Chapter 020

"Hey, Sanji! You might want to pay attention," he called out. Sanji turned back in time to see Krieg swinging his arm out in a lariat, and was able to bring his knee up in front of his neck to block. The blow sent him flying back, but he landed on his feet and regained his balance. Krieg looked slightly annoyed that his surprise attack had failed, and Gin looked horrified.

"Don! This isn't what you promised! You said you'd leave these guys alone if I brought you here!" Gin let out a yell of pain as his shoulder was gripped tightly in Krieg's hand.

"Ah, that's better. I feel like my old self again." He looked toward the chefs, who were watching in terror. "Nice ship. I think I'll take it," he said calmly. They looked at him with incredulous expressions, and he continued, "My old one got ruined. I have 100 men who are dying of hunger and thirst. Prepare food for all of them, and then get off my new ship."

The chefs all shouted at him in response to the outrageous request, saying they refused.

"Refuse?" repeated Krieg. "Don't misunderstand me. This isn't a request. It's an order. And no one disobeys my orders," he said with a menacing glare.

Gin knelt on the ground with a pained look on his face. "I'm sorry, Sanji-san," he said with regret. "I didn't intend for this to happen!"

Sanji ignored him and started walking toward the kitchen. Patty rounded on him. "Hey! Where do you think you're going!? It's your fault we're in this mess!"

"I'm going to prepare food for 100 people," Sanji said simply. Gin looked at him in shock. After all this…he was still feeding them? The other chefs quickly surrounded Sanji on all sides, pointing guns at him threateningly.

"Who the hell do you think you are, Sanji? Krieg's double agent?" one asked.

"You're not taking one step into the kitchen," another said. Sanji just held his arms out in a silent challenge.

"Then shoot me if you want," he said without hesitation. The chefs all stared at him as if he'd lost his mind. "I don't care if they're not worth saving. My job as a chef is to feed people. If they come to this restaurant in hunger, I'll give them food. I'll worry about what happens afterwards once they're fed."

The chefs were taken aback by his resolve. All except for Patty, who knocked Sanji to the ground with a blow to the head. "Sanji, I know you feed customers who can't pay," he began, "And I've never had a huge problem with that. But this time, you've gone too far. Your actions are going to cost us this restaurant. I won't let that happen. If you're just going to stand there like an idiot, I'll protect Baratie myself." He pulled the cloth off of the item he was carrying, revealing an odd looking red bazooka. "Hey Krieg, are you finished with your meal? How about some dessert!?" he said as he aimed the bazooka at Krieg and shot. It hit him dead on in the chest, and Krieg was sent hurtling back against the guardrail outside. "That takes care of that," Patty said with finality.

"You might want to double check that," Zoro suggested, and Patty looked at him as if he was insane before a familiar voice made him reconsider.

"That was the worst dessert I've ever had," Don Krieg said as he walked through the ruined entrance. His overcoat and cape had been blown off, and what remained was a gold colored suit of steel armor.

The chefs all got over their shock and charged, intent on taking out the pirate captain who was threatening their way of life. This proved to be a mistake as his battle armor produced a multitude of guns from hidden compartments and started shooting at them. They would have been skewered had it not been for a sudden wind blowing the bullets off course. In front of the chefs stood a single green-haired man with one sword out of three raised, one of their customers. Krieg looked at him in slight surprise. "You're that Pirate Hunter guy," Krieg said in apathy, taking note of his other two swords.

"I was," Zoro replied. Their conversation was interrupted as Zeff calmly walked in front of Zoro and set down a large white bag.

"This is food for 100 men," he said. "Bring it to your crew."

"Owner Zeff!" Patty shouted. "Have you gone crazy!? If his crew recovers as well, they'll take this restaurant for sure!"

Krieg's eyes widened. "Did you say Zeff?"

"That's only if they have the guts to take it," Zeff responded evenly. He turned to Krieg. "Isn't that right, Grand Line dropout?" Mutterings broke out throughout the restaurant. Even the king of East Blue couldn't make it through?

"You're…Red Leg Zeff," Krieg muttered in shock.

"I am," he replied. "Do you have some sort of business with me?"

Krieg smirked. "Actually, yes. You were able to sail the Grand Line and survive. Rumor has it that you kept a logbook of your travels. Hand it over," Krieg demanded.

"I refuse," he replied evenly. "That logbook is the pride of my crew. I won't give to the likes of you."

"Then I'll steal it! I'm not defeated yet," Krieg insisted. "I had the power. I had the forces. I had the ambition. The only thing I lacked going into that sea was information. If I get that logbook, I'll easily be able to conquer the Grand Line!"

"The only thing you need to conquer is your own ego. It'll get you killed one day." All eyes turned to the new voice. It was another customer, the Straw Hat guy.

"What was that, punk? Would you like to say that again?" Krieg growled threateningly.

"I'm not gonna repeat myself just because you're too stupid to understand simple words the first time," Luffy said in a bored tone. The entire restaurant was silent. Did this kid have a death wish?

Rather than get angry, Krieg just smirked. "You're gonna wish you'd kept your mouth shut just now, you little shit. I'm gonna go feed my men. After that, you'll learn exactly why people fear me." He walked out of the restaurant, the bag of food slung over his shoulder. The restaurant immediately dissolved into chaos.

"Owner Zeff! Have you gone mad!? Have could you side with Sanji on this?" Patty asked. The chefs all voiced their agreement, accusing Sanji of leading the restaurant to ruin.

"Silence, you ingrates!" Zeff shouted. "Do any of you even know what it's like to starve? To be cast out on the open sea with no food or water?" He seethed. "The difference between Sanji and you all is that he knows that pain," he said. "If you're not going to do anything but whine, the door's that way," he said, pointing to the back exit.

But the chefs would have none of that. After only a moment's hesitation, they all raised their weapons and resolved themselves to fight. "Are you all crazy?" Gin shouted. "You've seen how powerful Don Krieg is! You all need to run, now!"

.

.

.

patreon.com/Black_Zetsu

You can subscribe to my Patreon for more advanced chapters in One Piece Community