Chapter 23: Chef Sanji and Demon Gin.

"We've arrived at the Baratie~~"

With the report from Johnny and V, who had taken it upon themselves to do odd jobs, the Going Merry gradually approached a...

"This really is a restaurant."

Roman looked at the three-story restaurant-like... ship? He couldn't help but comment.

Is it because the nearby sea is too calm, and even a piece of wood can float? Or did the shipbuilding technology in this world use some kind of black magic to create such a bizarre...

Forget it, as a Devil Fruit user, I shouldn't worry about whether it's scientific or not.

Hmm?

As the Going Merry slowly approached, a Marine warship appeared on the other side of the Baratie.

"Uh..."

"Should we avoid them?"

The two pirate hunters, Yosaku and Johnny, hid by the ship's side, while Roman, Luffy, and the other "pirates" stood boldly on the deck.

"An unfamiliar pirate flag..."

On the warship, a Marine officer with iron knuckles looked at Roman and the others.

"I am Marine Headquarters Captain 'Iron Fist' Fullbody. Who is the captain?"

Although he asked this, his gaze had already fallen on Roman. Compared to the other 'oddly styled' guys, Roman seemed much more reliable. However:

"I am the captain,"

Luffy beside him introduced himself seriously, "The pirate flag was drawn just yesterday."

"What, another guy with a brain problem."

The Marine captain nodded, realizing it was a group of idiots who dared to call themselves 'pirates' just by hanging a skull flag.

"Today is my day off, I'll let you go."

"If I catch you during my 'working' hours, I'll throw you all in jail!"

After saying that, he took his female companion to the 'sea restaurant' ahead for a meal, while snapping his fingers at the sailors on the warship.

"The usual rule."

—The so-called 'usual rule': when Marines encounter pirates but don't want to chase them, they fire a cannon as a 'deterrent' to make them retreat. This also prevents others from saying they didn't fire a shot when facing the enemy...

"Hey, hey, hey, this is bad!"

However, Usopp, who didn't know these 'unwritten rules', panicked when he saw the cannon aimed at them.

"Their cannon is aimed at us..."

Boom!

The cannon fired, and a cannonball the size of a human head flew towards the Golden Merry.

"Watch this, Gomu Gomu no-"

Facing the cannonball, Luffy jumped to the ship's side without hesitation, took a deep breath, and suddenly turned into a three-meter-tall round 'balloon'.

"Balloon!"

Thud~~

The cannonball sank deeply into Luffy's chest, and after its kinetic energy was exhausted, it was immediately bounced back by Luffy.

"Here's your cannonball back~~~!"

Hmm, not bad.

A 'rubber fruit' can be developed into various tricks, it seems Luffy is still reliable as a captain...

Boom—

Splat!

"Hey, hey, hey, Luffy!"

"Where did you bounce the cannonball to?"

Oh no, oh no,

Just a moment of inattention, and Luffy started fooling around again...

The cannonball was indeed successfully bounced back, but the angle was a bit exaggerated. —It hit the top of the 'sea restaurant' next to them!

"Who? Who did this!!"

Soon, a group of chefs with knives and forks rushed out of the 'sea restaurant' aggressively. Although they only had kitchen knives and forks, those human-sized 'utensils' could kill fish and probably kill people too!

"It was him!" X4

"Ahhhhh~~~"

Luffy, who was collectively 'betrayed' by Roman, Zoro, Nami, and Usopp, was captured by the chefs amidst a series of screams. Next:

"Well, since we encountered the sea restaurant."

Roman touched his chin.

"Let's go have a meal."

"Agreed~~~"

After all, Roman always paid, who wouldn't agree to a free meal?

"Let's watch the ship."

Although Yosaku and Johnny weren't very skilled, they were reliable in handling things.

"This place is full of pirates, Marines, and various people making a living at sea. If no one watches the ship, it might get stolen without us knowing."

"Alright," Roman nodded, "You two stay on the Going Merry and keep an eye on the merchant ship behind us. We'll bring you some food later."

"Sure, thanks, Brother Roman."

——————

"There's really a restaurant ship at sea. How do they even manage..."

Usopp asked while looking around as they walked.

On the vast ocean, the law of the jungle was vividly displayed. A restaurant could easily encounter customers who intended to pay with 'bullets' after eating—!?

Oh no...

As soon as the four of them entered, they saw a waiter in a suit? Beating up a customer!

