THE STIFLED SPEAR

The page opens with a close-up of Monkey D. Luffy from a low angle. He is covered in sweat and grime, his hair messy, but a fierce, determined grin stretches across his face as he looks down at his opponent. The rest of the page is dominated by a massive, explosive impact. Luffy is seen in mid-air, having just delivered a devastating downward kick directly into Don Krieg's heavy, spiked shoulder armor. The sheer force of Luffy's strike shatters the thick metal plating into countless jagged pieces that explode outward in a cloud of smoke and debris. Krieg's face is contorted in absolute shock and agony, his eyes wide and teeth gritted as the impact crushes his defenses. The dynamic action lines emphasize the crushing weight and speed of Luffy's attack, completely overwhelming the Pirate Fleet Admiral's prized armor.

A colossal splash of water erupts as Don Krieg's heavy body crashes into the ocean waves, sending a massive plume of white spray into the air. The Baratie cooks and Krieg's pirate crew, floating in the debris-filled water, watch the spectacle in stunned silence. Suddenly, Patty's face fills the panel, his mouth wide open in a massive, roaring cheer. A large speech bubble simply reads "DON!". The scene shifts to the Baratie cooks, who erupt into joyous celebration. They raise their fists in the air, cheering wildly with wide smiles, believing the battle is finally over. In stark contrast to the celebrating cooks, Sanji is shown in a close-up, his face pale and covered in sweat. He stares ahead with wide, shocked eyes, his mouth slightly open, realizing that the fight might not be as finished as the others think. Zeff and other cooks are also visible in the background, observing the aftermath of Luffy's devastating strike.

The celebration is abruptly cut short by a furious voice shouting, "IT'S TOO EARLY FOR CELEBRATIONS YET!". Don Krieg's face bursts from the surface of the water, his eyes bulging with rage and veins popping on his forehead as he glares upward. In the next moment, a large iron net shoots through the air, expanding rapidly. A voice yells, "YOU LITTLE BRAT!". The net flies directly at Luffy, who is still suspended in mid-air after his attack. The heavy iron weights at the edges of the net wrap around him, ensnaring him completely. From the water below, one of the onlookers shouts in disbelief, "AHH! HE'S STILL ALIVE!". Luffy, now tightly bound by the thick ropes and iron balls of the net, struggles against his restraints. He grunts, "AGH!", his face pressed against the netting as he tries to free himself, but the trap holds firm, leaving him vulnerable as he begins to fall toward the ocean.

Don Krieg floats in the water, buoyed by his remaining armor, and lets out a triumphant, wicked laugh: "KUHAHAHA!". He taunts the trapped Luffy, shouting, "BELOW US IS THE SEA! THE FIGHT IS OVER, HAMMER BRAT!" and "YOU CAN'T ESCAPE FROM MY IRON NET!". Krieg raises a hand, declaring his lethal plan: "ALL I HAVE TO DO IS DRAG YOU DOWN UNDER AND YOU'LL DROWN TO YOUR DEATH!" followed by a vicious "DIE, RUBBER BOY!". The Baratie cooks panic at the sight, with one exclaiming, "THAT'S THE DON WE ALL KNOW!". Krieg's face is shown in a menacing close-up, a confident smirk on his lips as he boasts, "THE ONE WHO LAUGHS AT THE END IS ALWAYS ME!". However, Luffy refuses to give up. Trapped inside the falling net, he manages to stick his arms and legs through the gaps in the mesh. He yells back defiantly, "VICTORY'S STILL MINE!". As he plummets toward the water, Luffy stretches his rubber limbs and begins twisting them tightly together, stating, "AS LONG AS I CAN STILL STRETCH MY ARMS AND LEGS," preparing for a desperate counterattack.

Luffy's tightly twisted rubber legs suddenly unleash, spinning rapidly like a massive drill as he descends toward the water. The sheer speed and force of his spinning feet create a whirlwind effect. The onlookers in the water are completely baffled. One pirate yells, "HE'S STILL TRYING TO FIGHT!? BUT THE OCEAN SHOULD BE HIS WEAK POINT!", while another curses, "THAT BASTARD...!". Sanji watches the spectacle with wide, trembling eyes, utterly shocked by Luffy's relentless drive. He thinks to himself, "HE DOESN'T HESITATE AT ALL..! NOT EVEN FOR AN INSTANT..! HOW CAN HE..!!". Below, Don Krieg looks up in sheer terror, sweat pouring down his face as he realizes Luffy is still attacking. He stammers, "WHA!" and panics, "WHAT'S WITH THIS GUY!? DESPITE MY COUNTLESS OF WEAPONS...!" "DESPITE MY STRENGTH!" "HOW CAN HE,". Sanji, observing Krieg's fear and Luffy's determination, finishes the thought: "KEEP ON FIGHTING EVEN NOW." Sanji then notices something else, uttering a quiet "HM?".

