This is the 24th chapter. I don't own the series of One Piece.
No flame reviews
Fierce Battle: Monkey D. Luffy vs Don Krieg
Somewhere at sea, Baratie
When Don Krieg fired the 'MH5' poison gas bomb at Gin, Luffy, and Sanji, both the chefs and the Krieg pirates were swimming far away from the sea restaurant as possible to get away from the gas bomb. Luffy was able to take those gas masks from those Krieg pirates while passing it to the two, but when he about to get one for himself, the rest of the pirates have left which he's in a very serious situation. It was too late when the poison gas bomb was about to head towards them, leaving Luffy panicked when he was about to be dead. Luckily, the gas mask was in front of him as he then grab hold of it and place it on his face until...the poison gas bomb explodes and the poison was spreading outside of the sea restaurant. When the poison gas was about to be clear, Luffy revealed himself with the gas mask on his face.
'Phew, I'm alive! That mask appeared just in time.' Luffy mentally thought with relief.
Of course, the poison gas was clearing when the chefs are seen floating in the water at a good distance away.
"What a crazy bastard."
"He tried to kill us all. That guy is gotta be insane."
"I believe he use poison gas."
"He must be a demon. No human would do that."
While inside of the sea restaurant, Patty, Carne, and Zeff were thinking the some thing about Don Krieg, knew of how cruel he is towards Gin which it was downright wrong and malicious.
Outside of the sea restaurant, the poison gas was about to clear as the chefs then comment.
"Do you think Sanji and chore boy made it?"
"I don't know, look. The poison gas is clearing up."
The Krieg pirates were thinking the same thing since they're not far off when they saw the poison gas was clearing up as Don Krieg remove his gas mask from his face, revealing an evil smirk. Gin was still holding the gas mask onto Sanji's face as he spoke.
"Gin." Sanji groaned. "Let go...You can let go now."
Despite that, Gin wasn't responding while Luffy remove the gas mask from his face, looking at him.
"Hey Gin, are you okay?" Luffy asks, stood up.
There is still no respond when Gin was severely poisoned and it's spreading which he's in a brink of dying. He was then coughing and wheezing for air while he losing a bit of his blood from in between the nose and the mouth. Luffy realized why the mask is in front of him is because Gin tossed it as he spoke.
"It's your mask." Luffy said, looking the gas mask. "You gave it to me."
Gin then cough a bit of his blood while collapsing down to the floor when Sanji grab hold of him and Luffy was about to rush towards him, but hearing Don Krieg laughing with a mockery.
"What a fool. You are paying for a plate of food with your life." Don Krieg mocks his crewman, smirking. "Oh well, maybe you'll learn when you're dead."
Don Krieg then burst of laughter with a mockery, making Luffy really angry at the Fleet Commander. The chefs didn't like the way that Don Krieg have treated Gin.
"That bastard! First, he orders Gin to kill himself and then, he mocks the poor guy."
"He should respect the fact that he followed his order in the end."
Gin then gasp for air while wheezing a bit while Sanji look at him with anger in his eyes.
"Don...D-Don Krieg..."Gin said weakly, wheezing.
"Gin." Sanji said, looking at Don Krieg with pure anger. "So, it seems Don Krieg was not the right man for you to follow, was he?"
Don Krieg then burst of laughter with mockery once more as he then spoke.
"It figures that you still feel for that pathetic scum." Don Krieg mocks with a sinister smirk, leaving the Krieg pirates shocked and Sanji getting more angry. "That's right, anyone who loses focus and betrays my ship is worthless to me. They'll almost certainly do it again, putting him out of his misery is an act of mercy to keep here for dishonoring himself in the future and endangering my crew."
The Krieg pirates were completely stunned when they saw their Captain killed his Chief Commander for Gin showing mercy for the first time.
"But...He just...I never thought the Captain would kill his Chief Commander!?"
"I know. Gin has been his right-hand man for even longer than I have been apart of the crew."
"That's right see, no one's ever showed more loyalty to Don Krieg than Gin has over the years."
"How could he forget what Gin did for us after we escape from the Grand Line and Fullbody's Marines were after us? It was a miracle that we escaped."
