BROTHER ON BOARD
Bluejay Blaze - True. I've been saying from the start that all the Straw Hats are nuts. There's only so many times that Sabo can be called a 'crazy gun-nut' before he catches on. You'll see at one point in this chapter that Zoro's caught on to the crew's insanity too. Poor Nami. She started out normal but the others drove her insane.
Syluk - Yeah that was a burst of Sabo's wild untrained haki. I know that so far in canon that Sabo has shown only Armament Haki but I'd like to think that Dragon's No 2 in the Revolutionaries has at least some Conqueror's Haki. Keep in mind, that Sabo has no idea what he just did and is completely untrained in how to use it. This was just one of those over the top emotional responses where the user unknowingly unleashes raw haki, like how Luffy did it before the time skip. I'd also like to state for the record that even if Sabo does have Conqueror's Haki it'll never be as strong as Luffy's because as I showed in the last chapter Luffy's the one with the unyielding will.
ProtoPhinbella - Yeah, or maybe like in Deadpool when Wade realizes that he forgot his ammo bag again. I can actually see my crazy Sabo saying "I only brought twelve bullets so you're all going to have to share" at some point.
Fairy of the Friz - She's in too deep at this point. You'll see in the first scene in this chapter that Nami has that idea but doesn't like the idea of answering a bunch of questions that may end with the Straw Hats getting involved in a situation that she thinks will kill them. Also, Sabo knew enough to recognize Mihawk as the Hawk Eyed man that destroyed Krieg's Armada in the Grand Line but no one ever mentioned that he was the World's Greatest Swordsman while they were on the Dreadnaught Sabre. Just goes to show that Sabo has a talent for pissing off swordsman. Not just Zoro.
PsychopathOnADiet - And the fishmen have no idea what Nami's leading towards them. Almost makes me feel sorry for the spiteful oppressive bastards. Almost.
lostdog200 - I've never held much of a strong connection to astrology to be honest but that sounds about right. Although, I never had an particular affinity for Thursdays or the color orange.
PipeDream - Don't get too excited about the Haki. That was a one-off thing. Sabo has no idea what he did and won't be doing it again for a while. But do get excited for the Arlong Park Arc. I'm mostly done writing it and I've had a blast.
Johnny Spectre - Sabo has Haki but he can't consciously use it yet. Let's just consider it a small hint at things to come.
TheREALMightyKamina - Am I saying that? When did I say that? All I've said so far is the Fan Club motto 'She's not just a rifle'. Does Bonnie Anne have a character arc that's going to be progressively shown alongside Sabo's in this story? Yes. Am I going to spoil it by revealing things here? NOPE!
rasEnshur1KEN - Nami's crafty. I'm sure she'll think of something. She's also a way better navigator than Sabo and Usopp put together and is on a bigger faster ship. They might not catch her before she reaches Arlong Park but as you'll see in the second scene in this chapter... Sabo has a hunch where she'd heading so they'll arrive earlier than the Straw Hats do normally. That was a burst of Haki that Sabo used. But he has no idea that he did it. He's not going to access haki again until the Straw Hats have made it to the Grand Line.
Transformers g1's-Prime - I also find it amusing that he seems to be able to get under the skin of just about every swordsman that he meets. Not just Zoro. A major part of Sabo's nonchalance was that he had no idea who Mihawk was. No one ever said he was the World's Greatest Swordsman. Just that he destroyed Krieg's fleet. And who says Usopp's 'murder' is going go down the same way it did in canon? (Insert ominous lightning flash and maniacal laughter here) Are you excited for Arlong Park yet? PS I call those jokes Gun Puns because it rhymes. Feel free to make any more that come to you. If they're good I might put them in the story at one point. That's an open invitation to anyone reading this: feel free to make Gun Puns!
Sanji-
"Oh crap, they're still following me," Nami cursed as she looked back at the skiff that was tailing her. She'd put some distance between them thanks to the Going Merry numerous sails and faster sailing speed but Sabo and Usopp were still pursuing her. "But of course they are. I've got his girlfriend."
Nami looked down and glared at the rifle that she'd brought up to the main deck. "That idiot and his stupid rifle are gonna ruin everything."
KER-CHOW!
Bonnie Anne suddenly went off and Nami was blown backward from the recoil and hit the railing.
THUD!
"OW!" Nami yelped as she rubbed her back and glared at the rifle that she had dropped. It was now sitting 'innocently' in the middle of the deck. "I didn't even mean to steal the damn thing!"
"Maybe I could stop and tell him that?" Nami proposed, "Try and explain things?"
"But then they'd ask why I stole the Merry," Nami countered, "They'd want to help and they'd end up getting killed and would ruin everything. I can't let those idiots ruin eight years' worth of hard work."
"I've gotta lose 'em," Nami resolved. "I'll give the rifle back once I've sorted out everything back home."
Nami glared at Bonnie Anne then headed to the galley to adjust her course. "Stubborn jackass doesn't even realize I'm trying to save his life."
She stopped at the top of the stairs when she had another horrible realization, "Oh great. Now I'm talking to myself. They finally did it. Those lunatics drove me crazy."
"She's changed course," Sabo noted. "Looks like she knows we're following her."
"Why would she do that?" Usopp wondered.
"In my experience, thieves don't normally stick around after they've stolen from someone," Sabo said. "That's just another question we can add to the list of things to ask when we finally chase her down."
"The Merry's a lot faster than this ship," Usopp pointed out as he went to the back of the skiff and adjusted the rudder to alter their course. "Do you think we'll lose her?"
"Even if we do, I've got a feeling I know where she's going," Sabo told him.
"You do?" Usopp asked.