And that customer was the Marine lieutenant who had just ordered them to be blasted, Iron Fist... whatever his name was?

"Hey, hey, hey, they even dare to hit Marines... We should..."

Usopp instantly chickened out! What kind of restaurant was this? It must be a pirate den...

"Don't panic,"

Roman waved his hand,

"Look, there are still so many people in the hall... And some of them running away just gives us more space."

With that, Roman walked directly to an empty table, and the indifferent Zoro, the worried Nami, and the anxious Usopp had no choice but to sit down. Then:

"Yo, isn't that Luffy?"

"How did you go from Pirate King to waiter in just a few minutes?"

"Ahhh, I'm so miserable, Roman~~"

Wearing a straw hat and an apron, the out-of-place 'waiter' Luffy naturally sat down.

"That head chef... is the captain of this ship. He wants me to work here for a year to pay off my debt..."

"How can this be? I still need to go to the Grand Line..."

Who told you to deflect cannonballs with no accuracy?

Roman internally complained, suddenly furrowing his brow.

Wait!

Maybe Luffy did it on purpose?

He could infiltrate this restaurant and see their true nature, making it easier to recruit a chef...

No, no, I must be overthinking.

Rubbing his temples, Roman glanced at the naturally seated Luffy. He had to remind him of his current 'identity.'

"I say, you're dressed as a waiter, right?"

"Aren't you supposed to take our orders, serve tea, and such..."

...

"Captain!"

"Captain Fullbody!"

At this moment, a Marine soldier covered in blood rushed into the restaurant! This made the Marine lieutenant Fullbody, who had just been beaten for putting bugs in his food out of spite, turn around.

"That... that Krieg Pirate crew officer... escaped—"

Bang!

With a gunshot, the Marine soldier at the door slowly fell, revealing a thin man behind him.

He wore a gray and white coat with a red snake pattern on it, and his pants matched the color of the coat. Underneath, he wore a green shirt, and on his head, he had a patterned headscarf.

After shooting down the Marine messenger, the man stepped over the beaten Captain Iron Fist and casually found an empty table to sit at.

"Hey, this is a restaurant, right?"

"Anything is fine, just bring me some food..."

Facing this man who practically had "I'm a vicious pirate" written on his face, a burly chef fearlessly approached him with a... menacing smile and asked,

"Sir, do you have money?"

?!

Click,

The flintlock pistol in his hand was pointed at the burly chef's head.

"Can I pay with bullets?"

Bang!

However, in the next second, the pirate holding the gun was punched to the ground! Even the chair he was sitting on shattered into pieces.

"No money?"

The burly chef, who had put away his "smile," coldly glanced at the man on the ground.

"A pirate without money won't even get leftovers!"

Bang, bang, bang!!

Punches and kicks,

It was another scene of a chef beating someone up, but compared to beating the Marine earlier, this time beating the pirate made everyone in the restaurant cheer loudly.

"Get rid of him—"

"Nice one, chef..."

"Well done!"

Hmm, not bad.

Roman's eyes flashed as he watched. This burly chef could even be a squad leader in the former Silver Pirates. But—he would only be a squad leader with a bounty of a few million.

Damn, what kind of chef is this? They're clearly all fighters!

While no one was paying attention, the Marine captain who had been knocked down quietly crawled towards the door, taking the shot Marine soldier with him.

"Alright, everyone, please continue dining~~"

After throwing out the troublemaking pirate, the burly chef turned and performed a disgusting curtsy. It seemed—only such a chef could run a restaurant in these chaotic seas.

*Cough, cough,*

The man who had been thrown out like a dead dog felt a deep sadness in his heart. Who would have thought that the battle captain of the Krieg Pirates, with a bounty of 12 million, the infamous Demon Gin, would fall to such a state? Today might be his last day...

Thud,

A plate of fried rice and a glass of water were placed in front of him by the blond waiter who had just beaten the Marine captain.

"Eat,"

"Ah... th-thank... thank you..."

"Thank you!"

"It's delicious!!"

Facing the pirate Gin, who was swallowing his food mixed with tears, the waiter leaning against the side took a puff of his cigarette.

How foolish of me to sympathize with a pirate who has committed countless crimes. But...

Giving food to the hungry is my life's creed, isn't it?

"Haha~"

Luffy, who was leaning against the window, grinned.

"We've found a good chef..."

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