Krieg could only feel that he had been set up by some invisible force, and everyone around him seemed to be acting against him.
Just as confused as him was Gin, who had just been betrayed by his captain and punched to the ground, now lying there questioning his life.
No one in the restaurant seemed to take his threats seriously at all.
Luffy, even in his exhausted state, began shamelessly 'hooking up' Sanji, who had been watching the spectacle from the sidelines.
"Hey, hey, cook."
"Want to come on an adventure with us?"
Sanji took a drag from his cigarette and glanced at him without answering.
In fact, he had originally thought about leaving Baratie temporarily when the time was right, going on an adventure on the sea to look for the legendary [All Blue].
It was said to be a mythical sea where ingredients from all four oceans gathered… the ultimate dream for any chef.
'But could this silly kid in front of me really make it happen?'
To be honest, he didn't dislike Luffy's personality.
On the contrary, seeing how much the boy enjoyed the food he cooked had given Sanji a favorable impression of him.
'If I really joined their crew, it might not be such a bad idea.'
Just then, a sound came from the kitchen.
Thud. Thud.
The wooden leg of Zeff tapped against the floor, drawing Krieg's attention and interrupting Sanji's thoughts.
When Krieg saw Zeff's face, his expression immediately twisted in shock.
"Zeff!? [Red Leg] Zeff?!"
For a moment, Krieg couldn't help but feel a chill, after all, he had heard of Zeff's fearsome reputation back in the day.
Unlike Krieg, who had barely set foot in the Grand Line before being kicked out, [Red Leg] Zeff had truly made a name for himself there.
But soon, Krieg remembered something else, and his eyes turned mocking as he glanced at Zeff's wooden prosthetic.
"Hmph, so you're their last hope?"
"But what kind of fighting power can an old man who lost a leg in a shipwreck still have?"
As he spoke, he outright flung off the cloak covering his body, revealing the golden armor and rows of gun barrels beneath.
Zeff, on the other hand, merely gave him an indifferent look before sighing.
"Krieg, if you've finished eating, get the hell out. The Baratie doesn't welcome scum like you."
"Shut up! Prepare a hundred servings of food for me right now! And hand over your logbook!"
"With it, I can make a comeback and return to the Grand Line."
Krieg's finger hovered over the trigger, ready to fire at the slightest provocation.
In response, Zeff simply shook his head.
'You really picked the perfect time.'
Under normal circumstances, for the safety of his crew, Zeff might have been forced to compromise.
But today-
Glancing at Naruto, who was still casually enjoying his meal, Zeff couldn't help but feel that everything had aligned just right.
"Naruto, can I ask you to handle this?"
"No problem, just consider it as an apology for what happened just now."
Naruto wiped his mouth and stood up with a grin, then started walking toward Krieg.
He wasn't like Shanks.
For scum like Krieg, who disrespected food, chefs, and even basic decency, Naruto had no qualms about stepping in personally.
"Huh? You brat, you got a death wish?"
Krieg naturally couldn't tell how powerful Naruto was, but from appearances alone, the only weapon Naruto had was that thin sword. So how could it compare to Krieg's arsenal of firearms?
Just as Krieg was about to open fire as a warning, Naruto suddenly paused, as if sensing something.
Then, a smile appeared on his face.
"Boss Zeff, it looks like I won't need to lift a finger after all."
Before anyone could process his words, a pirate who was already skin and bones from starvation stumbled through the door and collapsed face-first onto the floor.
"Cap-Captain Krieg, it's that man… the man with the hawk-like eyes! He's here!"
Even as he fell, the pirate managed to gasp out his message.
"What!?"
Zoro, who was sitting next to Luffy, exclaimed along with Krieg.
He had heard of him… the world's greatest swordsman was a man with eyes as sharp as a hawk's.
And Zoro's dream was to defeat him and take his place as the new world's greatest swordsman.
"Luffy, wait here for me."