"We've been systematically taking out pirates with the biggest bounties in the East Blue," Sabo stated, "Don Krieg has the biggest bounty of any pirate from the East Blue. But the biggest fish in this pond is actually a pirate from the Grand Line called 'Saw Tooth' Arlong."
"S-so… he's… even stronger than Don Krieg?" Usopp stammered.
"Could be, I've never met him," Sabo admitted. "All I managed to learn was that he's based in the northwest region of the East Blue, basically the opposite side of the ocean that we set out from. He mostly stays in that area so I didn't think we'd ever see him. But guess which direction we're heading."
"N-n-northwest?" Usopp stammered. Sabo nodded. "So… we're really going there?"
"If we lose her, yes," Sabo confirmed. He ran to the front of the skiff and shouted at the distant caravel, "YOU HEAR THAT NAMI? I'M COMING FOR YOU! THERE'S NOWHERE IN THIS OCEAN YOU CAN GO THAT I WON'T FOLLOW!"
"Sanji!" Luffy addressed the cook. "They're after the restaurant and we're trying to protect it, right?"
"Do I really need to tell you that at this point?" Sanij asked.
"Well then why're we fighting them over here?" Luffy asked. "Won't the place get smashed up if we let the pirates get close to it?"
Sanji automatically opened his mouth to reject another one of Luffy's stupid ideas but then he realized something, "You actually have a point."
"Shishishi!" Luffy laughed. "See? Told ya I was good at fighting pirates!"
"GET 'EM!" The Krieg Pirate roared as they jumped from the floating wreckage of their galleon to the fin deck of the Baratie.
"Oh no you don't!" Luffy called out as he stretched himself back into the dining room while holding onto the front railing. "GUM GUM ROCKET!"
WOING!
Luffy shot forward and spread his arm so he knocked the fine pirates from the first wave off the Baraite deck and back into the water.
"AND… SCYTHE!" Luffy stretched his arm out and clotheslined another ten pirates that had been forming the second wave.
WHAM!
Luffy landed on the deck and quickly jumped up onto the railing when he noticed the water starting to seep onto it.
"SAVE SOME FOR ME!" Sanji called out as he leapt from the Baratie to the floating platform that remained of Krieg's ship,
Luffy and Sanji laid waste to Krieg's crew with flurry of rubber punches and high-speed cook kicks. The Krieg Pirates had had been hanging back on the Dreadnaught Saber all fell in less than three minutes.
But unfortunately, they missed some.
"HAHA!" a Krieg pirate laughed as he and eight companions stood over the defeated Baratie cooks. "We're not just your run-of-the-mill pirates! We're the Krieg Pirates! Mere cooks could never compare to the likes of us!"
"Hey, that's a pretty nice knife," another pirate noted as he reached down to grab one of the cooks' chef's knife. "Hey! Let go!"
"A chef's knife is a cook's soul," Sanji stated as he landed on the deck behind the pirate. "IT'S NOT TO BE HANDLED BY AN AMATEUR LIKE YOU!"
THWAM!
One hard kick sent the pirate flying off the Baratie, clear over the wreckage of the Dreadnaught Saber and down into the water on the other side.
"That kicking technique…" Krieg mused as he glared at Zeff. He had a pretty good idea who Sanji had learned to kick from.
"Wow, are these guys all that are left?" Luffy asked as he launched himself back onto the Baratie deck.
"DON'T TAKE US LIGHTLY!" a Krieg Pirate snapped, "WE'RE THE KRIEG PIRATES! THE STRONGEST IN THE EAST BLUE!"
"Nah, you're pretty week," Luffy replied, "You're only the strongest because you have the most people."
The Krieg Pirates recoiled at how true Luffy's statement was.
"He hit the nail right on the head there," Sanji remarked before he dropped onto his hands and swung his legs around into the faces of the remaining pirates.
THWAK-WAK-WAK-WAK!
The pirates went flying off the deck and left it clear.
"Wow," one of the fallen cooks commented, "Every time I see Sanji's kicks I can't help but be amazed."
"Did we win?" Luffy asked. All of Krieg's underlings appeared to have been defeated.
"NOT YET!" Krieg roared as he pulled one of the shoulder guards off of his battle armor and attached a stick to it and created a battle staff. The mouth of the skull design slid opened to reveal a gun barrel. "I'LL KILL YOU BOTH IN ONE SHOT WITH THIS GAS BOMB!"
"DON KRIEG! NOT THE MH5!"
"NOT AGAINST JUST TWO PEOPLE!"
"A gas bomb?" Luffy repeated, "Don't worry, I'll just bounce it back."
BANG!
Krieg fired his latest weapon and a black warhead went flying towards the Baraite.
Luffy jumped up to intercept the attack.
BOOOM!
The bomb suddenly 'exploded' and showered the deck with shuriken and shrapnel.
SLISH-SLISH-SLISH!
The flying bits of bladed metal caught Luffy off guard and slashed his arms and chest.
"That wasn't poison gas!" Sanji realized as he ducked out of the way while Luffy crashed down to the deck next to him, "That was shrapnel."
"MH5 can level a small town!" Krieg boasted, "I wouldn't waste it on you pests!"
"THAT WAS A CHEAP TRICK!" Luffy complained as he sat up. "WHY DON'T YOU FIGHT LIKE A MAN?"
"I don't need to fight you!" Krieg retorted. "I'm the mighty Don Krieg! I have a dozen different ways that I can kill you from right here! In battle, all the matters is the end result! It doesn't matter that you took out my men or what method I finally killed you with. All that matters is that I'll be the one that's once again standing victorious at the end of it all. This will show you which one of us deserves to be King of the Pirates!"
