Sanji Joins the Crew

"My soup?"

"Hoo--Bang!!!"

Without any warning, Zeff's fist, carrying immense force, smashed hard into Sanji's face!

Sanji felt as if struck by lightning. He was sent flying by the punch, sliding several meters across the floor and knocking over several chairs.

"You want to talk to me about cooking... You're a hundred years too early, kid!"

Zeff looked down at Sanji, who was sprawled on the ground:

"I'm a man who's cooked on seas all over the world! Your meager skills aren't even fit to carry my shoes!"

"Damn it... Damn it all!!!"

Sanji clutched his swollen cheek, tears welling up in his eyes.

Humiliation, anger, and a sense of injustice mingled, making it impossible for him to stay there any longer.

He scrambled to his feet, turned, and rushed out of the restaurant.

As Sanji's retreating figure disappeared through the door, the tense atmosphere in the restaurant vanished instantly.

In the dead silence, only Luffy's chewing could be heard.

Luffy walked over to the pot of soup that everyone had disdained, scooped a large bowl, and gulped it down.

"Haa--"

Luffy wiped his mouth, a satisfied smile on his face. "This soup is actually super delicious! It's the best soup I've ever had!"

Zeff looked at Luffy, his gaze finally softening. He sighed:

"I know that too. Sanji's cooking... everyone here highly respects it."

The surrounding chefs finally dropped their pretense, their faces showing guilt and reluctance.

"It's not bad at all..."

"He's really good, much better than me."

"Did I scold him too harshly just now? Sanji seems really angry..."

"Yeah, yeah, I feel really bad about it."

Zeff turned around and looked at the still-swaying door, his voice low:

"But if I didn't do that, that stubborn idiot wouldn't listen and leave!"

He turned to look at Luffy, the boy with bright eyes.

"Hey, kid."

Zeff's tone was no longer that of an elder giving orders, but a request between men:

"I heard your ship needs a cook, right? It's not really a request... but could you take that brat with you? To the Grand Line!"

Zeff looked out the window at the vast sea, his gaze deep. "The Grand Line... that's that idiot's dream!"

The chefs also started shouting: "Was my acting good enough?"

"Quick, give me a bowl of soup! I was too busy acting to drink any earlier!"

"Me too! Me too! Such delicious soup, it'll get cold if we don't drink it!"

Outside the door, by the wall.

Sanji leaned against the wall, his hand trembling as he lit a cigarette.

In the swirling smoke, he was already in tears.

"I heard it all... you brats."

He took a deep drag of his cigarette, trying to suppress the lump in his throat.

So, he wasn't being abandoned, but deeply loved.

These rough bastards had given him a push in the most clumsy way possible.

Just then, the door was pushed open.

Sanji extinguished his cigarette butt, tidied his slightly disheveled suit, and looked at Luffy. The confusion in his eyes was gone, replaced by a carefree resolve to give it his all:

"We all have foolish dreams..."

"Mine is for my destination, for the ALL BLUE!"

"Luffy..."

Luffy looked at him.

A dashing smile curved Sanji's lips. "Ah, then let me join you on your adventure! For that so-called... Pirate King's dream!"

Luffy froze, then a smile bloomed on his face, like the midday sun.

"I'll be your ship's cook! Are you sure you can handle it?!" Sanji asked loudly.

"Yeah!!"

Luffy jumped up excitedly, raising his hands high. "That's great!!"

Sanji turned his back to the restaurant's entrance and shouted:

"So that's it, everyone! Thanks for all the trouble!"

Dusk, Merry's deck.

The setting sun dyed the sea surface orange-red. The Merry had already untied its mooring ropes, ready to set sail at any moment.

Ronan, Luffy, Nami, Zoro, and Usopp stood on the deck, watching the blond man with a simple travel bag on his back walking towards the Merry step by step.

He walked slowly, each step as if treading on cotton.

But he didn't look back, his back always facing the Sea Restaurant that held his childhood, his growth, and all his memories.

"Don't you want to say goodbye?" Luffy asked, leaning on the railing.

Sanji stepped onto the Merry's deck, lowering his voice, trying to maintain his cool demeanor. "No need! What's the point of being sentimental like a big baby."

Just as he was about to enter the cabin, completely leaving the past behind.

A familiar, aged, yet powerful voice pierced through the sea breeze, transcended distance, and struck directly into his eardrums.

"Sanji."

Sanji's body froze abruptly.

Zeff stood on the second-floor balcony, arms crossed. He didn't say any grand pronouncements or make any emotional pleas.

Like a father telling his son goodbye, he said calmly:

"Don't catch a cold."

Boom--!

These simple five words instantly shattered all of Sanji's psychological defenses.

All his pretense, all his strength, all his "coolness" crumbled at this moment.

Tears gushed from his eyes like a bursting dam.

Snot and tears mixed together, making his handsome face look utterly disheveled.

He couldn't hold back anymore.

Sanji abruptly turned around, facing Zeff, facing the old man who had lost a leg saving him.

Thump!

He knelt heavily on the hard wooden planks, hands on the ground, and slammed his forehead down!

"Boss Zeff!!!"

Sanji cried out with all his might, his voice echoing through the heavens:

"For a long time... thank you for taking care of me!!!"

"Your great kindness... I will never forget!!!"

Every word, every sentence, was accompanied by hot tears splashing onto the deck.

On the balcony, Zeff watched the child sobbing below, watching the eaglet that had finally grown wings and was flying towards the sky.

The tears he had been holding back finally streamed down his face.

"You bastard..."

Zeff gritted his teeth, tears flowing down his beard. "A man... should part ways silently!"

Meanwhile, Patty and all the other chefs were also in tears, each leaning on the railing and shouting:

"Sanji! You bastard! You gotta do your best!"

"Don't bring shame to our Baratie!"

"We'll miss you, Sanji!"

Ronan watched the scene quietly, a warm current surging through his heart.

This was the charm of the Pirate King. Between these rough men flowed the most delicate emotions in the world.

"What a bunch of... lovable idiots," Ronan murmured softly.

Luffy pulled down his straw hat, then took a deep breath and shouted:

"Set sail--!!!"

The Merry raised its sails and, carried by the evening wind, sailed into the distance.

Sanji stood up and wiped away his tears.

He stood at the stern and, for the last time, waved his arms with all his might towards the gradually receding Sea Restaurant:

"Goodbye!!! You brats!!!"

"I will definitely find the All Blue!!!"