Luffy tossed his straw hat to Yosaku among the cooks. Sensing it, Yosaku reached out, catching it cleanly despite the distance. With his hat safe, Luffy could fight unburdened. He clashed his fists, snorting eagerly.
"Yosaku, hold onto it," Luffy said.
"Y-Yes, aniki! Be careful!" Yosaku replied.
"Don't worry. I won't lose," Luffy grinned.
Blood trickled from shallow wounds, but his body brimmed with energy, his eyes blazing with fight.
Krieg snorted, utterly confident. His formation was perfect. Why bring only a boat and two men, not his reserve fleet? Because they were enough. Gin, unmatched in attack, and Pearl, invincible in defense—his perfect tools. With them and his own strength, no number of foes could win.
Arms crossed, Krieg held back, opting to watch his men fight. "Kill them if you want. Spare Zeff, but finish these punks."
"Got it," Gin said.
"Leave it to me," Pearl added.
They faced forward. Luffy, having moved toward the cooks to pass his hat, now stood beside Sanji, resetting the scene. A two-on-two standoff began.
The fight had lasted mere seconds, revealing little. Luffy's ability and Sanji's kick-based style were exposed, as were Gin's aggressive tactics and Pearl's defensive prowess. Luffy and Sanji eyed their foes calmly.
No prior teamwork, no planning—yet they instinctively knew their roles, exchanging words while watching the enemy. "I'm taking that guy. Do what you want with the others," Luffy said.
"Do whatever. Like I said, I don't care," Sanji replied.
No need for harmony, just that understanding—enough. Silence fell, a tense pause. All four stood still, as if time froze, showing no sign of movement.
Then, something sparked. Luffy charged, Gin matching him, meeting head-on. Rubber fists met strange tonfas, rare weapons clashing. Luffy swung first, Gin pulling back to block. The punch hit the tonfa's handle, the impact too strong to absorb fully. Gin leaped back to dodge.
As Luffy frowned, Gin's left tonfa swung. This man was battle-hardened, reading Luffy's move in an instant. Luffy jumped back, dodging as Gin's strike sliced air.
Then, a stunning sight. Sanji lunged, his kick slamming into Gin's stomach before he could react, the impact rippling through his body. "Gin-san?!" Pearl gasped.
"Gomu Gomu no!" Luffy shouted, already airborne, stretching a leg upward. As he fell, he struck. "Axe!"
"Guh?!" Gin grunted.
Gin crashed, splintering the floor, consciousness fading. He clutched his stomach, not unconscious but barely able to move—a testament to his resilience, yet immobilized by pain.
Their combined attack was devastating. Luffy's finishing blow was nearly lethal, yet Gin clung to awareness. Pearl, shaken, had never seen Gin fall. His brief lapse was inevitable, but his foes weren't so lenient. Leaving Luffy with Gin, Sanji charged Pearl.
A straightforward rush—nothing to fear for Pearl. His iron shields could block anything, wearing down foes without taking damage. He'd counter their openings. Smirking, he taunted, "No one's ever breached my iron wall! Come on, I'll block anything!"
"Let's see it," Sanji said.
Slamming his left foot down, Sanji pivoted, twisting his hips to unleash a right-leg kick. It struck Pearl's massive stomach shield with a resounding gong. It hit perfectly, but no damage—supposedly. Yet Pearl's face paled, the shock seeping through despite the shield.
Sanji grinned. A shield was just held by flesh. Impact would transfer, and it did. Pearl's "iron wall" was laughably simple to bypass. Another left-foot kick to the front shield. Pearl coughed, the shock penetrating, but he stood firm.
A third right-foot kick landed. Pearl staggered, his stance breaking sooner than expected. Sanji, feigning innocence, asked, "Heavy shield, huh?"
"Cough—what?" Pearl rasped.
"Fall in the sea, you'll drown," Sanji said.
Planting his foot, Sanji kicked harder. The sound changed, and Pearl's massive body left the ground, shield and all. Stunned, Pearl and his allies gaped as he flew, unable to stop himself, crashing into the sea.
His iron shields, once his strength, became deadly weights. Realizing he'd sink, Pearl frantically discarded them. Struggling to breathe, he shed the heavy gear, swimming desperately despite his bulk. Reaching the fin's edge, he clung on.
Sanji looked down, unfazed. "Tossed them? Smart."
"You—!" Pearl coughed.
"See ya, dandy man. No time for small fry," Sanji said, kicking Pearl's jaw at blinding speed. Pearl flew back, splashing into the sea, floating unconscious.
