Chapter 8: Defeat and Division:

Failure is Inspirational.

"…."=speaking.

'…'=thinking.

"'Inner thoughts'"=images or memories within somebody's head.

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or One Piece They are the property and brainchildren of Masashi Kishimoto and Eiichiro Oda, respectively.

Outdoors, unaware of what was transpiring inside the Baratie, Ussop and Nami examined the massive galleon, unimpressed. "How could anyone even steer such a wreck," the navigator remarked. "That ship is literally falling apart. Like a storm or something else caused lacerations in the haul and sails."

"You're right about that," Usopp agreed. "It was powerful once upon a time, but now it's resembling an overused chew toy. I bet anyone with a canon can sink it, no problem."

"Whatever." With that shrug, Nami heard a new commotion coming from the decrepit ship. But she ignored it, curling one hand into a fist. 'Arlong...how could I forget? I have to get back home,' she mussed. 'With the loot here, I'm so close. Only problem. How am I going to sneak off if the ninjas can just run after me? I'll have to wait for a fight or something-'

A loud clap exploded, resembling wood torn apart. Looking away from the dying ship, both witnessed the figure of Don Krieg and a large sack flying out from the restaurant. The blowhard hit the figurehead of his own ship, ripping it to splinters then crashed against the foremast.

0...0

Inside the floating restaurant, the cooks looked on, their mouths agape at the massive hole where the front doors used to be. "Hey, old man!" Luffy called over his shoulder at Zeff, after sending Krieg flying. "If my crew fight these guys and win. Can we take Sanji with us?"

"I'm not joining your crew!" the chef yelled. With a tick on his forehead.

"I already said that he's yours, didn't I?" Zeff merely barked. "He's a horrible cook and a festering thorn in my good leg. And I know that little brat Naruto would love to have him along. Stick around for a fight, that's up to you. But I might actually pay you to drag Sanji off after," Zeff declared.

Before the chef and his sous-chef could erupt into another argument, Kakashi coughed for their attention. "Well, Luffy's aspirations and our agreement aside, Chef Zeff hasn't given formal approval for us ninjas to leave."

"At least, not as of yet," the Jonin shrugged. "Meaning I'm still in charge of stopping any fights from damaging this restaurant."

"If you don't mind, Captain, we…can't really leave the chef with Krieg loitering on his doorstep. Plus, later on, you and I will have a talk about hurting my students," the Jonin motioned to the lump on Naruto's head, where Luffy had punched him into the ground.

Luffy nodded with a simple, "Okay. This place looks important to Sanji, too." Besides," Luffy's knuckles smacked into one palm, and a wide grin on his face. "I've been eating so good here, it's left me itching for a fight. And if that Kreek likes he's gonna big King of the Pirates, he and me gotta fight."

Kakashi grinned as the sous-chef complained, again, and Zoro merely smirked.

"Sakura," Kakashi hissed. "Get back to Usopp and Nami. They should move the Going Merry away from this fight, or Krieg might just attack them to get his hands on another ship."

"Yes, sensei!" the girl dashed from the room. While Sasuke and Zoro stepped forwards beside Luffy and the other cooks began arming themselves for a fight."

"Hey boss! Why did you even give that guy any food at all?" Carne complained.

"Yeah, that guy was no different than Gato!" Naruto cried. "A liar and villain who just likes power and killing people! Why did you help him like that!?"

Even Sasuke agreed with Naruto, frowning towards Zeff. More complaints followed until the Head Chef stomped his peg leg, shutting them up.

"I don't wanna hear any complaints or accusations," Zeff placidly commanded. "Everyone on this boat did what they thought was right. Whether it was smart or not, that's a different story," the chef glared straight at Naruto.

"Why?" Sasuke spoke up. "Giving that food to those pirates just made them stronger. Holding on to it and keeping them weak would have been a better way to deal with them."

"I'm going to agree with Sasuke here," Kakashi chimed in. "Why did you give those meals to Don Krieg knowing that it would lead to a fight?"

"Yeah Boss!" Patty jumped in, emboldened by the ninjas. "I bet you were just covering for Sanji again. You always take his side about feeding anyone to come in, but they're often criminals who just give us trouble. And now they'll probably try and kill us all or wreak the whole restaurant!"

"YOU FOOLS DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT!" This time, Zeff's exploded and everybody present was cowed. Everyone except Kakakashi and Luffy; the rest were silenced by terror.

"None of you have any idea," Zeff continued, softer and yet with more weight in his tone, "of what it's like to be on the brink of starvation. To have no food or water on the open ocean. There is no way you can possibly understand what a terrifying prospect that is. It's the most difficult situation a man can ever face."

Softly, a tremor passed through Naruto's body. Joined by the boy's hand crossing over his stomach at the phantom memory. "The difference between all of you and Sanji," Zeff continued. "Is that Sanji knows…."

In a corner, the blonde cook wasn't even looking up as he lit a fresh cigarette. Some looked on in confusion, while Kakashi leaned back, his body lazy yet his mind sharp with this news. 'So…that's why they feed anyone. And Naruto…'

The Jonin hadn't missed a few tears trickling down Naruto's cheeks. The whiskered Uzumaki was thinking back; his mind travelling to the memories of lying on his bed, stomach grumbling, isolated and alone.

He knew what it was to go hungry. Of lying around wishing for some kind of food and comfort, without any family or care. Or to look for something he'd loved, but only to find glares and denial everywhere but one, safe haven.

"Listen up," Sanji called out, rising to his feet with a fresh cigarette. He strode across the room, facing Gin. "I'm only gonna say this once. Feeding someone who's hungry is my sacred, moral duty. But-!" He kicked the legs of a table, righting it up then took a seat. "Now that your crew is well-fed, I have no obligation to them. With a clear consciousness, I can beat every last one of them to a bloody pulp. If anyone tries to take the restaurant…They're dead." Sanji promised. "I'll kill them without a moment's hesitation."

