One Piece: Randomizer!

Raphael: <>

System: []

******

'Huh? The ship's still intact. Guess Don Krieg and his crew didn't run into the infamous Black Paint merchant on their way here,' Luffy mused, a quiet chuckle bubbling in his mind as he recalled Mihawk's reputation on Reddit in his past life. 'But that begs the question—if Mihawk isn't chasing him, then why is he here?'

Setting that thought aside, he turned toward the floating restaurant. "Hey, Zeff, we've got company."

The head chef grunted, stepping out from the kitchen with his usual gruff demeanor. The moment his gaze landed on the massive warship looming outside, his expression soured, and he clicked his tongue in irritation. "Tch. Looks like lowlifes are swarming my restaurant today," he muttered, his fist clenching at his side.

"Hey! I take deep offense to that statement," Luffy said, placing a hand over his chest in mock outrage.

Zeff shot him a deadpan stare, unimpressed by the theatrics, before letting out a long-suffering sigh. He then shifted his focus back to the approaching fleet, his sharp eyes scanning the figures moving aboard the ship.

Meanwhile, two men leapt from the massive vessel, landing heavily on the Baratie's deck.

Leading the pair was a broad-shouldered, muscular man with unruly purple-gray hair and distinct sideburns. His golden armor gleamed under the sunlight, contrasting sharply with the deep purple of his pants. To the onlookers, his ostentatious appearance was nothing short of an eyesore.

Beside him stood a taller, lanky man with short, scruffy hair and a light stubble shadowing his jawline. He wore a bored yet serious expression and a pair of tonfa rested in his grip, while a double-barreled shotgun hung loosely at his waist, hinting at the kind of fighter he was.

This was none other than the infamous pirate of the East Blue—Don Krieg, captain of the Krieg Pirates—alongside his ruthless Combat Commander, Gin the Man-Demon.

"Hah! What a dump!" Krieg scoffed, spreading his arms wide as if addressing an audience. "I came here expecting to see the great floating restaurant, but from the looks of it, this place is already halfway to the seafloor!"

Zeff's face remained impassive, but his fingers twitched slightly, a telltale sign of irritation.

Patty and Carne, standing behind the old man, bristled at the insult. "You bastard—"

Krieg didn't even spare them a glance. Instead, he stepped forward, his smirk widening. "Y'know, I was originally just here to have a taste of the legendary cooking from the famed 'Red-Leg' Zeff," he mused, his voice dripping with mockery. "But seeing the state of things... I think it'd be a waste to just eat here."

He chuckled darkly, his eyes narrowing as he tilted his head. "Instead, I've decided on something better."

With a casual gesture, he motioned for his right-hand man.

Gin stepped forward, resting a tonfa against his shoulder while his sharp gaze remained locked onto Zeff. "Captain Krieg isn't one to let good resources go to waste," he stated simply.

Krieg nodded. "That's right. From now on, Baratie is mine."

A wave of tension rippled through the chefs.

"I'll be taking this restaurant under my flag," Krieg continued, his golden armor glinting as he raised his chin. "Along with you, old man. The great Red-Leg Zeff will cook exclusively for my crew."

Zeff let out a slow exhale through his nose, his jaw tightening.

Luffy blinked. "Huh. That's a new one." He tilted his head, stuffing his hands into his pockets. "You usually just kill everyone and take their ship. Trying a recruitment speech now?"

Krieg scowled at him. "Shut it, brat."

But Luffy just grinned. "Nah. This is kinda funny. Keep going."

Krieg growled, but ultimately ignored him, focusing back on Zeff. "I know you're old and all, but don't be stupid," he sneered. "You don't really have a choice. Your restaurant is wrecked, your staff's a joke—they can't even protect this place. But under my flag, Baratie will be safe. Join me, and I'll make sure you and your crew don't starve at the bottom of the ocean."

Zeff's eyes darkened. A heavy silence hung over the deck.

Then, slowly, the old man took a step forward.

His wooden peg leg tapped against the deck as he came face-to-face with Krieg. His posture was relaxed, his hands still shoved into his pockets.

But the air around him shifted.

"You done talking, brat?" Zeff asked. His voice was low. Dangerous.

Krieg's smirk twitched, momentarily faltering.

The tension cracked in the air before Luffy suddenly whistled, breaking the heavy silence. All eyes turned toward him as he casually put his hands behind his back and strolled forward.