"Oh yeah, that's definitely me," Luffy assured him.
"YOU BRAT!" Krieg roared.
"Stop provoking him," Sanji scolded him. "He's the only one left. Don't make this harder by goading him into doing something dangerous."
"But he's not the only one left."
Crack!
Zeff suddenly fell over.
"This fight is over, Sanji."
Gin had finally entered the battle. His first move was to break Zeff's peg leg. Now he stood over the Head Chef with a gun pointed at his head.
"Stand down and surrender the ship," Gin ordered, "Otherwise I'll put a bullet in this old man's head."
"GIN! THAT'S NOT FAIR!" Luffy complained.
"We're pirates," Gin reminded him. "This is what we do."
"You look pathetic, old geezer," Sanji scolded Zeff.
"I don't need to hear that crap from you, ya stupid eggplant!" Zeff retorted.
"STOP TREATING ME LIKE A KID!" Sanji snapped at Zeff. He turned his attention to Gin. "Gin… please… Don't shoot him. Point that gun at me. Kill me instead."
"W-what?" Gin sputtered.
"This restaurant is that old bastard's treasure," Sanji stated, "I can't let you take it. I've already taken everything else from him. His leg, his dream… I CAN'T LET HIM DIE BECAUSE OF ME EITHER!"
"Still a whiny little brat," Zeff grumbled. "I don't need you to do unnecessary things."
"YOU BASTARD!" Sanji snapped, "I'M NOT A KID ANYMORE!"
Sanji's mind flashed back to his past history with Zeff. He recalled how the cruise ship he'd been working on as a boy had been attacked by Zeff's pirate crew. Sanji refused to give into them because he hadn't seen the All Blue yet. But a sudden storm had wrecked both the pirate ship and the cruise ship.
Sanji woke up and found himself stranded on a rock with Zeff. They were the only survivors. Zeff had managed to save Sanji from drowning at the cost of one of his legendary legs. Sanji refused to have anything to do with Zeff and insisted that he'd survive on his own until they were rescued. He took a small bag of food that Zeff had given him while the pirate had kept a larger bag for himself.
The days went by and turned into weeks. Sanji starved as he tried to stretch his five days' worth of food as much as he could. Even when the bread turned green and moldy, he still ate it. He was starving now and the made him regret all the food that he had previously wasted.
The weeks turned into months. Sanji's food ran out and he continued to starve on the rock with no sign of a rescue in sight. It wasn't until the seventieth day when Sanji was basically skin and bones that he thought about Zeff. He decided to check of the old pirate was still alive. He was shocked when he found that not only was Zeff still sitting on his side of the rock but he still had his huge bag.
Sanji was desperate so he decided that he was going to steal the food from Zeff. He knew the pirate could kill him but at this point he didn't care. But when he attacked, Zeff didn't even try to stop him. Sanji cut into the bag to reveal… treasure. Zeff hadn't given Sanji some of the food he'd given him all of the food. The treasure that Zeff had kept was worthless while they were stranded and starving.
That was when Sanji discovered how Zeff had managed to survive. He'd eaten the remains of his injured leg. Zeff had given up his leg and his pirate career so Sanji could have all the food and survive. Sanji demanded to know why Zeff had sacrificed so much for him and the old pirate simply replied that they shared the same dream: to find the All Blue.
Zeff decided then that since his pirate career was over, he'd open up a restaurant. Sanji immediately offered to help. They made the first rule now knowing what it was like to starve and have nothing, They'd feed anyone who was hungry and never waste even a scrap of food. On the eighty-fifth day finally came and they were saved.
"That old man already gave up everything for me!" Sanji exclaimed, "I can't let you kill him and I can't let you take his treasure. So if it means that I have to die to protect the restaurant and repay my debt then that's what I'll do."
Luffy scowled and slid his hat forward to cover his eyes then he stretched his foot up overhead. "GUM GUM… AAAAX!" Luffy snapped his foot down and drove his heel into the deck of the Baratie.
KROOOM!
The fin deck cracked and broke from the impact.
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Sanji demanded.
"They're after the restaurant," Luffy stated, "But if there is no restaurant their plan is ruined. So I'm gonna destroy it. Then there'll be nothing for you to die over."
"THAT'S IDIOTIC!" Sanji snapped at him.
"NO YOU'RE IDIOTIC!" Luffy retorted. "DO YOU THINK THE OLD MAN SACRIFICED PART OF HIMSELF SO YOU COULD JUST TURN AROUND AND DIE?" Shanks and his missing arm flashed before Luffy's eyes. "HE DID IT SO YOU COULD LIVE! TURNING AROUND AND DYING ANYWAY WOULD MAKE HIS SACRIFICE MEANINGLESS! THAT'S THE COWARD'S WAY OUT!"
"WELL IT'S NOT LIKE YOU'VE GOT A BETTER WAY OUT OF THIS MESS!" Sanji berated him.
Thnk!
Gin's gun hit the ground. "I have one…" he said as he pulled out two tonfa with what appeared to be cannonballs on the ends. "DON KRIEG! Allow me to restore the reputation of our crew by killing this man with my own two hands."
Krieg grinned, "Fine Gin," he agreed. "You kill the cook and I'll take the rubber brat. Show them why you're the Battle Commander."
"Sanji, I wanted you to leave this ship without being hurt," Gin admitted, "But it looks like that's no longer an option. So the least I can do is kill you myself. That's the solution I arrived at."
"Oh, well thank you," Sanji replied, "Now kindly eat shit and die."
Gin shook his head and looked over at Luffy, "Straw Hat, you should have left with your crew."
