One Piece: Truly Precious
Sorry for the wait for this chapter. I needed a bit of thinking to get back into the muse. I think I'm ready to come back now. I hope this chapter lives up to your expectations.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
"Good to see you again, Gin," said Luffy with a smile as the tired pirate walked through the doors, "I knew we'd see you again."
"You guys," said Gin in surprise before focusing on the chefs, "we need your help."
"Why should we help you?" asked Carne, one of the chefs.
"Please," rasped the large man in the coat, "I have treasure, money. My crew needs food. We've gone days without eating, I simply need food for a hundred men. I'll pay whatever price you ask."
"Like hell we'll cook our food for scum like you," said Patty as he cracked his knuckles.
"Yeah," said Carne, "so get lost."
"Food for a hundred," said Sanji, "coming up."
"Sanji, are you insane?" asked Patty.
"We can't possibly feed these pirates!" said Carne.
"We feed customers," said Sanji as he lit his cigarette and took a drag, "and anyone who is hungry is a customer."
"But…" protested Patty.
"Shut up you idiots," growled the Head Chef as he walked out with a large sack of food, "Sanji's right. In this restaurant, anyone that's hungry is a customer, or did you forget what I told you when I hired you two?"
"Chef Zeff!" exclaimed the two chefs.
"Zeff," rasped the man in the coat, "you're Red Leg Zeff."
"What of it?" asked Zeff as he handed over the food.
"You," said the large man as he pulled out a meal and began to eat, "you've been to that sea. The Grand Line."
Tossing aside the bowl once he was finished, the man stood tall and faced Zeff, "I want your Log Book. The accounts of what you faced in that sea. I intend to go back and find that treasure, and since my normal ship is somewhat worse for wear, I'll take this restaurant as my new flagship!"
"Don Krieg," exclaimed Gin, "you promised that we would leave these people unharmed."
"That was then and this is now," said Kreig, "I'm gonna be Pirate King and none of you will stop me!"
"Then we've got a problem, bub," said Patty as he walked over to a cabinet, "you want this restaurant that we've worked to protect, then you'll have to go through us, the fighting chefs of the Baratie! I hope you're hungry, 'cause here's DESSERT!"
Patty pulled out a lobster themed Bazooka and aimed it at the now named Kreig, before pulling the trigger, "Shokuatari Meatball!"
A large cannonball shot out of the mouth of the bazooka that exploded when it slammed into Kreig, who took the attack head on without flinching.
"That'll teach him," said Patty as he tossed the bazooka aside and turned around.
Big mistake.
"Was that supposed to be Dessert?" sneered Kreig's voice from the smoke, "Cause that tasted disgusting."
The smoke cleared and revealed Don Kreig standing there with a rather bored expression, though his suit and coat was in tatters with gold metal showing through. With a quick motion, Kreig ripped off the tatters of his suit top to reveal a shining suit of armor that covered his torso.
"With my wootz steel armor and my diamond fists, you chefs will be crushed under my boot," said Kreig as he brandished his diamond gauntlets.
"Like hell," said Patty as he and the other chefs pulled out their knives and brandished them at the Pirate Admiral.
"HA," scoffed Kreig as he looked at the army of fighting chefs, "you've brought your knives to a gunfight."
Panels on Kreig's armor opened up to reveal dozens of guns that were leveled at the chefs. Pulling out two double-barreled pistols, he aimed at his targets and got into a stance.
"Perish!" yelled Kreig as he pulled the trigger, unleashing a hail of lead upon the chefs.
The chefs closed their eyes, expecting to be turned into Swiss cheese, but were surprised when the heard the clang of lead hitting steel and felt no pain. Opening their eyes, they saw the first mate of the Straw Hat Pirates standing in front of them, holding his three swords.
"You guys ok?" asked Zoro.
"He deflected the bullets?" said Kreig in shock, but before he could say any more, a soaking wet pirate ran inside.
"Don!" he yelled, "Bad news! Our ship! It was destroyed!"'
"WHAT?!" yelled Kreig as he rushed outside with the Straw Hats and the chefs following in pursuit.
When they exited the restaurant, the members of the group that hadn't come from the future saw a sight that made them pale. A man wearing a black cloak and a feathered hat was swinging a large black Zanbatō with a guard resembling an ornate cross. As the man sheathed the massive blade on his back, a large galleon he had been facing split in two and sunk beneath the waves, as if it were a melon and a giant had taken an invisible knife to it.
"My ship," said Krieg in shock, "you there! Why did you sink my flagship?"