"Old man, I'm sure you're burning with youthful vigor to defend your home, but let me kindly remind you that we just patched you up, so take it slow, will you?" Luffy said, coming to a stop between Zeff and Krieg. He grinned. "Let me handle this in exchange for a dinner made specially by you."

Zeff's brow furrowed as he studied the boy. It was one thing for Luffy to heal him and his men out of kindness, but this? Standing in the way of Krieg and his forces? That was far too generous for someone who had no stake in this fight. It didn't sit right with him, not after everything he'd seen on the seas.

"Why are you helping us? We have nothing to offer you in return," Zeff said plainly. He didn't want a boy like Luffy—someone he saw immense potential in—to throw his life away for nothing.

"If I'm being honest, I do have a personal motive," Luffy admitted without hesitation. "But we aren't close enough, and I don't feel like explaining it with so many ears around." His expression remained relaxed as he explained. "Aside from that, it's good practice for me to use my powers against guys like him. And when word gets out about my victory, I get a nice little boost in reputation."

Zeff was silent for a long moment, his sharp gaze locked onto Luffy's back. Then, with a slow exhale, he finally nodded. "Very well, young man. I'll put my faith in you."

Krieg let out a bark of laughter, his smirk twisting with disbelief. "Are you done with your dramatic stupidity?" he sneered, crossing his arms. His gaze flicked to Zeff with contempt. "You're really putting your faith in some brat?" Then his eyes landed on Luffy, narrowing with irritation. "And you. You really think you can take me on? I have 300 men behind me," he said, gesturing toward his ship, where dozens of rough-looking pirates leaned over the railing, watching with cruel amusement. "They alone would be enough to deal with a weakling like you. I don't even need to lift a finger."

Luffy hummed, glancing at the massive warship. "Oh yeah, that reminds me." He tilted his head. "Didn't you have a fleet of 50 pirate ships? What happened? Lost them on the way here or something?"

Krieg's smirk vanished, replaced by an ugly scowl. His face darkened, the veins in his forehead twitching. "You talk too much, brat," he growled, voice low and menacing.

Then his lips curled into a cruel smirk. "You know," he drawled, his eyes gleaming with malice, "I saw a few fine-looking women inside the restaurant. Once I'm done with you, maybe I'll claim them too."

A sharp, oppressive silence fell over the deck.

Luffy's expression didn't change—at least, not at first. But then, his eyes darkened.

It was subtle at first, a mere shift in his gaze. Yet, for those paying attention, the air around him grew heavier, colder.

"Is that so?" Luffy said in a low threatening voice before he turned towards Zeff, who was taken aback by the cruelty he saw in the boy's eyes. "Tell me, old man, how would you evaluate Krieg and his men as human beings?"

Zeff hesitated. There was something behind Luffy's question—something deliberate. He wasn't sure what, but he chose his words carefully. "I don't think there's a single good thing I could say about them," he admitted, his expression hardening. "Pillaging villages, violating women, committing all sorts of vile crimes—wherever they go, suffering follows. If it weren't for my personal code of feeding any starving customer, I wouldn't even allow someone like him to set foot on my restaurant."

"I see." Luffy nodded slowly. "So in short, they're human trash that should be disposed of as soon as possible."

In the next moment before anyone could react, the ocean stirred and a massive crystalline PAC-MAN emerged from the water, its shimmering, translucent form reflecting the sunlight like a deadly jewel. With terrifying speed, it surged forward and—

Chomp.

Krieg's warship, along with all 300 of his men, was swallowed whole.

Before the sheer weight of the crystal construct dragged it beneath the waves in an instant, its dense form sinking like a stone into the abyss.

Meanwhile, Krieg stood frozen, his face blank, his body trembling as fear crept up his spine. His fleet—what little remained of it—was gone in an instant. Now, all he had left was a single man and his golden armor.

Zeff, who was also watching the scene, felt his face pale. It was one thing to take down three hundred people, since he knew of monsters who could take on even greater numbers on their own, but to do that in a single, decisive moment, without even giving opponents a chance to fight back...

Even Luffy's crewmembers weren't any better off. They stood frozen, gaping at the water where the warship had been just moments ago. They had known their captain was strong—of that, there had never been any doubt. They had sparred against him, trained under him. They had seen him wield his crystalline abilities with terrifying efficiency.

But this?