Naruto had stars dancing in his eyes, while the rest of the cooks erupted with cheers. Kakashi and Zeff looked towards the coming fight, but Sasuke was frowning in confusion over Sanji's choices.

"Don't think over it too much, kid," Zoro spoke up beside the Uchiha. "Focus on this coming fight, because it looks like we have a damn lot of guys to cut apart." The swordsman wore the face of a hungry wolf.

"Hey Gin," Luffy spoke up. "Have you been to the Grand Line? You didn't say anything about it last time you were here."

The Man-Demon looked up, with terror in his sunken eyes. "I don't know anything anymore. We followed Don Krieg's command, all 5,000 men of us, to that cursed sea. But on the 7th day...Ah don' know if it were a dream...or reality. Ah saw things, things Ah can't believe...it was fine sailing. All the way to the seventh day, then…"

"Then all 50 of our ships, we were decimated by one single man," Gin spoke as if he was in a daze, recalling a vague nightmare, even while most of his audience stirred at the tale. Even Luffy and Usopp had their mouths open.

"Outa those we set out with, so few are even left," Gin continued, "One by one, no mattah how many, or what we tried. He just, came upon us, in a vessel too small to even be a ship. And obliterated everythin' in his sight."

Sanji was tense. He felt the truth in Gin's words, from a silent background of living with political deceit and half-truths. This story left him with fear.

"Really?" a calm, disbelieving voice called. "I, may not have set foot there, myself," Kakashi enquired, his voice heavy with scepticism. "But 5,000 men, defeated by a single person seems quite far-fetched."

"Call me a liar, if ya want." Gin's broken voice cracked, holding a trembling hand to his face. "It really happened. His eyes…I'll never forget those eyes." Dropping all sense of pride, the broken man cradled his face, disbelief and terrified awe ringing from him.

"As soon as this man appeared," Gin brokenly recounted, "he began to systematically sink our ships, one after another. A raging storm came upon us, separating our flagship from him, or else there ain't no way we'd escape from that monster. I can still feel his murderous gaze like the cold hand of death. His eyes were like a hawk's. Sharp and murderous. His gaze alone felt like the cold hand of death."

The Cooks were filled with amazement. Naruto and Luffy gaped at the news, while Sasuke…..

Gin's recount left Sasuke as rigid as a statue. His mind was filled with a separate memory, recalling another figure infamous for their eyes. The talk of this new figure's skill, his monstrous skill, and his terrifying gaze….

Sasuke didn't notice Zoro quivering with exhilaration; his hand tightening on the hilt of Wado Ichimoji, grasping every word Gin spoke.

'Those words…..can it really be….

Kakashi frowned, slightly. "Are you certain about that? One man defeating five thousand alone would be a powerful feat, but even on our home, no single person can accomplish that within only a day. Even the best shinobi in our village, the Yondaime Hokage, was renowned for killing one thousand single-handedly with his sheer speed and intellect. 5,000 is a tall-" A solid impact banged through the room.

"Kakashi!" The Jonin eyed Zeff, as the chef's foot was planted over the table he'd been sitting at; a broken table, now. "Damn it, he dodged again! And worse you haven't paid attention to a single thing I've told you." Zeff leered, with a stern reproach burning in his eyes.

"Gin's telling you nothing but the truth, and you're stupidity in disbelieving it stands out. The people who live on the Grand Line are far and beyond anyone you've met in your own home," The chef was folding both arms over his chest, eyeing Kakashi shrewdly. "There, someone can either fail and die, survive for a while and pull themselves out, or take the third option. Develop their own taste for the danger, and thrive living so close to obliviation on the seas."

"There's no doubt that this man's story is true, just from the description of precisely who shattered the Krieg pirates so casually."

Glance back at the Man-Demon, Zeff shared a knowing look with the broken man. "Your description of his heartless gaze isn't proof of his identity in and of itself. But the ease you speak of that he decimated your fleet confirms without a doubt that it can only be him. His name is—"

"Hawk-eyes Mihawk…." Zoro hungrily declared. Now he had everyone's attention.

"So, you know him Zoro?" Luffy asked.

"Yeah, I do. "He's the man I've been looking for." Zoro got a grip on his excitement and leaned back, folding both arms. "Hawk-eyes is the whole reason I set out to sea."

"Hmmm. I should have known," Zeff stated. "Every swordsman knows that name, unless they've been living under a rock. The man currently known as the Greatest Swordsman in the World. And one of the Warlords of the Seas. But that ain't important right now."

"Everyone!" Zeff called to his kitchen staff. "Raise the fins and grab whatever weapons you'd like. If those men are stupid, and follow the fool who led them into death, get ready to thrash back into the ocean!" Everyone roared in approval, with Patty brandishing a Lobster-shaped Bazooka. "Plus, we can have at least one good fight with the ninjas before they leave," Zeff was grinning at Naruto, who began dancing at the promise of a fight, with Luffy right beside him. Sasuke and Zoro were smirking, while Kakashi just toyed with the book sitting in his pouch, wishing he could re-read the next chapter instead of following his conscious.

Soon the fins outside the restaurant were raised, everyone was armed and ready. Watching for signs of Don Krieg while the sounds of hungry men filled the air.

"Kakashi-sensei!" The Straw hats assembled turned, to find that Sakura had returned. "The Merry is alright," she updated them. "I gave Ussop and Nami your idea to sail the boat to a safe distance from the fight. They're now over a kilometre away."