"Yeah! He was willing to sacrifice his life by acting as a decoy. Without him, we wouldn't have made it out of there. Gin's lay down his life for Don Krieg 100 times easy, I can't believe that Captain would kill him for such little care."
Gin then quickly gasp for air while coughing as both Carne and Patty walked out of the sea restaurant with the scowl in their faces.
"That's so cruel." Patty growled, earned his attention as he then turn to his co-worker.
"Patty! Get the kit, hurry!?" Sanji yelled with desperation.
"It's for food poisoning, I don't think it'll work on gas, Sanji!?" Patty tried to reason with him.
"I don't care! We have to try!?" Sanji retorts.
"Put the mask on him! It will detoxify the gas in his lungs. Then, bring him upstairs and let him breath." Zeff ordered the two, leaving Sanji surprised. "It's the only chance we have to save him."
Sanji then place the gas mask onto Gin's face for him to detoxify the poison from his lungs.
"Patty, Carne, hurry!? Help me!" Sanji yelled at the two.
"Alright already!" Patty shouts as he then rush towards him to grab Gin.
"Me too? Alright, I'm coming." Carne said as he then help Patty grabbed Gin, carrying him inside of the sea restaurant. Luffy then look at Don Krieg with pure anger.
"Heh, it's no use. He's going to die within the hour." Don Krieg scoffed.
"Don't you dare, Gin." Luffy growled, earned their attention. "You can't let someone like him win. Stick around, now I'm mad! You want to see what I'm going to do to him next!?"
"You can't...defeat him." Gin told him weakly.
"Wait a second, attacking him and head-on is exactly what he wants, he strongest that way!?" Sanji exclaims, reasoned with him while grabbing his wrist, but Luffy ignored his warning when he looked at Don Krieg.
"I'm not worried." Luffy told him, leaving Sanji shocked as he then jerk his arm away from the sous chef while rush towards Don Krieg. "Go ahead and give it your best shot!?"
"Dumb kid! When you lose your patience, you've become easy prey." Don Krieg told him with a smirk, but Luffy doesn't care while continue to run towards him. "You are only running toward on thing, chore boy. And that is..."
Don Krieg then threw iron marble bombs at the sea.
"...You funeral." Don Krieg finished his sentence.
"My funeral!" Luffy snarled when the bombs explodes at sea, but he continues to run when Don Krieg then aim the shield at the rubber captain, firing the needle-like bullets at Luffy which it went through the sea and the rubber captain was shot in between the leg, the side of his rib, and the shoulder.
"He got hit!?" Sanji exclaims as Don Krieg continues to fire the needle-like bullets at Luffy until there's no bullets left.
The Krieg pirates then smirk with triumphant while the chefs grew worried that Luffy was killed, but little did they know that the rubber captain was still alive when Don Krieg saw him alive as he then leap after him.
"Gum-Gum" Luffy then stretch his arm while Don Krieg bring out his cape full of fist-sized spikes to cover himself, much the chefs dismay and the Krieg pirates excitement as the rubber captain then landed. "Pistol"
Luffy punched him which he manage to punch through the spikes while ignoring the injuries, leaving the Krieg pirates, Sanji, and Zeff shocked of that attack when Don Krieg was then knocked out, landed on the wooden floor. Everything was silent at the moment when they watch the battle as Luffy then finally stood up, leaving the Krieg pirates stunned that their captain was down. The chefs were amazed that Luffy went through the spikes, but knew that it was pretty foolish to do that. Never in their life that Don Krieg have gotten hit in any fights he fought, but it was the first time that they saw him punched through the spiked-cape.
Luffy then pull out the needle-like bullet out of his shoulder, threw it out as he spoke.
"So is this my funeral? Or yours?" Luffy snarled, pull out the other needle-like bullet out of his rib and threw it out. "You can't kill me...with little spikes!? My funeral...it will take more than this!?"
Luffy then pull out the third and final needle-like bullet out of his leg and threw it out, panting heavily while trying to endure the pain.
"You'll have to do better than that...If you wanna beat me, because I don't think its time for me to die just yet!?" Luffy exclaims with a confident smirk on his face.
This battle was starting to grew intense since the beginning between the two Captains fighting outside of the Baratie. Both Zeff and Sanji were watching the battle as he spoke.