The man turned around and regarded Kreig with gold eyes that bore the intensity of a hawk's gaze.
"Because I felt like it."
xXsceneXx
"Brother Zoro," said Johnny, "that guy, he's…"
"I know," said Zoro, "Hawkeye Mihawk, the strongest swordsman in the world. The one I shall surpass."
"Just don't get all cut up this time," said Sanji.
"Shut up, shitty cook!" growled Zoro.
The Strawhats watched as Mihawk regarded the Pirate Admiral coolly before turning to head toward a small boat fashioned like a coffin. It seemed he had little interest in the goings on here and simply felt the need to sink the Don's ship.
"You bastard!" yelled Krieg as he revealed his guns again, "You'll pay for that!"
Kreig began firing a barrage of bullets at the swordsman responsible for the destruction of his ship, but that didn't faze the man. Mihawk simply drew his sword and flicked it to his side with one quick movement, deflecting the bullets with the wind from his slash.
"You bore me," said Mihawk as he sheathed his blade, "I suggest you stop before you get hurt."
"HAWKEYE!" yelled Zoro as he walked forward.
"Oh?" asked Mihawk, "And who are you supposed to be?"
"Roronoa Zoro," said Zoro as he took his bandanna off his arm and tied it around his head, "the man who's going to surpass you and take the title of World's Strongest."
"Are you challenging me?" asked Mihawk as he raised an eyebrow.
"I am," said Zoro with a smirk.
Mihawk narrowed his eyes as he regarded the swordsman in front of him. He had faced off against many men who prided themselves on the skills of their swords, and all fell short when they turned their blades against him, but this man felt different. He had an aura of strength about him, as if he had faced death and endured hell while still emerging to fight again. But that didn't mean he was ready to truly face him.
"Interesting," said Mihawk, "then I shall oblige you."
Mihawk reached for the cross around his neck and tugged on it to reveal a hidden dagger. Zoro frowned at the action, knowing that this meant Mihawk wasn't taking him seriously yet. No matter, Zoro would give him reason to draw the Black Blade. Placing Wado in his mouth Zoro got into a stance to prepare for his attack.
Gripping his swords, he rushed at Mihawk, leaping across the water by hopping on pieces of wood left from the wreckage of the galleon Mihawk sank, "ONI…"
Mihawk analyzed the attack in an instant and thrust his dagger toward the point where the blades would cross, intending to stop Zoro's attack cold. However, Zoro had been through this already and broke his stride for a second, adjusting his target to avoid this defense.
"GIRI!" finished Zoro as he attacked with his three katanas.
There was a clang of steel hitting steel and Mihawk's knife was sent spinning out of his hand, landing on the deck next to Luffy. Zoro then exited his stance and took Wado out of his mouth, surprising Mihawk.
"Oh?" he said, "Do you think you've won now that you've disarmed me, boy?"
"Of course not," said Zoro, "I just have no interest fighting you at anything but your best. So until you draw Yoru, I won't raise my blades against you."
Mihawk was silent for a moment before he began to laugh, "Wahahahahaha. To think I would find a swordsman like you on this sea. Yes, I believe it would be appropriate to fight you at my best. Let us see your resolve."
Reaching behind him, Mihawk drew his black blade, Yoru and leveled it in a stance of his own. Zoro placed Wado back in his mouth and entered his Santoryu stance as well, channeling Haki to his swords, causing the blades to turn black which caused Mihawk to raise an eyebrow in surprise before smirking. This would certainly be an interesting fight.
The two swordsmen faced each other, unmoving, before shooting at each other and clashing their blades together. Zoro may have had more experience due to time travel, but his body was still not at the level it was when he was sent back, so Mihawk's powerful strike sent Zoro flying backwards. The former Pirate Hunter didn't let that stop him and got into another stance while in midair.
"Santoryu: Senhachiju Pound Ho!" yelled Zoro as he swung his swords, sending a spiraling vortex of air blades flying at Mihawk before slamming into the hull of the remains of Kreig's galleon.
Zoro's attack slammed into Mihawk's blade, sending the master swordsman skidding back before he was able to gain footing and disperse the attack with a swing of his massive blade. Mihawk then swung his blade, sending a green slash flying through the air towards Zoro that parted the sea as it cut through it. Zoro managed to twist out of the way, allowing the slash to split the wreckage he was on, before swinging his swords.
"Santoryu: Kokujo: O Tatsumaki!" yelled Zoro, swinging his swords to create a twister of slashes that sucked in the water as it moved toward Mihawk, turning it into a massive waterspout of death.
