Floating Restaurant-The Persistent Marine Vice Admiral

"Hahaha, Sanji, what are you talking about? That brat's about your age, isn't he? He hasn't even grown any hair yet. How could he possibly hurt the Shopkeeper?"

"Exactly, exactly. I could send that brat flying with one finger. Sanji, if you're going to brag, at least prepare your lines first. Ahahaha."

"Hey, hey, I'm telling the truth!" Sanji said angrily. "You old geezer, tell them! He's the one who sent you flying!"

Zeff's face darkened as he snapped angrily, "Bastards, if you don't get to work right now, get the hell out of Baratie!"

As soon as he said that.

The cooks immediately became restless. One after another, they hurried back to the Kitchen and got to work.

"And you!" Zeff glared at Sanji and shouted. "If you don't want to get kicked out, go wash the dishes!"

"Huh?" Sanji was startled. No matter how many complaints he had in his heart, he could only obediently do as he was told.

No matter what, he couldn't leave Baratie! He couldn't leave Zeff!

Clenching his fists, Sanji returned to the Kitchen and began washing dishes according to Zeff's orders.

In an instant, only Zeff and Lin Mo remained in the entire corridor.

"Hey, brat." Zeff patted the dust off his body and said expressionlessly, "If you can't afford the ten thousand Beli in compensation, stay here and work."

"No." Lin Mo refused directly.

There was no way he was going to work for someone else.

Zeff frowned slightly. "If you don't want to stay, then hand over every last coin of the compensation!"

Lin Mo took out two money pouches, each containing three hundred Beli, and tossed them to Zeff. "That should be enough for the repairs."

Zeff stared darkly at the two money pouches in his hands, narrowing his eyes slightly. "You damaged my Ship. How much compensation you owe is up to me. If I say this isn't enough, then it isn't enough. Since you're just a brat, I can cut you some slack. Work here for two months, and then I'll let you go."

Baratie's situation was rather special. All the cooks here were combative people.

Pirates often came here to eat and cause trouble, so the cooks frequently got into all-out brawls with them. As a result, many people who came here to work were frightened away.

And many people came to Baratie to eat every day. With too few staff, everyone was always extremely busy.

Therefore, Zeff's real intention from the start wasn't to demand that much money. He wanted Lin Mo to stay and help out.

Lin Mo had naturally thought of this as well.

Of course, he wouldn't let Zeff have his way.

"No."

Lin Mo refused again.

At that moment, the system's notification rang out in his mind.

'Ding! Refusing Zeff's request to work, Mission Progress +10%. Current total progress: 20%. Reward: New skill, Night Guy Lv1.'

Night Guy!

A flicker passed through Lin Mo's eyes, and his heart filled with delight.

He knew that interacting with Zeff could advance the sign-in mission.

But he hadn't expected the system to give him a new skill.

And it was a skill from Naruto, one that had nearly kicked the story straight into its finale!

Night Guy was the ultimate technique of the Eighth Gate of the Eight Gates, the Gate of Death. The user first took a starting stance, condensed Chakra, and then charged forward to deliver a devastating kick with power that surpassed the limits of Taijutsu. Its might was so great that it could even distort space!

This skill could be said to be incredibly powerful.

However, using Night Guy came with a drawback: it required burning one's life force as the price.

That was what worried Lin Mo the most.

Lin Mo couldn't help asking silently in his heart: System, will using Night Guy burn my life force?

'Ding! It will not burn your life force. Before Lv6, it will have no effect on the host whatsoever. Above Lv6, each use of Night Guy will consume a large amount of Chakra and stamina.'

Hearing that.

Lin Mo finally felt somewhat relieved.

Zeff noticed that Lin Mo hadn't said anything for a while. Moreover, his expression had seemed strange since moments ago, as if he had suddenly received some particularly good news.

"Hey, brat!" Zeff said helplessly. "What are you doing? Were you even listening to me? Do you think you're in any position to bargain with me?"

Coming back to himself.

Lin Mo calmed his emotions.

He raised his head and glanced calmly at Zeff.

The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "My answer remains the same. I refuse."

Zeff took a deep breath and attacked him again. "Brat, a man should have the courage to admit his mistakes and pay for his own wrongdoing. I'm only asking you to work for two months!"

"I refuse!"

This time, Lin Mo didn't dodge.

Instead, he took the rare initiative and charged toward Zeff.

Faint wisps of red vapor rose from Lin Mo's body.

Just as the two of them drew close.

Lin Mo kicked out.

His foot slammed into Zeff's prosthetic leg.

Despite being a prosthetic, the damage its leg techniques could inflict was far from insignificant.

In fact, Zeff had sensed that something was wrong the moment vapor began rising from Lin Mo's body.

Back when he had been on the Grand Line, he had encountered some extremely powerful people who made him feel threatened.

But those powerful people had generally been over twenty years old.

This time, however, he actually sensed a hint of danger from a child.

By now, it was too late for him to pull his leg back.

Their legs collided and remained locked together for a full three seconds.

Then the two of them flew apart at the same time, retreating several steps.

