Chapter 293: The Gourmet Kingdom

"White Ghost! I'm not your slave!"

Despite saying that, in the face of Adrian's orders, Shiki clearly had no way to refuse.

Holding the ghostly energy swords in both hands, Golden Lion, in his soul state, unleashed a terrifying speed rivaling that of his Devil Fruit abilities. His longsword slashed down at Shanks, tracing a ghostly blue arc through the air.

Shanks' eyes glowed red in response to the sudden attack, his Haki instantly activating. His body twisted and turned like a nimble fish, narrowly avoiding the strike.

Next.

Shanks' newly acquired sword, Kogarashi, transformed into a gleaming white line, aiming for Golden Lion's chest with a cunning angle.

"Jihahahaha!"

The experienced Golden Lion had anticipated Shanks' counterattack. He let out a hearty laugh but made no move to dodge, allowing Kogarashi to pierce straight through his chest without resistance.

Shanks, suspecting nothing, accelerated his thrust. Kogarashi whistled through the air, piercing Golden Lion's body completely.

However.

To Shanks' utter shock, the blade of Kogarashi, though it had pierced Golden Lion, seemed to pass through empty air, causing no harm at all.

"What!"

Shanks exclaimed in disbelief.

The Golden Lion tightened his grip on his two ghostly energy swords, which resembled his old companions Oto and Kogarashi, and swung them back down at the close-range Shanks!

At this critical moment.

Shanks swiftly withdrew Kogarashi, crouched slightly, and launched himself backward with explosive force. His arm moved with his wrist, creating an arc with Kogarashi's blade to block in front of him.

Clang, clang—

Two sharp collision sounds rang out as Golden Lion's energy swords struck Shanks' Kogarashi.

"As a ghost, how could I possibly fear a sword?"

The Golden Lion looked at Kogarashi with a mix of resentment and nostalgia. It had been his trusted companion for years, now turned against him.

Watching from the sidelines, Adrian couldn't help but curl his lips.

Even in his soul state, Golden Lion's sensory abilities and speed far exceeded Shanks' limits. Moreover, his swordsmanship was undoubtedly world-class, overwhelming Shanks at this stage.

Yet, under the deliberate control of this golden-haired loser, their fight somehow appeared 'evenly matched'!

During the original top war, the amount of effort Sengoku put in against Luffy probably wasn't much more than this…

Was this a nostalgic bond from the old days? Or did seeing that supreme straw hat automatically reduce Golden Lion's power by a percentage?

"Shiki, if Shanks remains unscathed," Adrian suddenly interjected, disrupting the seemingly "even" sword fight. "The one who gets hurt might be you."

Loving Roger, therefore loving Shanks?

{There was 'love' okay.}

How could I let my golden cash cow grow strong under such care?

"I am not your slave, White Ghost!!"

The Golden Lion's face darkened, recalling the painful, forgotten memories. He roared angrily, swinging his ghostly energy swords faster and faster in a series of spinning slashes.

Shanks took steady steps back, feeling the increasing force transmitted through Kogarashi with each strike, stronger than the last.

Despite sensing this growing power, Shanks still had no solution. Against Golden Lion, who surpassed him in both strength and speed, maintaining a defensive stance was already a significant feat.

Shanks used the famous sword, Kogarashi, to protect himself.

Clang—

Another clash resounded, like metal striking metal.

The Golden Lion's final spinning slash made Shanks' arm tremble, and his body involuntarily leaned back slightly.

"Damned brat!"

The Golden Lion roared, slashing his left-hand energy sword towards Shanks' exposed abdomen while his right-hand sword swept upwards.

Caught off guard, Shanks was forced to change his sword stance, barely blocking the incoming right-side slash with Kogarashi. Despite his efforts to dodge, he was still grazed by the upward sweep from the left, cutting across his torso.

Sss—

The razor-sharp energy sword easily sliced through Shanks' clothes, leaving a shallow wound on his left rib. Blood quickly stained his garment a mottled red.

"…"

Adrian opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.

Although Golden Lion had held back, Shanks still got injured, just as he had asked.

A flawless attack.

Quite the effort!

"Jihahahaha! Straw Hat boy, swordsmanship isn't just for defense!"

The Golden Lion, having landed a hit, didn't press the advantage. Instead, he stood in place, lecturing Shanks.

"I know!"

Shanks gritted his teeth, enduring the sharp pain in his left rib.

"And my name is Shanks! Not Straw Hat boy!"

"It's all the same! Straw Hat boy!"

The Golden Lion waved dismissively and continued casually.

"Are you from the East Blue?"

"I'm from the West Blue!"

As Shanks responded to Golden Lion's questions, he racked his brain for a way to counter a spirit body.

Armament Haki...

Would it work?

Dense black Armament Haki covered Shanks' forearm, quickly coating the blade of Kogarashi, turning the famous sword into a 'Black Blade'!

With the Black Blade in hand, Shanks attacked again.

Noticing Adrian's displeasure from the sidelines, Golden Lion snorted and stepped forward to meet Shanks.

