Chapter 350: East Blue Restaurant, Daifuku's Provocation!
East Blue · Maritime Restaurant Baratie
It was the peak of the lunch hour. The restaurant was filled with the intoxicating aroma of gourmet cooking and the steady hum of steam rising from the kitchen.
However, the attention of every diner was currently fixed on a single man.
He was sweeping through a literal mountain of delicacies like a localized hurricane. Empty bowls and plates were piled high enough to obscure the table, and his chopsticks moved with such blurring speed they were practically invisible. Every few bites were punctuated by a hearty, booming laugh, as if he were trying to make up for two years of starvation in a single sitting.
"Gulp—crunch—belch—HAHAHAHA!"
The sheer, unrestrained ferocity of his appetite left the surrounding guests speechless.
One diner whispered to another, "Is... is that really a human? He looks more like a starving beast unleashed from the wild..."
Standing by the kitchen door, Zeff stared at that familiar yet legendary face. His braided beard trembled slightly, his heart swirling with a mixture of shock and deep sentiment.
"That man... has actually returned?"
Roy took a brief moment to look up, sauce still staining the corner of his mouth, and offered a signature, wide-toothed grin.
"Hahaha—it's been way too long since I've had food this good!"
He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and gave Zeff a casual wave. "Hope I'm not causing too much of a ruckus for you, Boss Zeff?"
Zeff snapped out of his daze and waved a hand dismissively, his voice carrying a note of profound, innate respect. "To have you here is an honor for the Baratie... Vice Admiral Roy."
Ever since Sanji joined the Marines, Zeff would occasionally receive letters. He knew his disciple was doing well and that his strength was skyrocketing under expert tutelage.
And the man standing before him—Roy—was Sanji's direct superior. Having returned from the Grand Line himself, Zeff knew exactly what that meant: Roy's name was a thunderclap that had long since reshaped the New World.
—Right at that moment.
"BANG!!!"
The heavy entrance doors were kicked open with such violence that wood splinters rained through the air. The impact was so great that the entire floating restaurant shuddered on the waves.
As the dust settled, a massive, towering shadow stepped into the hall. A cold, arrogant voice boomed through the dining area like a strike of lightning:
"Which one of you is Zeff?! Get your ass out here right now!!!"
"To think I actually had to travel to a backwater shithole like the East Blue just to drag someone back personally?!!"
The voice was thick with disdain and casual brutality, treating the Baratie as if it were a common wooden shack.
The diners instantly held their breath. The air in the room solidified.
The newcomer stood nearly five meters tall, his shoulders as wide as a fortress wall. His short yellow hair was trimmed neatly, and a thick handlebar mustache shimmered with a cold luster. Gold earrings clinked against his neck with every heavy step.
He wore a heavy blue winter coat, the spherical decorations on his shoulders resembling two massive pieces of mochi that swayed slightly as he moved. A yellow cape flared out behind him, and cinched around his waist was a thick belt featuring a "Magic Lamp" emblem.
The sheer weight of his aura oppressed the room, making the very oxygen feel thin.
—It was an officer of the Big Mom Pirates, Charlotte Daifuku!
Daifuku scanned the restaurant, his gaze finally settling on Zeff, who stood prominently in his tall chef's hat.
His mouth split into a savage, chilling grin. "Oh? So you're the one they call 'Red-Leg' Zeff?"
"Mama has sent an invitation for you to come 'visit' Totto Land—"
"Come quietly, and maybe you won't have to bleed for it!"
The guests were trembling in terror. The more faint-hearted among them dived under their tables, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Zeff's expression was grim. He stood steady on his single leg, his voice heavy as iron. "The Big Mom Pirates... why would a Yonko set her sights on a retired old chef like me?"
Daifuku let out a mocking snort, his fingers stroking his lamp-belt. His eyes were full of unbridled arrogance. "Cut the chatter! Mama took an interest in your cooking; you should consider it an honor!"
"Either you walk out on your own, or I 'help' you out!"
His final roar detonated through the restaurant. The terrifying pressure made the air feel stagnant. The diners paled, casting their eyes down, terrified of making eye contact.
However, from a quiet corner of the room, a completely discordant voice rang out—
"Mmm~ the temperature on this roast is perfect... crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and so juicy."
The veins on Daifuku's forehead bulged!
