Because Luffy had promised Zeff and Sanji to protect the restaurant, their group temporarily stayed near the restaurant, waiting for the Krieg Pirates to arrive.
Until a morning two days later.
Luffy and the others were having breakfast at the Baratie restaurant when they suddenly heard the sound of a glass breaking.
Then they heard the customers sitting by the window suddenly cry out in panic.
"Hey! Look at that..."
"On both sides of the skull, there are hourglasses drawn to threaten enemies. That symbol... is Captain Krieg's pirate ship."
"That's right! That's the pirate crew led by Captain Krieg, known as the Ruler of the East Blue, with a bounty of 17 million Berries, 5,000 troops, and a fleet of over 50 ships."
"No way?! Didn't they say they went to conquer the Grand Line? How could they be here?"
"Look at their ship, it's already in tatters, looking like it's about to be destroyed."
"That doesn't look man-made at all. How did it get like that?"
"Do you even need to ask? That's the Grand Line!"
Hearing the discussions of the surrounding customers, Usopp, Johnny, and Joseph were instantly terrified.
"5,000 troops?! Ruler of the East Blue?!"
"Is the Grand Line that terrifying?"
"Oh no, we should run away quickly, Luffy!"
Usopp and the others cried out in panic, but what caught Luffy's attention was Nami, who would usually be panicked as well, but now looked preoccupied.
"It seems that bounty poster had a big impact on Nami!"
Luffy thought to himself, recalling how, after Gin left that day, Johnny and Joseph had searched for Krieg's bounty poster to introduce to everyone, inadvertently revealing Arlong's bounty poster.
"Nami, if there's anything, tell me. Don't forget, I'm your Captain!"
"I said I would never let anything happen to my crew."
Luffy looked at Nami, wanting her to express her worries.
But Nami seemed to struggle internally for a moment, then forced out a somewhat stiff smile.
"Ha... Haha! What could be wrong with me, Luffy?"
"Just didn't sleep well, that's all."
"Luffy, I'm going back to sleep for a bit."
With that, Nami stood up and left.
Luffy heard her and didn't say anything more.
He knew Nami didn't want to implicate them.
'Then I'll wait until Nami makes a decision.'
Luffy thought to himself.
Just then, two figures suddenly appeared at the restaurant entrance.
Gin appeared before everyone, supporting a tall man.
"Is that… Captain Krieg?"
"Why does he look like he's about to faint?"
The restaurant buzzed with discussion.
Krieg spoke then, his voice sounding extremely weak.
"Excuse me, if possible, please give us water and food."
"If it's money you want, we have plenty."
With that, Krieg suddenly collapsed to the ground.
"Captain Krieg!"
Gin exclaimed, then looked at everyone in the restaurant.
"Please give us water and food, I beg you, please save Captain."
"If we delay any longer, he will die."
Seeing this, the other people in the restaurant remained still, while Sanji once again walked into the kitchen.
Luffy was not in a hurry to act; he needed to let Sanji see the true colors of these people.
Soon, Sanji brought out a plate of seafood fried rice and placed it in front of Krieg.
Gin looked at Sanji with gratitude, tears in his eyes.
"Sanji…"
"Once you've finished eating, quickly take him and leave!"
Sanji replied.
He hoped that what Luffy had said that day would not happen.
"Hey! Sanji, do you know who that guy is?"
"He's the Captain of the Krieg Pirates, who dominate the East Blue!"
"I heard he was originally a Marine; during one voyage, he killed his Captain, seized the warship, and then raised a pirate flag."
"Sometimes, he would raise the Marine flag again, then sail into a port, and ambush towns and passenger ships; he would also pretend to surrender to enemies, then ambush them when they were unprepared."
"He'll do anything for his own benefit!"
"This guy will definitely not just eat and then obediently leave."
Inside the restaurant, the other chefs were telling Sanji about Krieg's deeds.
Suddenly, Sanji, who had just finished listening, felt a heavy blow to his head, and when he reacted, he had already been knocked to the ground by Krieg's strike.
Gin immediately cried out in alarm.
"Captain Krieg, didn't you promise me you wouldn't attack this restaurant?"
