The Baratie was fraught with tension. The normally lively restaurant was now suffused with an eerie silence, broken only by the quiet murmurs of the gathered cooks. They clustered around Zeff, their faces contorted with panic and disbelief.
"What are you doing, Zeff?" one of them asked, his voice trembling with both fear and concern. "Why are you feeding them? If you give his men food, they'll overrun this restaurant!"
"Have you lost your mind?" another cook shouted, casting a wary, nervous glance at the towering figure of Don Krieg, who stood nearby with a cruel, calculating presence.
Zeff remained unshaken. His eyes were calm, almost serene, as he looked over the cooks with the wisdom of someone who had seen far too much to be rattled. He spoke, his voice steady and firm. "If they have the will to fight, let them try."
Nearby, Don Krieg stood at full attention, his breath still heavy from the earlier confrontation with Sanji. His sharp, calculating gaze fixed on Zeff. There was no respect in his eyes, only a growing hunger for control.
"So, you must be Red Foot Zeff," Krieg sneered, taking a step forward, his tone mocking, as though the name were nothing but a triviality.
Krieg's cruel grin stretched wider. "I've heard the stories—a pirate who could cook… and still command a ship." His words dripped with mockery, a venomous admiration for the man before him.
Zeff, however, didn't flinch. His eyes were calm, his tone still unwavering. "So what? I'm alive and working as a cook now."
Krieg let out a booming, thunderous laugh. "When you say it like that, it almost sounds noble. But I know better. Red Foot Zeff… a master of kicks who never needed his arms in battle. And yet, here you are, missing a leg. How unfortunate—an accident at sea, wasn't it?"
Zeff didn't let the words ruffle him. His voice remained calm, cold even. "And?" he responded flatly. "I can still cook with my hands. What do you want?"
Krieg's smile widened, a cruel glint dancing in his eyes. "You sailed the Grand Line and lived to tell the tale. That means you've got a logbook of your voyages, don't you?" He leaned forward.
Zeff didn't deny it. "I do. What about it?"
"I want it," Krieg demanded, his voice firm and resolute. "And this ship. With both, I'll conquer the Grand Line." His tone left no room for negotiation.
Before Zeff could even begin to formulate a response, Luffy stepped forward. His usual carefree demeanor masked the intensity in his eyes. He stood tall and firm, his voice unwavering as he called out.
"Hold it," Luffy said, his tone casual, yet tinged with an unyielding confidence. "I'm the one who's going to be King of the Pirates."
The cooks turned to Luffy in stunned silence. Some exchanged bewildered glances, while others muttered under their breath.
"What is this guy thinking?" "Does he even know who he's talking to?" "Is he out of his mind?"
Krieg's eyes narrowed as he regarded Luffy. He took a moment to size up the young pirate before answering in a voice tinged with condescension.
"What did you just say, kid?" Krieg growled. "I'll let that slide this time."
"You don't need to," Luffy replied, grinning. "I wasn't joking."
Krieg's patience, already wearing thin, snapped. "I don't like jokes, boy," he said, his voice darkening. "My fleet—5,000 strong—was annihilated in just seven days."
A collective gasp rippled through the room like a wave, and a hushed murmur spread among the cooks.
"His entire fleet, gone in seven days?" "Is that… what the Grand Line is like?"
Krieg, with an air of finality, raised his shoulder-mounted guns, ready to fire.
"If you don't back down, I'll crush you here and now," he growled, "You don't even have a crew worth mentioning."
Luffy didn't flinch. His eyes locked onto Krieg. "That's not true," he said, his voice calm but forceful. "I've got a crew of nine."
Krieg hesitated for a moment, the weapon still trained on Luffy, but after a tense pause, he lowered his weapons, scoffing dismissively. "I'll deal with you later," he said coldly. "For now, I'll feed my men. Anyone who wants to stay alive, abandon this ship. I only want the logbook and the ship itself." With those final words, he turned sharply and began to stride out of the Baratie.