This was something beyond their expectations and what he did just now made them look at him with newfound awe and respect in their eyes.

Only Uta remained unfazed. She had already seen him massacre the Black Cat Pirates. Yet, even for her, watching him dispatch Krieg's men so effortlessly sent a strange warmth through her chest. Her faith in him as their captain had never wavered and now, it was stronger than ever.

"That was fun!" Luffy declared cheerfully, dusting off his hands before shifting his attention to Krieg. His grin widened as he took a step forward. "Now, let's deal with the leader of those pests, too."

With a relaxed stride, he began walking toward him.

Krieg's face drained of color. His breath hitched as he instinctively took a step back—only to realize there was nowhere left to run. His ship, his last refuge, was now sinking into the abyss. Trapped on the Baratie's deck with no means of escape, desperation clawed at him.

His gaze darted wildly before landing on the only man still standing by his side.

"Gin!" Krieg's voice cracked, his usual bravado gone. "Help me! Keep that monster away from me!"

Gin, who had remained still until now, clenched his jaw. His grip tightened around his tonfas as he slowly moved, stepping between Luffy and Krieg. His instincts screamed at him to run—to surrender, even. After witnessing what Luffy had done, he knew better than to believe he could win.

But loyalty was a cruel thing.

He owed his life to Krieg. No matter how futile it was, he wouldn't abandon his captain—not even if it meant laying down his own life.

Luffy, however, didn't slow his approach. He barely even acknowledged Gin as an obstacle. The moment Gin moved to attack, Luffy's foot lashed out, striking his waist with a sharp, effortless, Haki-infused kick. The impact sent Gin crashing into the ship's railing, unconscious before he even hit the ground.

Krieg barely had time to process what had happened before Luffy was suddenly right in front of him.

His body stiffened. He tried to move, to react—but he was too slow.

Luffy's hand shot out, gripping the front of Krieg's golden armor. The metal screeched in protest as Luffy tore off the entire front plate with one brutal yank, exposing Krieg's unprotected torso beneath. Before Krieg could even cry out, a devastating Haki-infused fist slammed into his gut.

Krieg doubled over, a strangled grunt of pain escaping his lips as the air was forcibly driven from his lungs.

Luffy grinned, his expression deceptively sweet as he grabbed Krieg's head, squeezing slightly while letting his Haki seep into his grip. "Now, be a good boy and tell me what happened to the rest of your fleet." His voice was light, almost playful, but the pressure in his hand spoke volumes. "You will, won't you?"

Generally, Luffy wouldn't have cared about whatever happened to Krieg or his crew, but after repeated instances of encountering events that turned his canon knowledge on its head, he decided that even if he had to go out of his way, he would try to gather as much knowledge about the world as he could.

Krieg gritted his teeth, sweat rolling down his face as he fought to suppress the shiver crawling up his spine.

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't have given in so easily. He would have spat in Luffy's face and found a way to weasel his way out. But right now?

Right now, he knew exactly what kind of position he was in.

Luffy was no ordinary pirate.

This wasn't just another fight.

If he wanted to live to see another day—to plot revenge, to rebuild—he had no choice but to comply.

"Fine!" Krieg spat, his voice laced with frustration and barely concealed fury. "I'll tell you!"

"Two months ago, we had just entered Paradise when we were suddenly ambushed by Baroque Works agents in that damned Whisky Peak city on Cactus Island," Krieg growled, his fists clenching as rage flickered in his eyes. "At first, we held our own just fine—those bastards weren't anything special. But then, out of nowhere, a big guy with blades for hands showed up." His voice wavered slightly, and his jaw tightened at the memory. "He took down my entire fleet single-handedly. Me, my crew, my ships—he crushed us like we were nothing. After that, he gave me an ultimatum: join Baroque Works or die. I had no choice but to accept. They made me one of their officers."

Luffy's brow furrowed in surprise. "You actually joined Baroque Works?"

Then, as if remembering something, he bent down and picked up a piece of Krieg's torn armor. He ran his fingers over the metal, his eyes narrowing slightly when he spotted something engraved on it: "Mr. 10."

A smirk curled on Luffy's lips as he casually dropped the armor back onto the ground. "Huh. Interesting... But wait. If I remember correctly, don't Baroque Works officers have female partners?"