"Well done, Sakura," Kakashi nodded to her. "Alright Team 7, Captain Luffy!" all of the Genin faced their Jonin-sensei, while Luffy glanced over curiously. "How do you want us to engage these pirates?"

"Engage?" Luffy cocked his head sideways. "What does that mean? We gotta fight, so fight," Luffy cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Do what you do, I'll do what I do, and don't die."

"Whoooo, yeah," one of the ninjas cried with glee, while the others almost hiccuped at the answer. "Don't overthink too much," From one side, Zoro had drawn one sword, his other hand resting on another. "I cut, Luffy punches, you guys do your own thing, and we back-up one another."

"Ahhhh," Kakashi was fighting an itch to smack his forehead into his palm, while him beside Sakura did exactly that; on the brink of a fight.

"I, have a small plan in mind, if you wouldn't mind hearing it," the Jonin offered.

Luffy just shrugged. "Okay."

"Hey, you tiny brat!" a voice challenged from the wrecked masthead. Standing there was Kreig, with a look of indignant furry on his face, and golden armour clear to see. "You are honestly stupid enough to challenge Don Krieg?! My crew may have taken a few losses recently, but we're still over a hundred strong. You have what? Five people with you, and half of them useless, stupid runts? Is that honestly the best you could scrape from a barrel to call a pirate crew?"

"Hey, I'm not stupid or a runt, believe it!" Somebody ran forward, tense against the insults he'd just heard.

"I'm Naruto Uzumaki. And for hitting Sanji-sensei and trying to hurt this restaurant, I gotta kick your ass!' Naruto challenged him. Then he dashed out towards Krieg to deliver that promise.

Until Luffy's arm shot out, snagging the thoughtless knucklehead and him running in place, with both fists swinging wildly. "No," Luffy was staring up at Don Krieg, answering him. "There are four more in my crew!"

"I'm not joining your crew!" Sanji cried.

"And I picked all of them personally," Luffy proclaimed, tarring without care up at the fuming blow-hard. "You might have more men, but I can beat up all of them and you, no problem. And you ain't that bigger all from the other guys I met already." Luffy spoke, plain and simple.

Kakashi cocked an eyebrow at his tone, while Zeff grinned. 'That's no loud bravado or a hollow claim,' the Chef mused silently. 'This kid does hold some real grit.'

"WHAAATT!" Don Krieg's incredulous shout rang out. "Somebody as tiny, stupid, small as you. Think they think you can stand before Don Krieg!"

"Yup," Luffy answered in a plain voice. "I've got full faith in my crew and these cooks. You're in for a big beatdown" Then he cracked his knuckles together, while the man in golden armour stamped his foot, hard. "WHAT INSOLOLENT STUPIDITY!" Krieg replied. "YOU'RE JUST ASKING TO GET YOURSELF KILLED! MY CREW WILL SHOW YOU THE REAL STRENGTH OF THE NEXT PRIATE KING! THE MIGHT OF THE STRONGEST MAN IN ALL THE WORLD![1] MEN! ATTACK!"

With a chorus of confidence, 2 dozen men leapt up beside the Don, weapon out and eager for plunder

"Naruto, clones! Form a wall between us and the cooks from those pirates," Kakashi ordered him. "Sakura, Sasuke, use kunai, shuriken and fire-jutsu if you see an opening. Zoro, Luffy, let's wait back for now, or hit from behind Naruto's clones. This is just the first wave, not the real attack just yet."

Everyone nodded, while the Pirates brought forward 5 gangplanks, setting one end on the railings of their ship as the rest drew pistols, cutlasses and other weapons.

"Hey, Doon Krieg!" Luffy called, while cocking one arm back, and glaring up at the man starring over them

"Gum-gum: Rifle!" As Luffy's fist flew, all the enemies watching him froze. The punch nailed Don Krieg straight in the face. "Don!" All his crew exclaimed, as the Pirate Admiral got thrown head-over-heels…again.

"Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Clouds of smoke came erupting over the fins until 3 dozen Naruto stood tall, surprising the Krieg Pirates again. "Devil-fruit powers!" Gin cried.

"So that one is just a lucky brat who found a strange power by coincidence," a new, disdainful voice observed. Standing by the prow was a large, round man with black, greasy hair slicked back from his brow. He wore massive stone plates, surrounding oversized pearls, and matching earrings. "Still, nothing that is as soft as rubber can get through my defense," the new face drawled. "Men, use your guns to shoot at the cooks, while the others charge down on those gangplanks. I will join you should it prove necessary." Rapidly, the regular pirates lowered their gangplanks to the Baratie fins and Naruto's clones advanced.

"Captain, Genin! Target those ramps while they're all clustered together, but don't hit Naruto's clones!" Kakashi ordered. Sakura, Kakashi and Sasuke used their kunai and shuriken to wound or kill most of the pirates as they charged down, while Luffy jumped high above them. "Shot him!" the new officer ordered in response.

"Pearl no, tha' may be rubber. It'll just—" Gin cried out, in futility. The snipers trained their guns on Luffy as their fellow men began a melee with Naruto's clones. Only 1/2 the bullets reached Luffy, creating several protrusions in his back. The cooks came surging forward to meet the rogues engaging a wall of Naruto's and Luffy made a smile. "Why'd you have these, BACK!" Flexing his body, Luffy sent the bullets in a shower over the enemies below, tearing through the pirate ranks. Then he spun around, stretching out his leg skywards. "Gum-gum: battle-axe!" The limb came crashing down, slamming two gangplanks to pieces, and causing more rouges to end up overboard in the watery space below them.

"Hahahaha," Naruto was mocking them. "You guys are way too easy. Get outa here and back where ya came from. Come on!"

