19. Cooking Competition

Buggy & Cricket have defeated the Bronze Pirates. Well, they're just small fries, but at least Buggy can see Cricket's strength. Cricket is strong, so Buggy didn't choose the wrong man.

Cricket's power is still not good enough for Grandline though. But that can be worked on as they go through their journey. Buggy will teach Cricket haki before they go to Grandline, because there will be many devil fruit users there. Having haki since the first half of Grandline will make a big difference.

Buggy & Cricket are now looting the pirate crew. They find a good amount of wealth there and take them all. But Buggy is still curious on how these weaklings get such wealth, so he interrogate the Bronze Captain, Omedal.

"W-we stole them from a noble family on Whiteland Kingdom."-Omedal

"You steal from a noble? How could you get in? There's no way you guys can get in there with your strength."-Buggy

"H-he was a servant there, and he was the one who opened the access for my mens to get inside."-Omedal point at his vice-captain

"So that's how it is. That's why you guys get such bounties just with your strength."-Buggy

"What should we do, Captain? Having a noble's possessions isn't a good thing."-Cricket

"I know, let's cash them on blackmarket to avoid trouble. Leave these guys here, i'm not a bounty hunter anymore, so they're useless."-Buggy

"Y-you won't kill us?"-Omedal

"Do i look like a coldblooded person to you?"-Buggy

"Y-yes, you look scary with your red nose."-Omedal

Buggy get a tickmark and kick Omedal's teenie weenie.

"You're not coldblooded, but you sure are temperamental."-Cricket

"Leave it!"-Buggy pissed

Then Buggy & Cricket take all the valuables to their ship. And just like usual, Buggy take everything, including their ammunition & cannons. Cricket is confused, but he still follow Buggy's order.

After that, they leave to an island that have big blackmarket on it. They go to trade city Maca on Square Island. The island is shaped like a square, hence the name is Square. They arrive at night and decide to sell the goods at the morning.

The next morning, Buggy sell the loots, while Cricket guard the ship. He wear a blue aloha outfit and go to the town and find the blackmarket trader. Like usual, the trader always try to haggle the price, but Buggy have many experiences in this, so he can get a good price.

"Heh, it's 100 years too soon for you to get advantage from me (ore-sama)."-Buggy

"Tch, just hurry up and leave!"-Trader

"Kay~, bye then."-Buggy

Buggy then leave the room that hidden in an alley. He get out from the alley and walk around on the town. He look around to find any interesting thing. Then he sniff a good smell of food, so he follow it. He arrived on a location crowded by people.

"A cooking competition?"-Buggy

Buggy slip between the crowd and go to the front. He see some people are cooking on their table, and there are some judges in the front.

"Ooh, i never watch a cooking competition with my own eyes. This is interesting. Hmm, maybe i can find my cheff here."-Buggy

Buggy watch as the competition goes and he see an interesting person. It's a girl that seem to be around his age. Buggy read the name tag on the table, and her name is Mantis. She have short purple hair, dark skin, and black pupils.

The interesting thing about her is that she always smile widely when she cook. She seem to enjoy cooking very much and she work diligently. Her movement is also fast and precise when she process the ingredients. From her movements, Buggy know that she's an ecperienced cook.

'Her food smell amazing.'-Buggy

They cook fish as the main ingredients, which is this competition's theme. The time for this competition is an hour, and it pass soon. Buggy look on the other contestants, and all of them didn't look as interesting as Mantis. They all seem normal and their food also look normal.

After the time passed, the contestants have their food being tasted by the judges. There are 5 judges and they all try the foods one by one. After they finished, the judges announce the scores. Surprisingly, it's not the angry girl who win this competition, even though the judges seem to enjoy her food very much, and she didn't even get any score.

'Wow, that's strange.'-Buggy

The winner then get the prize, which is 100k beri. After that, the spectators are allowed to try the food that the contestants made. Strangely, no one want to try Mantis' food, and it's only Buggy who try it.

"Dayum~, it's very good. Why'd no one want to try this?"-Buggy

Buggy see everyone else stay away from him because he eat Mantis' food. He ignore them and eat everything that Mantis made until he's full.

"BUURP~, ah, i'm full."-Buggy

"Wow, you eat all of that?"-Mantis

"Oh, it's you. Yeah, i can't help it, that's the best food that i've ever tasted in years. The last time was my mom's last cooking before she passed away."-Buggy

"Well, i'm glad that you really like it, but i think you should go now. If they know you eat my food, they'll-"-Mantis

*BRAK*

Suddenly some people come and a man hit Mantis' table with a bat. They all looks like thugs and it seem they are, because everyone else start to stay away. Mantis seem to be angry at the thugs, and she clench her fists.

"Ooh~, someone just ate her food. Is it good?"-Thug 1

"Yeah, you want to try? Ah, i ate them all, sorry. Here, i have some candies."-Buggy

Buggytake 3 small candies from his pocket and offer it to them. The thug get pissed and slap Buggy's hand, make the candies fall.

"Oh come on mate, no need to throw my candies if you don't like it. If your blood's sugar is high, you can just say it."-Buggy take the candies

"Hah, look at this guy, he take the candies back. And he also have a big red nose like a clown."-Thug 2

""HAHAHAHA.""-Thugs

"Hey clown, i bet you're new in this town, so i'll tell you. No one is allowed to eat her food, or we'll kick your ass."-Thug 1

"Eh? But those judges eat it too."-Buggy

"What? Really?"-Thug 2 look at the judges who run away

"Tch, get them!"-Thug 1

The other thugs leave and chase the judges who run away.

"Now for you-"-Thug 1

The thug look at Buggy, or where he was before. Buggy & Mantis have gone from their spot when the thugs are chasing the judges.

"BASTARDS, THEY RUN AWAY TOO. GO FIND THEM!"-Thug 1

The rest of the thugs spread to find Buggy & Mantis. Meanwhile, the both of them are hiding in a dark alley. Mantis cover Buggy's mouth until all the thugs gone.

"What's that? Why're they chasing us?"-Buggy

"You better not know it, it's my problem. You are tourist right? Then hurry up and leave this island."-Mantis

"Tourist?"-Buggy

Buggy look at his blue aloha outfit, and he sure looks like a tourist.

"Well, i won't stay on this island for long anyway, but i have a question. Did you want to be a cheff in my ship?"-Buggy

"You have a ship? Who are you?"-Mantis

"I'm Buggy, a pirate."-Buggy

"Pirate? Tch, i hate pirates."-Mantis seem pissed

Mantis get pissed and immediately leave Buggy.

"Damn, she hate pirates. This will be hard, but i'll make sure you become my cheff."-Buggy grin

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