"Why?" Luffy asked. "There's no way I'd lose to weaklings like you guys,"
"YOU BASTARD!" one of the Krieg Pirates yelled. "WE'RE NOT WEAK!"
BANG!
The Krieg Pirate was hit with a wooden dart and dropped into the water.
"That's enough out of you," Krieg resolved as he lowered his battle staff. "A man who gets angry at being called weak is indirectly admitting to being weak. It's the final result that decides who's strong and who's not. And I'm still standing. GIN! Hurry up and kill the cook. Then I'll finish off the rubber freak."
"Understood Don Krieg," Gin replied. "I'm sorry Sanji. But you can't beat me."
"Hm, I was going to say the same to you," Sanji admitted.
"I'll show you why I'm the ruler of the East Blue!" Krieg taunted Luffy, "You'll see why your freakish powers are nothing to me!"
"Keep talking," Luffy encouraged him. "When I get over there I'm still gonna send you flying."
"Go ahead and try!" Krieg challenged him.
Meanwhile, Sanji and Gin's fight got underway. Gin traded crushing shots from the cannonballs on his tonfa with Sanji's hard kicks. But no matter how hard Sanji kicked him, Gin kept going. His crew referred to him as the 'Man-Demon' for a reason. He never hesitated when killing someone and he continued to land blow after blow on Sanji. Sanji's bones cracked under the impact from the iron balls on the tonfas and he did everything he could to keep up his offence.
"He's looking away!" Luffy exclaimed as he launched himself towards Krieg.
"NOT SO FAST!" Krieg called out as held up his battle staff and twisted the stick. Four holes appeared at the ends of the crossbones on the design and fired a barrage of wooden darts at Luffy.
BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM!
Luffy was blasted backwards and landed hard on his back. He pushed himself back up and pulled the stake-sized darts out of his arms and chest.
"You think you can stop me?" Luffy growled. "ONLY I DECIDE WHEN I STOP!"
"FINISH HIM GIN!" a Krieg Pirate called out.
Luffy looked behind him to see that the 'Man-Demon's' unrelenting assault had finally overwhelmed Sanji and that he had the cook down on his back with his tonfa poised to deliver the finishing blow.
"I… I CAN'T DO IT!" Gin dropped his tonfa and hung his head. "DON KRIEG I CAN'T KILL THIS MAN!"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?" Krieg demanded.
"Never… in my life has someone treated me so kindly," Gin confessed as he recalled Sanji feeding him when he was starving. "That's why… I can't kill this man…"
"You coward!" Krieg berated Gin. "I'm disappointed in you, Gin. I always thought you were my most loyal subordinate. That's why I made you the Battle Commander of my fleet of fifty ships. It wasn't your fighting ability… but your willingness to win by whatever means necessary!"
"I know Don Krieg," Gin replied. "I never meant to betray you and I don't regret anything that I've done in your name. I admire you, Don Krieg… but I can't kill this man. Is there any chance that we could… possibly… let this ship go?"
"MY MOST LOYAL SUBORDINATE DEFIES MY ORDERS?" Krieg roared. "HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Krieg glared at Gin. "I've changed my mind. Maybe this restaurant does deserve a dose of my MH5."
"HE'S GOING TO USE IT!" a Krieg Pirate shrieked in alarm. "GET YOUR GAS MASKS!"
"But Don!" Gin protested, "We were all saved because of this restaurant!"
"GIN! THROW YOU MASK AWAY!" Krieg ordered, "YOU ARE NO LONGER PART OF MY CREW!"
"Gin! Don't listen to him!" Luffy called out, "He's just a coward!"
"DON'T YOU DARE INSULT DON KRIEG, STRAW HAT!" Gin barked.
"Gin, he's trying to kill you," Sanji pointed out.
"And that's just what I deserve," Gin replied, "I broke the crew's code because I let my compassion get the better of me. I deserve this." Gin pulled out his gas mask and threw it away.
"LETHAL POISON GAS BOMB!" Krieg roared as he raised his weapon, "MH5!"
BOOM!
Krieg fired another warhead from his battle staff before he put on a gas mask.
"WE NEED TO GET YOU INSIDE, HEAD CHEF!" two cooks shouted as they grabbed Zeff and hauled him into the Baratie.
The rest of the cooks dove into the water and swam down as deep as they could.
"I NEED A MASK! I NEED A MASK!" Luffy exclaimed. He spotted two Krieg Pirates with gas masks, "I'll borrow these."
YOINK!
"GAAH!" the pirates creamed and dove underwater while Luffy tossed the two masks to Sanji and Gin.
"GUYS! USE THOSE!" Luffy called out to him. "Now I need a mask!" He turned back to steal another mask but found that the rest of the Krieg Pirates had dove underwater. "WAAAH! WHATDOIDO? WHATDOIDO?"
Clunk!
A gas mask landed next to Luffy. He quickly grabbed it and put it on just as the MH5 Bomb exploded.
KA-BLOOOSH!
Purple gas exploded outward and flooded the area. Everything was obscured in a hazy purple smokescreen.
"What kind of pirate uses poison gas?" a cook complained as he popped once the gas had finally cleared five minutes later. "That guy's a monster."
"It's been five minutes…" another cook noted, "Do you think Sanji and the Chore Boy are alright?"
They looked over at the restaurant as the last of the gas cleared.
"Gin, move your hand…" Sanji mumbled through his gas mask that Gin had pressed onto his face.
"…" Gin didn't respond.
Luffy looked over and saw Gin pinning a mask to Sanji's face… without wearing one himself. "GAH! WHERE'S YOUR MASK? DIDN'T I THROW YOU ONE?"
