Chapter 41 Are you an idiot?
Victor didn't stop; he followed Nami through the corridor and into the depths of the ship's cabin.
Sensing the person following her, Nami stopped in front of the door and turned around to give him a cold look.
He then quickly slipped into the house and was about to slam the door shut behind him.
"Bang!"
The door made a dull thud as it closed, but it didn't close properly.
Viktor casually wedged the door with his foot, but then his expression changed, and he cried out in pain, his features contorted.
"Ouch—! Ouch, that hurts, you idiot!"
"What are you doing following me here?" Nami asked warily through the crack in the door.
Viktor, enduring the sharp pain in his instep, scratched his head and put on a smiling expression:
"It is also the first mate's responsibility to take care of the female navigator's mental health."
"Besides, you owe me 310 million Berries. If something happens to you, you'll lose all the money you owe me."
Upon hearing these words, Nami's originally gloomy and cold expression softened slightly.
She flung open the door and punched Victor hard in the shoulder.
"Don't even think about it! I won't pay you back!"
Although she said that, her momentum quickly faded.
She lowered her head, her bangs obscuring her eyes, and said in a low voice, "You wouldn't understand, Victor."
Viktor silently watched her trembling shoulders and thought to himself:
Actually, I understand, Miss Navigator.
Even those moments of despair that you feel you can't overcome.
But he didn't say it aloud; he just smiled gently, his tone becoming firm:
"In short, the fact that you are our partner will never change."
"You are indispensable to us. After all, you know that we, including myself, are all idiots who don't know anything about navigation."
At this point, he suddenly moved closer to Nami, his eyes, which seemed to see right through people, fixed on her with a smile:
"If you dare to run away, no matter where you go, we will bring you back."
Nami was deeply shaken. She suddenly looked up at Viktor, a mixture of panic and emotion flashing in her eyes.
She paused for a moment, then, as if to cover something up, pushed the door panel forcefully.
"Bang!"
The door slammed shut, and Victor was once again caught in the crossfire.
"My foot..." Viktor's expression instantly broke down, and he jumped up and down twice in pain.
Hearing Viktor's cry of pain, the door was loosened slightly again.
Nami disgustedly nudged Victor's foot, which was stuck in the doorway, out with her toe.
"Thank you for your concern, my first mate. I need to rest now, go away!"
With a click, the door locked, and Viktor stood outside, sighing helplessly.
Honestly, I really don't know how to deal with women...
He whispered to the door, "Get some rest."
At that moment, gasps of surprise came from the deck, followed by the sound of a heavy object falling to the ground.
Something happened?
Viktor's expression hardened, and without lingering, he hurriedly ran outside.
.....
Inside the door.
Nami leaned against the cold door, her body seemingly devoid of all strength, and slowly slid to the ground.
She opened her palm and stared blankly at the cold key in her hand.
Then he gripped it tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh.
The tears that had been suppressed for so long finally burst forth and flowed uncontrollably.
She buried her head between her bent legs, her shoulders heaving violently.
"No...you, you wouldn't understand..."
Her voice was choked and broken, sounding especially desolate in the empty room.
"Those are monsters… If you go against them, you will die."
"Hate me, Viktor..."
"Luffy, Zoro, Usopp... I'm sorry..."
...
Meanwhile, on the other side of the cabin.
The group worked together to carry Joseph, who had fainted again, to an empty room and settle him in.
At this moment, everyone is sitting around a simple dining table, enjoying a simple dinner.
"I didn't realize there were such dangers during long voyages."
Zoro held a glass of beer in his hand, downed the beer in one gulp, and looked on with a hint of awe for the laws of survival at sea.
"Yes, thanks to Nami, otherwise Joseph might have..."
Johnny sat to the side, holding a piece of dry bread in his hand, taking a big bite, his face full of relief at surviving the ordeal.
Usopp, his mouth full of food, mumbled:
"Hmm, does that mean we have to consider nutritional balance during long voyages based on the limited food supplies on board..."
"Ah, I'll handle this when we're preparing supplies next time." Viktor pushed open the door and walked in, then sat down next to Luffy.
"Gurgle, gurgle! Grandpa wants to eat meat!"
A black raven flapped its wings and landed on the dining table; it was Clay.
It stared at the food on the table and squawked in dissatisfaction.
Victor reached out and grabbed its beak. "It sounds awful, you idiot."
Johnny looked at the talking crow, even though he had seen it once before.
But seeing it pecking at the bread up close, I couldn't help but widen my eyes.
The creatures on this ship are all incredibly strange.
Luffy swallowed the food in his mouth, crossed his arms, and looked up at the ceiling, deep in thought:
"Hmm... so I don't get sick, so I can eat delicious meat..."
Suddenly, he slammed his fist down, his eyes gleaming:
"Yosh! Hey everyone! Let's go find the chef at sea!"
"Chef!" Clay immediately raised his wings in agreement.
"Ah! I see! That means we can have delicious food on the ship too!" Usopp's mouth was already watering.
Upon hearing that Luffy was looking for a chef, Johnny, who was wolfing down his food, suddenly stopped.
He swallowed the bread in his mouth with difficulty and interjected, "If you're looking for a chef, I know a good place."
