There was nothing Martha needed to do now except serve the Spade Pirates their food. She hadn't heard or read anything about the Spade Pirates being the kind of criminals who looted villages or towns. They had generally only been in the news for fighting with and defeating other pirate groups or, occasionally, for looting treasure from those groups. So, one thing was clear: at the very least, these members of the Spade Pirates weren't outright evil.
And besides, behind the counter where she was standing, she already had a gun within easy reach, which she could fire at any time for self-defense. Although Martha was the proprietress of Martha's restaurant, she was also a woman who was not to be trifled with. Her posture, straight and steady as she watched her staff, showed she was quite a bold woman.
(She felt the cool grip of the weapon beneath the counter's surface, a silent reassurance.)
Soon, the waiters served the Spade Pirates their first round of food. Even more food was being prepared for them in the kitchen, judging by the flurry of activity and the sizzle from the back. After all, Ace alone was known to have a huge appetite. Even if the rest of the members of the Spade Pirates didn't eat much, Ace alone would consume an incredible amount of food, practically enough for a small crew.
While the Spade Pirates were immersed in their food, suddenly, the gate of Martha's restaurant swung inward. Hearing the cheerful chime of the bell, Martha, who was diligently polishing a glass behind the bar counter, immediately looked up. She saw a young man with white hair, dressed in a black jacket and black pants, his eyes conspicuously covered by a blindfold.
(A tiny flicker of surprise crossed her face before it settled into a warm, familiar smile.)
She immediately called out to him, "Gojo. It has been quite a while since I last saw you. Today, I was just talking with Seto about you. I certainly didn't expect you to come in today."
Gojo, who was holding his sheathed sword loosely in his right hand, inclined his head toward Martha and replied, "I have been training intensely for this past year. Fearing that I might forget how to even talk to humans, I had no choice but to come out from the forest," he said jokingly, a light chuckle escaping his lips.
Martha, after hearing Gojo's characteristic joking words, smiled widely and then asked, "Would you like to have the same usual food?"
Gojo nodded once. "Yes, definitely," he confirmed.
He then chose a seat right at the bar counter, and Martha served him a tall glass of juice to drink while he waited. From the moment Gojo entered Martha's restaurant, she was not the only one observing him. There was one other person who was watching his every move with focused attention, and that was the captain of the Spade Pirates, Ace.
Skull, observing his captain's intense focus, asked, "What happened, Captain? You seem to be interested in that boy." Then, clearly struck by Gojo's appearance, he added, "He sure is quite handsome. Damn, how can someone be this handsome?"
The others at the table were also clearly amazed by Gojo's looks. He was undeniably very handsome, even with the blindfold covering his eyes.
Ace did not immediately reply to Skull's question. He simply continued to stare at the white-haired young man.
So, Masked Deuce made a joke, leaning forward slightly. "Don't tell me, Captain, you've suddenly realized you're into men, and you've fallen for that pretty boy."
As soon as Masked Deuce said this, all the remaining members of the Spade Pirates started laughing loudly, the sound echoing lightly in the cozy restaurant. Ace, at this point, chuckled along with them and shook his head.
"It is not like that, you fools," Ace said, a genuine smile on his face.
(He took a brief moment to finish the bite of food he had been holding.)
"It's just that it has been a long time since I last felt a powerful presence like the one he gives off. He is definitely quite powerful. At the very least, he is very much equal to me in strength."
Skull, still teasing, pressed him. "So what, now you can assess someone else's strength just from a distance?"
Ace shook his head again, his expression growing serious as he looked back at Gojo. "It's not that, exactly. I just feel that he is quite extraordinary. After all, I have lived for most of my life in the forest, hunting. So I know the primal sensation which a powerful predator at the top of the food chain gives. I can feel that specific sensation from Gojo. That boy... he is definitely very powerful."
(A low, thrilling tension tightened in Ace's chest, a feeling he only got before a real challenge.)
After hearing his words, all the members of the Spade Pirates finally nodded, seeing the serious and determined face of their captain. They understood that Ace was not joking about the boy's strength. So, they immediately restrained themselves from commenting about Gojo rashly. Who knew what the true nature and temper of the boy sitting so calmly at the bar might be? Although the young man looked quite refined and handsome, that certainly didn't mean his actions or fighting style needed to be refined.
Just at this moment, while Gojo was talking casually with Martha and the Spade Pirates were talking among themselves and enjoying their dinner, the gate of the restaurant was suddenly pushed open quite violently. The door hit the wall with a loud bang that silenced the entire room.
(The sound was sharp and unwelcome.)
A man with a wide, bushy mustache strode into the restaurant, his eyes immediately searching around the whole establishment with a hungry, predatory look.
When his eyes finally fell upon the Spade Pirates, seated comfortably at their table, he grinned, showing a gap in his teeth. He immediately spoke in a loud, rough voice that carried across the sudden silence. "My subordinates were not lying when they said they had spotted the Fire Fist Ace here in this restaurant in Shellpoint Town. I was just here in Shellpoint Town to buy some necessities, but I did not expect to get such a good chance to make a name for myself." After saying that, he threw his head back and let out a loud, grating laugh.
Gojo, who was sipping his juice and sitting casually at the bar counter, felt quite annoyed by the loud, grating laugh of this new pirate. However, not wanting to cause unnecessary trouble for himself, he didn't care much about the man's presence. As long as the pirate didn't do anything detrimental to Martha's restaurant or threaten Martha or himself, Gojo resolved that he would not interfere in any way.
It wasn't that he was totally unaware of what the Spade Pirates had been talking about him; he had overheard their conversation. But he was quite used to being called handsome or a "pretty boy." Such comments were quite common for him, and they no longer mattered much. He had heard it so many times that the attention didn't even bother him anymore.
So, when he initially overheard the name Ace, he didn't pay it much mind.
(He paused for a beat, a faint memory stirring behind his blindfold.)
He did remember the name, and only one person immediately came to mind: the son of the Pirate King, Gol D. Roger—Portgas D. Ace. But he was not absolutely certain; after all, "Ace" could be the name of any other pirate in the world. So, he didn't say anything or even react in any surprised manner that would suggest recognition.
Then, when the new pirate who had just entered Martha's restaurant looked towards the Spade Pirates and announced Ace's name loudly, specifically using the moniker "Fire Fist Ace," Gojo finally confirmed that this was definitely the same person: the renowned pirate, the elder brother of Luffy, and the son of Gol D. Roger.
(A tiny, almost imperceptible curl of his lip indicated a fleeting thought about the interesting situation.)
But the other members of the Spade Pirates were already prepared to defend their captain and attack the man if he moved. The moment this pirate picked up the chair, preparing to strike Ace, the other Spade Pirates members instantly grabbed their respective weapons, ready to counter.
(A low, metallic scrape sounded as a few swords were partially drawn from their sheaths.)
Just at this critical moment, Gojo, who had been quietly talking with Martha and was now silent due to the sudden outburst, finally spoke up, his voice clear and unexpectedly casual.
"You are going to use that chair for attacking someone else in the restaurant," Gojo said, his blindfolded face still turned toward the bar counter. "Be my guest. I don't care much what you do with the chair—attack anyone, kill anyone, after all, you are all pirates. But remember one thing: before leaving the restaurant, you have to pay for all the losses that you will cause."
(He reached out and gently tapped the rim of his juice glass.)
"Just like the chair which you are going to use to attack costs 2,000 berries. So if you break that chair while attacking someone else, then you have to pay for that chair."
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