Luffy remembered the mask that had suddenly landed next to him.
"KOFF! KOFF!" Gin coughed up blood and dropped to the ground.
"HAHAHAHA!" Krieg laughed at his poison subordinate. "WHAT A FOOL! That's what he gets for thinking he's eternally indebted to a cook just because he's given some grub! HAHAHAHAHAHA1"
"D…Don…" Gin croaked.
Sanji sat up and looked sadly down at the poisoned pirate, "It looks like you followed the wrong man."
Luffy stared at the pirate who had saved his life then turned and glared across the water, "KRRRIIIIIEEEEEG!"
"HAHAHAHAHA!" Krieg continued to laugh. "Feeling sorry for that useless idiot?"
"USELESS IDIOT?" Sanji growled.
"What else would you call an idiot that loses sight of objectives and disobeys orders?" Krieg asked. "He could have repeated his failures if I let him live. Killing him on the spot now to put him out of his misery is how I show my love."
"Gin, don't you dare die!" Luffy ordered the poisoned pirate. "Hang on through sheer willpower. Don't let yourself be killed by someone like him."
Zeff reappeared in the doorway of the Baratie. He had replaced his broken peg leg and had Patty, Carne and the two other cooks with him.
"Looks like he got a dose of the gas," Zeff noted. "You have a poison antidote right?"
"But sir, that's fer food poisonin'," Patty reminded him.
"It'll have to do," Zeff resolved. "Also, put one of those gas masks on him. There's bound to be some kind of antidote in them."
"Right sir," Carne agreed as they gathered Gin and a gas mask and brought him inside. "We've got the first aid kit out back with the other guy. We'll bring this one out there."
Zeff stood next to Sanji as they watched Luffy, "Watch the Chore Boy carefully."
"GUM GUM BULLET!"
POW!
Luffy drove his bare fist through Krieg's spiked Porcupine Cape and sent him flying.
"What… happened?" Zoro groaned as he struggled to sit up on the back deck when Gin was brought out.
"Krieg poisoned his own guy," Patty answered.
"Zoro-bro, don't overexert yourself!" Johnny warned him.
"Your injuries are barely healed at all," Yosaku added as he pointed down at the numerous bandages that had been wrapped around Zoro's chest. He looked like he was part mummy at this point.
Zoro looked over at Gin as Patty pressed the gas mask down on his face. "Looks like you backed the wrong side. Not only did the prick turn on you but now he's gonna get his ass kicked by Luffy."
"Don… Krieg… can't… be… beaten…" Gin croaked through the gas mask.
"Well you're wrong again," Zoro told him as he began a speech that was eerily similar to the one Zeff was giving Sanji on the other side of the Baratie. "When you're on the battlefield with your life on the line, it's the one who fears death and hesitates that meets their demise. Luffy doesn't hesitate because he knows no fear. Your Captain could come after mine with another hundred weapons and another thousand men but that wouldn't change the outcome of this battle. Luffy is gonna take him down."
Gin hadn't seen Zoro's battle with Mihawk. But he certainly heard about how the fearless swordsman had faced down the monster that had destroyed the Krieg Armada without an ounce of hesitation. Luffy and Zoro were two of a kind. Both fearless warriors that didn't fear death and fought with everything they had without hesitating for second.
"Most people call that type of courage insanity," Zoro admitted, "But with our crew… being insane is practically a requirement."
KA-BOOOOOM!
A fifth explosion rang out as Luffy and Krieg continued to wage their two-man war.
Krieg had switched his battle staff with his Mighty Battle Spear, a one-ton staff with a pointed blade at the tip that exploded every time it made contact with something.
But Luffy hadn't shied away from the explosive spear for one second and had met it head on.
KREK!
"WHAT?" Don Krieg gaped in shock as the tip broke off his spear. "MY MIGHTY BATTLE SPEAR! WHAT HAPPENED?"
"I happened!" a scorched but still standing Luffy proudly replied. "I just punched it five times! That fifth one was enough to break it. Now your spear is just a bomb on a stick. Pretty useless if you ask me."
"I can't believe he broke Don Krieg's most powerful weapon!" a Krieg Pirate gasped.
"IT'S NOT USELESS!" Krieg roared. "A MERE BOMB ON A STICK IS MORE THAN ENOUGH TO BEAT A STUPID MONKEY LIKE YOU! RAAAH!" Krieg charged at Luffy and swung his tip-less spear at him.
SKISH!
"OOH-OOH-EEK!" Luffy mocked Krieg and screeched like a monkey as he jumped clear over him. Luffy landed behind Krieg and lashed out with a barrage of punches just as he turned around. "GUM GUM GATLING!"
BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM-BAM!
"YOU FOOL!" Krieg shouted as Luffy's fist repeatedly slammed into his armored chest. "YOUR PUNCHES ARE NOTHING COMPARED TO MY WOOTZ STEEL ARMOR!"
"AND BULLET!" For the final punch in his barrage Luffy stretched his arm back behind him then snapped it back and smashed his fist into Krieg's chest with even greater force.
BANG!
Krieg's armor continued to shield him from Luffy's assault and he lurched backwards then swung his spear around at Luffy. "YOU INSOLENT BRAT!" The bomb-on-a-stick made contact and exploded.
KA-BOOOM!
Luffy was blasted backwards but got right back up again.
"ABSOLUTELY, COMPLETELY, UTTERLY FUTILE!" Krieg bellowed. "THE GREATEST ARMOR IN THE WORLD COULD NEVER BE BROKEN BY A MEASLY HUNDRED PUNCHES FROM A PUNY MONKEY!"