Krieg ignored Gin, but couldn't help but exclaim.
"Ah! I feel like I'm alive again."
Immediately, he looked at the Baratie with interest, a smirk on his lips.
"This ship is good; I'll take it."
Then he looked at the terrified chefs over there and said in a commanding tone.
"Hey! Quickly prepare 100 portions of food and water for me; there are still people hungry on our ship."
The chefs flatly refused, saying angrily.
"You want us to save a group of pirates who we know will attack us? Impossible!"
"Get out of here quickly."
Krieg's expression suddenly turned cold, and he said in a deep voice.
"I'm not asking you, I'm ordering you; no one is to resist me."
As he spoke, Krieg suddenly raised his arm, and several muzzles suddenly appeared from the golden armor on his shoulder, along with the two pistols in his hands, all aimed at the chefs present.
Just then, Sanji suddenly got up from the ground and stopped Krieg.
"100 portions of food and water, right? I'll go prepare them now."
The chefs were about to object to Sanji, but Zeff stopped them.
"Stop arguing, quickly come to the kitchen and help me."
Since Zeff had given the order, the other chefs, even if unwilling, all went into the kitchen.
They were still very obedient to Zeff's commands.
Seeing these chefs so obedient, Krieg smiled contentedly.
...
After a while, Sanji came before Krieg with a large bag of food.
"Here are 100 portions of food; quickly send them to the ship!"
Krieg smiled strangely, picked up the food, and turned to leave.
After Krieg left, Sanji came to Gin and asked curiously.
"Gin, why did you all end up like this?"
"Aren't you the pirate crew that dominates the East Blue?"
Gin seemed to recall something terrifying; his eyes instantly became desperate, devoid of any light.
He said in fear.
"I can't tell if it's real… I can't even believe it myself."
"On the seventh day after entering the Grand Line, I suddenly found the ships around me sinking one after another."
"At that time, if it hadn't been for a storm, I'm afraid we would have sunk along with them."
"That man had a pair of sharp eyes, enough to kill, like an eagle's eyes…"
Upon hearing this, Zoro's body suddenly trembled, and his breathing became rapid.
"What did you say?"
Luffy also instantly realized that the man Gin was talking about was Hawkeye.
Gin, with an expression of disbelief and terror, his eyes wide and pupils extremely constricted, said.
"One man, he could easily destroy 50 pirate ships!"
At these words, the entire place was shaken.
"No… that's impossible?!"
"Just one person…"
"Isn't that a monster?"
"Is this the Grand Line? How terrifying!"
...
"A person with eyes like an eagle, who exactly is he?"
Usopp asked, both fearful and curious, thinking that he must avoid this man if he ever saw him again.
"He is the man I have been looking for."
Zoro's expression was agitated, his body trembling slightly with excitement.
"You're talking about Hawkeye!"
Just then, Uta suddenly blurted out.
Everyone looked at her curiously.
Luffy also suddenly realized that in the original story, Hawkeye and Shanks would often spar before Shanks lost his arm.
At that time, Uta should have been on Shanks's ship.
It seemed that Uta and Hawkeye should still know each other.
Luffy thought to himself, then heard Usopp ask again.
"Who is that?"
Uta then replied.
"Hawkeye's full name is Dracule Mihawk, the world's greatest swordsman!"
Hearing Uta say this, Zoro unconsciously tightened his grip on his sword.
Uta continued.
"When I used to be with Shanks and the others, Hawkeye would often challenge Shanks to a duel."
"Speaking of which, Hawkeye is also as strong as a monster."
"Even now, thinking of the scenes of him fighting Shanks, I feel terrified."
Just as Uta was telling everyone about Hawkeye, a loud noise suddenly came from outside the restaurant.
Everyone went outside the restaurant at the sound and were immediately stunned, their mouths agape.
Before them, on the sea, Krieg's massive San Juan Wolf suddenly split neatly in two down the middle and began to slowly sink.
And in the middle of the San Juan Wolf's crack, a raft like a coffin lid floated on the sea.
On the coffin lid stood a man of extraordinary demeanor.
The man's eyes were sharp like an eagle's.
....