Ghin, guilt etched across his face, slowly approached Sanji. His head bowed deeply, the weight of the situation heavy upon him.
"I'm sorry, Sanji-san," he said, his voice shaky. "I didn't know Krieg would do this. I thought… I thought I had an understanding with him."
Zeff reassured Ghin, his voice calm and steady. "Don't apologize. Every cook here acted as they thought was right." There was no malice in his words, just a quiet acceptance of the situation. They had all done what they thought was best, given the circumstances.
But not all the cooks shared Zeff's understanding. One of them, his face flushed with frustration, shouted, "Zeff! Why are you defending Sanji? He's the reason Krieg's trying to take this ship!"
Zeff's voice rang out with authority, silencing the room. "You fools! Have you ever felt what it's like to starve at sea? If you've got time to grumble, then get out of here!"
The room fell silent, tension thick in the air. After a long pause, one cook spoke up hesitantly.
"But… if we leave, we'll have nowhere to go," he said, his voice uncertain.
"Fine. If that's the case, we'll fight to protect the Baratie!"
Meanwhile, aboard Krieg's ship, his men eagerly devoured the food Zeff had provided, their voices filled with relief.
"We're saved!" one of them cried, his eyes wide with gratitude. "I thought we were done for!"
Don Krieg, standing at the helm of his ship, allowed himself a sinister grin. "Now that you're full, we're heading back to the Grand Line," he said coldly, his eyes gleaming with malice.
The men froze, their faces paling in fear. One pirate, his voice trembling, stepped forward. "But, Don Krieg… we barely survived last time!" he stammered, his hands shaking as he spoke.
Without hesitation, Krieg drew his pistol and fired. The gunshot rang out, loud and final. The pirate collapsed to the deck, a hole in his chest.
"No more objections," Krieg said, his tone icy and detached. "Understood?"
The remaining men nodded nervously, their fear evident in every movement.
"We'll take that restaurant," Krieg declared with a malicious gleam in his eyes. "It'll be ours, and we'll rebuild my fleet stronger than ever!"
Suddenly, the ship groaned under the strain. The wood creaked ominously, and with a deafening crack, the vessel split in two.
"What's happening?" one of the pirates screamed, his voice filled with panic. "No… it's him again!"
Back at the Baratie, Zoro stood near the railing, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. "So, he's finally here,"
Nami, her expression anxious, turned to Zoro. "You're planning to fight him again, aren't you?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.
Zoro didn't hesitate. "Of course," he replied, his tone unwavering.
Suddenly, a new shout from the cooks interrupted the moment.
"What is that huge wave?" one cried in panic.
"The restaurant's going to be swallowed whole!" another screamed, his voice high-pitched with fear.
From the mist and rising waves, a figure emerged—a man with a commanding presence, his massive, curved sword strapped to his back. The very sight of him sent a chill through the pirates.
"It's him…" someone whispered in terror.
Dracule Mihawk had arrived.
A pirate, trembling yet trying to summon courage, shouted, "What do you want with us?"
Mihawk's golden eyes gleamed with an air of calm indifference. "Just killing time," he answered.
"Don't mock us!" the pirate yelled, firing two bullets from his pistol.
Without breaking his gaze, Mihawk flicked his wrist. The bullets were diverted effortlessly, veering harmlessly away from his body.
"H-how did you do that?" the pirate stammered, his hands trembling as he stared in disbelief.
Zoro stepped forward, his eyes locked onto Mihawk with quiet determination. "He deflected them… without even trying."
As Zoro approached, the atmosphere seemed to thicken. "Your swordsmanship is extraordinary, Hawk-Eye."
Zoro's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied Mihawk. "Do you have time to spare?"
Mihawk's expression remained neutral, though a faint glint of interest sparked in his golden eyes. "What's your dream?"
Zoro's calm demeanor shifted slightly as a smile curled at the edges of his lips. "To become the strongest."
Mihawk's voice carried a trace of amusement. "How foolish," he remarked, though there was a flicker of genuine respect in his words. "It's rare to find a swordsman worth my time, especially in the East Blue."
