"One relied on powerful equipment, while the other relied on a powerful heart?"
Sanji froze. Zeff's words had deeply shaken him.
"Someone strong on the outside may be formidable and able to intimidate others, but only someone strong on the inside is truly strong and can go farther."
Almost instantly, Sanji had his answer. His gaze turned to Luffy.
This was a true powerhouse!
Sure enough, not long after, a sharp crack rang out.
As though something had snapped, everyone looked over to see that the Great Battle Spear in Krieg's hand had been completely broken by Luffy. The incomparably sturdy gold could no longer withstand Luffy's relentless blows and shattered apart.
Krieg, having lost his Golden Armor, was instantly shocked. Before he could react, Luffy threw a punch that slammed hard into his face!
"Bang!"
His entire body was sent flying, crashing violently into the cabin. The already dilapidated ship became even more battered.
"Captain Krieg was sent flying? How is that possible?!"
"That kid actually defeated Captain Krieg!"
"Captain Krieg!"
All the Pirates aboard stared blankly at the sight, their faces full of disbelief. As Krieg was sent flying, it was as if some belief in their hearts had been defeated as well!
"The captain was defeated?"
Gin looked utterly lost as he stared at Krieg, who had been sent flying by one punch. He had always looked up to Krieg and sworn to become a man like him. Yet now, that very man had been defeated. It felt as though the convictions he had held for so many years had been knocked down too!
"No, Captain Krieg won't lose. We haven't lost either!"
Suddenly, Gin's eyes turned cold, his gaze firm. Two iron tonfas appeared in his hands as he shouted at Krieg.
"Captain, get up! You are the strongest man in the East Blue. You absolutely cannot be defeated! Whoever dares doubt you, I'll beat him to death immediately!"
With that, Gin swung his twin tonfas and charged toward Luffy!
"That's too shameless! He's butting in midway!"
"Krieg was defeated. That Rubber Boy is pretty impressive, but this guy has no sense of honor. He's actually interfering at a time like this!"
"Watch out, Straw Hat Kid!"
Seeing this, the cooks, who had been celebrating moments ago, all shouted warnings to Luffy.
"Damn it, so you're this kind of person!"
Sanji's gaze turned icy. He had given Gin a meal, thinking Gin would repay kindness with gratitude. He had never expected him to be such a petty villain!
Then again, how could someone raised by a man like Krieg be a good person?
He had been too naive!
"I won't let you interfere!"
With that thought, Sanji suddenly attacked!
"Get lost!"
Gin roared and struck out with a tonfa!
"Bang!"
Sanji was immediately sent flying by the blow, unable to withstand even a single attack from Gin!
"Sanji!"
"This guy is so strong, even Sanji..."
"No way, there's another expert like this?"
The cooks nearby were all stunned by the sight.
They had never imagined that the silent Gin possessed such skill!
"As expected of Captain Gin, he's amazing!"
"Captain Gin, you've finally made your move!"
"Go, Captain Gin! Kill them all!"
When the Pirates saw Gin attack, they immediately erupted in cheers.
"This guy is actually the captain of the Krieg Pirates?"
Usopp was dumbfounded. He had never expected the unremarkable Gin to hold such a position!
It was not just him; all the cooks were stunned as well.
Patty in particular had chased Gin away before.
A man like this was actually an important figure?
"I already said it: outsiders are not allowed to interfere in our captain's battle. Otherwise, death!"
But at that moment, Moonlight suddenly made his move!
A crescent-shaped Sword Aura slashed toward Gin!
He had made himself clear, yet someone still dared cross the line. Did they think his words were nothing but wind in their ears?
"Buzz!"
The Sword Aura tore through the air. Gin's heart trembled violently as he hurriedly raised his twin tonfas and fought back with all his strength!
But only by experiencing it firsthand could one truly understand just how terrifying Moonlight's slash was!
This Sword Aura, capable of matching the world's greatest swordsman Hawkeye, had long surpassed human limits!
"Crack!"
His twin tonfas, along with his entire body, were sent flying by the slash and fell into the sea!
"Captain Gin!"
"Gasp! Captain Gin was sent flying by that swordsman with a single slash!"
"Damn it, is this man really that powerful?"
The surrounding Pirates, who had just been cheering, immediately cried out in shock.
"Moonlight, you're way too strong!"
Usopp let out a sigh of relief and looked at Moonlight with utter amazement.
"This swordsman!"
Sanji clutched his wound, staring at Moonlight in shock.
"A man who can fight Hawkeye to a draw is naturally strong. He isn't on the same level as anyone here."
Zeff smiled, completely unsurprised by any of this.
The cooks were already dumbfounded, unable to say a word as they looked at Moonlight.
"Damn it, you actually beat me into this state. In all my life, you're the first person to do it."
At that moment, Krieg emerged from the wrecked cabin. Having lost the Great Battle Spear, he looked utterly disheveled, and much of his Golden Armor had cracked apart.
He looked at Luffy, then saw Gin being sent flying by a single slash. His expression darkened completely.
"Click, click!"
His arm suddenly made a sound like a wound spring. The Golden Armor abruptly transformed, revealing a round muzzle!
"Oh no, that's...!"
"Put on your masks! Captain Krieg is going to use that move!"
"Hurry! Put on your masks!"
Seeing this, the surrounding Pirates cried out in alarm. It was as though they had seen something unimaginably terrifying, and they screamed in shock.
Then they took masks from one of the ships and put them on!
"What is that?"
"What's happening?"
"This doesn't look good!"
The cooks all watched the surrounding Pirates in confusion, utterly puzzled.
"Could it be, he's going to..."
Sanji and Zeff seemed to realize something, and their expressions changed drastically!
"Not good! Usopp, Moonlight, everyone, run! He's going to release poison!"
Luffy suddenly ran back toward them, shouting loudly at Moonlight and the others.
His expression was exceptionally anxious, as though some horrifying disaster was about to happen!
For someone with Luffy's temperament to react like this, Krieg's next move was clearly no small matter!
"Heh heh, that's right. Let me give you a taste of my ultimate move, m.h.5. This is a Poison Gas Bomb I specially made to conquer the Grand Line. One blast can turn ten thousand meters of sky and earth into a world of deadly poison. Anyone without a gas mask will die!"
"Well? Scared now? Too bad there's no medicine for regret in this world. You forced me into this state, so now all of you can go die!"
Before you continue