Chapter 148: Sanji: I'm Entering the Sea King Showdown!
"How on earth was this golden fried rice made?"
Sanji racked his brain but couldn't figure it out.
"Shuchuan? Chrysanthemum Pavilion?"
"Never heard of them. Could they be from another sea, or maybe even the Grand Line?"
The other guests and chefs who saw Sanji's reaction were also moved.
If a dish could bring East Blue's top chef to tears and humble him, the most likely explanation was that it came from the mysterious Grand Line.
"No matter how delicious it is, how could food emit golden light?"
A chef voiced his doubt, speculating, "I've heard of Devil Fruits that grant strange powers. Could it be that the chef who made this dish had eaten a food-related Devil Fruit?"
He had once sailed the Grand Line with Zeff and knew that Devil Fruits existed.
Fang Yi sighed in exasperation.
This was the Pirate World's quirk—anything they couldn't understand was chalked up to Devil Fruits.
Upon hearing that,
Sanji lifted an eyebrow, visibly curious.
He had heard the rumors too.
If this dish came from a Devil Fruit, then its value was diminished. It wasn't true culinary skill, nor a reflection of a chef's spirit or mastery.
In that case, he hadn't been bested by a chef—only by a fruit. His pride as a top-tier chef would remain intact.
But—
Sanji didn't care for vain titles.
What he truly wanted was to meet a chef capable of creating a dish like that—not with a fruit's powers, but with pure skill.
His dream as a chef was to pursue ever-higher cooking techniques and bring joy through food.
Was it really a Devil Fruit?
Sanji held his breath without realizing it.
"It's not a Devil Fruit,"
Fang Yi answered definitively. "In another world without pirates or Marines, there exists a Gourmet World where extreme ingredients and powerful cooking skills are born."
"In that world, chefs aren't just chefs—they're explorers!"
"Like dream-chasing pirates, they travel far and wide in search of rare and dangerous ingredients—"
"Beasts whose flesh melts on the tongue and exudes a rich oil; trees that produce shrimp and crab meat year-round; springs that pour out endless brandy… Some ingredients are even more dangerous than Sea Kings."
"Every chef's dream is to catch those ingredients themselves and cook the ultimate meal—a life's work, their personal menu."
Fang Yi's voice drifted like a river, flowing into the hearts of everyone present.
In Cooking Master Boy and Toriko, the culinary techniques and ingredients were on another level.
Any true chef would be unable to resist.
And sure enough—
Sanji was utterly immersed. He muttered to himself, "A personal menu… That's right. Every real chef should have one."
To travel the world, hunt down the rarest and finest ingredients, and use the pinnacle of one's skills to complete a personal menu—
That was the true dream of a chef!
Compared to that, the All Blue suddenly felt like a stepping stone.
"Is this a joke? Another world?"
"Did I hear that right? He didn't say the Grand Line—he said another world?"
"What is this, some West Blue fairy tale? Another world, really?"
People whispered and murmured around them.
But after seeing Patty get effortlessly thrown, and the miracle of the golden fried rice, most kept their voices low.
They weren't fully convinced—but they weren't scoffing either.
Even people from the Grand Line often dismissed Sky Islands as a myth.
And here was this man talking about other worlds.
"I believe you!"
Sanji said with firm conviction.
Or rather, it wasn't about belief—he was willing to chase that new dream.
Sky Islands, other worlds—it didn't matter.
He had a new dream now: his personal menu!
Sanji took a deep breath and gave a deep bow. "Please tell me—how do I reach this other world?"
This man had produced golden fried rice, and spoken of a life-long menu.
He had clearly seen such a world himself.
Fang Yi shook his head. "It seems… you're not ready to pursue that menu yet."
Though phrased as a question, his tone was firm—like he could see straight into Sanji's soul.
Sanji looked disheartened, then said resolutely, "You're right. Baratie is my home. Old man Zeff still hasn't acknowledged my skills. But one day, I'll sail out and chase that dream…"
"One day?"
A voice cut in. A limping old man in a chef's hat entered the room.
"If you ask me," Zeff said mockingly, "you won't ever leave. Not even in a hundred years will your cooking be good enough to earn my approval."
"You old bastard! That's way outta line!"
The other chefs moved aside for Zeff, the head chef of Baratie.
He approached Fang Yi and gave a slight bow, then picked up a spoon and sampled the remaining golden fried rice.
For a long moment,
he stood frozen. Then, softly, "So that's how it is…"
WHAM.
He kicked Sanji hard, sending him tumbling.
Sanji scrambled out of the toppled tables and chairs. "Old man! What the hell's your problem!?"
"Get lost,"
Zeff said mercilessly. "Your cooking's not all that. You think Baratie will collapse without you?"
"If you want me to acknowledge your skills, then go. When you make something like that golden fried rice—then come back and face me."
The other chefs stood in stunned silence.
Even Head Chef Zeff had reacted like that. Just how good was that fried rice?
Sanji didn't speak.
He stared at Zeff.
After half a minute, he gave a bitter laugh. "Fine! If even you say so, then I've had enough of this dump!"
He turned to Fang Yi, eyes shining with excitement and anticipation. "Sir, I'm ready. Please tell me the path to complete my personal menu!"
"Over there."
Fang Yi pointed to a wall-mounted Den Den Mushi screen. "In the East Blue, that Trial Tower—it contains items that can take your culinary skills to the next level."
"Perfect!"
Sanji didn't hesitate. He quickly packed his things and stepped onto a small boat he used for ingredient shopping.
He didn't look back,
as if he had no attachment to Baratie.
"There's a crate of decent tomatoes in the lower hold. Don't forget to eat them."
Zeff's face was blank—but he spoke in the end.
"Shut up, old man!"
Sanji still didn't turn around, but his voice trembled. "It's just the East Blue. I can come back to Baratie any time. And when I do—
I'll take your head chef position!"
"Just wait!"
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