The Sea Restaurant Baratie.
One of the most famous restaurants in the entire East Blue!
As a dining establishment renowned even across the whole of East Blue, ships constantly came and went every single day, delivering a steady stream of guests.
Some people even traveled thousands of miles—coming from the Four Blues or even the Grand Line itself—just to personally taste the exquisite cuisine cooked by the owner, Zeff.
Its popularity spoke for itself!
But surviving out on the seas required more than just delicious food—certainly not enough to deal with the motley assortment of people that passed through daily.
Aside from deliciousness, the Sea Restaurant Baratie was also famous for another trait—
its brutally tough culture of combat!
From the owner Zeff himself down to the dish-carrying waiters, not a single one of them was someone you could afford to mess with.
After all, the weak had long since been scared off by Baratie's terrifying environment, leaving to find safer, more peaceful work elsewhere.
...
...
Bang!
It was noon—the busiest time of day for Baratie's business.
A thoroughly ordinary slipper suddenly kicked the restaurant doors wide open.
Immediately afterward, a young man wearing a straw hat strode in, beaming.
"Sniff—! Ahhh, it smells AMAZING!!!"
The moment he stepped inside, Luffy's nose practically flared to twice its size as he greedily inhaled the aroma of food filling the restaurant. His eyes sparkled like Nami spotting a mountain of treasure.
Seeing an empty table near the entrance, he didn't hesitate—plopping himself straight down while calling out to his companions at the door and shouting for service at the same time.
"Red, Zoro—over here, over here!!!"
"Hey, waiter! Hurry up and bring us the food!!!"
Luffy's loud, impatient yelling instantly shattered the refined, elegant atmosphere inside the restaurant.
Several diners who had been eating quietly immediately frowned.
"Seriously… can't Baratie set some standards on who's allowed in?"
"Letting just anyone in really ruins the food."
"Well, that's the sea for you. All kinds of people…"
"...…"
Whispers rippled through the corners of the dining hall.
But just then, a trembling voice—so shaky it was practically on the verge of tears—suddenly rang out:
"H-Hey… look… th-that's… isn't that… that man?!"
The speaker hesitated for a long time, clearly too afraid to even say the name aloud.
Yet that hesitation alone was more than enough to draw attention.
Many diners turned their heads and looked toward the entrance.
And then—
Clatter—clank—crash!
The sounds of cutlery and tableware colliding rang out one after another.
But in the next instant, the entire hall fell dead silent.
Every expression froze in place, united in eerie synchronicity.
Their eyes widened, pupils dilating as fear flooded their gazes while they stared at the figure by the door.
Time itself seemed to have stopped.
Even breathing felt unbearably loud, heavy enough to scrape against their ears.
Until at last, a slightly braver diner muttered in a low voice:
"I-It's… it's the Straw Hat kid!!!"
"That pirate with a 50 million Beli bounty from the World Government!!!"
His words spread like a contagion—shattering the silence, yet making the atmosphere even more unsettling.
Everyone immediately turned back, hands and feet trembling as they picked up their utensils again, desperately pretending they had seen nothing at all.
But the fear in their eyes was impossible to hide.
Anyone with the means to eat here would naturally be aware of the massive event that had shaken the East Blue just days ago!
An attack on a Marine branch. Public humiliation of the Marines.
A great pirate with a 50 million Beli bounty—
Straw Hat Monkey D. Luffy!
And now, right at this moment…
That great pirate was blocking the only exit of the restaurant!!!
Their sole escape route had been cut off. No one knew what awaited them next.
In an instant, the entire hall was shrouded in an atmosphere of despair.
Fortunately, just then, a burly, rough-looking man noticed the strange mood—and the straw hat atop Luffy's head.
Fear flashed through his eyes as well.
But in the very next second, he put on a flattering smile and hurried over, rubbing his hands together.
"W-Welcome, honored guests! I'm a temporary waiter here—name's Patty."
"May I ask what you'd like to order?"
Luffy had absolutely no idea that his casual entrance had caused such overwhelming psychological pressure.
He picked up the utensils on the table and started knocking them together cheerfully, looking like a landlord's clueless fool.
"Anything's fine! As long as it's good!!! I'm starving! Can you hurry up already?!"
"U-Understood! …Understood!"
Patty nodded rapidly, but then his expression shifted as he cautiously added:
"Though this may be rather blunt, our establishment doesn't welcome penniless guests. May I ask… do you have the money to pay?"
"Huh?"
Luffy froze, recalling how his allowance had been confiscated by Nami after all his reckless spending…
His whole aura instantly wilted.
Before he could answer, however, a voice sounded from behind Patty.
