Don Krieg sat amidst the rubble of the Baratie, his once-pristine armor now battered, scratched, and smeared with soot. His once-proud shoulders drooped under the weight of disbelief, his trembling fists gripping at the shattered remains of his confidence. Around him, the battlefield lay silent, the heavy air still charged with the aftermath of the clash between titans. The echoes of the duel—blades ringing, spirits roaring—lingered like the remnants of a violent storm.
"Is this… the power of the Grand Line?" Krieg muttered, his voice a shadow of its usual bravado. The words dripped from his lips like poison, bitter and unwelcome.
The memories of the fight flashed vividly in his mind—the impossible speed, the devastating precision, the aura of sheer dominance. It was a level of combat he couldn't comprehend. It was as though he'd been standing before gods.
"No!" Krieg suddenly shouted, his voice cracking under the strain. He forced himself to his feet, his knees trembling. "I am Don Krieg! The strongest! The mightiest warrior of the East Blue!"
The words echoed across the battered restaurant, but they felt hollow even to his ears. Deep inside, Krieg felt small. Weak. An ant standing before an elephant. His mind raced, searching desperately for an explanation for what he had witnessed. Could it have been those cursed Devil Fruits? Was that the source of their power?
But even as the thought formed, he dismissed it. No, this was something different. Otherworldly. It wasn't some supernatural ability but raw spirit, a force of will that transcended logic.
Through the haze of his thoughts, Krieg's gaze settled on Mihawk. The swordsman moved with an air of casual indifference, his black cape billowing slightly as he walked toward his coffin-shaped boat. Something inside Krieg flared—a flicker of defiance, stubborn and unyielding.
"Why are you leaving?" Krieg called out.
Mihawk paused, turning his head slightly. His golden eyes glinted with disinterest. "I am satisfied," he replied simply, his tone cold and final.
With that, he stepped onto his peculiar vessel, allowing the current to carry him away.
As Mihawk's boat drifted toward the horizon. "Roronoa Zoro…" he murmured, his voice low and contemplative. "How has someone like him remained hidden for so long?"
He rested a gloved hand on the hilt of Yoru, the massive black blade that had carved its legend into the annals of history. His thoughts lingered on the final moments of their duel, his golden eyes narrowing. "It's been a long time since I've had to use that technique," he admitted softly, almost to himself, "to avoid being hit."
His gaze turned to the sea, the endless expanse shimmering under the sun's waning light. Memories stirred within him—memories of his legendary duels with Red-Haired Shanks.
He recalled the first time their blades had crossed, how Shanks had met him with a grin so infuriatingly carefree it bordered on mockery. Yet, behind that grin was a swordsman of unparalleled skill, each swing of his blade brimming with power and precision. Their battles had rocked the very seas, the force of their clashes splitting the skies and parting the waves.
"That Ashura technique…" Mihawk murmured, the faintest glimmer of excitement in his eyes. "An illusion born of sheer will. Nine swords. The manifestation of a swordsman's indomitable spirit. Remarkable."
He leaned back slightly, his smirk returning as he gazed at the endless expanse of the sea. "Perhaps the next time we meet, he'll be worth more than just my satisfaction."
Back at the Baratie, Sanji stood over Zoro's battered form, his arms crossed. The swordsman lay flat on his back, his chest rising and falling with labored breaths. The air between them was heavy, the tension almost palpable.
"Looks like you lost," Sanji said bluntly, his cigarette glowing faintly as he took a drag.
Zoro opened one eye, glaring at the cook. "What does it look like, curly-brow?"
Sanji raised an eyebrow, exhaling a stream of smoke. "So, that's your end goal, huh?" he muttered under his breath, almost to himself. "He truly is something else."
Zoro's ears twitched, and he turned his head sharply. "What did you just say?"
"Nothing," Sanji replied quickly, crouching down to lift Zoro onto his shoulder. "Let's get you to the Merry before you bleed out all over the place, moss-head."
As they made their way across the damaged restaurant, Zoro groaned. "Hey, be gentler, number four!"
Sanji scowled, his irritation evident. "Keep it up, and I'll drop you right here, moss-head."
"Do it," Zoro muttered, a faint smirk tugging at his lips despite the pain.