"Where is that?!" Luffy excitedly went over.
Johnny wiped his mouth and said seriously, "It's very close to the Grand Line and is a famous'sea restaurant'."
"And..." he turned to look at Zoro, "there are also rumors about that 'Hawkeye' the man our brother has been searching for there."
Upon hearing that name, Zoro's grip on his wine glass tightened suddenly, and his eyes instantly sharpened.
"The heading... is northeast by north!" Johnny shouted, pointing in a direction.
"oh--!!"
Everyone cheered, both for the delicious food and for the adventure that was about to begin.
Victor sat to the side, watching this vibrant scene, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
The Baratie floating restaurant...
He was mentally calculating what would happen next.
His hand, however, unconsciously grabbed the bread on the table and stuffed it into Clay's wide-open mouth, piece by piece.
His thoughts drifted away, but his hands didn't stop moving.
Clay's eyes widened, his mouth stuffed full, leaving him no time to chew.
But it dared not refuse the old man's "affectionate" feeding, and could only stretch its neck desperately to swallow.
Finally, the limit was reached.
"Waaaaah... Jungler (Grandpa)..."
Clay let out a suffocating scream, his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed onto the table, convulsing.
Victor then came to his senses, looked at Clay who was almost choking, frowned, and said with disdain:
"Are you an idiot? How can you eat so much?"
Clay swallowed the bread with difficulty, looking at Victor with a tearful expression.
It was clearly... you, sir, who forced it on me!
I can't live like this anymore!Chapter 42 You bastard, you seem quite arrogant.
"The floating restaurant—Baratie! What do you all think? That's the most famous restaurant in the East China Sea!"
Johnny stood at the bow of the ship, pointing to the peculiar building ahead, and cheered excitedly.
"oh oh!!"
Looking at the magnificent sight before them, everyone on the Going Merry couldn't help but let out a unified exclamation of amazement.
Wow!! What a huge fish!!
Luffy was leaning on the railing, his eyes wide open like saucers, and drool was already pouring down his face.
Victor also looked at the building in front of him with curiosity.
On the azure sea, a huge, multi-story building, shaped primarily of a fish, floated.
Its shape is extremely unique, with rounded ends and the bow shaped like a giant fish head.
Two enormous fins stretch across the sea, and people come and go on the spacious deck—this is the legendary floating restaurant, Baratie!
"It's pretty good, it looks very stylish."
Standing next to Viktor, Nami looked at the luxurious exterior and praised with a smile, "Eating in a place like this will definitely lift your spirits."
"Coo-coo-cao! Grandpa! Grandpa! I can smell the delicious aroma! Let's go quickly!"
Clay circled in the air, calling out impatiently.
Just as everyone was immersed in their fantasies about the delicious food.
"Waaaaah—!!"
Suddenly, a deep and loud warship horn sounded from the side.
Immediately afterwards, a huge shadow quickly enveloped the deck of the Merry.
Everyone instinctively looked toward the source of the shadow, and saw a huge naval warship slowly approaching.
The white sails are adorned with a striking seagull emblem, and below them, the muzzles of cannons stand menacingly.
"W-How come there are navy ships here?!"
Johnny and Joseph, the two former pirate hunters, were now pale with fright and their eyes widened.
"Tch, we've run into some trouble."
Zoro gave a disgruntled snort and placed his hand on the hilt of his sword.
"When did you get here..."
Nami's eyes widened, her expression changing. "Hey, they're not going to attack us, are they...?"
"No, no! I have a disease that kills me if I encounter the Marines!" Usopp clutched his head and instantly hid behind the mast, trembling with fear.
Viktor remained leaning against the railing, his expression indifferent.
He raised his head slightly, his dark eyes glancing sideways at the warship above.
His gaze fell on the man with pink hair wearing a striped suit standing by the ship's railing.
"It's a pirate flag I've never seen before..."
The pink-haired man swirled a glass of red wine in his hand, looking down at the Going Merry.
His face was filled with disdain as he arrogantly shouted at them:
"I am Lieutenant Commander-in-Chief of the Navy Headquarters, Iron Fist - Forbodi! Who is the captain of this wrecked ship? Give me his name!"
"I am Luffy!"
Luffy was not intimidated by the other party's imposing manner at all. Instead, he calmly picked his nose and said...
Seeing this, Usopp, who was hiding behind, also mustered his courage and stuck his head out, shouting loudly:
"I am Usopp!!"
Seeing this, Clay felt he couldn't lose face, so he flapped his wings and flew into the air as well.
"Goo goo goo goo! I am Clay! The ruler of the skies!"
Folbourne looked at the strange combination on the ship, completely ignoring Luffy and Usopp, but was quite surprised when his gaze fell on Clay.
"A...talking crow?!"
"Hey! Don't ignore me! I'm Luffy! I'm going to be the Pirate King!" Luffy waved his fist in dissatisfaction.
Forbodi quickly regained his composure, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes as he glanced at them.
"What's going on with you guys? Is this a circus?"
Then, his gaze fell on Johnny and Joseph, who were hiding behind the hatch, and he raised an eyebrow.