Sanji's victory was absolute. Krieg's forehead veins bulged.
"Wow, awesome!" Luffy cheered.
"No big deal," Sanji said.
"Tch! Gin! What're you doing? Kill them!" Krieg roared.
Gin, staggering but up, charged, spinning his tonfas, aiming for Luffy's back. Luffy stood, unresponsive, defenseless. The cooks and Yosaku gasped, but he didn't turn.
"Die!" Gin shouted, his tonfa nearing Luffy's head. Sanji moved, kicking the tonfa, throwing Gin off balance. A swift follow-up kick slammed Gin's stomach, sending him flying. The single blow knocked him out, floating in the sea like Pearl.
Luffy, facing Krieg, grinned. Sanji sighed, exasperated. "Nice, Sanji."
"You did that on purpose, didn't you? Annoying punk," Sanji said.
With both lieutenants down, Krieg stood alone, glaring, his killing intent palpable but met with nonchalance. His plans kept failing, his patience gone. "Getting cocky, huh? I'm done holding back. You're not leaving alive!"
"You held back? Didn't look like it," Sanji taunted.
"Whatever. Come on," Luffy said.
Krieg's rage peaked. Combining both shoulder guards, he formed a strange spear—the "Great Battle Spear," explosive on impact. Slamming it down, the blast shook the air, a warning. Luffy and Sanji, impressed but unafraid, stood firm.
"Ignorant fools! Who do you think I am?" Krieg bellowed.
"Don't care. If you're aiming for Pirate King, I'm taking you down," Luffy said.
"No more lip, kid!" Krieg roared, charging with the spear.
Sanji dodged, leaving Luffy to face him alone, as promised. No interference, just what Luffy wanted—a wide space to fight freely, boosting his odds. "Die!" Krieg shouted.
"As if!" Luffy retorted.
Krieg swung the spear. Luffy, unmoving, reacted instinctively, jumping over the horizontal swipe, landing a punch to Krieg's face. The blow staggered him, creating an opening. Luffy followed with a kick to his armored stomach, the impact forcing Krieg back, unable to react.
The skill gap was clear. Another punch sent Krieg tumbling. "Ugh!" Krieg groaned.
"Feeling good!" Luffy said.
Krieg rose, swinging wildly, but Luffy dodged like a monkey, leaping over the spear and landing. As he readied a counter, Krieg released the spear with one hand, extending it. His strength wasn't just his physique but his arsenal: the explosive spear, diamond knuckle dusters, multiple pistols, poison gas, and countless spears, paired with his signature trickery, had built his fleet.
His wrist unleashed a small flamethrower, usable only briefly. Luffy, charging, took the flames head-on, the heat too intense to endure. He shrank back, dodging. Krieg seized the moment, swinging the spear. Luffy blocked with his arms, but the explosion sent him rolling, singed and shaken.
Yosaku shouted, the cooks gasping at the brutal hit. Sanji watched calmly. Luffy rose, unbothered, rearming his fists. Krieg, frustrated, clicked his tongue, then relaxed, lowering the spear. "Tch, you're a monster… I give up. You're too strong."
"Huh?" Luffy said.
"Losing my fleet hit hard. I can't keep fighting. My spirit's broken. Let me go?" Krieg pleaded.
"Really? Kinda anticlimactic—" Luffy started.
"Don't fall for it! Forgot I got sucker-punched by his tricks?" Sanji snapped.
Luffy turned reflexively. "Oh yeah, he's lying?"
"Idiot! Don't look away! He'll—" Sanji warned.
Krieg grinned, swinging the spear with both hands. Luffy, turning back, was caught, blasted again by the explosion, rolling across the fin. Teeth bared, he finally realized the trick, anger surging.
Sanji, exasperated, clutched his head. "Moron! Falling for such an obvious lie?"
"You tricked me!" Luffy roared.
"The fool's the one who gets tricked. I'm not here to duel—just to kill you," Krieg said, pulling a small orb from his pocket, flaunting it smugly. "You're an ability user, right? Got a weakness you can't overcome."
"What? No way," Luffy said.
"Really? We're fighting on the sea, on flimsy boards. Guess who's got the advantage?" Krieg said, flicking the orb.
It rolled to Luffy's feet, exploding seconds later. The blast threw Luffy back, shattering the fin. A gap of sea separated them. Krieg tossed more bombs, aiming to sink Baratie itself. The fins crumbled, footing shrinking.
