Author: Xiao Yifeng
Translator: PapaSmurf0700
In the original story, every mighty kick Sanji unleashed was learned from Zeff. The old chef had once, with wooden leg, kicked Luffy from an upper level right down to the floor below. Now, with a newly regrown leg, the strength behind Zeff's kick was something to reckon with.
Crash!
Sanji found himself on the ground level, his face twisted from the impact. Yet, this time, he didn't rise in anger to clash with Zeff as he would have before. Instead, he propped himself up, cleaning a trickle of blood from his lip's edge. He understood the unspoken message in Zeff's kick: with his leg restored, nothing stopped Sanji to this ship anymore. But the thought of parting after so many years aboard brought a sense of unease. He simply bowed his head, assuring Zeff, "I'll be alright, old man." Without another word, he exited the room.
-----
Outside, on the Baratie's deck, Sanji stood with a cigarette dangling from his lips, his gaze lost in the sea's vastness. The view, however, offered him nothing, veiled as it was by an unusually dense fog that day. Then, footsteps echoed behind him. Without looking back, Sanji's voice, muffled by his cigarette, expressed his gratitude: "Thanks for fixing the stinky old man's leg."
It was Bai Ye who approached. "Remember, you're to join the future Pirate King's crew in return for that new leg. A fair trade, I'd say,".
Sanji left silently.
Luffy, with a friendly smack on Bai Ye's shoulder, urged, "Come on, Bai Ye, persuade Sanji to sail with us."
"Seriously? You're handing me the recruitment duties?" Bai Ye retorted, a hint of exasperation in his tone.
Zoro and Nami exchanged glances, their faces echoing a silent "sweet-talk him into it." Bai Ye couldn't help but think they looked like sly hyenas!
It's no wonder they relied on Bai Ye so much. After all, not only was he Luffy's first crewmate, but he had also played a crucial role in Zoro's decision to join. Even Usopp's introduction to the crew was a result of Bai Ye's initiative.
"Alright, alright..." Surrendering with a wave of his hand, Bai Ye agreed to their silent request and went to find Sanji.
-----
"Did you discover your pills in the fabled All Blue?" Sanji inquired when they met again.
"No," Bai Ye responded firmly, shaking his head. "All Blue is more a legend than a place you can set a course for. But, the sea is vast," he added, trailing off thoughtfully. He then regaled Sanji with tales of extraordinary places and foods, like a Peachy Island where everything was bizarrely pink even food, or where colossal giants used active volcanoes as grills for their meals.
"Really?" Sanji responded, lighting another cigarette and inhaling deeply. "So, even if it's not the All Blue, the sea still holds countless culinary wonders. Maybe it's time I venture out there."
Bai Ye's lips curled into a satisfied smile, realizing Sanji's heart was swaying. Though their path differed slightly from the one in his book, Sanji's willingness remained, and that was what mattered. Then, an idea struck Bai Ye, and he began describing the world's exotic beauties — mermaids with human body and fish tail, princesses of small countries such as Alabasta, and the like.
Sanji's reaction was immediate and extreme. A fountain of nosebleed and a loud "Ah!!" later, he was quivering like jelly, babbling about bidding the old man farewell.
Bai Ye could only stare. So, this was Sanji — a hopeless romantic on the one hand, and a dedicated chef on the other.
-----
But just as Sanji was about to seek out Zeff, he froze, his eyes fixed on the dense fog ahead. Bai Ye followed his gaze, and there, emerging from the mist, was the shadow of a massive ship. Even from a distance, it was clear this vessel was much bigger then the Baratie.
More importantly, it seemed this enormous ship was headed straight for their floating restaurant.
As the ship drew nearer, the restaurant's guests took notice. Panic set in when one of them, recognizing the pirate flag, toppled over the balcony, shouting, "That...that's the Krieg Pirates!!"
The ship was immense, boasting three decks, with a prow sculpted like a fierce panther. The flag featured a skull, on either side of which was drawn an hourglass — a haunting symbol of inevitable capture, impending doom, and the relentless message: "Sooner or later, you will surrender."
This was the notorious vessel of the East Blue's feared tyrant, Foul-Play Krieg!
Panic swept through the restaurant.
"What? Why is he here of all places?"
"We need to flee! If we stay, we're dead!"
Some patrons were shaking, others were already scampering to safety. But then, a collective realization dawned: the ship was in a dire state. It looked like it had barely survived a brutal clash with a naval force. The bow was half-obliterated, the hull scarred with alarming fissures, and the pirate flag — the very symbol of their defiance — was tattered.
A voice piped up, recalling a rumor: "Didn't someone spot Krieg entering the Grand Line with fifty warships not too long ago?"
This sparked a flurry of murmurs among the bystanders.
"What? They were decimated that quickly?"
"Out of fifty, this is the only one left?"
"The Grand Line is no joke; it's a graveyard for pirates."
Bai Ye shook his head, musing about the sheer misfortune of encountering the world's top swordsman right upon entering the Grand Line.
Amidst the rising commotion, figures began to disembark from the ship. Patty, spotting the man Sanji had previously fed, couldn't contain his outburst. "Sanji! You're the one who led the Krieg Pirates here!!"
Without a word, Sanji turned and headed for the kitchen, his mind seemingly made up as he saw the hunger etched on the faces of the pirate crew.
Bai Ye watched him go, choosing not to interfere. Some conflicts, he knew, couldn't be settled with words alone. He quietly joined Luffy and the others, waiting to see how the situation would unfold.
-----
Indeed, the scene that followed was tense. Krieg, in a moment of surprising humility, knelt and pleaded for a mere morsel of food. Sanji, without a word, served him a generous bowl of rice. However, the gratitude was short-lived. Revitalized by the meal, Krieg lashed out violently at Sanji.
Next, he demanded food for a hundred men and the Baratie's unconditional surrender. A wave of outrage swept through the restaurant.
Struggling, Sanji tried to regain his footing, only to find a hand extended toward him. It was Bai Ye's voice that broke through the chaos: "Now, do you still intend to prepare meals for them?"