21 C21 : The Gatherings of Straw Hat Pirates

• {Year: 20.2} •

Luffy finally set out on his journey to King of the Pirates. He first met Coby, then Zoro. Coby was a pink-haired crybaby that wanted to be a Marine and capture bad pirates. Zoro, an green-haired man, was a Bounty Hunter, hunting down pirates with bounties to refine his sword skills and aspires to be the strongest swordsman. Luffy decided that Zoro was going to join his crew one way or another.

Later, Coby joined the Marines and Zoro joined Luffy. Both Luffy and Zoro began to travel on a dinghy, starved after few hours. Luffy got himself into trouble once again as he tried to 'eat' a huge bird flying above them. The huge bird bit his head and kept flying to a direction. Zoro panicked and quickly rowed in the wrong direction, stumbling upon three pirates who had their ship stolen by a cat thief.

...

"Haha!" A straw-hat man, Luffy, laughed as he ran away with two other people to their ship. They had finished wiping out a pirate crew that took over a town. The two people were orange-haired woman, Nami, and green-haired man, Zoro.

"Stop right there, you morons!" A town chief yelled as their ship sailed away from the town slightly. Panting, he yelled as he smiled widely. "I'm sorry! I owe you!"

All three of the people grinned. Luffy shouted back. "Don't worry! Just live happy lives!!"

...

"What're you doing?" Zoro said when a long-nosed man walked to his small boat. Pointing at his crew's caravel, he ordered him. "Get on the board!"

The long-nosed man looked confused as he glanced at the other people. "Huh? What do you mean?"

Luffy asked him confused as his head laid on his crossed arms on the caravel's rail. "You're already our companion... aren't you?"

"Wha-" Taking awhile to speak, the long-nosed man stammered as he grinned widely. "I-I'm the captain right!"

"No way! I'm the captain!" Luffy retorted immediately, grinning back. "Hurry up and get on, Usopp!"

...

On a ship restaurant, Baratie...

"Why?! Why are you chasing us down?!" A full gold-armored man shouted at the hawk-eyed man in front of him. The hawk-eyed man glanced at him and replied.

"Boredom." One word and yet, his voice made it sound domineering.

"You...!" The gold-armored man popped a vein on his forehead. This f*cking strongest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk, hunted him down just because he was bored?! "Everyone! Shoot him!"

He, as the captain of a large fleet, had the ability to lead and order them. Doing so, he ordered his remaining surviving crewmates to shoot at the hawk-eyed man.

*BANG* xN

Bullets stormed upon the swordsman, yet they didn't hit him as he used his ornately decorated and very long black sword's tip to adjust the bullets' trajectory.

*XIU* xN

Bullets swiped past the hawk-eyed man, causing people around him to be shocked. A certain green-haired man, Zoro, with three katanas on his side was grinning, finally finding the man he searched for. 'This is the strongest swordsman in the world!'

"Pathetic." The hawk-eyed man stoically stated. Losing interest, he turned to his small boat. But as he turned, a green-haired man jumped on the board that the hawk-eyed man was on, causing him to look at the man. Looking at the green-haired man, he saw battle intent emitting out of his eyes.

"I want to challenge you, strongest swordsman in the world!" Zoro declared much to the others' shock. A straw-hat man, his captain, was shocked too, but didn't stop him.

"The strongest swordsman, huh...?" Mihawk smiled slightly at that, for he knew he was not the strongest swordsman. Zoro was confused at his smile, but took it as a acceptance.

Tying up his bandana on his head, he began to get into his battle stance with his three katanas. One on each hands and the last being held by his teeth, showing his three-swords style.

Seeing this, Mihawk was shocked. He thought back to the time he was training a certain green-eyed person.

• <Flashback Start!> •

"Damn..." A green-eyed boy panted as he finally beat Dracule Mihawk for the first time. "Haha! I finally beat you!"