"Naruto, no!" but it came too late. The clones all rushed forward, launching kicks at the enemy pirates, showing the results of Sanji's training. Naruto grinned, basking in his success before- a searing pain came in the real one's forearm. Crying in pain, Naruto stopped short, curling into a ball and clutching the limb close to his chest. And with more pirates still around him.

Sakura, Sasuke, Sanji, Zoro and Kakashi came in a rash, driven to cover their crewmate but one of them stopped before she could get stuck in with them. Sakura held a kunai tightly, her body and mind split and confused. The girl had never fought like this before and was torn between deep, natural fear and training accumulated not very long ago. Everywhere she looked, violence and chaos filled her eyes, chaos dominated her ears, and the fresh Genin became aimless.

"Die, you tiny bitch!" whirling at the threat Sakura found a large, ugly man barreling for her with a sword. Her eyes widened, throwing her kunai up with both hands to block it. The weapon crashed down, forcing the knife out of her grip, nearly taking a finger with it, and forced Sakura onto her butt, dazed and helpless to the man's killing thrust.

"Get away from my Nakama!" One hand seized the ugly man's shoulder, and Luffy collided with the man head-to-head. Rising to his feet, with the mook out cold, the young captain glanced for Sakura. "You okay?" She nodded, so Luffy turned away and got back to knocking down more pirates, driving them away from the fallen girl.

Zoro joined, and quickly the first wave was either killed, writhing in pain, swimming, or knocked out. While Sanji tore through everyone surrounding Naruto like a tornado.

"You idiotic, rubbery bastard!" Krieg had returned to his place, with a large bruise on his cheek. "You, actually have stupid faith in all of your crew? Once that orange idiot dashed forward," Krieg voiced aloud, "there were more holes for my men to get through than Swiss cheese. He nearly ran forward to his death from my men swarming him and cutting down those copies from behind. And that little girl was utterly helpless, completely pathetic. The fact that you saved such a useless crewmate instead of just using her as cannon fodder proves you're an idiot!"

Sakura's eyes widened at those words, while Naruto growled at the Don despite nursing a jagged gash in his forearm. But. "You're right," Luffy agreed. That made everyone stop, turning to their captain with confusion and betrayal; none more so than Sakura, who began feeling hollow and terrible.

"Naruto was pretty stupid, but I've done that too before," Luffy continued. "And Sakura ain't a real fighter, and she's the weakest outa us."

"You've got that right, Captain," Zoro agreed. "She doesn't train like the other brats do."

"But, she's part of my crew," Luffy affirmed. "She's one of my nakama, and so long as that's true, I'll do more fighting and protect her." Luffy pledged.

"Captain, I..." Sakura gulped past a lump in her throat. "I'm sorry."

"Why do that?" Luffy asked, turning away from Don Krieg, and staring down at his crewmate. "It's too long since I got a fight last, so that just means more bozos for me to punch, shishishishishishi."

The Don glared at his latest enemy while Luffy merely kept grinned with anticipation and confidence Until-

Everything went to hell. Beneath his feet, and those of the rest of what remained of his "fleet," Don Krieg's ship split apart.

Out of nowhere, everything was slipping apart, shifting. For a moment it stayed somewhere standing, then split into fractions.

Kakashi and his students could only gape as the ship seemed to float in the air, then it collapsed. "Naruto's" All the copies with that name turned at Kakashi's call. "Grab everyone and grip the deck with chakra, let nobody fall overboard." Nodding, the gaggle of orange dashed in each direction.

The air was filled with screams and awe or warnings of falling debris. What was left of three masts hit the water, throwing up fresh waves and curtains of seawater sprayed everywhere. Naruto fumbled at Kakashi's orders, but he accomplished the command and held tightly to everyone while Sasuke seized Zoro and Sakura held Luffy. The Baratie kept rocking by the waves from the ship cut to fractions.

Kakashi had unveiled his right eye, scanning the space for a source of the chaos. 'H….h…how? Had that break been from accumulated damage, there would have been some indication or warning,' he reasoned. 'But nothing came. I didn't sense any chakra, nor did any sounds come from the Galleon to suggest someone else was nearby!' Kakashi was shaken. He had never seen anyone other than a Kage-class Shinobi, a Summoning creature or a Biju perform similar acts.

"No….no….It's…happin' again." Gin muttered, with traumatic shock. His legs gave out, turning his head to face the direction they'd sailed from, with dread.

"Wh-what just happened?!" Sasuke asked in shock. "It was cut apart," Zoro murmured. The man's heart was racing with thrill, pounding in his ears at one possibility. Johnny and Yosaku gawked before nodding in agreement. While the others could only continue wallowing in shock at the three of them. "What!" "No way!" "Impossible!" "How could anything cut something that huge!"

"A swordsman," Zoro murmured, reverently. "Those parts. They're cut almost clean through, flawlessly. Only a swordsman could have done that. Two cuts…that's it took. Is it…him ….."

At his words, Kakashi's eye turned back to the wreckage, as Sasuke with his own set of Sharingan. True enough, the fragments were separated cleanly through, with no jagged or ripped fragments. Onboard the destroyed ship, men in tattered clothes tumbled around or clung to the ship. "No, it can't be. He followed us!" Don Krieg screamed. "I don't remember doing anything to him! This is unnecessary and excessive!"

Nobody could spare a thought for the dramatic hypocrisy. Not as a figure in a large coffin-shaped boat slipped through the gaps in the ship.

0…..…0

"Phew. That out to be far away enough, you agree Nami? Nami?" Ussop remarked, after slumping down from their scramble to move the Going Merry away from the battle.

"Oh, Usopp" the girl turned around. "The heat today and the scramble to move our ship left me all sweaty and hot." She was pulling at her shirt, with the collar opening to reveal a sliver of one mound. "I'm just gonna change into something more comfortable. A true private and a brave warrior wouldn't peek at their nakama would they?" she sweetly praised him, with a strawberry-red face holding a shy grin.