"I know one thing, he's nuts." Sanji said, causing Zeff to look at him for a few seconds, looking back at the battle.
"I've seen one or two like him before." Zeff told him, earned his attention. "Stubborn kids would rather die than have to turn away from a fight once it's started."
"He'll stay, that's for sure." Sanji said, looking at the battle.
"I'm glad he's with us cuz' guys like that are hell to fight." Zeff clarifies, leaving Sanji widen his eyes. "I don't care if he wins or loses, I consider it an honor just to be able to watch it."
The chefs and the Krieg pirates were watching the battle since this fight is starting to get interesting.
Meanwhile, both Patty and Carne were able to get Gin on the second floor at the balcony, giving him some room so he can breath for air which he's still gasping and wheezing for air.
"Hey man, you alright?" Carne asks with worry.
"Try to breathe!? You need a little fresh air!?" Patty exclaims.
"You want a pillow? Or maybe some water?" Carne asks, bot no respond. "Speak!?"
There is still no response when Gin kept gasping and wheezing for air.
"This is bad." Carne said with dread.
"You know what? I make a great banana pudding, want some?" Patty offered.
"You idiot! We don't want him to choke to death on any of your culinary disaster!?" Carne shouts.
"Say the guy serve back at the trough you get from choking down from one of your raunchy meat-pies!?" Patty retorts.
"The reason I won't feed him one of my meat-pies is because after one bite, you think he died and gone to heaven!?" Carne yelled with a tick mark on his head.
With that, Gin then passed out, leaving Patty and Carne yelp with fright.
"Don't die yet!?" Carne shouts.
"Come on! Breathe more!?" Patty added, holding him.
"You're not really dead! You're not really dead! You're not really dead! You're not really dead! You're not really dead! You're not really-"
"Shut up!?" Patty interrupts with annoyance.
Until, they heard Gin coughing while wheezing for air, leaving the two sighed with relief.
"He's still alive." Carne and Patty said in unison.
"Don...Don...Don Krieg..." Gin said weakly.
Meanwhile back at the battlefield, the Krieg knew that they're in trouble, but some disagree which they believe what Luffy did was just a fluke while the chefs were hoping that he's down for good. However, Don Krieg then look at Luffy with anger as he spoke since he's still alive.
"So boy, it's not your funeral yet, is it? Too bad!" Don Krieg groaned as he then stood up. "Because one of us gas gotta go. And since I'm here, I've really like to pay my respects!?"
Don Krieg then bashed him with his shield, firing at him.
"Go to hell!?" Don Krieg yelled, but Luffy manage to dodge that attack when he leap over him while pulling him down with his foot.
"You first!?" Luffy retorts while stretching his leg out, sent Don Krieg down to the ground while un-stretch his leg back in its place, leaving the Krieg pirates in disbelief.
"This can't be happening!? He's taking another fall!?"
"But...But how?! I've never seen anyone hit him because they're usually dead before they get close enough!?"
"The fact is, he might not actually be invincible. What the hell are you!?"
Luffy then smirked as the wind blows at him for a few seconds, leaving the chefs amazed of what they just saw.
"Look at that, the kid's pretty good." Patty said with amazement while carrying Gin.
"Yeah, no kidding." Carne agrees.
The chefs then began cheering Luffy.
"He's amazing!?"
"Finish him off, chore boy!"
"Yeah, end it once and for all!?"
The Krieg pirates then look at the fight with disbelief which it was the first time that Luffy have manage to knock him down.
"That punk is fighting with Don Krieg as if he were the same strength."
"This can't be real, it's like I'm watching my own nightmare."
"He's suppose to be truly invincible. If he gets beaten by this little kid, his reputation will be-"
"SHUT UP MAGGOTS! NEVER DOUBT ME!?" Don Krieg interrupts with a yell. He then locked his pauldrons against one another and activating internal devices that produce a heft and a fully-functioned blade from the area in between, making it like a spear. Don Krieg then slams his spear which Luffy have manage to dodge, but it cause an explosion.
"What...was that!?" Sanji exclaims with shock.
When the smoke clears, revealed that Don Krieg was holding his spear.
"Finally! He's gonna stop messing around and step up his game."
"The Mighty Battle-Spear."
