After a hearty meal, Gin departed, and the story moved along as expected.
Don Krieg came begging for food. Sanji and Zeff, despite knowing who he was, fed him—only for Krieg to return with his fleet, attempting to seize control of the floating restaurant.
The pirates were ready for battle, and panic spread through the Baratie's staff and patrons.
Krieg might be considered a small fry by Grand Line standards, but in the East Blue, he was still a formidable presence.
After all, the East Blue was the weakest of the four seas. To them, someone like Krieg—who had dared to challenge the Grand Line, even if he came back in tatters—was a monster.
It was a textbook case of a higher-tier threat stomping through a weaker region. Even as a defeated man, Krieg was still a lean camel bigger than a horse. He wasn't alone either—he had brought his entire pirate crew back with him.
"So what do we do now?" someone asked. "We haven't found a cook, and we've already lost our navigator."
"Our newly repaired ship's been stolen too. That woman was ruthless."
"Captain, just say the word and we'll wipe out these pirates. Maybe the Baratie won't mind lending us a ship."
"Or better yet," another said, "we could just take one of their chefs with us. Preferably a decent one."
Zoro yawned lazily as he looked over at Krieg's forces.
These guys didn't impress him. Their combat strength was laughable. He didn't even bother getting worked up over them.
But then, that drowsy look on his face vanished in an instant.
"...You feel that?" he said, his voice low.
"Someone strong is coming."
Naruto narrowed his eyes. He had already sensed it—a small boat was approaching from the distance.
Zoro swallowed hard. There was a razor-sharp aura radiating from the figure onboard, like the edge of an unsheathed blade.
As he turned toward the source, his pupils contracted, and his entire body trembled involuntarily.
"No way... Just like that?"
It felt surreal. The man on that humble little boat was none other than the swordsman he'd been searching for—Dracule "Hawkeye" Mihawk, the world's strongest.
Mihawk's entrance was grand in its simplicity. While Zoro was still crossing blades with petty thugs, this man had already cleaved warships in half with a single swing.
Just like that, Krieg's massive flagship was sliced clean in two.
The so-called mighty Krieg Pirates, who had barely survived a foray into the Grand Line, were now returning in disgrace—and Mihawk was one of the biggest reasons for their downfall.
To him, chasing Krieg was little more than a way to pass the time.
But for Krieg and his men, it spelled annihilation.
With a single sword stroke, Mihawk ended Krieg's ambitions, then stood there, bored.
And Zoro—without hesitation—jumped into the sea.
"Hey! What the hell are you doing?!" Sanji yelled, confused by the swordsman's sudden impulse.
But the next moment, his cigarette slipped from his mouth.
Zoro wasn't sinking. He was standing on the water.
Step by step, he walked toward Mihawk, tying his bandana in place. His gaze sharpened, his aura changed. For a moment, he no longer looked human—but like a demon in human skin.
Sparks of electricity crackled around him. He was ready.
"This is his fight," Naruto said calmly, placing a hand on Luffy's shoulder. "No matter what happens, don't interfere."
"Instead, why don't we deal with those leftover pirates? Annoying as they are, they helped us earlier. It's only fair."
"Who knows—maybe the head chef will finally hand over his ace cook."
As for their ship? Naruto wasn't worried. If he wanted, he could use Wood Release to create one from scratch.
Once this part of the journey was done, they'd go after Nami.
Luffy nodded, clenching his fists. With a loud shout, he leapt into battle.
Naruto remained still, watching Zoro intently. It was his time now—time to see the results of his training.
Mihawk looked curiously at the green-haired swordsman walking across the sea. A flicker of surprise appeared in his usually impassive eyes.
He'd heard of Admiral Aokiji, who rode across the ocean on a bike—but this was different.
Lightning? Is he a Devil Fruit user?
Zoro was already armed. From the beginning, he drew all three swords—no holding back.
There was no need for words between swordsmen. A single move was enough to convey intent.
Mihawk chuckled, drawing the small cross-shaped dagger hanging from his neck.
"My apologies," he said with a smirk. "I couldn't find a blade smaller than this."
After all, this was the East Blue—the weakest of the four seas. For most, this would be enough.
Naruto raised an eyebrow as chaos unfolded before him.
On a piece of wreckage, Luffy ended Krieg with a single punch.
The rest of the Krieg Pirates scrambled aboard the Baratie's massive deck, launching into a chaotic brawl.
Naruto clapped his hands lazily. Chakra infused with ice release flowed through him. In an instant, the air chilled.
A gust of frost-laced wind swept over the sea—and the water around them froze solid.
Mihawk's eyes darted toward Naruto. His Observation Haki had already picked up on it.
It was the blond boy. He was the one who did this.
Naruto stroked his chin thoughtfully, a glint in his eyes.
He, too, wanted a match with Hawkeye someday.
After all… Mihawk was a swordsman worthy of mastering both Armament and Observation Haki.
"Using a blade that small... are you serious? You could die."
Zoro spoke in a low voice, not out of arrogance, but pure conviction.
He glanced briefly at Naruto. There was something deeper in his eyes now—gratitude.
With the sea frozen solid by Naruto's casual use of Ice Release, he no longer had to expend chakra standing on the surface. It eased the strain, just enough to focus fully on the coming battle.
Zoro had known Naruto was powerful—but witnessing this level of power firsthand was a different story. Freezing the sea without effort… That wasn't something an ordinary person could do.
Meanwhile, Hawkeye's tone remained calm, yet tinged with faint amusement.
"You're strong, no doubt. But this is still the East Blue—the weakest sea," he said with a faint smirk. "If it were that blond one... I might take things more seriously."
He tilted his head slightly, eyes narrowing. "Still, your words are a bit premature. If you want me to draw Yoru, you'd better prove you're worthy."
Hawkeye didn't shift into a stance. His posture remained casual, relaxed—almost like he didn't need to try.
Zoro took a deep breath. Without hesitation, he activated his Lightning Chakra Mode, his body becoming enveloped in a faint, crackling aura. Bolts of lightning sparked around him, enhancing his reflexes, speed, and power.
And then—he charged.
No words. No hesitation. Just raw resolve.
His speed was incredible. To a normal opponent, he would have been a blur. Even Sanji or Luffy might've had trouble keeping up.
But to someone like Hawkeye—who had long since mastered Observation Haki—Zoro's movements looked sluggish. Predictable. Like watching a turtle crawl through water.
Still, a flicker of respect passed through Mihawk's eyes.
He raised his small cross-shaped dagger, almost lazily—and parried Zoro's furious strike with ease.
Clang!
The steel rang out. Sparks flew.
"Speed and strength... not bad," Hawkeye said calmly. "You'd make the list. You could hold your own—in the Grand Line."
...
TN:
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