Soon after their departure, Oboro and his crew of six left the island and set course for the first half of the Grand Line.
Throughout their journey, Oboro's enhanced senses remained vigilant, continuously monitoring Rob Lucci's every movement. He found it surprisingly curious that neither the Marine nor the World Government had arrived during his prolonged unconsciousness, logically, such a golden opportunity should never have been missed. He had originally planned that if marine forces did arrive, Lucci's true identity as a government agent would be exposed, and Oboro could then present them with a "generous gift" to test just how unwavering Lucci's so-called "dark justice" truly was.
Unfortunately, his scheme had failed to materialize.
Although he had been unconscious, his soul power served as an automatic defense mechanism, if government or marine personnel had landed on the island or approached with hostile intent, he would have immediately "awakened." This was his soul's honed defensive instinct. Even in the Hell Pirates' current weakened state, while defeating such forces would prove challenging, escape would be guaranteed with his involvement.
"It's probably not mere overcautiousness or negligence... Those old bastards possess intelligence no less sharp than Crane's..."
"So it seems likely that some unexpected 'factor' has emerged, forcing the Five Elders to alter their strategy..."
Oboro pondered these possibilities as they sailed.
A day later, they arrived in the Sambas Region of the East Blue, where the famous sea restaurant was located.
Although the East Blue had been gaining considerable notoriety lately, even the Golden Lion's defeat had caused quite a stir, and it was widely known that the Hell Pirates might still be operating somewhere in these waters, this heightened attention didn't seem to have significantly impacted the sea restaurant's bustling business.
The Marine hadn't been actively "managing" the situation in the East Blue, and even Logue Town, renowned for its advanced military preparedness, had remained surprisingly quiet.
Oboro and his companions had no particular agenda in coming here; they simply wanted to enjoy a proper meal.
The sea restaurant Baratie was quite famous throughout the East Blue.
However, Oboro did harbor a slightly personal motive for this visit.
A magnificent "fish-head vessel" floated gracefully on the calm, azure waters.
The iconic ship featured a distinctive blue and white fish-head design with a three-story green pavilion rising from the center, forming the main restaurant structure. Upon first sight, guests might mistake this seagoing establishment for a uniquely designed luxury cruise ship. However, Oboro could immediately discern that beneath its elaborate decorations, the vessel maintained the fundamental structure of a pirate ship. The sails on both the fore and aft masts had been lowered in preparation for welcoming guests.
The restaurant ship was quite large, and to accommodate visiting diners, numerous "docking buoys" had been strategically placed in the surrounding waters for various vessels to moor.
When Oboro and his companions descended from the sky, the area surrounding the fish-head restaurant was already filled with an impressive variety of vessels, cargo ships, pirate vessels, and even modest civilian boats. Baratie clearly catered to a diverse clientele. Furthermore, the atmosphere suggested that dining here offered genuine peace of mind.
After all, few people would willingly share a meal with active pirates... Baratie's peaceful ambiance served as testament to its reputation for safety.
However, pirates comprised only a small minority of the clientele; the primary customers consisted of wealthy merchants and well-dressed civilians.
Meanwhile, a considerable number of guests were waiting outside the restaurant or preparing to enter. A bearded man dressed in chef's attire warmly greeted the approaching "customers," calling out enthusiastically, "Welcome!"
"Right this way, please..."
"Oh, and by the way, no freeloaders allowed."
"Also, dining at Baratie requires strict adherence to the restaurant's rules. First, absolutely no food may be wasted under any circumstances. Second, we do provide meals for those starving at sea. But judging by your fine clothing, you're clearly not here to freeload, are you?"
This man was Patty, one of the main cooks at Baratie. A former pirate himself, he later joined Red-Leg Zeff and had been fired from hundreds of other eateries for their constant brawling.
He'd frequently clashed with Sanji in the past... a veteran chef who often engaged in heated arguments with the younger cook.
"Huh!"
"Someone's... flying down from the sky?"
The orderly queue erupted into immediate panic. Patty looked in the direction of the disturbance and witnessed a group of five people gracefully descending through the air.
They weren't arriving by conventional boat, but rather from the heavens themselves... This was definitely a first for Patty.
"Wait... that guy looks familiar."
Suddenly, a woman in the crowd glanced at the group's leader, Oboro, and whispered urgently to her companions.
"Yeah!"
"The God Slayer... the one who killed the Celestial Dragons!"
"They're... the Hell Pirates."
"They've actually appeared! They've come to Baratie! Run!"
"We're all going to die!"
At first, the murmurs remained hushed, but within mere seconds, a corpulent, sweating man screamed in terror and bolted! His panicked shout and desperate flight triggered a devastating chain reaction. Suddenly, every customer remembered exactly who these newcomers were.
Mass exodus ensued.
The situation spiraled completely out of control.
The Hell Pirates?
Patty, whose face had been beaming with welcoming joy, froze solid.
Cold sweat immediately broke out across his forehead.
He was about to turn and rush back into the restaurant to find Zeff, but the doors suddenly burst open. At the mention of the Hell Pirates, the diners still enjoying their meals inside came rushing out, all fleeing for their lives in absolute terror!
"Hey... you haven't paid your bills yet!"
"Damn it! Stop right there!"
Several chefs pursued the fleeing crowd, shouting desperately at the mass of escaping customers.
However, the terrified patrons, consumed by primal fear, had completely forgotten about payment and simply ran with desperate determination.
Soon, all the ships surrounding the Baratie restaurant had sailed away and vanished into the distance.
The establishment, which had been bustling with activity just moments before, became eerily deserted in an instant.
Oboro watched this chaotic scene unfold with an amused smile.
The air fell into deathly silence.
All the chefs of Baratie emerged from the restaurant, unconsciously gathering together in a defensive formation as they stared nervously at the members of the Hell Pirates.
The more timid ones were already swallowing hard with audible gulps... their legs trembling visibly.
Clack, clack, clack.
At this tense moment, a distinctive sound of footsteps echoed across the deck, like wooden sticks rhythmically striking the floor.
The assembled chefs tacitly parted to create a clear path. Zeff, wearing his signature white chef's hat, with long blonde hair and a beard braided like rope, slowly stepped forward from the crowd. His right leg had been replaced with a wooden peg leg, accounting for the distinctive sound of his approach.
"My apologies... our arrival seems to have disrupted your business operations."
Oboro raised his hand to adjust the brim of his hat and spoke with polite courtesy.
Zeff narrowed his eyes, clearly not expecting that the legendary God Slayer would take the initiative to apologize to people like them.
"If you're here to dine, you're welcome."
"If you're here to cause trouble... I'll be your opponent."
Zeff's voice remained calm and steady, yet carried an undertone of steely resolve. "This is my restaurant... So if you have any issues, direct them at me. These others are simply employees of the establishment."
As soon as these words left his mouth, the faces of the surrounding chefs showed visible emotion, clearly moved by their boss's protective stance.
"Hahahaha... old man, you've got real backbone," Dolan laughed heartily.
Even with his keen perception, he could tell that the old man before them was not someone to be trifled with... At the very least, there was no trace of fear in his eyes, and the aura he projected commanded genuine respect.
It was remarkable that he maintained such composure, after all, they were the Hell Pirates!
His captain was the creator of the biggest sensation in the current world, regarded by the World Government as one of the most dangerous individuals alive.
"Don't be nervous... We're simply hungry."
Kaka also gestured reassuringly.
"Sanji..."
"I heard that he works here... So I came to see him."
"We... are his friends."
Oboro removed his hat entirely and spoke with gentle sincerity.