Don Krieg, floating in the water and staring up at the descending, spinning Luffy, screams in frustration and disbelief, "HOW CAN HE KEEP ON CHARGING STRAIGHT AHEAD WITHOUT THE SLIGHTEST HESITATION!?". Desperate to maintain his image, he yells, "I'M THE GREAT PIRATE FLEET ADMIRAL DON KRIEG!". Realizing he is in imminent danger, Krieg barks an order to his crew in the water: "GIVE ME SOME SUPPORT, YOU BASTARDS!". Nearby, Zeff watches the unfolding scene with a calm, knowing expression, remarking quietly, "IS THAT WHAT YOU WERE WONDERING?". Following Krieg's orders, several of his pirate underlings quickly aim their weapons—crossbows and guns—upward at the falling Luffy, shouting, "Y-YES, DON!". Meanwhile, Luffy continues his rapid descent, his twisted legs spinning furiously like a drill, aiming directly for Krieg. Seeing his men preparing to fire, Krieg regains a sliver of confidence and roars, "THIS TIME, IT'LL REALLY BE THE END!", anticipating that the combined firepower will finally take down the rubber boy.

Before Krieg's men can unleash their volley of fire on Luffy, Sanji intervenes with lightning speed. He delivers a brutal kick directly to the face of one of the armed pirates, interrupting the command "SHOOT HIM ALL AT ONCE!". Sanji lands gracefully, planting his foot firmly on the defeated pirate's head, pressing him into the floating wreckage. Blood trickles from Sanji's mouth, a testament to his own injuries, but his glare is deadly serious. He issues a chilling threat to the remaining pirates: "QUIT IT," "OR I'LL KILL THE LOT OF YOU." The pirates freeze in terror, sweat dropping from their faces as they realize Sanji is not bluffing. With the interference neutralized, the focus shifts back to the main battle. Luffy's rapidly spinning feet, acting like a powerful drill, slam directly into Don Krieg's face. The impact is devastating, twisting Krieg's features as he lets out a bloodcurdling scream, "AGHHHHH!", unable to defend against the relentless assault.

Still encased in the heavy iron net, Luffy uses the momentum of his spinning attack to stretch his arms far back, gripping the netting tightly. He yells out his signature attack wind-up, "GOMU GOMU...!". With incredible force, he snaps his stretched arms forward, bringing his entire body weight and the heavy net crashing down. The target is Don Krieg, who is positioned directly above the thick wooden platform of the Baratie's submerged fin. Luffy slams Krieg's head and upper body mercilessly into the solid wood. The impact is catastrophic. A close-up shows Krieg's face being crushed against the splintering deck, his eyes wide with shock and pain as the sheer power of the blow overwhelms him. Luffy roars with exertion, "ARGHHHH!", while Krieg lets out a final, agonizing scream, "AGHHHHH!". The wooden platform buckles and shatters under the immense pressure of the strike, sending massive splinters and debris flying in all directions.

The page features a massive, dynamic splash panel capturing the climax of Luffy's devastating attack. Luffy completes his move, roaring the name of his technique: "SLEDGE-HAMMER!". The sheer force of the impact drives Don Krieg's head and upper body completely through the thick wooden platform of the Baratie's fin. The wood explodes outward in a spectacular display of destruction, with huge splinters and jagged planks flying through the air. Thick, black action lines radiate from the point of impact, emphasizing the incredible speed and crushing power of the blow. Krieg's body is violently contorted as he is smashed through the deck, his defenses utterly broken. Luffy, still trapped within the iron net, is visible in the background, having delivered the decisive strike with everything he had. The sheer scale of the destruction highlights the overwhelming strength of Luffy's final, desperate attack against the Pirate Fleet Admiral.

