Chapter 165

[Now I realized the wrong chapter! hahaha sorry! Here extra chapter for the error!]

The next morning, as the sun rose on the horizon, sounds emerged from the kitchen of the Endless Dream.

Zyhark prepared some simple breadsticks, fried dough sticks, and soy milk so that his team could have something to eat as soon as they woke up.

Just as he took the golden, crispy fried dough sticks out of the hot oil to drain, a cute and dainty figure appeared at the kitchen door.

The little dragon from Kobayashi's house had followed her nose to the kitchen.

Seeing Kanna with her slightly tousled hair, Zyhark wasn't too surprised. He turned and took a steaming hot meat bun from the steamer nearby.

"Kanna, are you hungry?" he asked.

Kanna's eyes lit up as she stared at the meat bun. After hesitating for a few seconds, she sucked in the drool at the corner of her mouth and nodded vigorously. "Yes!"

"Here, this is a delicious sea king meat bun. Try it," Zyhark said, bending down to hand the steaming bun to her.

Last night, he had briefly introduced Kanna to the basics of the world of One Piece.

Though he wasn't sure how much she had remembered, she seemed to have a general understanding.

Without a second thought, Kanna grabbed the meat bun and, in less than half a second, devoured it in one bite, larger than her fist.

Well, expecting her to savor the bun's flavor was a lost cause...

Zyhark sighed, rubbing his forehead. He had underestimated the depth of Kanna's bottomless pit.

"Kanna, would you like some more?" he asked.

Kanna looked up at him with wide, expectant eyes, the delicate features of her face up close.

"Sure!" Zyhark said with a grin.

He walked over to the steamer and took out two more buns. While Kanna waited, he playfully tossed one towards the kitchen door.

The steaming bun, emitting a tantalizing aroma, traced a graceful arc in the air.

Kanna, quick as a flash, leaped up and snatched the bun mid-air, devouring it in one swift motion.

Standing on all fours like a dragon ready to pounce, she turned back, cheeks puffed out adorably.

"Ready for the next one, Kanna? The game is just starting," Zyhark said, tossing three buns in different directions.

Kanna, with her sharp reflexes, caught and devoured each bun before they hit the ground.

As Zyhark grabbed another bun to throw, Kanna was already in front of him, taking it directly from his hand with a single gulp.

Her goofy, food-loving antics brought a smile to Zyhark's face. The adorable Kanna had dispelled much of the gloom and tension left over from their confrontation with the Celestial Dragons.

Besides preparing breakfast, Zyhark had gotten up early to check the news, anticipating its impact on their future.

One thing was certain: their days of leisurely sailing were over.

"Kanna, that won't do. Eating too much oily food in the morning isn't good," Zyhark gently scolded when Kanna eyed the fried dough sticks.

"Okay," Kanna replied dejectedly.

She wanted to say she didn't mind the oiliness, but if Kobayashi said so, she would listen.

After cleaning up, Zyhark led Kanna out of the kitchen, through the dining area, and up to the deck.

By now, the sun had fully risen, its rays dancing on the sea's surface like countless sparkling diamonds.

A refreshing sea breeze blew in, carrying a hint of coolness.

"Let's go check on everyone, Kanna," Zyhark suggested.

Knowing Aqua's usual habits, he didn't need his Haki to predict she had probably kicked off the blanket he had tucked around her the night before.

Surprisingly, Kanna stood still, not following him.

"What's wrong, Kanna?" Zyhark asked, turning back.

Kanna took a few steps forward and held up her right hand.

Affected by the wish pool, she felt a natural affection for Zyhark, amplified by the 220 volts of last night's charge, making her clingy.

After all, Kanna was only fourteen thousand years old. Being suddenly sent to a completely foreign world filled with unfamiliar faces made her naturally dependent.

In a few days, she'd likely bond with the rest of the crew, including Aqua, who was as simple-minded as her, Meowth, who was naturally friendly, and King, who loved video games.

Zyhark chuckled, understanding her feelings. He took her small, chubby hand.

Hand in hand, they walked through the ship's corridors to the living quarters.

The first room belonged to King. Zyhark knocked, and King quickly responded.

Pushing the door open, Zyhark saw a room filled with video games and collectibles, with a clear space in the middle.

King, wearing a white tank top, was struggling to put down a seventy-kilogram dumbbell.

Upping it to seventy kilos was indeed pushing my limits... King thought, wiping sweat from his forehead.

"Good morning, Zyhark, Kanna," King greeted them with a smile.

"Good morning," they replied in unison.

Zyhark was surprised to see King up early for a workout. Even in the monster-filled world of One Punch Man, King was known for his laziness.

Kanna stared at King, recalling last night's explanations from Aqua and Meowth. She pointed at him and said with certainty, "Maji yabakune, K is practicing Maji yabakune's party skills again!"

King's face froze, caught between wanting to laugh or cry.

I'm training with all my might, dammit!

"King, there's no need to stress. We're a team, and everyone has things they can and can't do," Zyhark reassured him.

He worried that King's intense training might break him before he unlocked his limiter like Saitama.

King felt a mix of gratitude and frustration as Zyhark continued, "Leave the party skills to Aqua and Meowth."

The sly boss! King felt an urge to throw his dumbbell at Zyhark, but reason prevailed.

Leaving King with a wistful expression, Zyhark and Kanna moved on to the next room.

The door was slightly ajar. Pushing it open, Zyhark saw Meowth, wearing glasses, working at a cluttered desk.

"Zyhark, Kanna, you're here?" Meowth turned, revealing dark circles under his eyes.

Zyhark saw the scattered blueprints on the desk. After two battles, Meowth had spent the night designing the second generation of the restaurant's combat robots.

"Just checking in," Zyhark said, picking up a blueprint.

He quickly gave up trying to understand the dense mechanical drawings and handed it to Kanna, who promptly ate it.

"Um, Meowth, there's breakfast downstairs. Eat when you're hungry. We won't disturb you further," Zyhark said, dragging Kanna away.

He sternly reminded Kanna not to eat anything unless it was food he gave her.

Kanna nodded obediently.

Reflecting on Meowth's fatigue, Zyhark felt a surge of gratitude. Despite wanting strong and reliable companions, King and Meowth had left their worlds to follow him, striving to grow stronger.

How could he ever take them for granted, even if it meant extra worry and challenges?

They were bound by the bonds they had forged from the East Blue to the Grand Line.

Even Aqua, always causing trouble, had her moments...

Reaching Aqua's room, they found the goddess sleeping soundly, blanket kicked off, muttering about avenging her top disciple against Luffy's grandfather.

Zyhark shook his head and covered her up again, despite her dream-driven antics.

Returning to the deck, Zyhark sat under a parasol with a cup of tea, while Kanna, leaning on the ship's railing, watched the endless sea.

Soon, a seabird's call signaled the arrival of the morning newspaper.

Amid the paper's dense text, four bounties stood out:

Zyhark, the Thunder of Extreme Evil: 300 million Berries! Aqua, the Water Witch: 220 million Berries! King, the Blonde Emperor's Engine: 210 million Berries!

The first bounties for the restaurant crew had all broken a hundred million!

But wait...

Meowth, the Robot Tinkerer: 666 Berries?

(End of Chapter)