THE ABSOLUTE HAKI IS COMPLETED

Somewhere in East Blue

On the calm sea, a Marine warship had been sailing for several days.

"Report! Carl Ensign!"

A voice woke Carl from his nap in the cabin.

"What's up?"

Roy bowed slightly before responding, "A pirate ship has been spotted ahead!"

Carl furrowed his brows, got up from the bed, and walked out of the cabin, gazing into the distance.

"That's… the pirate ship I saw before?"

He squinted.

"The two ships around it are…"

Ahead, three vessels were visible.

The largest, battle-worn ship had torn sails and a shattered mast—undeniably the Dreadnaught Sabre, the flagship of the Krieg Pirates. Another ship, with an unmistakable fish-head design, belonged to the Sea Restaurant Baratie. But what really caught Carl's attention was the third ship.

A small caravel with a distinctive white goat figurehead and a pirate flag adorned with a grinning straw hat.

Carl sighed.

"Great… that ship."

Scratching his head, he waved his hand dismissively.

"Fine. Move in."

"Yes, sir!" Roy saluted. "All hands, maintain course!"

Carl leaned against the railing, looking tired.

To be honest, he had no interest in dealing with that future Pirate King.

But it didn't matter.

At this point in time, that particular straw hat wasn't even officially wanted.

So Carl didn't need to take any action.

"Carl Ensign, that's the Sea Restaurant Baratie!" Roy suddenly exclaimed.

Carl blinked.

Baratie…

Memories resurfaced.

"Oh. Right."

He had almost forgotten.

That was where the so-called "East Blue Overlord," Don Krieg, had met his downfall.

Now, things made more sense.

Even though the Straw Hat Crew wasn't yet wanted… Krieg was.

And as a Marine, Carl was obligated to bring him in.

Carl clicked his tongue in annoyance.

More importantly, hadn't that bastard Mihawk come to East Blue chasing after Krieg?

His memory cleared, and realization hit.

Mihawk appearing in East Blue never made sense. This guy was the reason.

Far ahead, the battle was still ongoing.

Standing on the Dreadnaught Sabre's deck, Don Krieg smirked, his imposing golden armor gleaming in the sunlight.

"Hey! Hurry up and hand over the logbook, Zeff!" Krieg shouted. "Unless you want all these cooks to die!"

On the Baratie, the peg-legged Zeff remained unfazed.

"That's not something a scum like you should be handling," he said flatly.

"In that case, don't blame me for being ruthless!" Krieg sneered.

"Hey, old man," Luffy suddenly patted Zeff's shoulder. "Want me to take care of them? How about we call it even for my meal?"

Zeff raised an eyebrow at him before grinning.

"If you can pull it off, I won't stop you."

"After all, keeping you around means I'm losing money every day."

"That settles it!" Luffy cracked his knuckles, grinning.

"You—" Krieg's face twisted in anger. "What the hell are you two mumbling about?!"

He raised his arm, preparing to fire his MH5 Poison Gas Bomb.

But just then—

"Captain! A Marine warship is approaching!"

Krieg froze.

"…Marine?"

He turned his head, spotting the approaching warship.

At its bow, a young Marine stood with arms crossed, a Justice cloak fluttering behind him.

Krieg scoffed.

"Tch. Just one warship? They're not even worth my time."

Even if they had more ships, I'd sink them all.

"Let's just deal with these weaklings and—"

Boom!

A massive slash suddenly struck the Dreadnaught Sabre.

"—What the hell?!?!"

Krieg barely kept his footing as the attack ripped through the ship.

Crack—

The Dreadnaught Sabre split in half.

Krieg spun around in horror.

That attack…

It came from the warship?!

The ship slowly advanced.

"You… Krieg?"

A calm voice echoed from the deck.

Krieg swallowed.

"You… Who the hell are you?!"

"You don't need to know."

Carl raised his blade, his tone indifferent.

"Because you won't be alive much longer."

"Scatter, Senbonzakura."

A terrifying aura washed over the battlefield.

Krieg's pupils shrank. He instinctively crossed his arms in defense.

"My golden armor is indestructible—"

The sword in Carl's hand disintegrated into thousands of glowing pink petal-like fragments.

"It's… beautiful…"

On the Going Merry, Nami's eyes sparkled in awe.

Zoro, however, frowned.

This wasn't just a technique.

It was pure, overwhelming killing intent.

On the Baratie, Luffy's jaw dropped.

"Whoa! That's so cool!"

Zeff's face darkened.

"That's more than just pretty…"

His voice was grim.

"This is pure, concentrated murder."

Krieg's expression twisted into disbelief.

The floating petal-like blades passed right through him.

"I… Impossible…"

Blood burst from his body.

His once-impenetrable golden armor crumbled to pieces.

He collapsed to his knees.

"I… can't lose… here…"

A final petal cut through the air—

And Krieg fell, motionless.

On the warship, Carl lowered his hand.

"Roy."

"Yes, sir!" Roy quickly approached.

"This doesn't get reported to the branch. Got it?"

Roy hesitated but clenched his jaw.

"…Understood!"

Carl smirked.

"Good."

He glanced toward the restaurant.

"Well, since we're here… we might as well eat."

He stretched.

"We've been living off rations for days. I need real food."

"Yes, sir! All hands, approach Baratie!" Roy commanded.

As for the surviving Krieg Pirates?

They flailed helplessly in the ocean.

No one cared.

On the Baratie

Zeff sighed.

"All right. Prepare to welcome the guests."

He turned to his chefs.

"Sanji, Patty! Don't do anything reckless. This one's different."

Sanji took a drag from his cigarette, frowning.

"Tch. Don't need you to tell me that, old geezer."

On the other side of the deck, Luffy grinned.

"So we're still serving food? Great! I'm starving!"

"Stupid brat," Zeff smacked him on the head. "This isn't the time for jokes."

Sanji exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"Still… that Marine… he's trouble."

On the Going Merry

Zoro, Nami, and Usopp had also moved closer to Baratie.

Luffy turned to his swordsman.

"Zoro? What's up?"

Zoro's eyes remained locked on the Marine warship.

"That man…"

Luffy blinked.

"Huh?"

Zoro smirked, gripping his swords.

"He's strong."

Luffy scratched his head.

"Yeah, I guess so?"

Zoro's smirk widened.

"And he uses a blade."

Usopp turned pale.

"Wait… You're not thinking—"

Zoro's eyes burned with determination.

"That's right."

He drew Wado Ichimonji slightly from its sheath.

"I am the man who will become the world's greatest swordsman."