Krieg's face darkened at the question. A shadow passed over his features before he clicked his tongue in frustration. "I did—Miss Tuesday. She was on the ship just now..." His voice trailed off as a realization hit him like a ton of bricks. His eyes darted toward the ocean, where his ship had vanished beneath the waves, and his expression twisted into something unreadable. "She's dead now. Thanks to you."

For a brief moment, silence hung between them.

Then, just as quickly, something else flickered in Krieg's gaze—an idea.

His posture straightened, and a smirk—forced, but present—spread across his lips. "So, you already know about Baroque Works, huh?" His voice took on a slick, calculating tone. "That means you must know what happens to those who cross them." He leaned forward slightly, attempting to mask the desperation in his voice with false confidence. "You've already killed Miss Tuesday, but if you let me go, I'll do you a favor and keep your name out of my report to the boss. Trust me, kid—you don't want to make an enemy of Baroque Works. More importantly, you don't want to make an enemy of its leader. He's not someone a fledgling pirate like you can afford to piss off."

The truth was, Krieg had no idea who the leader of Baroque Works actually was. But he figured anyone with the resources to run an organization and extensive network of that scale had to be powerful. If he played his cards right, maybe—just maybe—he could scare this cocky brat into letting him walk away.

For a moment, Luffy just stared at him.

Then, his grin widened, amusement dancing in his eyes. "Oh? You're trying to threaten me?" He shook his head in mock disappointment. "Nice try, but it wouldn't have worked. After all..." His voice dropped just slightly, his smirk turning sharper. "Only a handful of people know that the Desert King, Sir Crocodile, is the one pulling the strings behind Baroque Works."

The reaction was immediate.

Krieg's entire body jerked like he'd been struck by lightning. His eyes nearly bulged out of their sockets. "WHAT!?" he barked, his voice raw with disbelief. "How the hell do you know that!?"

Luffy chuckled. "I have my ways."

Krieg stood frozen, his mind reeling as he couldn't comprehend how some no-name kid from the East Blue knew such a massive secret. More importantly, he cursed himself for ever getting tangled up with someone as dangerous as Crocodile.

But even with his brain screaming at him, he couldn't afford to back down. He latched onto the only leverage he had left as he straightened and glared at Luffy. "So what if you know!? That just makes things easier for me!" He sneered. "I have a Warlord of the Sea backing me! Surely you don't want to make an enemy out of him, do you?"

Luffy nodded sagely. "You're right—Crocodile isn't someone you can just mess with."

Hope flickered in Krieg's eyes—

—only to die the next moment when Luffy continued.

"But I'm not worried about him." Luffy's grin returned, this time sharper. "I think I can handle him. Besides, I doubt you're important enough for him to risk blowing his cover just to come after me."

Before Krieg could even process Luffy's words, the young boy stepped forward, seizing him by the collar.

Krieg barely had time to gasp before Luffy lifted him into the air with ease—like he weighed nothing at all. Then, in one brutal motion, Luffy brought him crashing down across his knee.

The next moment a sickening crack echoed through the air as many winced at the sight.

Krieg's body convulsed, his mouth opening in a silent scream as sheer, agonizing pain shot through his spine. His vision blurred, his limbs went numb, and for the first time in his life, true terror gripped his heart.

His breath hitched and his eyes rolled back before he crumpled to the ground, motionless.

Luffy stared down at Krieg's unconscious form, his expression unreadably cold before he exhaled slowly, then dusted off his hands as if wiping away the last remnants of a minor inconvenience. "Well, that takes care of that."

With that, he turned away from the fallen pirate and strode toward Zeff, who had been watching in silence.

"Old man," Luffy said, stopping before him, "I'm not killing them. You'll need money to rebuild your restaurant, so cash in their bounties—it'll help." His voice was casual, but his tone left no room for argument. "And don't worry about Krieg." Luffy's gaze flicked briefly back to the unconscious man, then back to Zeff. "Unless he gets extensive physical therapy or finds someone with powerful healing abilities like Kaya, his legs are done. He won't be a threat anymore." He paused, then added, almost as an afterthought, "But make sure to keep an eye on that Gin guy. He seems tricky. Too loyal for his own good."

Luffy didn't wait for a response. He had already said what needed to be said. With that, he brushed past Zeff and addressed his crew, his tone shifting seamlessly into command. "Get the ship ready—we're leaving."

"We're not staying for dinner?" Uta asked, a little disappointed.