A close-up reveals the brutal aftermath of the attack: Don Krieg's face is battered, his eyes rolled back and blank, completely knocked unconscious. Blood spurts from his mouth as he lies defeated amidst the splintered wood. Seeing their invincible leader fall, Krieg's pirate crew erupts in absolute horror and panic. They scream out in despair, "DON KRIIIIEEEE-GGGGG!" and "AHHHHH!", their faces twisted in disbelief and fear. On the other side, the Baratie cooks are stunned into silence for a moment before the reality of the situation sets in. One cook stammers, "H... HE REALLY DID IT!", while another adds in awe, "HE DEFEATED THE PIRATE FLEET ADMIRAL DON KRIEG...". The shock quickly turns into explosive jubilation. The cooks throw their tall chef hats high into the air, cheering wildly and raising their fists in victory. They celebrate their savior, yelling enthusiastically, "WAY TO GO, ERRAND BOYYYY!!!", as the threat to their restaurant is finally neutralized.

Following the massive impact that defeated Don Krieg, Luffy's momentum carries him backward. Still tightly bound inside the heavy iron net, he bounces off the shattered wooden deck of the Baratie's fin and is launched helplessly into the air. He plummets toward the churning ocean below, unable to free his arms or legs. With a large splash, the net crashes into the water, immediately dragging Luffy beneath the surface. Underwater, Luffy sinks rapidly, the heavy iron weights of the net pulling him down. Despite being a Devil Fruit user who cannot swim and is now completely immobilized, a wide, satisfied grin spreads across Luffy's face as he sinks into the depths, knowing he has won the battle. Meanwhile, on the surface, the Baratie cooks remain oblivious to Luffy's peril. They continue their wild celebration, their joyous cheers of "OOOOOH!" echoing across the water as they rejoice in the defeat of the Krieg Pirates.

Sanji sits exhausted on the floating wreckage of the Baratie's fin, his clothes soaked and torn, blood trickling down his face. Zeff stands beside him, looking out over the water. Zeff begins to speak, sharing his wisdom: "IF THE FLEET THAT KRIEG AMASSED," "ALONG WITH THE HUNDREDS OF HIS WEAPONS, ARMOURS, AND EVEN HIS POISON GAS CAN BE SEEN AS HIS 'MIGHT,'" "THEN THE 'SPEAR' OF THAT BOY..." "IS HIS OWN BRAND OF MIGHT ALL THE SAME." Sanji listens intently, quietly repeating the word, "SPEAR..". Zeff continues his explanation, his face serious and weathered: "NO MATTER HOW MANY HUNDREDS OF WEAPONS OR ARMOUR ONE IS EQUIPPED WITH," "THEY'RE NO MATCH FOR THAT 'ONE SPECIAL SPEAR' THAT COMES FROM YOUR GUTS...". In the background, Krieg's men are in turmoil, crying out for their fallen leader: "DON! HANG IN THERE!" and "DAMN IT! HOW COULD OUR DON HAVE BEEN...!". Sanji stares intensely at the ocean surface, absorbing Zeff's words and reflecting on Luffy's unwavering determination, thinking to himself, "CONVICTION...".

Sanji stands up on the wooden deck, his head bowed slightly as he reflects on Zeff's words. He says quietly, "I HAPPEN TO KNOW OF A CERTAIN IDIOT," "WHO'D STIFLE THAT VERY SPEAR FOR NO GOOD REASON...". Zeff, standing nearby, interrupts his thoughts with a sharp reprimand: "WHAT'RE YOU SITTING THERE FOR? HURRY UP AND GO RESCUE HIM 'CAUSE HE AIN'T COMING BACK UP ON HIS OWN." Zeff then reveals a crucial piece of information: "THOSE WITH SPECIAL ABILITIES OBTAINED FROM DEVIL FRUITS ARE HATED BY THE SEA AND CAN'T SWIM." A panel shows Luffy sinking deeper underwater, still trapped in the net, bubbles escaping his mouth. Sanji's eyes widen in absolute shock and panic. He yells furiously at Zeff, "WHA! YOU DAMN GEEZER, YOU SHOULD'VE TOLD ME THAT SOONER!". Zeff simply smirks, letting out a quiet "HMF...". Without wasting another second, Sanji dives headfirst off the deck into the ocean with a large splash, rushing to save the drowning rubber boy.

