeff, in response to Krieg's demand, remained unfazed, his expression cool as ever. As expected of a man who cut his main leg and ate to survive. The room suddenly tensed one former and one beaten, two pirates looked at each other in challenge of staring. The chefs and patrons looked on, unsure of what would happen next but nervous that Zeff's response could anger Krieg.
Krieg, growing impatient with Zeff's silence, took a step forward. "Hand it over, old man. Your log-book will guide my fleet to the Grand Line, and this time, I will conquer it!" he proclaimed, his determination clear in his voice.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Luffy stood up, his eyes burning with a fire in his eyes and itch on his fists. "Hold it right there! I am going to be the King of Pirates!" he declared although it was totally unrelated to tense in the room. Well, Luffy never needed an audience to scream his dream. The chefs around him backed away, shocked to hear such declaration from the goofy teen they got used to in the last two days, "Get back, boy, he will kill you," one of them warned, but Luffy just grinned, a grin that spoke cluelessness of legendary proportions, complete ignorance to those had no dreams and people who tried to dissuade others from chasing theirs. This time it was first, second, third all together. These cooks had no dreams and tried to dissuade Luffy from his. Foolish really.
Zoro, seeing Luffy was itching for a fight, felt battle was coming, maybe he felt the arrival of his goal, who knew. He grinned excitedly. "I'll give him a hand," he announced, his hand instinctively resting on the hilt of his sword. Usopp, in stark contrast, shrank back, his usual bravado nowhere in sight. But Luffy turned to them. "Don't, guys. I can deal with this," he said, his role as captain required him to beat the captain, it was a simple math. And for Luffy, that was the only math he could solve.
Krieg laughed at the display, his amusement clear in his mocking tone. "This is your crew? Two people?" he scoffed, underestimating the group before him. Luffy shook his head, undeterred. "I have three more," he countered, refusing to be belittled. Sanji, annoyed and trying to distance himself from the conflict, interjected, "Don't count me in." Krieg mistook Luffy's words as mockery, his patience wearing thin. "Don't play with me, brat! I had 50 ships, 5000 men. And it took seven days for my fleet to be destroyed. In that demon of the sea!" he bellowed. Still feeling the pain of losing all that power.
Krieg then turned his gaze upon them, a menacing glint in his eyes. "I will give you a chance. I will take this food to my ship and feed my men. When I return, leave and leave behind the log. If anyone is here, I will kill them. With this ship, I can trick others and amass another Armada, then I will go back to conquer Grand Line!" His threat was a declaration of his ruthlessness and promise to kill anyone standing between him and his twisted plans.
The restaurant fell into a tense silence, the patrons and chefs unsure of how to react to the dire situation unfolding before them.
At this moment, Gin was visibly shaken, his looked at dog of a man he called captain. "Krieg! You want to go back to that horrendous sea? One man, just one man destroyed 49 ships," he muttered, his voice barely above a whisper. The surrounding crowd, already on edge from Krieg's threats, now turned their attention to Gin. "One man?" echoed through the room, the concept unfathomable to the patrons and chefs of Baratie.
Gin, his eyes haunted by the memory, continued, "It was terrible, I still can't believe it. That man with piercing hawk-like eyes that could kill with a glance." Zoro, who had been calmly observing the situation, stiffened at the description, he recognized the characteristic of the phantom enemy Gin describing in a flash.
Zeff, overhearing the conversation, muttered under his breath, "It must be him. Hawkeye." The name carried a weight, a reputation known far and wide in the world of pirates and marines alike.
Usopp, his curiosity piqued amidst his fear, turned to Coby and asked, "Who is he?" His voice was of fear and intrigue, the name Hawkeye sounded dangerous enough, but could a single man really destroy 49 ships?
Coby replied with a smile, "One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea." He paused, glancing at Zoro, "And the man Zoro has been looking for."
Luffy tilted his head in confusion. "What is Shichibukai? Something delicious?" His question dispersed the heavy air suddenly.
Coby chuckled at Luffy's question. It was always amusing to see Luffy's clueless and goofy side. He took a deep breath and explained, "The Shichibukai, or the Seven Warlords of the Sea, are powerful pirates who ally themselves with the World Government. In exchange for a pardon of their past crimes, they help maintain the balance of power in the world. They're a mix of heroes and villains, each with their own goals and motivations."
As Coby spoke, the patrons and chefs of Baratie listened intently, the concept of the Shichibukai new to many of them. The idea of pirates working with the government was both fascinating and terrifying, but most felt disgusted by them. Piracy was to be free of control of the government so what was the point of becoming a pirate if they were to end up being leashed again?
Luffy, humming at the information, nodded slowly. His gaze then shifted to Zoro, a silent question in his eyes. Zoro, feeling the weight of Luffy's gaze, responded with a determined nod. "Yes, Hawkeye Mihawk. The man I must surpass to become the world's greatest swordsman." His voice really clear, which showed how resolute he was in his goal.
The chefs of Baratie asked, visibly disturbed. "What did you do to attract such a monster?" they questioned Gin, their voices full of fear and disbelief. Gin, with a shake of his head, replied, "Nothing! We were just at the wrong place at the wrong time!" Zeff, overhearing the conversation, added in a grave tone, "Or perhaps you just disturbed his nap." Gin, his voice rising in frustration, exclaimed, "This isn't a joke, old man! He slaughtered my mates!" Zeff's response was calm but firm, "I'm not joking. That's the nature of the Grand Line."
Luffy, his eyes sparkling with excitement, chimed in, "Wow, that sounds amazing! A place where anything can happen!" Usopp, pale-faced and trembling, pleaded, "Can we please consider the dangers for once?" Meanwhile, Zoro's eyes glinted with a hint of eagerness, "Now I know where I need to go. The Grand Line is where I'll find him."
As the group engaged in their discussion, a series of loud, guttural roars began to reverberate from outside. The Krieg Pirates, now fed and wetted, were rallying for an assault. Krieg, standing at the forefront, bellowed commands to his men, his voice booming like thunder. "Attack the floating restaurant! Let's show them the might of the Krieg Pirates!"
But before the pirates could advance, a strange humming noise pierced the air, causing everyone to freeze in their tracks. In the blink of an eye, Krieg's last ship was bisected cleanly down the middle. The sight was both awe-inspiring and terrifying. The ship, once a symbol of Krieg's power, now lay in ruins, its two halves slowly sinking into the sea.
The chefs and patrons of Baratie gasped in shock, their eyes wide with disbelief. "What just happened?" one of them whispered, his voice barely audible over the sound of the collapsing ship. Coby, Luffy, and Zoro turned their gaze towards the source of the destruction.
Standing on a small, sleek boat was a man with piercing eyes and a presence that commanded attention. He was clad in a black cape, his hat casting a shadow over his face. This was no ordinary man; this was Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman and one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
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