Taking the menu from Sanji, Patty bolted like a muscular rabbit, gone in an instant.
He dashed straight into the kitchen, shouting for two assistants as he went, and began frantically preparing a grand feast for Luffy and his crew.
The sudden arrival of Luffy's group completely disrupted the fearful atmosphere that had blanketed the restaurant.
Though the people still trembled at the mere name of Don Krieg, the Overlord of the East Blue,
seeing him now, weak and broken, stirred something else within them. A faint, unwilling sympathy began to outweigh their fear.
And yet…
For some reason, compared to Krieg, the presence of Luffy's crew gave off a far more intimidating aura.
As a result, even though Krieg was now powerless and close to death, the heavy, suffocating air in the room didn't ease up one bit.
Especially when the diners and chefs caught sight of Brook, a walking, talking skeleton, they gasped as if they'd seen a ghost, stumbling back two steps away from Luffy's table.
All eyes turned toward Luffy and his crew.
Almost no one paid attention to the fallen warlord lying on the floor.
========
THUD!
A series of desperate cries were met only by the faint, ragged breathing of Krieg. Then, Gin suddenly dropped to his knees with a crash, drawing everyone's gaze once again.
"Please… I'm begging you… save the captain!"
"If this goes on, he'll die!!!"
Kneeling on the ground, Gin bowed deeply, slamming his head hard against the floor. Tears streamed down his face as his voice cracked with despair.
"We have money! Please… please, I'm begging you!!!"
"No matter the cost, we'll pay it! Just give us some food and water!"
"Hahahahahahaha…!"
Gin's desperate pleas earned no pity, only cruel laughter from the chefs.
"That's hilarious! Absolutely hilarious!"
"This is the infamous East Blue Overlord? Pathetic!"
"Someone contact the Marine! He's weak as hell right now, this is the perfect chance to capture him!"
"Yeah! Don't give them a single bite! Who knows what they'll do once they've regained their strength!"
Even the diners joined in, shouting insults and mockery toward Krieg and his men.
Gin's tears dripped to the floor, pooling beneath him, but not a single person showed him sympathy.
Until,
"Hey."
"Give this to him."
A pair of shiny black dress shoes appeared before Gin's tear-blurred eyes.
Sanji, who had vanished earlier, walked out from the kitchen carrying a steaming bowl of fried rice.
He stopped before the kneeling Gin and said calmly,
"Here. Feed him."
"What!? Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing, Sanji!?"
"Damn it! That guy's the most cunning pirate in the East Blue!"
"Yeah! Rumor says he assassinated a Marine officer, stole a warship, and then used it to raid countless villages! He's a monster!!"
"If you feed him, he won't just leave peacefully!"
The chefs bombarded Sanji with protests, but he didn't hesitate. Without a word, he held the bowl out to Gin.
"Mr. Sanji…"
Tears of gratitude shimmered in Gin's swollen eyes as he took the bowl with trembling hands.
"Captain!"
He gently brought the food to Krieg's mouth.
The smell alone was enough to jolt Krieg's brain out of its daze. Like a man reborn, he suddenly stood up, his eyes wide and wild.
Without even blinking, he plunged his filthy, dust-covered hands into the fried rice and began shoveling it into his mouth, devouring it like a starving beast.
"Koby?"
"Ah, ah!? What is it, Luffy-sama?"
Drawn by the commotion, Koby had been watching the scene with a faint, heartfelt smile, Krieg's pitiful desperation, Sanji's kindness… it was touching.
At Luffy's sudden call, he blinked and turned to him curiously.
Luffy calmly picked up a spoon, scooped a mouthful of sweet soup from a delicate bowl, swallowed it, then asked in an even tone, his eyes drifting toward Krieg.
"What do you think… of that man?"
"Huh?"
Koby frowned in thought before answering slowly.
"He… looks really pitiful."
"It's a good thing that man helped him."
As he spoke, his gaze softened toward Krieg and Gin. Krieg was eating so fast that grains of rice clung to his face and scattered to the floor.