He turned to Luffy, shoved him toward Usopp, and stood up without another word.
Ignoring Usopp's yelp as he nearly toppled over, Zoro strode straight for the door.
Meanwhile, Krieg, who had been so arrogant moments ago, now stood frozen, his face turning green as cold sweat poured down his forehead.
Clang!
A crisp sound of a blade being drawn echoed, reaching everyone's ears.
Even without seeing it, they could tell that it was the sound of an incredibly sharp sword.
Immediately afterwards, a powerful gust of wind burst through the door, making the wooden panels creak violently.
At this time, people who are close can finally clearly see the scene outside.
A massive, battle-worn warship, which is larger than the Baratie itself, had been cleanly sliced into pieces.
Like a steak precisely sliced into pieces, the massive warship lay scattered across the sea.
This gust of air is generated when the hull collapses.
Zoro's pupils contracted, his hand instinctively gripping the hilt of his sword, only to realize he couldn't stop it from trembling slightly.
Yet, an uncontrollable grin spread across his face.
'So this is the world's greatest swordsman?'
Meanwhile, the others couldn't help but feel a sense of déjà vu.
'Ah, right. Just moments ago, someone else had achieved a similar effect… with just his fists.'
At this time, Mihawk's 'coffin boat' drifted to a stop in front of Baratie, and the man himself stepped off with effortless grace.
Every movement of this man, who seemed to embody the word 'cool, exuded the aura of a true master.
Ignoring everyone around him, his sharp gaze locked onto Naruto, who had risen to his feet.
"Ha, you're a lot slower than me."
Naruto looked at Hawkeye and greeted him with a smile.
To everyone's surprise, the usually stoic Mihawk actually cracked a faint smile and nodded in return.
"It couldn't be helped. I encountered a group of blind pirates on the way. Hunting them down took some time."
With that, as if he hadn't just single-handedly resolved the crisis at the floating restaurant, he began walking toward Naruto's table.
"Hey! Hawk Eyes!"
Zoro, who had been completely ignored up until now, drew his sword, the Wado Ichimonji, and pointed it straight at Mihawk.
"I went to sea to see you."
He unwrapped the bandana from his left arm and tied it around his head, slowly drawing his other two swords.
"You have a lot of free time, don't you? Let's fight."
Even after witnessing the inhuman level of power Mihawk possessed, Zoro still chose to challenge him.
Krieg, who had been quietly celebrating being overlooked and trying to sneak away unnoticed, stared at Zoro like he was an idiot.
'That idiot, is he seriously this bold?'
As for Mihawk, he had seen challengers like this countless times before.
He first glanced at Naruto for confirmation, and after receiving a casual wave of permission, he turned his attention back to the reckless young man before him.
"Kid, what's your goal?"
"To be the strongest."
With unwavering resolve, Zoro bit down on the hilt of his third sword, assuming his strongest battle stance.
"Hmph… Foolish."
Mihawk turned fully toward him, his words dripping with disdain, yet his eyes carefully sizing up his opponent.
"Pathetic weakling-"
"If you were truly a first-rate swordsman, you'd understand the gap between us without even crossing blades."
"Is this courage? Or just ignorance?"
Zoro remained unfazed by this.
"Because of my ambition… and a promise to a dear friend."
"I see."
Recognizing the determination in the young man's eyes, Mihawk gave a slight nod before reaching for the small cross pendant around his neck.
To everyone's shock, it wasn't just a pendant… it concealed a tiny dagger no longer than a finger.
"What the hell is this supposed to mean?!"
Zoro's expression darkened instantly.
Words were one thing, but this kind of blatant disrespect in action was what truly ignited his fury.
"I'm not some beast that goes all out to hunt rabbits. Even if you're a somewhat notable swordsman, this is still the weakest of the seas… East Sea."
Then, with an infuriatingly smug look, Mihawk added-
"Unfortunately, I don't have a blade smaller than this."
The iconic scene… is unfolding now!