One Piece: Randomizer!

Raphael: <>

System: []

******

When Zeff opened his eyes again, a dull ache radiated through his body, the stiffness in his limbs reminding him that he'd been out for a while. His mind was still foggy, but the moment he recalled the attack on his restaurant, panic shot through his chest like a jolt of electricity.

His instincts screamed at him to get up—to check on his crew, to make sure they were safe. But before he could even push himself upright, two figures suddenly threw themselves onto him, wailing like children.

"Captain! You're all right!"

Patty and Carne clung to him, their faces buried in his clothes, smearing tears and snot all over him in their emotional outburst. Zeff's eyebrow twitched, and a vein bulged on his forehead as he looked down at the absolute mess they were making.

"Get off me, you morons!" he barked, grabbing both of them by the heads and roughly shoving them aside. The two landed in an undignified heap, but their relieved smiles never faded.

As Zeff swung his legs over the side of the bed to stand, he suddenly realized his peg leg was missing, leaving him visibly frustrated.

"Oye, Patty! Get me my spare leg!" he ordered, his voice carrying its usual authoritative bite.

As he waited, his sharp eyes swept across the room, finally landing on a group of unfamiliar faces seated at one of the restaurant's battered tables, eating what looked like food made by his chefs. 

His frown deepened.

"Who the hell are these people?" Zeff demanded, glancing at Carne.

Carne quickly straightened up, wiping his face before launching into an explanation. He detailed how the strangers—Luffy and his crew—had helped them tend to the wounded and used mysterious powers to heal him, who had looked quite bad an hour ago. As the cook spoke, Patty returned with the spare peg leg, kneeling to help Zeff attach it.

By the time Carne finished his account, Zeff was silent, his expression unreadable. Then, without another word, he pushed himself up, adjusting his balance before striding toward the table where Luffy sat.

Without hesitation, the old chef bent forward in a respectful bow.

"Thank you," he said gruffly, his voice laced with sincerity. "For helping me and my crew."

Luffy paused mid-bite, chewing thoughtfully before grinning. "No problem, old man. It'd be a real shame to lose a restaurant that serves food this good."

Zeff let out a scoff of amusement, shaking his head at the simple yet genuine response.

"Anyway," Luffy continued, leaning back slightly as he glanced around the wrecked dining hall, "what exactly happened here? Judging by all this destruction, whoever attacked must've been strong and vicious—not unusual for these seas. But since they left you all alive, it doesn't seem like the attack was aimed at you." His gaze sharpened. "So… who were they after?"

A dark shadow passed over Zeff's face. His jaw tightened, and his fists curled at his sides.

"You're right," he admitted, his voice heavy with restrained fury. "The attack wasn't meant for me. It was for one of my chefs—Sanji."

His knuckles whitened as he clenched his fists tighter.

"It was just another normal day. Customers were eating, drinks were flowing… then suddenly—" Zeff's voice faltered for a moment, his eyes burning with undisguised rage, as he began recounting the attack.

******

A few hours ago...

The Baratie bustled with its usual liveliness, the clash of plates, the murmur of satisfied customers, and the occasional bellowing argument between chefs forming a symphony of controlled chaos. 

But in the next instant, that harmony was shattered.

The first explosion rocked the floating restaurant, sending dishes flying and patrons screaming. The force rattled the very foundations of the ship, splintering wood and upending tables. Before anyone could process what was happening, a second blast tore through the entrance, blowing the heavy restaurant doors clean off their hinges.

As the smoke cleared, three towering figures emerged, silhouetted against the bright afternoon sky.

The first was a woman of average height with pale skin, shoulder-length fuchsia hair curling at the ends, and bangs obscuring the right side of her face. Thick lashes framed piercing yellow eyes that gleamed with an unsettling confidence. She wore a short red-violet dress, a long dark purple feather coat draped over her shoulders, magenta gloves that reached her elbows, and two arrow-shaped horns protruding from the top of her head.

