OPTC Chapter 303 - Do You Want to Join My Crew
"Hey, old man, this ship belongs to me now. You people can either join us or get lost," Dick declared confidently after weighing both sides' strength.
He had everything he needed — men, weapons — except for a ship. This one wasn't impressive at first glance, but that was an advantage; it wouldn't attract much attention. And it was big enough to modify later on.
Zeff had met plenty of arrogant types before. He said calmly, "If you're here to eat, you're welcome anytime. But if you're here to cause trouble, please leave."
"So, negotiations have failed. What a pity," Dick stood up. He had planned to take the ship and maybe bring along a few of the chefs, but now it seemed he'd just have to kill them all.
His men drew their swords and guns, forming a semicircle as they slowly advanced toward the chefs and guests.
"You still have time to regret this," Dick sneered.
But Zeff and his crew weren't about to back down. The tension between the two sides thickened.
"This one's delicious."
"This too."
"The portion's too small. Bring more later."
While everyone else backed away, the people at Table 7 continued eating with great enthusiasm, completely unfazed by the brewing fight.
"Hey, big guy over there, the dishes with these marks—bring another round," Zhang Da Ye said, handing the menu to Patty.
"Yes, sir!" Patty instinctively darted over with a grin, but the moment he turned to Dick's men, his expression hardened. "For anyone who isn't a customer—get out!"
"You bastards... who do you think you're talking to?!" Dick roared. What kind of restaurant was this? The customers and chefs alike acted like he was nothing. He was supposed to be a great pirate someday!
"Hurry up with the food," Zhang Da Ye called out, completely ignoring Dick. He felt an odd joy in acting so nonchalant in the middle of danger.
He was already planning it out in his head: if they attacked, he'd just block their hits with his Iron Body technique, then casually sneer, "Can't even punch properly and you call yourselves pirates?" The thought made him grin.
That grin was the last straw for Dick. His temper snapped. "Kill them!"
Bang! Bang! Bang! Several guns fired at once, all aimed at Zhang Da Ye.
Before Zhang could even pose, Zeff stepped in front of him. His right leg lifted — and with a single sweeping kick, the fake leg's strike created a gust of wind that stopped the bullets midair, dropping them harmlessly onto the floor.
Zhang slurped his soup, a little disappointed. There went his chance to look cool. This old man stole the show perfectly.
"What... what the hell was that?" Dick stared, dumbfounded. That kick was beyond anything he could comprehend.
"Let's end this quickly. Don't keep our guests waiting," Zeff said, arms crossed like a seasoned warrior.
Patty was the first to shout, "You dare interrupt our guests' meal?! Idiots! Let's show them the power of combat chefs!"
"Ohhh!!" The chefs roared, grabbing knives, pans, and ladles as weapons and charging in.
Within minutes, Dick's entire crew of would-be pirates were sprawled on the ground, tied up neatly. Sanji even slipped between tables, mopping the floor as if nothing had happened.
Patty smacked Dick across the back of the head. "You call that fighting? You dare mess with Baratie? Pathetic!"
The chefs grinned wickedly, clearly thinking about how to punish the fools.
"Don't get cocky. Our real fight isn't over yet," Zeff reminded them, glancing at Table 7. For a chef, feeding these guests to satisfaction was the true battle.
"Yes, sir!" The chefs dragged the beaten pirates away, then rushed back to the kitchen to continue cooking.
Zeff faced the remaining customers. "My apologies for the disturbance. As compensation, Baratie will offer everyone a free dessert."
It wasn't really his fault, and no one had been hurt. But since the guests had been startled, he figured a small gesture would calm them down.
Soon, most patrons decided to leave anyway. But Zeff knew word would spread — Baratie didn't just serve good food; it could also protect its guests from pirates. Business would boom after this.
Once the restaurant was empty, the real match began — Baratie vs. the Amber Travel Group, round two.
The first to tap out was Ye Yan. He had improved a lot since joining, but he still wasn't on par with the non-humans. Stretching, he yawned and went back to the ship for a nap.
Next was Shark Chili. He hadn't used much power today, so he didn't need to eat too much.
Then Perona, Wendy, and Carla — they claimed they were full, but continued nibbling desserts. Apparently, they had a separate stomach just for sweets.
The real heavy eaters were up next: Artoria and Rui Meng Meng, of course, and Zhang Da Ye, whose appetite had grown ever since mastering Dark Energy. A sign of power, apparently.
Tom's belly swelled larger and larger as he kept eating nonstop. The chair beneath him began to tremble, looking ready to collapse at any second.
And then there was Brook — an enigma. Zhang Da Ye still couldn't figure out where the food and drinks he consumed actually went. Into his soul, perhaps?
The feast lasted over three hours, stretching from noon into evening.
Artoria dabbed at her lips with a napkin, still not entirely satisfied. By now, Zeff was the only chef still standing.
The rest were slumped in the kitchen. "What... what monstrous appetites... we've lost this round," one groaned.
Patty was bawling his eyes out. "We failed to serve our guests properly! Unforgivable!"
The waiters had all fainted. They were just regular humans; no one could run back and forth like that for hours. The last one to collapse thought before passing out, "If I survive this, I'm quitting."
Sanji ended up handling most of the later rounds. Though genetically modified, his latent potential wasn't active yet, so he had a normal child's stamina. The fact that he was still on his feet was pure willpower.
