Dawn broke over the Baratie with a splendor that seemed designed specifically for farewells. Golden light spilled across the deck as the kitchen staff gathered to see Sanji off. Despite their constant bickering and insults, it was clear they considered the blond cook family.
"Remember to change your shirt once in a while," one chef teased, wiping suspiciously at his eyes.
"And don't go chasing every skirt you see!" another added.
"Like you're one to talk!" Sanji shot back, but his typical bite was softened by emotion.
Luffy watched the scene with unusual patience, understanding the importance of this moment for his new cook. Beside him, Kai and Nami were supervising the loading of supplies onto their vessels—primarily Kai's larger craft, which would serve as their main ship until they could acquire something more suitable.
"We'll need to think about getting a proper ship soon," Kai commented to Nami as they stowed the last of Sanji's cooking equipment. "Something that can handle the Grand Line storms."
"I know just the place," Nami replied with a mysterious smile. "But that's a conversation for another day."
Zoro observed the loading process with mild interest, occasionally helping with heavier items but mostly content to lean against the railing, eyes half-closed in his habitual relaxed vigilance.
As the sun climbed higher, Zeff finally emerged from the kitchen, his imposing figure commanding immediate attention. The gathered chefs fell silent as he approached Sanji.
"So," the old chef began gruffly, "you're really going."
"You're the one kicking me out, shitty old man," Sanji replied, equally gruff but with unmistakable affection.
For a long moment, the two stared at each other, decades of shared history passing between them in silence. Then, in a move that surprised everyone, Zeff extended his hand.
"Don't catch a cold," he said simply.
Sanji took the offered hand, his visible eye suspiciously moist. "Take care of yourself, old geezer."
The tender moment was shattered by a thunderous boom that echoed across the water. Everyone turned to see a massive galleon approaching on the horizon, its black flag displaying a distinctive skull and crossbones.
"Pirates," Zeff muttered, his expression darkening. "And not the friendly kind."
As the ship drew closer, its size became more apparent—it was at least three times larger than the Baratie, with multiple cannon ports visible along its hull. At the bow stood a tall, gaunt figure in armor, flanked by officers in similarly militaristic attire.
"That's Don Krieg's flag," one of the chefs whispered fearfully. "The ruler of the East Blue pirate armada!"
Zeff's face remained stoic, but his eyes narrowed with recognition. "So he's back from the Grand Line."
"The Grand Line?" Luffy perked up with interest. "That's where we're going!"
"Maybe reconsider, kid," Zeff advised grimly. "Look at the state of that ship."
Indeed, as the galleon approached, they could see it was severely damaged—sails torn, hull scorched, and listing noticeably to one side. It barely resembled the fearsome warship it
Indeed, as the galleon approached, they could see it was severely damaged—sails torn, hull scorched, and listing noticeably to one side. It barely resembled the fearsome warship it once was, now looking more like a floating wreck that somehow managed to stay afloat.
"What happened to them?" Luffy wondered aloud, shielding his eyes from the sun as he stared at the approaching vessel.
"The Grand Line happened," Zeff replied grimly. "That's what awaits unprepared fools who enter those waters thinking East Blue strength is enough."
As the ship drew nearer, they could make out figures moving on deck—pirates with hollow cheeks and desperate eyes. At the bow stood a tall man in golden armor, his face gaunt beneath a massive helmet adorned with plumes.
"Don Krieg," Sanji muttered, recognizing the notorious pirate captain. "Ruler of the East Blue Armada. Or at least, he was."
The damaged galleon anchored a short distance from the Baratie, and a small boat was lowered. Two figures descended—Don Krieg himself, supported by a younger man with distinctively shaped eyebrows similar to Sanji's.
"Gin," Sanji recognized the second man. "He was here a few days ago. I fed him when he was starving."
The pair approached the floating restaurant, Krieg barely able to stand on his own. As they reached the deck, Krieg collapsed to his knees.
