Money Is God, the Hungry Demon

"This Straw Hat kid is our captain. We came to compensate for the damage from earlier."

Victor leaned against the doorframe and spoke calmly.

Then he casually pulled a heavy money pouch from his pocket, tossed it in an arc through the air, and accurately threw it toward Patty, who was arguing with Sanji.

"Smack."

Patty caught the money pouch on instinct.

The heavy feel in his hand and the crisp clinking of metal inside instantly transformed his originally vicious expression as dramatically as an opera face change.

He opened the pouch and took one look. His eyes instantly turned into Beli symbols.

"All right! Esteemed guests!!"

The flesh on Patty's face bunched into a flower, and his tone was so fawning it gave people goosebumps.

"Since the compensation has been paid, everything is negotiable!

"On this sea, customers with money are our gods! Welcome to... Baratie!"

"Hahahaha!"

Seeing this, Luffy held down his Straw Hat and laughed, utterly lacking the embarrassment of having nearly gotten beaten up just moments ago.

"Ah! You came at the perfect time, Victor! Hehehe, I thought I'd really have to work odd jobs here for a whole year to pay off the debt!"

As he spoke, the kid familiarly gave Zeff's shoulder a hard pat, completely unconcerned by the man's intimidating aura.

"Hehehe, goodbye, old man! Since we've paid compensation, I don't owe you anything anymore!"

Then, as if he had remembered something, Luffy's eyes lit up as he looked at Zeff.

"Oh, right, old man! Our ship really needs a cook right now. Do you have anyone to recommend? Preferably someone who can make super delicious food!"

"Smack!"

Zeff unceremoniously slapped away Luffy's hand from his shoulder.

He stroked his golden braided beard and snorted.

His gaze swept across the busy chefs around him, his voice carrying a hint of prideful arrogance.

"Don't dream, kid.

"This restaurant, and every chef here, are the fruits of my labor. They're treasures we must protect together. I won't hand them over to you to become pirates."

At that point, Zeff suddenly changed his tone, his gaze settling on the gloomy blond man with curled eyebrows who was smoking nearby.

"Though... that brat is an exception."

Zeff pointed at Sanji, a complicated emotion flashing through his eyes.

"Huh?! What did you say, you rotten old man?!"

Sanji's ears twitched, and he immediately turned around, veins bulging on his forehead.

"Are you trying to drive me away?! I'm not leaving this ship!"

Zeff completely ignored Sanji's roar and turned to Victor, who was walking over.

"Although your payment is sincere, repairing a ceiling doesn't cost this much."

Victor smiled and waved a hand.

"Then let the extra money pay for a good meal here.

"After all, we're a group with quite an appetite, especially our captain."

Zeff looked deeply at Victor, then nodded.

Then he abruptly spun around and unleashed a thunderous roar at the chefs still watching the show.

"What are you all standing around for?! Didn't you hear?! The customers are starving! Get the hell back to the kitchen and work!!"

"Yes!! Boss!!"

The chefs instantly scattered, and the restaurant once again returned to its bustling atmosphere.

"Oh!! A feast! I want meat!!" Luffy cheered with both hands raised, already drooling.

"This way! This way!"

Clutching the money pouch, Patty wore an incomparably delighted smile as he prepared to lead Victor and Nami to their seats.

However, just as Victor turned around, his eyes narrowed slightly.

"God! Behind you..."

Patty's smile froze as he immediately pointed behind Victor.

A ghostlike figure had appeared in the doorway at some point.

He held a pitch-black pistol, its dark muzzle aimed directly at the back of Victor's head.

It was Gin.

"Don't move..."

However, Victor had naturally noticed him long ago with his keen senses.

Just as Gin's finger was about to pull the trigger.

"Too slow."

Victor did not even turn his head. His right leg exploded into motion, and a swift backward kick struck Gin's abdomen with pinpoint accuracy and vicious force.

"Bang!"

"Ugh..."

Gin's already severely weakened body could not withstand that kick.

His eyes bulged, his mouth fell open, and he spat out a mouthful of stomach acid.

Then he curled up and collapsed onto the ground like a cooked shrimp, the pistol in his hand slipping aside.

Victor smilingly withdrew his foot, as if he had merely kicked a stone off the road.

"Ah!"

Nami was startled by the sudden turn of events and hid beside Victor.

"What... who is this guy? Why does he look like a ghost?"