"What was that? An exploding spear?" Luffy questions, hiding in the ruined mast.
"Now what? You gonna try to hide from me?" Don Krieg questions with a smirk, pull out his cape. "Alright then boy, this should be fun. My Might Battle-Spear, it's different from the one I was fighting with earlier. When this thing hits you, you won't just be wounded and flailing, YOU WILL BE BLOWN STRAIGHT TO HELL!?"
With that, Don Krieg then slam his spear once more, making an explosion as Luffy was sent flying, but he manage to grab hold of the wooden rail while landed safely.
"That spear really sucks! It explodes every time he hits anything!?" Luffy complains as he tried to stood up, but his legs won't move, much to his dismay. "What's going on? My knees!"
"He's lost way too much blood." Sanji said seriously. "He can't fight for much longer. This better end quickly."
"You look tired. Too bad, guess you should've saved a little more energy." Don Krieg mocks with a smirk.
"Damn...With everything rocking, I can't hit him with full-force." Luffy groaned weakly.
The Krieg pirates were watching their captain gained the upper-hand with his spear which it was devastating when it explodes since Luffy was now having trouble.
"I've never in my life seen a more stunning weapon than the Might Battle-spear."
"Don Krieg is only one strong enough to handle the spear. Since the harder he strikes with it, the bigger the explosion had causes. Anyone else would just completely destroyed by there own pathetic attack."
Don Krieg then leap after Luffy, thrusting his spear when the rubber captain manage to duck, but he won't let him give a moment to breath as he then unleash the flurry of horizontal slash with versatility which Luffy was still able to dodge but barely.
"It's strength, his strength is the key. He causes that kind of damage no one else can because there's just no one else who can swing a spear that easily weighs more than a ton."
"That's exactly why Don Krieg is the most dangerous man in the East Blue."
Don Krieg continues to swing his spear with versatility while Luffy continues to dodge which he stumbled a bit, leaving Don Krieg having a chance to strike as he swing his spear, but Luffy manage to leap. Don Krieg then positioned himself to strike.
"NOW DIE!?" Don Krieg yelled as he then swing his spear, but Luffy manage to grab hold of that spear.
"Phew, that was really close." Luffy sighed, wiping the sweat from his forehead.
Don Krieg then growled with pure anger and annoyance, seeing that Luffy is persistent and not giving up the fight, but he was about had enough as he then lift up his spear.
"You're just like a little bug!?" Don Krieg yelled, slamming his spear and made an explosion which Luffy was force to let go while flying up when Don Krieg then positioned his spear as the rubber captain then descends. At the moment, Don Krieg then thrust his spear as Luffy then hold the tip, but it cause an explosion.
"Chore boy!?" Sanji yelled.
Luffy was then down at the wreck with heavy wounds, but he then slowly stood up. The chefs were worried about Luffy since he got caught in explosion from Don Krieg.
"I'm not finish with you." Don Krieg said with a smirk. "If you hadn't made me so angry, I would've killed you more quickly."
Don Krieg then laugh a bit when he saw Luffy in his wounded state from all the pain he's been inflicted upon.
"Dammit! There's no way that chore boy can take much more of this." Sanji groaned. "That spear is way too powerful."
"No, you're wrong. Even with a hundred-thousand more weapons, our chore boy can still bring him to his knees because he does not know fear." Zeff lectured him, earned his attention.
Don Krieg then swing his spear again while Luffy was about to punch him, but got caught an explosion, sent him flying while landed on the wreck once more. The Krieg pirates were smirking with a snicker while the chefs were watching with dread. Zeff was watching with a serious look on his face.
"Heh, that was too easy." Don Krieg scoffed with disappointment, walking away. But what stopped him was that Luffy stood up slowly as he turned to him, readied his spear. "Now that's impressive."
Don Krieg then smirked with impressed expression on his face as they get into a stand-off, glaring each other.
"Stand or fall, life or death, in a struggle for own very existence, you cannot have even the slightest bit of fear or you will be lost." Zeff told him without looking at him, earned his attention.
"What are you talking about?" Sanji questions with confusion.
"That kid out there..."
Don Krieg then swing his spear while Luffy then punch and got caught an explosion. The chefs were wondering why would Luffy keep doing this same thing over and over and gets caught an explosion from the spear which he was either smart or just being reckless is unknown.
