You can read ahead up to 90 chapters on my patreon and I've also activated (date to date) subscription model on my patreon https://www.patreon.com/darkshadow6395
As long as I reach 200 dollars on my Patreon, I will post 10 extra bonus chapters per month in batches of 5 for that month. If I reach 300 dollars then I will post 15 extra bonus chapters in batches of 5 for that month. If I reach 400 dollars then I will post 20 extra bonus chapters in batches of 5 for that month. So come and support me.
Gently swirling the steel spoon, Rowen lifted the crystal-clear soup to his lips. Instantly, a burst of rich, savory flavors exploded on his tongue— an extraordinary combination of freshness, aroma, and depth.
Though it appeared to be nothing more than a bowl of clear broth, this World-Class Soup contained dozens of distinct flavors perfectly harmonized together. There wasn't a single excess or discordant note, providing a truly remarkable culinary experience.
Rowen, who had mastered Life Return, could confidently state that this soup had been crafted to the very pinnacle of its potential.
The remaining issue, however, lay in the ingredients...
"The ingredients are a bit on the low end," Rowen critiqued, his gaze thoughtful as he savored the taste. "If you were to use the bones of a four-finned bannerfish, a delicacy native to the Grand Line, as the base for the broth, I believe the flavor would reach even greater heights."
Rowen offered his critique before smiling with satisfaction, "Nonetheless, to create such a delectable dish using ordinary ingredients, Sanji...isn't it?"
"I look forward to the main course."
"Four-finned bannerfish bones... is it?"
Sanji seemed to miss the latter part of Rowen's sentence, his mind preoccupied. After a moment of silent contemplation, he looked up and asked, "Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), have you ever heard of the legendary sea known as 'All Blue'?"
"Sanji! Stop pestering Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon) with your nonsense. Get back to the kitchen and focus on cooking!" Zeff, his expression stern and unforgiving, poked his head out from the kitchen and shouted angrily.
Rowen waved his hand to calm Zeff down, replying, "All Blue, the mythical sea that every chef dreams of— a wondrous ocean said to contain all the ingredients from the four seas."
"Of course, I've heard of it."
And not just once.
I have heard it from your very own lips.
Sanji's eyes sparkled with excitement as he eagerly asked, "Then do you know where it is?"
"Well, that's a bit complicated..."
Rowen leaned forward, resting his chin on the spoon, and smiled, "The scholarly community is still debating whether All Blue even exists."
"Some argue that it's merely a legend, as the seas have vastly different levels of acidity, climate, and temperature. Scientifically speaking, it's improbable for there to be an ocean that houses all the marine life from the four seas."
Sanji's eyes briefly lost their shine, but before he could dwell on it, Rowen continued.
"However, others suggest that All Blue is actually the area where the five sea currents converge at Reverse Mountain."
"Due to the reverse flow of these sea currents, the rushing waters can carry marine life from all four seas up to Reverse Mountain, forming a region where one might indeed find all kinds of ingredients."
Rowen wasn't simply fabricating this idea; it was based on solid reasoning.
When he first encountered this theory, he immediately found the second hypothesis plausible.
People have occasionally stumbled upon creatures at the foot of Reverse Mountain that don't belong to the sea they set sail from. Rowen pondered if, long ago, others had experienced similar phenomena.
Over time, as tales were told and retold, the legend of All Blue came to be.
"Reverse Mountain, huh?"
Sanji murmured, furrowing his brow.
In this world, few are unaware of the existence of Reverse Mountain. It is, aside from Marine vessels equipped to cross the Calm Belt, the only passage for others to travel between the Four Seas and the Grand Line.
This explanation seemed logical to Sanji.
However, deep in his heart, he still believed that All Blue was far more than just that.
In the deepest parts of the sea, he held faith that there still existed an undiscovered, miraculous ocean!
"Alright, Sanji. Don't let these thoughts trouble your state of mind."
"Whether All Blue exists or not, the best way to find out is to search for the answer with your own eyes, rather than rely on the words of others."