Sanji rolled his eyes, muttering under his breath. "Why do I even bother?" Their bickering continued all the way to the ship, their voices a welcome distraction from the earlier tension.
Meanwhile, Don Krieg had risen shakily to his feet. His eyes scanned the battlefield, lingering on the Baratie. His mind raced with dark ambition.
"The ship… the logbook… I can still conquer the Grand Line," he muttered, a grim smile curling his lips. His gaze shifted to Luffy, who stood with his back turned, seemingly unaware of the threat. "I'll take out that brat first," Krieg whispered, gripping his battle spear tightly.
Moving silently, Krieg crept closer, his weapon poised for a lethal strike. With a sudden lunge, he thrust the spear toward Luffy's unguarded back.
"Look behind you, brat!" Zeff's voice roared, filled with urgency.
Luffy didn't even flinch. Without turning around, he raised two fingers and caught the spear mid-strike, stopping it dead in its tracks.
"Hey, old man," Luffy said, his voice calm but carrying an edge of irritation. "I'm not looking to play."
Krieg froze, his eyes wide with shock. "W-what…?" he stammered, stumbling backward and landing hard on the ground.
Krieg's eyes widened in shock, his confidence crumbling. "W-what…?" he stammered, stumbling backward and landing hard on the ground.
Fueled by frustration and desperation, Krieg scrambled to his feet, roaring, "Who do you think you are?!" He unleashed a flurry of explosive strikes, the battlefield erupting in smoke and fire.
Panting, Krieg stepped back, his face twisted in a maniacal grin. "I got him!" he shouted triumphantly. "That brat is finished! The ship, the logbook—they're mine!"
Zeff leaned against the railing, his expression grim. "Is that brat okay?" he murmured, his voice tinged with concern.
The gathered onlookers whispered nervously. "Did Krieg kill him?"
"Is the Straw Hat boy … gone?"
Nami sighed, shaking her head. "Krieg really shouldn't have done that," she said, turning to Usopp.
"I'm heading back to the Merry."
Usopp hesitated, glancing between the smoke and Nami. "You know what? I'll… uh… go
too.
As the thick smoke began to dissipate, revealing the battered remains of Don Krieg's ship and the Baratie's damaged deck, a lone figure emerged from the haze. Luffy stood tall, his straw hat slightly askew, a wide grin plastered across his face.
"Didn't I tell you?" he called out. "Didn't I say I'd become King of the Pirates, old man?"
Don Krieg staggered backward, his eyes wide with disbelief. His once-imposing armor was scorched and battered, his face smeared with dirt and blood. "How… how are you even alive?" he stammered, his voice trembling as he struggled to comprehend what had just happened.
From the doorway of the Baratie, Zeff watched the scene unfold, his arms crossed. A faint smile played on his lips. "That brat," he muttered, shaking his head. "He actually survived." Without a word, he turned and headed back inside.
"Hey, Zeff, where are you going?" Carne called out, glancing between his boss and the chaos outside.
"I'm going back to the kitchen," Zeff replied nonchalantly. "There's nothing left to see. The outcome's already decided."
The crowd of onlookers on the Baratie deck and the remnants of Krieg's crew stood frozen in stunned silence.
"How… how did that Straw Hat boy survive all those brutal attacks?" one spectator finally whispered, his voice filled with awe.
"He doesn't even look hurt!" another exclaimed, their disbelief growing.
Gin, standing amidst Krieg's dazed men, stared at Luffy with a mix of confusion and admiration. "There's no way… There's no way that boy survived all of Krieg's strikes," he muttered, shaking his head. "It's impossible."
Luffy tilted his head, cracking his knuckles with a loud pop. "My turn," he said, his grin growing wider. His rubbery arms stretched back impossibly far, and with a sudden burst of power, he launched a punch straight at Krieg's chest.
The force of the blow shattered the metal plating of Krieg's armor, sending shards flying in all directions. Krieg stumbled backward, blood erupting from his mouth as he struggled to breathe. His footing faltered, and he nearly toppled into the sea.
"What… what did that kid just do?!" one of Krieg's men yelled, his voice filled with panic.
"He stretched his arms! Did you see that?!" another pirate shouted, pointing frantically.
"It has to be a Devil Fruit," a third muttered, his face pale with fear.