"When he's fighting, he's not afraid of anything, not even death." Zeff said.
Luffy then stood up with a smirk on his face as Don Krieg then swing his spear while explodes, sent him flying as he then landed hard on the wreck. Don Krieg then approaches him.
"Is it just instinct or all a plan? We'll know soon." Zeff said with a smirk. "if he lives."
"What plan? Killing himself?" Sanji asks with his eyes widen when he saw Luffy stood up but having trouble balanced himself. Luffy quickly recovers, getting into his fighting stance.
The Krieg then look at Luffy with disbelief, ever since the rubber captain have been taking hits and getting exploded four times.
"You...son of a bitch!?" Don Krieg growled with a snarl as Luffy then smirked.
The chefs than cheered for Luffy while Patty, Carne, and Gin were watching the fight.
"I told you, today is your funeral!? I AM INVINCIBLE!?" Don Krieg yelled as he charge after Luffy, swinging his spear while making an explosion.
The chefs couldn't even tell that if Luffy was able to hit him or not because of all that smoke, but Don Krieg was the only one still standing.
"There is no doubt that Krieg and his pirates are strong, but chore boy has something they'll never have." Zeff said when Don Krieg widened his eyes with shock when he saw Luffy was still standing. "Krieg may have more pirates at his command than anyone else before him, he may have terrible weapons that cause mass destruction to everything in his path, but he will never have that kids heart."
Sanji then widen his eyes in surprise when he saw Luffy as the rubber captain then stomp the wreck, causing the spear tip to shatter into pieces.
"What!? My Battle-spear!?" Don Krieg exclaims with shock. "What the hell did you do!?"
The atmosphere was growing intense during the battle which it was starting to get even more interesting.
"I just punched it in a head five times, it looks tired. Maybe it needs a rest." Luffy mocks with a confident smirk, leaving Don Krieg growled. "Now it's my turn."
The chefs were amazed that Luffy destroyed the tip of the battle-spear which it was reckless, but it worked.
"Chore boy is pretty good, huh?"
"He might be able to pull it off."
However, the Krieg pirates were stunned that Don Krieg's spear tip.
"This is terrible!"
"He just shattered the Might Battle-Spear!"
"It's a miracle he's still alive after that many explosions. There's no way he can hold up." Sanji cringed, holding his ribs.
While at the battle scene, Luffy smirked with confidence while Don Krieg was pretty angry after what the rubber captain did to the spear.
"You ready for this?" Luffy rhetorically questions. "Because that was all I needed."
Luffy then stood spoke as he spoke.
"Now that your little toy is broken, you're nothing to me." Luffy said.
"Oh yeah?" Don Krieg snarled.
"Yeah." Luffy answered. "Without the blade, it's just a bomb on a stick and lets face it, that's pretty lame."
"You think so?" Don Krieg questions.
"Sure do." Luffy answered.
"Fine, so what if it is just a bomb on a stick." Don Krieg scoffed with a smirk. "You're in sad shape, kiddo. I think it'll be more than enough to blow you into pieces. You know, it sounds to me like this is some sort of pathetic attempted a bluff."
"Okay, but you're wrong." Luffy shrugs with a smile.
"Just give up. Your defeat is imminent." Don Krieg warns, readied his battle-spear. "You see when you defied me, YOU SIGNED YOUR OWN DEATH WARRANT!?"
Luffy then sticks his tongue as Don Krieg then charge after him, slamming his spear when the rubber captain stretch his arms to grab hold of the mast to dodge that attack.
"Hey! Up here!" Luffy taunts.
"Bastard! YOU MONKEY!?' Don Krieg yelled as he then swing his spear, explodes the mast as it then tumbles down while Luffy break the mast into two. "Bounce outta that!"
Luffy then counter as he then throw the broken mast like a javelin.
"Nice try!?" Don Krieg yelled as he then unleash the flamethrower from his right, burned the broken mast from the process.
"How many weapons does that guy have!?" Sanji exclaims.
When the smoke clears, Don Krieg smirked while Luffy then began to stretch his arms out to bring out his fists.
