Right after that, a voice identical to his own sounded beside him.
"Delicious!"
Teach: "...?"
Teach froze, turning his head. Sitting next to him was a figure eating the exact same seafood fried rice he had ordered, with a slight, cheerful smile at the corner of his mouth.
But he didn't pay much attention and turned back to continue eating his fried rice.
That straw hat guy was just another customer who ordered the same fried rice as him... Wait!
Just as he was about to scoop another mouthful, his spoon suddenly froze in front of his mouth, not entering it, and Teach stood there stunned.
A straw hat guy?!
He suddenly turned to look again at the person, seeing that the guy was happily digging into his fried rice, and on his head... Unmistakably wore a straw hat. Teach's eyes widened, his pupils shrank, and his entire body trembled.
Straw hat kid!
Could it really be him?
No, it must be him!
Indeed, fate favored him!
The Dark-Dark Fruit was surely his!
Teach suppressed the excitement in his heart, quickly replacing it with a simple, honest smile while forcibly pushing down the overwhelming thrill he felt.
His plan was to first befriend this group of kids, then secretly find an opportunity to take the Dark-Dark Fruit, letting these kids continue to draw attention from others, and finally, before anyone noticed, eat the Dark-Dark Fruit himself.
Thinking this, Teach turned his head again, ready to say something to that straw hat kid, only to see the empty seat beside him.
Panic instantly filled his face. "Where did he go?"
Just as the words left his mouth, a commotion came from the kitchen door.
Teach turned to look, and when he saw that familiar figure, the panic in his chest immediately dropped.
Still here!
The straw hat kid who had been eating fried rice beside him had somehow run into the kitchen, and…
"I'm Luffy, the man who will become the King of the Pirates! You're Sanji, right?"
The straw hat kid leaned on the window, smiling at the blond-haired chef with curly eyebrows in the kitchen. "Your food is absolutely delicious! Can you become my crewmate?"
Teach: "..."
Teach raised an eyebrow. As a pirate himself, he could immediately guess what this guy was doing.
Recruiting a crewmate?
He then glanced at the others following Luffy: a green-haired, lethargic swordsman; an orange-haired girl exuding stinginess; a long-nosed guy who clearly liked lying... What a bunch of misfits!
This straw hat kid must have just set out to sea and was recruiting crewmates to form his own pirate crew.
Teach's mind immediately settled; a newbie like this would be easy to deceive.
As for this man who says he will become the King of the Pirates thing, he just listened.
It didn't matter; most of the guys who set out to sea say this kind of thing. Nothing unusual.
However, the blond chef being invited didn't seem interested in becoming a pirate and directly refused. But despite the refusal, the straw hat kid didn't relent.
Teach didn't interfere at this moment. He quietly observed and analyzed the situation while looking for the right moment.
At this instant, his simple smile disappeared, replaced with a sharp, cunning one.
Then, he seemed to hear something, and his expression changed instantly.
The straw hat kid who had just been rejected didn't get angry. Instead, he cheerfully continued talking to the blond chef. "Huh? Why? We're really strong! If you join us, we can give you the treasure we just got. That's..."
Teach: "...?!"
This guy!!!
Is he an idiot?
Teach's face darkened. He was about to slam the table when suddenly…
"Wuwuwu!"
Before Luffy could finish speaking, a hand covered his mouth. The orange-haired girl glanced cautiously around, then yelled at Luffy: "What are you babbling about, idiot? Do you want everyone to come after us? No, damn it! We didn't get anything, it's all your fault for saying that!"
"Yo, miss Nami, are you here to invite me too?"
At the sight of the orange-haired girl, Sanji's eyes immediately lit up with love.
He rubbed his hands together, legs shaking like a teddy bear, and leaned toward Nami. "Miss Nami, are you giving me a gift? What gift will you give me? Whatever it is, I'll treasure it!"
"N-no, nothing!"
Nami forced a smile, looking at Sanji. "We didn't get anything at all!"
Teach: "...?!"
This scene made Teach, whose excitement had been rising, exhale heavily. He silently thanked the orange-haired girl in his heart, and then his excitement surged again.
Sure enough... That must be the Dark-Dark Fruit!
Otherwise, why would these guys be so nervous?
Finally, he had... Found it!
His eyes became resolute. He had to get it. Thinking of this and worried that the straw hat kid might blurt something out again, Teach stood up.
He was about to mix in and find a way when...
Bang!
The ship suddenly jolted, as if it had been hit by something.
Immediately, a chef ran in panicked, shouting: "Everyone, assemble! Sanji tells everyone to come out, pirates are coming!"
"Pirates? Who?"
"The East Blue's ruler! That bastard is trying to raid our ship! Everyone, come out now!"
The conversation instantly scared the customers in the hall.
Teach: "...?!"
The East Blue ruler?
Even Teach raised an eyebrow, his expression turning serious.
East Blue ruler?
Who could it be?
But anyone called a ruler of a sea must not be underestimated!
However, just as Teach hesitated whether to act, the panicked customers started shouting.
"Damn, it's the East Blue ruler?!"
"That's a pirate with 5,000 subordinates and 50 ships!"
"Not only that! Their captain has a 17-million Belly bounty from the Marines!"
Hearing this, Teach: "..."
17 million?
Does the East Blue let anyone become a ruler?
But now was the opportunity!
Teach looked at the chefs gathered and the straw hat group ready to help.
Without hesitation, he laughed loudly: "Hahaha! Just some pirates! I've always hated these looting, ordinary pirates!"
He smiled boldly. "Baratie's chefs, straw hat crew, I, Teach, will help you!"
After saying this, under everyone's watchful eyes, Teach walked forward proudly, full of loyalty and courage.
He would use this East Blue ruler's attack to infiltrate the Straw Hat crew!
Later, he would fight hard, show off some of his strength, attract the straw hat kid's attention, let that kid invite him aboard, and secretly steal the Dark-Dark Fruit.