The second was taller and eerily thin, her skin nearly ghostly white. Long, light blue hair curled at the tips, swaying gently as she exhaled a wisp of smoke from the cigarette perched between her lips while a cold, melancholic expression rested on her face. She wore hooped earrings, a vertically striped light blue dress, and a red sash tied neatly around her waist. 

The last was an enormous man—broad-shouldered and towering over everyone. His proportionally small shaved head had short blond hair, and his face bore wrinkles and a small mustache. A heavy dark blue coat draped over his frame, with oversized blue-and-white striped shoulder pads lined with fur. A yellow cape hung from his shoulders, orange gloves covered his hands, and thick boots of the same shade completed his outfit. A thick belt adorned with a genie's lamp emblem rested on his waist, matching the golden hoops in his ears.

They were none other than Charlotte Galette, Charlotte Amande, and Charlotte Daifuku—children of the Emperor Big Mom and high-ranking officers of the Big Mom Pirates.

A heavy silence fell over the Baratie. The customers, still trapped in shock, barely dared to breathe. The chefs tensed, hands tightening around whatever kitchen tools they could grasp.

Galette took a step forward, her golden eyes scanning the room like a predator surveying its prey. She raised a single hand, palm facing downward. A thick, golden substance oozed from her skin, flowing like melted wax before solidifying into a sickly-smooth tide across the restaurant floor. The butter spread rapidly, ensnaring tables, chairs, and the legs of terrified patrons. The lower-ranked chefs struggled against its grasp, but the more they moved, the faster they sank.

Galette's lips curled into a knowing smirk. "We're here for the boy named Sanji," she declared, her voice honeyed yet leaving no room for negotiation.

Beside her, Daifuku rubbed his belly lazily, a smirk playing on his lips as a massive figure materialized behind him. A towering, muscular genie loomed over the room, its wickedly curved halberd catching the light ominously.

"Make this easy," Daifuku rumbled, his voice laced with amusement, "and we won't have to break too many bones."

Zeff had been behind the counter when the first explosion hit, instincts kicking in before his mind could even process the danger. The moment the doors blew open, he moved—vaulting over the bar and planting himself between the intruders and his crew.

His stance was solid despite his age, his eyes sharp and unwavering.

"You want my chef?" Zeff's voice cut through the tension like a honed blade. "You'll have to go through me first."

For the first time, Amande moved. Her cigarette smoldered between her fingers as she let out a slow, almost regretful sigh. "Very well," she murmured, the words barely louder than a whisper. With a single fluid motion, she drew her nodachi. The massive blade hummed as it left its scabbard, the faintest shimmer of light reflecting off its razor-sharp edge.

Zeff didn't wait.

Launching himself forward, he swung his peg leg in a brutal arc, aiming for Galette's ribs. She reacted swiftly, conjuring a thick barrier of butter in an instant. Zeff's strike hit with incredible force, splattering the substance outward, but the impact slowed him just enough.

Just enough for the genie to strike.

The massive apparition swung its halberd in a deadly arc. Zeff twisted mid-air, barely dodging the strike as he landed atop a table. With a powerful push, he flipped off it, sending a compressed air kick straight at Daifuku himself.

The Big Mom pirate grunted as the attack struck his chest, forcing him back several feet—but not nearly enough.

Galette took advantage. With a flick of her wrist, her butter snaked around Zeff's peg leg, hardening instantly.

Before he could react, the genie attacked again.

This time, it hit.

The halberd's crushing force sent Zeff hurtling through the restaurant, crashing straight into the bar. Glass shattered around him, bottles raining down as splinters of wood dug into his skin. Pain flared through his ribs, but he gritted his teeth, refusing to stay down.

With sheer will, Zeff pushed himself upright. Blood dripped from a gash on his forehead, blurring his vision as he squared his shoulders.

"Still standing, old man?" Daifuku chuckled, rolling his shoulders as if loosening up for another round. "Not bad."

Zeff spat blood onto the floor. "You brats…" His leg trembled slightly, but his glare never wavered. "You think you can just waltz in here and take what you want?"

Galette gave a slow, almost pitying shake of her head. "We don't think."