Zeff had only used thirty percent of his strength.

But against an ordinary person, thirty percent would have been enough to send them flying.

"Brat, who exactly are you?" Zeff asked with a slight frown. "What was that attack you just used called?"

Lin Mo moved his right leg and said indifferently, "Night Guy."

"Huh?" Zeff said helplessly. "That's the name of your move?"

Lin Mo nodded lightly. "Mm."

Zeff froze for a moment. "How can a technique have such a strange name..."

Strange as it was, this brat before him had certainly made Zeff look at him in a new light.

Chapter 21: Floating Restaurant—The Persistent Marine Vice Admiral

Leg techniques were the Taijutsu Zeff was most proud of aside from his cooking. Many people had fallen to his leg techniques in the past, and blood had dyed his feet red. That was how he had earned the nickname Red-Leg Zeff.

"Brat, what's your name?" Zeff asked.

"Lin Mo."

"Fine. I'll accept this compensation you gave me, but you'll still have to do odd jobs at Baratie for at least a month."

"No."

"Hey!" Zeff said with a deep frown. "All you have to do is take customers' orders and serve their food. You won't need to do any chores in the Kitchen."

At that moment.

From the Spiral Staircase leading downward in the middle of the corridor, Garp's voice suddenly rang out. "How much does that brat still owe you?"

Lin Mo and Zeff looked toward Garp at the same time.

Zeff said in surprise, "You're... Garp the Hero?"

Garp bared his teeth in a grin. "Red-Leg Zeff, former captain of the Cook Pirates, and current Shopkeeper of Baratie. Even if you've quit being a Pirate, your bounty still stands. I can still arrest you."

Zeff narrowed his eyes slightly. He knew he wasn't Garp's match.

Even so, he had no intention of surrendering meekly. "Since you know I run Baratie, you would've arrested me long ago if you wanted to. Why wait until now?"

Garp continued grinning. "I'm actually a pretty reasonable man. Let that brat go, and I won't arrest you. Not a bad deal, right?"

"Heh." Zeff sneered. "A mere brat actually warranted a Hero of the Marines coming to rescue him personally. Looks like his identity isn't simple."

"Hahaha." Garp laughed heartily. "Don't be so tense. That brat's just an ordinary brat. I was merely taking a walk after dinner because I had nothing better to do. Then I happened to see a weak, pitiful, helpless brat being bullied by you, and the justice in my heart compelled me to rescue him from his dire situation."

Zeff: "..."

Like hell I believe you!

Zeff said helplessly, "What exactly are you trying to do?"

Garp looked at Lin Mo and said with a grin, "Brat, I rescued you this time, so you owe me a favor. I don't ask for much. Just join the Marines."

Lin Mo stared at him speechlessly.

What was wrong with Garp?

Why did he keep focusing on him?

In fact, after finishing his snacks at the restaurant, Garp had noticed the commotion upstairs.

Driven by curiosity, he had gone up.

As a result, he had happened to see Lin Mo and Zeff kicking at each other.

Garp knew about Red-Leg Zeff.

Although Zeff's strength was inferior to his own, dealing with those overconfident young men was still easy for him.

Yet this time, Zeff had actually ended up evenly matched in a kicking contest with a brat!

Most importantly.

From the Wooden Sword hanging at Lin Mo's waist, it was obvious that this brat should be a Swordsman.

Instead of using his proficient sword techniques to compete with Zeff, he had used his legs to respond to Zeff's attack.

Garp had immediately thought of a possibility: this brat intended to defeat his opponent using the very thing his opponent was best at!

What arrogance.

Yet Garp found himself admiring the brat more and more.

He also more or less understood why Red-Hair thought so highly of him.

As for Garp's presumptuous decision.

Lin Mo was utterly speechless—completely and utterly speechless.

Zeff, however, had noticed something interesting.

Zeff asked with a laugh, "Garp, you invited this brat to join the Marines before, didn't you? And he rejected you, right?"

Garp scratched his head and laughed loudly. "Hahaha, now that you mention it, that's a little embarrassing."

Zeff continued, "But judging from this brat's appearance, he clearly doesn't want to join the Marines. If you force him to join, then what difference is there between you and those overbearing, unscrupulous Pirates who stop at nothing to achieve their goals?"

"Hahaha, you can't put it that way. Who said I was going to force him to join the Marines?" Garp looked at Lin Mo with a grin. "Brat, I'll help you this time. In return, join the Marines, and we'll be even."

Before Lin Mo could answer, Zeff spoke up. "Brat, I know you don't want to join the Marines. Why not stay at Baratie? You won't have to do any of the odd jobs. Go wherever you want, do whatever you want, as long as you don't cause trouble. And you can stay here for as long as you like. How about it?"

It was obvious that Zeff was deliberately going against Garp.

"Hey! Zeff!" Garp said helplessly. "Do you really have to do this?"

"Haha." Zeff laughed heartily. "I'm just giving this brat another choice. Which one he chooses is up to him. Hey, brat, what do you think of the choice I just offered?"

Lin Mo chuckled softly. "Sure."