Descendants of the Creator

by BadBoy1992

Natsu and Naruto leave Earth Land and the Elemental Nations for two different reasons, and arrive in Foosha Village where they meet a 14-year-old Luffy. No one knew it at that point, but the meeting of the three of them, will change the entire world, forever. DDF Luffy. OP Luffy, Natsu and Naruto. ABANDONED. UNDER RE-WRITE. WILL BE POSTED EVENTUALY AS A DIFFERENT STORY.

7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

The pain Nojiko went through lasted for about 15 minutes, and was excruciating. It took her over half an hour to regain her voice from screaming, and she said that she has never in her life felt so much pain, and hoped she never again will.

But, the good news is, that the embedding of the Dragon Lacrima was a success, and Nojiko as officially become Water Dragon Slayer. Now, all she needs to do, is start to train, and as he promised, Natsu will train her.

Of course, since they are just about to reach Baratie, and since Nojiko is tired and still feels some pain, they left the training for after they leave Baratie, and head toward Loguetown.

XXX

Slightly over an hour later, and the Straw Hats have finally come close to the Baratie floating restaurant, but much to their surprise, it appears that the marines from before are also there, since they recognized few marines on the ship.

"Great, that lieutenant is here," Nami scowled, as she though there is going to be trouble.

"Don't worry Nami," Luffy said. "He backed away earlier, I doubt he will start anything now. Especially since there are innocent people around."

Nami nodded, and then the crew moored the ship next to Baratie, and then walked to the entrance, before they opened the door.

Once the door was opened, and everyone could see inside, they saw a bunch of costumers staring at something, scared out of their minds. Luffy and the others looked at where the others were watching, and saw Fullbody being held in the air by his throat with his feet dangling, and his face beaten up, bruised, and bloodied.

The one who was holding Fullbody like that, and most likely the one who beat him up, is a blond haired man around Zoro's age, dressed in a black suit, and a blue with black strips shirt underneath it.

Next to them is a broken table, while the blonde haired woman, which was with Fullbody earlier, was frightened, and is holding her hands over her mouth, with her eyes wide open.

"It's a big mistake to insult a cook here on Baratie," the blonde hair man said to Fullbody. "But it's even worse if you waste food in front of me. That is something which can get you killed. The only reason I didn't kill you right now, is because I don't want to scare this lovely lady any more then she already is, but next time you do something like this, nothing will save you."

While the crew and the other costumers were watching, the blonde man was approached by another, quite a bit bigger cook, who lectured to the man, whose name is apparently, Sanji. He yelled at him how he can't treat costumers like this, and that the restaurant can't work without costumers.

Sanji defended himself by saying Fullbody insulted him, the cooks and wasted food. He got what he has deserved. After that, Sanji let Fullbody fall on the floor, where he started coughing as he was trying to regain his breath.

"You are going to regret this," Fullbody mumbled. "All of you. No restaurant should treat its customers like this." Fullbody yelled how he will shut down the entire place, which angered Sanji even more.

"So maybe I should just finish you of right now, so you don't get a chance," Sanji threatened, and marched toward Fullbody, who got scared as if a devil was coming towards him.

He was saved though by the other cooks who stopped Sanji from murdering the foolish marine right in front of the other costumers.

"AROGANT ASSHOLES LIKE YOU WHO THINK THEY ARE SUCH BIG SHOTS AND CAN PUSH EVERYBODY AROUND REALLY PISS ME OFF!" Sanji yelled while half a dozen chefs were holding him and were trying to calm him down.

They were interrupted by an old man who walked into the hall. He was wearing a chef's uniform, had long chef's hat, blonde hair and beard along with long mustache. But, the most noticeable thing about the old man, is the wooden leg which was replacing his missing right leg.

"Sanji, what are you doing," the old man yelled? "Don't tell me you are on another rampage!"

"Don't give me that crap old man!" Sanji yelled back.

"Are you now ordering me around, ha, Sanji," the old man yelled back? "Who do you think you are talking to? Do you want to sink my ship to the bottom of the sea?" The old man then approached, and kicked Sanji with his wooden leg, but what surprised everyone, and got raised eyebrows from the Straw Hats, was that before he kicked Sanji with his leg, the old man's wooden leg turned black, while at the same time, Sanji's left cheek turned black as well, so when Sanji was hit, there were sparks flying in around from the impact, and it sounded like a metal has hit into a metal.

Fullbody was smiling from the floor, but then the smile turned into a look of fear when the old man yelled at him to get out of his restaurant, and then kicked him just like Sanji, though now there was no blackening of the wooden leg, and unlike Sanji whose head didn't even move an inch from the kick, Fullbody flew few meters from where he was before the kick.

"How can you deny our motto, that the costumer is king?" The big chef who yelled at Sanji before, yelled at him again.

"The only kingly costumers are the ones who can stomach the slop you call food." Sanji shoot right back.

Before they could start a brawl, they were stopped by an old chef, as he told them that if they were going to fight, they should keep it in the kitchen.

As Fullbody was trying to get up from the floor, wondering if all these people are really cocks, one of his soldiers came running to Baratie, and from the front door yelled, right next to the Straw Hats, who only took few steps into the restaurant, and were standing on the side, clearing the door for others to enter or exit.

"Lieutenant Fullbody, we have trouble," the marine yelled! "Pirate from Krieg's Fleet we captured has attacked us and escaped!"

"WHAT?"

"Well sir, we only wanted a lead on finding Krieg," the marine said. "But he managed to overpower us and vanished."

"How can that be," Fullbody yelled back? "We captured him three days ago, and he was already starving to death. We haven't fed him anything, so where did he get the strength?"

As soon as the costumers heard Krieg's pirate, they got scared and started mumbling about how the Krieg pirates are the fiercest pirate crew in East Blue.

The Straw Hats' also wondered about the Krieg and his crew, as they haven't heard about them. Well, Usopp and Nami have heard about them, and Usopp even knows how much the bounty on Krieg's head is, as well as the bounties of two other members of his crew.

As the marine started to apologize, he was suddenly shoot in the back, and killed, much to everyone's surprise, and fear of most in the restaurant.

A man walked into the restaurant, and the two chefs commented about the new costumer, and hoped he will mind his manners while there. Sanji was just watching disinterested.

The Straw Hats, of which only Usopp knew who the man is, watched as the he walked and set on the chair, before he lifted his legs on the table, and then ordered the food. "I don't care what it is, just bring me some food."

"I have a feeling there will be a big trouble very soon," Nami said, while Usopp and Nojiko agreed. The others were just observing the situation, but they all decided to move and sit down on one of the tables, and wait for the waiter to come a take their orders.

As the Straw Hats were watching, the chef from before walked toward the Krieg's pirate and with a fake smile on his face he said. "Hello and welcome you damn crook."

"Take that fake smile of your face, and bring me some food, as I don't' feel like repeating myself." The pirate said to the cook.

The costumers all over gasped when they saw a cook approach the pirate, while Fullbody was scared as all hell and thought that the cook will get them all killed.

"Of course, right away, sir," the cook said while rubbing his head. "But might I just ask how you are planning to pay for your meal?"

The pirate pointed his gun at the cook, and asked. "Will the bullet be enough?"

The moment he heard that, the fake and cheery smile vanished from the cooks face, and was replaced with a scowl and angry look. "So you are broke and have no money."

The cook said that, and then in an instant hit the pirate on the top of his head with both of his hands, ramming him into the floor, along with breaking the chair on which the pirate was seating.

The crowd and Fullbody gasped, while the old chef scowled, and said how Patty has broken another chair, making Straw Hats learn the cook's name.

"That cook sure has strength," Usopp commented.

"He does, but I don't see him as a crew member," Luffy said, and then looked at Sanji. "That Sanji though. He seems interesting. And I wander what that was when the old man kicked him."

"What are you talking about?" Nojiko asked.

"The old man's leg and Sanji's cheek turned black right before the impact, and there was the big blowing sound and sparks flying around," Luffy said, and Nojiko nodded, as she has seen that. "I'm interested to learn what that was."

They all started to listen and watch what was going on with the pirate and Patty. "Sorry Pirate, but our policy is to only serve paying customers." Patty said, and the crowd cheered.

There was a growling of the pirate's stomach, and Patty was laughing at him, and teasing him.

Sanji then turned and walked away. The only ones who noticed are Luffy, Natsu, Naruto and the old chef, while the others were all watching the shouting match between Patty and the pirate, who can't even stand form hunger.

As Sanji was preparing the food, and the old chef watching him from the door, Patty was beating the hell out of the pirate.

Fullbody couldn't take it anymore, and turned around before he run away from the restaurant, wowing to never go back there, as he thought that all the cooks on Baratie are insane.

Patty went and carried the pirate out from the restaurant and dumped his body on the deck, before he walked back, and headed toward the Straw Hats.

"Order something for me, I'll be right back." Luffy said, and stood up before he walked away somewhere, while the others were watching him.

Patty then approached them all, apologized for letting them wait, and then proceeded to write down the orders for food and drink for everyone in the crew. Naruto ordered for himself ramen, of course, and for Luffy. The order was simple. "Bring as much meat as you can for Luffy."

XXX

Luffy walked on the upper level of the Baratie, and stood above the deck where Patty dumped the pirate, who was now lying there, and staring at the food Sanji brought him.

Sanji was also there, seating on the deck, and leaning on the railing.

"Take it and leave me alone," Luffy heard the pirate say. "I won't accept charity no matter how hungry I am. Just take it away, now!"

"Stop the whining and eat, you fool," Sanji said, while smoking a cigar. "I don't care what Patty says. Anyone who's hungry is a costumer to me."

When the pirate still refused to eat, Sanji went and said how hard an ocean can be. How it can be so beautiful at times, but at the same time a death sentence if you stay without food or water in the middle of it. "I know how it is to be hungry at sea more than anyone," said Sanji.

After few more words, the pirate widened his eyes, before he dug in, and started eating with gusto, while tears were streaming down his cheeks.

"T-This food, it's d-delicious," the pirate said between bites and sobs. "I have never eaten anything this good before."

"Of course it is." Sanji said with a smile on his face.

Sanji's smile was matched by Luffy's who was watching everything from above the two. "I guess I was right," Luffy thought. "Sanji really is interesting, and I'm sure he will be a great addition to my crew."

"You sure are an interesting person, aren't you, Sanji?" Luffy asked, and both Sanji and the pirate looked at him.

"Who are you," Sanji asked? "And how do you know my name?"

"My name is Luffy," Luffy said. "And I heard your name earlier when the other cooks were trying to stop you from killing that lieutenant."

"Is that so," Sanji asked, and Luffy nodded. "Shouldn't you be inside of the restaurant eating food right about now? What are you doing here instead?"

"I saw when you disappeared earlier to prepare food for that guy," Luffy pointed at the pirate, who has finished eating and was looking at Luffy. "So when that other cook… Patty, right, went and threw him out, I decided to come and see what will you do. I must say, I'm impressed. You are the only one in there who was willing to give him food, even though he has no money.

"For that, you have my respect, as well an offer to join my crew, since I need a cook."

"You are a pirate," Sanji asked, while looking at Luffy questioningly, along with the other pirate.

"Yes," Luffy said. "I'm the captain of the Straw Hat Crew."