"Those two guys... I do remember them. They're pirate hunters who specifically target small fry, right?"
"Heh, looks like they've been captured by pirates. How embarrassing."
Johnny and Joseph felt their pride was greatly insulted by these contemptuous words.
"Who are you calling someone who specifically targets ordinary people?!"
Johnny roared, pulled a handful of wanted posters from his pocket, and flung them into the air, sending the papers flying everywhere.
"Is this what you call a nobody?! You bastard!!"
"Hmph, pointless shouting."
Forbodi didn't even glance at the bounty posters, and turned to the scantily clad woman.
"Alright, let's not let this garbage ruin our appetite, let's go eat."
Then, he glanced contemptuously at his naval subordinates beside him and casually ordered, "Hey, sink this ship..."
"Whoosh!"
He hadn't finished speaking.
A dark figure appeared in front of him in an instant, like a ghost.
"Bang!!"
Forbodi felt a blur before his eyes, and then an irresistible force slammed down on his head.
It was accompanied by a muffled, loud thud.
The naval commander was slammed hard onto the deck, causing the wooden deck to crack instantly.
"ah!!"
The sexy woman who was holding his arm screamed in fright at the sudden turn of events, fell to the ground, and was at a loss.
The nearby naval soldiers were also shocked; everyone was stunned by the sudden turn of events.
"Lieutenant?!"
Folpodi struggled to lift his head, looking in horror at the black-haired boy who was half-crouching on him.
Especially those eyes...
Within its scarlet pupils, two black tomoe were slowly rotating, radiating a suffocating chill.
His intuition told him...
This person... is extremely strong...
Oh no, we've kicked a hornet's nest!
"You pink-haired bastard, you seem to be very arrogant."
Viktor looked at him with a smile, his tone gentle, but the pressure in his hands was gradually increasing.
"Perfect timing. I haven't encountered any decent opponents lately, and I've been feeling quite frustrated with myself."
"Creak..."
Forpodi felt as if his jawbone was about to crack; the pain was so intense he couldn't speak, only managing muffled moans.
"Waaaaah..."
"Hey! Pirates! Release our lieutenant right now!!"
The surrounding navy finally reacted and raised their muskets, aiming them at Victor.
"How dare you! We are the elite of the Marine Headquarters!"
"Gunner! Prepare to fire!!"
Some sailors even ran towards the cannons on the deck.
"Gurgle, gurgle! Take this hit from Grandpa Clay!!"
Seeing how handsome the old man was, how could Clay in the air be left behind?
This is its stage as the king of the skies!
It suddenly opened its beak and emitted a piercing high-frequency sound wave towards the sailors on the deck who were holding guns.
"Gah—!!!"
"Ah!! My ears!!"
"Damn it! What is that sound?!"
The sailors on deck instantly clutched their ears in pain and knelt down on the ground.
Two of the weaker navy personnel even rolled their eyes and fainted.
"boom!!"
However, amidst the chaos, one of the naval officers managed to pull the gun tether.
With a deafening roar, a jet-black shell hurtled straight toward the Merry below.
Hehehe!
Seeing the incoming cannonball, Luffy not only didn't dodge, but instead pressed down on his hat and laughed heartily.
"Let me do it! Rubber rubber—balloon!!"
Luffy took a deep breath, and his stomach instantly swelled into a huge sphere.
"Wave!"
The shell hit his soft belly and sent him flying instantly.
However...
The direction it flew in seemed a bit off.
"ah!!"
Luffy's eyes widened as he watched the cannonball trace an arc, fly over the warship, and unexpectedly land on the roof of the Baratie floating restaurant behind them.
"Boom!!"
An explosion was heard, and black smoke rose into the air.
"Oh no..." Luffy exhaled, shrank back to his original shape, and looked like he had caused trouble.
On the warship.
Victor breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that the Going Merry was alright.
Just then, a fierce glint flashed in the eyes of Forbodi, who was pinned to the ground, as he tried to take the opportunity to pull out his right hand and launch a sneak attack.
"Still dare to move?"
Viktor's eyes turned cold.
He raised his foot and stomped hard on Forpodi's proud iron fist wrist without any mercy.
"Snap!"
A crisp sound of bone cracking rang out.
The so-called "iron fist" was as fragile as a withered branch under Viktor's feet.
"Ugh!!!! Ah!!!"
Forpodi's eyes widened to their limit instantly, becoming bloodshot.
But because Viktor was holding his chin tightly, his screams were blocked in his throat, and he could only make muffled "uh-uh" sounds in fear, his whole body convulsing violently.
Viktor leaned down, his crimson Sharingan staring directly into Folpodie's terrified eyes, and said softly:
"From now on, keep your eyes open and don't mess with us, understand?"
Forbodi nodded frantically, tears and snot streaming down his face.
"very good."
Victor released his grip.
[Ding! Target defeated: Navy Headquarters Lieutenant Commander Forbotde.]
[Battle Rating: S.]
[Reward received: 200 Ninja Points.]
He stood up, glanced at the terrified, trembling woman beside him, and then vanished in a flash.
The next second, he was back on the deck of the Merry.
"Phew... Ah, I feel much better now."
