Garp

Although Sakazuki was strict and cold by nature, he could not possibly train with Doflamingo at the risk of killing him with a single punch. Thus, neither of them used their Devil Fruit abilities during combat training.

After each battle, Doflamingo would prepare a lavish meal to reward his superior. Even with Sakazuki's personality, he could not resist the temptation of good food, and after several meals, he became familiar with Doflamingo.

In particular, the boiled fish and pickled cabbage fish Doflamingo made suited the spicy-food-loving Sakazuki's tastes perfectly.

After more than a week of training, one evening, Doflamingo and Sakazuki finished their session and joined Zephyr in sampling the hotpot Doflamingo had developed.

The enormous copper pot, tall enough to reach a person's height, simmered with bubbling broth. One half was spicy hotpot, loaded with red oil, chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns piled nearly into a small mountain. The other half was a milky-white bone broth. Both sides gave off an enticing aroma.

"Mm, mm, mm, your cooking is absolutely incredible, kid." Zephyr ate with sauce dripping everywhere, smacking his lips as he spoke. "It's just that this hotpot you made is a little lacking in quantity. There's not really enough to eat."

Doflamingo rolled his eyes. To cook food quickly, hotpot ingredients were usually sliced into small pieces, so the portions truly could not compare to big hunks of meat on the bone.

But the hotpot he had made was enough for more than a dozen people. Only the big-bellied gluttons of the Pirate World would complain that it was not enough.

So Doflamingo silently quickened the pace of his chopsticks and began wolfing down food.

Akainu, on the other hand, did not care much. He simply picked up several plates and casually dumped all the meat and vegetables into the spicy half of the hotpot.

"Hiss!" Doflamingo and Zephyr both sucked in a breath. Neither of them had Sakazuki's tolerance for spicy food, and they could only watch helplessly as he picked through it and fished things out to eat.

The two of them immediately set their sights on the remaining dishes. But before they could make a move, a filthy, oversized hand reached into the boiling bone broth side of the hotpot and scooped out a great many slices of meat.

Doflamingo abruptly looked up and saw a big, foolishly grinning face. Its huge mouth opened and swallowed all those slices of meat.

"Gar~p~!" With an angry roar, Zephyr sprang up from the ground and punched that big face. Veins bulged on his arm, and his entire hand up to the elbow was covered in thick Armament Haki.

"Ow!" Such a heavy punch only made Garp stagger, leaving his face slightly bruised and swollen.

"Damn it! How are other people supposed to eat after that?" Zephyr's anger had yet to fade as he said resentfully.

"Oh, you're not eating? Then leave it all to me." Garp's eyes lit up upon hearing that. He sat down in front of the hotpot table and immediately started fishing things out again.

As he ate, he said, "Zephyr, you're really not being a good friend. You've been having private feasts here every day without telling an old friend."

Doflamingo helplessly put down his chopsticks. Looking at Garp's rough, huge hands, he lost all appetite.

Right, this was the kind of monster who could pick his nose while eating rice with his hands. Better not mess with him. Better not mess with him.

Zephyr was so furious that smoke seemed to rise from all seven orifices, but he had no good way to deal with Garp, that old rascal. He could only gloomily take a drink.

After a few bites, Garp turned his gaze toward Doflamingo. "Hey, kid, you're the one who makes all the private meals Zephyr eats, right? Interested in joining my ship? My ship happens to be short one cook—scratch that, one aide!"

"Sorry, Vice Admiral Garp." Akainu, seated across from him, raised his head with a stern expression. "Rear Admiral Steve is my subordinate, and at his rank, he can already lead a fleet on his own. He cannot serve as your aide."

"This brat is already a Rear Admiral?" Garp looked somewhat stunned as he glanced at Sakazuki and Zephyr.

Well, damn. Just like that, I went from kid to brat. That's realistic enough. Doflamingo silently complained.

"Shouldn't you at least pay some attention to the Navy's next generation?" Zephyr looked at his old friend with a headache.

Steve's reputation had not yet spread throughout the entire Navy, but practically all of the Navy's upper ranks already knew of this promising talent with Admiral potential.

Only Garp, that old bastard, knew absolutely nothing about him.

"Hahahaha, don't I know now? Mm, these meatballs are delicious." Garp laughed heartily while chewing mouthfuls of food, and it was impossible to tell whether he had learned of Doflamingo's potential or his cooking skills.

Doflamingo rolled his eyes. Now that this old bastard Garp had discovered his cooking, he would probably have plenty of trouble in the future.

In the end, Sakazuki was the only one who ate until his belly was round. Garp, Zephyr, and Doflamingo had only filled half their stomachs. Doflamingo went off to make a huge basin of Seafood Fried Rice, and only then did the three of them barely get full.

"Vice Admiral Garp," Doflamingo asked as he lay on the ground rubbing his stomach, "would you be willing to give me some guidance?"

Doflamingo did not know whether Garp was the strongest person in the Navy, but when it came to Haki and physical skills, Garp was absolutely number one.

Among all the Navy's top officers, only Garp and Zephyr had Admiral-level strength purely through Haki and physical skills without eating a Devil Fruit. And judging from their records, there was no way Zephyr could be stronger than Garp.

However, after Doflamingo asked twice, he received no answer. Instead, he heard a series of snores.

Looking up, he saw that Garp was already fast asleep, with a snot bubble nearly as large as his head.

At that moment, Zephyr, who was lying beside him, spoke. "Why be so polite? Let me tell you how to wake this old bastard."

As he spoke, Zephyr smashed another fist into Garp's head. With a thud, half of Garp's head sank into the ground, and numerous cracks spread across the floor.

Garp slowly opened his eyes and rubbed the huge bump rising on his head. "Hm? Who called me?"

Cold sweat streamed down Doflamingo's forehead. Sure enough, he truly was the Navy Hero who had made Axe-Hand Morgan! His ability to sleep was utterly unmatched!

Zephyr spoke bluntly. "This student of mine wants to spar with you, so I'll leave his training to you."

"Hm!?" A hint of interest appeared on Garp's face. "You want me to train him?"

For some reason, Doflamingo suddenly shivered. He remembered the way this old man trained his grandson.

Honestly, if people in the Pirate World were not all so tough, and if Luffy had not inherited Garp's physique through his excellent bloodline, that unreliable grandfather would probably have played him to death long ago.