"I see…"
Luffy nodded faintly. His expression didn't change, but there was a hint of decision in his eyes as he smiled lightly and said,
"Let's eat, Koby. This place really does live up to its reputation. The food's amazing."
Usopp immediately joined in, transforming into a self-proclaimed gourmet critic.
"Yeah, totally! This yogurt ice cream, man, it's divine!
Smooth and silky, perfectly balanced sweetness and tanginess… it just bursts on your tongue!"
He praised without restraint, feeling that even his words failed to capture the perfection of the dish. Then he raised his hand and called out to Patty,
"Waiter~! Another serving of this, please!"
For a moment, the Baratie fell silent.
Only two sounds echoed in the restaurant, the steady chewing of food.
On one side sat Luffy's crew, joyfully devouring their feast and ordering more.
On the other, Don Krieg, the self-proclaimed Overlord of the East Blue, crouched on all fours like a dog, greedily shoveling handful after handful of rice into his mouth.
Soon, the massive plate, enough to burst an ordinary man's stomach, was empty, save for the few grains scattered on the floor.
His golden armor trembled slightly as if digesting the meal.
Under everyone's gaze, Krieg staggered to his feet. His armor creaked with a sharp metallic
CLANK!
BOOM!!!
In the next instant, chaos exploded.
Just when everyone thought Krieg might thank Sanji for saving his life,
A golden fist flashed through the air and smashed straight into Sanji's face.
No one expected it. Instead of gratitude, Krieg struck his savior down without hesitation.
"Sanji!"
"Sanji!!"
The chefs' expressions turned from shock to fury as they rushed to stand between Sanji and Krieg, glaring at the pirate warily.
They had tried to stop Sanji earlier, but they knew him too well, he would never ignore a starving man.
Still, none of them imagined that Krieg would repay kindness with violence.
"C-Captain Krieg! What are you doing!?"
Gin's face twisted with disbelief as he shouted,
"You said you wouldn't attack this place!"
"And besides—!"
"Sanji is our savior!"
"Waaah!!!"
Krieg's golden gauntlet clamped down hard on Gin's shoulder, silencing him with a scream of pain.
As Gin cried out, Krieg scanned the restaurant with cold, merciless eyes, then burst into laughter.
"Hahahahaha…!"
"Damn, that was good! I feel alive again!"
"This restaurant… isn't bad at all."
"This ship belongs to me now!"
In that moment, every trace of weakness vanished from his face. The look in his eyes showed no respect for life, only the arrogance of one who believed himself above all others.
========
"Where do you think you're going, Koby?"
Luffy set down his steak and glanced toward Koby, who had suddenly stood up.
Koby froze beside his chair, clenching his fists to suppress the anger surging inside him. He took a deep breath and replied firmly,
"Luffy-sama, I'm going to teach that villain a lesson!"
He couldn't believe it, the man he'd just pitied had turned out to be such a wretched monster.
Krieg's cruelty ignited every spark of righteous anger in Koby's heart.
Ever since Luffy installed the training room on the Going Merry, he and Zoro had trained relentlessly, pushing themselves to their limits every single day.
Now, a pirate like Krieg was beneath his notice.
"Sit down."
Luffy's tone was calm but commanding.
"But… Luffy-sama—!"
"Sit. Down."
This time, Luffy's voice carried an edge of steel, cutting off Koby's protest.
He looked toward Sanji, who was struggling to stand, and said softly,
"People… have to take responsibility for their own foolishness."
Crack…
The chair under Koby's grip splintered, flakes of wood falling to the floor.
But in the end, he unclenched his fists and sat back down, though his expression spoke volumes, frustration, anger, and helplessness all mingled together.
Even the delicious food before him could no longer stir his appetite.
Luffy only smiled faintly, picking up his knife and fork again, resuming his ruthless attack on the steak.
And not just him, even Usopp and the others remained calm, showing no sign of stepping in.
Sanji slowly rose from the ground, spat out the broken cigarette between his lips, and said flatly,
"Just as I expected…"
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