Zoro, collapsed, was carried inside Baratie, the restaurant erupting into chaos. No one had medical expertise, but a grizzled cook, once a thug, stitched Zoro's chest with rough skill. It took time, but Zoro's life was saved.
The ship buzzed with lingering excitement. The cooks' chatter about Mihawk—his fleet-shattering slashes, Zoro's crushing defeat, and his grand exit—wouldn't cease. The world's greatest swordsman was a force beyond imagination. Praise for Zoro's resolve, facing death with unyielding spirit, added to the clamor. With no guests and no work, the cooks kept talking.
Sanji, apart from the group, lit a fresh cigarette. Inhaling deeply, he exhaled slowly. Once bitter to him as a child, the habit now felt natural, enhancing his cool demeanor and aiding quiet reflection. He sensed a change in himself but couldn't pinpoint why.
As he stood alone, Zeff approached, his wooden leg clacking. Standing by Sanji at the fin's edge, away from the others, Zeff gazed at the sea, speaking calmly. "Some fools are like that."
"Huh?" Sanji replied.
"When they set their mind on a belief, they won't bend—not 'til death. Most call it madness, but I like those fools."
"What're you on about?" Sanji asked.
"Too deep for you, little eggplant? If you don't get it, that's your limit," Zeff said.
"What's that, old man? Spouting nonsense—" Sanji snapped.
Zeff turned to leave, offering no further explanation. "As long as you choke down what's inside, you'll stay a little eggplant."
Sanji bristled but held back. Zeff's words hit home, their insight frustrating. They'd never discussed this, yet Zeff saw through him. Clicking his tongue, Sanji stared at the sea.
Luffy approached, grinning. "Sanji, we saved the restaurant!"
"Yeah, quite the twist," Sanji said.
"Lots happened, but join my crew?" Luffy pressed.
"What's the logic there? It's not like you saved the day," Sanji said.
"What's that?" Luffy interrupted, pointing at the sea.
Sanji glanced over. A small boat, wooden but moving like a motorboat, sped toward Baratie. A large figure was visible aboard. A bad feeling stirred.
As they noticed, the cooks spotted the boat too. The figure raised something and fired. A projectile arced toward the fins, clearly an attack. Shock spread instantly.
Luffy reacted first, leaping high, inhaling deeply. "Gomu Gomu no—"
His stomach inflated like a balloon, his rubber body catching the projectile and bouncing it skyward. "Balloon!"
The cooks marveled—not just at the attack, but at Luffy's body stretching and floating briefly. His inhuman nature was clear. The projectile, a cannonball, exploded high above, releasing not flames but strange-colored smoke. One word flashed in their minds: poison gas. More terrifying than a cannonball, it chilled them.
An unannounced attack with poison gas confirmed the boat's occupant: Don Krieg. "That's him!" a cook shouted.
"Still alive after his fleet got shredded? Tough bastard," another said.
How had he survived? Smirking confidently, Krieg had a plan, not relying on brute force alone. The cooks erupted, the threat of poison gas and Krieg's arrival shifting the mood.
The boat slowed, docking at the fin. Three men leaped aboard—not a mob, but Krieg's elite. To the right, "Demon Man" Gin, the fleet's combat commander. To the left, "Iron Wall" Pearl, second division captain. At the center, Admiral Don Krieg.
Even without fodder, they could seize Baratie by force. With the fleet gone, they'd changed tactics, standing boldly. Krieg eyed the cooks clustered at the entrance and spoke. "Well, my ships are gone. You saw it. I'm here for this ship and 'Red-Leg' Zeff's Grand Line logbook."
His calm threat, jarring after the spectacle, raised doubts. Sanji spoke first. "Pretty cool-headed for someone who just got crushed."
"Crushed? I haven't lost. Some trick by who-knows-who. Did I fight and lose? Just lost ships," Krieg said.
"Is that so?" Sanji replied.
