After sailing through the night, the Gospel and the tiger-headed vessel Babaosai anchored side-by-side at the bustling docks of the Kano Kingdom under the mid-day sun.
In this country, the flagship of the Happo Navy served as a symbol of protection. The moment Ornn, Yamato, and Rhea stepped onto the pier beside Sai, a cheering crowd of local civilians welcomed them with enthusiastic applause.
Sai—a man who refused to break his word—kept his heavy arm draped over Ornn's shoulder as they navigated the crowded harbor. He waved back at the locals while bellowing at the top of his lungs:
"Listen up, everyone! This is Ornn—a brother I met out on the open sea! If I find out anyone in the Kano Kingdom gives him or his crew a hard time, they answer directly to the Happo Navy!"
Once they cleared the harbor, Sai offered to take the trio on a grand tour of the local sights and markets. However, Boo—standing right behind him—gently tugged at his sleeve, whispering frantically:
"Big brother! Don't forget! We have to report to His Majesty at the palace first, and then go up to the mountain compound to see Grandpa!"
"So what?!" Sai barked back, waving a hand. "We'll just bring Brother Ornn along! Didn't you say it yourself? Ornn wiped out the Fire Tank Syndicate and the Junkrat Gang, solving a major headache for our kingdom's trade routes!"
"Yes, but they are—"
Before Boo could finish, Ornn stepped in with a smooth smile. "It's fine, Sai. Go report to the palace first. We'll explore the city on our own, and we can catch up at the evening feast up at your compound. Sound good?"
"Gahaha! Fair enough!" Sai laughed, slapping Ornn on the back. "Take your time and enjoy the Kano Kingdom! Once I finish my official duties tomorrow, I'll personally show you the best spots in the city!"
With that, Sai led his officers toward the central city district, which sat atop a sprawling cliffside connected by suspended cable bridges—an impressive layout reminiscent of ancient mountain fortresses.
Ornn, Yamato, and Rhea took the opportunity to relax, strolling down the vibrant stone streets lined with colorful banners, street vendors, and fragrant food stalls.
After sampling several local snacks, the trio paused in front of a grand, three-story wooden pavilion.
Ornn's eyes lit up as he spotted dozens of bamboo steamer baskets stacked outside the entrance, steam billowing into the afternoon air. Wait a second... a dim sum hall?!
Without hesitation, Ornn led Yamato and Rhea inside.
Just as he anticipated, the main hall featured a broad counter stacked with hundreds of fresh, bamboo steamers. Shrimp dumplings, braised chicken feet, steamed pork dumplings, beef short ribs, water chestnut cakes... almost every classic dish from his memories was laid out in an endless, mouth-watering spread.
"Boss, bring us one of everything on—"
Before Rhea could finish giving her order to the waiter, she blinked in shock.
Ornn had already picked up a massive wooden tray, his hands moving in a blur. Ignoring the heat-insulating tongs entirely, his bare hands flew across the stacks, grabbing steamer baskets with effortless precision until a towering mountain of bamboo baskets was balanced on his tray.
"What are you two standing around for?" Ornn asked, his face glowing with pure anticipation. "Find us a big booth!"
Yamato and Rhea stared blankly at their captain. They found a spacious corner table, watching in disbelief as Ornn picked up a pair of chopsticks and dug into a basket of braised chicken feet with a look of pure, emotional nostalgia.
Is... is this really their stoic, hard-headed captain?
What is that look on his face?!
However, once Ornn handed them their first baskets of piping-hot dim sum, their confusion vanished into thin air.
Yamato grabbed a basket containing four plump pork dumplings. Flipping the parchment liner, she tossed them into the air one by one, catching them effortlessly in her mouth with a satisfied grin.
Rhea took a plate of braised chicken feet, tilted her head back, and poured the savory sauce straight down her throat, spitting out a tidy stack of tiny bones like a rapid-fire pea shooter.
Within minutes, the trio transformed into absolute, ruthless eating machines, clearing over a hundred bamboo steamers in a blur of chopsticks.
"Boss! Another hundred baskets!"
"Make it three hundred!"
They ate from early afternoon straight through to sunset.
Under the dumbfounded stares of the surrounding patrons, the mountainous stacks of dim sum vanished like mist in a gale. Eventually, the head chef—looking exhausted and wiping cold sweat from his brow—trotted out from the kitchen to their table, his face a mask of utter despair.
"My deepest apologies, esteemed guests... our line cooks have all fainted from exhaustion. Would it be possible for you to... perhaps return another day?"
"Ah, fair enough," Ornn replied smoothly.
Though, in his mind, he was already plotting how to recruit the head chef of this establishment to join the Gospel.
Standard pirate barbecue gets old fast. If you want true culinary perfection on the high seas, you need a master of Chinese cuisine!
Just as the three prepared to settle the bill and head out, the front doors burst open. A familiar figure rushed into the dining hall, gasping for breath.
"Brother Ornn! Thank goodness I found you!"
Ornn turned lazily, a full stomach making him feel pleasantly relaxed. "Oh, Boo? Are you here to take us up to the mountain compound for the feast? Sorry about that—we got a bit carried away with the food here, so we might not have room for dinner."
Boo looked around at the towering mountain of empty bamboo baskets, momentarily stunned, before grabbing Ornn's sleeve in a panic.
"Forget about the feast! You and your crew need to leave the Kano Kingdom right now! My big brother won't be able to hold the old man off for much longer!"
"Huh?!"
Ornn blinked, his relaxed mood evaporating. Wait, wasn't Sai just inviting us over for drinks a few hours ago? Why are we suddenly running for our lives?!
"Hold on, calm down," Ornn said, rising from his chair. "Tell me slowly—what happened?"
"I'll explain on the way!" Boo urged, practically dragging Ornn toward the harbor.
As they hurried down the evening streets, Boo laid out the chaotic series of events.
The root of the problem was none other than Don Chinjao—the legendary former leader of the Happo Navy and Sai's grandfather.
After returning from the palace, Sai had ordered the compound servants to prepare a grand banquet while he retreated to his study to pull out his private notes on Armament Haki.
That unusual behavior sparked Chinjao's curiosity. When the old man questioned his grandson, Sai—overflowing with pride—couldn't stop bragging about Ornn. He praised Ornn's raw combat strength, called him a god-given genius who had decoded the force principles of the Happo Punch after a single bout, and insisted on handing over their family's secret breathing techniques.
If Sai hadn't brought up the Happo Punch, Chinjao might have let the matter slide.
However, the moment the old man heard that an outsider had successfully analyzed their family's secret martial art after a single fight, Chinjao blew his top.
Accusing Ornn of being an ambitious, scheming fox who had manipulated Sai to steal their legacy, Chinjao flew into a rage, declaring his intention to break Ornn's limbs so he could never covet the Happo Punch again.
Sai felt his grandfather was being completely unreasonable, leading to an explosive brawl between the two inside the mountain compound.
"In short, you have to get out of the city now!" Boo pleaded, his voice tense. "Big brother is no match for the old man. Once Grandpa knocks him out and frees up his hands, you'll all be in terrible danger!"
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