Gin sits slumped on the wooden deck, his head bowed and his body trembling as he coughs violently from the lingering effects of the poison gas. He mutters in disbelief, "KRIEG LOST...?" "AS IF THAT COULD EVER HAPPEN..." "HE'S THE SUPREME RULER OF THE SEAS...!". Around him, the surviving Krieg Pirates are in a state of panic and despair. One points out the undeniable truth: "SAY ALL YOU WANT BUT TAKE A LOOK FOR YOURSELF." "HIS PRIZED ARMOUR IS IN PIECES!". Gin clutches his head in his hands, coughing again, his worldview shattered. "HE'S... THE ONLY MAN... I EVER ADMIRED...!" "I BELIEVED... HE WAS THE STRONGEST...!". Suddenly, the water erupts as Sanji bursts to the surface, gasping loudly for air. He drags the unconscious, soaked body of Luffy onto the wreckage. The Baratie cooks immediately panic upon seeing Sanji moving. They yell out warnings: "H-HEY YOU! DON'T MOVE OR THE POISON WILL..." "WHAT WAS IT AGAIN? DOES IT SPREAD IF YOU MOVE?" "HOW'D I KNOW!? BUT IN ANY CASE MOVING YOUR BODY RIGHT NOW CAN'T BE A GOOD THING!" "YOU NEED TO LIE DOWN AND REST!".

Sanji hauls Luffy's limp, soaked body onto the wooden wreckage, panting heavily from the exertion and his own injuries. He gently pats Luffy's head, saying softly, "HEY," "DON'T YOU DIE ON ME NOW." As Sanji looks down at the unconscious boy, a series of memories flash through his mind, reflecting on the intense battle and the unwavering resolve he just witnessed. He thinks to himself, "ALL OF THEM.." "IF I WERE TO TAKE EVEN ONE STEP BACK RIGHT NOW," "I GET THE FEELING THAT I'D NEVER BE ABLE TO RETURN BACK TO WHERE I'M STANDING RIGHT NOW." The flashback panels show key moments that shook Sanji's worldview: Luffy pointing fiercely and declaring, "THIS AIN'T THE PLACE FOR ME TO DIE!"; Luffy yelling, "IT'S SIMPLE! JUST THROW YOUR AMBITIONS AWAY!"; and a moment of Sanji's own shocked realization, accompanied by the words "AREN'T I STRONGEST!?". These memories solidify Sanji's understanding of the true strength and conviction required to survive and pursue one's dreams on the Grand Line.

The quiet aftermath is suddenly shattered as Don Krieg regains consciousness. He forces himself to stand on the ruined deck, his body battered and bleeding heavily, but his eyes burn with a mad, desperate fury. He roars at the top of his lungs, "NO ONE DARES TO GO AGAINST ME!". The sudden outburst terrifies both his crew and the Baratie cooks. His men plead with him, "DON! PLEASE STOP!" and "IF YOU KEEP YELLING WITH THOSE INJURIES...". But Krieg ignores them, his pride refusing to accept defeat. He yells, "I'VE WON EVERY SINGLE BATTLE I'VE BEEN IN! IT'S UTTERLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR THERE TO BE SOMEONE THAT CAN MATCH MY STRENGTH!". Sanji watches in stunned disbelief, muttering, "KRIEG!". Krieg pants heavily, blood pouring from his mouth, as he forces out the words, "I WIN... AND W... ILL CONTI... NUE... TO WIN!". His crew desperately tries to calm him, shouting, "CALM DOWN THE DON! HE'S LOST HIS CONSCIOUSNESS!". But Krieg, completely unhinged, glares wildly and screams one final, delusional declaration: "I AM THE STRONGEST!".

Before Don Krieg can continue his mad rampage, Gin suddenly steps forward and delivers a swift, powerful punch directly to Krieg's stomach. The unexpected blow knocks the wind out of the heavily injured captain, causing him to gasp and his eyes to roll back. Gin speaks quietly but firmly, "DON KRIEG..." "WE'VE LOST." Krieg collapses forward, and Gin catches him, supporting his captain's unconscious weight on his shoulder. Turning to the rest of the stunned pirate crew, Gin issues a clear order: "BATTLE COMMANDER!" "LET'S RETREAT FOR TODAY," "AND START ANEW." The defeated crew, realizing the battle is truly over, solemnly agrees, murmuring, "YEAH...". Gin then turns his attention to Sanji, who is sitting exhausted on the deck with the unconscious Luffy beside him. Carrying the weight of his captain and their defeat, Gin offers a sincere farewell: "THANKS FOR EVERYTHING, SANJI..." "PLEASE DON'T COME AGAIN." Sanji watches them silently as the Krieg Pirates prepare to leave the Baratie.

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