Zino's curiosity was instantly piqued. "Really? Let me take a look."
"Wait—!" Nami tried to stop him, but she was too late.
In the blink of an eye, Zino shot off into the sky, flying toward the small island like a bullet. Nami groaned in frustration, clenching her fists. "Why is he always so reckless? What if it's a trap? There could be an ambush waiting for him on that pirate ship!"
"Sigh… Let's just head there too," Zoro said, already steering the helm to redirect the Silent Orca. The rest of the crew could only sigh at Zino's recklessness.
Meanwhile, Zino had already covered most of the distance, flying swiftly toward the battered ship anchored at the island's edge. As he approached, the condition of the vessel became more apparent—its sails were torn, the wood charred and cracked, and there were barely any signs of activity.
Zino landed silently on the deck and looked around, frowning.
"Don Krieg?" he muttered, narrowing his eyes.
There, lying in a crumpled heap near the ship's mast, was a man Zino was familiar with. He recognized the man from his memory of reading One Piece comic, and also from bounty posters he got from Johnny and Yosaku duo. Don Krieg, the infamous pirate captain. But this version of Krieg was nothing like the threatening image on those posters.
At the moment, he looked pale, gaunt, and dangerously malnourished. His golden armor was dulled and scratched, and his body barely moved. Around him, dozens of pirates lay sprawled across the deck, all in similarly dire condition. Many of them were unconscious, others groaning weakly in pain. The stench of starvation and sickness lingered in the air.
"According to the original story, they should be starving after escaping the Grand Line," Zino muttered to himself. "Judging by their state, they haven't had proper food for days, maybe even weeks."
His eyes narrowed, calculating. "This is a golden opportunity. I could capture Krieg right now while he's down."
A sly smile tugged at his lips. Without hesitation, Zino stepped forward and stood over the unconscious pirate captain. "Tch. Even in this state, you're still wearing that ridiculous golden armor," he said, shaking his head.
The armor was large and clunky, clearly designed more for intimidation than practicality. But that didn't matter now.
"Well, since it's made of gold… I think I'll be confiscating this," Zino smirked.
He quickly began unbuckling the plates, pulling off the gold-plated gauntlets, pauldrons, and chest piece. With practiced efficiency, he stored each part into his system inventory, the shimmering armor vanishing one by one.
A few minutes later, the Silent Orca arrived and pulled alongside the worn-out pirate battleship. The crew looked on curiously at the sight of the broken vessel. The sails hung in tatters, the wood was chipped and water-stained, and the once-feared Don Krieg Pirates now looked no different than drifting castaways.
"Hey, Zino! Are you alright?" Zoro called out as they prepared to board.
"Oh, hey guys! Come over here," Zino waved them over from the deck of the pirate ship. "No need to worry, these people are completely harmless. They're too weak to lift a spoon, let alone a weapon. So, let's just loot whatever valuables are left on this ship."
"..."
His crew collectively sighed and nearly facepalmed.
Zoro pinched the bridge of his nose. "Seriously… this guy."
"Why am I not surprised," Alvida muttered, already stepping onto the enemy ship.
Regardless of Zino's phrasing, the rest of the crew began helping—gathering weapons, supplies, or anything salvageable from the battered pirate vessel.
Meanwhile, Kaya stood at the edge of the Silent Orca, looking troubled. Her hands were clasped in front of her, and a frown creased her gentle face.
Johnny saw her worried face, and asked, "Kaya, is there something bothering you?"
"Isn't this… wrong?" she asked quietly. "These people are clearly sick. Shouldn't we be helping them instead of robbing them?"
Johnny turned toward her with a serious look. "Miss Kaya, you're right that they look sick. But you need to understand who they are. These men aren't innocent civilians—they're Don Krieg's crew."
"Don Krieg's pirates are infamous for their crimes," Yosaku added, walking up beside his partner. He had mostly recovered from his seasickness and was now steady on his feet. "Murder, robbery, attacking peaceful ships… That's what they do. These guys are some of the worst out there."
"But still… they're suffering," Kaya said softly, unsure of herself.
Zino returned just then, carrying the tied-up and unconscious Don Krieg slung over his shoulder. He leapt back onto the Silent Orca with ease and set the pirate captain down on the deck.
"Don Krieg… That's really him!" Johnny and Yosaku gasped in unison.
"Captain Zino, why did you bring him here?" Johnny asked, both shocked and slightly wary.
"To deliver him to Marine prison, obviously," Zino said plainly, dusting his hands. "He's a high-profile pirate."
He then turned his attention to Kaya, noticing the concern still lingering in her eyes. He also already overheard their conversation just now.
"Don't worry about those guys," Zino reassured her. "They're not sick—they're just starving. That's different. Give them some food and they'll be back to their old, dangerous selves."
"But… what if they die from hunger?" she asked hesitantly.
"They won't," Zino replied with certainty. "Remember that guy named Gin we saw at Baratie? He's one of their crew, and he left to find food. I'm sure he'll be back soon with supplies. They'll survive."
Kaya looked down, still conflicted, but slowly nodded. She understood the situation better now. While she had a kind heart and a natural instinct to help the weak, she also recognized that there was a time and place for compassion—and this wasn't it.
"Okay," she said quietly. "I won't interfere."
Not long after, Zoro, Nami, Alvida, and Usopp returned from the pirate ship, each carrying bags of whatever loot they could scavenge. Most of it was weaponry—damaged rifles, rusted swords, and a few crates of ammunition—but there was little else of value.
Nami looked visibly disappointed as she dropped a small pouch on the deck of the Silent Orca.