Her butter lashed out, tightening around Zeff's arms and legs like iron shackles. "We know."

The genie raised its halberd once more.

Zeff braced himself.

CRACK!

Agony ripped through his body as the force of the strike sent him flying across the restaurant. The impact was enough to rip his peg leg from his body, the wooden limb clattering uselessly across the floor.

He crashed down in a heap, blood trickling from his temple as his vision dimmed. The last thing he registered before darkness swallowed him whole was the panicked screams of his crew.

Meanwhile, Amande moved like a ghost among the Baratie chefs. Her nodachi whispered through the air in wide, deliberate sweeps, slicing through counters, tables, and walls with terrifying precision. The restaurant's foundation groaned under the onslaught, splinters and debris raining down like falling leaves.

The chefs, hardened by years of brawling with unruly customers and pirate riffraff, weren't about to back down. They lunged at her with whatever they could grab—cleavers, knives, even frying pans. But Amande barely seemed to notice.

With a flick of her wrist, she sent two cooks crashing to the floor, their uniforms shredded as if paper-thin. A third came at her in desperation, an overhead swing aiming to cleave straight down. Amande caught his arm mid-motion, her grip firm yet eerily calm.

She twisted.

A sickening pop filled the air, followed by a strangled scream. "You're outmatched," she stated simply, tossing him aside as if he were nothing.

Then came Sanji.

The blond chef launched himself into the fray, his leg slicing through the air in a blistering Rankyaku kick. Amande barely had time to turn, raising her nodachi to intercept. The impact sent a sharp vibration up her arm, her blade singing from the force.

Her expression didn't change. But she gave a small nod of acknowledgment. "Ah. The target."

Sanji didn't waste a second. He pressed forward, unleashing a rapid barrage of kicks—each one faster and deadlier than the last. Amande weaved between them with near-effortless grace, her sword flashing between his strikes like a silver phantom. She wasn't dodging. She was playing with him.

Sanji gritted his teeth. "Tch… You're holding back."

Amande tilted her head, her voice calm. "Orders."

Sanji's foot rocketed toward her temple, but she caught his leg mid-motion. There was no struggle. No hesitation. Just an almost gentle twist.

Sanji's balance shattered. He spiraled, his body crashing onto the ruined floorboards. Before he could react, the cool edge of Amande's blade hovered just above his throat.

"Maama told us to bring you back, so you're coming with us," she murmured. "Doesn't matter if you want to or not."

Sanji's breath was ragged. Pain throbbed in his limbs, his chest rising and falling with exhaustion. Around him, the Baratie lay in ruins. His mentor broken. His crewmates beaten.

His fingers clenched into fists.

He had no choice.

Amande lifted her blade away. "Good boy."

Behind her, Galette and Daifuku loomed over Zeff's fallen form. The fight was over. The Baratie had lost.

The Charlotte Family had won.

But the night was far from over.

Sanji forced himself to his feet, his gaze darkening as he turned toward Zeff. Blood dripped from the old man's forehead, his body motionless except for the shallow rise and fall of his chest. But what hurt more—what cut deeper than any blade—was the look in his eyes.

Not just pain.

Failure.

Sanji's chest tightened, a white-hot rage bubbling beneath the surface. He clenched his fists so hard his nails bit into his palms.

Before he could move, the cold tip of Daifuku's genie's halberd pressed against his back.

"No heroics now," Daifuku chuckled, his tone thick with amusement. "Let's not make this difficult."

Amande flicked her blade to rid it of lingering dust. "We leave now."

The Big Mom Pirates turned, leading their captive toward the docks where their ship awaited.

Zeff's fingers twitched. Blood dribbled from the corner of his mouth as he struggled—desperately—to lift his head. His voice was weak, barely more than a whisper.

"…Sanji… don't go…"

His consciousness faded. His body went limp.

Sanji didn't turn around.

Didn't let himself look back.

He simply walked, each step heavier than the last, his heart a lead burning sensation in his chest, with the weight of the decision forced upon him.

******

"Damn it! I don't understand! What the hell do those bastards from the Big Mom Pirates want with Sanji?!" Patty cursed, slamming his fist on the table, his frustration reverberating through the nearly silent room.