Sanji though for a moment as the name of the crew sounded familiar, but he couldn't remember from where. Luffy's face also looked familiar.

"If you don't have a cook yet, that means that your crew is not very big," the pirate said, and Luffy answered.

"You are right. There are only seven of us, including me. And unfortunately, none of us are cooks, and we really need one before we head to the Grand Line."

"Y-You are going to the G-Grand Line," the pirate stuttered, and Luffy and Sanji looked at him strangely.

"Yeah, I do," Luffy replied. "What of it?"

The pirate sighed, and said. "My name is Gin, and I'm a part of Don Krieg's Pirate Fleet. Now, I want you to listen to me carefully, and hear my advice. Stay away from that place if you want to live."

"Why?" Luffy asked, suddenly getting annoyed?

"That place is cursed," Gin mumbled while shaking in fear. "No, it's hell."

"Hm, this guy must have gone to the Grand Line with his crew and failed." Luffy thought. "I'm not afraid. My dream is far too important to me to back away now. The same goes for the other members of my crew, who all have big dreams, dreams which they cannot accomplish if we stay in the East Blue."

"And what dream is so important to you, if you are willing to risk your life for it," Gin asked? "The same goes for your crew. Are you all going to risk your lives to accomplish those dreams? Some dreams are just beyond the reach, and no matter how much we want to accomplish them, for one reason or another, sometimes they are just not meant to happen."

Gin and Sanji looked at Luffy and waited to hear his answer to the question.

Luffy was quiet for a minute, and then he said. "My dream was to become King of the Pirates since I was 7 years old,' Luffy said, and the eyes of Sanji and Gin widened. "But eventually, that dream has turned into something much harder to accomplish then simply becoming King of the Pirates. As for the others in my crew, it's not my place to spread their dreams around. It's up to them to say it if they want to."

Sanji and Gin were surprised by Luffy's words, and were wondering what dream he could possibly have if it is harder to achieve then to become King of the Pirates.

After few minutes of silence, Gin asked another question. "You only have seven members of the crew, and even if you find a cook in this place, it will be only eight. What makes you think that will be enough to go through that hell which is known as the Grand Line?"

Luffy smiled and asked back. "What makes YOU think I need a big crew?"

Gin looked at him strangely. "If you have a big crew you have more fire power to battle with. It would be harder for your enemies to take out several hundred people then just over half a dozen."

"I disagree," Luffy said, and Gin and Sanji looked at him waiting for him to continue. "It's better to have several strong crew members then hundreds, thousands of weak. And while there is only seven of us, only the newest addition to the crew is still not battle ready, but the second weakest is strong enough to take dozens of pirates and marines. I don't even want to talk about the strongest of us."

Gin and Sanji were wide eyed. "Don't you think you are overestimating your crew a bit too much?" Gin asked after a minute of silence.

"No, I'm not," Luffy shook his head. "I can't blame you for not trusting me. But if you were to see us fighting, you would believe me immediately."

"Is that so," Gin asked with narrowed eyes?

"Yes," Luffy shortly said, and then asked. "Now tell me. Have you been on the Grand Line?"

Gin flinched, which was noticed by both Sanji and Luffy, and while Luffy didn't react in any way, Sanji did raise his eyebrows in wander. "W-What makes you t-think that?" Gin stuttered.

Luffy scowled. "I don't think. I notice. You called the Grand Line cursed and hell. That's not something someone who hasn't been there would say. They would say it's dangerous, it's unknown, but not cursed and hell. So, have you been there before, and what happened?"

Gin started shaking, and there was sweat coming down his face. He had haunted look on his face, and while Luffy got more and more interested, Sanji was getting slightly unnerved.

"Y-Yes, I have been there," Gin finally said. "The entire Don Krieg Pirate Fleet. We all went there, and after seven days of traveling through that sea, we were utterly defeated by one single man," Luffy raised his eyebrows, while Sanji's jaw dropped making his cigarette fall from his mouth. "On the seventh day of our journey through that sea, he suddenly showed up, and destroyed almost all of our ships, killing everyone in the process. Almost 5000 man all gone in an instant. The only ones who were able to escape that man were we on the Flag ship, but even then, we took a lot of damage, and when we got back here in East Blue, we got stranded on some island without food and water.

"We were then found by the Marines, led by that Lieutenant Fullbody, and I disguised myself as Don Krieg in order to lure the marines from the others. It's how I got captured by them. It is a miracle that we stopped here, and that I got a chance to escape, because I doubt I would be able to survive for more then maybe another day or two."

When he finished his story, Gin looked at Luffy and Sanji, and while Luffy looked unbothered and in fact interested even more in the Grand Line, judging by the smirk on his face, Sanji was sweating. "At least Sanji seems to understand how evil that place is if there are people like that guy." Gin thought.

"That just proves what I told you," Luffy said, and Sanji and Gin were looking at him, not knowing what he meant. "I said that having a bunch of crewmate's means nothing if they are all weak. On top of that, your captain seems to be just as weak as the rest of the crew," Luffy was really harsh, and Sanji's and Gin's eyes were widening more and more as he continued to talk. "If you were all stronger, if your captain was stronger and smarter, then he wouldn't have dragged thousands of man to their death."

Gin got angry because of Luffy's words, and yelled. "WE WERE NOT WEAK! We had everything! Man, power, ships, ammunitions! EVERYTHING! Our captain was strong! I'm strong, the others were not weak either, and yet, one monster appears and ends it all! That just proves that that place is hell, and we have encountered a devil! So what makes you think you can go there and succeed with 8 man, where thousands have failed?"

"Let me show you why I believe that we will succeed where you and your crew failed." Luffy calmly said, getting raised eyebrows from both Sanji and Gin, who wondered what was he going to do.

The two just waited for Luffy to do something, but he was just standing there without moving a muscle for a while.

After about a minute of just standing there, Sanji and Gin got annoyed and were about to yell at Luffy, but then the clear sky suddenly got dark and covered in thunder clouds. There were flashes of blue lightning all over the sky, and sea became restless as the waves got bigger and bigger until the Baratie started to shake.

"W-What is going on," Gin asked, as he was looking at the sky and at the sea. Sanji was doing the same, and was starting to get scared Baratie was going to flip over from the size of the waves.

The two of them looked at Luffy, and saw he was as cold as ice, and hasn't moved a muscle, but there was blue electricity dancing over his body. It took Sanji and Gin all of two seconds to realize that Luffy is the one who is doing all of this.

"Do you see now," Luffy asked, his voice sounding a little deeper? "Do you see why I have confidence me and my crew can get over the Grand Line. I'm confident because I'm there, and besides me there is another guy who is about as strong as me, and another who is even stronger," Sanji and Gin couldn't believe what they were seeing and hearing. "This world is a big place, Gin. There are people out there who are strong enough to take out an entire Pirate Fleet just like yours, and they can do it with no trouble at all. I can do that, and I'm not even close to the strongest of people in this world. That's how big this world is. And that's why your captain will always fail to get through the Grand Line. Because he is weak, and because he doesn't know how to make his crew strong."

Once Luffy finished his speech, the electricity around him disappeared, and the sky cleared, as the thunder clouds were all gone as fast as they appeared.

XXX

Back in the restaurant, all the customers are back in their chairs, after most of them fell over when the Baratie started to shake from the waves.

The cooks are all in the kitchen, most of them wandering what the hell was that, while Patty got in an argument with another cook, Carne, once Carne brought out that Patty shouldn't have beaten Gin because he is now going to tell that to Krieg, who will come and kill them.

Straw Hats have been served their food and drinks, and are in the middle of eating. "Wonder what that was," Nojiko said, referring to the sudden thunder storm, and the waves which nearly flipped over Baratie.

"It was Luffy," Naruto said, and most looked at him. "He was either pissed off at something, or was just showing off. I'd say it's the latter, as I can't feel anger coming of off him, only amusement."

They returned to eating, and few minutes later, Luffy walked over to them, wearing a smirk on his face. He then went and set down on his chair, and started to eat, ignoring the looks from the others.

About a minute later, Nami couldn't take it anymore, and asked. "Luffy, what was that?"

Luffy looked at her, with a piece of meat on his fork, and about to bite it, but stopped when he heard Nami's question. "What was what?" Luffy asked back playing a fool. He then bit a piece of meat, and started to chew, while Nami was glaring at him.

"That thunder storm," Nami said. "Why did you cause it?"

"Oh that," Luffy said, after few moments, which he used to finish chewing and swallow the food. "I was just teaching something to Gin."

"Who's, Gin?" Zoro asked?

"That Krieg Pirate," Luffy replied. "I saw him outside along with Sanji, and we had a talk. His captain was convinced that just because they have 50 pirate ships and over 5000 pirates, they will be good enough to go to the Grand Line. Bunch of morons, the lot of them." Luffy mumbled in the end, as he was annoyed at the stupidity of some people.

"Krieg Pirates went to the Grand Line?" Nami questioned with raised eyebrows. She has heard about the Krieg Pirate Fleet, and knew they were feared, but didn't think they have went to the Grand Line. Then there is a question of, why are they in East Blue again if they went to the Grand Line.

Luffy scowled. "Yeah. Krieg gathered his fleet and marched there thinking that with numbers he can do anything. But then it all ended after a week, when they run into some guy who slaughtered almost all of them."

Everyone's eyes widened at that. Even Naruto and Natsu were surprised.

"Who was it?" Usopp asked, a little fearful to know that there is someone who can kill thousands of people all alone. And there is a fact that Krieg and Gin combined have almost 30 mil belly on their heads, and there is another guy in the crew, Pearl, or something, and he also has bounty. For all of them to be defeated just like that, it's unbelievable.

"I don't know," Luffy shrugged. "Never asked. But anyway. I caused that thunderstorm to teach Gin that numbers mean nothing if they are all week. I showed him what I can do, and told him that my crew of seven people will go farther than Krieg's Pirate Fleet of 5000 man.

"In the end, he left, scared out of his mind. Though he did say 'thank you', to Sanji for feeding him, instead of letting him to die like that other cook.

"I also asked Sanji to join my crew, as he seems like an interesting guy, and I want him to join as our cook, but he refused. So I guess we will have to stay here until I can convince him to join us."

"Can't we just find another one, instead of wasting time trying to convince him?" Zoro asked.

"We could do that," Luffy nodded. "But none of the cooks I saw here are as interesting as Sanji seems. He is the closest to us in age, and he also has that power which really interests me."

"Did you ask him what that power was," Natsu asked, as he is also interested in it? "And did he say why he refused to join. Is it just because he doesn't want to be a pirate, or is it something else?"

"No, I didn't ask him what that power was," Luffy said. "I thought I'd do it another time. As for his reason to refuse my offer, well, he said he has a great debt to the old chef we saw earlier. Apparently, its one he will never be able to pay, and as such, he must stay here and work."

"So what do you plan to do if he keeps refusing," Naruto asked? "We can't force him if he doesn't want to join us."

"I'll see," Luffy said after thinking about it for a few moments. "Maybe I'll talk to that chef and ask him what the debt is and do something about it if I can."

The crew went back to eating after that, and didn't talk much while at it. Though, there was a slight interruption when Sanji walked into the hall to take order from some costumers, but ended up seeing Nami and Nojiko after which he run at them, and offered the two of them a rose flower, each, saying how the flowers will never be able to compete with their beauty, but would still look good on them.