"Get it? I'm fine, strong enough to kill you all. I kept a reserve of fifteen ships, just in case. Sure, I was surprised, but I win. You can't kill me," Krieg boasted.
"Big talk. I don't care about your opinion. Get lost," Sanji said.
Krieg's brow furrowed, anger flaring. "Misunderstanding, huh? I'm not asking—I'm ordering. When I say leave, you leave."
"I'm not your lackey. No need to obey," Sanji shot back.
"Ignorant fool. The strong rule absolutely. No one defies me!" Krieg bellowed, stepping forward, his heavy footfall echoing.
Sanji's expression didn't waver. Stubbing his cigarette in a portable ashtray, he faced Krieg's growing rage. Krieg removed his left shoulder guard, holding it. "Move. Or I kill everyone with this poison gas."
"Try it, bastard. I'll take you down," Sanji said.
Unfazed, Sanji stood firm. Krieg, enraged, signaled his men to shift stances. "Underestimating me? I'm Don Krieg, ruler of the East Blue. I'll conquer the Grand Line and become Pirate King. A thousand cooks can't beat me!"
"Pirate King?" Luffy stepped forward, past Sanji, facing Krieg. Arms crossed, he glared. Krieg's gaze shifted to him.
Why was this outsider so fired up? Sanji watched, stunned, as Luffy's tone hardened. "You, Pirate King? No way."
"Who're you?" Krieg demanded.
"Monkey D. Luffy. I'm gonna be Pirate King," Luffy said.
"Quite the fool, despite appearances," Krieg sneered.
Words escalated. Luffy's declaration wasn't provocation but raw truth. He saw Krieg as an enemy, no longer just aiding Sanji but fighting for himself. Krieg, deeming Luffy ignorant of strength's truth, had no intention of letting him go. The strongest would be Pirate King. Their standoff teetered on violence.
"Think you'll be Pirate King? Quit joking. Know what it takes?" Krieg asked.
"Dunno. One Piece?" Luffy said.
"No. Strength. Overwhelming, unbeatable power. A half-baked weakling can't claim the title. Think you're stronger than me?" Krieg said.
"Yeah," Luffy replied.
"Heh, what a fool," Krieg laughed.
Sanji interjected, noting the shift away from Baratie. "Step back. This is our problem."
"No way. I'm taking him down," Luffy said.
"What's your deal? Since when?" Sanji asked.
"Can't lose to guys like this. Sorry, this fight's mine," Luffy said.
"Do what you want. Just make them disappear," Sanji said.
As they stood against Krieg, the armed cooks stirred, led by Patty and Carne. "Sanji, we're in!" Patty shouted.
"No way you're hogging the glory!" Carne added.
"Don't need you. Weaklings, stay back," Sanji said.
"What?!" Patty snapped.
"You'd get in the way," Sanji said.
He dismissed their help, not out of kindness but certainty they'd be liabilities. Luffy's skill was unknown, but his reaction to the poison gas showed prowess. Sanji judged they were enough. The fins, meant to protect the ship, were limited in space—more fighters would hinder them.
Patty and Carne, gripping weapons, knew they couldn't match Sanji. Reluctantly, they lowered their arms, the other cooks following, watching intently. Zeff, arms crossed, observed the fight's outcome.
Battle intent filled the air, communication wordless. Krieg, facing just two, sensed victory. Outnumbering them, he saw no need to retreat, his smug grin unhidden. "Talk all you want. Strength decides who wins."
"I'll win!" Luffy shouted.
"Don't wreck the place," Sanji warned.
Krieg raised his shoulder guard, which transformed with a click, ready to fire. Luffy's curiosity flared at the mechanism, but he shook it off. Suspecting poison gas, he charged to stop it. "No more poison gas!"
"Don't rush in blindly!" Sanji yelled.
"Stop me if you can," Krieg taunted.