Viktor clapped his hands, the red light in his eyes faded, and he returned to his harmless, smiling appearance.
"You're being way too reckless!"
Nami rushed over helplessly and complained, "That's a Marine Headquarters Lieutenant! Attacking a Marine is a serious crime! We'll be wanted."
"Well, don't be so tense." Viktor shrugged. "I didn't kill any of them, I just taught them a lesson."
"So...so strong..."
Johnny and Joseph, who were standing nearby, were so shocked by Victor's figure that they knelt down on the ground, their eyes filled with admiration.
Is this the power of a true master?!
He can even kill a Navy Headquarters lieutenant in an instant!
"Coo-coo-cao-cao!"
Clay circled once in the air and flew back triumphantly.
"Lord Clay is the ruler of the skies!"
"Get down here! You idiot bird!" Victor waved.
"Hey grandpa's here!!"Chapter 43 Walking on Water: Don't underestimate my determination to get food!
Inside the Baratie restaurant, in a chef's office decorated with a marine theme.
Several burly chefs were holding Luffy's arms and dragging him like a prisoner to Chef Zeff.
"Head chef! This is the culprit!"
Paddy pointed at Luffy and loudly complained, "That cannonball that fell from the sky and smashed the roof just now, that was brought by this guy!"
Zhefu, sitting behind his desk, looked rather disheveled.
His once pristine white chef's hat and uniform are now covered in black soot and burn marks.
Clearly, he was the direct victim of Luffy's "Gum Balloon" deflection of the cannonball.
Zeff stroked his two braided golden beards and glanced at Luffy with a nonchalant look.
"Did you do this, Straw Hat Boy?"
I could feel the deep, oppressive aura emanating from the other person, like the ocean itself.
Without any hesitation, Luffy immediately performed a standard dogeza (a deep bowing gesture), slamming his forehead hard against the floor.
"I...I'm so sorry!!"
Luffy shouted loudly, his attitude extremely sincere.
After a while, seeing that the other party did not move.
Luffy cautiously raised his head slightly, intending to secretly peek at the victim.
However, upon seeing this, his gaze froze instantly.
He saw Zhev's empty right leg beneath his trousers, replaced by a sturdy wooden prosthetic.
Luffy's pupils dilated in shock, tears instantly gushing out, and he sobbed uncontrollably, snot and tears streaming down his face.
"Waaaaah!! I'm so sorry, uncle!! Your leg!! Did I accidentally blow your leg off?!"
"Fool!!"
Zeff's forehead veins bulged, and without any hesitation, he raised his wooden leg and kicked Luffy hard in the face.
"Bang!"
"My leg has been broken for who knows how many years! How could it possibly have been blown up by a mere brat like you! Don't flatter yourself!"
...
At the same time, the doors of the floating restaurant were pushed open.
The badly injured Forbodi and his sexy female companion, Moody, walked into the restaurant hand in hand.
Although he had changed into clean clothes, Forbodi's right hand was now wrapped in thick bandages like a giant dumpling, which looked quite comical.
Moody glanced at Forpody's injured hand and asked with some concern:
"Captain, is your hand... really alright? Perhaps we should call it a day..."
"Haha, it's alright, it's alright!"
Folpodi endured the excruciating pain in his wrist, his forehead beaded with cold sweat.
He tried to force a smile, attempting to project the demeanor of a naval gentleman.
Although his right wrist was just broken by that hateful red-eyed brat.
But this did not deter his determination to get food; in fact, it made him even more determined.
He desperately needed to vent to soothe his wounded heart and body.
"It's just a...minor scratch. You know, training is always tough for a naval lieutenant. Hahaha."
He wrapped his undamaged left arm around Moody's waist, striking a dashing pose.
"Let's go in, the red wine here is quite good."
...
On the Going Merry.
"Ugh, Luffy, that idiot, why did he have to go and apologize? He could have just blamed it on the Navy. After all, they were the ones who fired the cannonballs."
Nami leaned on the railing, looking at the restaurant in the distance, and couldn't help but pout and complain.
Viktor stretched and yawned, then suddenly remembered something.
"Oh, right. Luffy didn't bring a single penny with him."
"Huh?" Nami was taken aback.
"If Luffy doesn't bring money to compensate, given the head chef's temper, he'll probably be forced to wash dishes for the rest of his life."
"I'm hungry too, I'll take some Pele over to compensate them."
Victor dusted off his clothes. "While I'm at it, I'll try the food at this most famous restaurant in the East China Sea."
Upon hearing that the treasure would be used, Nami's expression showed some pain and reluctance.
But thinking about rescuing Luffy, he could only sigh helplessly.
"Oh, really... I want to go too! I need to keep an eye on you so you don't waste your money!"
Viktor nodded, then turned to look at Zoro, who was dozing off against the mast with his sword in his arms, and Usopp, who was repairing the ship's side with a hammer.
"Hey, Zoro, Usopp. The ship is in your hands now."
"Don't worry, big brother! We're here for you!"
Johnny and Joseph immediately patted their chests in assurance, their eyes filled with admiration for Victor.
"Bring us back some good food! I want to eat big pieces of meat with bones!" Usopp shouted, waving his hammer.
