Although Charles didn't agree to join the Straw Hat Pirates, Luffy still generously treated the two to a meal.
Charles was also looking forward to Sanji's skills and handed over stored ingredients from other worlds for him to cook.
After learning about Charles's relationship with Stella, Sanji's eyes were practically bleeding with jealousy, but he still maintained gentlemanly poise.
As a chef, Sanji's zeal for exploring unknown ingredients was also sky-high, so he decided to prepare quite a lavish banquet.
With a chef's knife in hand, Sanji eyed the large slab of meat on the board. "So this is meat from a monster called a five-headed dragon. No wonder the texture is so peculiar—it looks like it'll need special techniques to cook."
As he spoke, he slapped away Luffy's head as it leaned in, keeping his drool off the ingredients.
Pressing a hand to his sword hilt, Zoro said, "A five-headed dragon, huh… No idea what kind of monster it is, but it must feel great to cut."
Charles said, "It's a real pain. If you don't chop all five heads off at once, it keeps regenerating."
The meat came from the five-headed dragon, a magical beast slain in the Land of the Sun in the Black Clover world.
Although the dragon's mana is toxic, its flesh is edible as long as it's cleaned thoroughly. Not only edible—quite tasty—so Charles took plenty with him.
Luffy suddenly said with longing, "Then that's endless meat! Charles, where else can you find monsters like that?"
That was Luffy for you—his angle of concern was certainly unique.
Charles shook his head. "I'm guessing the one I saw was the only one."
Luffy felt quite regretful about missing out on infinite meat, but he was still eager to taste dragon.
Meanwhile Nami had learned from Crocus how important Log Poses are on the Grand Line.
Just as Nami was fretting, Luffy pulled one out. Only after punching him skyward did she remember to ask where he got the Log Pose.
The Straw Hats' day-to-day really was unbelievably chaotic and fun.
According to Luffy, he picked it up after two weirdos on the ship vanished.
That reminded Charles of a certain character who appeared around this time in the original story.
Among the seven routes in the first half of the Grand Line, one starts at Whiskey Peak.
On the surface it's a resort island revolving around tourism and liquor, but in truth it teems with bounty hunters who prey on rookie pirates just entering the Grand Line.
And behind it all the island is controlled by Baroque Works, a syndicate of bounty hunters and assassins.
To feed the island's many personnel, they dispatched numbered agents to hunt the island whale Laboon for meat.
Those two even snuck into Laboon's body to kill him from the inside, only to be knocked out by Luffy on the spot.
When Luffy's group left Laboon's body, Charles had sensed two presences slip away. They went some distance, then doubled back and were now hiding nearby.
Just then Laboon bellowed underwater, and his massive tail whipped up from below.
Swept up by the wave Laboon raised, two people were flung ashore.
A man and a woman: the man wore a gaudy crown with what looked like "66" tattooed on his cheek, and the girl's aqua-blue hair was tied in a ponytail, showing a smooth forehead.
Charles's gaze also fell on the girl putting on a treacherous air.
People say women are born actors; this time Charles really believed it.
If he didn't know her identity, he might have thought she was a minor villain.
But she was still young; when Sanji went to support her, she instinctively showed the elegance and poise of her true identity.
Luffy readily agreed to let them hitch a ride and even invited them to the banquet.
After the banquet, Charles and company would be parting ways with Luffy's group.
The Straw Hats decided to take the route that starts at Whiskey Peak, while Charles and Stella wanted to check out Sky Island first.
Hearing Charles say "Sky Island," the whole crew looked intrigued, and Luffy came right up to him.
"Sky Island? Is there really a place that magical?" Nami, the navigator, couldn't help asking.
Charles answered, "Of course. This sea is full of wonders! That's why adventuring on it is so fun."
When Stella heard there were sky islands in this world, she reacted the same way. What girl could refuse an adventure in a world above the clouds? That's why Charles set Sky Island as their next destination.
There are sky islands in the New World too, but Charles didn't know their locations and could only aim for the one above Mock Town in Paradise.
So the next step was to get an Eternal Pose to Mock Town. As a notorious outlaw haven in Paradise, an Eternal Pose to Mock Town shouldn't be hard to find.
After hearing this, Luffy put a hand on his straw hat and sighed, "Yeah! Adventuring on the sea is the best!"
Charles waved. "Then let's part here. The sea's wide—we'll meet again down the line!"
With that, Charles tossed out a paper doll, and Zhongming spread its wings in midair.
He and Stella leapt onto its back. "We'll be off!"
Zhongming shot into the sky; it had to be fast—if Zoro and Sanji hadn't held him back, Luffy would've jumped aboard too.
Following the Log Pose Crocus provided, they arrived at a bustling island.
Zhongming touched down, and before Charles even reached the ground he heard voices.
"So the intel was right. There really is a man and a woman flying on a giant bird?"
Charles turned his head toward the man emanating malice at him.
He looked like a rock singer, with dusky skin, tight black curls, and sunglasses.
He wore a long coat with a "5" printed over the left chest.
At his side was a woman with a yellow-and-blue striped parasol, and the pairing reminded Charles who they were.
Baroque Works senior agent Mr. 5, the Explosion Fruit user Gem, and his partner Miss Valentine.
The seas are full of scum driven by greed. Even flying in the sky, Charles would now and then feel the malice wafting from passing pirate ships.
He'd learned to ignore the ill will of the irrelevant—but this time was clearly different. These two weren't just thinking about it.
"Hey. Baroque Works likes your pet. Hand it over nicely."
There was no room for negotiation. Mr. 5 dug a finger into his nose twice and flicked what he brought out at Charles.
Charles wasn't about to let something that filthy touch Stella. He pulled her behind him with one hand and flicked a gold coin with the other.
Boom!
The thing Mr. 5 flicked hit the coin and exploded on impact. Turning anything he touches into an explosive—that's the power of the Explosion Fruit he ate.
It's a strong ability, used in such a disgusting way!
In any case, Charles was thoroughly disgusted. He'd be putting this on Baroque Works' tab—in other words, Crocodile's. He'd just landed himself in big trouble!
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