"Nah, I think I'm just about there," Luffy replied.
"That is it!" Krieg snarled. He grabbed the side of his broken main mast and launched himself to the top. The mast was slanted and leaning on the railing which only put it at about twenty feet above the rest of the deck but it was still high enough for what he planned next. "I'LL POUND IT INTO YOUR THICK SKULL! THE ONE WITH THE STRONGEST ARMOR AND WEAPONRY IS THE STRONGEST WARRIOR! AND THOSE WHO DEFY THE STRONG ARE DOOMED TO DIE, HAMMER BOY!"
Krieg pulled out a batch of small black balls each no bigger than an egg and tossed them at the deck.
"He's gonna destroy the entire deck from up there!" one of the Baratie cook's realized. "There'll be nowhere left for the Chore Boy to fight!"
"ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE!" Krieg taunted.
"Right," Luffy agreed. "And that's me!" He ran and launched himself towards the bombs looking to jump through them before they could hit him.
"Chore Boy! It's a trap!" Sanji warned him.
"So predictable," Krieg scoffed. "RIGHT WHERE I WANT YOU!"
KA-BOOM-BOOOM-BOOOM!
Instead of exploding on contact, Krieg's batch of bombs exploded in midair. Luffy had no way to stop and flew right into the fiery explosion.
"Hmph," Krieg grunted, "There are some things you can't accomplish with just willpower alone.
"GUM… GUM…" Krieg's eyes widened in surprise as a badly burned Luffy came flying out the other side of the explosion with his arms stretched back behind him. "BAAZOOOKAA!" Luffy snapped his arms forward and slammed both his fists into Krieg's chest.
KA-BAM!
Krieg went flying off the mast and sailed out over the water.
Krek-krek!
Krieg looked down and saw a small crack appear in the middle of his armor.
"YOU MAY HAVE MADE A SMALL CRACK IN MY ARMOR! BUT THIS BATTLE IS OVER!"
SKISH!
Luffy landed on the mast and launched himself after Krieg. "GUUUM… GUUUM… BAAAZOOOKAAA!" Luffy once again slammed both his fists into Krieg's armor.
KRESH!
The wootz steel armor finally gave way to Luffy's monstrous strength and shattered. Krieg coughed up blood as one of Luffy's attacks finally got through his defense.
"DON KRIEG!" Krieg's crew shrieked in alarm at seeing the 'invincible armor' broken.
"DON'T CELEBRATE TOO SOON!" Krieg exclaimed.
BANG!
He fired a net from the gauntlet on his arm and it quickly snagged Luffy. "YOU CAN'T ESCAPE FROM MY IRON NET! I'LL HAVE THE LAST LAUGH! WE'RE OVER THE SEA! I JUST HAVE TO DRAG YOU DOWN WITH ME AND YOU'LL DROWN, HAMMER BOY! I WIN AGAIN! DON KRIEG ALWAYS WINS!"
Krieg grabbed hold of his net as pulled Luffy down with him as he continued to fall towards the water.
"As long as I can stretch my arms and legs… I can still win!" Luffy assured him as he stuck his hands and feet through the holes of Krieg's iron net. Luffy stretched his legs down towards Krieg and twisted his rubber limbs together like a rope as they went.
"The water's his weak point," Sanji thought to himself. "He being dragged straight towards it and he's still fighting! He isn't hesitating for a second."
"You're probably wondering how he can keep fighting," Zeff spoke up from Sanji's side.
"What's with this guy?" an utterly bewildered Don Krieg wondered. "Despite my weapons and my strength he keeps charging ahead like some wild animal! I'm the Pirate Admiral Don Krieg! But he still doesn't back down!"
"Uggh…" Zoro groaned as he shakily got to his feet.
"Zoro-bro!" Johnny called out, "You shouldn't be standing!"
"With your injuries you shouldn't even be able to stand!" Yosaku added.
Zoro took two deep ragged breathes then staggered over to Gin and grabbed the poisoned pirate's arm. "Come with me."
"Wha?" Gin grunted through his gas mask.
"There's something you've gotta see," Zoro told him. "You're gonna see… the power of a will that can smash through any armor."
Zoro hauled Gin up off the deck and despite his grievous from Mihawk managed to drag the pirate through the dining room to the other side of the Baratie.
"THAT GUY SHOULD BE DEAD!" Carne exclaimed.
"WHAT'S WITH THIS CREW?" Patty wondered.
"ZORO-BRO!" Johnny and Yosaku shrieked in alarm as they chased after the swordsman.
"THIS IS THE END!" Luffy resolved as he shot himself down passed the still falling Krieg while his twisted legs continued to stretch and grow. "You keep calling me 'Hammer-boy' so let's see how you like this hammer!"
"DON'T JUST STAND THERE YOU FOOLS!" Krieg shouted. "SHOOT HIM!"
Krieg's crew pulled themselves up onto the fin deck of the Baratie and aimed a number of guns at Luffy.
But none of them got to fire.
THWAK-WAK-WAK-WAK!
"That's enough outta you," Sanji said as he stood over the fallen pirates.
WHAP!
Luffy feet reached Krieg's face and wrapped around it then his legs started to unwind.
WHIR-WHIR-WHIR-WHIR!
"WAAAAAAHHHH!" Krieg screamed as he spun through the air.
"RAAAAAAHHH!" Luffy roared as he swung Krieg and his legs over his head towards the Baratie. "GUUUM… GUUUM… HAAAAAMMEEEEEERR!"
WHAAAAAM!
Luffy slammed the spinning Krieg down onto the cracked fin deck of the Baratie.
"DON KRIIIEEEG!"
"CHORE BOY!"
