Chapter 194 - 5

Chapter 5: Just had a hot bite, and the East Blueoverlord is already blocking the door?Watching that Marine officer named Fullbody get tossed out like a sack of trash, the entire place fell into an eerie silence.This restaurant... has got some substance.A cook, executing a standard combo kick, crisp and clean, without a hint of hesitation.Those few strikes beat Fullbody so badly even his mother wouldn't recognize him.Ben rubbed his chin.He looked down at his own hands.This "Eagle Claw Technique"... shouldn't it be upgraded? Otherwise, I feel like I can't even beat a cook on this vast ocean."You... you just wait for me!"Fullbody lay shakily on the ground, pointing at the blond cook, delivering the most classic threat.Ben felt no ripples in his heart, he even wanted to laugh a little.Ah, yes, yes, that's the one. The #1 standard line for a defeated villain, truly the soul of post-battle summaries.The blond cook, who was Sanji, just let out a cold snort and adjusted his suit tie, as if he had only swatted a fly just now.At this moment, a Marine soldier stumbled in, his face full of terror."Captain Fullbody! It's bad! That... that 'Demon' Gin from the Don Krieg Pirates... he escaped!"Demon?Ben raised an eyebrow. What kind of new monster is this?Fullbody's expression changed: "What?! You bunch of trash, you can't even keep an eye on a half-dead prisoner!"Before the Marine soldier could finish speaking, a muffled "bang" sounded from behind him, and he fell forward, a bloody hole appearing in his back.At the restaurant entrance, backlit, stood a figure as thin as a bamboo pole.The man was holding an old-fashioned flintlock, the muzzle still smoking.He looked like nothing more than a skeleton covered in a layer of skin, his eye sockets deeply sunken, and his complexion was the gray of long-term starvation.But those eyes, like a hungry wolf, flashed with a terrifying green light."Food..."He spoke, his voice as raspy as sandpaper rubbing together."Give me... some food..."He held the gun and walked into the restaurant step by step, the diners' faces full of terror.Ben's nerves tightened instantly.This guy... is that "Demon" Gin?He looked like a gust of wind could blow him over, but that killing intent, crawled out from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, couldn't be fake.A chubby cook, named Patty, actually went up to meet him with a grin."Welcome! Customer, did you bring money?"Ben:?Buddy, are you blind? The guy is pointing a gun at you, and you're asking if he brought money?Gin slowly raised the gun, the pitch-black muzzle pressed directly against Patty's forehead."Is this... enough to pay the bill?"Ben's heart jumped to his throat.It's over, blood is going to be spilled right here.As it turned out, the smile on Patty's face didn't change, and then he suddenly punched Gin in the stomach!"Bang!"Gin's already weak body was kicked away like a broken shrimp, landing heavily on the deck outside the restaurant.Patty clapped his hands, looking disgusted."Guys without money aren't customers! Get out!"The cooks in the restaurant seemed used to it, continuing with whatever they were doing.Ben was completely numb.Is knowing how to fight a requirement for joining this restaurant?Also, is your service philosophy a bit too hardcore? No money and you just go for physical transcendence?No one moved, except for that blond cook Sanji, who quietly tied his apron and walked into the restaurant kitchen.Ben followed instinctively, hiding behind the door to peek.On the deck, Gin lay on the ground like a dying fish, without the strength to even move.Sanji came out with a plate of steaming fried rice and placed it in front of him."Eat."Gin looked up, his eyes full of vigilance and humiliation."...I won't accept this favor from you!"Sanji lit a cigarette, slowly exhaling a smoke ring, without even looking at him."As long as someone is hungry, they are a customer to me."His voice was very calm, yet it struck Ben's heart like a hammer."No one understands the feeling of hunger better than I do.""Eat this meal, and you'll be able to see tomorrow's sun. Isn't that good?"Gin's body began to tremble.He looked at the plate of golden fried rice, and tears could no longer be held back, bursting forth like a dam.He lunged forward like a beast, grabbing the fried rice with his hands, stuffing it into his mouth desperately, wailing while he ate, his face covered in rice grains and tears."Delicious... so delicious...""Wuwuwu... I've never eaten anything so delicious..."Ben stood behind the door, watching this scene, his heart filled with mixed emotions.This blond cook who looked like a slacker and couldn't move his legs when he saw a beautiful woman...Actually had a side like this.Not asking about status, not counting grievances, just to fill a hungry stomach.Luffy, that idiot, appeared from somewhere and was also squatting nearby watching.He looked at Sanji, his eyes shining astonishingly bright."Hey! Curly Brows! Come be my crewmate and be the cook on my ship!"Ben:...Here