"Gum-Gum: Gatling" Luffy then unleash the blurry, rapid barrage of strong punches as Don Krieg's armor which it has no effect, but he continues to punch rapidly. The Krieg were watching him punching Don Krieg with in a mixture of confusion and shock while the chefs were cheering for Luffy. Luffy let out a warcry when he continues to punch his armor rapidly until he stops and landed on the wreck. Don Krieg then laughed as he spoke.
"Weakling! What exactly did you expect to happen, boy? I'm wearing Wootz Steel Body Armor, this stuff is practically indestructible." Don Krieg boasts with a smirk.
Luffy then inhaled his breath, rushed after him while stretched his arm out.
"We'll see about that!? Gum-Gum: Pistol" Luffy yelled when he got close enough as he then punched him in the stomach, causing Don Krieg to wheeze while the rubber grunts.
"HOW DARE!?" Don Krieg yelled, had enough as he lift him up, slamming him with a spear as Luffy was then sent flying and getting knocked out when he lands on the wreck really hard. Don Krieg then snickers as he walk towards him. "It's useless, you'll never defeat me!? This armor can take a million more than of your monkey punches and it wouldn't have so much as a dent!?"
"Well, we'll just see about that." Luffy grunts as he then stood up, but notice that Don Krieg. "He's gone!?"
"I'm right here!?" Don Krieg yelled as Luffy turned his head when he saw them at the top of the tallest mast. "You don't stand a chance, boy. Real power comes from deadly weapons!? They're the source of true strength!? See, only the strong are meant to live! And that's me!"
Luffy then rush after Don Krieg at the mast with a smirk on his face.
"Yeah, that's what you think!?" Luffy yelled as he then stretch his arms far back. "Gum-Gum"
"It's useless!?" Don Krieg yells as he lift his spear. "Foolish plight will only get you so far!?"
Don Krieg then slams his spear, make an explosion when Luffys arms began to hurl forward, leaving him shocked.
"Bazooka" Luffy then strike him with both of his hands, sent him flying off the mast while forcing him to let go of the spear. However, Don Krieg threw out his iron bombs while laughing.
"That's it!? After all that big talk, that's all you've got!?" Don Krieg mocks with a smirk, but his armor was cracking. "No! I don't believe it, my armor's cracking!?"
Luff was just standing since he took that blow from Don Krieg which he was badly wounded from all of the blows he took.
"Doesn't matter." Don Krieg said with a smirk. "You're done for, chore boy!?"
Don Krieg then threw the iron bombs towards the sea, leaving Sanji realize as he spoke.
"IT'S A TRAP! GET OUT!" Sanji yelled at him.
But it was too late, the bombs then explodes in between the wreck and the sea, destroyed the wreck completely as the waves then push the chefs and the Krieg pirates because of the explosion that causes the tidal wave.
'He's not afraid of anything, not even death. Is it just instinct or all a plan? We'll know soon if he lives.' Those words were echoed on Sanji's mind when he watch this fight with his eyes widened.
Until, Luffy's arms stretched up while leap after him. Don Krieg widened his eyes with shock in disbelief that Luffy was still alive.
"Gum-Gum: Bazooka" Luffy then hurl his arms forward, striking him in the stomach when his steel armor finally penetrates and shattered into pieces, leaving him gasp in pain and the Krieg pirates widened their eyes and dropped their jaws in disbelief. The chefs than cheered with victory, seeing that Luffy defeats Don Krieg as he then heads down to the sea. "I TOTALLY WIIIIIIIIIINNNN!?"
However, Don Krieg then opened his eyes with anger as he spoke.
"This isn't over yet boy!?" Don Krieg yelled as he then caught Luffy with his net, causing him to laugh since the rubber captain is struggling to get out of the net. "You can't escape! It's a steel net!"
Luffy was trying to get out, but no avail since he'll be heading straight towards the sea.
"It's over! That's the ocean down there below us! It looks like I'll be getting the last laugh after all, chore boy!" Don Krieg yelled with triumph.
The Krieg pirates then cheered for their captain since they knew that Don Krieg had a last trick under his sleeve, but Luffy manage to free his arms and legs from the net.
"Now I got that jerk right where I want him." Luffy muttered with a smirk.
'He hasn't even flinched. How can he stay so calm?' Sanji mentally questions with shock.