This, of course, caused all the male Straw Hats to scowl, especially Luffy and Natsu, who were about to say, to hell with the cook, and kill him then and there for daring to even look at their girlfriends, let alone flirt with them in front of their eyes.

Sanji was saved by the old chef, who saw what was about to happen, and chased Sanji away. Sanji run away, crying how the fate is cruel for not allowing him to be together with the ladies as lovely as Nami and Nojiko.

"God damned perverted cook," Zoro scowled, causing Nami and Nojiko to laugh along with Usopp. Naruto smirked as he saw the scowls and angry looks on Luffy's and Natsu's face. "Almost got himself killed."

XXX

After he left Baratie, Gin went to an Island where Don Krieg and the remainders of the crew were stranded, and told him about what happened, and how Sanji saved his life. Gin has decided not to mention Luffy, nor his power, or the fact that he has called Krieg weak and stupid.

After that, Gin only said he will take Krieg to Baratie.

XXX

It has been four day since Luffy and the others arrived at Baratie and since Sanji has refused to join Luffy's crew for the first time.

Even though and he was annoyed at Sanji for flirting with Nami and Nojiko (and Sanji has been doing that all the time he sees them), Luffy still wanted Sanji to join the crew, as he is definitely the only one possible from Baratie, the only one Luffy was willing to take as a member of his crew.

Luffy and the others could go and try to find a cook on another place, but that would be waste of time, as they didn't know where to look, nor how long it will take them to find someone who cannot just cook, but can also fight and is willing to become a pirate.

It was decided on that fourth day morning that Luffy will talk with the Head Chef, Zeff, which is the name of the old chef who hit Sanji four days ago. Luffy will go and talk to him and see what can be done for Sanji so he can join the Straw Hats.

During those four days, the crew has mostly stayed on the Going Merry and tried to train themselves as much as possible in the limited place they had.

Natsu has also started to train Nojiko to use her Dragon Slayer magic, and that was going OK. He didn't have problem to explain her how Dragon Slayer Magic works, but there is a difference between fire and water, and how it's used. It's there they had slight problems for the first two days, until Nojiko got the hang of it after Naruto gave her few pointers in Water Manipulation, which he can do as he has an affinity for Water along with Wind, Fire and Lightning.

By the current, fourth day, Nojiko is capable of spitting out water, 'eating' it to increase her power, and can manipulate existing water to form a sphere.

Right now, the Straw Hats were all the restaurant having breakfast, when there was a sudden noise, and something broke, causing then to look at where it came from.

The noise was a glass breaking, and it came from few tables from the crew, where a couple set. They were both looking through the window, and were panicking because of something they were seeing.

"What's with them," Nami asked, feeling uneasy at the frightened looks on the faces of two people?

"I don't know," Nojiko replied, while looking to see if she can see something through the window from her seating place, but unfortunately, she couldn't see anything.

"Someone is coming," Naruto said, and everyone looked at him, as he also was looking toward the window, and had his eyes narrowed. "There's a lot of them, but they all feel… weak."

"What do you mean by that?" Zoro asked.

"It's like the people who are approaching are barely alive," Naruto shrugged, and got back to his meal. "That's the best I can explain it."

"Should we be worried?" Zoro asked again.

"No," Naruto said. "I think I know who it is, and if it's them, then we can deal with them. I don't know about the rest of the costumers, though. I have a feeling they are going to panic."

More and more people around the restaurant noticed who was approaching and started to panic. "They are here!" yelled one of the costumers.

"What are we going to do now," yelled another! "They'll kill us all!"

"That flag, there is no denying it," shouted another of the costumers! "It belongs to the Ruler of the East Blue! DON KRIEG!"

"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" People all over were screaming, and looked like they wanted to run away. The only ones who are acting normal, and are unbothered are the Straw Hats. Well, Nami, Nojiko and Usopp and slightly scared, though the others are just calm, and are eating their breakfast.

Outside on the Baratie's deck, Zeff and Sanji were standing, watching the approaching Galion.

"I told you, god damnit," Carne yelled at Patty, who was holding his head, and panicking! "I told you they will come, so what are we going to do now?"

"Why the hell would he come for just one man, when he has an entire Pirate Fleet at his command?" Patty yelled in panic.

When the ship was close enough, and everyone got a good look at it, they all saw that the ship is much damaged and looks like it's barely holding itself from falling apart.

"What the hell happened to them?" Usopp asked after he saw the damage on the ship? "Were they attacked by Marines, and managed to escape?"

"I doubt that," Luffy said. "That doesn't seem like the damage which can be inflicted by cannons. It looks more like the damage from the storm."

Luffy though for a moment, and then continued. "If I remember, Gin said that they were attacked by someone and that someone destroyed all their ships, but one who managed to escape, so I think that whoever that man is, maybe has some DF powers. I can't think of anything else which can do this."

The Straw Hats were seating on their seats, while the rest of the costumers and cooks were looking at the outside of the Baratie, at the approaching Krieg, who is walking on the deck toward the entrance.

There was a total silence, and everyone was on guard to dodge or run away, as they thought that Krieg is going to pass through the door, and start shooting at them.

The moment the door opened, everyone could see Don Krieg being held by Gin, as he couldn't walk on his own. Krieg looked weak, starved, and had a haunted look in his eyes, which made everyone look at his strangely and in shock.

"Please, I b-beg of y-you," Krieg stuttered. "I need f-food and w-water. We have m-money, lots of it. Please, I can't even remember when the last time I ate was. It's been so long."

"What the hell," Carne said. "How can this be?"

"Is this really Don Krieg, Commodore of the Grand Pirate Fleet?" Patty asked himself, just as much in disbelief and Carne.

"Told you they are weak," Naruto said to his crewmates, who were either watching Krieg in interest, like Luffy, Natsu and Zoro, or in disbelief, like the others. "They are all hungry, just like Gin was when he came here four days ago."

Don Krieg then fell, as he no longer had any strength to even hold himself on Gin. Gin, seeing his captain in such a bad condition, started to beg for some food, otherwise, Krieg will die.

He was shocked when he saw that no one was moving a muscle, and almost everywhere he looked he saw angry faces who were glaring at him.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA," Patty laughed! "This is great! The Great Commodore Don Krieg, is lying before us!"

Gin said how they have money and are costumers this time, but Patty just laughed in his face, and asked Gin if he thinks they are stupid.

Patty then asked someone to call marines, much to Gin's shock. Patty was saying how now that Krieg is weakened, there is a great chance to finally capture him, and if they feed him, that chance will go down the drain.

Everyone in the restaurant, from the costumers to the chefs all agreed that Krieg shouldn't be fed, and if he is, he will kill them all.

Krieg begged and begged for the food, promising how he won't do anything, and how he will leave as soon as he eats. Gin tried to stop him from begging, and was saying how he shouldn't be doing that, as he is a great Don Krieg.

Sanji then came from the kitchen, carrying a bowl of food and some drink. On the way to Krieg and Gin he kicked Patty from his way, and then placed the bowl and the bottle in front of the starving Krieg, who started showing food in his mouth with his bare hands.

"Sanji, you fool, what are you doing," Carne yelled? "Don't you realize he is a cold hearted killing machine? This is the man known as the ruler of the East Blue. The most treacherous of all Pirates!" Carne then went on and on explaining how Krieg would attack marines, other pirates and civilians when they don't expect it. How he would come waiving white flag or marine flag, and leave behind nothing but death and destruction. "Krieg did and would do anything to secure victory!"

Besides Usopp, who mostly knew of the Krieg's history, the others didn't and were either surprised by Krieg's dirty tactics, or were scowling at them. "I really don't like that Krieg, guy," Luffy said. "On top of him being stupid and a weakling, he is also a cowered if he is really using such tactics to win."

"On top of his dirty tactics, he has a great physical power. He will never leave us alone, he will kill us all once he has eaten, which is why he deserves death or to be taken by the marines!" Carne continued his yelling, but was interrupted by Krieg, who got up from the floor as he has finished eating.

As soon as he got up, Krieg tried to clothesline, Sanji, but much to his shock, as well as shock of many, Sanji moved out of the way before Krieg could hit him, and Krieg stumbled, almost falling on the restaurant floor from the miss, as he wasn't expecting it, and has put too much power and weight into it.

Gin's and Krieg's as well as the customers jaws have hit the floor when they saw this, and were staring at Sanji and Krieg, some in disbelief that Sanji was able to do that, and some because they saw Krieg try to hit the guy who gave him food and saved his life.

Among the Straw Hats, Nami, Nojiko and Usopp were wide eyed because Sanji was able to avoid that punch, while Luffy was smirking. He had a feeling that Sanji is good, and he was right.

Naruto, Natsu and Zoro were looking interested in Sanji, as well as in what is going to happen next.

"You didn't really think that will work on me, did you?" Sanji asked Krieg, who glared at him, and wondered how was Sanji able to avoid the clothesline. Not just because it was fast, but also because it was sudden, and Krieg hoped to catch Sanji of guard with it.

"Why are you doing this, Don Krieg," Gin yelled at his captain? "You promised you wouldn't try to do anything at this place, and you tried to hurt the man who saved us!"

Krieg grabbed Gin by his right shoulder, and dislocated it from the grip and pull, making his subordinate yell in pain. "That was delicious," Krieg yelled, trying to forget about the fluke, which must have been Sanji's dodge. He hoped to make the others forget about it as well, by installing fear in them, and what better way to install fear in pathetic weaklings then to threaten them and show them your power. "I feel alive again!"

The costumers saw things were about to go from bad to worse, so they all escaped from the restaurant, leaving only the chefs, the Straw Hats, Krieg and Gin.

After the place got emptied, Krieg looked around, and smirked. "I like this ship, so I think I'll take it." Said Krieg.

The others looked at him like he was crazy, especially the cooks. "Yeah right, like I'll let that happen." Sanji though in his head. There is no way he will let Krieg take over Zeff's ship. He will stop him if it's the last thing he ever did.

Patty woke up from his sleep in which Sanji put him when he kicked him, and looked at Krieg who was staring at him with angry look on his face. It made Patty sweat and shake in fear.

"Since my ship is a wreck, I'll need and new one, and this one is perfect," Krieg said again. "You will all be doing few small chores, and once they are done, you will all leave quietly."

The cooks yelled and protested, and even Gin was on their side, asking his captain why he is doing this, when he has promised not to do anything to the chefs or the Baratie.

Krieg ignored them all, and said how there are around 100 man left on his ship. They are all weak from thirst and hunger, and will need food and water.

"Are you insane," Carne yelled? "You want us to feed out executioners! Do you even hear yourself and realize how stupid it sounds? WE REFUSE!"

"You cannot refuse you imbecile," Krieg yelled at Carne! "I wasn't asking you to do it, I was ordering you! Now, DO IT and DON'T DEFY ME!"

"I-I'm sorry, Sanji," Gin said from the floor where he was lying and holding his dislocated shoulder. "I really didn't want this to happen."

Sanji looked at Gin for a while, and everyone looked at Sanji to hear what he will say. The Straw Hats were also interested to see how far this will go, and to see if there will be any need for them to interfere and help the chefs.

