"Devil Fruit user? This guy hid it well."
Sanji, cigarette dangling from his lips, followed Luffy's extended neck out of the kitchen—
—and walked in on the feeding scene.
When his gaze landed on Nami, time seemed to freeze.
Sunlight through the portholes traced her fine profile and lithe figure; the pale neck under that orange short hair—an angel on earth.
"Ah, such a beautiful lady."
Sanji's eyes glazed with hearts, as if struck by Cupid's arrow.
The next second, his eyes nearly popped out.
After feeding Luffy, Nami casually picked up the spoon she'd just used, scooped her own pudding, and slipped it between her red, tempting lips.
It was reflexive; once she realized, she paused a beat—then kept going.
She comforted herself: they'd already slept in the same room, he'd even fallen on top of her—wasn't that worse than this?
Besides, no one saw it.
If no one saw it, it didn't happen. Perfect.
Sanji: "…"
That spoon!
That damned spoon!
The straw-hat punk just ate from it!
Isn't that an indirect kiss?!
Three minutes flashed by; Luffy finished slurping and let his head snap back to his body.
"Hey, brat—explain what you are to that beautiful lady!"
Like a starving ghost from hell, Sanji grabbed Luffy by the collar.
"What are we?" Luffy blinked.
He thought a moment.
After studying, his brain had finally picked up enough to grasp that sort of thing.
No room for misunderstanding.
He looked Sanji dead in the eye. "Nami is my most important navigator."
Most important navigator?
Of course. Heh.
Hand-feeding.
Same spoon.
What else could it be?
Damn it—if even that straw hat can find love, where's mine?
"You two have time to waste?"
Zeff came over, a touch surprised.
He shot Sanji a warning look. "Don't bother the passengers."
"Yeah." Sanji deflated.
"Don't worry, I'll keep an eye on him," Luffy chimed in.
"Hm?"
Zeff studied Luffy, then again, pondered, and finally nodded.
"If he does anything weird, just punch him."
"Got it."
Luffy nodded. Consider it entrusted by family.
Zoro and the others had all been recruited one by one; nobody had set terms like this.
Luffy grinned at Sanji.
The smile gave Sanji goosebumps.
"Hold on—what are you two plotting?"
"Nothing. Pack up and head out. You're fired," Zeff waved.
"Very funny—I'm the sous-chef!" Sanji fumed.
"And I'm the head chef. Forget whose ship this is?" Zeff stared him down.
Zzzt.
Lightning seemed to crackle between their eyes.
No—wasn't them.
"Uh, I've got a problem," Luffy scratched his head, a little embarrassed.
[ Multiple plan completions detected. Punishments downgraded from Phase Two to Phase One. Nutritional intake complete. Warning: Now begins Study Navigation with Nami. Proceed immediately. Countdown: 30, 29… 1. ]
For the first time, the countdown didn't scare him; Luffy almost wanted to laugh.
Zap away; it didn't affect him at all.
As long as it wasn't that punishment, he could take it.
Zeff had sailed the Grand Line and come back in one piece; he'd seen all kinds of Devil Fruit users.
Rubber was Paramecia, sure.
But what was with the electricity?
Rubber and lightning together?
Don't tell me it's a Mythical Zoan…
A deafening blast rocked the restaurant.
Troublemakers?
At once, Zeff and Sanji broke off their spat, faces going dark, muscles twitching.
From their expressions alone you could feel the anger.
Luffy had thought Sanji and Zeff were the cool types, not easily rattled.
Now he knew.
Everyone has a line you can't cross.
For chefs, it wasn't "making a scene."
Making a scene meant something else—
Waste. Desecration of food. Worse than a slap in the face.
Luffy felt it too: if anyone defiled his crewmates or his hat, he'd rage.
Sanji's business was his business now.
Was it that Marine from before?
"This place is requisitioned by me, Don Krieg! Everyone out but the cooks!"
A voice outside—loud, lawless.
"Tch. Trouble," Zeff's eye twitched.
He knew that name. The East Blue wasn't that big; famous pirates came and went in circles.
Don Krieg—the so-called overlord of the East Blue—big name.
That's why pirates chase fame.
Shout your name, everyone knows you, and dopamine hits like a wave.
Sanji took a hard drag, flicked the butt, and crushed it underfoot. "No manners. Time to teach him."
"None of your business," Zeff said.
"Hah? It is my business!" Sanji shot back.
Another argument brewing.
"Okay, okay—don't know the whole story yet, but Sanji's business is mine now. We're crewmates, right?"
Luffy grinned and pulled them apart.
"Straw hat, this is my restaurant. A dish washer doesn't get a say," Zeff snapped without looking back.
"Buzz off, stinky rubber—my restaurant doesn't need your meddling!"
Stubborn, both of them.
Just then, Luffy felt two slightly stronger auras flicker outside.
Huh?
That hunter's sense surprised him.
[ Now: Study Navigation with Nami. Proceed immediately. ]
[ Warning: Execute at once. Punishment escalating: 5,000,000 volts. ]
Zzzt!
While Sanji and Zeff argued, a surge arced off Luffy, shocking them both into silence.
What the hell?
Their hearts jumped. For a second they wondered if Luffy was a Don Krieg plant.
Why the shock?!