Luffy then twist his legs around while grab hold of Don Krieg with his feet.
"Time for me to end this, right now!?" Luffy yelled as he then untwist his legs, rapidly spins Don Krieg. "Gum-Gum: Giant Hammer"
Luffy then brings Don Krieg crashing down into the sea restaurant's main lobby with the very hard impact, leaving Don Krieg knocked out and defeated. However, Luffy splash down into the ocean and sinking down below into the depths of the sea. The chefs then cheered with victory while the Krieg pirates were completely stunned with disbelief.
"He won. He really won." Patty said with awe.
"Oh wow." Carne added. "I oughta be dreaming. That's Don Krieg we're talking about."
"I know. Who'd a thought that kid had it in him?" Patty rhetorically questions with a smile, laughing.
Gin then opened his eyes as he then spoke.
"What is it? What's going on?" Gin asks, earned their attention.
"Hey, rise and shine!" Patty shouts.
"Krieg was beaten, betcha never thought you see the day!" Carne added.
"What!?" Gin exclaims with shock.
Sanji was completely stunned, seeing that Luffy have defeated Don Krieg and save the sea restaurant, well, the Baratie was a bit damaged for the most part because of the fight and Luffy's recklessness. Zeff then walk towards the sea restaurant as he spoke.
"Are you done daydreaming yet? Go on, save that kid." Zeff ordered him, earned his attention. "He can't swim."
"What!?" Sanji exclaims surprisingly.
"Those with power of the Devil Fruit are hated by sea. So they lose there ability to swim." Zeff explains.
"What are you saying? He'll sink!?" Sanji shouts, stood up as he took his shoes off and his jacket. "You could've told me that sooner you worthless old geezer, what if it's already too late!?"
Sanji then rush towards the ocean as he dive down to rescue Luffy. He then swan down as fast as he can while trying to get to Luffy, stopped while scanning the wreckage.
'Where is he?' Sanji mentally questions as he then search the wreckage of the ship, stopped when he coughed but he notice Luffy was on the wreck while the steel chains were tangled up as he swan towards the rubber captain. He tried to pull those steel chains, but no avail.
"Hey, hang in there!" Sanji shouts in underwater. 'You said you wouldn't die! You truly believe that, right!? Well!?'
He then starts to have flashbacks when he remembered that Luffy first punched Don Krieg while telling him that he's not his time to die. Sanji then pull Luffy out of the steel net.
'These guys...' Sanji thought, remembered that Zoro was slashed by 'Hawkeye' Mihawk during the fight which he lost and the sous chef knew that this fight was clear from the very beginning, yet Zoro rather choose death than defeat. Sanji then grab hold of Luffy while swimming up towards the surface.
'They're all...' Sanji thought, remembered why Zoro didn't dodge from 'Hawkeye' Mihawks attack which the swordsman told him that he won't run from the fight, even he run, he would break the promises he'd made which it's the reason why he won't run and would lose his honor if he runs away.
'Even with a hundred thousand more weapons, our chore boy can still bring him to his knees. Because he does not know fear. Krieg may have more pirates at his command, he may have terrible weapons that cause mass destruction to everything in his path, but he will never have that kids heart.' Those words have echoed on Sanji's mind while trying to head towards the surface, but his eyes widen when he remembered about his dream. 'The All Blue.'
When Sanji have finally made his way up toward the surface with Luffy, he then gasp for air while turn to him.
"Hey, chore boy! Don't you die on me!?" Sanji exclaims as he then swim towards the Baratie.
Gin just look away with disbelief since he heard of his captains defeat while the Krieg pirates made their way towards their captain, pleading that if was okay or anything like that which apparently, he was down for the count thanks to Luffy.
"Don Krieg has been defeated...This can't be happening...He's the mighty Ruler of the East Blue...It can't be...It's impossible...Impossible!? He's just too strong!?" Gin muttered with frustration.
"Yeah? Well now he's down for the count. Have a look at him and see for yourself!?" Patty suggests, pointing at Don Krieg.
"That fancy armor of his got all busted up and he was out as soon as he hit the deck!?" Carne added.
"What, do you think we're lying to you?" Patty questions. "Go ahead and look."