The World's Strongest Swordsman faced down the incoming cyclone calmly while reading his blade. With a powerful slash, Mihawk cut through the twister, causing it to dispel violently. Zoro didn't give him a chance to recover though, as he was already spinning his swords in preparation for his next attack.
"Santoryu Ogi: Ichidai Sanzen Daisen Sekai!" yelled Zoro as he sent several slashes at Mihawk that cut through the water and air as they passed through them.
Mihawk narrowed his eyes as the slashes streaked toward him, swinging his sword to intercept them, but due to their speed, he wasn't able to fully block them and received a slash across his cheek as a result.
"Heh," smirked Zoro, "looks like first blood is mine, Hawk Eye."
"Indeed," said Mihawk, "it's been a while since a swordsman has pushed me this far. Let us continue and see where it takes us."
"Gladly," said Zoro as he readied his blades and shot at Mihawk.
The two swordsmen clashed their blades together over and over, the shockwaves from their attacks causing the sea to explode around them. Sparks flew from their blades as their Haki infused weapons clashed again and again. From the sidelines, the ones watching were shocked at the ferocity of this duel.
"Those two are monsters," gasped Carne.
"Watch this fight and remember boys," said Zeff in a serious tone to his chefs, "this is a clash between masters of the blade. A fight like this happens once in a lifetime, so remember it and don't miss a second."
"Brother Zoro is this strong?" said Yosaku in awe.
"He's fighting Hawk Eye and holding his own," nodded Johnny.
"Zoro's strong alright," nodded Usopp, "but right now, his body isn't as strong as he'd like. Otherwise, this fight would be going in a different direction entirely."
Johnny and Yosaku were speechless as they watched the two titans clash their blades once more.
"You are skilled," said Mihawk as he and Zoro locked blades, causing the ocean to explode around them.
"Yeah," grunted Zoro as he pushed back Mihawk's Yoru, "but I'm not really at my best right now. Give it a few months and I'll be back to where I was."
"Oh?" said Mihawk in an amused tone as he broke the clash and sent Zoro skidding back, "And why is that?"
"It's complicated," said Zoro, "but due to some events I lost a lot of the progress I made in my training, and need to build myself back to that level again."
"In that case," said Mihawk, "come at me with your best and we shall see if you are ready to take my crown."
"Gladly," said Zoro as he focused Haki not only to his blades, but to his body as well, causing his skin to turn black as black flames formed on his body, "Kiki Kyutoryu: Asura!"
As the flames danced about his body, two more sets of arms manifested on his body holding Katanas, while two more heads appeared as well with copies of Wado in their mouths. Mihawk raised an eyebrow at the transformation before focusing Haki into his own sword, causing black flames to erupt on the blade of his Yoru. Getting into their stances, the two swordsmen prepared to match their blades with their final move.
"Asura," said Zoro as he began to rush at Mihawk before leaping at him, twisting his body so his blades spin like a drill, "UGUI!"
As Zoro shot at Mihawk, the master swordsman readied his blade and sliced forward as Zoro passed him. When the two of them skidded to a stop, everything was still for a moment as Zoro's Asura technique faded away and the Haki faded from their blades and bodies. Suddenly, the blades of the katanas in Zoro's hands shattered like glass while cuts opened up on his torso. Surprisingly, a slash formed across Mihawk's face while a chip of his blade fell to the ground and the sheath for his cross blade fell to the ground as the cord had been cut.
"Looks like I lost," said Zoro with a smirk as he dropped the remains of his broken blades and sheathed Wado before turning and exposing his front to Mihawk with his arms spread.
"What are you doing?" asked Mihawk.
"Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame," said Zoro as he said last time.
Mihawk smirked, "Indeed."
Zoro closed his eyes as he waited for Mihawk to cut him open like last time, giving him what would become his biggest scar. But instead of feeling pain, he felt a weight placed around his neck. Opening his eyes, he saw that Mihawk had placed the sheath of his cross blade around his neck, the cord tied in a knot to keep it together.
Stepping back, Mihawk smiled and nodded toward the blade stuck in the deck, "Train and grow strong, Roronoa Zoro," he said, "find your limits and push past them. When you are ready, we shall meet again and we'll finish our duel and you will return that blade to me."
With that, Mihawk got into his coffin boat and sailed away for the open sea.
"Well Red-Hair," he mused, "it seems we both have a protégé now. Let us watch them grow, and see if they have what it takes to surpass us."