"Heh, you did." Mihawk nodded as he got back up, showing his skin-deep cut on his neck. Touching that spot lightly, he continued. "Speak, what's your demand?"

"Right." The green-eyed boy remembered the reason why he would be happy beating the swordsman. With a serious look, he spoke his demand. "When I ask you to, leave the area where I tell you to, without any question or objection."

"..." The hawk-eyed man was confused. Just leave the area where he is at when this green-eyed boy tells him to? Seeing this as a simple request, he nodded without questioning him. "Alright."

"Alright!" Satisfied, the green-eyed boy turned away to take a bath in that hot lake. He groaned when he realized that he had to keep using the hot lake to take a bath...

"You're the first brat to defeat me and yet you're complaining about a mere hot lake bath?" Mihawk chuckled.

"Well it's too freaking hot!" He retorted angrily, his body was sensitive alright! "Besides, there'll be another person who'll eventually defeat you in the next few years..."

"Oh?" Mihawk knew this was one of nonchalant talks that this green-eyed brat would actually come true in the future. For some reason, he believed those nonchalant words he would randomly spout out.

"Yeah, a three swords styled man. One in each hands and the third held by his mouth. Pfft, he'll defeat you while holding it in his mouth. He'll definitely overtake you, but me?" The little brat proudly declared, smugly. "He won't overtake me at all!"

Ticked off by that, Mihawk stared down on the little brat with his hawk eyes. The green-eyed brat stared back while emitting slight domineering aura.

Both of them chuckled in the end.

• <Flashback End!> •

"So it's you..." Mihawk smiled when he remembered, but went back to stoic. He took out a small knife, acting as if the green-haired man was nothing.

"What's this?" Zoro looked confused, not yet understanding.

"All I need to defeat you." Mihawk said, stoically.

"You...!" Enraged, the green-haired man attacked.

"Demon...!" Zoro brought his swords to the opposite of his sides, crossing his arms. Putting the sharp edges of the sword to aim front, he put force in his muscles as he unleashed his move. "Cut!"

"..." Mihawk silently but quickly, moved his short knife to the center of the attack, effectively freezing Zoro in position. Zoro couldn't even budge a bit as he increased force into his muscles.

"...!" The green-haired man was shocked that his move that always sent his opponents flying away, was stopped by a mere short knife! "Arghhh!"

He began to recklessly swing his swords with ferocious forces on the short knife, causing Mihawk to stop his reckless attacks with it.

'This can't be the difference between us!' Zoro thought as he panted. 'I... I refuse to believe this!'

"Zoro!" His captain, Luffy, yelled when he saw Zoro begin to recklessly attack even harder.

"Ahhhhhh!!!" The green-haired man sweated as he increased the speed of his reckless swings. "I trained to win...!"

"Tiger...!" His two swords in his hands moved above the sharp edge of his third sword in the mouth, then Zoro began to move it downward. "Hun-!"

He was suddenly interrupted when a short knife attacked his chest, near his heart by an inch. Mihawk had easily found flaws in his moves and even used a short knife to attack him.

"Bro!" Two men that knew Zoro shouted as the straw-hat man sweated. Zoro was easily handled by a short knife!

"...?" Mihawk looked at Zoro with a stoic look. "Why do you not step back away when you could die by this short knife near your heart?"

"Haha..." Zoro weakly laughed as he lowered his swords. "I'd rather choose death than lose something important of mine.."

'What conviction he has!' The hawk-eyed man thought, thinking that the green-haired man really does have potential to defeat him if trained more. Pulling out the short knife, he asked. "Kid, tell me your name."

"Roronoa Zoro." The green-haired man replied as he began his final move. Placing the hilts of swords in his hand together, he twirled them vertically.

"I shall remember it." Mihawk stated as he brought out his ornately decorated and long black sword, Yoru. "To pay respect as a fellow swordsman."

Dashing towards the green-haired man, Mihawk moved Yoru to his left shoulder side as if preparing to swing it down. "Die!"