His dual energy swords created an impenetrable curtain of light, blocking Shanks' every move.

"Too slow!"

"Not strong enough!"

"Compared to Roger, you're still far behind, Straw Hat Boy!"

…

While the duel between Golden Lion and Shanks raged on, Abyss Abyss was slowly sailing towards its next target island.

The "Food Kingdom" Sinoxia

The Sinoxia Kingdom, located on the Autumn Island in the Grand Line, is famous for its cuisine, with the cactus as its national flower.

Back when Adrian planned this entertainment and food route, the last three islands were—

The Movie Kingdom—Reveland Kingdom!

The Food Kingdom—Sinoxia Kingdom!

The Flower Kingdom—Spring Queen's Castle!

Due to unspeakable reasons, the Spring Queen's Castle will be skipped for now.

The Sinoxia Kingdom has been known as the food paradise of the Grand Line's paradise stage for hundreds of years.

This honor wasn't due to any legendary chef, but because of the kingdom's unique and bizarre foods.

The most famous of which is the "taco," named after the royal family! {Okay, it's Mexico}

The base of this dish is a thin corn tortilla, with customers adding their choice of grilled chicken strips or beef sauce, topped with tomatoes, shredded lettuce, cheese, and other ingredients. It is a feast for the senses.

In addition...

The reputation of Sinoxia Kingdom as the "Land of Cuisine" has attracted many curious gourmet tourists.

'Tequila' is another of Sinoxia Kingdom's most important specialties, even hailed as the soul of the kingdom.

This slightly spicy yet sweet-tasting liquor is a popular and highly sought-after product across the seas.

Among the tales and legends about tequila, the 'Tequila Maiden', known for her charming eyes, voluptuous figure, and sweet voice, is undoubtedly a favorite topic of discussion among the people.

Unfortunately, not even the citizens of Sinoxia Kingdom have ever seen the Tequila Maiden's face.

Three days later.

The Abyss, which had departed from Reveland Kingdom, successfully arrived at Gulbaba Island, where Sinoxia Kingdom is located.

"Adrian-sama!" Love gazed at the outline of Gulbaba Island with anticipation in her eyes, "Is this the legendary Gourmet Kingdom?"

"Perhaps it's more than just a Gourmet Kingdom."

Adrian also looked towards the island famed for its cuisine.

This island, especially its national flower and the famous dish "Taco," gave Adrian a strong sense of déjà vu.

Undoubtedly, Sinoxia Kingdom, like the previous Reveland Kingdom, is a peculiar island modeled after a country from his past life.

And judging by that "Taco," it was unmistakably Mexico...

As everyone knows, aside from Mexican cuisine, that region is also famous for another product.

Drugs…

Love looked over curiously, "Does the Gourmet Kingdom have any other nicknames?"

"No, no, I don't know."

Adrian swiftly dismissed her question.

Reality mirrors the story, but it might just be a wild guess.

After three days of swordsmanship (beating) training under Golden Lion, Shanks had several new bandages on his body.

Hearing Love's question, he couldn't help but say, "Actually, I think Totto Land and Boin Archipelago are more deserving of the title of Gourmet Kingdom than this so-called Sinoxia Kingdom!"

"I know Totto Land! It's the place where that pink-haired fat lady lives! Adrian-sama has been there before!"

Love raised her arm, as if showing off.

Shanks' mouth twitched. So Adrian had fought that terrifying old witch Charlotte Linlin too...

He truly is a monster!

Love asked, "But what is Boin Archipelago?"

"It's a unique archipelago that blooms like a flower, filled with forests that have all kinds of foods."

Shanks reminisced as he spoke.

"Hot dog bushes, bread stones, candy cane weeds, ramen waterfalls... Much like Totto Land, Boin Archipelago is also an island full of food. Everything on the island, even if it doesn't look edible, can actually be eaten, and tastes quite good!"

At this moment.

Adrian also recalled what the "Boin Archipelago" Shanks mentioned really was.

It was the place where Usopp trained alone during the Straw Hat Pirates' two-year training period.

That dreamy island filled with enticing foods was actually a group of carnivorous plants floating on the sea, scientifically named 'Stomach Baron'.

Because the island was filled with fragrant plants, it often attracted sea creatures, providing food for the Stomach Baron.

In short, this seemingly perfect food island was actually like a giant pitcher plant, using the food scattered around the island to attract and capture the "little fat pig" prey eating to their heart's content.

"Stomach Baron, sounds interesting... I wonder if it has a soul..."

Just as Love and Shanks were discussing whether Totto Land or Boin Archipelago had better food, Abyss slowly docked at Gulbaba Island's port.

Dr. Moy wanted to take on the responsibility of guarding Abyss like last time.

However, Adrian stopped him with a wave of his hand.

"Rumi, take Love, Abyss, and Dr. Moy into the castle." Adrian said softly.

"Shanks, take your 'Kogarashi' and get ready for battle."

"In this Gourmet Kingdom, there might be a unique competition waiting for us."