The sniper's eyes widened, before jolting straighter than a metal pole, and whirling out to face the sea. "Uh-ye-yeah. Yeah that's right! No brave, chivalrous warrior would dare commit such actions. Heh, luck for you it's just me here and not Zoro or Kakashi. Naruto and the others are probably too young and innocent to even know about peeping-Toms. So what are you-AHHHHH!"

Mid-sentence, something forced Usopp forward, over the railing and he landed in the sea.

0…0

"Shishishishishi. I would've drowned. Thanks for saving me, Sakura." Luffy kept grinning at the girl, with one hand holding tight to his shirt after the rubber man nearly fell overboard. Both barely noticed the new arrival cruising through the waters near the freshly destroyed ship.

He wore a broad, dark hat that covered the man's face, crimson and black clothing, with a bare chest and one massive cross over his back. Sasuke himself took in all these details, yet once the figure lifted their head...

the cold grasp of death seized him. 'What is this feeling?... It's like Zabuza's killing intent…but so much stronger…and this man…he-he's so at ease.….' The Uchiha brokenly thought, until his eyes were locked with Mihawk's. One eye with two tomoe, the other only one, and transfixed on the golden eyes with dread.

Sasuke wasn't alone, as Sakura was petrified, collapsing to the deck under a powerful gaze. Sharp pupils, surrounded by sharp yellow irises, were piercing her soul. Her lungs were burning, the paralyzing fear even leaving her unable to breathe.

"Hey, you! You monster! Why did you follow us all the way here?" One of Don Krieg's men called out. Finally, the swordsman shifted his gaze. Yet their impact lingered in the Genin's mind; before Sasuke gasped for air, clutching his chest in pain and trepidation.

Kakashi noted, eying him carefully.' 'A long coat, patterns sleeves and light purple, baggy pants. And sporting a sharply styled moustache and beard. What form of style or function is this meant to be?'

"You…you followed us here. Why, what did we ever do to cross you!?" a member of Krieg's pirate crew asked.

"Nothing. Just killing time," the figure replied, nonchalantly. Making the Leaf ninjas gape at him.

'He seriously wreaked that galleon, and decimated an entire fleet, just on a casual whim? That's either impressive or disappointingly petty.' Kakashi thought.

"You bastard!" one enemy Pirate fired two pistols at Hawkeyes. Within the span of a blink, Hawkeye's hand grasped a Giant Black sword and angled its tip at the Krieg pirate. Naruto and Sakura couldn't see what happened, but Sasuke and Kakashi did. 'Wh…he….he didn't even look at…..only my Sharingan could follow those bullets…but he deflected them.' Sasuke was amazed, following the bullets as the tip of the massive swords deflected them. 'Is this man, that fast!?...'

"Hey, who do you think you are!" "Holy Shit! He has Three Swords! It couldn't be!" "That's Roronoa Zoro!" Such as announcements became a welcome distraction, breaking the spell most of the audience was under and looking somewhere else.

Zoro strode forward, to the edge of where the fight against the Krieg pirates had been raging moments before. "I've never seen a sword handled so gently," Zoro complemented, with an edge in his tone. "Or with such grace!" The rest of the cooks, pirates, and ninjas watched as the two exchanged words. Luffy and Sasuke the most animated among them.

"I set sail for only one reason. To find you!" Zoro was now tying a bandana around his head. "And what is your goal?" Hawkeyes replied, his hands casually folded.

"To beat you!" Zoro declared. Hawkeyes smirked, condescendingly. "How foolish."

A soft thump. Sasuke felt the exchange strike a chord in his consciousness. The man's words echoed in Sasuke's ears, "'How foolish'...how foolish...how foolish," drawing him to feel deep anger. His hands curled into shaky fists, teeth grinding together. As Zoro drew his swords, and Hawkeyes hopped aboard the galleon wreckage, Sasuke didn't even blink…..eager and hesitant to see the results of this encounter.

Words continued to be traded between Zoro and Hawkeye. And each syllable continued echoing in Sasuke's head.

'a foolish creature'…. 'the disparity between us is clear'… 'is it because of courage, or ignorance'….. 'I made a promise I intend to keep'…

"Shut up! He will defeat you!" Sasuke's voice cut between Hawkeye and Zoro's confrontation. "Zoro, you have to defeat him and fulfil your goal!"

Everyone turned to face Sasuke, none more surprised than Kakashi. Zoro eyed his young training partner but kept Hawkeyes in his peripheral. "Heh. No worries there, Sasuke. I didn't expect to run into him this soon, but I will defeat him today, no question. Plus, I have to beat him for our captain."

Now the Santoyru swordsman faced Luffy, as did Hawkeyes and Don Krieg. "Luffy. You said it yourself. The King of the Pirates would need to have nothing less than the best as part of his crew to find the One Piece, right!"

The Straw Hat grinned, fiercely. "Uh-huh, that's right! I've got full confleedence that you'll do good, Zoro!" Everyone sweat-dropped. 'What the heck is confleedence?'

"There isn't anyone alive who can beat Big-bro Zoro!" Yosaku and Johnny cheered. "Yeah, you're gonna beat that weirdly-dressed guy, Zoro! Believe it!" Naruto joined them.

While Kakashi noticed Hawkeye's gaze lingering on Luffy's Hat. Yet he looked away from it. "You actually think it's that simple?" The greatest admonished them. "Regardless of your exploits here, the East Blue is by far the weakest of the Four Blues. Such attitudes like that will lead you head-long into your own defeats elsewhere," he spoke, somewhat condescendingly.

While Sasuke blinked in surprise, just now realizing he had fallen to his knees. 'When did I fall? Why did I drop like this from that man?'