Krieg, barely clinging to consciousness, gasped, "A Devil Fruit…?"
Luffy nodded. "That's right," he said proudly. "I ate the Gum-Gum Fruit. I'm a rubber man now—I can stretch any part of my body."
The crowd erupted into murmurs of disbelief.
"So, he ate one of those cursed fruits?" someone whispered.
"The ones that make the sea hate you?" another asked, their voice tinged with fear.
With a guttural growl, Krieg forced himself upright. His hands trembled as he reached for the canister hidden beneath his tattered coat. "You… you were lucky to survive, brat!" he roared. "But luck won't save you now!"
"What are you doing, old man?" Luffy asked, raising an eyebrow as he watched Krieg strap a gas mask to his face.
Gin's eyes widened in horror. "Krieg! Don't do it! Don't use the poison!" he shouted desperately.
From the Baratie deck, Patty and Carne yelled in unison, "Everyone, get inside! Now!"
Krieg sneered, holding up the ominous canister labeled Deadly Poison Gas MH5. "You'll figure it out soon enough," he taunted, his voice muffled by the mask.
As he began to count, "Five…" Luffy's eyes narrowed. In that instant, he activated Future Sight, glimpsing Krieg's deadly plan.
Before Krieg could react, Luffy vanished. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared beneath Krieg, his fist already swinging upward.
"Gum-Gum… Uppercut!" Luffy shouted, through the air as his punch connected with Krieg's jaw.
The sheer force of the blow sent Krieg flying backward, his gas mask and the canister clattering to the ground. The menacing weapon rolled harmlessly away as Krieg landed in a heap, unconscious.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
"What just happened?" a spectator finally whispered.
"Did the Straw Hat boy… knock him out?"
"Is Krieg really down?"
Luffy stood beside Krieg's crumpled form, his posture relaxed as if the fight had been no more than a casual exercise. He tilted his hat back, his grin still firmly in place.
Back on the Going Merry
As Nami carefully bandages Zoro, she sighs and says, "You really are reckless, you know. I'm not a doctor, I can't fix everything. You could have died back there."
She pauses, shaking her head. "And I still can't believe Hawkeye didn't take any damage."
Zoro replies, his voice steady despite the pain, "I wouldn't have died. But Hawkeye... he dodged every single one of my attacks. It was like nothing I've ever seen from Luffy or Kaido. It was something on a whole different level."
Nami stands up, brushing off her hands. "Well, you'd better rest. Don't go doing anything stupid again," she says firmly, then walks out of the room.
"So how's he doing?" Usopp asks, looking over at Nami.
"He's doing better than expected, considering he got slashed across the chest," Nami responds. She then glances around and asks, "Where's Sanji?"
Usopp shrugs. "He went to grab his stuff and some supplies for Merry."
Inside the Baratie, Sanji stood in his small room, carefully folding his belongings and placing them into a bag. On the table beside him sat a small bundle of supplies for the Going Merry. His movements were slow, almost hesitant, as if leaving felt heavier than he'd anticipated.
"So, you're not even going to say goodbye?" came a gruff voice from the doorway.
Sanji turned sharply, his eyes narrowing. "Geezer! How long have you been standing there?"
Zeff leaned casually against the doorframe, his expression unreadable. "Long enough," he said with a shrug.
Sanji looked away, his fingers tightening around the bag's strap. "I'm leaving with them.
Zeff stepped into the room, his wooden leg clunking softly against the floor. "I don't know who these strangers are or when you decided to trust them, but it's clear they mean something to you. Like family." His voice softened as he added, "Go find the All Blue, you brat."
Sanji froze, his breath catching. Tears welled up in his eyes despite his best efforts to hold them back. "I hate you, geezer," he muttered, his voice breaking.
Zeff chuckled, a warm, almost fatherly sound. "Still the same brat. No respect for your elders." He turned and walked out, leaving Sanji alone with his thoughts.
Outside of the Baratie, Carne and Carne are putting all of Krieg's men onto a small ship. Gin jumps in and, turning to Luffy, asks, "Where's Sanji?"
Luffy answers with a smile, "He's probably inside the Merry."
Gin nods, "Say goodbye to him from me."
Luffy grins, "I'll make sure to." He waves goodbye, then turns to the others, "Well, I'm gonna head back to the Merry now."
