"Mamamama~~ Shirogai, you've never tasted desserts this divine before, have you?"
BIG MOM laughed heartily, grabbing pastries from the air with both hands and shoving them into her enormous mouth. Crumbs flew as her delighted grin spread from ear to ear.
She looked proudly at Shirogai, who sat calmly across the long banquet table, savoring the sweets with quiet amusement.
"In Totto Land, every dessert is crafted by the best chefs in the world. Whatever flavor you desire, it can be made for you at any moment," Mama boasted, her voice booming through the room.
Shirogai took another bite, the corners of his mouth curling upward.
"The taste is indeed good," he said casually, "but compared to what my partner makes, it's still a little lacking." He set the pastry down and smiled faintly.
"Besides, I'm a chef myself. My own cooking easily surpasses this."
The room went silent for a moment.
As Shirogai spoke, his gaze flicked briefly toward the small, elderly man beside Big Mom—an old chef in a pink outfit and white apron, carefully slicing meat with a slim sword.
"It's several times more delicious than these dishes," Shirogai added.
Under the influence of his God-Level Comprehension System [System Notice: Culinary Arts — God Level], the food Shirogai prepared was unmatched. Even among the BIG MOM Pirates, renowned for their extraordinary culinary skills, his art had already reached divine mastery.
The short, portly old man next to Mama was none other than "Gourmet Knight" Streusen, the Head Chef and one of the founding members of the crew—the very man who had guided Charlotte Linlin into her life as a pirate. Shirogai remembered him clearly from the Anime.
The moment he observed Streusen, the System had issued several prompts:
[Observation Complete: User of the Eat-Eat Fruit. Ability Acquired — Transform any material into edible ingredients.]
[Observation Complete: Master of Gourmet Sword Style. Ability Comprehended — Peak Gourmet Swordsmanship.]
[Observation Complete: Culinary Arts — Peak Level Comprehended → Upgraded to God Level.]
The last notification had stunned even him. From this seemingly harmless old man, he'd discovered there existed an even higher state—the divine level. For the first time in a while, Shirogai felt a flicker of motivation.
---
"Hmph. Arrogant brat," Streusen muttered, his tone sharp as a knife.
Hearing Shirogai claim he could cook better than the dishes Streusen had personally approved for Mama's table clearly offended him. His mustache twitched as he sliced another piece of steak for her—though Mama certainly didn't need his help.
"Oh?" Mama's eyes glimmered with sudden interest.
"Mamamama~~" she laughed, licking cream from her lips. "So, Shirogai, you can cook too? And you claim it's better than the work of my Head Chef?"
Shirogai leaned back slightly, his smirk never leaving.
"Of course. Do you want me to prove it?"
Mama's grin widened dangerously.
"Mamamama~~ Every member of my crew—my children—is a specialist in a different art of cuisine." She grabbed Streusen by the collar and plopped him onto the table in excitement.
"And my Head Chef is second to none! Yet you say your cooking is more delicious than his?"
Her enormous eyes narrowed. Despite her curiosity, doubt lingered. For a woman who'd tasted everything under the sun, it was hard to believe that this young man possessed skill beyond a chef with sixty years of experience.
"The Head Chef's culinary skill is the pinnacle of humanity," murmured one of the pirate officers nearby.
Shirogai's expression didn't waver.
"Then let's find out."
---
He raised his hand, and in an instant, an ice blade formed between his fingers. With effortless grace, he struck the air, freezing a thick block of ice into existence.
The crew exchanged confused glances. "What's he doing?"
Then the ice blade moved. Each strike carved a section of the frozen block—until, to their astonishment, the pieces began transforming. Thick chunks of ice became steaming loaves of bread. Fine shards turned into glittering sugar crystals. Even the melting water became smooth, fresh cream.
"What?! That's the Head Chef's ability!" Gasps rippled through the room.
The pirates turned in disbelief toward Streusen, who stared with equal shock.
"He's copying my Eat-Eat Fruit's power...?" Streusen muttered. "Who is this man?"
Mama's massive grin stretched wider.
"Mamamama~~ Truly fascinating! So it's true—he can learn a Devil Fruit ability just by observing it!"
The banquet hall filled with murmurs of awe and disbelief.
Shirogai didn't respond. Instead, he flicked his hand, summoning a swirl of fire that enveloped the bread, baking it to golden perfection. The aroma filled the hall instantly.
Then he looked toward Charlotte Pudding, who was watching with wide, curious eyes.
"Pudding, may I borrow something from you?"
"Eh? M-me?" she stammered. "What do you mean?"
"I need just a little of your memory," Shirogai said lightly.
Before she could reply, he reached out and plucked shimmering pink fragments of memory from the air beside her. The motes sparkled softly in his hand. He sprinkled the delicate dust over the bread like seasoning, nodding in satisfaction.
"It's done."
Before anyone could blink, a masterpiece lay before them—a syrup cream sandwich bread, gleaming with multicolored sugar glaze. The light reflected from its surface like the morning sun on calm water.
"Hehe…" A childlike giggle echoed faintly through the air, as if the bread itself were alive.
"Would you like a taste?" Shirogai asked, holding it toward Mama with a calm smile.
Mama's eyes went wide, and drool pooled at the corners of her mouth. Every instinct in her screamed that this was far beyond ordinary food. Her hunger surged uncontrollably.
"Give it to me! I want it! Now!"
Shirogai flicked his wrist, tossing the bread lightly into the air. As it floated, the pastry blinked open a pair of glowing eyes and laughed softly like a baby.
"Hehe, Mama!"
The hall erupted in shock.
"He made a pastry Homie!!"
"That's impossible! That's the Soul-Soul Fruit's power!"
Every member of the BIG MOM Pirates stared at Shirogai in disbelief and fear. He had just replicated BIG MOM's own Devil Fruit ability.
---