CLINK-CLANK! The Baratie roared like a supernova, its fish-shaped hull groaning like a titan reveling in victory, defying the storm's fading GRRRR! Chefs swung mugs, bellowing, "Straw Hat crushed Krieg! That kid's a demon!" Diners buzzed like a swarm, whispering, "That red-haired rogue—the Charismatic Red Fang!" plates CLATTERING! with sizzling fish and frothy ale. The air thrummed with victory, the tempest's SLAM-POUND! a weak echo against the restaurant's fiery soul. Luffy sprawled across a table, straw hat skewed, scarfing shrimp with a CHOMP-CHOMP! that rattled the rafters, his grin a blazing sun splitting the dawn. "MEAT! MORE MEAT! THIS IS HEAVEN!"
Daytime Silas slouched against a wooden pillar, crimson hair flaring like a desert's wildfire, his coffee cup cold as a forsaken vow. Nakama? This brat's fire could burn the seas. Luffy's cry—"GUNBLADE GUY! MY NAKAMA!"—struck like a warhorn, sparking a blaze in Silas's chest. Joined yesterday, and he's already got my soul in chains. His sabre and flintlock pistol gleamed, trinkets CLINKING like whispered oaths, tattoos flaring under his shirt—a vow reborn, raw as a fresh scar. He smirked, half-exasperated, half-captivated, as Usopp wailed, "WE'RE SAFE! NO SEA KING SASHIMI!"—then tripped over a crate, THUD!, slingshot TREM-TREM-TREM! Sanji swaggered by, cigarette glowing like a rogue ember, tossing plates with a CLICK-CLACK! and winking at a blushing waitress. "Don't trash my restaurant, Gunblade!" Zoro lounged nearby, swords glinting like crescent moons, growling, "Tch, too damn noisy."
KRAK-BOOM! A shadow tore through the storm—a coffin-shaped ship, black as death's own blade, slicing waves like a guillotine's descent. Its prow loomed, candles flickering like lost spirits, sails taut as a predator's growl. The Baratie froze, mugs CLINK! silent, diners gaping, HISS! of bated breath. A sailor's cry shattered the air: "That's… Dracule Mihawk! The World's Greatest Swordsman!" The name hit like a cannonblast, the storm itself cowering in dread.
Usopp dove behind a barrel, TREM-TREM-TREM!, shrieking, "THE WORLD'S STRONGEST?! WE'RE ALL DEAD! I'M TOO YOUNG AND HANDSOME FOR SASHIMI!" Sanji's cigarette nearly fell, eyes wide as platters. "A Shichibukai… here?!" Luffy's head tilted, straw hat bouncing, grin wild as a storm. "Whoa! Strongest guy? That's cool!" Zoro's eyes ignited, swords half-drawn, a savage smirk curling. That's my target. Krieg's crew, battered and broken, scrambled in panic, "Mihawk?! We're doomed!" their cries a wail of despair. Silas's heart lurched, hand twitching to his flintlock pistol. A Warlord?! I just joined this lunatic crew, and we're already dead meat!
Dracule Mihawk stepped onto the deck, his presence a blade cleaving the air. Black coat billowing like a storm's shadow, hawk-eyes piercing like daggers, his massive sword Yoru slung across his back like a dark prophecy. The Baratie fell deathly silent, even the SIZZLE-POP! of pans hushed. "I followed your wreckage, Krieg. A whim." His gaze locked on Zoro, sharp as a honed edge. "This… sparks my interest." His voice sliced, calm and lethal, each word a cut through the soul.
Silas's pulse thundered, tattoos flaring like a sun's ember under his shirt. A Shichibukai?! Beyond Krieg—beyond anything! He caught Zoro's stance—swords drawn, eyes burning into Mihawk. This green-haired madman's gonna fight him?! His voice cracked, desperate, "Wait, you green-haired bastard, you're fighting that guy?! Can you even use Haki?!" Zoro snorted, smirk unshaken. "I can't, obviously. No one taught me. My master mentioned Haki once, I guess. You got it?" Silas's eyes bulged, a frantic laugh bursting free. "I obviously can't either! What is this?! I just joined, and this guy's gonna die today?!" Usopp peeked out, wailing, "NO HAKI?! WE'RE FINISHED!" Luffy's HA-HA-HA! boomed, unshaken. "Zoro's gonna be awesome!"
