One Piece: Luffy's Vice Captain wants to be a Marine

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'My name is Fullbody.'

'I was originally just an ordinary Marine. Through constant gift-giving and winning over my boss's daughter, I finally climbed the ranks to become a Marine branch captain.'

'But now, I'm facing the biggest dilemma of my career—challenging the Pirate Admiral Krieg, who carries a bounty of 17 million berries.'

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'My name is Krieg. I was once the leader of a mighty pirate fleet with fifty ships under my command. Unfortunately, my luck turned sour. As soon as we entered the Grand Line, forty-nine of my ships were destroyed by some incomprehensible force.'

'On the verge of starvation, I stumbled across a foolish cook who gave me a bowl of rice. I only intended to bring some food back to my men before raiding the sea restaurant.'

'But then I ran into a man called 'Double Ironfist.' Now, I'm forced into a duel with him, and without my golden armor, I'm feeling a little uneasy...'

Fullbody and Krieg stood face-to-face, their tense standoff captivating the surrounding crowd.

"Fullbody, come on! Beat him!" Nami cheered, her voice lighthearted and playful as always.

Luffy joined in, shouting, "Yeah, beat that despicable guy!"

Fullbody, paralyzed with nerves, suddenly felt a hand on his shoulder. It was Ikki, who offered him a small piece of candy.

"Eat this. Sugar can help with tension," Ikki said with a reassuring smile.

Taking Ikki's advice, Fullbody nodded and popped the candy into his mouth. Unbeknownst to him, the candy had two small words printed on it: No Pain.

Whether it was the candy's effect or just his imagination, Fullbody felt a wave of calm wash over him.

Buoyed by the crowd's cheers, he finally summoned the courage to step forward.

Krieg noticed this and gave a sly grin. "Gin! Take care of him for me!"

"Understood, Captain," Gin replied, though his hesitation was evident.

Before Gin could make a move, Sanji stepped in front of him.

"Gin, your opponent is me," Sanji declared, his voice steady.

"Mr. Sanji..." Gin's face was a mixture of guilt and hesitation. He owed his life to Sanji, who had shown him kindness by offering food. Yet, here he was, standing against his benefactor alongside Krieg.

While Gin hesitated, Krieg grew impatient. Cracking his neck, he stepped forward himself.

Taking advantage of Fullbody's momentary lapse in attention, Krieg charged forward and delivered a powerful kick, sending Fullbody flying through the air and crashing into two tables.

For a moment, it seemed as though Fullbody had been knocked out. But to everyone's surprise, he stood back up, seemingly unfazed.

'It doesn't hurt? Was I overestimating Krieg?' Fullbody thought, wiping the blood from his mouth.

Straightening his posture, he glared at Krieg coldly. "Hmph! Pirate Fleet Admiral Krieg—is that all you've got? I guess I did overestimate you."

From the sidelines, Ikki muttered under his breath, "Brother... could you at least wipe the blood off your mouth before acting all tough? You're ruining the effect..."

Krieg's expression twisted with disbelief. His sneak attack had been a full-force kick, yet it didn't seem to faze Fullbody.

"As expected of Ironfist..." Krieg muttered, his tone tinged with frustration.

Fullbody, emboldened by his apparent resilience, launched himself into an attack.

Krieg, not one to back down, assumed a defensive stance. Their battle erupted into a fierce exchange of blows, each punch landing with raw force.

Though Krieg's strikes were heavy and relentless, Fullbody refused to back down. Each time he took a punch, he retaliated with one of his own, his fists landing with surprising accuracy.

The fight became a brutal display of endurance, each man testing the limits of the other's strength.

After a while, both Fullbody and Krieg sported numerous bruises on their faces.

The crowd was electrified by the intense, fist-to-fist combat.

Luffy, caught up in the excitement, climbed onto a table and shouted encouragement. "Go, Fullbody!"

But the bloody duel lasted less than ten minutes. In the end, it was Fullbody who collapsed to the ground.

Fullbody lay there, confusion clouding his thoughts. His body felt oddly numb—he couldn't feel pain—but it was as though his strength had completely abandoned him.

Seeing Fullbody sprawled out, beaten and bruised, Krieg seized the opportunity. With a malicious grin, he raised his massive foot, aiming for a finishing blow.

At that critical moment, Luffy leaped into action. With a cry, he launched himself at Krieg, his fist snapping forward in a Gum-Gum Rocket. The rubber punch struck Krieg square in the stomach. His eyes rolled back as he fell unconscious, slamming into the ground with a resounding thud.

Fullbody, still flat on his back, exhaled in relief. When Krieg had lifted his foot earlier, Fullbody had been terrified.

Though Fullbody had lost the fight, the people around him regarded him with newfound respect. After all, he had gone toe-to-toe with Pirate Admiral Krieg, a man with a bounty of 17 million berries.

Losing wasn't shameful. True disgrace belonged to those who fled from battle.

Fullbody, with great effort, managed to sit up. The admiring and reverent looks from the surrounding crowd filled him with pride. For the first time in his life, he felt what it was like to be seen as a hero.

But just as he was basking in his triumph, an excruciating pain surged through his body, stealing his breath. Every spot where Krieg's blows had landed was now aflame with agony.

Fullbody wanted to scream, but he gritted his teeth, determined to maintain his image.

The pain made one thing clear: Krieg hadn't been weak. The lack of pain earlier was entirely due to the mysterious candy Ikki had given him.

Fullbody's gaze shifted to Ikki, his expression a mix of gratitude and realization. That candy had saved him, but the delayed pain was nothing short of torture.

As Fullbody wrestled with the pain, a group of Marine soldiers approached. Among them was a Marine Lieutenant Junior Grade, who saluted Fullbody before helping him to his feet.

The soldiers had witnessed the fight and were deeply moved. Until now, they had thought their captain was just a vain man who spent his days flirting and boasting about his "Iron Fist." They hadn't expected him to display such bravery and determination.

Despite the searing pain coursing through his body, Fullbody allowed the Marines to escort him out, keeping his composure as best he could.

As the Marines prepared to take the unconscious Krieg into custody, Gin suddenly broke free from Sanji. With a flurry of swift moves, he incapacitated the Marines around him.

Scooping up Krieg, Gin made a break for it, moving with surprising agility despite the burden on his shoulders.

Ikki watched the escape unfold but made no move to stop them.

Gin, however, froze mid-sprint as a chill crept down his spine.

"Why?" Gin muttered under his breath. "Why can't we escape? We've retreated all the way to the East Blue, yet this man still refuses to let us go…"

Ahead of him, the sea stretched wide and open, but his path was blocked. A small boat floated nearby, carrying a solitary figure.

The man sat calmly, wearing a black-and-red coat. A massive cross-shaped blade rested on his back, and an ornate cross adorned his chest.

It was none other than the world's greatest swordsman: Dracule Mihawk, also known as "Hawkeye."