"Nami, Uta, look quickly, ahead!"
Nami stood at the bow, her eyes shining as she pointed into the distance. Huge whales surfaced one after another, sending fountain-like water columns high into the sky, creating a breathtaking spectacle.
"Wow, amazing!"
"It's spectacular!"
"So cool!"
Nami and Nojiko, both on their first journey at sea, were thrilled. They were close in age to Uta and, being outgoing, quickly became good friends, laughing and playing together on the ship.
Up on the mast platform, Buggy was grumbling to himself. It was his favorite spot, though not because of the view.
"We need to get out of here, damn it!" he muttered under his breath.
"Shouldn't have boarded this ship in the first place! No treasure, just endless chores! I'm the great Buggy, where's my dignity?!"
He raised his binoculars, scanning the horizon for an opportunity to escape. The open sea stretched endlessly, and as a Devil Fruit user, leaving without a ship was a risky gamble.
Suddenly, something caught his eye through the spray of the whales.
A ship—big and colorful—appeared in the distance. Its deck was adorned with large fishhead carvings on both ends, and it had an impressively bloated belly, even fatter than a typical merchant ship. Though slow, it was spacious, with a three-story structure and smoke puffing out of the chimneys. Buggy squinted and focused.
BARATIE.
"Huh? Baratie?!" he exclaimed, startled.
"Eh? Did you see that? Looks like your luck's finally turning, Buggy!" A voice suddenly came from beside him, making him jump in fright.
"AH! What are you doing, sneaking up on me like that?!" Buggy's eyes nearly popped out, his tongue hanging out in shock. "I thought you were a ghost!"
Leno, crouching nearby, sighed. "I've been here the whole time, didn't you notice?"
"Ghosts, ghosts everywhere!" Buggy clutched his chest dramatically, heart pounding.
Leno chuckled and took Buggy's binoculars to look. Indeed, it was the famous sea restaurant, Baratie—their destination.
"You're right, Buggy. If it weren't for you, we might have missed it, hidden behind these whales. Your luck's something else."
Leno smiled, amused by Buggy's unusual ability to bring both fortune and disaster. After leaving the island where Kuro had obtained the fruit, Leno had noticed a strange pattern. What should've been a smooth journey turned into a series of misfortunes—storms, attacks from Sea Kings—it was endless. Leno had started to wonder if Buggy's presence was a curse.
But then again, maybe Buggy's luck was the key to balancing it all out.
Just as Leno was contemplating their strange luck, the sea began to churn violently. A massive octopus burst from the depths, its tentacles thrashing wildly as it wrapped around the whales. It was a Sea King, and now, it was turning its attention to their ship.
"AHH!!!"
"Wow!!!"
"So big!"
Below deck, Uta, Nami, and Nojiko were shouting in amazement, unaware of the danger. Bell-mère, who had been sparring with Kuina, rushed to their side and shielded them.
"Careful!" Bell-mère called out, her instincts kicking in.
Since joining Leno and leaving Cocoyasi Village, Bell-mère had returned to her former Marine training. Once a promising recruit, showcasing her talent. Though she had left the Marines, her skills hadn't dulled. If she had a Devil Fruit and Haki, she would be a formidable force.
But this wasn't her fight.
Kuina was already in position, faster than Bell-mère. With a single stroke of her sword, she cut through the octopus's tentacles, severing them with precision.
"One-Sword Style Slash!"
The octopus screeched, its severed limbs flailing as it went into a frenzy, attempting to crush the ship in its death throes.
Buggy, meanwhile, had turned a sickly shade of green. "We're all gonna die! That thing smells awful!"
Leno shook his head at the sight. Buggy's luck really was unpredictable.
As the octopus loomed over the ship, Leno fixed his gaze on its giant eyes, releasing a wave of Conqueror's Haki. His control over Haki had greatly improved, allowing him to direct it precisely. This time, he combined Conqueror's Haki with the aura of Observation Haki, delivering a devastating blow that overwhelmed the creature's mind.
The octopus froze in terror, its eyes rolling back as it lost consciousness, its tentacles falling limp. It collapsed into the sea with a splash, leaving the waters calm once more. The whales, sensing the danger was gone, dove back into the depths, and only the octopus's lifeless body floated on the surface.
Leno hopped down to the deck, smiling at the girls. "How about an octopus feast tonight?"
"Yeah!"
"Octopus dinner, octopus dinner!" Nami and Uta cheered.
Bell-mère, seeing Leno surrounded by the happy children, couldn't help but smile as well.
Baratie.
Because it has just opened for less than half a month, the reputation has not yet spread, and there are very few guests.
