The first rays of dawn had just begun to stretch across the sky when Gustave blinked himself awake. With a practiced motion, he summoned the Gate of All Worlds, stepping from the salty air of the Grand Line into the manicured courtyard he'd purchased in the Dragon Raja universe. Today's mission was a sacred pilgrimage: a trip to the morning market for the freshest possible ingredients.
The city where Gustave owned this small property wasn't Chu Zihang's hometown, but a place celebrated for its romantic ambiance and, more importantly, its extraordinary local produce. During the summer, the markets here overflowed with rare and exotic vegetables that reached their absolute peak, flavors he simply couldn't find anywhere else. Gustave had chosen a courtyard nestled in a quiet village just outside the main city, far from the bustling urban center. The handful of neighboring families kept to themselves—a strategic choice, as he'd long considered the possibility of Po visiting. Explaining a giant, talking panda to the local authorities was a headache he preferred to avoid.
He hopped onto the sturdy tricycle he used for errands, its bell giving a cheerful jingle as he pedaled toward the market. The cool morning air was a refreshing change, carrying the scent of damp earth and blooming flowers.
Though it was barely past seven, the market was already a hive of activity. Elderly residents, rising with the sun as was their lifelong habit, haggled amiably with vendors who were, for the most part, their peers. This was a place where tradition thrived, where vegetables were pulled from the ground just hours, sometimes minutes, before being sold. This was the quality Gustave demanded. The Bamboo Staff's reputation was built on the integrity of its ingredients; anything less than peak freshness was an insult to his craft.
He navigated the crowded stalls, his eyes scanning past the familiar stacks of cabbages and potatoes. He was hunting for the unusual, the seasonal, the ingredients that would challenge and delight his customers. He found what he was looking for: baskets of wild herbs, strange, gnarled roots, and tender shoots that most home cooks would shy away from. For Gustave, they were treasures.
After expertly loading his tricycle until it groaned under the weight of his haul, he pedaled back to the courtyard and stepped back through the Gate, returning to the Bamboo Staff to begin the day's preparations.
Back on the ship, the rhythmic thuds of morning training echoed across the deck. Po was patiently guiding Luffy and Ace through a series of demanding martial arts forms. Noticing Gustave's return, Luffy, whose experience with packaging was limited to wooden crates and burlap sacks, bounded over, his eyes wide with fascination at the crinkling plastic bags in Gustave's hands.
"Uncle Gustave! Are those the things you bought after you made that magic door appear?" Luffy asked, poking a bag curiously.
"That's right!" Gustave grinned, a mischievous glint in his eye. He knew exactly how to get a rise out of his charge. "These are all the special ingredients I hunted down just for you. You're in for a real treat today!"
"Really?" Luffy's face scrunched up in a look that said, I might not be the sharpest tool, but don't you dare lie to me about food.
"Really and truly," Gustave replied, theatrically opening one of the bags. "If you don't believe me, have a look yourself."
Luffy eagerly shoved his head into the bag, expecting some exotic fruit or a strange-looking fish. Instead, he found a wriggling pile of plump, milky-white grubs.
"Whoa! Can you really eat these bugs?" Luffy asked, his voice filled not with the disgust Gustave had anticipated, but with pure, unadulterated curiosity.
Well, so much for that. Gustave sighed internally. Luffy had never been one for conventional reactions.
"Of course, you can! These are bee pupae," Gustave explained, a little deflated that his prank had fallen flat. "They cost me a pretty penny, and let me tell you, the flavor is out of this world!"
"Really?" Luffy's complete and unwavering faith in Gustave's cooking meant he was already imagining the taste, his mouth starting to water.
"Absolutely! We'll have them for lunch, and you'll see what I mean," Gustave confirmed with a hearty laugh.
"Awesome!" Luffy cheered, already bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Now then," Gustave said, handing Luffy another large bag. "You and Ace can start by washing these. They're called Chicken-of-the-Woods mushrooms. Make sure you use these pumpkin leaves to scrub them down—it brings out an amazing freshness!"
"Roger that!" When a task involved food, Luffy's focus was absolute, a stark contrast to the lazy indifference he showed toward chores like cleaning the deck. Ace sighed but joined his brother, knowing there was no arguing when a meal was on the line.
By the time the boys had meticulously washed every last mushroom, lunch was fast approaching. As Gustave measured out the rice, a set of footsteps descended the main staircase. It was Chu Zihang.
"Shouldn't you be hitting the books in the Cassel College library?" Gustave asked, surprised to see him.