"Three Swords Style Secret..." Beginning to blow wind, Zoro twirled his swords even faster. Then he suddenly dashed towards Mihawk, surprising him. "3,000 Worlds!"

Mihawk did not falter, but swung his sword downward from his left shoulder.

*CRACK*

Unfortunately for Zoro, his katanas couldn't take on the strong material of Yoru. He also received an cut on his chest, from right shoulder downward to the left waist.

'I lost... He's too strong...' Zoro thought as he sheathed his last katana, turning to face Mihawk. 'So this is the strongest swordsman!'

Mihawk was surprised that Zoro faced him without a katana and pushed out his arms to receive his attack. "What...?"

"To receive a wound on the back, is the shame of a swordsman!" Zoro explained as he grinned widely, blood coming out of his mouth.

"Splendid...!" Mihawk grinned and continued to slash from left shoulder to right waist, Zoro now had a sword cross attack on his chest.

"Zoro...!" Luffy yelled, panicked.

'Don't rush to the death, young one!' The hawk-eyed man thought as he glanced at the green-haired man falling into the sea. The two men who knew him quickly dived after him.

"Damn it!!!" Luffy shouted as he propelled his right arm near Mihawk, wanting to attack him.

"Hmm?" Mihawk glanced at him. "A comrade of his? So you've seen what transpired."

"Worry not! He is still alive." Mihawk informed the reckless straw-hat man.

"What?" Luffy immediately shouted for him. "Zoro!"

"Kuah!" Zoro spurt out blood as he was pulled out of the sea near them. "I'm fine...!"

"I'm Dracule Mihawk! It is too much early for you to die." The hawk-eyed swordsman yelled at Zoro. "Know thyself! Know thy world! And become stronger, Roronoa!"

Everyone at the scene listened to Mihawk speaking, even the reckless straw hat man was paying attention.

"Also! Strongest swordsman in the world? I am not it! There is only one person I acknowledge as the strongest swordsman!" Mihawk announced to Zoro much to their shock!

"He is the only brat to defeat me! That was years ago, however I know he has grown stronger than me by vast!" The hawk-eyed explained. "Not even I am sure that I would surpass that green-eyes brat, however!"

"No matter how long time passes, I shall wait for you to defeat me!" He continued, finishing with the next one. "So, forge on ahead with that fierce conviction and try to surpass me, Roronoa Zoro!"

"...What's your name and goal?" Mihawk asked the straw-hat man.

"Luffy!" He replied loudly. "And I'm going to become the Kings of Pirates!"

"A tough path." The hawk-eyed swordsman muttered. Luffy just stuck out his tongue and declared that he was still going to do it.

Turning to a long-nosed man, Luffy asked loudly. "Usopp! Is Zoro okay?!"

"Yes, he's going to be alive!" Usopp replied as he tried to bandage Zoro's chest. "He just need-"

He was suddenly interrupted as Zoro aimed his last katana to the sky with right arm and yelled. "Luffy..! Can you hear me?"

"Yeah!" The straw-hat man replied quickly. Mihawk turned his head and looked at Zoro.

"I SWEAR! THAT I'M NEVER GOING TO LOSE AGAIN UNTIL THE DAY I FIGHT HIM AND WIN!" Zoro loudly declared, covering his crying face with his left arm. "ANY PROBLEMS, PIRATE KING?!"

"Hehe! Nope!" Luffy grinned, as did Mihawk.

"You both make a good team." Mihawk said as he walked to his small boat. "I'd like to see you guys again sometime in the future..."

"Hawk eyes!" A gold-armored man stopped him, smirking. He boldly taunted him. "Leaving without taking my head?"

"...I had forgotten you, but I see no need in doing so anymore." The hawk-eyed man said, tilting slightly as if expecting something.

"Well, how about you die?!" The stupidly bold man shouted as he aimed his gun barrels in the armor at Mihawk.