After a minute of just looking at Gin, Sanji blew the smoke from his mouth, as he was smoking a cigarette, and then turned around and walked toward the kitchen, much to the confusion of the others. "I guess I have 100 more meals to cook." He commented, and all the other chefs dropped their jaws in disbelief. Even Gin and most of the Straw hats were surprised. Krieg was pleased as he was smirking.

Suddenly, Sanji was surrounded by all the other chefs, who were pointing knives, forks, spoons, everything they had on hand, they were pointing it at Sanji in order to stop him.

"This is as far as you go, Sanji," one of the chefs said. "We are not allowing you to go anywhere near that kitchen!"

"Are you Krieg's spy or something," another asked? "Because I don't see another reason for you to act like this."

Sanji spread his arms, and said that he knows Don Krieg is terrible man, and that once his man are fed, there is no way to know what will happen. But he is a cook, and his job is to feed hungry man, and Gin, Krieg, and their man are hungry. He will feed them, and after… "I will kill them all if I have to. But no one will die from hunger as long as I'm here."

Everyone was speechless because of what Sanji said, that included Straw Hats, who were surprised and awed by his speech.

Suddenly, Sanji jumped high in the air, above all the knives and forks, but also above Patty's arm, which was about to hit him from behind.

Sanji came back to the floor and on both legs, outside of the group of chefs who have ganged up on him, and was now looking at them with narrowed eyes, while still smoking his cigar.

"Really, Patty," Sanji said. "After all these years of knowing me, did you really think you could hit me from behind?"

Patty said nothing, but was sweating a little. Unlike the other chefs, he knew that Sanji is not just a perverted cook who flirts with every woman below 80 years of age, but is also a great fighter who was trained by Zeff personally.

"Now, how did he do that?" Luffy wondered out loud, and his crewmates looked at him for a moment and then back at Sanji and the others. No one knew the answer, though Naruto suspected.

"Maybe he is a sensor, or something similar," he said. "That would explain how he dodged both attacks, as there were no indication that they will happen."

The others had to agree that it is a possible answer.

Patty and Sanji looked at one another, and Patty scowled at Sanji. "Sanji, Krieg's people cannot be allowed to regain their strength," Patty said. "If they do, they will attack, and at that point it won't matter if you are strong enough to defeat them or not. The restaurant will suffer, and will be damaged either way, and we cannot allow that to happen. You know better than anyone that Baratie is Head Chefs life, as well as the life of all of us who work here and have nowhere else to go."

Patty stopped for a few moments, and just looked at Sanji, before he started walking toward the bottom of the stairs which lead to the upper level of the Baratie, and opened the door, which were under the stairs. As he was trying to pull something out, Patty said. "We need to take out Krieg as soon and as fast as possible without damaging the ship, which is why, I'm going to use this." At that point, Patty pulled a bundle wrapped in a white sheet.

"Is that…?" Sanji asked as he saw the bundle, while Patty smiled and looked at Krieg. "I really hope you have saved some room for dessert. Cause I have a secret recipe," Patty then unwrapped the bundle, making Krieg's eyes widen in shock, "that is truly to DIE FOR!" As he yelled at the end, Patty pulled some huge red, hand cannon and pointed it at Krieg.

"OPEN WIDE, KRIEG, BECAUSE HERE COMES A MEAT BALL OF DOOM!" Patty yelled, and fired from the cannon, which created a huge yellow light and smoke, from which came out a cannon ball.

It was a shock to everyone, including Gin and Krieg, who was just standing there with a shocked look on his face, as the cannon ball was approaching for a second, before it hit him in his chest, and created an explosion which blew the entrance door and the surrounding wall to smithereens.

Smoke and shockwave spread around the entire restaurant, and made the four weaker Straw Hats hide behind the table, while Luffy, Natsu and Naruto were just looking at what Patty did in both interest and annoyance.

As Gin was looking at the cloud of dust where Krieg stood, and called for him, Patty stood with a cannon still in his hands, and said. "The door might have been broken, but it is still better than the damage Baratie would suffer if we had to fight all of them."

"And what, mind tell me, we do with the rest of the pirates on that ruin they call Pirate Ship?" Sanji asked Patty.

"Fry them all," Patty replied with a smile on his face. "The ship, and the whole lot. It will put them out of their misery."

There was a few moments of silence after that, until. "Are you a chef, or a comedian," came Krieg's voice from inside of the dust cloud, which was slowly clearing up. "Because your jokes, are lame."

All the cooks were shocked, and Patty and Carne were panicking. Sanji and some of the Straw Hats were looking as well a little shocked, though not as much as the chefs.

"THAT DESSERT WAS TERIBLE," Krieg yelled! "THE WORST I EVER HAD!"

When the dust cleared completely, Krieg was shown to be standing exactly where he did before, and there was not even a scratch on him. It was revealed that his upper body was covered by a golden armor, which also had inbuilt, small cannons on his shoulders and on the side of his stomach. Krieg was also holding two pistols in both of his hands.

All the cannons and pistols were pointing at Patty and the others chefs, who were shaking in fear. "DIEEE!" Krieg yelled and started firing from all the weapons he had on him.

The bullets and small cannon balls flew everywhere and got some chefs along with caused some damage to the restaurant.

"Damn, he sure has a lot of weapons." Usopp said slightly impressed by all the weaponry Krieg had built on his armor.

"He sure does," Nami agreed, more than a little scared. "I guess that hidden armor and those weapons go along well with him as he is known as foul play Krieg. That would have caught almost everyone of guard."

"It didn't catch Sanji," Luffy said with a smirk, and everyone looked at Sanji, and saw he is the only one of the chefs who was on the line of fire who wasn't hit by a single bullet, and looked as clean and pristine as ever. "The more time passes, the more I want that guy in my crew."

None of the others could say anything about that, as it was clear that Sanji is very skilled. In fact, if he was to join the crew, he would have probably been the fourth strongest member after Luffy, Natsu and Naruto, and above Zoro and Usopp.

They all saw as Krieg took the glove of his right hand, and saw it was covered in diamonds, probably to add more damage to each of his punches. "You cooks should not have defied me," Krieg yelled! "I'm by far the World's Strongest Man!" He went and listed his weapons and armor, and also said how he has 50 ships behind him with 5000 pirates.

He went on and on for about another minute, until Zeff appeared from the kitchen, and dropped a big bundle filled with food and water for all of Krieg's man. "There you have enough food for about a 100 man," Zeff said. "Take it to them, immediately."

The cooks were in disbelief, as well as the Straw Hats. The only one who was not surprised, was Sanji.

Krieg was also surprised, but not because of the food Zeff gave him, but because of Zeff himself. "What the… You are Red Foot Zeff." Krieg said, with sweat coming down his face.

"Hm, it seems that the old man is famous," Luffy commented, while the chefs were all but ganging up on Zeff and were asking him why he gave food to Krieg, as he knows he will try and kill them all once all his man are feeling better. "Red foot sounds like some nickname given to a pirate. Hey Usopp, do you recognize Zeff from some bounty poster?"

Usopp thought for a moment, and shock his head. "No, I don't remember ever hearing about him, or seeing his poster."

"It could be that he was a pirate a long time ago," Nojiko guessed.

"It could be," Luffy agreed. "But it seems that Krieg has heard of Zeff even though we haven't, which means he did have some level of infamy."

They then listened to the talk between Zeff and his chefs, and heard when Zeff called Krieg and his crew Grand Line dropouts.

The chefs were stunned when they heard this, and were commenting how not even a Pirate Fleet with 50 ships could make it on the Grand Line. Gin was shaking and sobbing, as he remembered what happened on the Grand Line.

"So, the old man guessed right that Krieg went to the Grand Line and suffered defeat," Zoro commented, as he already knew this since Luffy told them what Gin told him.

"It really is you, isn't it," Krieg said, still stunned by the fact Zeff is in front of him? "You're Red Foot Zeff."

Krieg then narrowed his eyes, as he glared at Zeff. "You really are alive," he said. "The Pirate Captain who was also a cook on his own ship."

"That would be me," Zeff said. "And I'm still alive. But why is that important to you? I haven't been a Pirate for years. I choose the life of a cook."

Krieg laughed at this. "You can't fool me, old man. You didn't chose the life as a cook. You are a cook because that's the only thing you can be now."

Krieg then went and explained a legend about Zeff who was a pirate known for his legendary kicks, and has never used his hands in battle. He talked about how Zeff gained his nickname, and in the end he lamented about the fact Zeff no longer had his precious leg.

"How unlucky for you to have such an accident at sea," Krieg teased Zeff with a smirk on his face. "Now that you have lost your leg, you are defenseless, and unable to fight."

"I don't need to fight," Zeff said. "I'm a cook and as long as I have my hands, I'll be fine. Now, what exactly do you want from me?"

"You have sailed the Grand Line for over a year, and came back alive," Krieg said, with narrowed eyes, and a smirk on his face. "There should be a Log Book detailing your tactics. Everything you've been though, everything you encountered. I want it. Give it to me. NOW!"

Zeff flinched for a moment when he heard what Krieg wants, while all the others were looking at Zeff in interest to see what he will do. "You are right, I do have a Log Book," Zeff said. "But I will never hand it over to you, Krieg!"

Krieg's expression changed from narrowed eyes and a smirk, to a surprised and angry. "That Log Book is sacred to me, you fool," Zeff said! "It's the pride of the crew I sailed with, and it's far too important to give to you!"

"All right, then I'll take it," Krieg said, and clenched his right fist. "It is true that the Grand Line beat me, but I will never give up. I had enough weapons and man and ambitions, but regrettably, the only thing I lacked, was information."

As Krieg was speaking, everyone was listening, while Gin was sobbing on the floor.

"But now, I'll will fix that," Krieg continued. "Once I get your Log Book, I'll form another pirate fleet and seize the Once Piece. "THEN I'LL STAND AS THE RULLER OF THE GREAT PIRATE ERA!" Krieg yelled in the end.

"Hm, I think I'll mess around with this fool a little bit," Luffy said with a smirk on his face, while his crewmates watched him with an interested looks on their face.

Luffy then stood up from his chair, and walked toward where Zeff and Krieg were talking. Or better said, to where Krieg was giving his speech. "Sorry, armor man," Luffy said as he stood in between Krieg and Zeff, drawing everyone's attention at him. "But I will be the one who will find the One Piece and become a Pirate King."

Most of the cooks except Sanji and Zeff, were looking at Luffy as if he was crazy for saying something like that to Krieg, while Luffy's crewmates had smiles on their faces. "Do you think he will battle against Krieg?" Usopp asked the others.

"I doubt," Naruto said. "Then again, he might if he has something to get out of it."

"Like what?" Zoro asked.

Naruto shrugged. "I don't know. Let's wait and see how this turns out."

"Did you say something, kid," Krieg asked in a normal voice, though he was getting angry because of what Luffy said. "I will not allow that kind of stupidity again."

"I'm just stating the facts, Krieg," Luffy said, with a smirk.

"This isn't a game, kid." Krieg shoot back.

"Yeah, I know, but I'm still going to conquer the Grand Line." Luffy said.

Krieg's eyes got bloodshot as he heard that and he couldn't take it any longer, and yelled how Luffy won't do it, how it is true he lacked information, but his entire fleet was wiped out in just seven days.

