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Conqueror's Haki Infusion!!!
Though still faint, Hawkeye made an exception.
For the sake of Luffy and Zoro, to let them clearly witness the pinnacle of swordsmanship—so they could understand what lay ahead in their path—
He unleashed a technique only used by the world's top fighters…
In the tiny East Blue!!!
At that moment—
The world went dark.
The only light left was the mighty, crackling slash that bloomed from Hawkeye's black blade, Yoru.
And then—
It descended upon Luffy and Zoro.
"AAAAAGGHHH!!!"
Without suspense—
The two were sent flying by the terrifying attack, crashing straight into the sea.
"Sanji! Go get them!!!"
Red's voice snapped through the chaos.
Sanji, momentarily frozen in shock, immediately dove into the water.
Meanwhile, Red entered the game world, quickly administering first aid to Luffy and Zoro.
Even though Hawkeye had held back, that attack was still a world-class slash—one misstep, and it could have been fatal for them!
BOOM!!!
The blazing slash that had torn past Luffy and Zoro shot high into the sky—
Then exploded, sending shockwaves across the entire battlefield.
The sea roared, the clouds were torn apart, and for a brief moment, the entire world seemed to tremble under its force.
But none of that mattered to Sanji, who had no time to admire the breathtaking destruction.
SPLASH!
He plunged into the ocean, pushing forward with powerful strokes.
Minutes later—
Sanji emerged from the water, gripping Luffy in one hand and Zoro in the other as he swam toward the ship.
Under Red's healing, the two were physically fine.
But mentally—
They were shaken to their cores.
On the now stormy sea, Hawkeye had already returned to his coffin boat.
Riding the power of the waves, he drifted quietly away, just as he had arrived.
But then—
He suddenly glanced back.
His sharp eyes landed on Red, who stood at the railing of the Going Merry, using his powers to help Sanji rescue the others.
"The power to control seawater…"
"The ability to heal…"
Hawkeye chuckled to himself.
"This young pirate crew… truly full of hidden monsters."
"The future of the seas is about to get interesting."
With that, he turned away—
And vanished into the horizon.
Back on the Merry
"Hahhh... I really thought I was gonna die!"
Luffy, still soaked in seawater, stuck out his tongue, flopping onto the deck like a drowned dog.
He didn't want to move.
Beside him, Zoro knelt on one knee, clutching Wado Ichimonji, his breath heavy.
Even though Red had restored his strength, the mental impact of that last attack still left him reeling.
That slash—
That unstoppable force that could split the very heavens—
Was this the power of the strongest swordsman in the world!?
Zoro's hands tightened around his sword hilt.
"So this… is the peak of the world."
He muttered in shock.
Nearby, Sanji, still drenched from the sea, stood tall beside the ship's railing.
He casually pulled out a fresh pack of cigarettes, placing one between his lips.
But—
His lighter was soaked.
Click.
Click.
Click.
Even after several tries, it refused to spark.
Finally, giving up, he turned to Zoro.
"So... is that your goal?"
Zoro glanced at him.
For some reason, he always found this perverted cook annoying.
But—
Since Luffy and Red had chosen him, Zoro restrained his irritation.
Plus—
Sanji had jumped into the sea to save them.
After a brief pause, Zoro narrowed his eyes and replied seriously—
"That's right."
And then—
He stood up.
Raising Wado Ichimonji, he gazed toward the distant horizon, in the direction where Hawkeye had disappeared.
"One day…"
"With this sword in my hands…"
"I will completely defeat him."
Sanji's eyes trembled slightly.
Then—
Finally, his cigarette lit.
He took a slow drag, exhaling a thin cloud of smoke.
"Hah… seriously."
"Is that really something you can accomplish?"
"That guy was a literal monster."
"Huh? What the hell are you talking about!?"
Zoro suddenly looked at Sanji in surprise, a puzzled expression crossing his face.
His eyes practically screamed—
'How the hell did you get on this ship if you don't even have this level of ambition?!'
Without another word, he turned around, sheathed Wado Ichimonji at his waist, and started walking toward the training area.
After a few steps, he suddenly stopped.
Without turning around, he nodded slightly and spoke with his back to Sanji—
"If your ambition isn't big enough, I suggest you leave this ship as soon as possible."
"It's better for everyone that way."
"Hah!? You bastard, what did you just say!?"
Sanji immediately flared up, his frustration boiling over.
But Zoro only grinned, his face full of arrogant disdain—
As if Sanji wasn't even worth responding to.
"Hmph."
And with that, he stepped forward and walked away.
"HEY! You damn moss-headed bastard! Get back here and explain yourself!!!"
Sanji shouted after him, about to chase him down for a proper fight.
But—
Just then, Red stepped in, blocking Sanji's path.
"Alright, alright—"
"Hawkeye's gone, and it's time for us to set sail!"
"Sanji, go say your goodbyes to Baratie."
"..."
Red's words instantly cooled Sanji's anger.
His gaze slowly shifted back toward Baratie.
As if sensing his thoughts, Zeff and the other chefs looked back at him from the floating restaurant.
But unlike before, when their eyes were filled with reluctance…
This time, their expressions were pure shock.
Even Zeff, despite his usual composure, had a complicated look on his face.
Who could've imagined that such an outrageous pirate crew would appear in the East Blue!?
Sure, Luffy and Zoro had been beaten down by Hawkeye the entire time.
And sure, the only damage they managed to do was rip his clothes a little.
But that didn't change the fact—
That these two were already monsters compared to the rest of the East Blue!
And more than that—
They had survived countless near-death moments, only to miraculously recover every single time.
This realization struck Zeff like a hammer.
'Sanji really boarded an unbelievable ship.'
And so—
With both sides watching each other, the Going Merry slowly drifted away from Baratie, setting sail for their next destination—
Cocoyasi Village.
Meanwhile, Nami…
To be honest—
After witnessing the battle between Hawkeye, Luffy, and Zoro—
The Arlong Pirates were no longer even a concern to Nami.
In her mind, their defeat was already set in stone.
She had bigger priorities now.
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On the Endless Sea
Not long after leaving Baratie, Nami approached the "Usopp Factory" near the ship's rudder.
"Usopp, is there really no way to increase the output of the Clima-Tact!?"
"I've already mastered my Thunderbolt attack—I can release insanely strong electricity in an instant! But the hot and cold bubbles from the Clima-Tact are still too slow!"
Usopp scratched his head awkwardly, looking at the newly-crafted Clima-Tact in Nami's hands.
It had only been a few days since he made it, and she was already demanding an upgrade.
But honestly?
He understood her frustration.
After seeing that battle, how could anyone stay the same?
Even he was working on improving the Buggy Bombs to be stronger.
Everyone was getting stronger in their own way.
But as the saying goes—
Even the best cook can't make food without ingredients.
With the materials they had on board, and the size limitations of the Clima-Tact…
This was already the best he could create.
After thinking for a moment, Usopp spoke hesitantly—
"Honestly, I can build the kind of tech you want."
"But the problem is…"
"We don't have the right materials."
"None of those merchant ships we visited had anything stronger."
"If I could get my hands on a material with higher energy conductivity, I might be able to upgrade the Clima-Tact."
Nami's eyes lit up.
"Then we just need to find that material!"
"But…"
Usopp's voice trailed off.
"But what!?"
Nami leaned in, expecting a solution.
Usopp raised his head.
"That kind of material might be impossible to find in the East Blue."
"Why not ask Red?"
"That guy's world is full of weird, magical stuff."
"Maybe he has an answer."