Sighing, Mihawk used his Yoru to make a wave of sword arc. "Hmph, you never learn do you..."

A blast occurred on the gold-armored man's ship, effectively making a smoke screen as Mihawk left. "Farewell."

"AHHHHHH!!!" The gold-armored man's fleet yelled as they fell into the sea, causing a commotion.

...

Walking out of the Baratie, a ship restaurant, a blonde man with curly eyebrows glanced around and saw chefs opening a path for him to leave. He chuckled and started to walk to his new future.

"This is payback for all those years!" Two men wielding large spoons suddenly appeared behind the blonde, wanting to strike him.

"Die, Sanji!" They began to swiftly move their weapon towards the blonde, but they looked like they were expecting something.

*BAM*

Both men fell on the ground, bleeding. A chef nearby crouched at their side. "Told ya you can't beat him."

"Ugh..." They only groaned in response.

Sanji, the blond-haired man, continued to walk to the small boat in front of them, there waiting in the boat were a straw-hat man and another man. The straw-hat man was going to be his captain, Luffy.

As he was about to get on the ship, a one-legged man suddenly spoke caring. "Hey Sanji. Don't catch a cold out there."

Sanji froze and gathered tears as he immediately turned and kneeled head-on-ground. "OWNER ZEFF!!"

The onlooking chefs and the one-legged man were surprised at his sudden actions.

"I'M ETERNALLY GRATEFUL, FOR TAKING CARE OF ME SO LONG!" Sanji continued, sobbing. "I SHALL NEVER FORGET THE DEBT I OWE YOU, FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE!"

Zeff, the one-legged man, started to cry too. As he was about to talk, two men who attacked Sanji suddenly interrupted loudly.

"YOU BASTARD!" With tears in their eyes, they shouted. "WE'RE GONNA MISS YOU! WE'LL BE LONELY WITHOUT YA!"

"Damn idiots...!" Zeff sat and smiled as he held his head with tears dropping from his eyes. "Men should say their good-byes silently!"

"LET'S MEET AGAIN ONE DAY!" Sanji shouted as he finished. "YOU GOOD FOR NOTHING BASTARDS!"

Luffy, the straw-hat man, grinned. "Alright! Let's set sail!"

...

"That was the manliest good-bye I've ever seen!" The third man in their boat cried, wiping his snots with his arm.

"Hey, you're keeping direction, right?" Sanji asked, ignoring his statement.

"Shishi! I want to hurry pick up Nami and go to Grand Line!" Luffy shouted excitedly.

Hearing this, Sanji asked wonderingly. "Even with Nami, we'll have five people in our crew... What makes you so brave enough to venture into Grand Line?"

"I heard that Owner Zeff said that Grand Line was 'Paradise', so..." Luffy replied only to be interrupted by the third man.

"You're being too naive!" He rebuked Luffy. "Even though it was called Paradise, it's also called 'Pirates' Graveyard'!"

"The reason why it's called that is because of the three powers that control it," the third man continued, explaining. "One of the three is the Shichibukai!"

"Shichibukai?" Luffy confusedly asked.

"They're seven strong pirates authorized by the World Government. One of them is Dracule Mihawk!" The third man announced, shocking Luffy and Sanji.

"Whaaat!!!" Luffy shouted. "So there's seven strong people like that swordsman?!"

"Yes!" He confirmed as he continued. "Also, another is Jimbei, a fishman! Speaking of fishman, the island we're going to has them!"

"Eh? Fishmen?" Luffy curiously imagined one, a fish on top and human legs on bottom. Shaking his head, he asked. "And?"

"And? The fishmen are the Arlong Pirates in East Blue. The captain being Arlong, a strong fishman!" He explained. "And I'm sure Nami is part of his crew!"

"So? We'll just take her away then!" Luffy grinned naively. "Arlong or whatever, I'll beat them up!"