But as soon as the words left his mouth, his companion immediately covered his mouth and pulled him back.
The scar-faced pirate wanted to struggle, but his companion leaned close to his ear and whispered:
"Idiot, that guy is Ensign White Dove. If you want to die, just say so!"
The scar-faced pirate immediately revealed a look of horror. He looked fearfully at Ivan's back and quieted down.
Ensign White Dove was a rising star in the East Blue Marines recently. Although he wasn't a match for pirates with bounties in the tens of millions, he was more than enough to deal with the vast majority of pirates with bounties in the millions.
That strength alone was not something a small-time pirate like him could handle.
More importantly, unlike other obscure Marines in the East Blue, although Ensign White Dove had an elegant name, he was an out-and-out butcher!
In just the past two years, he had slaughtered dozens of pirate crews. Pirates with bounties under two million had almost been wiped out by him!
Now, among the pirates of the East Blue, Ensign White Dove had a new title—Ensign Butcher!
This title showed just how terrifying Ensign White Dove was.
Now, the scar-faced pirate didn't dare say another word. If he wasn't afraid of appearing too cowardly, he would have wanted to leave immediately.
Ivan paid no attention to the small fry provoking him over there; that would lower his status.
After defeating Alvida, it wouldn't take long to receive several million Beli from the bounties. So Ivan wasn't stingy; he directly ordered the most expensive dishes at the Baratie, enough for all the Marines to eat.
The waiter looked at Ivan, wanting to say something but stopping. These dishes would cost a million Beli. Would Ivan really pay?
Indeed, here at the sea restaurant Baratie, aside from rowdy pirates, the Marines weren't much better.
There were too many Marines who used their official status to refuse payment. If their boss didn't have some strength, the restaurant would have gone bankrupt long ago.
However, despite his doubts, the waiter left with the menu to have the kitchen prepare the food.
Ensign White Dove had a better reputation, so he probably wouldn't be as hooligan-like as those other corrupt soldiers, right?
Although this waiter believed in Ivan, clearly, others in the restaurant did not.
Not long after Ivan and Tashigi sat down at a central table, a young man with blond hair and distinctive curly eyebrows walked out of the kitchen.
He held a cigarette between his lips, his expression somewhat cold. He walked straight to Ivan's table, knocked on it a few times, and was about to say something to Ivan when he accidentally saw Tashigi beside him.
Instantly, Sanji's expression changed drastically. The coldness on his face vanished rapidly, replaced by a fawning smile:
"Wow, to meet such a beautiful lady at the Baratie, it is truly the fortune of three lifetimes for me. Miss, what would you like to eat? I'll make it for you right away!"
Tashigi was startled by Sanji's sudden enthusiasm. She subconsciously shrank behind Ivan, looking at Sanji warily.
This scene snapped Sanji back to reality.
So she was a taken woman. Forget it then. Although he loved beautiful girls, he had his own principles.
So, after nodding and smiling at Tashigi, Sanji's face returned to its cold demeanor as he looked at Ivan.
With a polite tone characteristic of a waiter, he scrutinized Ivan:
"Guest, we don't provide cuisine to guys who can't pay. Can you afford it?"
Ivan nodded and smiled. "I should be able to."
The smile on Sanji's face faded; he clearly didn't believe it.
He had been scammed too many times by those unscrupulous Marines in the East Blue. In his heart, the credit of the Marines was almost zero.
This so-called Ensign White Dove clearly wanted to eat a meal and dash!
It would be one thing if it were ordinary dishes worth tens of thousands, but this meal was worth a full million Beli, including many special Sea King delicacies that were hard to buy even with gold!
If they were stiffed on this meal, the sea restaurant would be completely out of cash and would have to close down!
Sanji stared fixedly at Ivan. He would absolutely not allow such a thing to happen!
Bang!
The kitchen door was pushed open violently, and an old man wearing a towering chef's hat strode out.
Without a word, he raised his leg and kicked Sanji hard on the back of the head, instantly raising a large red bump on Sanji's head.
Sanji grimaced in pain. Before he could make a sound, the old man complained grumpily:
"You brat, everyone who comes to our Baratie is a guest. Why would they eat for free?"
Seeing Sanji craning his neck to argue, the old man was quick with his hands and eyes. He covered Sanji's mouth, turned his head with a face full of smiles, and bowed repeatedly to Ivan and Tashigi in apology:
"Guests, I apologize. This kid has some problems with his brain. Sorry to disturb you. We will cook for you as soon as possible, guaranteeing you'll eat the most delicious cuisine in the East Blue."
"Wait, we aren't like those other Marines. We will pay!"
Tashigi tried to stop Zeff and explain.
She had naturally heard that there were some corrupt scum in the East Blue Marines who used their identity for profit and bullied the people, but Ensign White Dove was not such a person!
Ensign White Dove was one of the few Marines who truly fought for justice!
Zeff turned his head back, beaming. "I understand, I understand. You lords are definitely righteous Marines!"
Although Zeff said this, Tashigi understood that he didn't believe it at all.
Seeing his little adjutant about to explain further, Ivan waved his hand and stopped her.
In this situation, no matter what they said, Zeff wouldn't trust them.
Only by placing the facts right in front of their eyes!
Ivan suddenly bent down slightly, picked up a bag from the floor, and placed it on the table.
This scene attracted everyone's attention, wondering what Ivan wanted to do.
Ivan reached into the leather bag, pulled out a human head, placed it on the table, and pushed it toward Zeff.
Seeing this, Zeff's expression changed drastically. Was this guy openly threatening them with a head to eat for free?
But Ivan's next words made him deny this thought. Ivan smiled and said:
"This is the head of the Alvida Pirates' Vice-Captain. The bounty is 1.2 million Beli. I think this money is more than enough to pay the bill.
As for the remaining Beli, consider it a handling fee for you to personally go to the Marine base to claim the bounty. Does this count as payment?"
As soon as these words came out, the entire venue fell silent!
They knew Ivan had the title of Butcher, but they didn't expect Ivan to directly use a pirate's head as a meal fee!
Witnessing this scene, the few pirates in the corner trembled. The scar-faced one stood up directly and fled the sea restaurant.
After all, he also had a bounty of over a hundred thousand on him. Although it wasn't much, White Dove definitely wouldn't mind slaughtering him in passing to claim the bounty.
Who said small money wasn't money?
As for the scar-faced pirate's departure, Ivan didn't care at all.
Before coming to the sea restaurant, he had already instructed his subordinates: today, not a single pirate was to be left alive!
Zeff was also startled by Ivan's method. He was a man of wide experience, but even on the Grand Line, there were few Marines more brutal than White Dove.
However, Zeff had seen big scenes after all. He quickly recovered, nodding and smiling repeatedly:
"It works, of course it works!"
Immediately, he dragged the dumbfounded Sanji away and went straight to the kitchen to cook.
Ivan and Tashigi sat in the hall, ordered a bottle of wine, and drank while quietly waiting for the food to be served.
However, a moment later, the main door was pushed open again.
But the person this time was even more arrogant than Ivan!