"Then I'll just have to take it!"
Krieg clenched his fists and said without shame, "It's true that I failed in the Grand Line, but even so, I'm still the strongest man, Captain Krieg! I had the strength to conquer that dark sea, both in military power and ambition. The only thing I lacked was information. I just didn't know enough."
"I will get that sailing log, and I'll form a pirate fleet again to take the One Piece and stand at the top of this Great Pirate Era!"
Krieg's ambitious declaration immediately intimidated the chefs.
Meanwhile, Gin's body began to tremble.
As the restaurant fell silent, Luffy stepped forward without hesitation, pointing at Krieg. "Wait a minute!" he yelled. "The one who's going to be the Pirate King is me!"
"You fool!" the chefs said, stunned by what they considered Luffy's brazen words.
"Get back, you idiot! You're no match for him!" Patty shouted, trying to stop him.
"I can't back down now. Not on this!" Luffy said with a grin.
Krieg stared at Luffy. "Did you say something, kid? I can pretend I didn't hear you..."
Luffy cut him off. "It's fine. You don't have to pretend. I'm just telling the truth!"
"This isn't a playground." Krieg's expression turned cold.
"Of course not. The Grand Line is mine to conquer!" A confident smile spread across Luffy's face.
"Don't look down on me, kid!" Krieg was enraged by Luffy's confidence. "Even without any info, that's a demon-sea where a 5,000-man fleet can be wiped out in just seven days! How do you expect to get by there?!"
Krieg shivered at the memory. He, the great Krieg, had been utterly defeated. How could a rookie pirate who had just set sail possibly survive?
At the same time, Gin huddled by the door, his body trembling as he relived the horrific memory.
"Seven... seven days?!"
"Krieg's pirate fleet was wiped out in just seven days?!"
"What in the world happened?!"
The chefs were shocked. Krieg's pirate fleet was famous for its military might. It would take two or three Marine bases to take them on. How could they be destroyed in just seven days in the Grand Line? What kind of sea was that?
"Seven days... Hmph, they're just unlucky." Aeridar scoffed. To be defeated in the Grand Line in just seven days meant they had terrible luck. How else could a 5,000-man fleet be defeated so quickly? Only a main force from a Marine base could take on a pirate fleet like that.
"Too bad, I hate it when people talk big. If you insist on saying that, then I'll just have to kill you here!" Krieg said icily.
"If you can do it!" Luffy said, clenching his fists confidently.
"Fine. As you wish. I'll send you straight to hell!" Krieg said, a furious look on his face. The covers on the golden pauldrons of his armor slid open, revealing the black muzzles of his guns.
The atmosphere grew tense.
The battle was about to begin.
Zoro and Usopp entered the restaurant, ready to support Luffy.
Krieg gave a serious look at Zeff, then at Zoro and Usopp. He laughed, mocking Luffy. Krieg didn't take Luffy seriously and went on about his plan to steal the log and the ship. He then picked up the food Zeff had given him and left the Baratie alone.
After Krieg left, the chefs started to blame Sanji, but Zeff stood by him. Both of them had experienced the brutal hardship of being on the brink of starvation at sea. Zeff's prosthetic leg was a reminder of that traumatic experience. That's why he understood and fully supported Sanji's conviction.
Of course, everyone has their own convictions. Although Aeridar understood their beliefs, he didn't agree with their actions.
"Gin, you said you didn't know anything about the Grand Line, but you've been there, haven't you?" Luffy pointed at Gin, asking him.
Gin gulped, his forehead beaded with sweat. "It's true that I don't know much," he said solemnly. "To this day, I can't tell if what happened on the seventh day in the Grand Line was a dream or reality." He then lowered his head, and a drop of sweat fell from his nose. His face was filled with terror. He whispered in a reminiscent tone, "It was unbelievable! One man destroyed a fleet of 50 ships!"
"What?!"
Everyone, including Luffy, Zoro, and Sanji, gasped in shock.
Aeridar finished his last bite of food and drank his last sip of wine. He leaned back in his chair, expressionless, listening to Gin's account. He had been in this world for over twenty years and had forgotten many details.
"It happened too fast. As soon as that man appeared, our ships started sinking one after another. If we hadn't been lucky enough to encounter a storm, our flagship would have been destroyed, too." Gin said, trembling as he clutched his forehead. "I don't know how many of our comrades' ships were left. I was just too terrified to admit it was real!"
"I don't ever want to remember it again! That man's... that hawk-like gaze that could kill a person with just a look!"
"What did you say?!" Zoro's eyes widened, and he gripped the railing tightly.
"That guy... he must be that 'Hawk-Eyes' man!" Zeff said with certainty. "Just the fact that you think his eyes are like a hawk's isn't enough to prove it, but for a person to do something like that... it must be him."
"'Hawk-Eyes' man!" Usopp looked at Zoro, who was both shocked and excited.
"Do you know him, Zoro?" Luffy asked, craning his neck.
Zoro's expression of shock and excitement faded, replaced by calm. "He's the man I've been looking for. It's why I set sail."
"Roronoa Zoro, huh... so you're looking for a duel?"
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice filled the restaurant. Everyone turned to see a young man with his back to them. "The East Blue is just the weakest of the Four Seas. Even if you're a big shot here, the gap between you and him is like the difference between a person and the ant they've accidentally stepped on. You're just that ant."
"You're still here!" a chef shouted at Aeridar. They thought he had fled with the other customers and were surprised he had stayed to finish all his food.
"Ah! Thanks for the meal. It was delicious!" Aeridar said, praising the food generously.
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