"He did it! He really did it!" Patty exclaimed as they followed Zoro and Gin out of the Baratie. "That little brat beat 'the Pirate Admiral' Don Krieg."
"See?" Zoro said simply.
"…" Gin stared in silent wide eyed stock at Krieg's broken body was practically embedded in the already cracked fin deck.
Luffy hadn't stopped falling and was still trapped in the net but he managed to flash a quick smile at his handiwork before he hit the water and went under.
SPLASH!
"If you call the fifty ship fleet, five thousand-man army, booby-trapped armor and poison gas that Krieg had 'strength'," Zoro said, "Then my Captain's strength outclasses his in every way. His weapon is one of a different kind entirely. Conviction: the will to do absolutely anything to achieve a dream and never stop no matter what. Your chump of a Captain was outmatched right from the start."
Zoro didn't realize it but Gin wasn't his only audience. Sanji, Zeff, Johnny and Yosaku were all listening.
"Well said swordsman," Zeff remarked as he turned to head back into the Baratie, "Although, I know of a certain bratty eggplant that would stifle that same conviction for no good reason."
Sanji's face was blank as he looked back at Zeff.
"What're you still standing there for?" Zeff asked. "The Chore Boy's not coming back up on his own. Anyone that's eaten a Devil Fruit is hated by the sea and loses the ability to swim."
"WHY DIDN'T YOU SAY SOMETHING SOONER?" Sanji demanded as he pulled off his suit jacket and kicked off his shoes then ran and dove off the deck of the Baratie after Luffy.
Gin pulled off his gas mask. His eyes were still locked on Don Krieg. "I can't believe he lost… He was… the only man I'd ever admired… I believed he was the strongest… the King of the East Blue…"
Splash!
Sanji resurfaced with an unconscious Luffy. He looked over at Zoro then back down at Luffy. The dedication that the two pirates had to their respective dreams resonated with him and Zeff's comment about his own abandoned dream hammered the point home. "Hey… don't you die on me."
"I'M THE STRONGEST!"
Everyone looked to see Don Krieg on his feet again.
"I'VE WON EVERY BATTLE! DON KRIEG ALWAYS WINS!"
But one look at Don Krieg vacant eyes would tell anyone that the defeated Pirate Admiral was unconscious. The fact that he was still standing and screaming showed that he was incapable of accepting the fact that he'd been beaten.
POW!
Don Krieg finally went silent and slumped over Gin's shoulder.
"Don Krieg… we lost."
"Hey… that guy shouldn't be moving," Patty pointed out. "That'll make the poison worse… wont it?"
"How should I know?" Carne retorted.
"Let's retreat for today and start anew," Gin resolved. "Thank you for everything, Sanji."
"Yeah," Sanji replied as Johnny and Yosaku rushed over to help him get Luffy on the deck. "Please don't come again."
"HEY! DID YOU FORGET THAT YOU'VE BEEN POISONED?" Patty shouted.
"THAT'S THE GUY THAT TRIED TO KILL YOU!" Carne added.
Gin ignored them, "Sanji, when he wakes up… pass on a message for me. Tell him 'Let's meet again… in the Grand Line'."
"You mean you still want to go there?" Sanji asked.
"There's nothing else I want to do," Gin confessed, "I never realized it… but I guess Don Krieg's ambition became my own. KOFF! KOFF!" Gin hacked up blood as he hefted Krieg's large frame up across his shoulders. "I want to return to the Grand Line. Maybe I'm a coward for making this decision when I don't have long to live anyway… but it's still my ambition. Only this time… I'll do it my way. That way there'll be nothing for me to hide behind. I've used Don Krieg's name as shield for so long… now it's time to see if I can stand on my own. The rubber kid and the swordsman taught me that worrying about your enemies or getting hurt is just pointless worrying."
"Patty, Carne, give them our supply boat," Sanji ordered.
"Why would we give anything to the guys that attacked us?" Carne questioned.
"Those bastards can swim away for all I care!" Patty exclaimed.
"JUST DO IT!" Sanji yelled.
The two cooks flinched and eventually caved. "Fine… you don't haveta yell!"
"Who does he think he is bossin' us around?" Patty grumbled. "One of these days I'll getl that kid."
"But he's inherited the Head Chef's legendary kicks," Carne reminded him.
"Then we'll attack him in his sleep," Patty decided. "Then we cooks might stand a chance."
"Might?" Carne repeated.
Eventually Gin, the surviving pirates and the unconscious Don Krieg left the Baratie on the supply boat. The battle was finally over.
After the battle Luffy and Zoro got a few hours of much needed rest to recover from their various injuries. Luffy popped right back up while Zoro's injuries from Mihawk were going to last a lot longer.
The Baratie Cooks had attempted to help Luffy convince Sanji to finally join the Straw Hat Pirates by pretending to hate his cooking. Head Chef Zeff had even chimed in by calling Sanji's soup sludge. That had started yet another argument between the Head Chef and Sous Chef that eventually ended when the legendary kicker punched Sanji in the face.
Sanji was infuriated by Zeff's refusal to acknowledge his cooking and stormed out of the room.
"I don't know what you guys are complaining about," Luffy remarked as he, Zoro, Johnny and Yosaku took the pot of soup for themselves. "This is great!"
"More for me, Luffy-bro!" Johnny requested.
"Me too!" Yosaku chimed in.
"I'd prefer a nice bottle of booze," Zoro admitted. "But this stuff's not bad."
"Not bad?" Carne repeated. "Sanji's cooking is great! He's the best cook here after the Head Chef."
"Best I've ever tasted," Patty admitted. "But if we didn't do that he'd never leave."