The blond kid is mopping the ground.
Currently, there are only two people in the Baratie restaurant.
A Head Chef Zeff.
A Sous Chef Sanji.
There are no handymen, only Sanji.
Zeff euphemistically calls it exercise.
"Listen well, Sanji, an excellent chef must control everything in the restaurant!" Zeff said.
"So, you're just smoking cigarettes and reading newspapers? Why am I working alone? It's not fair!" Sanji complained.
"Exercise, this is exercise for you!" Zeff said.
He was holding the East Blue news paper, and the headline had nothing to do with the Hunters Guild, but his newly opened Baratie Restaurant.
A restaurant in the middle of the sea?
No advertising, no publicity, no customers at all.
You have to catch your own food!
The next page is about the Hunter's Guild.
In recent months, this organization has caused quite a storm in East Blue and has become a hot topic among many people.
Especially the few big things they did.
Defeating Kuzan, destroying the Scarlet Fleet, rebuilding Elegia, and reportedly saving the fashion capital of Glass Ball Island.
In this era of great pirates, not only do you not join forces with pirates, but you also do what the Marine World Government should do?
Such a maverick Hunter's Guild is simply a breath of fresh air, bringing a new atmosphere to East Blue.
Many kingdoms and small islands.
Especially non-World Government member countries and small islands have greatly increased their interest in Hunter's Guild.
Hope to plant the banner of the Hunter's Guild.
Suddenly.
The sea shook.
Sanji mopped the floor, the bucket of water tilted, and the sewage spilled all over the floor.
Have to!
Nothing!
Sanji yelled angrily.
At this time, a shadow covered it, blocking the sunlight at the door and making the restaurant dark.
"What?"
Sanji walked towards the door with a mop in his hand. When he saw who was blocking the door, he threw away the mop in shock and shouted:
"Octopus!"
Ordinary octopus, of course Sanji is not afraid.
But.
Is this octopus too big?
It is a circle bigger than their ships.
Sea Kings!
Zeff had come over, one of his legs replaced by a prosthetic, was nailed to the ground, making a sharp "cracking" sound.
Standing at the door.
Only then did he see that there was a boat on the side of the big octopus, and the flag flying on it made his eyes narrow.
"Hey, Leno, the octopus is blocking the boat, approaching the berth!"
"OK!"
Then, behind the big octopus, a man pulling the octopus' whiskers flew up, and he pulled the octopus away, allowing the boat to sail in.
The iconic flag, and the distinctive windbreaker.
Sanji was shocked and said, "Old man, they are the Hunter's Guild?!"
"Yeah!" Zeff nodded.
The ship approached the berth, and after it came to a complete stop, Bell-mère, Kuina, and Uta, Nami, and Nojiko came down first.
"Wow, beauty!"
Seeing them.
Sanji, who was originally angry because the bucket was knocked over, suddenly decided to forgive them, with love in his eyes.
Gentleman, how can you be angry with a girl?
"What lovely little beauties! An angel must have come!"
Sanji was happy to take off.
Boom!
A hat interrupted his takeoff.
Zeff's high hat is not as good as Garp's fist, but it is also full of "love," causing Sanji to hug his head in pain.
"Don't be rude to your guests!"
"Knew!"
Sanji grunted.
Buggy was the last to disembark, looking left and right.
"Is there anything that can escape?"
Buggy pinched his chin.
He scratched his head: "Damn it, it's hard!"
Suddenly!
A figure fell from the sky and came to the door of the restaurant.
Leno looked at Zeff and Sanji.
The style of the two is still very obvious.
Zeff wears a chef's costume and a very tall chef's hat.
The face is square, and in the eyes, there is a kind of calm after experiencing the storm.
Golden beards with braids.
The right foot is a wooden prosthesis.
Sanji is still a kid, also wearing a chef uniform, but no hat, he is just a trainee chef now.
Has blond hair and curly eyebrows.
He was originally the third son of the Vinsmoke family.
Two years ago.
With the help of his sister Reiju, Sanji escaped from Germa 66 and was exiled by his father.
Soon, he met Zeff who came to rob.
Hearing that his dream is to find "ALL BLUE," Zeff became interested in him.
Then, they encountered a storm.
Zeff and he were stranded on an isolated island, with no food left.
Zeff cut off his right leg.
After 48 days, he was finally rescued.
Because of the experience during that time, they experienced the pain of starvation at sea, so they opened this Baratie restaurant.
Facing the honorable East Blue Hunter's Guild president.
Zeff didn't grovel.
His temper is actually very smelly, he folded his arms and said:
"Welcome to Baratie, what do you want to eat?"
