Super God of Cookery

"Of course it's true."

Though Xikexin said that, there was little pride in his eyes, as if that impressive title did not matter much to him.

But it was already enough to leave Freya stunned. She spoke as though she were getting to know her own father all over again.

"Old man, you were actually that amazing before..."

"You damn girl, your old man has always been amazing... It's just that you damn girl didn't know it..."

At this point, Ye Mu, who did not quite understand the details, asked curiously as well.

"Hey, Tiger, what exactly does that mean? What's this Gourmet Kingdom you're talking about?"

Tiger explained carefully.

"It's like this, Captain. In the New World, near the Calm Belt by North Blue, there's an island known as the Gourmet Kingdom. Because of its special terrain, the island is incredibly rich in produce, with the finest ingredients everywhere, so the Gourmet Kingdom is a place every chef dreams of reaching. And every four years, the Gourmet Kingdom holds the God of Cookery Competition to decide the so-called title of God of Cookery. Anyone who can hold that title for more than three consecutive times is called a Super God of Cookery."

At this point, seemingly worried that everyone did not understand what a Super God of Cookery represented in the culinary world, Tiger gave an example.

"You could say a Super God of Cookery is the One Piece of the culinary world."

This time, Ye Mu's eyes lit up completely.

He had originally taken an interest in the girl only because of her somewhat strange Devil Fruit, but now, things were completely different.

"But... old man, since you were that amazing... why didn't I know anything about it? And why did you have to hide your name here...?"

Xikexin, however, did not care about that empty reputation at all.

"Super God of Cookery or whatever... There's nothing special about it. We're all just cooks who make food for customers..."

"But... but..."

Freya thought of many things, but in the end, she did not know how to express the shock in her heart. She could only keep asking.

"Then why did you leave that Gourmet Kingdom and come here?"

"No reason. I just didn't like that place..."

This time, Freya was truly stunned.

"Isn't that the holy land every chef dreams of? Why would you..."

But Xikexin's face was full of disdain.

"What holy land? Everyone in that place went astray long ago..."

"!!! Old man... what do you mean by that!!!?"

Xikexin let out a long sigh. He thought for a moment, looked at his daughter's curious face, then looked at the important figures before him, especially Ye Mu.

Suddenly, as if he had made some decision, he asked everyone in front of him.

"This may be a bit presumptuous, but I'd like to ask you all a question. What do you think is the most delicious dish in this world?"

The sudden question made everyone present freeze.

Though it was a rather abrupt question, at that moment, everyone still gave face to this man who had once stood at the peak of the culinary world. It was just that...

"Ah la la... I'm not very good with cooking, so unfortunately, I don't know the answer to that question either."

"Sorry, I'm not very picky about what I eat..."

"As long as it wasn't made by Ye Mu, anything is fine..."

"!!!"

"For me... though I've been to many places, what I miss the most is still the barbecue and wine on Fish-Man District."

"Cooking??? As long as it's something Lord Enel likes, I like it too..."

Everyone's answer was different, but none of them seemed to be what the boss wanted. Finally, the boss looked at Ye Mu, wanting to get a final answer from him.

By this point, Freya could no longer understand what her old man was doing and asked.

"Old man, what are you doing? Why are you asking this?"

The boss shook his head and said.

"I just want to know an answer."

Ye Mu recalled everything he had experienced since entering this Life Cuisine Restaurant today, and asked as well.

"Is this answer very important?"

"Mm, very important. If I'm not satisfied with the answer, I won't let you take Freya away..."

"What are you talking about, old man? I don't want to become a pirate..."

Freya shouted in protest.

But neither Ye Mu nor the boss paid any attention to her.

As for this question, Ye Mu actually thought of many things, but in the end, his mind still gave him only one answer.

His memories seemed to drift away toward another world as he spoke his answer.

"If I really had to say, then to me, the most delicious food would probably be the food my mother made..."

"What a pity. I'll never be able to taste it again..."

"!!!"

It was an answer no one had expected, yet once everyone came back to their senses, none of them could deny that it was the correct one.

Freya also stared at the young man before her in surprise.

This was also an answer she had never imagined would come from the mouth of Ye Mu, this great pirate.

In that instant, Ye Mu's image in her heart completely changed, from a vicious, heinous great pirate into an ordinary young man.

"Mother..."

In Freya's mind, memories of her own mother also surfaced.

Though the taste was clearly far inferior to what her father could create with his exquisite skill, what Freya was most used to, and remembered most deeply, was still the meals her mother had personally made for her when she was little.

And in that moment, Freya's father finally could not help letting out a long sigh.

"Yes. Such a simple answer, yet the people of the Gourmet Kingdom don't understand it at all."

Then Xikexin was heard speaking in recollection.

"After I held the title of God of Cookery for the third time in a row and became the Super God of Cookery, I suddenly began to doubt myself. I felt as if I didn't understand cuisine, as if I no longer knew how to cook..."

Those abrupt words left everyone stunned.

"Because, just as Mr. Tiger said earlier, the Gourmet Kingdom is indeed a wonderful place. Every ingredient there is top-class. But it actually isn't a paradise for chefs. On the contrary, it's a graveyard for chefs. Because the ingredients there are simply too good. Even if a child casually makes a dish, the flavor will be superb. And so, every chef who comes to the Gourmet Kingdom suffers a tremendous blow because of this, then starts down the wrong path..."

"They forget the essence of cuisine and begin down a road of pursuing the finest ingredients, never to return..."

"!!!"

Freya could not understand.

"What's wrong with that? Doesn't so-called top-class cuisine require the very best ingredients...?"

"No... Freya... you're wrong..."

At that moment, Xikexin's entire bearing changed as well, becoming extremely solemn and serious.

"The essence of cuisine is food. So as long as a dish can make the person eating it feel happy, healthy, and satisfied, then it is the finest cuisine. As for things piled up with top-class ingredients, they're nothing but meaningless gimmicks made for the sake of fame and profit."

At this point, a reminiscent smile appeared on Xikexin's face.

"That was what your mother taught me, and it is also the spirit of our Life Cuisine..."

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