"Even when wiping her mouth, Miss Artoria looks so beautiful..." Sanji sighed dreamily, deciding to admire her for a moment before asking about the All Blue.
Zeff brought out the final dessert. "I'm afraid we've used up nearly all our ingredients, and the chefs are completely exhausted. I'm deeply sorry we couldn't give you a perfect experience."
Artoria scooped a small spoonful of pudding, savoring it with closed eyes before answering softly, "I'm very satisfied. This is the finest restaurant I've ever seen."
"Is that so? That's an honor," Zeff smiled warmly. Praise like that meant everything to him.
"Thank you for the meal. It's rare for us to enjoy food this much," Zhang Da Ye said, placing a small chest of money on the counter and opening it.
"I haven't had time to calculate your total yet," Zeff said, roughly estimating the amount. "But with this much..."
"No need for change," Zhang Da Ye grinned generously. It wasn't every day Artoria enjoyed herself like this.
Zeff hesitated. "Ah... what I meant is — this still might not be enough."
Zhang Da Ye froze. "…What?"
"Haha... ha..." He chuckled awkwardly. "Then, uh, take your time calculating. I'll cover whatever's missing."
"Excuse me for a moment," Zeff said politely before heading off to finalize the bill. Normally, the check would be ready before the meal ended — but this time had been anything but normal.
Sanji, now rested, zipped back over like a whirlwind. "Miss Artoria! Did you enjoy the food?"
"It was wonderful," she said with a faint smile. "Did you make any of these dishes?"
"No! The old geezer said I'm not good enough yet. But I'll keep improving — someday, I'll cook meals even better than theirs!" Sanji vowed passionately.
"I'll be waiting for that day," Artoria encouraged him.
Beaming, Sanji shouted, "Yes! Next time, I'll make a grand dinner filled with love just for you!"
Zhang Da Ye pressed a hand against Sanji's head, pushing him back. "You're getting a little too close, kid. What are you really here for?"
"Oh, right!" Sanji remembered suddenly. "You really came from the Grand Line, didn't you?"
"Yeah," Zhang Da Ye nodded.
"Then... do you know about the All Blue? Do you know where it is?" Sanji asked eagerly.
Tom tilted his head, his belly wobbling like jelly. All Blue, huh... that sounded familiar.
And then, with that innocent tilt, the chair finally gave out with a loud crack. All four legs broke, sending Tom rolling across the floor like a bowling ball, crashing into two tables before stopping in the corner. He patted his belly — and promptly fell asleep.
"What... what is that thing?" Sanji blinked. He hadn't even noticed the strange creature until now. Wasn't it a cat when it first came in?
"Sorry about the chair. We'll pay for it," Zhang Da Ye said. He was used to it by now — most of his expenses went either to Artoria's meals or Tom's "accidents."
"If by All Blue you mean the sea that holds ingredients from all four oceans, I've heard of it," Artoria said, a bit wistful. "But I don't know where it is."
"So it's real after all!" That was all Sanji needed. As long as it existed, he'd find it someday.
"Whether it exists or not doesn't really matter," Zhang Da Ye added. "We're exploring the world, and searching for it along the way. Even if we never find it, by traveling and tasting every kind of ingredient, we'll have experienced the world's true flavors. Maybe that's what All Blue really means — for a chef to find the place where they can pour their entire heart into their cooking. That place becomes their own All Blue."
Sanji was stunned. Hearing that from someone who had actually sailed the Grand Line made it sound almost sacred.
"Like your head chef, Zeff — perhaps this restaurant is his All Blue," Zhang Da Ye said with a smile.
Sanji turned toward the kitchen, eyes wide. Could it be true? This restaurant was everything to the old man... his dream, his pride... his All Blue.
Finally, Zhang Da Ye grinned slyly. "So, what do you say? If you want to find your own All Blue, you'll have to leave here one day. Why not join my crew? Travel with us until you find it."
Sanji's eyes widened. The offer was tempting — Artoria and Rui Meng Meng were beautiful, and Zhang Da Ye's words were inspiring — but he shook his head firmly. "I still have things I must do. I can't agree with your view yet. I'll find the All Blue on my own someday!"
Zhang sighed. "Kids these days are hard to recruit. Nine years old and already so determined. What was I doing at nine again?"
Zeff returned just then, overhearing everything but saying nothing. In his mind, Sanji was still too young — unpolished as both chef and fighter. He wanted to teach him everything he knew first.
But if Sanji chose to leave with Zhang Da Ye one day, Zeff wouldn't stop him. He wanted Sanji to chase his dreams freely, not be bound by gratitude. The Amber Travel Group seemed strong and trustworthy — a good path for the boy.
He truly worried about Sanji like a father would.
After reviewing the bill, Zhang Da Ye pulled out a rice cooker from seemingly nowhere, stunning Zeff and Sanji as he took out stacks of Berries from inside it — enough money to buy a ship the size of Crocodile's.
"By the way, have you heard anything about a Fishman pirate crew recently?" Zhang asked before leaving.
He hadn't forgotten about Arlong. That monster had destroyed towns and ruled over villages — if possible, He wanted to stop him before more tragedies happened.
He couldn't remember exactly when Arlong came to the East Blue, so he decided to ask around. Restaurants always had good information networks.
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