This, of course, Luffy and his crew, as well as Sanji already knew, but the others didn't and were all in disbelief that a fleet with thousands of pirates in it, were all whipped out in just a weak.

Krieg then calmed a little and said. "If you don't stop with this foolish behavior, I will crush you right here and now."

"You can try," Luffy tried to goad Krieg. "But you will fail, just like your army of 5000 man failed to defeat one man, and got themselves slaughtered."

The cooks gasped as they heard this, and couldn't' believe what Luffy said. Krieg got even angrier then he was, as he was reminded of what happened, and because Luffy somehow knew about it.

"How do you know about that, you wretched brat?" Krieg yelled.

"Gin told me," Luffy said, while pointing at Gin, who was shaking on the floor next to Krieg, and when Krieg glared at him, Gin started to sweat.

"Did he now?" Krieg asked in dangerous voice.

"Yep," Luffy said happily. "Told me and Sanji everything. And then, I told him something. Something which I will tell you as well."

"And what would that be," Krieg asked, now again looking at Luffy?

"I told Gin that just because you had 5000 man, doesn't mean anything," Luffy said. "If they are all weak, they will get slaughtered quickly. It's better to have small crew where everyone is strong, then a bunch of people who can't do shit."

"YOU BRAT," Krieg yelled with all his might! "My man were not weak as you say it. And what you're saying about having smaller crew being better than having a big one is a load of CRAP!

"That man couldn't have been human, and he has caught us of guard, after which he started to cut everything with that sword from hell of his!"

The cooks gasped again, while the Straw Hats eyebrows rose in surprise.

"A swordsman who could cut and sink 49 out of 50 ships in a Pirate Fleet," Usopp said out loud for everyone to hear him. "Who could possibly do that?"

Everyone, including the cooks looked at Usopp after they heard his question, but none said anything. Though Zoro had a big smirk on his face, as he had a feeling he knew who it was. Zeff also knew who the swordsman was.

"Is that your crew," Krieg asked after he laughed for a few moments? "They all look like wimps. And what's with the horns you and that long nose have. Are you really humans, or is that just something fashionable people wear this days to look tougher?"

"Yes, they are my crewmates," Luffy said with a smirk, not really bothered that Krieg has insulted his crew and called them wimps since he knew better. "And trust me… none of them are wimps as you called them. Each is worth more the a thousand of your man."

Krieg watched Luffy for a few moments, and then said how he will deal with him later, as he has to go and feed his man.

"If some of you don't wish to die, you can run away now, and escape that fate," Krieg said after he lifted a bundle with food and water which Zeff gave him. "The only things I'm after are the Log Book and this ship," Krieg then walked toward the door, but stopped one more time. "However, if you wish to stay and be slaughtered, I have no problem burying every last one of you at sea." Then he left, leaving behind silence.

"I'm sorry, Sanji," Gin said few moments after Krieg left, and he was left alone with the wounded cooks and the Straw Hats. "I never thought it would have been this way."

"There is nothing to apologize for, sailor," Zeff said, and Gin and his cook look at him with surprised or shocked looks on their faces. Luffy's and most of the Straw Hats had interested looks, as they wanted to hear what Zeff had to say. "Every cook here did what they thought was right. That is all there is to say about that."

"But boss, why are you taking Sanji's side," Parry asked? "This mess is his fault!"

The other cooks agreed with Patty.

"You are all fools who don't know what you are talking about," Zeff roared at them all, scaring the shit out of his cooks, and surprising Gin and the Straw Hats! "None of you know what it's like to be on a brink of starvation. To have no food nor water on the open ocean. There is no way you understand what a terrifying prospect that is."

"What are you talking about, Chef Zeff?" Patty asked with a surprised look on his face, which is also shown in is voice.

"The difference between all of you and Sanji, is that Sanji knows what that is like." Zeff said, causing many to look at each other, including the Straw Hats, who had narrowed eyes at the implications of what Zeff just said.

"If all you're gonna do is complain, then leave this place and don't look around." Zeff said, surprising his cooks again.

"No, I'm staying," Patty said. "And I'm going to fight. This is my home, and I couldn't live with myself if I accepted defeat!"

The other cooks all agreed with Patty and were all willing to stay and fight.

"Do what you wish," Zeff said, and headed toward the kitchen, while the others stayed behind, cooks to make plans, and to try and treat some of their wounds, and the Straw Hats just continued to seat by the table they were at since before Krieg showed up.

No one paid attention to Gin who was trying to convince the cooks to just do as Don Krieg said, as they can't defeat him.

Luffy decided this might be a good time to talk with Zeff, so he didn't join his crewmates, and went to talk with Zeff about Sanji.

Unknown to Luffy, Sanji saw him heading toward the kitchen and decided to go and see what he wants from Zeff.

XXX

Inside of the kitchen, Zeff was seating on the chair, and thinking about the incoming battle against Krieg and the goons he calls his crewmates, when his thoughts were interrupted by Luffy walking into the kitchen.

"What do you want, kid?" Zeff asked.

"I need to talk to you about something," Luffy said seriously.

Zeff watched Luffy for a few moments, then narrowed his eyes, and asked. "You are a pirate, right," Luffy nodded? "And you heard that I have a Log Book of my travels and now you want it like Krieg does?"

"Not at all," Luffy waived off Zeff's question, getting raised eyebrows from Zeff and from Sanji who was hiding behind the kitchen door and was listening. "I have no interest in your Log Book, it's yours and yours alone, so you should keep it. Besides, there is no adventure in traveling if you already know what's coming next."

Zeff smirked at this, and nodded. "So, if my Log Book is not what you want, then what is it?"

"I came here to find a cook for my ship, and on the very first day I found one very interesting guy, but he refuses to join my crew, because, according to him, he has a debt toward you which he will never be able to repay," Luffy said, and Zeff's eyes narrowed. He knew exactly who Luffy was talking about. "Which is why he refused my offer. That was four days ago, and I'm still here hoping he will change his mind, but I can't wait forever, which is why, I'm, here to talk to you and see if I can do something about this debt of his."

Behind the kitchen door, Sanji was stunned by what he heard, and couldn't believe that Luffy and his crew were still here because they are waiting for him to join their crew. He wondered why such interest in him. The answer would come very soon.

"You are talking about Sanji," Zeff questioned even though he already knew, and Luffy nodded. Zeff sighed. "I'd help you kid, I really would, but that little eggplant will not listen. The debt you talk about, there is no such thing."

Luffy's and Sanji's eyes widened at that. "Yes, you can say that I did save his life," Zeff continued. "But I never held it against him for what happened back then, and I never expected him to repay it. But as I said, he's stubborn, and won't listen. He has his own dream, which coincidently, is the same as my own used to be, but unfortunately, because of his belief that he owes me, he will never leave this place, and go to fulfill that dream."

Luffy was listening and was surprised by Zeff's words, while behind the door, Sanji was weeping, as there were tears running down his cheeks.

After about a minute, Luffy wanted to know what happened, and why Sanji believes he owes a debt to Zeff.

Zeff sighed again, and told Luffy the story of how he and Sanji first met, how they ended up as the only survivors from his pirate ship and from the cruise ship Sanji was on. Then he went on and explained how the two were stranded on a rocky island in the middle of the ocean with barely any food and water for over 80 days, and how he gave all of his food to Sanji, while tricking him by saying he kept a larger part, which was just gold and no food. Zeff said how he managed to survive by eating his own leg.

In the end, the two of them were saved by a passing ship, and sometime after that, Zeff used the gold to open the Baratie, and Sanji has been working with him ever since.

After he finished the story, Zeff went quiet and waited to hear what Luffy has to say. Sanji did the same, as he was just as interested.

"Well," Luffy said after a minute of silence. "I can't say I blame him for feeling like he has a debt to you. You did save his life, and if I were in his place, I would have most likely felt the same way."

Luffy's words surprised both Zeff and Sanji, but none said anything.

"This is also a problem, now," Luffy continued and got raised eyebrows from Zeff. "I though his debt was something else, something which I can help with. Unfortunately, I can't do anything about this."

"Why are you so interested in that little eggplant," Zeff asked? "You can ask any other cook here to join you, and they would be a good addition to your crew as they all know how to fight, and are great cooks."

"Well, first of all, I tried his food, and it's great," Luffy said, bringing smile on Sanji's and Zeff's face. "I have no doubt that the other cooks here are good, but Sanji's food is great. That's one reason. The second reason is that he was the only one who was willing to help Gin when he was starving. At first I just thought he was a good guy, but even though I now know the true reason it didn't change my mind. I still think Sanji is a great guy and hearing his backstory makes me want him in my crew even more.

"Third reason, he is strong, and I can tell he is stronger and has more potential than any other cook in here. And finally, I'm quite interested in that power the two of you seem to have and want to know if it's something special only you two have, or is it something others can learn."

Zeff and Sanji were surprised by some reasons, but especially the last one. He decided to leave that for later. "I see some of your reasons are a bit selfish," Zeff said with a smirk, which Luffy returned.

"I'm a pirate so can you blame me for being a little selfish," Luffy shrugged? "And while I'm not like Krieg, I do want to have a strong crew. Not just because I want their help to accomplish my dream, which is something I can't do alone no matter how powerful I am, but also because I don't want them to be weak, and die a stupid death like Krieg's man did."

Zeff nodded as he could understand Luffy's reasoning.

"Sanji is a great cook, he's strong, has a lot of potential as he is still young, and is overall a good guy, which is the main reason I want him in my crew," Luffy continued. "I wouldn't even look at him if his personality is like Krieg's or those like Krieg no matter how great of a cook he is or how strong he is."

Zeff was silent for a few moments, and then asked. "What power were you talking about earlier?"

"Four days ago when I came here with my crew, we saw you kick Sanji in the face," Luffy said, and Sanji and Zeff realized where he was going with this. "I noticed that your wooden leg turned black, and Sanji's cheek turned black as well. It surprised me as I have never seen something like that before, and there was quite a bit of power behind the clash."

"I can't say I'm surprised you don't know what that power was," Zeff said, making Luffy raise his eyebrows. "It is rare for someone in East Blue to know about it, and those who do are almost always those who went to the Grand Line and learned it there.

"That power is known as Haki," Luffy was sure he never heard that name before, so he was all ears. "There are three types of Haki. The first is, Observation Haki, which grants users a sixth sense of the world around them and limited precognitive abilities. Users of Observations Haki can sense people's presence, strength, emotions, and intentions."

It dawned on Luffy that this must be how Sanji was able to avoid being punched by Krieg and Patty, and he voiced it to Zeff, who nodded.

"The second type of Haki is knows as Armament Haki, which allows the user to use their own spiritual energy as armor to defend against attacks, as well as make their own attacks more potent. A person can apply the armament to a section of their body, over their entire body, and even apply it to their weapons."

"And that is what you and Sanji did that day when you kicked him," Luffy said.

"Yes, that was it," Zeff confirmed and then continued. "There is another type of Haki, and is known as Conquerors Haki. This type of Haki grants the user the ability to overpower the will of others. This results in the victims being knocked unconscious. Conquerors Haki is a rare form of Haki that only one in several million people are born with the ability to use.