Krieg aimed at Luffy, firing not gas but a volley of small, sharp spears, like bullets. Luffy, unable to bounce them with his rubber body, dodged desperately, crossing his arms. Several spears pierced him, shallow but bloody.
"Argh!" Luffy cried, tumbling.
"Damn it, told you!" Sanji shouted.
"Gin, now!" Krieg ordered.
Gin charged, spinning odd-shaped tonfas, aiming a centrifugal strike at Luffy's head. Luffy, rolling, struggled to respond—counter or dodge, no time for either.
He chose to counter, clenching his fist. "Die!" Gin roared.
"No way!" Luffy shouted.
As the tonfa descended, a kick flashed into view, striking the weapon's tip, knocking it back. Luffy looked up—Sanji. Using the deflected tonfa's momentum, Gin spun for another strike, but Sanji countered, raising his leg. Their attacks clashed, kick against tonfa.
Above Luffy, still on the ground, their gazes locked—Sanji smirking, Gin glaring. "No one beats the boss. Run while you can," Gin said.
"Weak dogs bark loudest. Didn't you know?" Sanji replied.
Gin's anger surged at the insult to his captain. Creating distance, he attacked again, Sanji matching with swift kicks. Their movements were dazzling—Sanji's light, kick-only style and Gin's skill far beyond average. Their clash was a spectacle, a duel of masters.
Luffy, rolling clear, stood, watching Sanji's prowess with glee. "Whoa, Sanji, you're crazy strong!"
Pausing mid-fight, Sanji kicked a tonfa, stepping back. Lighting a new cigarette, he muttered, "Obviously. Don't underestimate a sea cook."
"Got it. Not like I was," Luffy grinned.
"You're decent, but just a cook. Don't underestimate pirate battles," Gin scoffed.
Sanji's stance shifted, tapping the floor with his foot. "Talk big now. You won't have excuses after losing to a cook. Want to share them first?"
"We've never lost a fight. That's why the boss is the strongest," Gin said.
"Dirty tricks and numbers, huh? Let's see your skill," Sanji said.
"Punk…" Gin growled.
Pointing with his cigarette, Sanji goaded Gin, who readied his tonfas, face darkening. Both were formidable, but Sanji seemed unlikely to lose. Luffy, confident, turned to Krieg.
Pulling out the spears, Luffy tossed them aside. The wounds bled but were shallow, no hindrance. Cracking his knuckles, he grinned, hyped from Zoro's duel, ready to fight anyone.
"Kid, who's fit to be Pirate King—you or me?" Krieg asked.
"Me. You can't," Luffy said.
Krieg smirked, unmoving, not bothering to defend. Luffy charged, fist drawn back, aiming to strike first. Krieg muttered, "Pearl. Your turn."
"Got it!" Pearl replied, stepping between them.
Pearl's appearance was bizarre—pearl-shaped headgear, small shields in hand, and massive shields on his front and back, not armor. Even Luffy tilted his head. Pearl's confidence in defense was clear. Facing Luffy's charge, he crossed his arms, ready.
Luffy leaped, undeterred, pulling back his fist for a heavy blow. It slammed into Pearl's iron shield, ringing loudly. "Bullet!" Luffy shouted.
"Hah! Useless!" Pearl laughed.
The strike hit iron, doing nothing. Luffy's expression shifted—he'd been perfectly blocked. Pearl's odd look wasn't a joke. Stepping back, Luffy reassessed. Definitely weird.
"HAHAHA! Iron Wall! Invincible!" Pearl boasted.
"Weird getup," Luffy said.
"Not weird! Listen, kid, I've never been scratched in battle. Not once. I'm the Shield Man, the Dandy Man!" Pearl said.
"Doesn't make sense," Luffy replied, puzzled.
Krieg, emboldened, spoke with victory in his voice. "See? With them, I don't need an army. No need for ambushes. This is strength. Bow to it and die."
"Won't die," Luffy said, glaring.
Two against three, the odds uneven. Yet the battle began, tensions igniting.
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