Falling into the sea meant death for Luffy. Wounded, he leaped desperately, using debris to reach the restaurant. Sanji, furious, charged through the explosions. "Sink to the depths! That's what you get for defying me!" Krieg shouted.
"Enough, you bastard!" Sanji yelled.
Leaping across the fragmented fins, Sanji closed in, kicking with momentum. Krieg blocked with the spear's handle, pushing back with brute strength. Both landed on the debris, facing off. The fins, broken but buoyant, became floating islands for their battlefield.
Sanji's calm was gone, replaced by rage. "This place is that old man's treasure. Scum like you don't get to destroy it!"
"Treasure? Pathetic. Clinging to that's weakness," Krieg sneered.
"Huh?" Sanji growled.
"Just a ship. I could get a hundred. Fifty sank—so what? I'll take more. Just steal them," Krieg said.
Sanji's glare sharpened, fury rising. "Clinging to a puny ship? Steal a bigger one. Oh, wait, a cook wouldn't have the guts."
"You're wrong about everything, but I'm done talking," Sanji said.
"Who're you ordering? You know who I am?" Krieg roared, lowering his spear to draw a hidden gun.
Sanji kicked off a floating island, closing in faster than expected. Krieg froze, stunned. In midair, Sanji spun, his kick catching Krieg's jaw, sending his heavy body skyward—a perfect overhead kick.
Luffy cheered at the display. Sanji landed cleanly, glancing at Luffy. "Stop slacking. Help out."
"Got it!" Luffy replied.
Using his stretched arms, Luffy launched himself upward, catching Krieg midair. Striking downward, he accelerated Krieg's fall, the impact shattering. "Gomu Gomu no Bazooka!"
"Urgh!" Krieg groaned.
Krieg fell, back exposed. Sanji leaped, delivering a brutal kick to his head. "Collier Shoot!"
"Gah!" Krieg cried, launched upward again.
Stars burst in Krieg's vision. Luffy descended, arms stretched, combining his fall with Sanji's kick for a devastating blow. Another strike cracked Krieg's supposedly unbreakable armor. "Bazooka!"
"Guh…!" Krieg gasped.
"No end to this," Sanji muttered, sighing at the relentless cycle.
Krieg, armor shattered, teetered on collapse, barely conscious. It was time to end it. As Krieg fell, Sanji tapped the island with his toe. "Enough. Sleep."
As Krieg reached him, Sanji spun, his rapid kicks striking multiple points on Krieg's unarmored body. "Mouton Shot!"
The final sobat stole Krieg's consciousness. He slid into the sea, floating limply like his men. Silence followed the splash.
The fight ended almost too easily. Sanji, standing tall, smirked at the defeated trio. Just a cook, yet more. Baratie's cooks were no ordinary men—a lesson burned into their foes. A complete victory.
The cooks erupted in cheers. Though not always close, they united to protect their home, their joy childlike. Sanji turned, a wry smile on his face. Luffy landed then, shouting, "Whoa, Sanji! Watch out!"
"What? Don't fall on me!" Sanji yelled.
Luffy crashed down, flipping the island. Both plunged into the sea, victory soured. Sanji surfaced, a strong swimmer despite his clothes, shaking his head. "Damn it, what're you doing? Pain in the ass."
"Gyahaha, what's that, Sanji?" Luffy laughed.
"Shut up, you useless punks!" Sanji snapped at the laughing cooks.
Then he noticed—Luffy hadn't surfaced. Puzzled, he dove, spotting Luffy sinking, limp, face contorted in pain, drowning. "What the hell?!"
Shocked, Sanji surfaced, took a breath, and dove again, grabbing Luffy. Lifeless, Luffy didn't resist, his strength and will gone. Sanji hauled him up, both breaking the surface.
Luffy coughed, spitting seawater, barely conscious. Sanji grabbed a nearby island, holding Luffy. Realizing ability users couldn't swim, he muttered, "Right, the sea hates ability users… First time seeing it. It's real."
"Cough… Thanks…" Luffy rasped.
"No big deal. You helped, after all," Sanji said gruffly, looking away.
He'd acted instinctively to save Luffy, unsure why. He wasn't some saint who helped strangers, yet he'd moved before thinking—unlike himself. It dawned on him: this was his first time fighting alongside anyone outside Baratie's crew. A rare experience.
Swimming with Luffy, Sanji reached the cheering cooks. Zoro still slept, but Yosaku raised a fist, shouting their names. The threat gone, the mood lightened. Only Zeff looked pensive, his expression unreadable.
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