"During my journey as a pirate, I learned both Observation and Armament, but never Conquerors, as it is a type which cannot be learned to use unless you are born with it. If you have it since birth, then you can learn to control it. I never did master the two types, though. Yes, I was proficient and was able to use it well, but there were many who were much better.

"When he was still young, I started to teach Sanji my fighting style, and also taught him about Haki, and the first two forms. Over time, we learned that he is actually one of the people who were born with Conquerors Haki, and he was able to learn to control it and use it willingly."

Luffy was surprised and pleased to hear this. Surprised because he never knew about this power before, which can be useful. He was also surprised his grandpa has never mentioned it as he was sure he knew of it.

He was pleased because Sanji can apparently use all three forms of Haki, and if he joins the crew he will be great addition, and will be able to teach all of them how to use it.

"While I know Sanji is powerful," Luffy said. "I can't tell exactly how powerful. Can you estimate his power?"

"Well, he's not as powerful as you are," Zeff said, and Luffy and Sanji raised their eyebrows. "I can sense your power, while Sanji can't, which is why I know that if Sanji was to join your crew, he would be the fourth strongest, behind you, that boy with blonde hair, and that monstrosity with pink hair. I swear in all my life I have never seen someone with more powerful presence then him."

"Yeah, Natsu is the most powerful member of my crew, even though I'm the captain," Luffy said, then sighed and asked. "So, is there any way to convince Sanji to join my crew?"

Zeff was quiet for a while, thinking about how to answer that, and Sanji was listening to hear what Zeff will say. About a minute later, Zeff said. "I will speak to him, and try to convince him. But that's as far as I can go without simply chasing him away."

Luffy nodded at that, and then asked "Do you need some help with Krieg and his man?"

Zeff smiled. "No, but thank you," Zeff said. "We can take care of it. Besides, Sanji is strong enough to take them all out."

"What about the damage to the restaurant," Luffy asked? "I'm sure there will be some."

"We will see," Zeff said and then smiled. "But if it starts to go bad, you are free to help if you want to."

"I'll do just that," Luffy said, and turned around to walk out from the kitchen, but was stopped by Zeff.

"Another thing you should know about Haki," Luffy turned around and listened. "They are a big help against the DF users, especially Logia types. You cannot even touch Logia user if you don't know Armament Haki, or if by some luck you also ate the DF which happens to be the opposite of the one your opponent ate. Do you understand?"

"Yes, I do," Luffy replied, and he really did understand. He has been researching about DF ever since he ate his, and knew a lot about them, all the types. But never in his research about DF he has heard or seen anything about Haki, which is why he didn't know it was one of only two ways to punch or even touch Logia user.

Luffy then walked out from the kitchen, leaving behind Zeff who stayed to think about the talk he just had with Luffy and about, how to convince Sanji to join Luffy's crew.

He never even knew that Sanji was there and has heard anything, as, even though he can feel presences, he was too into the conversation with Luffy, so Sanji slipped away unnoticed.

XXX

After his man were fed, Krieg started to give a speech about going to the Grand Line, again. But first they had to take over Baratie, and abandon their old ship, which is a ruin.

None of them on the ship noticed someone approaching on a small both, which looks like a coffin, along with some candles on its sides.

While none of Krieg's ship noticed anything, someone on Baratie did, and that someone was Naruto, whose eyes widened slightly, before he looked at the others, and then at Luffy, who was just coming from the kitchen. "We have a problem," Naruto said, surprising everyone.

"What's wrong?" Nami asked.

"Someone is approaching this ship," Naruto said, getting raised eyebrows from everyone in the room. "Someone very strong."

Zeff came back from the kitchen all but running, and looked at everyone there, with a sweat rolling down his face.

"How strong?" Usopp was the one who asked, and now everyone was looking at Naruto.

"I'd say about as strong as Luffy and I," Luffy raised his eyebrows at that, along with Natsu, while the others were confused, as none knew how strong Naruto and Luffy are, and that includes their crewmates. Well, except Natsu, who knew how strong the two were, and Zeff, who can feel their power, but not the whole extent of it.

Before anyone could ask or say anything else, the Baratie started to shake just like few days ago when Luffy caused waves with his powers.

"Raise the anchor, or we will sink along with the ship!" Zeff yelled at his cooks, and some of them went to do as ordered.

Everyone run to the entrance door, and what they saw caused many eyes to widen.

Right there in front of them, what used to be a ruin of Krieg's Galion, is now a ruin cut in three pieces, and was slowly sinking along with all the pirates on it, who were screaming and panicking. The sinking of such a big ship is causing waves which is why the Baratie was shaking.

"What the bloody fuck is that," Usopp yelled with wide eyes? "That Galion looks like it's been cut cleanly in three pieces!"

"I-I don't know," Luffy was a quite a bit surprised, as he has never seen something like this. The Galion looks like it's been cut with simple sword strikes, which means that whoever did it, is a master swordsman far above himself, as Luffy knows very well he wouldn't be able to do something like this with just swordsmanship, and would have to use his lighting power along with swordsmanship, and that would leave marks, which would be see.

This on the other hand, has no marks except completely clean cuts on the sinking Galion. No burn marks, to tearing marks, nothing except two clean cuts.

Zeff and Naruto were the first to notice who did it, and they pointed at the small coffin-like boat, and everyone looked at it.

The moment they laid the eyes on the man, Zoro and Zeff recognized him. "I-It's him," Zoro muttered while shaking slightly, and there was a sweat rolling down his face.

"Who is that," Luffy asked?

"That's Hawk-Eye Mihawk," Zoro said. "He is the World's Greatest Swordsman, and the man I have been searching for, for some time now."

"The World's Greatest Swordsman you say," Luffy said, as he watched the small boat passing through the chunks and debris of the broken Galion, which has mostly sank by now, and some of the survivors were holding themselves on the chunks of the ship, so they won't drown, while some were still on the part of the Galion which hasn't sank. "Well, that would explain how he cut the Galion."

The cooks and the Straw Hats heard Krieg and his surviving crewmates yell at Mihawk and ask him why he has come after them all the way from the Grand Line, but no answer came at first, as Mihawk was quiet.

As Mihawk was approaching the Baratie, Zoro was getting more and more excited, as this is his chance to duel against Mihawk, and prove himself.

Luffy noticed Zoro's excitement. "This is not going to end well for Zoro." He thought in his head.

Few minutes later, Mihawk's boat has stopped and was just floating there in front of some of Krieg's pirates. "You monster," yelled one of them! "Why are you doing this? What have we ever done to you?"

"Just killing time," Mihawk said, making the pirates even angrier, until the one who yelled the questions pulled out two pistols, and shot at Mihawk from both of them.

It didn't do much, because Mihawk pulled up his sword, and deflected the bullets with no trouble at all and all that while still seating. The movements of the large blade were so fast and smooth, that the only ones who saw it were Natsu, Luffy and Naruto, while Sanji only saw flashes. No one else saw anything.

"H-How did I miss," the pirate asked himself? "I aimed right at him."

"He deflected it," Zoro guessed from behind the pirate, where he appeared after he left Baratie. He didn't actually see Mihawk do it, but that was the only explanation he could come up with. "He changed its course with the tip of his sword."

While the Krieg Pirates were trying to guess who Zoro is, Zoro walked forward and faced Mihawk. "I've never seen a sword handled so gently," Zoro said with a smile on his face. "Or with such grace."

Mihawk looked at Zoro, and said. "There is no strength at sword play based on force."

The Straw Hats' were watching and listening the conversation between Zorro and Mihawk, and were wondering where this will go, and what will Zoro try to pull. Of course, Luffy, Natsu and Naruto could already guess what Zoro wants, and how this will end, as they knew he was no match for Mihawk.

"What is Zoro doing," Nojiko asked?

"I'm pretty sure he is about to challenge Mihawk to a duel," Luffy said, getting wide eyed looks from Nami, Nojiko and Usopp, as well as some cooks who were near them and were listening. "And if he does do that, he will lose."

"W-What," Usopp stuttered? "W-What to y-you mean he will l-loose? Do you have so little faith in his skills?"

"I know Zoro is good," Luffy said with a sigh. "But he can't compete with someone who can cut a Galion like that. Zoro needs a lot more training before he can challenge someone like Mihawk."

By this point, Zoro has already challenged Mihawk, and the two were standing on some of the remains of Krieg's Galion which were still floating. Mihawk has insulted Zoro, as he though Zoro is not even worth his time.

"ZORO," Luffy yelled, getting Zoro's, as well as everyone's attention. Zoro looked at Luffy and saw he had a hard look in his eyes, and was almost glaring at him. It made him gulp a little.

Mihawk on the other hand also looked at Luffy, and was surprised by what he felt with his Observation Haki. "That man," he though in his head. "He is very powerful. And the blonde haired one as well. But that pink haired man, he can't be human." There was even slight sweat rolling down Mihawk's face when he felt Natsu's presence.

"W-What is it, captain?" Zoro asked, drawing a look from Mihawk.

"So, that man is this one's captain," Mihawk thought as well. "I almost thought it's the pink haired man."

"You cannot win that duel, Zoro," Luffy said, and his words caused many jaws to drop and eyes to widen. Even Mihawk was surprised.

Of course the most surprised person over there is Zoro, who couldn't believe what Luffy just told him.

"W-What do you mean I can't win," Zoro all but yelled, as he felt insulted that his own captain didn't believe in him? "I trained my whole life to become the Words Greatest Swordsman, and now that I have a chance to duel against the current strongest, you say I should give up!"

"Zoro, that man cut a Galion in three pieces in an instant," Luffy said slowly as if he was talking to a kid. "You can't do that, you KNOW you can't do that. So what makes you think you can even survive let alone defeat him?"

"It's not about defeat," Zoro said, annoyed at Luffy, but not necessarily angry, as he knows that Luffy is just concerned about him! "It's about the promise! It's about me proving to myself that all these years of training were not a waste of time! And finally it's about seeing how far I have to go to reach his level, the level of the Greatest Swordsman in the World!"

Everyone looked at Zoro with interest and ave in their looks. Even Mihawk was interested, and not just in Zoro, but also at Luffy, as he saw Luffy has three swords strapped on his waist. He recognized two of them as named swords, but didn't recognize the third one.

And with the third sword, Mihawk noticed that it is a very unusual sword, from which he can fell power rolling in waves, almost like from his own sword. It made Mihawk think that it's one of the 12 Supreme Grade Swords, but that couldn't be, as he doesn't recognize it, and as a World's Greatest Swordsman, he knows all named swords, and can recognize them on sight. It's because of that that he recognized two swords Luffy has as Yamaoroshi and Shichiseiken, as well as one of the three swords Zoro has as Wado Ichimonji.

Luffy sighed after he heard Zoro's words, and decided to let him do as he wants. "Fine, Zoro, do as you wish, but remember that we have no doctor who can save you if things go south." Luffy said, and while Zoro was even more annoyed by Luffy's words, he nodded, and looked at Mihawk, who was also looking at him.

Mihawk then pulled out a cross-shaped necklace, and pulled out a guard on it, revealing a small blade, surprising Zoro, and making him angry.

"And what exactly do you plan to do with that?" Zoro asked from his Santoryu stance.

"It will be more than adequate," Mihawk said. "After all, you wouldn't kill a fly with a cannon, would you?

