Sanji vs. Gin

Major Chapters: 60-62
- Other Chapters: N/A
Volumes: #7
Victor: None

The Build Up

Gin came to the oceangoing restaurant early in the Baratie arc, having been fed and given care to by Sanji. Unfortunately, his poor taste in commanders led him to bring Don Krieg to Baratie, who promptly announced that he would take the ship. As Gin apologized profusely Sanji took a different stance: He would kill anyone who tried to overrun Baratie, Gin and his Don included. Some time into the festivities, Pearl prepared to finish Sanji, but Gin cut in, broke Pearl's cannon-proof shields with one hit, and declared that he would bury his savior with his own hands.

The Action

After a bit of dueling between Luffy and Krieg the battle begins in earnest, Gin thrashing with his sphere-headed tonfa and Sanji launching a kick in return; the blow is avoided, and with great momentum and a dirty glance, Gin pins Sanji to the ground as he claims he is the "Demon Man." Gin then twirls his weapon to finish Sanji, but the cook spews his cigarette directly into the armada officer's face, stunning him and allowing a blow to be struck. Gin retaliates in turn with one of his own.

Krieg dismantles his men's fears for Gin, saying that he is his own cool, trusted devil of a man. Luffy charges during this time, but is repelled and greeted with the catcalls of Krieg's crew -- Sanji lays useless on the fin as Gin spits blood, with Sanji's own dripping from his tonfa. Once again Gin charges and swings, a swing that Sanji recognizes as lacking killing intent. To his dismay, however, his counterattack shatters his own body from the sheer strain of his battles.

Gin rises, and readies the grip of his tonfa to smash Sanji's face in. Though his crew cheers for him, though, he tearfully cries: "I can't do it!!! DON KRIEG!!!!" Through his leader's demands for a repeat of those words, Gin reveals that he isn't a demon man: Because Sanji treated him with such kindness when he was half-dead and kicked from Baratie, he finds himself unable to kill him. Krieg, enraged, prepares his poisonous "MH5" gas.

The Aftermath

Gin is disbanded from the Krieg armada before the gas is released, and so throws away his gas mask. When the attack is released Luffy grabs and hurls two gas masks to Sanji and Gin, but finds himself lacking one. That is, until one clatters to his feet. The smoke cloud clears, and Gin lays atop Sanji, tightly grinding the gas mask down into his face; he had thrown his mask to Luffy moments before. Krieg's reaction of laughter spurs Luffy to rage, and then to his own battle with the mad Don Krieg.