"Huh?!Umm…What's he doin' with that knife?" At Naruto's voice, Sasuke's attention returned to the fight. To see Hawkeyes holding a tiny dagger before Zoro's katana.

"This will be more than adequate," Mihawk established. "You wouldn't use a cannonball to kill a fly, now would you? This boy may have a reputation here in the East Blue. But that doesn't mean much to me." Hawkeye's voice was calm, despatched, and matter-of-fact. A plain, and simple fact, but it still left Zoro irked.

"I've had enough of your attitude!" He dashed forward! "Oni-Giri!"

In a blink, his blades were stopped, deadlocked. Neither opponent moved, but the Sharingans noticed Zoro's body straining against the tiny knife. Unable to press through it. While the owner of said knife was unbothered.

"What! Nothing's stopped Big-bro's Oni-Giri attacked!" Johnny shouted while Sasuke was sweating with disbelief. 'So fast! He barely moved as Zoro was bearing towards him, then the knife moved faster than a kunai right to the exact point when the blades crossed each other…'

After several moments, Zoro began a new attack. Each of his blades wildly slashing, in futility. It seemed little more than a toddler flailing about, led by the nose each time Hawkeyes moved. The looming figure of Hawkeyes untouched with only a small butter knife, deflecting each swing with an occasional sidestep.

A pause came, as Hawkeyes thrust forward, knocking Zoro back, falling head-over-heels. Once he got his feet back, Zoro was crouching low. "You can't be that much better than me!" Sasuke felt a growing hole in his stomach. A sinking fear tied in with the belief of whether Zoro would succeed or fail could be a premonition of his inevitable fight with Itachi Uchiha.

Zoro recovered his swords and began to attack. Darting forward with great balance and focus. Three swords cut through empty air, as Hawkeyes leapt overhead and landed gracefully behind him. Zoro spun around, following his enemy with cross-cuts and sweeps. Followed by an overhead cut that Mihawk easily blocked.

"Such ferocious swordplay," he commented before Zoro swung out with Wado in his mouth. A gust came forth where Mihawk blocked the unconventional attack, then he asked a question.

Kakashi followed every move, his respect for Zoro's enemy growing by the second.

"Zoro is a master swordsman, but this Hawkeyes is almost living perfection. His timing and speed are flawless, and even his strength is visibly greater than my green-haired comrade. Against Zabuza, I could barely hold off his Executioner's Blade with a kunai, and that weapon was designed to magnify the force of a blow it delivers. But this Mihawk can meet all of Zoro's swords strength-to-strength with a smaller weapon. His strength and speed empower his techniques and are perfected, to an edge thinner than hair. I've only seen such skill of sensei….'

'But one dangerous thing is extremely clear.' Kakashi grasped, with a stone building in his stomach.

The pair of swordsmen clashed, a green-haired novice against the Best alive. Mihawk is casual, balanced and effortless. Zoro's style, wild and unpredictable, looked to be an excessive waste by comparison. Zoro's strength and technique intensified, while Mihawk began to frown, slightly. Their eyes were opposites: one set narrow and focused, only seeing a common slight; the other wide and desperate, their vision filled by that one, tiny knife.

Out of the Blue-Zoro stumbled forward, as Hawkeyes gave him a solid neck-chop.

Kakashi nodded, seeing his premonition realized. 'Zoro's even more out-matched than any previous Genin hopefuls I had against me for the Bell test. Zoro can't win through skill, strength, speed other anything else in a direct confrontation. What will his response be?'

"Zoro!" "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!" Hawkeye's eyes widened with surprise. Dozens of copies from a single person appeared. A few even stood on the water, running over to him.

'Good Naruto, helping your new crewmate,' Kakashi smiled with pride.

"Yeah, we'll help you Big bro!" Drawing their weapons, Johnny and Yosaku launched forward.

"Hang on, we're coming to-!"

"Gum-Gum: Whip!"

Now everyone was shocked. Aside from watching a gaggle of orange shrimps running on the water, Luffy's leg shot back, extending to impossible lengths. With a pivot, it scythed across the battleground, hitting many different pirates and smashing the remains of the galleon. Every Naruto clone was hit, dissolving into smoke. While Kakashi snatched the real one, Johnny and Yosaku out of the way, and back to Luffy's side.

"Captain Luffy," Kakashi casually enquired, "Can you, Be a touch more, careful" his tone dipped to an icy level ", with that move? You almost sent my genin and these two, flying."

"Luffy! Hey, what're you doing Luffy" Naruto shouted at the Straw Hat. "Zoro's in trouble and he needs our help, ya know!"

"No, all of us, stay put!" Luffy commanded them, pinning Johnny and Yosaku down. "This is a fight Zoro wants to take himself. It's a challenge between men! None of us can do anything."

Kakashi frowned at the captain, while Naruto twisted out from his grip and was running out again. "If Zoro is outmatched-"

"Naruto!" Sasuke's voice rang out, as the Uchiha pinned his teammate to the ground just on the edge of the Baratie's deck. "Stay out of it!"

"Kakashi, Naruto!" Zoro separated from the others, and struggling to his feet, shouted at them. "Don't...either of you...dare do anything."

"I've driven myself," Zoro spoke, while his body was struggling to move, "towards this day all my life. This is a duel between swordsmen. If anybody intervenes then it would be a cowardly escape or a dishonourable forfeit. Johnny, Yosaku, you know that!" Both of his former partners looked ashamed. Then Zoros' eyes turned to Naruto and a grey-haired scarecrow, murderous and desperate.

"The only way to complete my ambition is to defeat Hawkeyes one-on-one, with my own skill. If you intervene in any fight between me and another swordsman, I will kill you both. He replied. Then took a new stance against Hawkeyes. "If I retreat, or if any of you step into this fight. Then you would take my honour from me. You see, without that, there would be nothing left for me here." Their fight resumed.