"You may consider yourself to be strong and have a reputation on the East Blue, "Mihawk continued ignoring Zoro's harrowed eyes and angry look. "But that doesn't mean much to me, as, this sea is by far, the weakest of the four.

"Unfortunately, I don't carry any blade smaller than this one." Mihawk finished.

Zoro was seething at this point, and charged at Mihawk, who told him he has no idea how big the World is.

(The battle went pretty much just like in the anime, so I won't write it again, as there is no point. Zoro might be slightly better than he was in the anime at this point, because of his sparing matches with Luffy, but still wouldn't be able to do much better against Mihawk, which is why I'm just skipping this fight).

"ZORO!" Usopp yelled as he saw Mihawk slash Zoro across his torso with his black blade.

"So this is the power of the Grand Line," one of Krieg's pirates commented while standing on the ruins of Krieg's Galion. "It's terrifying!"

"The Pirate Hunter Zoro was as helpless as a newborn baby!" Another commented.

Back on Baratie, Nami, Nojiko and Usopp were looking at Zoro's defeated and bloodied form with wide eyes, and with hands over their eyes. Natsu and Naruto were angry to see their comrade cut down like that, though they knew that Mihawk didn't kill him and that he only cut him. Zoro will stay alive.

But, Luffy on the other hand was angry as hell. Yes, he knew that Zoro will live, but he was angry at Mihawk for giving him such a wound, at Zoro for not listening to him, and especially at himself for letting this happen.

As he was holding himself on the railing of Baratie, and was shaking in anger, the sky darkened and was covered in black as night thunder clouds.

This drew everyone's attention, and those who didn't know what's going on were looking at the sky, while those who did know what the cause of this was, were looking at Luffy. Those were his crewmates, as well as Sanji and Gin.

Mihawk also looked at the sky for a moment and then looked at where he felt significant power coming from, and noticed Luffy covered in blue electricity. When he saw blue lightning coming from the thunder clouds, he put two and two together, and realized Luffy is doing this. "He must have eaten a DF," Mihawk thought. "And it must be a Zoan Type as that would explain the horns."

Mihawk looked at the sky and narrowed his eyes when he saw blue lightning gathering and forming into some shape. Half a minute later, the shape was completely recognizable as the head of a giant blue dragon, which glared down at Mihawk.

"Lightning Dragon Downfall!" Luffy mumbled under his breath, and only those around him have heard and understood him, causing them to cover their ears along with everyone else in the close vicinity the moment they heard the loudest thunderclap ever which was then followed by a roar, scaring the shit out of everyone who wasn't already scared from seeing the dragon head made out of lightning.

Mihawk's eyes widened as he saw a huge Dragon head made out of blue lighting coming down from the sky and at him. He quickly swinged his sword, and a huge green slash flew from it and collided with the dragon head several hundred meters above the ocean level.

The clash of two attacks caused a shockwave to spread all over the place, and pushed some people on the parts of the Galion or on the floor of the Baratie, while some of the pirates from Krieg's crew were sent flying and fell into the ocean.

"WHAT THE FUCK IS GOING ON! Yelled some of Krieg's men as they were flying around, while some were barely holding on what's left of their ship.

The ones on Baratie were not in better position, as besides Luffy, Natsu, Naruto and Sanji, all the others were holding themselves to the railing, or were lying on the deck, trying to protect themselves from the shockwave and sparks of electricity which is flying around.

After almost a minute of pushing at each other, the two attacks exploded in the sky, and it caused a rain of lightning to fall on the sea as well as on what's left of Krieg's ship.

When it hit the ocean, the lighting fried and killed all of the Krieg's pirates who were in the ocean or even slightly touching it. Along with them, there were several others who were not in the water nor were they touching it, but were unlucky enough to be hit by a stray lightning, which killed them on the spot.

When the lightning stopped raining down on almost everyone, they all thought it was over, but unfortunately for everyone, Luffy was not over, as he pulled out his Caliburn, and in an instant, lightning teleported in front of Mihawk, who was surprised by another attack, but reacted quick enough to block a side attack from Luffy's sword.

As the two swords clashed, there was another shockwave, which sent everyone in the close vicinity to their knees.

The shockwave also caused waves which then caused Baratie to shake again, as the waves were moving it around. The cooks were all on their hands and knees on deck, along with Nami, Nojiko and Usopp, as well as Zoro's lying body. Zoro was brought there by Naruto who managed to save him from the ocean while Luffy's and Mihawk's attacks were pushing at each other and before they exploded.

When the shockwave and waves calmed down, everyone looked at where Luffy and Mihawk were dueling. The jaws of pretty much everyone but Natsu and Naruto dropped as they saw two pirates going at each other at full force behind their sword attacks.

The sword clashes were causing small ripples to form on the ocean, but nothing like after that first attack, which brought everyone on their knees.

"Damn, I didn't know Luffy is this strong and can do that!" Usopp commented from Baratie from where he was watching the sword battle between Luffy and Mihawk. "I knew he was strong, but this is ridiculous!"

"Yeah, Luffy is strong, and you haven't seen anything yet," Naruto said, making few cooks drop their jaws. "But I must admit, I am surprised he is doing this well in pure sword fight."

"Why?" It was Sanji who asked. He was also awed by the battle, and couldn't believe that Luffy is so strong. "And here I thought I was strong." He thought, before Naruto responded to his question.

"Luffy is not a real swordsman," Naruto replied. "He knows how to use it, but everything he knows about swordsmanship is self-taught. No one ever trained him in it. His true powers come from his DF, and that's why I said you haven't seen anything yet and why I said I'm surprised by the skill he is showing with that blade."

Everyone was speechless, especially Zoro, who was watching the duel which has extended to several minutes now.

As the duel progressed, it was becoming obvious that Luffy is at the disadvantage, as Mihawk has gained the upper hand in the duel. Of course, this doesn't mean that Luffy is finished. He still has a fight in him, and will continue for as long as he can.

Both swordsman were able to give some wounds to each other, though the wounds which Luffy received were more serious than the ones Mihawk got, as Mihawk has a slash on his left shoulder, on his right arm, and a cut across his left eye, though it wasn't deep enough to cut his eyes, so he was still able to see relatively well. Of course, there was blood around and in that eye, so it was giving him some trouble and is irritating him.

Luffy on the other hand, has a slash across his chest, similar to the one Zoro got, only smaller in length. He also has a cut on his right cheek, and another slash on his stomach.

The difference between the slashes the two gave to each other, is that the ones Luffy got, are deeper and are bleeding more.

"This man," Mihawk thought, as he parried Luffy's attacks. "His attacks are ferocious, and even though it's clear he is not as skilled nor trained in pure swordsmanship like Roronoa, this one is much faster, and is giving me more trouble than anyone in a long time.

"I can see how the Government would give him 50 mill starting bounty. Monkey D. Luffy. He really is something special, and I have a feeling he will bring big change to the entire world on day. I just don't know if those changes will be good or bad."

The duel continued for a while, and everyone from the cooks to Krieg's Pirates were watching with wide eyes, and some with jaws dropped as well in disbelief.

"This has gone long enough, Monkey D. Luffy," Mihawk suddenly said, and backed away several meters from Luffy. "I think it's time to finish this before the things get out of hand!"

Mihawk's sword got surrounded in black aura, which surprised everyone as they didn't know what it was. Well, Sanji and Zeff knew, and their eyes widened.

"Well, this is not good for Luffy." Sanji said, and all those who heard him, from the cooks to Luffy's crewmates looked at him.

"W-Why," Nami asked, now scared for Luffy even more then before?

"Mihawk just coated his sword in Armament Haki, which means that it's cutting power and strength is increased dramatically," Sanji said, getting many eyes to widen. "Right now, Mihawk could cut through Luffy's sword and his body like hit knife through butter."

They all wanted to ask what Haki is, as none of them knew, but didn't have the time as they looked at Luffy and Mihawk charging at each other. Mihawk sword surrounded in black Aura which is scaring everyone, and surprisingly, Luffy's sword, which is pure silver, is constantly changing from silver to black, as Luffy was charging at Mihawk.

When Luffy saw Mihawk's sword surrounded in black aura, he thought that this might be Armament Haki, Zeff mentioned before, and right then and there knew he is in trouble, since, according to Zeff, the power of weapons coated in Haki is increased. And if so, Luffy knew he won't be able to block Mihawk's attack, and might even get cut in half.

"I need to think of something, fast," Luffy though in his head, as he couldn't' allow himself to be killed. Defeated, he probably will be, since he knows Mihawk's is better swordsman, and he wasn't going to use his DF powers for this battle. This is mostly so he can release some rage from seeing Zoro hurt, and to also help Zoro a little by letting him watch the duel and learn.

"I should have asked Zeff how to activate Haki," Luffy sighed in his head. "Of course, I didn't know I'll need it less then an hour after he first mentioned it."

As Luffy was getting desperate, Mihawk decided to charge at him and finish this off. Luffy saw this, and decided to just go and try to block the slash and hope for the best.

As the two were running at each other, Mihawk's sword fully coated in Armament Haki, and producing aura around the blade, Luffy's sword started to change slightly, and for a mere second would turn black, before it would disappear. This happened several times as the two were charging at each other, and while Luffy didn't seem to notice it, Mihawk did, and was surprised.

"He seems to have awakened Armament Haki," Mihawk thought as he swinged his blade at Luffy, and Luffy swinged his at Mihawk. As the two swords were about to clash, Luffy's eyes narrowed, and his sword became completely obsidian black in color and stayed like that without wavering back and forth between black and silver.

Once the two swords, coated in Armament Haki clashed with each other, it caused a big boom and a shockwave so big that everyone from pirate to cook, and that includes the Straw Hats, either flew into the air as they were unable to stay on the ground, or were pushed to fall on their asses. Even Naruto fell on his ass, and while Natsu remained standing, the only person there left standing, he did stagger few steps back from the shockwave.

Few moments later, when everyone got back standing, and few floated back on the surface of the ocean, as the shockwave pushed them deeper into the ocean, they all looked at Luffy and Mihawk, and saw the two standing in front of one another, with their swords clashing and sparks flying in between them.

Someone from Krieg's crew looked at the sky, and had his jaw drop for a few moments, before he pulled it back, and yelled. "C-Captain, look at that!"

Everyone looked at where the yell came from, and then at the sky when they saw that's where the pirate is looking at. That moment, the jaws of hundreds of people fell on the deck or the water, and just as many eyes widened as far as it was possible.

Why? Well, probably because the sky which was covered in thunder clouds was literally split in half and a trench was formed in which the clouds were being pulled.

The trench was right above where Luffy's and Mihawk's swords were clashing and it was obvious to everyone that the clash has literally split the heavens in half.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THAT," Krieg was heard yelling as he was watching the clouds? "How can those two do this? They can't be humans!"

No one had an answer to either of the questions, nor was anyone trying to correct his guess that Luffy and Mihawk were not humans.

"I can't believe it," Zeff said in disbelief. "That brat just awoke Armament Haki, and not even an hour ago he didn't even know what that was until I told him."

"What is this Haki," Natsu asked? "It almost looks like what we saw you and Sanji do four days ago when you kicked him."

