A Pillow Just When You're Sleepy!

In the East Blue, on a stretch of sea, a pirate ship rode the wind and waves.

It was a two-masted sailing ship, with a triangular sail at the stern and a central rudder. The iconic sheep figurehead at the bow was especially eye-catching.

Most striking of all was the skull-and-crossbones flag fluttering from the mainmast, bearing the image of a skull wearing a straw hat.

Since obtaining their official vessel, the dexterous Usopp had put his artistic talents to use and designed this flag for the Straw Hat Pirates.

Looking at their very own pirate flag, Luffy grinned from ear to ear. He spent all day squatting on his exclusive sheep-head throne, occasionally turning around to happily admire the flag billowing in the wind.

Meanwhile, Rayson was using his enhanced physique to put Luffy and Zoro through two days of devilish training. In his spare time, he continued using "Child of the Sea (Ultimate Gold)" and "Transcendent Physique (Deep Purple)" to steadily temper his Conqueror's Haki and formidable body.

With a new ship that offered ample space, their storage conditions improved greatly as well. At last, they could stockpile large amounts of fresh meat and say goodbye to the miserable days of surviving on nothing but apples.

"Transcendent Physique" continued operating without pause, keeping Rayson's body in a constant state of transformation and optimization.

"Whew... Hah..."

Having just finished swimming in the sea, Rayson lay lazily in a recliner in the second-floor cabin, absorbing the ocean energy carried by the sea breeze.

Even inside the cabin, he could still clearly sense the omnipresent rhythm of the sea. It helped him digest the breadth of spirit accumulated through "Child of the Sea (Ultimate Gold)," continually improving his Conqueror's Haki.

His body was also rapidly digesting food, using "Transcendent Physique (Deep Purple)" as a medium to provide an endless supply of fuel for strengthening his physique.

Not far away, Nami sat at a desk, intently drawing nautical charts. Every now and then, she secretly lifted her eyes and quickly glanced at Rayson, covering a quiet smile with her lips before promptly returning her focus to the tip of her pen.

Rayson occasionally opened his eyes, his gaze passing over Nami before settling on the chilled drink she had deliberately placed beside him. A gentle curve unconsciously appeared at the corner of his lips.

Taking a sip of a specially made cold drink after a swim truly was refreshing and thirst-quenching.

With a beauty by his side and his strength steadily rising... what more could he ask for from such a comfortable life?

Boom!

A deafening blast suddenly tore through the tranquility on deck.

"What are those two idiots up to now?" Zoro slowly woke in a corner of the deck, rubbing his temples irritably.

Zoro's training intensity over the past two days had been downright hellish.

He had always been a training fanatic, but after sparring with Rayson and Luffy two days ago, he had discovered in shock that Rayson's physical toughness far surpassed his own.

That deeply affected the proud Zoro. He immediately began pushing himself twice as hard, sleeping only three hours a day and pouring nearly all his time into sweat-soaked training.

He had just closed his eyes to rest and ease the muscle soreness caused by his high-intensity workouts.

"Hahaha! We were testing the cannon's power! Usopp's marksmanship isn't just for show! He hit that reef in one shot! From now on, he's officially our ship's sniper!" Luffy excitedly threw an arm around Usopp and pushed open the cabin door.

"That's right! The sniper is in position! But before entering the Grand Line, aren't we still missing one vital role?" Luffy added with a wide grin.

"Indeed. This ship's kitchen is quite spacious. If the pay is good enough, I wouldn't mind moonlighting as the ship's cook," Nami teased with a smile as she looked around the fully equipped kitchen.

"That's only right! That position is absolutely indispensable!" Zoro agreed with a grin.

A cook was the soul of any ocean-going pirate ship.

During long and arduous voyages, nutritious and balanced meals were crucial for maintaining strength, while delicious food could soothe the exhaustion accumulated by the crew.

More importantly, for their daily high-intensity training, having a professional cook plan their meals would surely make their efforts twice as effective.

"See? Everyone thinks that role is indispensable on this ship!" Luffy raised one finger, grinning so hard his teeth showed.

"Then it's a musician!" Luffy shouted, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

"Are you an idiot?!" Even Zoro could not help roaring on the spot this time.

"What do you think sailing is, you moron?! Rayson, hurry up and deal with this fool!" Nami instantly went into little-shark mode, glaring furiously.

"But aren't pirates supposed to sing?" Luffy stubbornly argued.

"A cook and a musician... why can't we have both?" Seeing everyone turn toward him, Rayson shrugged and offered the suggestion with a smile.

After getting their new ship, what Rayson desired most right now was indeed an outstanding cook.

Only a professional cook could bring the potential of his "Transcendent Physique (Deep Purple)" to its fullest.

The pirate world surely had concepts similar to "combat meals."

For instance, the Attack Cuisine of the Okama Kingdom was greatly beneficial to a practitioner's physical development. If it could be paired with Rayson's "Transcendent Physique," the results would likely be even more terrifying.

However, Rayson had no interest in going to that island to collect recipes. Fortunately, he already had an exceptionally perfect candidate in mind.

Sanji, the hero who had dared to venture into the Okama Kingdom alone in the original story.

Besides, who could refuse delicious food? Back on Earth, Rayson had long drooled over Sanji's cooking. Now that he was in this world, he naturally wanted to taste it for himself.

Although Luffy was still fixated on finding a musician and had yet to realize how irreplaceable a cook was... the best thing about following the protagonist's crew was that whenever you needed something most, like receiving a pillow just when you were sleepy, someone would always bring it right to your door.

Very soon, someone would show Luffy through bloody facts just how fatal it was to sail without a cook.

More importantly, the lesson that came with it would also bring news of the man standing at the pinnacle of swordsmanship in this world.

The world's greatest swordmaster, Dracule Mihawk, known as "Hawkeye."

A playful smile appeared on Rayson's face.

Bang!

"Get out here, pirates!" A powerful roar came with the loud crash of a bucket being smashed apart.

"Who is it?" As captain, Luffy was the first to step out of the second-floor cabin.

"Who the hell do you think I am?! You nameless nobodies actually dared to lay a hand on my partner?!" The newcomer did not waste words. He drew his weapon and lunged at Luffy.