"Caw caw caw! Grandpa, Clay wants one too!" Clay also flapped his wings and shouted loudly.
Then, Usopp seemed to realize something and stared wide-eyed at the two people standing on the ship's side.
"Hey, Victor...wait, the small boat is behind us..."
However, he hadn't finished speaking.
Suddenly, Viktor bent down, put one hand under Nami's legs and the other around her back, and lifted Nami up in a "princess carry".
"ah?!"
Nami's body suddenly lifted into the air, and her cheeks instantly flushed red.
She instinctively struggled slightly, pressing her hands against Victor's chest.
"Hey! What are you doing?! Put me down right now!"
"It's all in the past."
Viktor said innocently, "Taking a small boat is too slow, and you have to row, which is too much trouble."
Then, without any warning, he grabbed Nami and jumped straight into the sea below!
"ah!!!"
As Nami watched the sea draw ever closer, she couldn't help but let out a terrified scream.
She closed her eyes tightly, her hands instinctively gripping Viktor's clothes.
"You idiot!! Have you forgotten you can't swim?! We're going to drown!!"
call--
The wind whistled in my ears.
However, the suffocating feeling of the icy seawater hitting my face that I had expected did not come.
Instead, she felt a steady tremor, as if she had landed on solid ground.
"That's fine."
Viktor's chuckled voice reached my ears.
Nami cautiously opened one eye and looked down at her feet.
Upon seeing this, she was so shocked she almost cried out.
Viktor stood steadily on the surface of the sea, which was rising and falling with the waves!
It was as if there was an invisible membrane beneath his feet, keeping the seawater out, with only faint ripples spreading outwards.
After secretly practicing for a while, Viktor has become proficient at using chakra to tread water.
"Hurry up, Miss Navigator."
Victor offered a reminder.
"Whoosh!"
Then, in a flash, Victor, carrying Nami, began to run swiftly across the sea as if walking on flat ground, leaving a white trail of waves behind him.
Usopp and Zoro on the ship were utterly astonished by what they saw.
"What... is that guy a ninja?" Zoro opened one eye.
"Ah...that's so cool! I really want to learn that move too! That way I won't be afraid of falling into the sea!" Usopp drooled with envy.
...
A few seconds later, on the deck of the floating restaurant.
Viktor landed lightly and put Nami down from his arms.
"arrive."
As soon as Nami's feet touched the ground, she immediately took two steps back as if she had been electrocuted.
She straightened her slightly disheveled clothes, the blush on her face not yet completely gone.
She didn't look at Victor, but instead walked straight toward the restaurant door with a stern face, her steps somewhat hurried.
Viktor scratched his head, looking puzzled.
"Hmm...did I make a mistake again? Wasn't this the fastest way? And it didn't even get her shoes wet."
He shook his head, unable to understand the woman's thoughts, and then followed her.
"Creak—"
The two pushed open the huge fish-shaped door.
As soon as the door opened, an angry roar greeted them, shattering the restaurant's previously elegant atmosphere.
"oi! oi! oi! What kind of service is this?!"
In the center of the restaurant, Folpodi had one foot on a chair next to a table.
He slammed his bandaged right hand on the table and roared at a blond, curly-browed young chef in front of him:
"I'm a Navy Headquarters Lieutenant Commander! Iron Fist—Forbodi!!"
He pointed at the bowl of soup in front of him, his expression ferocious:
"You're going to give me this soup with flies in it?! This is an insult to the Navy!!"
"I can see the sullen look in your eyes! Say something, you bastard!"
"I have the right to arrest you! You curly-eyebrowed bastard chef!"
Across from him, the sous chef Sanji, with a cigarette dangling from his mouth, was looking at him with a cold expression.
At the entrance.
Viktor watched this familiar scene, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"Oh? Looks like you've come at the perfect time."Chapter 44 Hey, get out of here!
"Hey!! I'm a customer! A customer who paid!!"
Fulpodie put one foot on the chair and roared at Sanji in front of him, spitting everywhere.
It seemed like they wanted to vent all the pent-up frustration and anger they had just been holding in here.
He felt a surge of relief in his heart!
Damn it, I can't afford to mess with that red-eyed, freakish pirate, but do you think I can't teach a mere restaurant chef a lesson?!
However, faced with his rage, Sanji simply held a cigarette in his mouth, head down, bangs obscuring half his face, his voice low and cold:
"Can money... fill my stomach...?"
"ha?"
Forbodi paused for a moment, and hearing the gloomy tone and seeing the strange aura emanating from the other person, he felt a strange sense of tension in his heart.
But he quickly realized that he was a naval captain!
Enraged, he slammed his fist on the table again and roared:
"What nonsense are you talking about! I am..."
"Bang!!"
Before he could finish speaking, a black afterimage flashed past his eyes.
Without any warning, Sanji launched a flying kick and slammed it hard into Fulpodie's chin.
"Puwa!"
Forbodi flew backward like a sandbag, crashing into the table behind him.
Before he even landed, Sanji had already taken a step forward, grabbed his collar with one hand, and lifted him off the ground.