The man on the ground wore a ragged gray coat decorated with dragon patterns.

His eye sockets were sunken, his face bluish-purple. He looked like a walking corpse.

Gin clutched his abdomen in pain, his voice hoarse and weak, as though it had been squeezed out of his throat.

"I... I'm Gin... of the Krieg Pirates..."

He struggled to raise his head, his eyes unfocused yet filled with a desperate desire to survive.

"This is a restaurant, right... anything is fine... as long as it's food... anything... give me food..."

"The Krieg Pirates?!"

At the mention of that name, the restaurant's diners instantly erupted into an uproar, whispering among themselves.

"Isn't that the strongest pirate crew in the East Blue? Don Krieg's men!"

"I heard they have a massive fleet of fifty warships! Why are they here? And why are they in such a miserable state?"

"Well, well, a poor customer has entered the restaurant!"

Hearing the commotion, Patty tossed the money pouch to Zeff, rubbed his large hands together, and approached the fallen Gin with a kindly smile.

He looked down at the half-starved pirate.

"Customer, you know this restaurant's rules, right? We don't welcome penniless bums. Do you have money?"

"I... I am... the commander of the Krieg Pirates..."

Gin tremblingly picked up the pistol from the ground and used the last of his strength to press it against Patty's forehead, trying to threaten him.

"Give me food..."

"Ah, so you don't have money."

Patty's expression instantly turned cold, completely ignoring the gun pressed against his forehead.

"Then get the hell out!!"

"Bang!!"

Patty grabbed Gin's head with both hands and brutally smashed it into the floor as if pressing in a thumbtack.

"Argh!!"

Then Patty grabbed Gin by the collar and flung his wailing body straight out the front door like trash.

"Get lost, pirate! This isn't a charity house!"

In a corner of the restaurant.

Sanji leaned against the wall, the cigarette in his mouth glowing and dimming.

He watched Gin get thrown out, his eyes flickering slightly. Then he took a deep drag, exhaled a smoke ring, and silently turned toward the kitchen.

Zeff glanced at his back without saying anything, though a meaningful glint flashed through his eyes.

After dealing with the "trash," Patty clapped his hands and instantly put on that fawning smile again, jogging over to Victor.

"My deepest apologies for letting a fly disturb your enjoyment. Two gods, please take a seat by the window over there."

"What... is this really a restaurant? It feels even more violent than a pirate den..."

Nami's mouth twitched as she could not help complaining.

Victor did not sit down immediately.

Smiling, he held out seven slender fingers and waved them in front of Patty.

"We'll be ordering, but there aren't just two of us."

Then, seeming to remember something, he hesitated before raising one more finger.

"There are eight of us. And make the portions generous. It would be best if you served up all your seafood and meat."

"Eight people?!"

Patty froze for a moment, then became ecstatic. "Ah! I see! You have companions too?

"No problem! Baratie's food definitely won't disappoint you!"

"Oh!! Food, food!!"

Nami and Luffy had already been thoroughly tempted by the smell and followed Patty to their seats first.

Victor, meanwhile, went alone to the terrace outside.

He looked at the Going Merry moored on the sea in the distance, as well as a black dot lazily circling above its mast.

"Fweeeet—"

Victor gave a loud whistle.

Above the Going Merry.

Clay's keen hearing immediately caught the signal.

As for the whistle, Victor had made and tested that arrangement with it one boring night.

It immediately dove down excitedly and shouted at the four bored people on deck.

"Caw, caw!! The boss sent a signal! He wants everyone to go eat! We can have a feast!!"

After shouting, Clay impatiently flapped its wings. "I'm going first! Meat! Meat!!"

"Oh!! Really?! Time to eat!!"

Usopp, who was repairing the ship, immediately tossed aside his hammer in excitement and jumped up laughing.

"Finally time to eat..."

Zoro, who had been sleeping against the mast, was also awakened. With dark lines across his face, he watched the crow fly away.

"How do those two even communicate... it understood a whistle?"

"Big brother... can we go too?"

Johnny and Joseph exchanged a glance, looking at Zoro with pleasantly surprised expressions.

That was a high-class restaurant. Could small fry like them go there too?

Zoro stretched, hung his three swords at his waist, and glanced at them.

"If Victor called you, then there's a share for you. Stop talking nonsense."

Zoro pointed at the small boat nearby and spoke as if it were only natural.

"Get down there and row."

"Yes!! Big brother!!"