The salty sea breeze carried a rich aroma of food as Yun Lie and his group, aboard the Infinite Space, finally arrived at the renowned Baratie Restaurant in the East Blue.
From afar, the sea-faring restaurant, resembling a colossal warship, gleamed with an ancient yet vibrant luster under the sunlight. The deck was bustling with a continuous stream of diners who had come from far and wide, their laughter and the clatter of utensils intermingling into a lively ocean of sound.
The three people and one monkey could barely contain their excitement as they quickly boarded the restaurant.
As soon as they stepped inside, a waiter in a neat uniform warmly greeted them, his face wreathed in smiles, and led them to an empty table with a good view.
The waiter pulled out a few menus and handed them over, holding a pen and a notepad, and politely asked, "What would the three of you like to eat?"
Yun Lie casually flipped through the menu, the descriptions of various exquisite dishes catching his eye. However, he didn't hesitate for long. After a brief thought, he decisively said, "Hmm... just bring one of everything!"
Upon hearing this, the waiter's mouth twitched uncontrollably, and a look of surprise appeared on his face, but he maintained his smile and explained, "Sir, if you order one of everything, that's enough for more than ten people."
"Don't worry, young man, he's a very big eater. I guarantee nothing will go to waste."
Nami chuckled, her eyes curving into crescents, and quickly explained, easing some of the awkwardness.
Only then did the waiter relax. He asked no further questions, brewed a pot of fragrant hot tea for the three of them, and then turned to leave, preparing to arrange their dishes.
Not long after, a hurried sound of footsteps came from the kitchen, and a blond youth rushed out, his handsome face filled with anger.
He strode over to Yun Lie, slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups on it rattle, and shouted in an unfriendly tone, "Was it you who ordered one of every dish?!"
"It was me. Are you the chef?" Yun Lie looked up at the newcomer. His distinctive blond hair and curly eyebrows made him instantly recognize the person—Vinsmoke Sanji!
"I hate people who waste food the most in my life, you three… An… Angel?"
Sanji was still angrily trying to say something when his gaze inadvertently swept over Yun Lie and his group. When his eyes landed on Nami, exaggerated red hearts instantly popped out of his eyes, as if he had been enchanted. He immediately knelt on one knee before Nami, his face a look of infatuation.
"Eh? Eh?" Nami was somewhat flustered by Sanji's sudden action, her cheeks slightly flushed, and she recoiled a little.
"It's an angel, an angel has descended!" Sanji said fawningly, continuously muttering words of praise.
"Bang!" With a muffled thud, a slender wooden stick unexpectedly struck Sanji's head.
"Idiot! You're harassing female customers again!" A middle-aged man with only one leg, the other being a wooden peg, walked over from nearby. His eyes were sharp, and he exuded authority without needing to be angry.
This person was none other than the head chef and owner of Baratie Restaurant, the former leader of the Cook Pirates, and Sanji's benefactor, Red-Leg Zeff.
"Respected guests, I apologize for the trouble we've caused you. I'll take him away and teach him a lesson right now. Please don't take it to heart."
Red-Leg Zeff grabbed Sanji, who was trying to resist, and repeatedly apologized to Nami and the others, then dragged the struggling Sanji away.
Yun Lie watched this scene and merely smiled faintly, not pursuing the matter further.
He thought to himself that Sanji was indeed the legendary lecherous chef; he couldn't move when he saw a beautiful woman.
In the kitchen, the dragged-in Sanji forcefully broke free from Red-Leg Zeff's grip, glaring at him and shouting angrily, "Damn old man, what are you doing?!"
"I'm saving you! If I hadn't acted quickly, you'd probably be a corpse by now!" Red-Leg Zeff's face was grim, and he growled in a low voice, his eyes filled with a look of disappointment.
"What do you mean, old man?" Sanji saw Zeff's seriousness and stopped his tantrum, a puzzled expression on his face as he asked.
"That young man next to the two beautiful girls, his strength is definitely greater than mine, and those two girls are clearly his female companions. You go and provoke someone's female companion, do you really not know how to write the word 'death'?!"
The more Zeff spoke, the angrier he got, kicking Sanji. "I've traveled north and south for so many years, and my judgment has always been accurate. The moment I met his gaze, I knew he wasn't someone to be trifled with. The killing intent on him is far stronger than mine was when I was young! On the high seas, the strong rule. If you rashly offend a strong person, even if you die, you deserve it."
"You're lying, old man?" Sanji still couldn't quite believe it. Yun Lie looked to be around his age, so how could he possess such terrifying strength?
"I have no reason to lie to you. If you go and provoke him and die, I won't care, but don't implicate the others at Baratie Restaurant."
After Zeff finished speaking, he glanced at the other cooks in the kitchen, then walked to his own cooking station and began to focus on preparing dishes.
Sanji also stopped being unreasonable, temporarily suppressing his doubts, and quietly began doing his own work.
...
Time passed minute by minute, and soon, one delicious, aesthetically pleasing dish after another came out of the kitchen.
"I apologize for the wait."
Several restaurant waiters arrived at the table carrying plate after plate of exquisite dishes, carefully filling the tabletop to the brim.
Baratie Restaurant truly lived up to its reputation as a famous sea restaurant in the East Blue; every dish was perfect, making one's mouth water just by looking at them.
To the astonishment of the waiters and Sanji, who was secretly observing from the shadows, over ninety percent of the dishes on the table ended up in Yun Lie's stomach!
Nami and Nojiko ate relatively little, just a bit more than an average person's appetite. Little Kong, needless to say, ate the least.
"Bang!" Just then, the main door of Baratie Restaurant was forcefully pushed open, and several fierce-looking figures stormed in with an imposing aura.
"I'm starving! Bring me food, now!"
Leading them was a burly man carrying a giant axe, followed by several subordinates, each also wielding an axe, all with brutish faces and fierce eyes.
"Didn't you hear me? I'm Kamon, Captain of the Five Million beli bounty, the Giant Axe Pirates!"
Kamon swung the giant axe in his hand, and with a "crunch," he splintered a nearby table and chairs, then roared, his voice echoing through the restaurant, making many diners tremble in fear.
"Guests, please wait a moment, we will arrange it right away." Seeing this, several waiters quickly stepped forward to calm them down, and after much persuasion, the Giant Axe Pirates reluctantly sat down quietly.
But Kamon remained restless after sitting down. He scanned the people in Baratie Restaurant, and suddenly his eyes lit up as he noticed Nami and Nojiko's exceptional beauty and figures. Instantly, lust flared within him, and he revealed a lewd smile: "Oh? Those two girls over there are pretty good. Come over and keep me company. I'm definitely better than that pretty boy!"
Seeing that no one paid him any attention, an enraged Kamon once again hoisted his giant axe and menacingly walked to Yun Lie's table, looking down at Yun Lie: "Hey! I'm calling you, didn't you hear me?!"
"Three seconds, get out!" Yun Lie, having eaten and drunk his fill, didn't want to bother with him. He merely glanced at Kamon casually and said in a cold tone.
"Three." Yun Lie began to count down, his voice so calm that it showed no ripple of emotion.
"Kid, you're very arrogant, huh?" Kamon became furious and laughed instead, placing his foot on a stool, looking down at Yun Lie, his eyes filled with disdain.
"Two." Yun Lie's voice remained flat, as if stating the most ordinary thing.