Just after that, Carne calls out, "Wait, Strawhat!" But before he can finish his sentence, Luffy is already gone. Carne shakes his head and mutters, "That Strawhat boy sure has no patience, does he?"
Luffy reappeared on the deck of the Going Merry, his energy as boundless as ever. "Oi! Where's Sanji?" he called out.
"He went to grab some stuff," Usopp replied, lounging against the mast.
Moments later, Sanji climbed aboard, his bag slung over his shoulder.
"You look like you've been crying," Usopp teased, smirking.
Sanji's expression darkened. "I didn't."
"You totally did," Usopp said, leaning closer.
"I didn't!"
"You did."
Sanji growled, stepping forward. "Say it again, and I'll kick you into the sea."
Usopp grinned mischievously. "You cried."
"Come back here, you idiot!" Sanji yelled, chasing Usopp around the deck.
From her spot near the helm, Nami sighed. "You're both idiots," she muttered.
Luffy laughed heartily, his carefree spirit contagious as the Going Merry's sails filled with wind. The ship began its journey to their next adventure, leaving the Baratie behind.
From the Baratie's deck, the cooks gathered to watch the Straw Hats sail away.
"They're an odd bunch," Patty said, crossing his arms.
Carne nodded. "Yeah, but they've got guts."
Zeff stood silently, his gaze fixed on the horizon as the Merry disappeared into the distance.
"Good luck, Straw Hats," he murmured.
Patty scanned the area, a frown creasing his face as he scratched his head. "Hey, where's that damn chef?" he asked, his voice carrying an edge of irritation.
Zeff, leaning casually against the doorway, replied without looking up, "He went with them."
Patty's jaw dropped, his disbelief evident. "What? That idiot went without saying goodbye?" he exclaimed, his fists clenching at his sides.
Carne, busy wiping down a table, shrugged nonchalantly. "He really needs to learn some manners," he muttered, shaking his head.
Before anyone could say more, a groan came from the corner of the room. Marine Lieutenant Fullbody stirred, rubbing his head as he sat up. "Where… where am I?" he mumbled, his voice groggy. His eyes snapped open, and he abruptly straightened. "Hey! Where's that cook? The one who kicked me!"
Patty turned to him, raising an eyebrow. "Oh, so you finally woke up," he said dryly, crossing his arms.
Fullbody ignored the remark, his face twisting in anger. "Answer me! Where is that chef? I'll have him arrested! Assaulting a Marine lieutenant is against the law!" he bellowed, pointing an accusatory finger.
Zeff stepped forward, his expression calm yet firm. "What chef are you talking about?" he asked evenly.
"The tall, blond one!" Fullbody snapped, his face red with indignation. "The one who spilled wine on me and then kicked me! Where is he?"
Carne rolled his eyes and sighed. "What are you talking about, Marine? You fell over while trying to impress that girl of yours," he said, his tone dismissive.
"No, I didn't! Stop lying to me!" Fullbody shouted, standing up and gesturing at the stain on his clothes. "See this? Wine! That's proof! That cook spilled it on me!"
Patty threw his hands in the air, his voice laced with sarcasm. "Are you high, sir? You tripped, knocked over the board, and the wine spilled on you all on its own."
Fullbody's face flushed with anger as he stomped a foot. "Stop lying to me! I know what happened!"
Patty leaned forward, his voice firm. "We're not lying to you, sir. You fell. That's all there is to it."
Fullbody hesitated, the anger in his eyes flickering as doubt crept in. "Then… who poured the wine for me?" he asked, his tone softer but still suspicious.
A shy, black-haired chef stepped forward hesitantly, wringing his hands. "I… I did, sir," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Fullbody shot him a glare before turning his attention back to the room. "Then where are the customers?!" he demanded, his tone growing sharper again.
Carne smirked, unable to resist the jab. "They left when they saw you fall. It was hilarious!" he said, laughing loudly at the memory.
Fullbody's face turned crimson with humiliation and fury. "Don't laugh, idiots!" he barked, slamming his fist onto the nearest table, making the dishes rattle.
Carne and Patty exchanged amused glances, stifling their laughter. Zeff, watching the scene unfold, merely shook his head and walked back inside, muttering under his breath about "useless Marines."