He spun around violently, only to see the man in the corner still buried in his plate, completely ignoring the five-meter-tall titan as if he were a minor fly.
"YOU BASTARD!!" Daifuku roared, stalking toward the corner. His heavy footsteps sounded like a war drum.
"For a mere East Blue commoner, you've got a hell of a lot of nerve, don't you?!"
"I am an officer of the Big Mom Pirates—!"
Before he could finish his sentence, he slammed his massive palm onto the man's shoulder.
"THUD!"
The shoulder felt as hard as indestructible steel. The impact sent a jolt of pain shooting up Daifuku's hand.
Roy slowly turned his head. The moment his face came into full view, Daifuku's pupils shrank to pinpricks, and his breath hitched in his throat!
"R-R-Roy?!!"
Every hair on Daifuku's body stood on end. His legs turned to jelly, and he collapsed onto his knees with a heavy thud!
Roy gave him a flat, indifferent look. His voice was unnervingly calm. "What did you say you were again?"
Daifuku's arrogant fire vanished instantly. Cold sweat drenched his back, and his voice trembled uncontrollably. "I-I am... Charlotte Daifuku..."
"Of the Big Mom Pirates—"
"SLAP!!!"
Before the words could fully leave his mouth, an invisible strike lashed out!
Daifuku's head was snapped to the side with a sickening crack. Half his face swelled up instantly as blood, saliva, and several teeth sprayed across the floorboards.
His massive frame was sent tumbling, crashing through several tables before he hit the floor like a sack of stones.
"CRASH!!!"
The entire restaurant fell into a deathly silence.
The diners stared, unable to comprehend what they had just witnessed. A Yonko officer, who had looked invincible seconds ago, was now lying on the ground like a slaughtered dog, without even the courage to resist.
Roy simply set his chopsticks down, his tone as casual as if he had just swatted a mosquito.
"You were being too loud. I'm trying to eat in peace..."
After a moment of silence, Roy picked up a napkin and began to meticulously wipe the sauce from his mouth, his expression serene.
"So..." Roy's voice was slow, yet it made Daifuku's heart hammer against his ribs. "You guys called Sanji back, and you wanted to kidnap Zeff as an insurance policy?"
Daifuku clutched his swollen face, kneeling in a cold sweat. He didn't dare utter a single word of protest, merely nodding piteously.
Hearing this, Zeff's eyes widened in shock. "W-What?!! Sanji... is a prince of the Germa Kingdom?!"
"Is that boy... is he in danger?!"
Zeff turned and dropped to one knee, his voice hoarse but filled with desperate sincerity. "Lord Roy! I beg of you... please help Sanji! That boy might be stubborn, but he has a heart of gold. He shouldn't be dragged into a viper's nest like that!"
With a simple gesture, Roy utilized a wisp of force to lift Zeff back to his feet, waving him off dismissively.
"Don't worry about it."
"Since Sanji became a Marine, he's one of my people."
"The Big Mom Pirates..."
Roy's tone was flat, yet it carried an authority as immovable as the heavens. "...don't have the qualifications to touch him."
"THUD!"
Daifuku felt his spirit break. He slumped forward, his forehead touching the floor as he trembled uncontrollably. Roy's words were more terrifying than any direct threat.
In his mind, he could only see the horrific rumors of Roy's exploits in the New World—every single one of them enough to make a Yonko's blood run cold.
Zeff stared blankly at the man before him. He then bowed deeply, his voice thick with emotion. "Thank you, Lord Roy!"
"For that boy Sanji... meeting a commander like you is the greatest luck of his life."
Roy's lips curled into a slight smile. "The kid is a bit of a skirt-chaser, but his cooking and his character are solid."
He stood up, walking toward the exit. As he reached the doors, he seemed to remember something and glanced back over his shoulder.
"By the way, put today's meal and the takeout on Sanji's tab."
"Tell him to pay it the next time he visits."
"Honestly, that kid should really come home more often."
Zeff blinked, then let out a laugh that was half-sob. "...Understood."
The doors creaked shut.
Roy and the subdued Daifuku disappeared from sight as if they had never been there. But for the people in the Baratie, the silence lasted a long time. Their hearts continued to race; that invisible, overwhelming pressure only began to dissipate long after the Marine had departed.
Zeff looked out toward the horizon, his gaze complex and heavy. He whispered into the sea breeze:
"Sanji... you must stay safe."
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