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The dark clouds that had previously choked the sky were long gone, and the sun beat down unreservedly, illuminating the sparkling sea. On the deck of the Dream Chaser, Satori was deep into his weighted training, performing frog jumps with a massive rock strapped to his back. Sweat beaded on his forehead as he circled the railing, counting out hundreds of repetitions.
"538... 539... 540..."
He paused mid-leap as Sanji's voice carried across the water from the Baratie. "Hey! Satori, Nami-san, time to eat!".
Satori finished his set at 600 repetitions and set the rock down with a heavy thud. "It's still a bit inconvenient carrying this," he muttered, wishing he still had Master Roshi's specialized turtle shell, which allowed for more natural movement. Wiping the sweat from his face, he leaped across the gap to the restaurant to join Sanji.
The Chefs' Performance
To show their gratitude for the defeat of the Blood Demon Pirates, Zeff and the staff had prepared a feast using their finest ingredients. However, as Sanji scanned the ship, his heart sank. "Where's Nami-san?".
"She left for something," Satori answered casually before racing toward the dining room, his mind already on the food. Sanji followed dejectedly, mourning the absence of his "goddess".
Inside, Patty pulled Satori aside and sat him in a corner. "Satori, just eat for now," Patty whispered. "We're going to put on a show to force Sanji to join your crew and head for the Grand Line.". Satori nodded blankly, watching with curiosity as the "play" began.
When Sanji entered, the restaurant appeared full. Without a word of protest, he simply sat on the floor with his plate and began to eat. The chefs exchanged confused glances—Sanji was being far too quiet. Deciding to stick to the plan, Patty took a spoonful of Sanji's soup and slammed it back onto the table.
"Pah! This soup tastes terrible!" Patty shouted. Carne joined in, sniffing the air with a frown. "That's right, it stinks like urine!". The other chefs added their own insults, calling it the worst meal in the world, yet Sanji remained unperturbed, calmly finishing his food as if he hadn't heard a word.
Zeff, sensing that Sanji already knew the truth, raised a hand to silence the staff. The room fell into a heavy, awkward silence until Sanji finally wiped his mouth and lit a cigarette.
A New Companion and a Growing Shadow
"Hey, Satori," Sanji said calmly, exhaling a puff of smoke. "You said you were short-handed on your ship, right? I'll be your cook.".
Satori jumped up, his eyes wide with excitement. "You mean you're coming with us?!".
As Satori celebrated their third companion, the chefs stood gap-toothed in shock. Sanji glanced at them with a mocking smirk. "By the way, your acting is really bad. I heard everything when you were plotting earlier.".
The tension in the room shifted as Sanji turned his attention back to the journey. "Satori, where exactly did Nami-san go?". Satori pointed toward the horizon where she had disappeared, mentioning her goal to earn 100,000,000 Berries.
Sanji's eyes narrowed as he looked in that direction. "That way... if I remember correctly, that's the territory occupied by the Arlong Pirates.".
Through his intuition, Sanji sensed that Nami was carrying a crushing burden and that she was heading straight into extreme danger. He explained his concerns to Satori, asking if they should stay as promised or follow her.
Satori didn't hesitate. "Nami might be in danger? Then we're going right now!". To him, a broken promise was a small price to pay for Nami's safety.