Rowen lightly tapped the edge of his plate, producing a crisp, resonant sound.
"Discovering the truth with my own eyes..."
Sanji hesitated for a moment before a broad, genuine smile spread across his face. "I understand. Thank you, Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon)!"
"You're welcome. Consider it a token of gratitude for letting me taste such exquisite cuisine."
Next, the host and guest enjoyed a pleasant conversation.
Naturally, the "host" here referred to Baratie, or more accurately, the head chef Sanji, while the one entertaining Rowen, Vazat, was caught in an awkward state of mind throughout the event.
"Thank you for the wonderful meal!"
With a gentle "ding" sound, Rowen set down his cutlery and removed his napkin, beginning to tidy his clothes.
"Now, I'd like to have a private conversation with Vazat San. Boss Zeff, could you kindly give us some privacy?"
"Naturally, that's no problem at all!"
Seeing Rowen finally finish eating and drinking, Zeff sighed in relief and quickly nodded, "You're too kind, Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon). We'll leave you two alone immediately."
With that, Zeff and the other chefs fled the dining area as if escaping a disaster.
Unlike that naive young brat Sanji, they were well aware of what it meant to kill and be killed. Marine's Soryu (Azure Dragon) had earned his reputation by wading through mountains of corpses and seas of blood. To them, he was a fearsome monster akin to a raging flood.
Once Sanji had left the restaurant and closed the door, Rowen's expression gradually turned cold as he spoke, "There are no listening Den Den Mushis, and the nearest fishing boat is ten kilometers away. Say what you want to say."
Vazat's face flashed with fear and struggle. Standing in front of Rowen, he clenched his fists tightly. Finally, he let out a long breath, as if feeling a sense of relief, and calmly spoke.
"I want to leave the intelligence organization, Vice Admiral."
"I know. Because of your wife and two sons, you don't want to continue living this rootless life, and you wish to return to the light."
Rowen said something that made Vazat's pupils suddenly constrict.
If it weren't for the vast difference in combat power between them and Rowen's reputation for not being bloodthirsty, Vazat might have risked everything to confront him with accusations.
"Tell me something I don't know, Vazat."
"For example..."
"Why should I agree to let you leave?"
"Or perhaps..."
"How can I be sure that once you leave the organization, you won't leak our secrets?"
This sentence brutally laid out a bloody future in front of Vazat.
An incident of betrayal by a manager in the New World had become a thorn in Rowen's side when he reorganized the Assassination Force. Though he had removed the thorn, it left a scar.
Rowen would never allow it to happen again.
Vazat's thoughts were in turmoil. He understood that whether he and his family lived or died depended on his next words.
From the moment he took on the role of manager for the East Blue intelligence network, he knew that the only way out of this door was horizontally.
Once, he was passionate and full of zeal, willing to sacrifice everything for justice.
But over the years, the disbandment of the Assassination Force had wasted too much time.
In despair, even the strongest steel bends to gentle fingers. The birth of his son added a new layer of care to his life. He cherished his son as if he were a fragile treasure.
Looking back at his younger self from decades ago, Vazat suddenly realized.
"Ah, so I am just an ordinary, selfish person."
The passionate young man who once risked his life for the justice in his heart was long gone, leaving only a heavy shell worn down by the winds of time.
Appeal to emotion? Persuasion with reason?
Absolutely not!
Vazat had carried out several assassination missions himself. Did he think those innocent people begging for their lives deserved to die?
Certainly not.
Yet he still carried out the acts.
Was he serving justice?
Yes, he had even been commended multiple times.
This is a job without right or wrong; those who kill will be killed. It's not a matter of lacking emotion but rather having no need for it.
Ah, the pros and cons!
An idea suddenly lit up in Vazat's mind— a crucial point.
"Vice Admiral Soryu (Azure Dragon), it's not that I'm unwilling to continue as a manager, but the current East Blue is not what it once was."
"Oh? Tell me your thoughts."
Rowen looked at him with a slightly surprised expression.
He hadn't expected to find someone who understood.
---
(End of Chapter)