Zoro charged forward, boots THUD-CLACK! on the deck, Wado Ichimonji clenched in his teeth, twin swords gleaming like fates forged in steel. "Dracule Mihawk! I challenge you!" His warcry shook the Baratie's beams. Mihawk's eyes flashed, a faint smile curling. "A bold soul. I accept." Silas's hand clamped his flintlock pistol, instincts roaring like a storm. Blast him now? Stop this madness? His tattoos blazed, his father's vow thundering—"Protect the sun, even if we die!"—but this was Zoro's battle, his honor. Damn it, it's his path! His flintlock pistol half-drawn, trembling, he froze, torn between action and respect. Luffy stood tall, eyes locked on Zoro, trusting his nakama's fire. He believes in him. Silas's breath hitched, learning from Luffy's unshakable faith. Nakama… it's letting them fight their own wars.
The duel erupted. SHING! Mihawk drew a tiny cross-shaped blade, glinting like a cruel taunt. Zoro lunged, "Onigiri!"—swords slashing like a tiger's claws, but Mihawk parried with ease, CLANG-CLANG!, fluid as a river's flow. "He's toying with him!" Silas hissed, heart slamming, fingers twitching on his flintlock pistol. Zoro's fury blazed, "Don't mock me!" His blades roared, "Tora Gari!"—a tempest of steel, but Mihawk deflected, SHINK!, untouched. The Baratie quaked, diners gasping, HISS-SCREAM!, chefs frozen, "He's done!" Usopp wailed, "ZORO'S SASHIMI!" Sanji's cigarette flared, eyes narrowed. "That bastard's untouchable." Mihawk paused, gaze cutting through Zoro like a blade. "Your name and ambition." Zoro bared his teeth, "Roronoa Zoro. To become the world's greatest swordsman!" Mihawk's eyes ignited, drawing Yoru—black as midnight, massive as a guillotine. Zoro roared, "Three Thousand Worlds!"—swords spinning in a whirlwind of defiance. WHOOSH! Their blades clashed, KRAK-SHATTER!—Zoro's two weaker swords splintered, shards scattering like shattered dreams. Zoro staggered, dropping his stance, facing Mihawk, chest bared. "A scar on the back is a swordsman's shame." Mihawk's strike—SLASH!—ripped a crimson gash across Zoro's chest, blood pooling like a fallen tide. Zoro collapsed, THUD!, Wado Ichimonji clattering.
"ZORO!" Luffy's shout cracked like a thunderbolt, face pale with shock, eyes wide with raw worry, straw hat casting a shadow over his trembling frame. Silas's flintlock pistol snapped up, fully drawn, every instinct howling to fire. Blast him! Protect them! His tattoos blazed, his father's vow roaring, but Zoro's voice sliced through—"I'll never… lose again!"—his oath to Luffy, to Mihawk, to himself, ringing like a warhorn. Mihawk nodded, sheathing Yoru. "A warrior's spirit. Surpass me, Roronoa Zoro." Silas's hand shook, then fell, holstering his flintlock pistol. His pride… his dream. I can't steal that.
Mihawk turned, coat billowing like a dark tide, boarding his coffin-shaped ship. "Surpass me, Roronoa Zoro." His words hung, cryptic as a prophecy, as his ship carved through the storm, vanishing like a wraith. The Baratie exhaled, HISS!, chaos reigniting—CLINK-CLATTER! of mugs, SIZZLE-BANG! of pans. Silas dropped to his knees beside Zoro, helping Luffy and Sanji hoist him to a table, his rings glinting as he pressed cloth to the gashes. I swore to be their blade and gun, but their strength burns brighter than mine. His tattoos smoldered, a vow reborn, not just to Luffy but to this wild, unbreakable family.
