Ding! Guide Sanji and earn his admiration, progress +20%. Current total progress: 40%. Reward: Flash Step Level +1. Current Flash Step Level: Lv2.
Lin Mo had barely walked away when the system's notification sounded in his mind.
More detailed information about Flash Step integrated into his mind, and his body felt much lighter.
"Looks like Sanji's talent is pretty good," Lin Mo remarked with some satisfaction.
But what was up with that admiration? Why did that count towards the progress of the task?
That part was something Lin Mo couldn't figure out.
But, as long as the results were good, that was all that mattered.
Stretching lazily, Lin Mo had already made his way to the second-floor back deck of Baratie.
The warm sunlight bathed him, making him feel drowsy.
"A little nap wouldn't hurt," Lin Mo said as he took a reclining chair out of the system's space, lay back comfortably, and began to doze off with his eyes half-closed.
He had barely closed his eyes for a few minutes when, not far off, a pirate ship with an unknown pirate flag slowly approached.
When Baratie entered the firing range of the pirate ship, the cannons fixed to the ship immediately had their fuses lit.
With a few loud booms, several cannonballs came rushing toward Baratie.
These pirates were trying to ambush Baratie.
They had launched their attack from behind Baratie.
The sound of the cannonballs woke Lin Mo from his nap.
He furrowed his brows as he opened his eyes.
The first thing he saw was the black cannonballs coming closer and closer.
Without a word, Lin Mo immediately sprang from his reclining chair, leaped onto the deck, and used his Night Kai to kick all the cannonballs into the sea.
Landing back on the deck, Lin Mo emotionlessly stared at the pirate ship several hundred meters away, the ship that had disturbed his nap.
Without hesitation, he drew his Toyako and cleaved at the pirate ship.
Then, he returned his sword to his waist and lay back down on the chair. Just as he closed his eyes, the pirate ship suddenly split down the middle with a clean cut, slowly sinking to the bottom of the sea.
The surface of the water was filled with cries and screams.
Soon, everything returned to silence.
"Is this... real?" Sanji had initially intended to thank Lin Mo because Lin Mo's words earlier had helped resolve a mental block he had.
When he chased after the direction Lin Mo had gone, he just happened to witness Lin Mo kicking cannonballs and slicing a pirate ship in half with a wooden sword.
He was so scared that he didn't dare approach Lin Mo.
Swallowing nervously, Sanji slowly moved his feet backward.
The more he thought about Lin Mo kicking cannonballs, the more excited he became.
He couldn't help but kick his own feet, eager to try it himself.
"That guy, Lin Mo, is amazing! He's practically my age... No, I can't waste any more time!"
With that, he reached the door to Zeff's room.
Seeing Sanji again, Zeff growled, "Did you finish washing the dishes?"
Sanji grinned, showing his teeth, and said, "Old man, I've made up my mind. I'm going to learn your leg techniques!"
Zeff froze for a moment, then burst out laughing, "Hahaha! You? You want to learn my leg techniques? Dream on! Do your job well first!"
"I'll do my job properly!" Sanji said seriously. "And I'll learn cooking too. The extra time, you can teach me your leg techniques!"
Zeff looked at Sanji with a puzzled expression.
This kid… What happened to him? He seemed different from when he came here just over half an hour ago.
Could it be… that he's finally had a breakthrough?
Zeff frowned slightly and said, "I don't plan to teach you cooking."
Sanji laughed, "That's fine. I'll keep working in the kitchen. If you don't teach me, I'll learn on my own. I'm not the same Sanji anymore. Old man, you'd better watch out, I'm going to surpass you, whether in cooking or leg techniques!"
"Hahaha! You? You'll never surpass me. Just stick to doing your chores."
"Say whatever you want. Once I've made up my mind, no one can change it!"
With that, Sanji dashed off.
Zeff's face, which had been laughing, quickly returned to its usual calm.
That kid… Did someone say something to him?
It wasn't anyone like Patty or the other rough cooks.
The only person who could access the kitchen besides Staff and Zeff was someone Zeff had recently given special privileges to.
Zeff narrowed his eyes slightly.
Could it really be that kid…?
On the other side, Lin Mo had a pleasant nap for over an hour. When he woke up, the first thing he did was grab his wine gourd.
The wine gourd was empty.
Before leaving Shimotsuki Village, he had purposely bought a lot of wine and stocked it up.
But after sailing for nearly eight days, drinking and sleeping most of the time, occasionally dealing with sea kings that tried to attack him, his stock had dwindled down to only two barrels of the special aged wine given by Koushirou.
After thinking for a moment, he decided not to drink the wine Koushirou had given him.
Getting up, he put the recliner back into the system space.
Lin Mo yawned, smelling the faint aroma of alcohol in the air, and made his way to the door of a room on the second floor that was specifically for storing alcohol.
Just then, Sanji came out of the room holding a bottle of alcohol.
When he saw Lin Mo outside as he opened the door, Sanji froze for a moment.
"Uh, what are you doing here?" Sanji hurriedly asked.
Lin Mo's gaze was fixed on the bottle of alcohol Sanji was holding. "How much is this?"
"This? It's five Berries per cup. You're not thinking of drinking, are you?" Sanji asked cautiously.
Lin Mo responded indifferently, "Mm."
"In that case, take this bottle. I'll go grab another one," Sanji grinned as he handed the bottle to Lin Mo.
Lin Mo: "?"
"It's no problem," Sanji said carelessly. "Whenever you want to drink, just let me know. We can come here together, you go inside and drink, and I'll stand guard."
Lin Mo smiled.
This kid really knows how to make friends.
Lin Mo appreciated Sanji's kindness, but he wasn't the type to freeload.
Lin Mo reached into his pocket, took out a small pouch with a hundred Berries, and tossed it to Sanji.
Sanji hurriedly caught it. "Eh? What's this?"
"Payment for the alcohol," Lin Mo said casually.
With that, Lin Mo uncorked the bottle and took a swig.
The taste was decent.
He then poured the rest of the wine into his gourd and handed the empty bottle back to Sanji.
As he was about to leave, Sanji hurriedly asked, "Where are you going?"
"Hunting," Lin Mo said nonchalantly.
Sanji froze, and then he remembered what he had seen earlier—Lin Mo kicking cannonballs and cutting a pirate ship in half with a wooden sword. His excitement surged once again, and he quickly followed Lin Mo, running downstairs.
As they walked, Sanji asked, "Are you going to hunt pirates? I saw you kick those cannonballs and slice a pirate ship earlier. You're amazing, Lin Mo! Can you tell me, when did you start practicing your leg techniques?"
Lin Mo: "..."
This question sounded so familiar...