Bang! Bang! Bang! Brilliant fireworks exploded in the night sky, signaling the official start of Star Island's annual Food Festival. Over the next three days, three top chefs from around the world would compete for the right to enter the ultimate World's Best Chef contest.
In the crowd, Charles looked nervous. He had sworn that this year he would reclaim his father's legendary kitchen tools. Moreover, due to his bet with Grady, if he lost, he would lose his chance forever. So, Charles was going all out in this final culinary showdown.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the Star Island Food Festival has officially begun! Please welcome the esteemed Lord Grady to deliver the opening speech!" The host's booming voice echoed across the archipelago through the island's video transmitters.
Leo, however, wasn't listening to the speech. He was busy scouting for chefs. He thought Charles must be strong. Yesterday, he had been beaten by a crowd but remained unharmed. Except for seeing Grady get angry, he had stayed calm the entire time. Someone like that was either a hidden expert or a complete fool; Leo leaned toward the former. Charles would make the perfect chef for their team.
Meanwhile, Grady concluded his speech. To Leo's surprise, a Celestial Dragon was among the guests, adding an unpredictable element to the event.
"Saint Carmichael, please proceed to the VIP seats. This year's competition will not disappoint you," Grady said with a flattering smile, attending to the Celestial Dragon with utmost courtesy.
"Oh my, my personal chef is about to be born. I won't have to eat mediocre meals anymore," Saint Carmichael muttered, half-closing his eyes in apparent boredom. Every year, he claimed he would cultivate the world's best chef, yet he was always disappointed. Though he had a kind heart and didn't get angry immediately, he grumbled internally—what was the point of watching these ordinary people compete? Unless, of course, the chefs wore… nothing but aprons? Hmm… maybe that's an idea.
All festival-goers had to exchange a large number of food tickets before landing, allowing them to enjoy the delicacies as a form of currency. To taste a chef's dish, one simply paid the corresponding number of tickets. After three days, the top eight chefs with the most tickets would advance to the elimination rounds.
"Leo, where should we eat first? That place looks good," Will asked, eager to dive in.
"Don't just eat, idiots! Don't forget to find our chef… Wait, Will, look! There's sea snake cuisine over there—we have to try it!" Overcome by the lure of delicious food, Leo and Will temporarily forgot their chef-recruiting mission.
While Leo and his companion feasted on the eastern islands, the chef they sought was already battling on the western side. Charles had finally found an open spot and quickly set up his stall.
Due to his poor performance in previous days, Charles could only start from the outer islands. Food quality at the Star Festival increased from the outer to the inner islands. The outer islands were crowded but offered popular dishes at relatively low prices. To reach the quarterfinals, chefs had to open stalls in the inner islands, which required a minimum of one million Berry-worth of food tickets.
The outer islands' diners were mostly commoners, merchants, and even pirates. Charles decided to grill Sea King skewers to test their tastes—a smart move. The aroma would attract customers quickly, and skewers were fast to serve.
Soon, a long line formed at Charles' stall. His secret sauce-grilled Sea King skewers filled the air with an irresistible scent, reaching four or five islands away. It was as if Cupid's arrows had struck every diner's heart. Each person who tasted the dish smiled in sheer delight, enchanted by its flavor.
If Charles was an angel distributing food, Leo and Will were like messengers over a swarm of locusts. Their gastronomic journey was far from wasted—they devoured every ingredient along the way, leaving even a dozen chefs exhausted. If there had been a competitive eating contest, they would have had a shot at the championship.
"Leo, I can't eat anymore. Let's go get dessert," Will said, already puffed up like a pufferfish, patting his stomach in satisfaction.
"We've played enough. Time to work and see how our chef is doing," Leo said.
"Ah, are we going to find someone? Leo, I'm too full to move—why don't you go first?"
"You're so fat, forget it. We don't need to go ourselves. Don't forget our secret weapon."