"Please," he croaked, his voice a shadow of what must have once been a commanding tone. "Food... water... for my men. They're dying."
The Baratie chefs immediately formed a defensive line, many brandishing kitchen knives and meat cleavers.
"You must be joking!" one chef shouted. "You're Don Krieg! The moment you regain your strength, you'll try to take over our restaurant!"
"I swear on my honor..." Krieg began, but was interrupted by derisive laughter from the chefs.
"Honor? From the man known for flying white flags to ambush his enemies?" another chef scoffed.
Sanji observed the exchange silently, then turned and walked toward the kitchen.
"What are you doing, Sanji?" Patty, one of the senior chefs, demanded.
"Making food," Sanji replied simply. "They're starving."
"Are you insane? They're pirates!"
"And I'm a cook," Sanji responded, not breaking his stride. "I don't refuse food to the hungry. That's my code."
The kitchen doors swung shut behind him, leaving his crewmates to exchange glances. Zeff stood watching, his expression unreadable beneath his impressive mustache.
"Your cook has a good heart," Kai commented quietly to Luffy.
"Yeah," Luffy agreed, his normally carefree expression unusually serious. "That's why I want him in my crew."
Twenty minutes later, Sanji emerged with a massive pot of steaming rice and a platter of expertly prepared fish. He set it before Krieg without ceremony.
"Eat," he said simply.
Krieg didn't hesitate, falling upon the food with desperate hunger. As he ate, color returned to his face, and strength to his limbs. When he finished, he stood to his full height—an imposing figure in his golden armor.
"Thank you for the meal," Krieg said, his voice now strong and threatening. "It was delicious. Now, I'll be taking this ship."
With lightning speed, he struck Sanji across the face, sending him flying across the deck. The other chefs rushed forward, but Krieg's armor suddenly sprouted hidden gun barrels that halted their advance.
"This ship is perfect," Krieg declared. "Small enough to navigate the Grand Line's treacherous waters, yet sturdy enough to withstand its storms. I'll use it to rebuild my fleet."
"You're not taking the Baratie," Luffy stated firmly, stepping forward. His straw hat cast a shadow over his eyes, but his stance was unmistakably combative.
"And who might you be?" Krieg asked mockingly.
"Monkey D. Luffy," Luffy replied. "The man who's going to be King of the Pirates."
Krieg's laughter echoed across the water. "King of the Pirates? You? A scrawny boy from East Blue?" His expression darkened. "You know nothing of the Grand Line's terrors. We entered with fifty ships and five thousand men. We returned with one ship and barely a hundred survivors."
"What happened?" Nami asked, her curiosity as a navigator overcoming her caution.
"A man," Krieg's voice faltered slightly. "A single man destroyed my entire fleet. He appeared from nowhere, cutting through ships like they were paper. His eyes... they glowed like a hawk's in the darkness."
Zoro's head snapped up at this description, his hand instinctively moving to his white sword.
"Hawk-Eye Mihawk," he whispered, excitement evident in his voice. "The world's greatest swordsman."
"You know of him?" Krieg demanded.
"I've been looking for him," Zoro replied, a hungry smile spreading across his face. "He's the man I must defeat to fulfill my promise."
Krieg's expression twisted with rage. "Defeat him? You're even more delusional than the straw hat boy! Mihawk is a monster in human form!"
"Enough talk," Luffy interrupted, cracking his knuckles. "You're not taking this restaurant."
Krieg raised his arm, revealing more hidden weapons. "I have poison gas, explosive shells, and a crew of hardened killers. What do you have, boy?"
Luffy's grin was fierce. "I have my friends."
The battle erupted in an instant. Krieg's men, revitalized by food Gin had brought them, swarmed onto the Baratie's deck. The restaurant's chefs, far from helpless, met them with their own unique fighting styles using kitchen implements as weapons.