it comes, the Captain's "kidnap anyone who catches my eye" special skill has been activated again.Sanji was stunned for a moment, then crushed his cigarette butt and flatly refused."I refuse. I have my reasons for staying here."He glanced at the restaurant, his eyes becoming complex and gentle."This restaurant is that old geezer's treasure... and it's my treasure too."Having eaten his fill, Gin regained some strength. When he heard Luffy was heading to the Grand Line, his expression changed instantly."Don't go! That place is hell! You still look young, the four seas are vast, you can go anywhere!"He shook his head, his eyes filled with an inescapable fear.After saying that, he gratefully borrowed a small boat from Sanji and left without looking back.Gin piloted the small boat and finally found the flagship of his pirate crew—the Dreadnaught Sabre.However, the once majestic giant ship was now dilapidated, its sails torn, and its hull covered in scars.The deck was covered in dying pirates.A man wearing huge golden armor, his figure like an iron tower, sat on the Captain's throne, his face also written full of hunger.He was none other than the self-proclaimed East Blue overlord, Don Krieg."Gin... you've returned..." Don Krieg's voice was incredibly weak."Captain!" Gin knelt on the ground, "I found it... I found a place where we can eat until we're full!"His eyes flashed with fanatical light."There... is endless food!"In Don Krieg's eyes, which were clouded by hunger, a terrifying gleam erupted instantly, like a dying wolf that had spotted its prey.He slowly stood up, his massive figure casting a suffocating shadow.He licked his cracked lips, revealing a cruel smile."Then... let's go take it!"...Luffy eventually began his life as a chore boy at the Baratie.It turned out that making him work was harder than making him not eat meat.In the kitchen, he was either breaking plates or stealing ingredients, and in the end, he was kicked out to the main hall by the cooks to work as a waiter.Ben, Zoro, Usopp, and Nami were sitting at a table enjoying a meal.This was the first time they had sat down for a proper meal since getting on the ship.Although Nami had to grit her teeth to pay for it."Hey! Why are you guys here!"Luffy, holding a tray, saw them and immediately threw his work to the back of his mind, running over to make a racket."Luffy! You actually look pretty decent in that!" Usopp pointed at his waiter uniform and laughed loudly."I heard you have to work here for a year, are we going to have to re-elect a Captain on our ship!" Zoro said gloatingly.Luffy was so angry he wanted to prank Zoro, but ended up being countered by Zoro.The few of them instantly started arguing in a mess.Ben held his forehead, feeling his blood pressure rising again....Can you guys let me finish this meal in peace?!The commotion here made Sanji look over."Hey! You bunch of guys, no arguing in the restaurant..."His words stopped halfway, stuck.Because he saw Nami.The next second, Sanji's eyes turned into two huge hearts, his body twisted like a snake, and he instantly transformed from a cool cook into a pervert."Ah—! Beautiful lady! You are like the morning sun, illuminating my gray life! It is my great honor to serve you!"He knelt on one knee, holding Nami's hand, looking deeply affectionate.Ben's mouth opened into an "O" shape.Holy crap!This guy's face-changing speed is way too fast, right?!One second a cool master chef, the next a fanatical fan?This isn't face-changing, this is a head transplant!"For you, I am willing to go up a mountain of blades and down a sea of fire, even if it means sacrificing my life!" Sanji was still confessing affectionately.He completely ignored everyone else, walked straight to Nami, knelt on one knee, with two huge hearts popping out of his eyes.Nami was quite pleased, smiling as she took the juice.Sanji became even more excited, singing and dancing around Nami, almost performing a backflip on the spot.Upstairs, the old geezer Zeff, who had been silently observing, spoke up suddenly."Since you want to die for a woman so much, you might as well go out to sea and be a pirate."Sanji's movements froze, and he turned back to shout: "Mind your own business! You old geezer!"Ben looked at this pair of clowns, shook his head, and continued burying his head in his food.These people are all sick.However, he had only taken two bites.Suddenly, the light in the entire restaurant dimmed sharply.As if some huge shadow had blocked the sun."Hmm?"Ben looked up in confusion, looking out the window.The next second, his pupils shrank to the size of pinpricks.He saw that on the distant sea, a massive, menacing warship, like a fortress on the sea, was slowly sailing over.The ship was dilapidated, its main mast broken, and its hull covered in shocking holes, like a dying beast crawling out of the abyss of hell.Their target was none other than the Baratie.The fork in Ben's hand fell into his plate with a "clatter".His mouth opened slightly, and he froze completely."What the... f*ck..."