Zeff paused when he heard Yuuki's answer.
If he remembered correctly—
In the past three days, the black-robed man standing behind this boy had not eaten a single bite.
Not once.
That was not something a normal person could do.
Still—
Zeff had sailed the Grand Line.
On this sea, nothing was truly impossible.
After a brief silence, he asked bluntly,
"Are you Marine?"
Yuuki's hand paused slightly around the teacup. He glanced at Zeff, then a trace of understanding flickered in his eyes.
The treasure-map rumor was hardly sophisticated.
Any clever man would realize—
Such bait would draw pirates like blood in the water.
Zeff's golden braided mustache swayed slightly as he stared at the boy.
Gathering pirates in one place meant only two possibilities:
Either—
He was Marine, planning to wipe out East Blue's pirates in one stroke.
Or—
He intended to recruit them and become the next overlord of East Blue.
Neither outcome was something the Baratie could afford to be involved in.
And yet—
They had already been dragged in.
Zeff's gaze drifted briefly toward the restaurant exterior.
Under the blazing sunlight—
Dozens of treasure chests gleamed in gold.
His expression darkened further.
"Not Marine," Yuuki replied calmly, turning back toward the window.
"The tea is good."
Through the glass—
Yuuki observed the sea.
Pirate ships surrounded the Baratie in every direction.
Broken vessels drifted in the water.
The sea itself carried a faint red tint.
A battle had already taken place.
When pirates first saw the treasure chests, hesitation vanished.
Those who had doubted the rumor now believed it.
After all—
Many had scavenged riches from the waters where the Krieg Pirates fell.
Gold was real.
Blood was real.
Yet no one dared seize the chests outright.
The first to move would be attacked by everyone else.
So an uneasy stalemate formed.
But the chests were not their true goal.
The treasure map in Yuuki's possession—
That was the real prize.
As East Blue's former overlord, Krieg surely had more than a few crates.
Zeff suddenly stood.
"We're leaving."
His voice rang across the restaurant.
Sanji and the cooks froze.
"Old man, what are you saying?!"
"This restaurant is your life!"
Sanji crushed his cigarette underfoot.
The next instant—
"You bastard!"
He lunged past Zeff toward Yuuki.
But—
The black-robed figure moved.
Like a shadow.
A blur.
BOOM.
Sanji didn't even see the strike.
Only pain exploded through his chest.
His body froze—
Then dropped to his knees.
"So fast—!"
Blood sprayed from his mouth.
Three ribs were broken.
"Sanji!"
The chefs erupted in fury, raising cleavers.
Zeff immediately blocked them.
"Stop!"
His eyes locked onto the cloaked man in raw caution.
Even he had not seen the movement.
When had East Blue produced such a monster?
Yuuki turned from the window.
"Since the food was satisfactory, I'll offer advice."
"Remain inside. You'll be safe."
"You're free to leave if you wish."
His gaze shifted to the blood staining the floor beneath Sanji.
"Such a clean floor."
Conrad lifted his foot from Sanji's back and returned to Yuuki's side.
The current Straw Hats held no interest for him.
"Three days," Yuuki murmured softly.
"Finally."
Far across the water—
A pirate ship bearing a jolly roger with a red nose approached.
—
On the Buggy Pirates' ship—
A lookout lowered his telescope excitedly.
"Captain! We've arrived! That's the Baratie!"
Buggy stood at the bow in an orange cloak, clown shoes planted wide.
"At last!"
"That idiot Krieg got swallowed by the sea trying to reach the Grand Line. Serves him right!"
"Men! The treasure map is ours!"
Cheers erupted across the deck.
"Captain! There are other pirate ships too!"
"Small fry lured by gold!" Buggy scoffed.
"Fire cannons and sink them!"
"Use regular shells—I don't want the treasure map damaged!"
"Yes, Captain!"
Cannon crews scrambled.
Meanwhile—
Unnoticed by the jubilant pirates—
A Marine warship quietly entered the waters beyond the horizon.
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