"That was Armament Haki," Zeff said. "Luffy asked me about it when we talked in the kitchen earlier, but I never thought he will awake it this quickly." He went quiet for a few moments, and then frowned. "But then again, Haki blooms in hard situations, when it's needed the most, so I guess when the brat saw Mihawk activate armament, he unconsciously activate it as well, since he knew he would lose and maybe even get killed if he tried to clash swords with Mihawk when Mihawk has his Armament activated."

Everyone looked back at Luffy and Mihawk and decided to talk later about Haki, but for now were going to focus back on the duel, which somehow has heated up again, and the two were going back at each other.

"RAHHHHHHHH!" Luffy roared as he swinged at Mihawk what he was sure was his last attempt as he was near his end, both from tiredness and from blood loss, as his wounds were deeper than Mihawk's.

Mihawk roared as well, and he swinged his sword as well. The two were going at each other, but as they were coming closer and closer, it was obvious the two swords will not clash again, but they will each cut their wielders opponent.

The next moment, both swordsman slashed each other, and the blood burst everywhere causing the eyes of the Straw Hats to widen in fright, as they thought Luffy got killed when Mihawk's sword slashed Luffy from his forehead across his right eye, and all the way down to his jaw.

Mihawk didn't pass without a new scar of his own, though, as Luffy was able to slash him across the chest, in the same way Mihawk slashed Zoro earlier.

Both of the yelled in pain, and fell on their knees, Luffy holding his bleeding face, while Mihawk was looking at Luffy with wide eyes, and not even paying attention to the wound of his own, even though it hurt as all hell.

"LUFFY!" Nami, Nojiko and Usopp yelled, while the others were wide eyed but didn't yell nor did they call for Luffy. Nami started to cry as soon as she saw Luffy get slashed across the face, and then fall on his knees, and Nojiko was trying to calm her down.

Seeing that this battle is pretty much over, unless of course the two decided to go until they kill each other, Naruto decided to bring Luffy back at Baratie, so he jumped from it and run toward where Luffy and Mihawk fought, not even noticing the wide eyes of everyone who haven't seen him walk on water before.

Naruto was where Luffy and Mihawk dueled in just a few seconds, and was standing over Luffy's kneeling form. "Was it really necessary to go this far?" Naruto asked, ignoring Mihawk, who was also kneeling on one knee few feet away from the two Straw Hat Pirates.

Luffy heard the question, and looked up at Naruto, allowing both Naruto and Mihawk to look at his face, and see a huge slash mark on the right side of his face, as well as that fact that his right eye is pretty much gone. It made Naruto wince at seeing one-eyed Luffy, with his face and torso all bloodied.

"No, I guess it wasn't really necessary, but I had to get rid of some anger I felt, and to also help Zoro by giving him a chance to watch and learn," Luffy said, surprising both Naruto and Mihawk with his reason to battle against Mihawk.

Naruto sighed and shock his head after staring at Luffy for a few moments, and then he helped Luffy get up. Naruto put Luffy's left arm around his shoulder, so he can help him get back to the Baratie.

Before he went back, though, Naruto looked at Mihawk who was still kneeling on the piece of deck from Krieg's Galion. "I assume you can get to Baratie on your own," Naruto said to Mihawk, surprising him. "You need to have those wounds cleaned. Unfortunately, we don't have a doctor in the crew, yet, so you will have to do with simple first aid."

Mihawk and Naruto looked at each other for a few moments, with Luffy also casting a look with one eye. After few moments, Mihawk nodded, and stood back up, allowing Naruto and Luffy to see his full body, which was also bloodied just like Luffy's.

Naruto took Luffy back to Baratie, where the others were waiting, and when they got there, he let Luffy lay on the deck, while everyone else, even Zoro, were surrounding him to see how he is.

"LUFFY," Nami yelled as she saw his bloodied form, and kneeled next to his left side so he can see her! She was also crying her eyes out, and simply couldn't stop herself even if she wanted to. Everyone else had a sad looks on their faces when they saw how injured Luffy is, and especially because of his lost right eye. "How could you do this to yourself, Luffy? How could you do this to me? Do you have any idea how worried I was?"

"Sorry Nami. I really didn't mean to worry you," Luffy said with a small smile on his blood covered face. "But look at it this way. Now I can put an eye patch, and look like a real pirate."

"YOU FOOL!" Nami roared at him with shark like teeth, scaring Luffy and making everyone wince. "If you weren't hurt already, I'd give you a slap you would remember for the rest of your life!"

By then, Mihawk has also arrived on Baratie, and many were glaring at him, but he wasn't paying attention, and just set there on the deck, leaning on the railing.

Naruto saw him, and nodded, before he looked at Usopp and Nojiko and said. "You two, go and bring the first aid kit from the Merry. We need to clean and seal the wounds on both of them as much as possible."

"WHAT," Usopp yelled when he heard Naruto? "You want to help Hawk-Eye as well even after he almost killed both Zoro and Luffy!"

"Yes, I do," Naruto said, surprising many. "He left Zoro alive even though he could have killed him easily. As for Luffy… well, none of this would have happened if Luffy didn't want to be a teacher."

When he saw their questioning gazed, Naruto sighed and said. "Luffy did this so Zoro can watch and maybe learn something," Naruto's words surprised everyone one more time. But none was more surprised as Zoro, as he had his eyes wide open.

Usopp and Nojiko left to get the first aid kit and clean the wounds on their captain as well as on Hawk-Eye, while the rest of the crew, as well as the cooks from Baratie stayed around Luffy.

"Luffy," Zoro called, and everyone looked at him. Luffy included. "I'm sorry. I should have listened to you and shouldn't have challenged Hawk-Eye. If I had listened, none of this would have happened."

"You shouldn't apologize, Zoro," Luffy said, and Zoro along with the others looked at him with raised eyebrows. "You did what you thought you should. We, as pirates do what we want, without asking anyone for permission, so, as I said, don't apologize."

"But you lost your eye," Zoro argued! "You will forever be half blind."

"Yes, but that happened because I chose to fight Mihawk, not because of you or anyone else," Luffy said. "I knew you were alive after he slashed you, and I knew you would live, and yet I challenged him. Which is why what happened to me is my fault, and no else's."

Usopp and Nojiko returned a minute later, and then Nami and Nojiko started to clean Luffy's wounds, while Naruto and Usopp went and cleaned Mihawk's.

As they were at it, Krieg started laughing, and along with the remaining of his crew said how this is his chance to kill Mihawk for what he did to him, as well as get rid of Luffy, who is clearly dangerous, and then he will take over Baratie.

Suddenly, a huge force was felt all over Baratie and spread in everyone direction, making Nojiko and some of the cooks gasp, and start shaking. The next moment, all of Krieg's pirates fell down unconscious, and foaming at their mouth. Some of them fell on the pieces of deck on which they were staying, but some rolled and fell into the ocean where they sank, never to return back up.

Once the pressure was lifted, everyone still conscious looked around to see what happened, as none besides few know what happened, and of those who knew what happened, only Zeff knew who did it.

Zeff looked at Sanji, who was just standing there, and blowing smoke from his mouth, while holding cigarette in between his fingers. "Sanji," Zeff called. "So this is how you decided to take care of the numbers problem."

Everyone looked at Zeff and Sanji, and while many were in disbelief that this is what Sanji did, few, like Natsu, Naruto, Luffy and Mihawk narrowed their eyes at Sanji.

Sanji shrugged. "Couldn't exactly let them damage the restaurant, old man." Sanji said.

"Y-You did this," Usopp stuttered? "How?"

"Am I to assume that this is the Conquerors Haki you mentioned earlier, old man?" Luffy asked this time, while looking at Zeff with one usable eye.

"Yeah, this is it, brat," Zeff said with a smile. "Conquerors Haki allow the user to overpower the wills of others who have weak wills. All those pirates were weaklings, which is why they are affected." Zeff scowled for a moment, looked around and then continued. "Hm, of all the remaining Pirates from Krieg's infamous fleet, only Krieg and two others were able to stay conscious, though they did go down on their knees."

Everyone looked and saw Krieg, Gin, and another pirate who was clad in some heavy shields were the only ones still conscious from Krieg's fleet, but were on their knees, and were sweating.

Mihawk looked at Zeff with narrowed eyes, and asked. "Are you telling me, that a simple cook from a small sea restaurant in the middle of the East Blue, knows how to use Haki?"

Zeff looked at Mihawk, and with a smirk said. "Yes, Sanji knows how to use all three types of Haki."

That was a big surprise for Mihawk as he has never in his life encountered someone who is not a marine, pirate or revolutionary, and knows how to use Haki, even just one type, let alone all three.

In the end, Mihawk decided to just let it go, as it is not his problem, and he could care less what Sanji decides to do from now on. He continued to just sit there, and let Naruto and Usopp clean his wounds and bandaged them enough so that he can go and get himself to see a doctor.

Luffy was also just lying there and allowing Nami and Nojiko to take care of the wounds they can, but his eye will have to be seen by a doctor, and unfortunately, they won't be able to see one until they get to Loguetown. They could, of course, go back to Syrup Village and have Kaya deal with all the injuries, as well as regrow his eye, but with the whole crew besides Nojiko having a bounty on their heads, it would be too risky to go back there and would put Kaya and Katrina in danger, and Luffy doesn't want that. So in the end, he has decided to just stay with one eye less, and wear an eye patch.

While Luffy's injuries were being taken care off, Sanji grew tired of Krieg, so he went and killed him, relatively easily, as he was just too fast and too powerful for Krieg, Gin and the third guy who called himself Pearl. Krieg and Pearl were killed, while Gin was spared by Sanji, as he thought that, overall, Gin is a good guy, and deserves to be allowed to live.

XXX

When Luffy's and Mihawk's, as well as Zoro's wounds were cleaned and patched as much as possible without a doctor, and after Krieg's Pirates were killed off, all of them, the cooks and the Straw Hats went back to Baratie, and the Going Merry to rest and fix some damages on Baratie. Though those damages were minimal.

Mihawk got up and left after he was patched up, and after he told to Zoro to seek him out one day when he is ready to face him for the title of the Words Greatest Swordsman. He thought if he should say the same thing to Luffy, but even though Luffy can use a sword in a fight, he doesn't see him as someone to pursue a title of the World's Greatest Swordsman, so he just left without saying anything.

The crew stayed on Baratie for one more day, before they had to leave, as they couldn't stay any longer and risk that Luffy's eye gets infected, so they have to go and see a doctor in Loguetown.

As he has promised to Luffy, Zeff talked to Sanji about joining the crew, and Sanji said he has heard their talk, and knows everything. In the end, Sanji agreed to join the Straw Hat crew as their cook.

And finally, before they left, Luffy talked with Gin, who was still on Baratie, where he was allowed to stay until he decides where to go. Luffy talked to him and told him about what he started in Syrup Village, and offered him a job there, but he will have to be under constant disguise, as he is a known pirate and it won't be a good thing if someone recognizes him and calls the marines.

Gin agreed, and will join Johnny and Yosaku in their work. Luffy, of course, called Kaya and told her about Gin, so she can expect him.

With everything on Baratie finished, the crew along with their newest member, Sanji, left after a tearful good bye between Sanji and Zeff, as well as some cooks, and went directly to Loguetown, not wanting to waste any more time than necessary.