Sanji

The next day, the weather was clear, without a cloud in the sky.

The Going Merry sailed peacefully across the endless azure sea.

On deck, Reiner, Luffy, and Usopp sat in a circle with grave expressions.

Nami and Zoro sat on the outside, watching closely.

"I'm testing the waters with a three."

"I'll lightly beat that with a four."

"Pass."

"You don't even have a four? That's pretty pathetic, Luffy."

"Cut it out! Don't think you can trick me into breaking up my hand!"

Usopp gritted his teeth as he looked at Luffy. This guy had gotten smarter.

Most of the time at sea was boring, especially after Reiner's undead grunts had taken over all the miscellaneous chores.

So Reiner taught them Fight the Landlord. Usually, while Luffy and Usopp were fishing, Reiner and Zoro lifted weights.

Whenever they rested, they would gather to play Fight the Landlord. Nami and Zoro would also join in for the fun of it.

As for Reiner's luck with cards, he was basically a charitable player.

He did not mind. He treated it as giving everyone spending money.

It was worth mentioning that he was the one managing the money aboard the ship.

Saving? He did not know how.

But he was good at taking money, so there was no need to save.

Except when it came to Luffy.

If you gave Luffy money, he would really dare to blow it all.

Suddenly, an Undead Hawk from the lookout flew down.

It landed on Reiner's shoulder, pecked at him, and pointed its beak toward the bow.

These were several hawks Reiner had asked Usopp to hunt for him yesterday in Cocoyasi Village.

He had turned them into undead to guard the ship whenever he was busy—or rather, most of the time.

Seeing this, Reiner leaped straight up to the lookout and looked in the direction the hawk indicated. Sure enough, he could see a tiny green dot in the distance.

"The Baratie Sea Restaurant. We can finally have a proper feast."

Reiner jumped down. "No more betting. Settle up."

"Hehehe, I won five hundred thousand Beli!"

Luffy grinned.

Great. Another five hundred thousand down the drain.

Before long, the group arrived at the Baratie. It was a giant three-story cruise ship floating on the sea, with a fish head opening its mouth at the bow.

"Food!" Luffy clutched the five hundred thousand Beli he had just won and ran aboard excitedly.

"Hey, wait! Is that a pirate ship?"

Reiner looked in the direction Usopp was pointing. A massive pirate ship wreck had broken into two halves and was half-submerged in the sea, with only its bow and stern still gradually floating.

"That flag belongs to the Krieg Pirates!"

Usopp had already recognized which pirate crew the ship belonged to.

The moment Reiner heard that, a familiar scene surfaced in his mind.

"Was it Hawkeye?"

Reiner frowned slightly and turned his gaze toward a small boat moored nearby.

A high-backed armchair stood on the little boat, with several candles burning around it.

It was tied to the Baratie with ropes.

"How did such a huge ship sink?"

"Who knows? Maybe it got cut in half."

"Don't joke around, Reiner. How could anyone cut a ship in half?"

Usopp waved his hand and laughed.

The group got off their ship and headed straight into the restaurant.

At least dozens, perhaps even hundreds, of tables filled the enormous restaurant, yet the entire place was silent. There was not a single customer.

No, there were two.

In the corner, a man in a white shirt was quietly eating. A black hat rested beside the table, while a black coat was draped over his chair.

His movements were subtle and elegant, making almost no sound.

Reiner glanced at him but did not pay him any further attention. He looked sideways at Zoro, who apparently had not noticed him either.

That silence was quickly shattered.

Clang! Clang!

"Food! Hahaha, I want to order! Order!"

"I'm coming, I'm coming. What a noisy bunch."

A blond man came out from the kitchen, looking at the shouting Luffy with open disdain.

The man wore a black suit with a blue-striped undershirt. It was obvious he had dressed himself carefully.

Reiner and the others walked over and sat with Luffy.

"What would you like?" Sanji asked casually, holding a notepad and pen to write down their orders.

"Meat! I want ten portions of meat!"

"Ten portions? Can you finish that?" Sanji looked up at Luffy, his tone unfriendly. "If you waste food in front of me, I won't let you off!"

Sanji's attitude left Luffy stunned for a moment.

He had never seen such an arrogant cook.

"Don't worry, his appetite definitely won't be a problem." Reiner looked up with a smile and teased Sanji, "I'm more worried that he'll exhaust you later."

"Oh?" Sanji looked Luffy over with interest.

"This is the first time someone has challenged me like this. Go ahead and try."

"Luffy, eat as much as you want today. We have plenty of money."

"Really?!" Luffy shouted excitedly, staring intensely at Sanji.

"When it comes to eating, I've never lost."

"When it comes to cooking, I've never lost either."

Sparks flew between their gazes, and they were instantly fired up by each other.

"So, what would the rest of you like to ea—"

Sanji turned to the others, but when his gaze swept across Nami, his words abruptly stopped.

The determined expression on his face instantly collapsed. Pink hearts appeared in his eyes as he dropped to one knee before Nami.

"Huh?" Nami was at a loss, clearly startled by the sudden gesture.

"An angel! An angel has descended!" Sanji said in an exaggerated, fawning tone. "Please let me become your captive!"

Before Nami could react, a wooden prosthetic limb viciously struck Sanji on the head.

Bang!

"Ow!!!"

"You bastard, harassing customers again!" Zeff crossed his arms and rebuked him.

"I think you don't want to work anymore. Pack your things and get out already! My restaurant doesn't need a cook like you!"

"You damn old man!" Sanji glared furiously, rose to his feet, and shouted, "No matter how much you try to drive me away, I'm not leaving! I'll stay here until the day you die!"

"What bullshit! I can still live another hundred years!"

Zeff growled, then turned and went back into the kitchen.

Sanji clicked his tongue. His expression gradually calmed as he turned to Nami with a smile.

"My behavior just now was improper, beautiful lady. As compensation, this meal is on me."

Then he looked expressionlessly at Reiner and the others. "You pay as usual."

"Ero-Cook." ×4

Before long, the chefs began bringing out food one after another.

"Sorry to keep you waiting."

"I heard you're planning to duel Sanji. You've got guts."

"He even forbade us from helping, saying he would definitely make you leave here too stuffed to walk."

Several chefs served dishes while grinning and studying them.

A showdown between a cook and customers was something they had rarely seen in all their years working there.

They were all thrilled and eagerly waiting for the show.

As Reiner and the others ate and drank, they began chatting with the chefs.

Only then did they learn that the ship outside was the flagship of Pirate Admiral Krieg's pirate fleet.

This morning, a pirate named Gin had escaped from the Marines. On the verge of starving to death, he had been saved by Sanji.

But after returning, he had brought the Krieg Pirates with him. Zeff did not hold it against them and gave them food.

Yet after filling his stomach, Krieg had actually repaid the kindness with betrayal and tried to plunder the ship.

"This Krieg is such a bastard!"

"No wonder there aren't any customers here."

"What happened after that? You all look perfectly fine to me."

The chefs exchanged glances and spoke cautiously.

"Do you see that man in the corner? He split the Krieg Pirates' flagship in half with a single slash."

"The Krieg Pirates were wiped out by him alone."

The chefs craned their necks and whispered into their ears.

"O-One slash?"

"He cut such a huge ship in half!?"

Nami and Usopp looked utterly incredulous, covering their mouths as they whispered in alarm.

"Did you see his eyes? That's Hawkeye, the World's Greatest Swordsman!"

At that moment, Hawkeye slowly rose from the corner, put on his hat and draped his coat over himself, then casually picked up the black blade leaning nearby and slung it across his back.

He spoke calmly to the chefs. "The bill."