Leno smiled, raised his hand with his thumb, and pointed at the octopus backwards, saying: "It, I want an octopus meal!"
"Ah? Hey, can you eat such a big octopus?"
Sanji exclaimed.
Then, he frowned and said very seriously: "Wasting food is a shameful thing!"
Zeff said: "Although the ingredients are brought by the guests, our restaurant has a rule that food must not be wasted!"
Leno said: "Could it be that you can't do it? Cooking this kind of Sea Kings is a test of the chef's level!"
He and Zeff looked at each other.
After a while.
Zeff said: "Please come and sit inside!"
He moved out of the way.
Leno and the others sat at the long table.
Nami worried: "Leno, can we really finish eating?"
Bell-mère, and Nojiko looked up at him.
Kuina and Uta looked at each other and shrugged.
Buggy pretended to be mysterious, folded his arms, and said, "Don't worry! He's a big eater, he can even eat bitter sheep!"
"Eh?"
"But, bitter sheep, what is it?"
"Ah, that is, the meat is very bitter, meat more bitter than medicine."
"This guy is a monster. I suspect that if you are hungry, even steel, earth, rocks, and trees can be used as food!"
"What!!!"
"Is that so?"
Leno was speechless and said: "Don't listen to Buggy's nonsense, who can eat that?"
He was trying to see if the Lord of Gluttony talent can consume stones.
On a whim, he ate a few pebbles and was seen by Buggy.
Then.
With Buggy's big mouth, he was called a monster who would eat stones if he was so hungry.
The sinners who bluffed did not dare to approach Leno when he was eating.
They were afraid that he would catch a sinner and eat it to add to the fun.
Certainly.
Leno concluded that The King of Gluttony can digest stones but cannot absorb any "nutrition" from them.
This is quite different from the Munch-Munch Fruit.
"Really fresh ingredients, rare to find!"
Overboard.
Holding a kitchen sword, Zeff first performed a "physical examination" on the big octopus and found that the body of the octopus was still alive.
It's just that it seems to be unconscious, like a vegetable.
Such Sea Kings.
So fresh?
In his eyes, the big octopus began to differentiate into different dishes, which part should be made into what.
With the recipe in mind, Zeff took a deep breath, his feet shook, the boat tilted slightly, and he flew up and kicked out.
Boom!
The huge octopus was kicked into the air from the sea by him.
"Wow, that's amazing!"
Having nothing to do, Uta, Nami, and Nojiko lay at the window, watching Zeff process the ingredients.
It is also an experience for restaurant visitors.
"Such a big octopus kicked up?"
Bell-mère is incredulous.
Kuina blinked slightly.
"This old man is quite powerful!"
Buggy was surprised.
Leno watched with a smile, not too surprised.
Zeff, nicknamed Red-Shoes.
Possesses very good legs.
It can easily break rocks and make marks on steel.
The wind kicked by his prosthetic right leg is enough to stop a bullet.
How to put it, he is also a person who has been in the Grand Line for a year, and he is not comparable to the small fish and shrimps in East Blue.
From Leno's point of view, if Zeff had to deal with Sea Kings, he would be no match.
Therefore.
Leno was also surprised.
Zeff can kick up such a big octopus.
A large amount of sea water spilled.
Zeff kicked the octopus into the air, still stepping on the boat with one foot, and in the air with his right leg.
Zeff drew a large cooking sword, preparing to split the octopus into different parts.
"Yoh!"
The sword was drawn from the sea, and the octopus, which was still in the air, was split into several pieces by Zeff.
He slashed three times, the pieces fell on the boat.
The chef lifted a few pieces of the octopus and began to carve the skin and meat. At this time, the big octopus had already lost its life and could be divided into different parts.
"Wow, the whole process is so amazing!"
Nami, Kuina, Uta, and the others looked at each other.
They felt that this kind of amazing cooking skill should be used on the big stage of the Grand Line.
Of course.
For Leno.
As long as the ingredients are good, any part of the Sea Kings is worth eating.
The octopus was not thrown away, all the flesh and the parts that could be used were kept.
Now.
The delicious food was finally on the table.
The big octopus, in front of Leno, was made into several dishes.
Such as grilled octopus, octopus sashimi, braised octopus, and octopus sushi.
All kinds of dishes with different flavors were served.
The whole restaurant was filled with the fragrance of food, making everyone swallow their saliva.
"It's so fragrant!"
Nami exclaimed.
"Thank you, Zeff!"
Leno smiled.
Finally, this meal, with Zeff's cooking skills, was delicious, and he had been waiting for a long time.
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+30 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg
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