Sanji's exposed eyes were filled with icy rage as he stared intently at Fulpodie:
"I'm asking you—can money fill your stomach?!"
This sudden violent turn of events shocked everyone in the restaurant.
Diners screamed and scattered, turning the once elegant dining environment into a complete mess.
Standing at the doorway, Nami watched this scene, her mouth agape, and murmured:
"What... what's going on here... why are the chefs here fiercer than pirates?"
"You little brat! Here you go again! Sanji!!"
Just then, another rough roar came from ahead.
A muscular, burly chef dressed in a black chef's uniform—Patty—rushed over wielding a huge fork, roaring at Sanji:
"What are you doing to our guests! You violent chef!"
"What are you saying? Don't just call me by my name, you bastard Patty."
Sanji glanced back at him, his eyes still cold.
"You stinking cook, you have no right to call me stinking cook! No customers, no restaurant! Are you trying to ruin this place?!" Paddy roared.
"And what about the guests?"
Sanji showed no sign of backing down; instead, his tone became even more chilling:
"This guy not only wasted precious food, but also insulted the dishes that the chef had put so much effort into making, so I had to teach him a lesson."
With that, Sanji tossed Folbourne to the ground like trash.
"Cough cough..."
Forbodi, clutching his newly injured chin, got up from the ground with a ferocious expression.
Looking at the menacing chefs around him, his fear turned into a frenzied hysteria.
"What kind of chefs are you... what kind of chefs are you?!"
He pointed at Sanji, his eyes bloodshot, and roared:
"I am a naval captain! I'm going to destroy this shop! I'm contacting the government right now! Send the army to bomb this place to the ground!!"
Upon hearing "destroy this store," Sanji's expression instantly turned extremely terrifying, and a murderous aura, like that of a demon, erupted from his body.
"Since that's the case, then I have no choice but to kill you now!!"
The cigarette dangling from Sanji's lips glowed intermittently as he walked step by step toward Fulpodie. "You think you're so great, you bastard!"
"Hey! Sanji! Stop!"
"Calm down!"
Upon seeing this, several chefs nearby were immediately alarmed and rushed forward to grab Sanji's waist and arms, desperately trying to stop him.
"Let me go! Let me kill this bastard who wastes food!"
At the entrance.
"Ah...it's really going to break out."
Nami looked at the chaotic scene, rubbing her forehead in exasperation, and tugged at Viktor's sleeve beside her.
"Hey, Viktor, we've paid to ransom Luffy, let's leave now."
"This store is too strange. I have a feeling it's going to get into big trouble."
Victor leaned against the doorframe, looking at the blond, curly-browed chef, a smile playing on his lips.
"No, isn't this quite interesting?"
"What's so interesting about this?!" Nami yelled at him in despair.
Boom!!!
Just then, a loud crash came from the ceiling above, followed by the shattering of wooden planks and a cloud of dust.
Two entangled figures, accompanied by a large amount of wood chips, fell directly from the second floor and crashed heavily onto the central floor of the restaurant.
"Cough cough... What's wrong this time?!"
"What happened? Is it an enemy attack?"
Another flurry of activity erupted in the restaurant, with diners bewildered by the series of "surprises."
Some diners were so frightened that they crawled under the table.
The dust and smoke dissipated.
"Luffy!!"
Nami looked at the figure wearing a straw hat who had climbed out of the ruins and immediately showed a look of surprise.
The other chefs around also recognized the other person and exclaimed in surprise:
"Boss?! What are you doing?!"
There stood Chef Zeff, who had lost a leg, staring wide-eyed at Luffy.
"Ah, Viktor, Nami! Hehehe, you've come to save me!"
Luffy picked up the straw hat that had fallen to the side, dusted it off, and grinned at the two people at the door, completely oblivious to the trouble he had caused.
But then, an angry Zeff grabbed him by the collar.
"You brat! It's all your fault!"
Zhefu pointed to the large hole in the ceiling, his beard bristling with anger:
"My restaurant's ceiling! It was just repaired! It's all your fault! Pay up!!"
"Huh?! You kicked me, old man, and that's when you broke it!" Luffy retorted, dissatisfied. "You're half responsible too!"
"Shut up! In my restaurant, what I say goes!"
Just as the two were arguing, the chefs who were holding Sanji were almost unable to stop them and couldn't help but shout for help:
"Boss! Forget about the ceiling! Stop Sanji first! He's going to kill someone!"
"Um?"
Zeff turned his head and his gaze instantly locked onto Sanji, who was about to make a move with murderous intent.
"Sanji...you brat! Have you been causing trouble in the store again?"
"Stop nagging, you old geezer."
Although Sanji verbally retorted, he subconsciously stopped what he was doing when he saw Zeff's gloomy eyes, scoffed, and turned his head away.
"What did you say?! Who do you think you're talking to?! This is my restaurant, you brat!"
Without hesitation, Zeff's sturdy wooden leg transformed into a blur as he delivered a powerful kick to Sanji's face.
"Bang!"
Sanji was kicked flying, tumbling several times before coming to a stop.
This series of violent incidents completely shattered Forbodi's worldview.
He knelt on the ground, cold sweat pouring down his face, his teeth chattering as he looked at the group of chefs who resembled pirates even more than pirates themselves.