Amidst the chaos, Kai and Nami worked in perfect synchronization. Nami wielded her staff with precision, using techniques she'd perfected over months of training with Kai. For his part, Kai moved with almost supernatural grace, his enhanced reflexes allowing him to dodge attacks that would have felled ordinary men.
"You've improved," Kai noted with pride as Nami dispatched three pirates in quick succession.
"I had a good teacher," she replied with a wink, before spinning to crack her staff against another attacker's skull.
Zoro faced off against Krieg's second-in-command, Pearl—a massive man protected by pearl-encrusted armor. Despite Pearl's impressive defense, Zoro's three-sword style found the gaps with ruthless efficiency.
"Oni Giri!" Zoro called out, executing a lightning-fast three-way slash that left Pearl unconscious before he even realized he'd been cut.
Sanji, meanwhile, was engaged in a fierce duel with Gin, the man he'd fed just days earlier. Gin fought with a pair of tonfa weighted with iron balls, moving with unexpected speed for someone who had been starving recently.
"Why fight for these cooks?" Gin demanded between attacks. "Join Don Krieg's crew instead! With your skills, you could rise quickly!"
"I cook for hungry people," Sanji replied, blocking a tonfa with a powerful kick. "Not for power-hungry tyrants."
Their battle raged across the deck, a blur of black suits and flying kicks. Despite their combat, there was a mutual respect evident in their exchanges—warriors acknowledging each other's skill.
At the center of the melee, Luffy faced Don Krieg himself. The pirate admiral's arsenal seemed endless—hidden guns, poisoned darts, explosive shells—but Luffy's rubber body and increasingly precise control of his powers made him a formidable opponent.
"Gomu Gomu no Gatling!" Luffy shouted, his arms becoming a blur as he unleashed a barrage of punches that dented even Krieg's prized golden armor.
"Impossible!" Krieg snarled, staggering backward. "No one has ever damaged my armor before!"
"There's a first time for everything," Luffy replied cheerfully, before launching himself forward again.
The battle might have continued indefinitely, but a new presence suddenly commanded everyone's attention. A distinctive slicing sound cut through the air, followed by an unnatural silence. All combatants froze, turning toward the source.
Krieg's flagship, already badly damaged, suddenly split in two—cleaved by a single, perfect cut. As the halves began to sink, a small boat emerged from the spray.
In it sat a single man with piercing yellow eyes like a hawk's, a massive black sword resting across his shoulders.
"Dracule Mihawk," Zoro breathed, his face lighting with fierce anticipation.
"The greatest swordsman in the world," Kai added quietly, watching the newcomer with intense interest.
Mihawk regarded the chaotic scene with apparent disinterest. "I followed your ship from the Grand Line," he directed at Krieg. "To ensure the job was finished."
"You monster!" Krieg screamed, his composure shattering. "Why won't you leave us alone?!"
Mihawk didn't deign to respond, his hawk-like gaze already shifting to Zoro, who had stepped forward, all three swords at the ready.
"I've been looking for you for a long time," Zoro declared, tying his bandana around his head. "I am Roronoa Zoro, and I challenge you to a duel!"
For the first time, Mihawk showed a flicker of interest. "You're the pirate hunter from East Blue. I've heard of you." His voice was calm, almost bored. "But I have no interest in fighting weaklings."
"We'll see who's weak," Zoro replied, assuming his battle stance.
As the two swordsmen faced off, the other battles around the Baratie seemed to pause, all attention drawn to this historic confrontation. Even Krieg temporarily forgot his assault on the restaurant.
"Should we stop him?" Nami whispered to Kai, concern etched on her face. "That man destroyed fifty ships single-handedly."
"Zoro needs this," Kai replied softly. "It's his dream to face Mihawk. Win or lose, we have to let him try."
"He's going to lose," Nami said flatly.
"Yes," Kai agreed with a sad smile. "But sometimes, how you lose is as important as how you win."