Chapter 23: Chapter 023
There was silence as Zoro stood up. They both faced each other as Zoro sheathed his Meito, which had survived the clash. "I've lost," he acknowledged. He then held up his arms on both sides, giving Mihawk an opening. Mihawk was taken aback.
"What?"
"Wounds on the back are a swordsman's shame," Zoro recited as if it was second nature.
"Well said!" Mihawk agreed before slashing at Zoro's exposed torso. Blood splattered from the new wound and Zoro fell back. Luffy had been expecting it, and winced all the same.
"Aniki!" Johnny and Yosaku screamed.
"Zoro!" Usopp yelled out worriedly.
"That fool," Sanji muttered under his breath, which didn't escape Zeff's notice.
Mihawk's sword was now pointed at Zoro, who was on the ground bleeding. He was deep in thought. This man had resolved himself to die. Would it be disrespectful to let him live? Not just disrespectful, he thought. Stupid. He has so much potential for someone just starting his journey. I don't doubt that he may very well take my title and possibly my life one day. Oddly enough, Mihawk felt less inclined to kill this man than he would have been had the man not been a threat at all. Why was that, exactly? He would have to think on it later. He placed his sword back on his back just as Luffy arrived, with Johnny and Yosaku scrambling after him.
Suddenly, Zoro gasped, regaining consciousness momentarily. He looked at Luffy, who silently stared back, and then at Mihawk's sheathed blade. While Luffy and Mihawk could see that it troubled him slightly, he didn't protest. Luffy understood. He was torn between his pride as a swordsman and his loyalty to the crew. But after everything that had happened, he guessed it was an easy decision for him. "Sorry, Captain," he said finally. "I'll get him next time."
Luffy flashed him a confident grin. "I know you will," he replied, as Johnny and Yosaku rushed to tend to his wounds. Mihawk smirked at their camaraderie. "It is too early for you to die, Roronoa Zoro. Train until the day we meet again, and strive to surpass me." Zoro nodded wordlessly, and Mihawk turned to Luffy. "What is your goal, kid?"
"Pirate King," Luffy said without hesitation. Mihawk grinned enthusiastically. "Your crew is truly one full of fools," he said. "The greatest men I've ever met are all fools in their own right. Perhaps it's a common trend no matter what the era."
They were suddenly interrupted by none other than Don Krieg. "If you shitbags are done ignoring me, I have some business with both of you!" He turned towards Mihawk. "I still owe you for destroying my fleet. Payback is going to be painful!" he roared. His subordinates were pleading for him to stop, and even Gin secretly thought he was insane, but he ignored them all and aimed his guns at Mihawk.
"Then again, some fools are just fools," Mihawk stated. He swung his sword in a circular motion, and a whirlwind came to life around him. When it died down, he was gone. Luffy noted that the boat he had come in had disappeared as well. Cool. How did he do that?
Krieg looked stunned, but immediately recovered and rounded on Luffy. "I guess I'll have to settle for you, Straw Ha—"
"Read the mood, asshole!" Luffy yelled as a tic developed over his eye. He sent Krieg flying with a kick, suit of armor and all, and the man landed in the sea with a splash. His subordinates watched in horror before he resurfaced.
"Usopp, Johnny, Yosaku," Luffy addressed the three with authority. "Nami has taken the Going Merry to a place called Cocoyasi Village. Do you know where that is?"
The bounty hunter duo both widened their eyes and nodded. "That's Arlong's turf," Yosaku commented.
Luffy nodded. "I want you to follow her there and wait for me. She has something she needs to do there, but I think she's going to need our help." They really wanted to protest going anywhere near Arlong Park, but if Nami was there and needed their help, they could hardly argue. They prepared a ship and, along with Usopp, set sail. Meanwhile, the Krieg Pirates were gathering their wits and finally taking action. Pirates clashed with chefs in a determined struggled, and Patty and Carne seemed to be swaying the outcome until Gin stepped in and knocked out Carne with a blow to the head. Patty stilled. "You!"
"Well look, isn't this just perfect," Gin said smugly. "You really don't hold back against starving men. I wonder how this will go a second time."
"Bastard!" Patty shouted before striking out with both fists. Gin easily dodged and his hand fell around Patty's skull. He tightened his grip as Patty struggled to escape from it, groaning in pain. Finally Gin let go, and Patty slumped to the ground, blood oozing from his skull. A tall man in a strange piece of armor consisting of one plate on each side strolled up to them.
"I see you haven't softened in the time you've been away, Gin," he said. He kicked Patty over onto his back and spotted a cooking knife on his hip. "Oh, nice knife," he said. He tried to take it, but Patty grabbed his hand. He started stomping on Patty's hand but he wouldn't let go, and suddenly a powerful kick met his skull, alarming him.
"A chef's kitchen knives are his pride," Sanji said nonchalantly. "I won't let you defile them with your filthy hands." The man, who his subordinates identified as Pearl, started freaking out at being harmed and screaming danger. Sanji was about kick him again when a large whip like limb smacked Pearl in the head, knocking him out and toppling him over in that order.
"Shut up, already," Luffy said unenthusiastically. The Krieg pirates panicked at the sight of Pearl being defeated so easily, and of Luffy's leg stretching out, before Krieg speculated out loud that he must have eaten a Devil Fruit.
"Why couldn't you just leave, Sanji-san?" Gin said with regret, and all eyes turned to him. "All of this could have been avoided if you just gave up the damn ship!"
"I already told you, that's not gonna happen," Sanji said, lighting a cigarette. His voice hardened. "This restaurant is that shitty old man's pride and joy. I've already taken too much from him. I won't let him lose this, too."
Gin still looked regretful as he stared back at Sanji, but his gaze hardened. "Suit yourself then," he said as he lunged at Sanji, spinning around two tonfa with what looked like cannonballs on the tips. Sanji dodged the first downward swing, which left a large hole in the wood when it impacted. He aimed a kick at Gin's neck, but it was blocked by one of the tonfa. He spun around and threw another one, which was blocked by the second tonfa. Forcing Gin on the defensive, he planted his hand onto the ground and brought his leg up. Gin failed to raise the heavy weapons to that height in time and Sanji's kick impacted with his head.
Without sustaining injuries from Pearl, Sanji was faster and could hit harder. This went on for a while, with Sanji getting in a couple hits as Gin tried to defend. Finally, he spun a tonfa around and allowed one of Sanji's kicks to hit his side without retaliating, and then thrust the tonfa into Sanji's ribs. Both men fell back, coughing up blood, but Sanji recovered faster, sweeping Gin's leg with his foot to hinder his mobility. Gin stumbled, but still lashed out with his tonfa, which Sanji dodged. They then clashed again, Sanji's kick meeting Gin's weapon. Waves of pain ran down Gin's arm, but the stress on Sanji's leg was worse, and Gin recovered first this time, nailing Sanji in the ribs again. Sanji stumbled back and Gin tried to push his advantage, only to be stopped by his injured leg. Sanji noticed and decided to risk it.
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