"I've finished my reading," Chu Zihang stated, his tone as crisp and direct as ever. "I have a theoretical understanding of dragons now. It's time to focus on practical combat strength."
"In that case, I should inform you that your free ride is over," Gustave said matter-of-factly. "From this point on, you'll be paying for room and board. I'm not running a charity."
During his brief previous visits, Gustave hadn't charged him, needing the connection to the Dragon Raja world. But if Chu Zihang planned an extended stay for training, business was business.
"I wouldn't expect otherwise," Chu Zihang replied without hesitation. "I intend to pay my way."
"Good. Now, I won't charge you for teaching you the Six Powers or Haki," Gustave continued, laying out the terms. "But in exchange, you'll be helping out around the ship. There's always work to be done on the Bamboo Staff."
"That is more than acceptable," Chu Zihang agreed, a hint of relief in his voice. He had been prepared for a steep price. The power systems here were far more flexible than the restrictive Word Spirits of his world. Learning them would be invaluable in his fight against dragons. The fact that Gustave was only asking for help with chores instead of a mountain of cash was a deal he'd take any day.
So, Chu Zihang trains in the One Piece world and then returns to his own to hunt dragons? Gustave mused to himself. That's a killer premise for a novel. I could call it 'The Dragon Slayer Who Came Back from the Sea'…
As Gustave's imagination began to spin, the Gate of All Worlds on the third floor creaked open once more, pushed from the other side. An entirely new set of guests was about to make their debut.
This time, it wasn't just one or two individuals. It was a whole crew. Six small figures, accompanied by a fluffy white dog, tumbled through the portal. There were four boys, a girl, and a baby who couldn't have been more than a year old. Their appearances were… distinctive.
Leading the pack was a boy with a head shaped vaguely like a potato, wearing a bright red shirt and yellow shorts. Beside him, a chubby baby with limbs like segmented lotus roots gurgled happily, while the little white dog yipped at her feet. Trailing them was a boy with a perfectly coiffed, sophisticated hairstyle, who, along with the potato-headed child, was one of the two primary guests invited by the Gate.
Next came a little girl in a yellow dress, her orange-red hair bouncing as she walked with the unmistakable air of someone born to take charge. Behind her shuffled a boy with an unusually large head and a permanent trail of snot dripping from his nose. Bringing up the rear was a timid boy with a haircut resembling a rice ball, his eyes darting nervously around the unfamiliar room.
There was no mistaking them. The legendary Kasukabe Defense Force had arrived: Shin-chan, Kazama, Nene, Bo-chan, and Masao, along with baby Himawari and their dog, Shiro.
"Shin-chan, where are we?" Masao whispered, clutching the back of Nene's dress. "This place looks… spooky. Are there monsters here?"
"Don't be such a scaredy-cat, Masao!" Shin-chan shot back, offering zero comfort.
"Based on my analysis of the architecture and the gentle rocking motion, I deduce we are aboard a seafaring ship. This appears to be a guest cabin," Kazama announced, adjusting his collar with an air of intellectual superiority.
"A ship?" Nene asked, hands on her hips. "But how did a ship get behind that door? And why were you and Shin-chan the only ones who could see it?"
"Duh," Bo-chan mumbled thoughtfully.
"Da, da, da!" Himawari babbled in agreement.
"Look! There's a staircase!" Masao pointed, his fear momentarily forgotten. "Maybe we should go see what's downstairs?"
"Kasukabe Defense Force, move out!" Shin-chan declared, not waiting for a consensus. He scooped up Himawari and Shiro in one fluid motion and bolted for the stairs.
"Shin-chan, wait!" Kazama yelled, exasperated, and gave chase.
The others had no choice but to follow their chaotic leader. They clattered down from the third-floor guest rooms to the second, emerging into a beautifully appointed dining area.
"This place is a restaurant!" Shin-chan declared, rubbing his rumbling tummy. "Now that you mention it, I'm starving! We never had breakfast!"
"Indeed. The tables and decor are consistent with that of a fine dining establishment," Kazama confirmed.
"Hima, are you hungry? I smell something super delicious coming from downstairs!" Shin-chan's powerful nose had already detected the incredible aromas wafting up from Gustave's kitchen. "Let's go get some grub!"
"Yeah!" Himawari squealed, clapping her tiny hands.
"Alright, let's go eat!" Shin-chan yelled, charging down the final flight of stairs with his sister and dog in tow, a tiny, unstoppable force of nature about to collide with the world of pirates and grand adventure.