"What's wrong with this restaurant... it's practically a pirate ship..."
He wanted to run, but his legs were too weak to stand up.
"Hey, you scumbag."
Suddenly, a familiar voice, one that haunted his nightmares, drifted from the side.
Forbodi's body suddenly stiffened, and then, like a rusty machine, he mechanically turned his head little by little.
What came into view was Victor, leaning against the door, smiling at him.
Those signature red eyes were gleaming with a mocking light.
"Ah...ah...you..."
Volpodi's pupils instantly shrank to the size of pinpoints, and his body trembled violently uncontrollably. The arrogance he had displayed when facing Sanji vanished in an instant.
What's that demon doing here?!
"Get out of here!"
Victor tilted his head and said softly, "Or do you want me to cripple your other hand too?"
"Yes! Yes! I'll get out right away!!"
Forbodi let out a terrified scream, his survival instinct kicking in instantly.
He used both hands and feet, scrambling and crawling towards the gate at an astonishing speed.
He didn't even glance at his female companion, Moody, who was still sitting on the ground in a daze, completely forgetting about her.
The restaurant became much quieter instantly.
"Um?"
Having finished his chores, Zeff turned his head, his gaze passing over Luffy, and looked at Viktor and Nami standing at the door.
His gaze sharpened as he looked the two of them up and down.
"And who...who are you?"Chapter 45 Money is God, the Hungry Demon
"This straw hat kid is our captain. We're here to compensate for the previous losses."
Victor leaned against the doorframe and spoke calmly.
He then casually pulled a heavy money bag from his pocket, tossed it in an arc through the air, and accurately threw it at Paddy, who was arguing with Sanji.
"Smack."
Paddy instinctively caught the money bag.
The heavy feel of the metal and the crisp sound of metal clashing inside caused his originally fierce expression to change instantly, like a Sichuan opera face-changing act.
He opened the bag and glanced inside; his eyes instantly transformed into the shape of Pele.
"Okay! This guest!!"
Paddy's fleshy face contorted into a smile, and his obsequious tone sent chills down one's spine.
"Now that the compensation has been paid, everything is negotiable!"
"On this vast sea, wealthy customers are our gods! Welcome to... Baratie!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Upon seeing this, Luffy grabbed his straw hat and burst into laughter, showing no trace of the disheveled state he had just been in when he almost got beaten up.
"Ah! You've come just in time, Victor! Hehehe, I thought I was really going to have to work odd jobs here for a year to pay off my debts!"
As he spoke, the brat patted Zhefu's shoulder forcefully, completely disregarding the other's terrifying aura.
"Hehehe, goodbye, uncle! Since you've compensated me, I don't owe you anything anymore!"
Then, as if remembering something, Luffy looked at Zeff with shining eyes:
"Oh, by the way, sir! We desperately need a chef on board right now. Do you have any recommendations? Preferably someone who can cook incredibly well!"
"Smack!"
Zeff slapped Luffy's hand off his shoulder without any hesitation.
He stroked his golden braided beard and snorted coldly.
His gaze swept over the busy chefs around him, his tone tinged with a hint of arrogance and pride:
Stop dreaming, kid.
"This restaurant, and all the chefs here, are my hard work, treasures that we must protect together. I'm not going to hand them over to you to do some kind of pirate thing."
At this point, Zeff suddenly changed the subject, his gaze settling on the blond, curly-browed man with a gloomy expression, who was smoking a cigarette.
"However... that brat is an exception."
Zeff pointed at Sanji, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.
"Huh?! What did you say, you old geezer?!"
Sanji's ears twitched, and he immediately turned his head, veins bulging on his forehead.
"Are you trying to kick me out?! I'm not leaving this ship!"
Zeff completely ignored Sanji's roar and turned to look at Viktor, who was walking over.
"Although you are being very generous, it's just fixing a ceiling, it shouldn't cost this much."
Viktor smiled and waved his hand:
"Let's use the extra money to have a good meal here."
"After all, we're a bunch of big eaters, especially our captain."
Zeff gave Viktor a deep look and nodded.
Immediately, he turned around abruptly and roared like thunder at the chefs who were still watching the commotion:
"Stop standing there!! Didn't you hear me?! The customers are going hungry! Get to the kitchen and get to work!!"
"Yes, boss!!"
The chefs scattered like birds and beasts, and the restaurant was bustling with activity once again.
"Oh!! A big meal is coming! I want to eat meat!!" Luffy cheered, raising his hands, drool already dripping down his face.
"This way, please! This way, please!"
Paddy, clutching his money bag, wore an incredibly happy smile and was about to invite Victor and Nami to sit down.
However, just as Viktor turned around, his eyes narrowed slightly.
"God! Behind you..."
Paddy's smile froze, and he immediately pointed behind Victor.
A ghost-like figure appeared at the doorway without anyone noticing.
He was holding a black pistol, the dark muzzle pointed directly at the back of Viktor's head.
That's Ah Jin.
"Don't move..."
However, Viktor had naturally noticed him long ago thanks to his keen senses.
Just as Akin's finger was about to pull the trigger.
"Too slow."