"Come on, that's just stupid!" Sakura cried. "You know you're outmatched, so just retreat and fight another day! Or wait until you're ready then look for him again. This is just stupid manly pride, with no logical—"

"Sakura!" a voice boomed, filled with disapproval. Zeff stomped his foot down.

"Pride may be stupid in hindsight. But in the end, it is often the only thing that can never be taken from someone. The only way someone can be without any pride is should they choose to give it up. Zoro was the one who challenged Mihawk. And for that matter, both men have striven their entire lives to own and uphold the ways of a swordsman."

The older man glared piercingly at the ignorant child. "Ridiculing or ignoring his struggle is the worst thing you can do here. And if anyone interferes then it would insult all the effort and sacrifices Zoro has made in pursuit of this dream. Show him and Mihawk the respect they deserve and encourage your crewmate to win."

Meanwhile, Zoro was panting, nearly exhausted. While Hawkeyes remained untouched and unperturbed. Slowly, the challenger took another step towards his opponent. Stumbling forward, an off-balance overhead slash was dodged, and Zoro tumbled over.

"What is it? What weight do you carry on your shoulders to challenge me?" Mihawk inquired.

"Speak up, weakling!"

"I won't lose. I refuse to be defeated," Zoro replied. He tried another attack: "Tiger Trap!"

It didn't even reach Mihawk until the man's dagger sunk into Zoro's chest. Puncturing his lung, just above the heart.

Zoro collapsed, while everyone that knew him shouted in worry. Everyone but Kakashi.

'That strike. It was a warning blow. Hawkeyes could have easily punctured Zoro's heart, ending his life right there. So now…what will happen?' The Jonin had never seen one man, so driven by their ambition, have such a deadly failure before. Each of his figures tingled, eager to execute any jutsu to aid the younger man. Struggling against his own principles to help Zoro and the truth behind Zeff's words.

While Mihawk whispered to Zoro. "You are defeated. Yet you won't step back. Why not?"

"I don't know," Zoro answered. "But what I do know. Is that if I retreat just a single step. Then I'll be shattering the promises I made."

"You said before that you would have nothing remaining should you lose your honour. Defeat is precisely what that is." Mihawk admonished him.

"Hhhh. Then I won't accept defeat," Zoro replied.

"Then you will die," Mihawk declared.

Zoro smirked. "I'd rather die than give up!"

Sasuke and Naruto both froze at his words. While Kakashi felt a pang from his memory at those words, of his left eye's original owner. And noticed a glint of respect in Mihawk's eyes.

The Greatest Swordsman withdrew his blade. Took three steps back, and sheathed the knife.

"Sir, state our name," respect clear in his tone.

Zoro stood tall, defying the logic of his wounds, and driving Kakashi's respect even higher.

"I am Roronoa Zoro."

"I'll remember it. No one as strong as you has come around for quite some time." Hawkeyes promised, as he reached back and drew the giant sword from his back.

"So as a Swordsman's courtesy. I will use the world's strongest black sword to finish you."

"Thank you, I appreciate it." Zoro nodded. His swords began to spin in his hands, while Mihawk crouched down.

"This is the last move of this duel," Kakashi murmured. While Sasuke's hand tensed in desperation. Everyone held their breath.

"Santoryu Ogi!: Sanzen Sekai" "Fauge!" The two swordsmen made a final clash together.

Crasgggggggg! Zoro sank to his knees, the swords in his hands cut to pieces and a long shallow cut over his chest.

"Zoro-san!" "Big-Bro Zoro!: Naruto, Johnny and Yosaku cried in fear. Sakura's hands flew to her mouth, and Sasuke gasped, with a look of disbelief and defeat.

"That fool. Why?" Sanji whispered as he looked on.

Kakashi looked on.

'So…this is how powerful the best of this world can be. And that was unquestionably just a fraction of this his skills. This man may not have any chakra, but some form of compressed energy must have produced those airwaves that cut through the galleon. Zeff was right, I have underestimated just how dangerous this world can be….'

"Zoro!" Turning back to the fight, Kakashi looked on as Zoro stood tall, facing Mihawk to await the final blow.

"But why?"

Zoro grinned, his eyes carrying no fear. "Scars on the back are a swordsman's shame."

"Fine." With that, Zoro was cut down.

"Zoro!" Luffy Roared. Sasuke was no better, though his emotions were internalized, almost ripping him apart.

"You shouldn't rush these things, young man," Mihawk remarked.

"Don't be stupid! Give up your ambition and live!" Sanji's voice cut through them, as Zoro sank into the water.

Team 7 looked on, with the Genin each on their knees. Mihawk's words and this outmatched fight sunk into Sasuke's consciousness. Naruto look on, struggling to deny what he'd seen and how someone that dedicated could be completely outmatched. Sakura couldn't understand anything.

'Why…why give your life for such a distant goal, when the impossibility is so clear in front of him?' she thought. "It's just stupid and pointless. Sanji-san is right, and Zoro-san is just throwing his life away for nothing. This is what would happen to Naruto from chasing his dream to be Hokage. At least Kakashi-sensei and Sasuke don't have that kind of stupid thoughts or goals.'

While Luffy- "Naruto, Kakashi! Zoro's fight's done. Now we can get this guy! Back me up!" His arm shot back, lifting one leg with his momentum. The arm shot out at Hawkeyes, to grab the deck. Then Luffy launched himself forward at Mihawk, while Naruto rushed forward, but sank under the water as distraction caused his chakra grip to fail.

