Suddenly, Sanji's movements froze while he was pouring wine.
It was as if he had sensed the call of some "peerless treasure." He sharply turned his head, his gaze sweeping across the hall like a radar.
In the end, it locked precisely onto Ronan's table—more accurately, onto Nami.
In that instant, Ronan could almost see blazing flames of love igniting behind Sanji, the background music transforming into a passionate symphony.
"This… this beauty… what sublime beauty…"
Sanji murmured, nearly dropping the wine bottle in his hand.
"Whoosh—!!"
Without any warning—Ronan didn't even catch his starting movement—his vision blurred.
Sanji, who had been more than ten meters away just a moment ago, suddenly appeared in front of the table in a single stride, as if he had teleported!
This speed was at least three times faster than when he had kicked Huppy flying earlier!
Was this… the power of love?!
"Huh?"
Nami was in the middle of eating dessert when the sudden figure startled her, her fork freezing midair.
Before her astonished eyes, Sanji struck an extremely formal pose, like an opera performer.
He dropped to one knee, left hand over his chest, and somehow produced a vividly fresh red rose out of nowhere, offering it to Nami with deep emotion.
His eyes were no longer cold and sharp—they had turned into two pounding pink hearts. His voice was low and magnetic, as if reciting the most ancient of poems.
"Oh, great sea… thank you for granting me this miraculous encounter today!"
"Beautiful lady…"
Sanji lifted his head, gazing at Nami with burning intensity, an expression so passionate it seemed capable of melting anyone.
"Love—go ahead and mock me for being unable to endure this suffering!"
"As long as I can be with you, even if I must become a pirate scorned by the world, or fall into the depths of hell as a demon… I have already prepared myself!!"
"For you, I am willing to offer every single beat of my heart!!"
Silence.
A deathly silence.
Ronan's teacup froze in midair as the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.
He already knew Sanji was a perverted cook, but seeing firsthand this utterly shameless "I'll elope instantly if you're beautiful" behavior was still far too overwhelming.
Luffy stared blankly with a meat bone in his mouth.
"What's he doing? Magic?"
Zoro was covered in black lines, his hand resting on his sword hilt, as if seriously considering cutting this guy down.
"This curly-brow… is he an idiot?"
Usopp stood dumbfounded.
"T-this shift is way too fast! He was a cold-blooded killer just now, and now he's a hopeless romantic?!"
As for the person being confessed to—
Nami looked at the man before her, eyes full of red hearts and surrounded by pink bubbles, and a massive sweat drop slid down her forehead.
But as a professional "cat burglar," she recovered in just one second. A perfectly trained, sweet smile appeared on her face—though her eyes carried the unmistakable look of someone indulging a mentally challenged person.
"Um… this flower… is it for me?"
"Yes! This is a flower of love, blooming solely for you!"
Sanji trembled with excitement.
Kneeling before Nami, rose vivid in his hand, Sanji's eyes were melancholy and devoted, like a prince performing a Shakespearean tragedy.
"However…"
He let out a long sigh, even squeezing out two crystalline tears.
"This is truly tragic, Miss Nami."
"Though my heart already belongs to you, between us lies an enormous, insurmountable obstacle…"
"That obstacle you're talking about—would be me, brat?!"
A rough, hoarse voice thick with gunpowder exploded behind Sanji like thunder.
Before Sanji could finish his cheesy line, a hard wooden prosthetic leg slammed heavily onto the floor with a dull thump.
The newcomer was the ruler of the sea restaurant—"Red-Leg" Zeff.
Wearing a tall chef's hat, his beard braided into two plaits, arms crossed, his hawk-like eyes stared coldly at the still-acting Sanji.
"Damn old man!"
The affection vanished instantly from Sanji's face, replaced by pure annoyance and rebellion as he sprang to his feet, the speed of his expression change astonishing.
Zeff snorted, giving Sanji no face at all as he pointed toward the door and barked:
"Why don't you go be a pirate with these brats, huh? This restaurant doesn't need you anymore!"
Those words were like a blade, instantly piercing through the previously comedic atmosphere.
"Old man…"
Veins bulged on Sanji's forehead as he ground out his words.
"I'm the sous-chef here! What do you mean you don't need me?!"
Zeff's eyes were cold as he began listing Sanji's "crimes," each one striking painfully true.
"You're either picking fights with customers and smashing the furniture, or you see a woman and let your hormones take over, running off to flatter her! And most importantly—"
Zeff paused, a fleeting trace of complexity flashing through his eyes before hardening into an even harsher rebuke.
"Your cooking has stagnated! You can't make anything truly delicious anymore! To this restaurant, you're nothing but dead weight!"
"You… said… what?!"
Sanji's fists clenched instantly, his knuckles whitening.
He could endure Zeff calling him a pervert. He could endure being scolded for violence.
But he could not endure having his cooking insulted.
That was his soul. The meaning of his existence.
The surrounding chefs—especially Patty, who had just thrown Gin out—burst into gloating laughter.
"Heh, boss finally said it!"
"Get lost, violent cook!"
"We don't need you here!"
Their mockery poured fuel onto the fire.
"Anyway, none of the chefs here like you!"
Zeff raised his voice an octave, as if delivering the final verdict.
"Why don't you just go be a pirate or something, fend for yourself out on the sea! Get the hell out of this restaurant!"
"Bastard!!"
Sanji finally exploded.
"You're the one spewing crap, old man!!"
He stepped toward Zeff, his aura surging, not the slightest bit weaker than that of the former great pirate.
He suddenly reached out and grabbed Zeff's spotless chef's uniform by the collar, eyes blazing red as he roared:
"Put everything else aside—but I will never allow you to belittle my cooking!"
"No matter what you say, I will never leave! I will stay here as a chef! You don't get a say in it!"
This—
Was Sanji's obsession.
To repay his debt, for the man who lost a leg to save him, he was willing to spend his entire life guarding this restaurant—even if driven away, he would never leave.
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