Without even turning his head, Viktor unleashed a powerful right leg kick, delivering a swift and ruthless strike to Akin's abdomen.
"Bang!"
"vomit..."
Akin's already extremely weak body could not withstand that kick.
His eyes bulged out, his mouth opened wide, and he vomited a mouthful of acidic fluid from his stomach.
He then curled up on the ground like a boiled shrimp, and the gun in his hand slipped to the side.
Viktor smiled and withdrew his foot, as if kicking away a pebble on the roadside.
"ah!"
Nami was startled by this sudden turn of events and hid behind Victor.
"What the heck... Who is this guy? He looks like a ghost."
The man on the ground was wearing a tattered gray coat with dragon patterns.
His eyes were sunken and his face was bluish-purple, making him look like a walking corpse.
Ajin clutched his abdomen in pain, his voice hoarse and weak, as if squeezed from his throat:
"I...I'm Gin from the Krieg Pirates..."
He struggled to lift his head, his eyes unfocused yet filled with a desperate desire to survive.
"This is a restaurant, right... Anything is fine... anything as long as it's food... anything is fine... give me something to eat..."
"The Krieg Pirates?!"
Upon hearing the name, the diners in the restaurant immediately erupted in an uproar and began to discuss it animatedly.
"Isn't that the most powerful pirate crew in the East Blue? Admiral Krieg's men!"
"I heard they have a large fleet of fifty warships! Why are they here? And in such a sorry state?"
"Hey, a poor customer has entered the shop!"
Hearing the commotion, Paddy tossed the money bag to Zeff, then rubbed his large hands together and approached the fallen Akin with a benevolent expression.
He looked down at the half-starved pirate:
"Sir, you know our rules, right? We don't welcome penniless people. Do you have any money?"
"I...I am...the Captain-Commander of the Krieg Pirates..."
Akin, trembling, picked up the pistol from the ground and, with his last ounce of strength, pressed it against Paddy's forehead, attempting to threaten:
"Give me food..."
"Oh, so you mean you don't have any money?"
Paddy's face instantly turned cold, completely ignoring the gun pressed against his forehead.
"Then get the hell out of here!!"
"Bang!!"
Paddy grabbed Akin's head with his large hands and slammed him into the floor like a thumbtack.
"Ugh!!"
Then, Paddy grabbed Akin by the collar and, like throwing away trash, tossed his groaning body out the door.
"Get out of here, pirates! This isn't a relief center!"
In a corner of the restaurant.
Sanji leaned against the wall, the cigarette in his mouth flickering.
He looked at Ah Jin being thrown out, his eyes flickering slightly, then took a deep drag of his cigarette, exhaled a smoke ring, and silently turned to walk towards the kitchen.
Zhefu glanced at his back but didn't say anything, only a deep meaning flashed in his eyes.
After dealing with the "garbage," Paddy clapped his hands, instantly putting on that fawning smile again, and jogged over to Victor.
"I'm so sorry to have disturbed your enjoyment with these flies. Please, gentlemen, take your seats by the window over there."
"What...is this really a restaurant? It feels more violent than a pirate's den..."
Nami's lips twitched, and she couldn't help but complain.
Victor did not sit down immediately.
He smiled and held up seven long, slender fingers, waving them in front of Paddy.
"We'd like to order, but it's not just for two people."
Then, as if remembering something, he hesitated and added another finger.
"It's for eight people. And the portions need to be generous; it would be best to bring out all your seafood and meat."
"Eight?!"
Paddy was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. "Ah! I see! Are there companions?"
"No problem! Our food in Balatie will definitely not disappoint you!"
"Oh!! Time to eat!!"
Nami and Luffy were already irresistibly drawn in by the aroma, so they followed Patty to their seats first.
Victor went to the terrace outside the shop alone.
He looked at the Going Merry anchored on the sea in the distance, and a black dot hovering idly on its mast.
"call out--"
Viktor whistled loudly.
Above the USS Merry.
Kleiner's keen hearing instantly picked up on the signal.
As for the whistle, it was something Victor had agreed to test with it one night when he was bored.
It immediately swooped down excitedly and shouted at the four people who were bored on the deck:
"Gurgle, gurgle!! Grandpa's given the signal! He's telling us all to go eat! We can go have a big meal!!"
After shouting, Clay eagerly flapped his wings, "I'm going first! Meat! Meat!!"
"Oh!! Really?! Dinner's ready!!"
Upon hearing this, Usopp, who was repairing the ship, excitedly dropped his hammer and jumped up laughing.
"Can we finally eat now...?"
Zoro, who was sleeping against the mast, was also woken up and stared at the crow that flew away with a dark expression on his face.
"How do these two... communicate... understand each other with just a whistle?"
"Big brother...can we...go too?"
Johnny and Joseph exchanged a glance, looking at Zoro with a sense of flattery.
That's a high-class restaurant. How could ordinary people like them go there?
Zoro stretched, hung the three swords on his waist, and glanced at them.
"Since Victor called, then you're all in. Stop talking nonsense."
Zoro pointed to the small boat beside him and said matter-of-factly:
"Get down there and row the boat."
"Yes!! Big Brother!!"