Luffy shook his head. "No. We can't." His expression was calm, but his eyes were sharp, focused. "I just realized something—since the Big Mom Pirates showed up, it won't be long before Marines send someone to investigate. Considering Big Mom's status, they won't just send small fries. At the very least, we're looking at a Rear Admiral or two." He shrugged. "Not that we couldn't handle them, but there's no benefit in fighting them. Yet."

Uta sighed, nodding in agreement. "You're right. Even if we could take them on, there's no point in letting stray arrows hit us." She studied him for a moment, then smiled knowingly. "Besides, I'm guessing you have something else you want to take care of."

Luffy didn't deny it. Instead, he simply nodded before shifting his gaze toward the pink-haired woman sitting nearby, lost in thought. Without hesitation, he strolled over and stopped in front of her, casting a shadow over her slumped form, prompting her to look up at him.

"So, Vinsmoke Reiju, what's next for you?" Luffy asked, his voice lighthearted, accompanied by a small chuckle at the confusion flashing across her face. "I mean, what are you going to do now?"

Her lips parted slightly as if to answer, but no words came out. Instead, she hesitated, her fingers lightly fidgeting with the hem of her gloves. "I... I don't know," she admitted with a quiet sigh. "I never really thought this far ahead."

"Well, in that case, why don't you come with us?" Luffy offered with a smile.

"With you?" Reiju blinked, staring at him in surprise. "But why?"

Luffy simply shrugged. "Why not? It's not like I planned for the rest of my crew to join me. Uta aside, I met all of them out at sea—just like you. So again, why not?"

Reiju remained silent, contemplating his words. For the first time in a long while, someone was offering her a choice. But after a moment, she shook her head. "I really appreciate your kindness, Luffy. I do. But I can't do that to you." She exhaled deeply. "I'd bring more trouble to your crew than I'm worth."

"Oh, is that so?" Luffy mused, looking thoughtful for a moment. "Well, I won't force you—it's your decision. But I am worried since you won't be able to stay here for long."

"What do you mean?" Reiju frowned at his words.

"Let's be honest, once the news of the Big Mom Pirates' appearance in the East Blue spreads around, the Marines and the World Government will try to find any and all ways to save face, since they wouldn't want the world to think that big-name pirates like them can move around freely without any consequences," Luffy explained before looking at Reiju with a comically sad expression on his face. "And when they send someone to investigate this place, they will find you, the princess of the Germa Kingdom. They won't pass up this chance to make a scapegoat out of you, as well as gain powerful leverage against your father, Judge."

"That won't work," Reiju scoffed, shaking her head. "I doubt my father sees me as a 'valuable asset' enough for them to use me as leverage against him."

Luffy hummed. "Personally? Yeah, you're probably right. He doesn't care about you." His voice carried no sympathy, just a matter-of-fact tone. "But publicly? That's a different story."

Reiju stilled.

"Even if Judge doesn't care about you," Luffy continued, "he can't afford to let the Marines capture you. If he does, it'll be a huge blow to his reputation. Germa is already in a delicate position, with both Big Mom and the World Government eyeing its technology, and Judge is doing everything he can to hold on to his power. If he allows them to use his own daughter as a pawn, it'll make him look weak. So, whether he wants to or not, he'll have to play along."

Luffy's expression darkened slightly. "But once he gets you back? That's what worries me."

Reiju bit her lip, her mind racing.

"So," Luffy said, snapping her out of her thoughts, "you've got two options."

He held up a finger. "One: You go off on your own, try to find a safe place to hide, and spend the rest of your life looking over your shoulder, hoping your father never finds you."

Then he raised another. "Or two: You come with us, get stronger, and when the time comes…" He smirked. "We'll help you free Sanji from both Judge and Big Mom."

Reiju's breath caught slightly at the mention of her brother.

Luffy extended a hand toward her. "The choice is yours."

"Damn it! When you put it like that, do you really think I have a choice?" Reiju groaned, shooting Luffy a glare. Then her expression softened as she sighed, shaking her head before finally reaching out and placing her hand in his.

"Fine," she relented, a small smirk tugging at her lips. "I'll join your crew." Then, raising a teasing brow, she added, "But I warn you—I'm quite the high-maintenance girl, Captain." She winked playfully.

Luffy let out a hearty laugh before pulling her up to her feet. "In that case, welcome to the crew, princess!"

To be continued...