After a while, Leo brought out the long-unused reconnaissance device, the Telephone Bug. The little gadget was so chubby that its shell barely covered it, but its performance was still decent, wobbling as it flew into the sky.
Leo and Will crowded around the bug, eyes glued to the screen."Will, watch carefully. Don't miss that green-haired chef. This concerns our mission."
The bug scanned the islands from the outskirts to the center."Will, look! This insect cuisine seems interesting."
"Insect cuisine? That sounds… special. Leo, shall we try it?" The two food lovers underestimated their ability to resist temptation. Finding someone among so many delicacies was trivial for them.
On the insect cuisine island, Leo spotted a familiar face—Zeff. They decided to check it out together, pushing poor Charles further down their priority list.
To Leo's surprise, insect cuisine was wildly popular. Could the world be so accepting of exotic dishes? Skeptical, Leo bought a bag of fried bugs and took a bite. His eyes lit up—the taste was somewhat like a strange bean, addictive. He quickly finished the bag and naturally sat down at Zeff's stall.
Sliding two food tickets to Zeff, he said,"Boss, what's good here? Give me a few dishes to try."
Zeff glanced at Leo and served two dishes: caviar with seared foie gras, clam cream soup, baked cod with puff pastry, and a creamy potato salad—simple Western-style plates. Just the aroma revealed their refinement. Zeff's culinary skill was impressive.
Facing the meal, Leo and Will instinctively observed table etiquette. They used forks, knives, and napkins, tasting each dish carefully.
After finishing, they elegantly wiped their mouths. Just as Leo was about to speak to Zeff, Will shouted,"Uncle, another bowl of clam cream soup!" He gazed at Zeff with pleading eyes.
Zeff wordlessly served another bowl. Will, the little glutton, disregarded all manners and drank it down.
After finishing, he still stared at Zeff and demanded another portion. Zeff reluctantly obliged.
"Motor… motor!" Leo noticed Zeff's eyelid twitch slightly.
Zeff finally stopped serving, hands on the table, staring at Will. His brothers gathered around.
Will looked embarrassed."Uncle, am I upsetting you by eating so much?"
Zeff's sternness melted into laughter."Ha! How can I blame a guest for eating? We're all sailors—eat as much as you like, don't be polite."
Zeff's brothers cheered for Will's appetite. Only then did Leo confirm that Zeff was indeed a pirate captain.
Leo smiled."I didn't expect the famous chef and pirate captain, Redfoot Zeff, to be so approachable. I'm Leo, and this is my companion, Will. Nice to meet you."
"You knew my identity the moment you saw me yesterday, didn't you? Are you bounty hunters spying on me?" Zeff asked with a hint of sarcasm, clearly dismissing them.
"No, you misunderstand. I mainly watched you because I want to invite you to be my chef."
Zeff paused, then sneered."Haha, an arrogant kid. You want me as your chef? Don't you want to leave Star Island?"
Leo knew Zeff was joking. As a pirate, Zeff rarely harmed ordinary people. Even if he had, Leo wasn't afraid.
"Since Mr. Zeff refuses, then consider me a fool. What a pity to miss such an excellent chef. I'll settle for Charles then. Do you know where he is?"
"As for him? Forget it. That guy's ancestors ruled Star Island until the current lord's family took over. His goal is to restore his family's glory. Charles is extremely proud; he would never bow to a kid like you. Hahaha!"
"Alright, old man, wait. I'll beat up your apprentice later."
"What did you say?"
"Nothing. I just meant it won't be easy for Charles to win. His enemy is the lord—one finger could end him. How could he get revenge? But if he joins us, things could change."
"Haha, confidence is good, but don't forget—there's a Celestial Dragon here. You two better not cause trouble."
After a while, Leo and Will finished their meal. On the way back, Leo organized the day's intel. Recruiting Charles would be tough—they had to help him win the contest.
Leo rolled his eyes."Will, do you want to sneak into the lord's castle tonight?"
"Huh? Boss, we can't be thieves…"
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