Kon stepped forward, pointing at Zeff. "Mr. Chef, if we save your ship, will you give us your chef as our cook?"
'Sanji's food is too good to pass up,' he thought, grinning.
Sanji spun, his cigarette flaring. "I told you, I'm not joining your crew. Are you deaf?"
His eyes landed on Nami, and he softened, bowing. "Wait… is that beautiful girl part of your crew?"
'A goddess like her? Maybe it's not a bad deal,' he thought, hearts in his eyes.
Zeff smacked Sanji's head with a wooden spoon, making him wince. "He's joining if you save us. He doesn't have a choice. It's his responsibility as a Baratie chef."
'This brat needs to get out and grow and if they can handle Krieg then they are at least strong enough to survive the grand line. Well, they have the determination to survive at least.' Zeff thought.
Sanji's jaw dropped. "What? Are you crazy, old man? I'm not leaving!"
'This is my home,' he thought, rage and tears welling up, though he kept his face stony.
Zeff crossed his arms. "You're leaving if it saves the ship. Think of all the food wasted if these pirates take over. Don't you care about our lives, you idiot? You're going with them if they stop this."
'He's gotta learn there's more to life than this place,' Zeff thought, his tone unyielding.
Sanji's fists clenched, his cigarette trembling, but he stayed silent. 'I can't abandon the old man,' he thought, torn between duty and loyalty. 'But if they save the Baratie…'
Kon and Luffy exchanged grins, their eyes gleaming. 'We're getting a cook!' Kon thought, already tasting future sweets. Goku chirped, mimicking a chef's hat, making Kon chuckle.
Kon glanced at Krieg's fleet—or what was left of it. "Isn't there supposed to be a fleet? Why's there only one ship and a few small boats?"
'That's not much of an army,' he thought, tilting his head.
Zoro's eyes narrowed, scanning the battered ships. "Something's wrong. Looks like they got beat by someone. Someone must've taken out their whole fleet."
"Probably that's why they were hungry. Their supply ships got destroyed. And that's why he wants this ship to recoup his losses. I don't think that the Marines got him."
"There are only about hundred of his men left. Who ever did this fought more than thousand pirates alone!"
'Whoever did that's no joke,' Zoro thought.
Kon gripped his staff, ready to charge Krieg, air gathering around him.
'Time to send this guy flying' he thought, but Luffy grabbed his arm, cheeks puffed out.
"Hey, Kon, this fight's mine. You fought Kuro last time. As captain, I demand I fight him!"
'I'm the boss, and I'm taking Krieg down and then get us a chef,' Luffy thought, his grin fierce.
Kon blinked, then nodded, stepping back. "Fine, Captain."
'Luffy's got this,' he thought, though his fingers twitched to join in. 'I'll jump in if he needs me.'
Luffy cracked his knuckles and charged at Krieg, who swung a massive mace studded with spikes.
Luffy stretched his arm, landing a "Gum-Gum Pistol" punch, but Krieg countered, his mace grazing Luffy's side, drawing blood.
Luffy's body took a barrage of bullets from
that erupted from the weapons hidden in Krieg's golden armor.
He stretched his foot and slammed into Krieg's chest with a "Gum-Gum Whip." Krieg roared, swinging his weapon, slicing Luffy's arm.
Blood dripped, but Luffy grinned, unfazed, stretching both arms for a "Gum-Gum Bazooka," sending Krieg crashing into his own ship.
But more spikes erupted from Krieg's armor puncturing Luffy's skin.
Nami, watching from the Baratie's railing, clutched her staff, horrified. "Zoro, Kon, help him! Why are you just standing there?"
'He's bleeding everywhere!' she thought, her heart racing.
Zoro and Kon glanced at her like she'd grown a second head. "Luffy's a man, and he asked to fight alone," Zoro said.
"He's our captain. He's gotta be strong enough to beat Krieg if he wants to be the Pirate King."
Kon nodded, leaning on his staff. "Yeah, Luffy's tough. He'll win."
Zeff nudged Sanji, his voice low. "Watch closely, Sanji. No matter how strong someone is, they can be defeated with pure determination if they're not scared of death."
'This kid's got spirit,' he thought, impressed by Luffy's grit.
Sanji lit a new cigarette, his eyes on Luffy. 'He's fighting like his life's on the line,' he thought, his anger at Zeff fading slightly. 'Maybe these pirates aren't just talk.'
Luffy, bloodied but grinning, landed a final "Gum-Gum Bullet," smashing Krieg through his ship's deck. Krieg collapsed, unconscious, his pirates fleeing in panic.
Luffy stumbled, panting, blood dripping from his wounds. He turned to Sanji, grinning wide. "Welcome to the Straw Hat Pirates! Cook me some meat! I'm hungry!"
'He's our cook now,' Luffy thought, his stomach growling louder than his pain.
Sanji's jaw dropped, but before he could protest, a deafening crack echoed.
Krieg's main ship split in half, wood splintering into the sea. The crew spun, eyes wide, searching for the source.
A small boat glided toward the Baratie, a lone man standing aboard, his black coat billowing, a massive sword strapped to his back.
Zoro's breath caught, his hand gripping his swords. "That's Dracule Mihawk, the strongest swordsman in the world… and my goal."
-----Author Notes------
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