Baratie, the floating restaurant.
"You moss-headed freak, planning to cause trouble here?"
Sanji glared at Zoro. The more he looked at this so-called Marine, the more annoyed he became.
Extremely annoyed.
Who the hell has green hair like that? Ugly as sin!
And on top of that, this moss-head not only wanted a free meal, he even planned to arrest the old man.
That was absolutely unacceptable.
Zeff wasn't just the owner of Baratie. He was also the head chef.
"???"
"Hey, curly-brow, I'm a Marine. Arresting pirates is my duty. Got a problem with that?"
Zoro squinted at the blond chef in front of him. The guy irritated him too.
Deeply irritated.
Inside the Marine ranks, he had to put up with Hawk calling him moss-head. Fine Hawk was too strong to argue with.
But outside? Shouldn't he be addressed with some respect as a righteous Marine?
And who the hell's eyebrow curls like that? Ugly as hell!
"Who're you calling curly-brow?!"
A vein bulged at Sanji's temple as he shot Zoro a death glare.
"Of course I mean you, moss-head!"
"You bastard…"
The two of them instantly slipped into a shouting match.
"A lowly Third-Class Marine, barking orders here? Is the Marine threshold this low? Even broke trash who can't pay for a meal gets in?"
"Heh." Zoro smirked. "A restaurant that shelters pirates thinks it has the right to judge the Marines?"
"You…"
"You…"
The tension spiked until the sound of a wooden peg tapped across the floor.
Zeff walked forward, planting himself in front of Sanji. He looked Zoro straight in the eye.
"Marine, your meal today is on the house."
"I really was a pirate before, but I've washed my hands of that life. Now I just want to cook in peace. Baratie has always served Marines, and we don't seek trouble."
"…?"
Zoro froze. No need to pay?
That would make things simple
"No way!"
Sanji cut him off sharply. "If you let him go, then any Marine can walk in and eat for free? Forget it. Maybe other Marines, but this moss-head? Absolutely not!"
He jabbed a finger at Zoro and spat each word. "He's paying today."
"Paying isn't the problem."
Zoro's lip curled. "Once I take Zeff's head and cash in the bounty, I'll have plenty of money."
"…What did you just say?!"
Sanji's rage exploded. His right leg whipped forward like a black shadow, aiming straight for Zoro's neck.
Zoro's eyes hardened. He drew Wado Ichimonji and caught the kick mid-swing.
Steel rang as blade met shin.
"Damn you!"
Sanji's fury only grew. He darted around the restaurant in a blur, his legs lashing out like storm winds.
"Shoulder meat!"
"Breast meat!"
"Leg meat!"
Strike after strike pounded forward, leg-shadows filling the room.
But Zoro blocked them all with ease.
After his duel with Dane, his skills and perspective had sharpened. A few quiet days at Isshin Dojo had further refined his sword and calmed his spirit.
Sanji's legwork was impressive fast and strong, perhaps even the best in East Blue.
But too bad for him. His opponent was Zoro.
"Found an opening."
Catching the instant Sanji shifted to breathe, Zoro swung his blade.
The flat of his sword cracked against Sanji's shin with brutal force.
Sanji crashed to the ground, ribs aching, mind reeling.
Impossible!
How could this Marine be so strong? His proud kicks… completely useless.
The other chefs stared in shock. Sanji was their strongest fighter. And yet he had fallen to a Marine Third-Class.
Zoro sheathed his sword with a grin.
"Attacking a Marine? You're under arrest!"
Before he could move, Zeff stepped forward.
"Take me instead," Zeff said firmly. "Spare the boy. Sanji's just a child who doesn't know better."
Sanji's eyes widened in panic.
Zeff had lost his leg because of him. And now the old man wanted to take the blame?
"No!"
Ignoring the pain, Sanji leapt up. "Arrest me! I was the one who attacked, it has nothing to do with him!"
He stumbled to Zoro's side, desperate.
"I can join the Marines to atone! I can cook, I'm good at it! My kicks are strong too, I can help you catch pirates and bring in bounty! Yes! I can even earn money to pay for the old man's freedom! He's old, crippled, not a threat at all. Don't take him!"
"Sanji!"
Zeff slammed his peg leg into the floor. "What about your dream of the All Blue?!"
"I can find the All Blue as a Marine too!" Sanji shot back, stubbornness blazing in his eyes.
"…What the hell is happening?"
Zoro was stunned. He just wanted to scare this curly-brow a little, maybe throw him in a cell for a few days. Since when did this turn into tearful speeches and sacrifices?
And who said a Third-Class Marine had authority to recruit people anyway?
He scratched his head awkwardly. "…Anyone got a Den Den Mushi?"
One of the chefs handed one over. Zoro dialed Dane.
"Major Dane? This is Zoro, Third-Class."
"I'm on my way back to the 16th Branch. Got delayed because I recruited a cook. His skills are decent, both cooking and fighting. Can you ask Commander Hawk if we should take him in?"
"…Zoro, damn it."
On the other end, Dane let out a long sigh of relief. He'd been worried sick, thinking Zoro was lost or worse. Turns out the idiot had stopped to recruit staff.
"I'll ask Hawk."
"Good."
When Renn Hawk heard the news, he fell silent.
A swordsman, a cook, and soon an archaeologist entrusted to him by Kuzan…
What next? A navigator?
Come, all of you!
I want to see how Monkey D. Luffy plans to set sail in a year… without a crew!
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