"We'll take care of the payment."
Red stepped forward with a smile, passing by Patty as the Straw Hat crew—along with Johnny and Yosaku—took their seats.
Then he gave Patty a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry. We won't dine and dash."
"That said… our method of payment might be a bit special."
At Red's signal, Johnny and Yosaku lifted their hands and unceremoniously tossed the drugged Jango and the Cat Brothers onto the ground.
Red then pulled out two bounty posters and handed them to Patty with a grin.
"These three are wanted members of the Black Cat Pirates."
"Altogether, they're worth 16 million Beli."
"After deducting a 'delivery fee,' let's say 15 million. That should be enough for us to eat freely here for several days, right?"
"Enough—more than enough!!!"
After comparing the posters and the men on the floor, Patty's scar-covered face broke into a terrifyingly wide grin.
Since Marine officers frequently dined here, exchanging bounties was no trouble for Baratie.
And while Baratie's prices were steep, 15 million Beli easily matched several days' worth of their total revenue.
"Please wait just a moment, honored guests! I'll have the kitchen prepare the finest dishes immediately!!!"
"At the Sea Restaurant Baratie, satisfaction is guaranteed!"
With one hand, Patty casually hoisted all three bounty criminals, bowed respectfully to Red and the others, and quickly retreated.
Watching Patty's ecstatic back as he left, Red couldn't help but curl his lips into a quiet chuckle.
"Better keep your word, waiter."
Fifteen million Beli?
If it were just for ingredients, that would let Luffy eat for ages.
But at a place with consumption as absurdly high as Baratie…
A mischievous glint flickered in Red's eyes as the group settled into their seats.
Perhaps due to Luffy's notorious status, they received preferential treatment—within minutes, plates of steaming, fragrant dishes were carried over by fierce-looking waiters.
There was no doubt the chefs deserved Baratie's reputation as one of East Blue's top destinations.
Everyone ate to their hearts' content.
Johnny and Yosaku, the two "unofficial members," were so moved they nearly cried.
Given their strength, they'd never have had the chance to eat somewhere this luxurious.
And just as everyone finished eating—except for Luffy, who was still devouring food like a bottomless pit—
A chef wearing an extremely tall chef's hat, sporting a wooden prosthetic leg and two braided golden mustaches, approached their table.
"Hello, guests. I'm the owner and head chef here—Zeff. Were you satisfied with today's dishes?"
Learning that a pirate with a 50 million Beli bounty had arrived, even an old sea dog like Zeff couldn't help feeling excited. As soon as his work allowed, he came to the dining hall to see for himself.
According to Patty, this group didn't seem like troublemakers.
But in the East Blue—where a 20 million Beli bounty could terrify a quarter of the world—
50 million was absolutely monstrous.
"Mmhh… gulp… Very satisfied!"
"Old man! The food here is AMAZING!!!"
Stuffing his face, Luffy somehow managed to free one hand and give a huge thumbs-up.
Zeff burst into hearty laughter at the sight of diners enjoying his cooking so thoroughly.
"As long as you're satisfied! As long as you're satisfied!"
"I never imagined a little place like mine would attract such big names. Looks like our business is only going to get better and better!"
Zeff laughed loudly.
Though he hadn't said it outright, he made it clear that he already knew their identities—an unspoken gesture of goodwill to avoid conflict.
But just then, Red smiled faintly.
"Oh? Boss Zeff, you care that much about business?"
"Then… would you be interested in making your restaurant even more famous?"
"Famous enough… for the whole world to know its name?"
"Hmm?"
Zeff raised an eyebrow, confused, as he looked at Red.
At that moment, Red gently tugged Luffy by the shoulder, stood up, and bowed politely.
"Allow me to introduce myself, Boss Zeff."
"My name is Red—vice-captain of the Straw Hat Pirates."
"Today, we didn't come just to eat."
"There's something far more important."
As he spoke, Red slapped Luffy on the back.
"Ah! Right, right~!"
Luffy suddenly remembered, holding a steak in one hand and a drink in the other as he spoke while chewing.
"The food here's so good I almost forgot…"
"Golden Beard Uncle! Red said there's this super-amazing chef here…"
"I think his name was something like 'Sandwich'…"
"And my crew just happens to be missing a cook!"
"That's why we came all this way!"
"I want him to join my crew and sail into the Grand Line with us!!!"
Grease covered his face as Luffy flashed an utterly sincere grin.
It should have been a ridiculous sight.
Yet gazing at Luffy's expression, memories surged through Zeff's mind—
Echoes from his own failed voyage to the Grand Line.
Two familiar yet distant words struck him like thunder.
Fearlessness…
And ambition!!!