"Well," Luffy said, finishing the last bite of his meal and wiping his mouth with a napkin, "I think it has something to do with who Sanji's father is."

Suddenly, a light flashed in Zeff's eyes and his expression darkened instantly as he remembered a conversation he had with Sanji when he first took him in. His fists clenched as he muttered through gritted teeth, "Judge. That bastard..."

Patty and Carne exchanged uneasy glances. Luffy had mentioned something about this before, but hearing Zeff react like that made it clear—this wasn't just some distant, unimportant detail.

"Yep," Luffy continued, popping a deseart into his mouth like it was just another casual discussion. "The Germa Kingdom is near Big Mom's territory, so I think there must be some kind of deal between Judge and Big Mom. And based on what I know about her, it's probably got something to do with appeasing her in some way or form."

"Quite the guess," an unfamiliar voice interrupted, smooth yet slightly strained. "And I'm afraid you're not far from the truth."

Everyone turned toward the voice.

The pink-haired woman Zoro had found earlier walked toward them, her expression carefully neutral, though the tension in her shoulders betrayed her exhaustion.

"My name is Reiju, Sanji's older sister," she introduced herself, pausing as she took in the wary expressions around her. "And it was my father who sent the Big Mom Pirates to retrieve my brother."

Uta folded her arms across her chest, her sharp eyes scanning Reiju with suspicion. "And how do you fit into all of this?" she asked. "Were you sent as an overseer to make sure they completed the mission?"

Reiju scoffed, a helpless smile tugging at her lips. "As if Father would ever trust a failure like me with something that important."

Luffy raised a brow, question marks practically popping up over his head. 'A failure?...' he thought to himself.

"I snuck onto the Big Mom Pirates' ship when they visited my father for Sanji's location," she admitted. "I wanted to stop them from taking him, but… I couldn't even withstand a single attack from Amande. She cut through me like I was nothing." Her voice dropped to a whisper. "Truly… a failure…"

Kuina frowned, watching her carefully. "And they left you alive?" she questioned. "That sounds strange, doesn't it?"

Reiju let out a bitter chuckle, shaking her head. "It was Sanji who saved me," she admitted, her voice softer now. "Before I passed out, I heard him threaten them—said if they didn't leave me behind, he'd take his own life." She swallowed hard. "And that was something they couldn't afford."

She exhaled shakily, brushing a hand through her hair. "Not that it really matters," she murmured. "I have a tracking chip inside me, just like the one they used to find Sanji in the first place. No matter where I go, my father will always find me."

Luffy smirked and reached into his pocket, pulling out a tiny, gleaming microchip. "Oh, you mean this?"

Reiju's eyes widened in shock.

"Found it in your neck while we were treating you," Luffy said casually. "A quick cut, and it was out before Kaya even finished healing you."

Upon hearing his words, Reiju blanked for a moment before relief flooded over her. She fell to the ground, sobbing her eyes out. "Thank you..." she said between her sobs. She knew that she couldn't express in words how thankful she was to be freed from her father's control. Although a part of her felt guilty that it came at the cost of her brother's freedom, at the moment, she was too overwhelmed to care.

Meanwhile, Luffy, who was staring at the crying girl, couldn't help but feel that he was missing a lot of context compared to what he knew from before. Especially after seeing the Reiju in front of him, who looked underconfident and untrained, unlike the confident and self-assured girl he knew from the manga.

He wanted to know more about her and Sanji, as well as the situation at their home, but he knew that pushing her for information right now wasn't a good idea, so he pushed it to the back of his head and gestured for Kaya to comfort the crying girl.

However, just then, a large shadow loomed over the Baratie. Hurriedly, Luffy rushed outside and saw a massive ship looming over the restaurant. But then, a smile formed on his face as he saw the Jolly Roger hoisted on the ship.

"Oh, Don Krieg is here..." Luffy said, as a sinister gleam appeared in his eyes. "Well, it looks like it's time to farm for more achievements."

To be continued...