"He was the only man I ever really admired...How foolish, now he's lost." Gin said, leaving Carne and Patty confused as he then take his headband off, stood up and walk way.
Both Carne and Patty tried to beg him to stop, but he ignored those pleas while walk out of the sea restaurant.
"Chore boy! Chore boy, can you hear me!?" Sanji shouts at Luffy. "Don't die! You still have a lot of things to do with your life?! Get up, right now! Please! Please! Just open your eyes! Please, don't die!"
Until, Luffy then begin to snore which he was sleeping the entire time, much to his dismay.
"Are you kidding!?' Sanji exclaims, bonk his head with annoyance but smiled. "You're really are something else."
"NO! I'M THE STRONGEST!" Don Krieg yelled as he then stood up, but he's still unconscious. "I WIN! I'M THE GREATEST! I'M THE BEST! NO ONE DEFEATS ME!"
The Krieg pirates to trying to stop him for making himself worse as they grab hold on him, but he's too strong as he knocked them out one-by-one. Gin then approaches him as he then punched him in the sternum, leaving him gasp in pain and knocked out.
"Don Krieg, we lost." Gin told him, carrying him on his shoulders. "Let's leave now while we still have the shred of dignity."
Gin then smiled as he then spoke.
"Thanks for everything, Sanji." Gin thanked him.
"Sure, now leave and don't ever come back." Sanji said as Gin then turn to him.
"Hey Sanji, you don't owe me any favors." Gin told him. "But when the kid wakes up, tell him 'I said, I'll see him on the Grand Line'."
"But you-"
"That's where I want to go with the time I have left." Gin interrupts. "It's the only thing I care about, the only thing that keeps me going. It would seem that Don Krieg's obsession with the Grand Line has become mine as well."
Gin then cough since poison was starting to spread on him because he was moving, but he doesn't care.
"It's silly I know that, but it's my dream." Gin said. "With this poison in my veins, I may only have a few hours to live. But, I feel free somehow. Like now I can live those last few moments on my own terms."
Patty and Carne rush outside of the sea restaurant when he saw Gin carrying Don Krieg.
"To hell with loyalty to Don Krieg, my devotion to him was just an escape for forging my own destiny." Gin stated. "Once your heart is set and you pursued your dreams with every last fiber of what you are. You will never again feel lost or hopeless or afraid. I learned all that from a brave chore boy."
Sanji then widen his eyes with surprise as he then smiled, turned to Patty and Carne.
"Hey you guys! Give him the boat we use to go grocery shop!" Sanji shouts with an order.
"Come on! Are you stupid or something?" Patty questions.
"Why do we have to give up our perfectly good boat to a bunch of pirates?" Carne added with a question.
"And what's gonna happen to all our grocery shopping, jackass!?" Patty cursed.
"Patty's right, let'em swim wherever they're going too!?" Carne agrees.
"Go Get That Grocery Boat Now!" Sanji yelled, leaving the two in tears.
"All right, fine." Carne whines.
"Stop shouting." Patty added.
With that, both Patty and Carne then head inside of the sea restaurant to get the grocery boat while crying like little babies. Few minutes later, Patty and Carne were able to get that grocery boat as the Krieg pirates were in the boat, but it won't hold that much weight when it was sinking.
"Why did I hesitate?" Gin questions himself. "What was I so worried about? When I think about it, I can't help but feel stupid."
Of course, the two were looking at Luffy with a smile on their faces, still hearing him snoring which they probably think that the rubber captain was thinking the same way. Gin then head towards the boat as he spoke.
"Well then, we gratefully accept this boat. Am I right to assume there's no need to return it?" Gin asks.
"It's yours, don't ever come back here, not for anything, not even return this boat." Sanji told him.
"He's right!" Patty agrees, approaches him. "And don't you ever forget, this is the restaurant where the cooks fight: the Baratie!"
The chefs then roared with cheer as Gin then set sail.
"The cooks there sure mean business." Gin chuckled a bit as he then sailed towards the sea.
Sanji see Gin and the Krieg sailed off towards the Grand Line which he may know that Gin won't be able to live for long because of the poison, but he knows that he'll be able to enjoy while last. He then look at Luffy which he's still sleeping.
That's it for the 24th chapter.