Outside the room,
Sanji leaned against the door, his face hidden in shadow. The cigarette in his mouth slowly burned down, curling wisps of smoke rising into the night air.
He listened silently to the voices inside—the sound of Gawain and the others. Unconsciously, the corners of his mouth curled into a faint smile.
For a moment,
Sanji felt a flicker of regret over rejecting Gawain's invitation.
"All Blue isn't in the East Blue," he muttered.
Thinking of Zeff—who had lost a leg—Sanji crushed the cigarette underfoot and flicked it into the trash. Then, without another word, he turned and walked down the stairs.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
With slow, measured steps, Sanji descended.
In the hall, every chef and waiter aboard the Baratie stood waiting. Their expressions were cold.
"What the hell?" Sanji muttered.
No one answered. Their eyes grew even colder.
Just as Sanji was about to ask what was going on, Zeff pushed through the crowd and approached. Arms crossed, his face was stern.
"From today on, you're fired, kid," Zeff said flatly.
"Go wherever you want—but there's no place for you on this ship."
Sanji froze. Then, his temper flared.
"Old man, what kind of joke is this?!"
"I've worked on this ship for—"
His gaze swept over the others, but their expressions mirrored Zeff's—hard and unyielding.
"Everyone…"
"Get lost, Curly-Brow!"
"No one here wants you to stay!"
"Go chase your dream—or go to hell—we don't care!"
The shouts came from all directions.
Before Sanji could respond, Patty and Carne rolled up their sleeves, stepped forward, and knocked him to the ground with a single punch.
"From now on," Patty growled, "you're no longer welcome here!"
Before Sanji could rise, they hoisted him up and tossed him onto the deck. The door slammed shut behind him.
Bang!
Sanji sat up slowly, stunned. All around him, there was only the vast sea and a bright moon overhead.
Where could he go now?
Then, he noticed a familiar pirate flag fluttering in the breeze.
In that moment, everything clicked.
Sanji understood why Zeff had fired him. Why everyone had turned on him.
"You think I'll thank you for this?" he whispered, his voice tight with emotion.
"Damn you… you old fool."
Inside the restaurant,
Zeff watched through the window, puffing quietly on his pipe.
"I won't let you throw away your dream for my sake," he muttered.
The others watched Sanji in silence. Their eyes betrayed their true feelings—sorrow and reluctance—but they knew what had to be done. A man with a dream shouldn't be shackled.
He should be free to chase the legendary All Blue.
Patty and Carne clung to each other, weeping.
"Sure, Curly-Brow was a pain in the ass. He broke the rules and gave food away to beggars, but…"
"Damn it! I'm such a coward!"
The two hefty chefs—nearly 400 pounds between them—hugged tighter, crying openly. Zeff twitched at the sight, instinctively stepping back to avoid getting hit by a spray of tears.
"It's a little earlier than I expected," Zeff said softly, "but that man is strong—and trustworthy."
"Only by following him… can Sanji truly see the world."
Just then, a familiar voice rang out:
"Ah la la~ What a heartwarming scene!"
Gawain appeared at the top of the stairs, smiling as he descended with Kuro and the rest of his crew. Zoro, still unconscious, was carried on a stretcher behind them.
Zeff glanced over.
"That kid's stubborn," he said, "but his heart's been on your ship for a long time."
"Take him. Out of sight, out of mind."
He folded his hands behind his back and walked away without looking back.
Patty and Carne stepped forward. Their eyes were fierce, but their voices were strained:
"That guy's got a temper and a stupid curly eyebrow… but he came from this ship."
"If you let anything happen to him, we'll hunt you down—even if we die trying!"
Gawain gave a small, calm smile.
"Yeah," he said.
"That guy's the cook I want."
"Don't worry."
Relieved, the two chefs finally stepped aside.
The restaurant gradually emptied. Under Patty's guidance, Gawain found the cat brothers and the rest of the crew locked up in the storage room.
When they saw Gawain unharmed, relief swept over them like a wave. The tension broke, replaced by tears and laughter.
"Captain~!"
Two chubby figures rushed at him. Gawain's eye twitched and he held them back at arm's length.
"Wait! You two need to lose weight!"
They blinked, then looked down at their bulging bellies.
"Hehe~"
They scratched their heads, embarrassed.
Gawain sighed and ordered the others to free the rest of the crew. Then, they headed to the deck together.
On the deck,
Sanji heard the door open. For a moment, hope flickered in his eyes.
Maybe Zeff and the others had come to take him back.
But when he turned, it was Gawain who stepped out.
"How's it going?" Gawain asked casually.
"Looks like you're out of options. My ship's all that's left."
He placed a hand on Sanji's shoulder and pointed toward Nami with the other.
"That's our navigator. You—"
"Captain! From this moment on, I'm your cook. Please take care of me!"
Before he could finish, Sanji had already dashed over to Nami, eyes wide with adoration.
"Nami-swan~!" he cried, clutching her hands. He puckered his lips dramatically, ready to plant a kiss.
But all he saw was a blur—a hand flying toward him.
Smack!
With a loud crack, Sanji spun through the air and landed head-first. A large lump swelled on his scalp.
"Pervert!" Nami snapped, eyes blazing.
She grabbed him by the ankles and dragged him toward the ship.
The deck fell silent.
All the pirates stared, jaws slack.
"She's terrifying…"
"Big Sis Nami!"
Inside the restaurant,
Zeff peered through the porthole, watching it all unfold. He rolled his eyes.
"That kid is hopeless."
Patty and Carne gritted their teeth.
"That idiot…"
The entire restaurant crew stood speechless.
Gawain sighed and turned back to his crew.
"Let's go."
Soon, two sharp whistles pierced the night.
The sails were raised.
Sanji, now calm, stood at the stern. He lit a cigarette, watching the Baratie fade into the distance in silence.