As the crew bandaged Zoro's wounds, Zeff stormed forward, peg leg THUNK-THUNK! on the deck, scowl sharp as a cleaver. "Straw Hat boi!" he roared, glaring at Luffy. "You saved my restaurant. Now drag this worthless fool outta here!" He jabbed a thumb at Sanji, who froze, cigarette dangling.
Sanji's jaw dropped, eyes blazing. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU SHITTY OLD MAN?!"
Zeff's smirk cut like a knife, voice booming like a cannon. "YOU THINK YOU'RE WORTH A DAMN HERE?! SCRAM! WE ALL KNOW YOU PULL THOSE SILENT ACTS TO LOOK COOL FOR LADIES, YOU SIMP OF A TEENAGER!"
The chefs erupted, joining Zeff's warcry, their voices a thunderous chorus. "THAT'S RIGHT! GET OUT OF HERE, YOU WORTHLESS COOK!" they roared, shaking the rafters. "LEAVE! LEAVE! LEAVE! LEAVE!" they chanted, hurling ladles, spoons, and pans—CLANG-CLATTER!—a storm of kitchen chaos raining down. Sanji's face flushed crimson, fists clenched, cigarette dropping to the deck. "I HATE ALL OF YOU SHITTY BASTARDS!" he bellowed, voice cracking with fury and pain, glaring at the chefs' mocking grins. Then he turned, locking eyes with Luffy, whose grin blazed like a beacon, unshaken by the uproar. Sanji's scowl softened, a spark of resolve igniting in his chest. He straightened, kicking a stray ladle with a CLANG! and pointed at Luffy, voice steady as steel. "NAME'S SANJI! I'LL BE YOUR COOK!"
Luffy's grin widened, eyes gleaming like stars. "YOSH! Welcome aboard, Cool Cook!" Usopp peeked from his barrel, jaw dropping, "HE'S JOINING?! THEY JUST THREW PANS AT HIM!" Zoro, bloodied but unbowed, smirked faintly. "Tch. About time, curly-brow." Silas watched, brow furrowed, caught by the fire in Sanji's eyes. This hate… it's love in disguise. His tattoos flared, his mother's voice whispering—"Clear his path, even if it stings." They're shoving him out to set him free. Like Mother did for me.
Zeff leaned in, voice dropping to a gravelly whisper for Sanji alone. "Go, brat. Chase your dream." A fleeting spark of warmth flashed between mentor and student, then vanished. Zeff shoved him hard, and Sanji stumbled, landing on his butt with a THUD!
"I SAID SCRAM!" Zeff bellowed, voice shaking the rafters. "WE DON'T NEED YOU HERE! GO!"
Luffy's laugh boomed, "He's ours now!" The chefs roared, half-laughing, half-sobbing, tossing more utensils—CLANG-CLATTER!—as Sanji stood, brushing off his suit, relighting his cigarette with a defiant smirk. Silas's heart thudded, seeing the truth. This crew… they're all lunatics, bound by dreams crazier than the seas. Luffy's voice thundered, "Zoro's gonna be the strongest! And you too, Gunblade Guy!" Silas grinned, crimson hair falling over one eye. "These lunatics… I'm one of 'em now." Usopp peeked out, slingshot quivering, "WE SURVIVED! NEVER AGAIN!" Sanji blew a smoke ring, muttering, "Don't bleed on my floor, moss-head." Zoro grunted, eyes blazing through the pain, "Tch. I'll cut you idiot cook!" The Baratie pulsed, chefs hollering, "Straw Hat's crew is unreal!" diners murmuring, "That red-haired guy—he's one of those crazy bastards now!"
The storm outside ROARED!, waves SMASHING! like fate's hammer, but the Baratie stood unyielding, a beacon of chaos and heart. Silas's gaze locked on Luffy's back, sweat-drenched but unbroken, straw hat a sun no darkness could dim. Nakama… it's not just shielding them. It's trusting their dreams, no matter how insane. His sabre and flintlock pistol hung steady, tattoos burning in his mind, a forge that wouldn't die. Bound to this radiant, impossible brat—the Warrior of Liberation, the Pirate King—he'd be their blade and gun, through every storm and battle, no matter the cost.