"Basta—" Mihawk gracefully evaded Luffy, who went crashing into the hull of a wreck before he could finish speaking. Then the sound of birds chirping filled everyone's ears, nearly a thousand of them.

As Hawkeyes turned toward Luffy, he found a new figure blocking him. Wearing dark clothing and a padded vest, the man had wild grey hair and mismatched eyes. One trained on him, unblinkingly, with the promise of death.

Mihawk's eyebrows rose slightly at the man's eye, coloured an unnatural red with 3 tomoe surrounding its pupil.

Kakashi stood before Mihawk, crouched down with Chidori crackling in his hand. "Do not take another step. You may be the Best Swordsman alive, but touch one of my comrades, and you will not leave here alive," Kakashi threatened him.

Mihawk's eyes relaxed, his form uncaring and composed. "This duel is over, so I have no further business or interest in your crew. You care this much about that young warrior?"

Kakashi nodded at Mihawk's question, as Luffy became unstuck.

"I'm impressed at you both for not interfering further. And there is no reason for either of you to be upset. He will live."

Now Kakashi was surprised, but still held Chidori ready and did not entirely shift his attention off of Mihawk.

"Ghhhuuuuuuhhhhhh! Hey!" Usopp's voice came from the water. "Hey, somebody help me! I've got Zoro!" Sure enough, the cowardly sniper was holding on to his bloodied nakama, struggling to keep them both afloat. "He and Naruto just dropped into the water right in front of me covered in blood! What the heck happened here!"

"Zoro!" Luffy cried out. "Sasuke, Sakura, help him!"

Naruto broke the surface too and then climbed up to help Usopp. The other Genin ran out to meet them, hauling the wounded swordsman and an exhausted Usopp towards the Baratie.

"Usopp, why are you here and not on the ship? Where is Miss Nami!? Did something happen on the Merry?" Sakura asked once they arrived.

Usopp jerked, suddenly.

"Oh no! Nami, she stole the Merry! She-she pretended to be changing her shirt and asked me to give her some privacy. Then knocked me overboard by whacking the back of my head with her bo-staff. After that, she said something about not dying against Don Krieg like we wanted to and sailed off before I could climb aboard!"

Most of the crew were shocked. A moment passed, while a flicker of anger lit up in Kakashi's eye.

"It's still far too early for you to die!" Mihawk's voice rang out across the water. Calling their attention to him.

"My name is Hawkeye Mihawk. You're Strong, but there is much for you to learn. No matter how many years it takes. I will hold this title as the Greatest in the World. And wait for you. Until that day you must hone your skills. Then…"

"—Seek me out, Roronoa Zoro!"

Sakura looked up, bewildered by Mihawk's challenge to Zoro. Naruto was amazed. But Sasuke...could barely move. Every detail of the duel was forever etched into his memory: those words from Mihawk, Zoro's unwavering strength and commitment and Luffy's choices over the fight.

Kakashi was the most in awe, as he could comprehend the weight and meaning behind Mihawk's challenge, and the significance they would have to both swordsmen.

Then Mihawk turned to Luffy and Kakashi. "You, the captain. Roronoa stated your goal is to become the King of all Pirates. If that is the truth, what is the purpose you carry to see that goal fulfilled?"

Luffy looked up, unhesitant. "To fulfil a promise I made, to the guy who gave me this hat," he said, patting the Straw Hat on his brow.

Mihawk's eyes grew wide, as understanding flooded into them. "Then you have a lot to accomplish, to live up to his words. Such a lofty goal will demand much from you."

"You just let me worry about that," Luffy answered, sticking his tongue out at Hawkeyes.

"And what of you?" Mihawk eyed Kakashi.

"I'm not inclined to share that with you. But whether it will be accomplished within my lifetime is up to me to decide," he casually spoke.

Hawkeyes narrowed his gaze at the man. "A fair enough statement. But without the motivation or the aspirations to match those you sail with, then you will be a great obstacle to them, or drag them back from their full potential from a lack of investment."

"Luffy!" Everyone turned, as Zoro's voice called their attention, to see him raising a white sword to the heavens. "Can you hear me, captain!?"

"Yeah!"

"I'm sorry, for failing you. I know you need nothing less than the Best in the World beside you! I've let you down! Please-" fight not to cough, Zoro kept pleading, "-please forgive me!" Coughing blood, the man ignored Yosaku, Johnny, and Sakura's pleas for him to stop, too focused on his own pain and the wound to his pride.

"I solemnly swear!...From this moment forward….That I will never lose again!" the man vowed, with tears of shame in his eyes.

"Until the day comes that I can take his title! I...will never…never be defeated again! Is that ok, King of the Pirates!"

The swordsman waited, for Luffy's reply. As did Sasuke and Naruto, recalling their own goals and the struggles each carried from their separate losses and failures, respectively. Especially Sasuke, recalling every time Naruto had failed at the Academy, and how he ridiculed him for swearing to continue despite clear futility.

A strange emotion flickered within the Uchiha prodigy, joined by new feelings of admiration and inspiration for the man he had seen fall.

"Yep!" Luffy gave a simple answer. With a clear laugh that the last Uchiha couldn't fathom or understand.

Kakashi nodded, ending his jutsu and placing a hand on Luffy's shoulder. "Good to hear, Captain Luffy. Now that this is settled maybe we should speak about the problem with Nami stealing our ship. Oh, and maybe deal with the sad remains of Don Krieg's crew."

End.

[1]-Don Krieg did fancy himself as the Strongest Man in the World, at least in terms of military strength and numbers. The man may have been dangerous for the East Blue but was extremely ignorant of the wider world. Since he failed to recognize Hawkeyes, how likely is it that the fool was oblivious about Whitebeard too? The man might've been THE most ignorant, egotistical dumbass in the series; at least Bellemy was able to grow and learn.