With that, Mihawk unsheathed Yoru, his massive black blade, its presence commanding the very air around them. The weight of his sword was evident, the sheer size of it making it an imposing weapon in his hands.
Zoro tightened his grip on his swords. "So, you're taking me seriously."
The room seemed to hold its breath as the tension between them grew thick. Gasps erupted from the onlookers.
"That's… the Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro!" "The Pirate Hunter versus Hawk-Eye! This fight will truly be something else" Patty exclaimed, his voice filled with awe and fear as he clutched the railing.
The battle between the two swordsmen began with a swift, deadly clash. Zoro lunged forward with incredible speed, his swords cutting through the air with precision. Mihawk raised Yoru to block the strike. The collision of their blades sent shockwaves through the Baratie, and the force of the impact left everyone wide-eyed and stunned.
As the battle escalated, each clash reverberated like a thunderclap, leaving the air thick with the sheer power of their swords. The intensity of the fight became almost unbearable, and some of the onlookers began to collapse, overwhelmed by the pressure of the battle.
"What's happening?" one man gasped, his breath shallow. "It feels like two demons are fighting," someone whispered before collapsing into unconsciousness.
At a distance, Don Krieg stood paralyzed, watching in disbelief. His bravado faltered, replaced by genuine fear.
"Is this… the power of the Grand Line?" he muttered under his breath, his voice shaking.
Patty, now visibly distressed, grabbed his head in panic. "The restaurant's going to be destroyed!"
In the midst of the chaos, Mihawk's smirk deepened, a mixture of amusement and rare respect in his eyes.
Zoro steadied himself, raising his blade once more. Mihawk, turned to him. "What is your name?"
"Roronoa Zoro," Zoro answered
Mihawk's gaze softened for a moment. "I'll remember it," he said with a note of admiration, before preparing for the final strike.
The air grew still. Zoro's resolve sharpened, and he called upon his ultimate technique.
"Ashura," he muttered under his breath.
Mihawk's grin widened. "Interesting."
The tension in the room reached its peak as both swordsmen prepared to end their battle with one final clash. The spectators scattered, panic setting in as they realized what was about to unfold.
"They're going to destroy everything!" someone shouted, his voice full of terror.
With one final, explosive clash, their swords met with the force of a thunderclap, the power of their battle shaking the very air. When the dust finally settled, Zoro fell to one knee, exhausted, his breath ragged.
"So I lost… again," Zoro muttered, his voice filled with both frustration and respect. "You really are something else."
Mihawk sheathed Yoru with a quiet finality, his gaze lingering on Zoro.
"You've chosen a difficult path," Mihawk said, his tone solemn yet respectful. "Don't lose sight of it."
Zoro sheathed his sword and turned to Mihawk, his resolve undiminished.
Mihawk studied him and asked, "What are you?"
Zoro, unwavering, declared, "Swords on the back are a swordsman's shame."
Mihawk's expression softened. "Admirable," he said, before slashing Zoro across the chest, a wound meant to remind him of this moment.
On the Going Merry, Johnny and Yosaku cried out from behind the railing. "Big bro!"
Don Krieg stood paralyzed, unable to process what he'd witnessed. "Even the Pirate Hunter… lost?"
Luffy remained silent, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. He restrained himself, knowing Mihawk hadn't killed Zoro. The tension in his body eased slightly as relief flickered in his eyes.
Sanji gritted his teeth, his frustration evident, but he held back, sensing that this was Zoro's battle alone.
"Zoro's okay… right?" Nami asked Usopp nervously.
Usopp nodded quickly. "If Luffy and Sanji aren't moving, he'll be fine."
Mihawk turned back to Zoro, his tone calm yet firm. "Don't live so hastily, young man. I'll be waiting for you at the top."
His gaze shifted briefly to Luffy, as if impressed by the young pirate's restraint and resolve.
"Don't worry," Mihawk said as he walked away. "He's alive."