Sanji's Obsession

Suddenly, Sanji froze mid-pour.

It was as though he had sensed the call of some "peerless treasure." He whipped his head around, his gaze sweeping across the hall like radar.

In the end, it locked precisely onto Ronan's table... or rather, onto Nami.

In that instant, Ronan could practically see blazing flames of love igniting behind Sanji, with the background music turning into a rousing symphony.

"This... this is such beauty..."

Sanji murmured, nearly dropping the bottle of red wine in his hand.

"Whoosh—!!"

There was no warning whatsoever. Ronan had not even seen him push off.

All he saw was a blur before his eyes. Sanji, who had been more than ten meters away just moments ago, had taken one stride and teleported straight to the table!

He was three times faster than when he had kicked Harpody away! Was this the power of love?!

"Eh?" Nami had been eating dessert when the sudden figure startled her, leaving her fork suspended in midair.

Under Nami's astonished gaze, Sanji made an incredibly formal gesture, like an opera performer.

He dropped to one knee, placed his left hand over his chest, and somehow produced a vivid red rose with his right hand, offering it to Nami with deep affection.

His eyes were no longer cold as usual. They had turned into two beating pink hearts, and his voice was low and magnetic, as though he were reciting the oldest of poems:

"O Great Sea... thank you for granting me this miraculous encounter today!"

"This beautiful lady..."

Sanji raised his head, staring intensely at Nami. His gaze was so fervent it could melt a person:

"Love, go ahead and mock me for being unable to bear this pain!"

"As long as I can be with you, even if I become a pirate reviled by the world, or fall into a demon of hell... I am already prepared for it!!"

"For you, I am willing to offer every beat of my heart!!"

Silence.

A deathly silence.

Ronan's teacup froze halfway to his lips, the corner of his mouth twitching violently.

He had long known that Sanji was a perverted cook, but seeing firsthand how utterly shameless he was—ready to run away with any beautiful woman at once—was still far too much.

Luffy had a meat bone in his mouth and looked completely baffled. "What's he doing? Magic?"

Zoro's face was covered in black lines, his hand resting on his sword hilt as though considering whether to cut the guy down. "That Curly Eyebrows... is he an idiot?"

Usopp stood dumbfounded. "Th-this change is way too fast! He was a cold-blooded killer just now, and now he's a lovesick fool?!"

As for Nami, the one being confessed to, she looked at the man before her with hearts in his eyes and pink bubbles radiating from his body. A huge drop of cold sweat slid down her forehead.

But as a professional "Cat Burglar," she was only stunned for a second before a sweet, practiced smile appeared on her face—though her eyes carried the look one gave an idiot with concern.

"Um... is this flower for me?"

"Yes! This is a flower of love blooming for you!" Sanji trembled with excitement.

Sanji knelt before Nami on one knee, the rose in his hand blooming brilliantly. His gaze was melancholy and affectionate, as though he were a prince performing in a Shakespearean tragedy.

"However..."

Sanji let out a long sigh and even squeezed out two glistening tears. "This is truly too tragic, Miss Nami."

"Although my heart already belongs to you, there is a vast, insurmountable obstacle standing between us..."

"The obstacle you mean—is me, isn't it, Kid?!"

A rough, hoarse voice thick with gunpowder exploded behind Sanji like muffled thunder.

Before Sanji could finish that cheesy line, a hard wooden prosthetic leg slammed heavily onto the floor with a dull thud.

The newcomer was none other than the ruler of the Sea Restaurant, "Red-Leg" Zeff.

He wore a tall chef's hat, his beard braided into two plaits. With his arms folded, he stared coldly at the still-acting Sanji with eyes as sharp as a hawk's.

"You old bastard!"

The affection vanished from Sanji's face in an instant, replaced by irritation and defiance. He shot to his feet, changing expressions so quickly it was astounding.

Zeff snorted and showed Sanji no mercy, pointing toward the door as he roared:

"Why don't you go become a pirate with these pirate brats? This restaurant doesn't need you anymore!"

That single sentence was like a sharp knife, instantly piercing the previously comical atmosphere.

"You old bastard..."

Veins bulged on Sanji's forehead as he gritted his teeth. "I'm the sous-chef here! What do you mean, you don't need me?!"

Zeff's gaze was icy as he began listing Sanji's "crimes," every one of them striking where it hurt:

"You're either picking fights with customers and smashing the restaurant's tables and chairs, or you see a woman and go running over to fawn on her! And most importantly..."

Zeff paused. A trace of barely noticeable complexity flashed through his eyes before turning into an even harsher rebuke:

"Your cooking has stagnated too. You can't make anything delicious at all! To this restaurant, you're nothing but a complete burden!"

"What... did... you... say?!"

Sanji clenched his fists at once, his knuckles turning white from the force.

He could endure Zeff calling him lecherous. He could endure Zeff calling him violent. But he could never endure anyone belittling his cooking.

That was his soul, the meaning of his existence.

The surrounding chefs who were watching the show—especially Patty, who had just thrown Gin out—burst into mocking laughter:

"Hehe, the boss finally said it!"

"Get out of here, violent cook!"

"We don't need you here!"

Each laugh was like pouring oil onto the fire.

"None of the chefs here like you anyway!"

Zeff raised his voice another octave, as though delivering the final judgment:

"Just go be a pirate or something, and fend for yourself on this Great Sea! Get the hell out of this restaurant!"

"You bastard!!"

Sanji finally erupted.

"You're the one spewing crap from your mouth, old bastard!"

Sanji advanced on Zeff step by step, the force radiating from him no weaker than that of this former Great Sea pirate.

He suddenly reached out, seized Zeff's spotless chef's uniform by the collar, and roared with bloodshot eyes:

"Forget everything else... but I will never allow you to insult my cooking!"

"No matter what you say, I will never leave! I'm going to be a chef here! You don't get a say in it!"

That was Sanji's obsession.

To repay his debt, for the man who had sacrificed his leg to save him, he was willing to spend his entire life protecting this restaurant. Even if driven away, he would never leave.