As the coffin-like boat vanished beyond the horizon, the sea—which had just endured a tempestuous baptism—finally returned to a state of calm.
Yet within this tranquility, there lingered a suffocating silence.
On the water, the massive warship that once symbolized hegemony over the East Blue now floated as a hollowed-out husk.
Hundreds of pirate lackeys clung to broken planks or squeezed onto the surviving stern. Every one of them was gaunt, their eyes sunken, looking like starving ghosts crawling out of the abyss.
However, despite the hunger gnawing at them to the point of wanting to chew the wood beneath their feet, not a single soul dared swim a step closer to the Baratie. Because that man was still there.
Gin's return with Krieg's headless corpse, coupled with his hushed warnings, had made it clear: the black-haired, red-eyed man was a "demon" who had severed their Captain's head with a single stroke.
That primal fear, rooted deep in their souls, overrode even the desperate craving for food.
Step, step, step.
The sound of footsteps rang out. Gin, having just climbed out of the sea, was drenched. Dragging his battered body, he walked step by step to the center of the restaurant's deck. He looked at no one, heading straight for Viktor and Zeff.
Thud!
The hardened man known as "The Man-Demon" did not hesitate. He fell heavily to his knees. His forehead slammed against the hard wooden planks with a dull thud; blood seeped from his brow, mixing with seawater as it dripped.
"I beg of you..." Gin's voice was hoarse and trembling, carrying the weight of ultimate desperation. "I know... we are meant to die. Captain Krieg is dead, and we have lost our will to fight. But my brothers... they are still starving."
He looked up abruptly, his bloodshot eyes brimming with tears. "Just a little food and water! In exchange... I swear! I will take everyone and leave immediately! I will never set foot in the East Blue again as long as I live! We will never do evil again!"
"Please!!" He kowtowed once more.
The restaurant was silent, save for the sound of waves lapping against the hull. The chefs looked at one another—some with pity, others with lingering resentment.
"Heh."
A soft chuckle broke the silence. Viktor, hands in his pockets, strolled over from the railing. As he approached, an invisible pressure instantly enveloped Gin.
Vroom—
Viktor's black eyes transformed into crimson Sharingan. Two tomoe swirled slowly in each pupil, emitting an eerie and cold light. He stopped before Gin, looking down at the humble man.
"Do you know what you're saying, Pirate Gin?" Viktor's voice was calm, yet it carried a bone-chilling coldness. "These people are pirates—beasts that reveal their fangs the moment they are full. You saw what happened to Krieg just now."
Viktor leaned down slightly, his Sharingan staring directly into Gin's soul. "Releasing a tiger back to its mountain only invites future trouble. What if they get full and come back to bite someone? This kind of pointless sympathy can get people killed."
The air seemed to freeze. Luffy, leaning on the railing, watched the scene in silence. Gin's body was shaking violently. He felt the unmasked killing intent radiating from Viktor—the terror that if he answered a single word wrong, his head would roll.
But he did not flinch. Gin grit his teeth, looked up into those terrifying eyes, and spoke one word at a time:
"If... that day ever comes... please, take my life first!!"
There was no hesitation in his eyes, only the resolve of a man who had cast aside his own life. "I will bear all the sins! I will endure all the punishment!"
The two locked eyes. A few seconds later, the red light in Viktor's eyes faded, and the suffocating pressure vanished. He straightened up and resumed his usual smiling mask, waving a hand dismissively.
"Well, what a boring answer. But... since you've gone that far, do as you please."
He turned away, no longer acknowledging the man on the floor, as if that murderous aura from a moment ago had belonged to someone else entirely.
Step, step, step.
Another set of footsteps approached. Sanji, drenched from being kicked into the sea by Viktor, had returned at some point. He didn't look at Gin or say a word; he simply walked straight into the kitchen.
A moment later—Bang! The kitchen doors were kicked open.
Sanji emerged carrying a massive wooden tub on one shoulder. Behind him, Patty, Carne, and a few other chefs followed with carts full of food, looking thoroughly annoyed.
"Hey! Sanji! That's the inventory for tonight's guests!" Patty complained loudly, though his hands didn't stop moving.
"Shut up, you shitty cooks."
Sanji slammed the tub, filled to the brim with seafood fried rice, down in front of Gin. He pulled a cigarette from his wet pocket; it was too soaked to light, but he kept it in his mouth out of habit.
"There are only leftovers here." Sanji turned his back to Gin, his tone indifferent. "Eat quickly and then get lost. Don't dirty the entrance to this shop."
Looking at the steaming mountain of fried rice, Gin's tears finally broke through. "Thank... thank you... hic... thank you!!"
From the second-floor railing, Zeff watched the scene. He didn't stop them. He simply stroked his braided golden beard and snorted. "Since it's already made, don't let the food go to waste. That is the rule of the Baratie."
Half an hour later, by the wreckage on the sea, Gin distributed the tubs of rice to the dying pirates. In this moment of despair, Gin was unopposed as their new Captain.
"Waaaah! Food!!" "It's rice! Hot rice!!"
The pirates frantically shoved rice into their mouths, a chorus of sobbing and chewing filling the air. Standing at the prow, Gin watched these men—once ferocious, now weeping like children—and his gaze hardened with purpose. Krieg was dead, but he was still here.
"Listen up!!" Gin roared, his voice carrying to every corner. "Once we finish this meal, we leave! We leave the East Blue!! We can never forget this debt! We... will start over!!"
"YES!! CAPTAIN GIN!!" The pirates responded through their tears and mouthfuls of rice.
The battered pirate ship used its remaining sails to slowly turn. Before leaving, Gin stood at the stern facing the Baratie.
He bowed deeply toward the blonde cook with the cigarette and did not rise for a long time. Then, he looked past the crowd to Luffy and Viktor.
His gaze was complex—filled with awe, gratitude, and a faint, undetectable spark of fighting spirit.
"Straw Hat Luffy... and Viktor." Gin clenched his fists and shouted, "Our paths may be different... but I, Gin, will never forget this debt as long as I live!! Let's meet again... on the Grand Line!!"
The sea breeze blew. The scarred ship, carrying its new life, drifted further away in the glow of the setting sun until it vanished into the vast horizon.
On the deck of the Baratie, Viktor leaned against the railing. As he watched them leave, a familiar system prompt rang in his mind.
[Ding! Detected that the host has significantly altered the fate of the supporting character 'Gin' and the 'Krieg Pirates'.]
[They, who were destined to perish shortly, have gained a new life.]
[Plot Deviation increased.]
[Reward: 1000 Ninja Way Points.]
Hearing the crisp notification, the corners of Viktor's mouth curled up. "1000 points... not much, but better than nothing."
He now had a total of 3000 Ninja Way Points—time for another shopping spree. He pulled a kunai from his pocket, spinning it casually on his fingertip, his black eyes shimmering with a meaningful light.
"Being a good guy once in a while isn't so bad, I suppose."
"After all..."
The wind tousled his black hair. His smile was bright in the sunlight, yet it carried an underlying chill. Viktor squinted at the empty sea and whispered, "If they ever dare to turn back, I'll just kill them again."
"As long as my blade is here, there is nothing in this world I cannot cut. Isn't that right, Luffy?"
Beside him, Luffy was leaning over the railing. He suddenly turned around with a massive grin. "Shishishi! I'm hungry! Viktor!"
"..."
Viktor's smile froze. "You bastard... You just ruined the entire atmosphere!!"
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