Zeff turned to Luffy, "You lived up to your part of the deal. You beat Don Krieg. You're free to go. But could you take that little brat with you? It's his dream to go to the Grand Line and see the All Blue."
"Nope," Luffy refused.
"WHAAAAT!?" the cooks, the bounty hunters and even Zoro all shouted.
"Didn't you say you needed a cook?" Zeff questioned. "Did you change your mind? Is Sanji suddenly not good enough for you?"
"Sanji's the best," Luffy agreed, "I definitely want him as my cook. But I've already asked him a bunch of time and he still doesn't want to. I'm not gonna force him. It's gotta be his decision."
"I see," Zeff said. "You have a point. But that rebellious brat is too hardheaded for his own good."
"I guess that means we're done here," Luffy resolved. He turned to look at his sole remaining Nakama. "Hey Zoro, didn't you say you knew where Nami was going?"
"Yeah I did," Zoro replied, "I caught her looking at this." Zoro pulled out a wanted poster. "Some pirate called 'Saw Tooth' Arlong." Zoro motioned to Johnny and Yosaku, "These two know where he is."
"Everyone knows where Arlong is," Johnny admitted, "They just know to stay away from him."
"Arlong is considered even more of a monster than Don Krieg," Yosaku added. "He's not even human!"
"Don't care," Luffy bluntly replied. "If that's where Nami's going then that's where we'll go."
"I'll go too."
Everyone turned to see Sanji leaning against the wall smoking a cigarette.
"Your dream's crazy," Sanji said. He glanced behind Luffy at Zoro. "Both of them are. But so is mine. I'll accompany you on your journey to become King of the Pirates and be your Ship's Cook. That way I can accomplish my dream along the way. Does that sound good to you?"
"SOUNDS GREAT!" Luffy cheered. "WOOHOO! I GOT A COOK!"
"Alright Luffy-bro!" Johnny and Yosaku chorused.
"Great, another annoying blonde," Zoro muttered.
"Wanna say that again, moss-head?" Sanji challenged him.
"I would but that'd ruin his good mood," Zoro casually motioned to Luffy who had joined arms with Johnny and Yosaku and was now dancing a jig.
Sanji shook his head and turned to face the other cooks. "That's how it's gonna be. Sorry to put you guys through all the trouble."
"I don't like it one bit!" Patty growled. "If you're gonna leave then we should just kick you out instead!"
"I meant that I was sorry for forcing you guys to resort to shitty acting," Sanji replied.
"YOU KNEW?"
"I've been listening outside the whole time," Sanji told him. "Was insulting my cooking and trampling all over my pride really the best idea you guys could come up with? I bet it was your lame idea, shitty chef. This plan was as bad as your food."
"You arrogant little shit!" Patty spat, "I'm not gonna miss you one bit!"
"Hmph," Zeff grunted. "I've always hated kids. There's not a single day that goes by that I don't regret saving a retched little brat like you."
"Whatever, geezer," Sanji scoffed, "Enjoy the few years you've got left in your miserable life."
And so it was decided and soon Luffy, Zoro, Johnny, Yosaku and Sanji were all ready to set off.
The cooks had provided them with Sanji's personal boat. Zeff had even offered to give Luffy the log that had caused a lot of the trouble with Don Krieg. But Luffy had point blank refused. He had accepted the cooks' offer to supply them with a whole refrigerator full of meat. Zoro had managed to get them to add some wine and sake.
"Looks like Cook-bro is running late," Yosaku noted as he, Luffy, Zoro and Johnny waited on the boat.
Zoro shook his head. Yosaku had loaned Zoro his green hooded coat which the Straw Hats' Boatswain was now wearing over his mummy shirt and sash.
"Nah, there he is," he pointed out as Sanji walked out the front door of the Baratie with his hands in his pockets.
"…" the Baratie cooks had all gathered in front of the restaurant to give Sanji a proper send off.
"RAAAH!" Patty suddenly shouted as he and Carne lunged at Sanji with weapons poised to strike. "IT'S PAYBACK TIME, SANJI!"
"YOU'RE GONNA GET IT!" Carne shouted.
THWAK! THWAK!
Patty's plan didn't go well. He and Carne were left lying bloody and battered on the deck behind Sanji.
"Guys… that was just dumb," a cook scolded them.
"Let's go," Sanji resolved as he walked up to Luffy.
"You sure you don't want to say goodbye?" Luffy asked.
"Don't worry about it," Sanji reassured him.
"Hey Sanji," Zeff called out from the balcony on the third floor. "Don't catch a cold."
Sanji froze then spun around, dropped to his knees and bowed so low that his head touched the ground. "ZEEEFF!" Sanji cried, "I'LL ALWAYS GRATEFUL TO YOU FOR TAKING CARE OF ME FOR SO LONG! I'LL NEVER FORGET THE DEBT I OWE YOU FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!"
Zeff smiled and a lone tear leaked out of his eye.
"SANJI, YOU BASTARD!" Patty and Carne both sobbed.
"WE'RE GONNA BE SO LONELY WITHOUT YOU!" Carne cried.
"WE'LL MISS YOU!" Patty bawled, "DAMN YOU FER MAKIN' US CRY!"
"You idiots," Zeff scoffed with a fond smile. "Real men say their goodbyes silently."
"LET'S MEET AGAIN SOMEDAY, YOU GOOD-FOR-NOTHING BASTARDS!" Sanji shouted.
"ALRIGHT! LET'S SET SAIL!" Luffy called out once his new cook was finally on board. "GET READY NAMI! HERE WE COME!"
Arlong Park Arc is coming up next!
Silver signing off