"These pirates are broke," she muttered with a frown. "Aside from a few weapons, they only had a little over ten thousand Berries. What kind of infamous pirate crew is this?"
Zino chuckled as he inspected the loot. "Hey, better than nothing," he said with a grin. "We'll take what we can."
Nami rolled her eyes, clearly unimpressed. "Next time we rob a pirate crew, I hope they're actually rich."
"Next time?" Zoro asked with a smirk, raising a brow.
"Let's go," Zino said, brushing off the disappointment. "We've still got a village to liberate."
"What about them?" Alvida asked, nodding toward the listless Don Krieg Pirates still lying on the deck of their crippled ship.
"Leave them. They'll survive. Someone will deal with them sooner or later," Zino replied, already turning his back to the pirate crew.
With the matter settled, the Silent Orca set sail once more, continuing its journey toward Cocoyashi Village. The sun dipped lower into the horizon, casting a warm orange glow across the sea.
During the voyage, Zino busied himself in the galley, preparing food for the crew. After serving the others, he approached the tied-up pirate captain, Don Krieg.
"Oi. Wake up. It's time to eat," Zino said, tapping the man's cheek lightly.
Don Krieg stirred slowly, groaning as he blinked back into consciousness. The scent of freshly cooked food hit his nostrils, and his eyes widened. Without saying a word, Zino untied the man's hands and legs. The former pirate warlord wasted no time—he grabbed the tray and devoured the food like a starving animal, his hands trembling from weakness and hunger.
In mere minutes, the tray was empty.
"More! Give me more!" Don Krieg demanded, licking the plate clean.
Zino silently handed him two more servings, which the man consumed with similar desperation. Only after the third helping did he finally slow down, sighing with relief as his hunger was sated. He looked up at Zino, his expression briefly shifting from his usual arrogance to something surprisingly sincere.
"...Thank you," he said, bowing his head slightly. "For the food."
Zino, who had been sitting beside him watching, gave a casual shrug. "Don't mention it. You were starving, so—"
Zino's words were cut off as he noticed a subtle shift in Don Krieg's expression. The pirate's eyes had narrowed dangerously, and in an instant, he lunged forward with his fist aimed straight at Zino's face—hoping to catch him off guard.
But Zino was ready.
Reacting on pure instinct, he activated one of the six forms of Rokushiki.
"Tekkai!"
His body instantly tensed, hardening like iron. Don Krieg's punch landed squarely on Zino's cheek, in full force. However, instead of delivering a surprise knockout, the attack backfired.
CRACK!
The sound echoed across the ship's deck. Don Krieg gasped in pain as his knuckles shattered on impact. His hand bent at an unnatural angle.
"Argh! My hand!"
Don Krieg screamed in pain as he rolled across the deck of the Silent Orca, clutching his shattered fist. His earlier arrogance had completely vanished, replaced by desperation and agony.
The crews who were still sitting and enjoying their meals, all staring at Don Krieg, feeling speechless. After all, anyone foolish enough to punch Zino was bound to learn a harsh lesson.
"Among all people on this ship, he actually dared to attack the captain? " Johnny muttered, raising a brow. "That's probably the dumbest thing I've seen all week."
Yosaku nodded. "He's lucky he didn't get his head smashed in."
Zino exhaled through his nose, clearly annoyed but composed. He glanced toward Kaya and spoke calmly, "See that? These are the kind of people you were worried about treating. Still think they're worth your sympathy?"
But Kaya… was not calm.
She was already standing, a small dinner knife in one hand and a fork in the other, her face red with fury. Without hesitation, she stepped forward with clear intent.
"I'll show him treatment! Let me give him a full operation—no anesthesia!"
Before anyone could react, she lunged forward toward Don Krieg, who was still writhing on the floor.
"Kaya, no!" Usopp quickly stepped in, grabbing her by the waist and pulling her back. "Calm down!"
"Let go of me! He dared to attack Zino! If he's looking for pain, I'll give him a 'real' reason to scream!"
She flailed with the knife, her usually soft demeanor completely gone. Her protective instincts had kicked in hard—Zino had once helped her resolve the darkest moment of her life, and to her, he was more than just a friend or leader. He was a savior. That bond was not to be taken lightly.
The rest of the crew exchanged wide-eyed glances, slowly inching away from the furious girl.
"Note to self," whispered Yosaku, sweating, "never get on Kaya's bad side."
"She looks scarier than Arlong," murmured Nami under her breath.
Zino raised his hand slightly, gesturing for calm.
"Kaya, it's alright. I'm not hurt," he said gently. "He is too weak to injure me."
With a reluctant sigh, Kaya finally allowed Usopp to pull the knife from her hand. She returned to her seat, though her eyes still glared daggers at the injured man.
Alvida cracked her knuckles. "Don't worry, I'll take care of him."
She disappeared into the cabin and returned moments later carrying a coil of thick rope. With the help of Zoro and Johnny, she tied Don Krieg up from head to toe—his arms, legs, even his torso were bound tightly. A dirty piece of cloth was shoved into his mouth to gag him, silencing his muffled protests.
"There," Alvida said, dusting her hands. "Now he won't be causing any more trouble."
"Looks like a cocoon," Johnny joked.
"Let's hope he becomes a better person after he emerges," Zoro added dryly.
The rest of the crew gave a collective nod of agreement. Don Krieg had brought this upon himself.
With the situation resolved, Zino smiled and took a seat. "Alright, everyone—back to eating."
The tension quickly faded as the crew resumed their meal. Plates clinked, laughter returned, and the salty breeze blew gently through the sails of the Silent Orca. In the background, Don Krieg squirmed a little, feeling the pain on his injured but tied hand. However,t no one paid him any more attention.