Baccarat's face was as white as a sheet. He looked at his own cold, gorgeous, but soulless "Deep Sea Starlight," then at Ren's "Dawn," which could make people cry and awaken hope. He knew he had lost, utterly and completely.
"No... impossible..." Baccarat stumbled backward, completely dejected. "I am the Golden Chef... I..."
"You lost," Rocks's voice sounded behind him, like the verdict of a death god.
Saint Jalmack shot up from his throne. He pointed at Ren, his voice sharp and shrill with excitement. "You! That dish! Make me another one! No! Make me a hundred! I want you to be my personal chef!"
His guards immediately moved to seize Ren.
However, Rocks stepped in front of Ren first. He looked up at the high and mighty Celestial Dragon, a cruel and arrogant smile on his face. "Sorry, but my Head Chef is not someone you can touch."
Rocks took a step forward, and a terrifyingly powerful aura erupted from him, instantly blanketing the entire square.
"Alright, the appetizer is over," Rocks cracked his neck, producing a series of popping sounds. "Now, it's time for the main course."
Rocks's words were like a clap of thunder, exploding in the silent square. The guards around Saint Jalmack finally broke free from the terrifying Conqueror's Haki. They were the World Government's most elite forces, daring to draw their blades against pirates of any level.
A dozen CP0 members in black suits instantly drew their weapons and charged at Rocks from all directions like phantoms. Their movements were swift and coordinated, sealing off all escape routes. "Protect Lord Jalmack!"
However, they were fast, but someone was faster.
"Wahahaha! It's finally my turn to stretch my legs!" With a loud roar, Gatz's massive body charged forward like a moving mountain, blocking Rocks. He didn't even use his giant anchor, simply meeting the first charging CP0 agent with his sandbag-sized fist.
A flicker of contempt crossed the CP0 agent's face. His Iron Body technique could withstand cannonballs; a mere fist was nothing.
BAM!
A dull thud that made one's teeth ache echoed through the square. To everyone's horror, the CP0 agent's proud Iron Body defense shattered like a fragile eggshell. He was sent flying as if hit by a rampaging elephant, his chest caving in, blood spewing from his mouth. He crashed through seven or eight of his comrades before finally stopping.
"What?!" The other CP0 members were shocked, their assault faltering for a moment.
In that brief pause, a silver flash shot through the crowd. Silver had moved. His figure was like a phantom, the spear in his hand seemingly alive, each movement creating a blur of afterimages. He didn't kill anyone, but the tip and shaft of his spear always struck the most vulnerable joints of each CP0 agent—wrists, knees, throats—with uncanny precision.
Clang, clang, clang...
After a rapid series of crisp sounds, like rain on banana leaves, not a single one of the dozen elite CP0 agents was left standing. They were all on the ground, clutching their wrists or knees in pain, their weapons scattered around them. The entire process was as fluid and fast as a whirlwind, more like an elegant yet brutal dance.
"Tsk. Captain, these guys' bones are more brittle than a Sea King's. They're no fun at all," Silver said, standing with his spear, his tone flat as if he had just done something trivial.
Meanwhile, the shipwright Dolum had silently moved to Ren's side. He didn't fight, just stood there like an iron tower, protecting his little Head Chef. Any guard who tried to approach was driven back by his cold, iron-like gaze.
From the moment Rocks spoke to the moment all the guards were down, only a few dozen breaths had passed.
The nobles in the square were completely terrified. They stood with their mouths agape, trembling like leaves as they watched the surreal scene. The CP0, their pride and the symbol of the World Government's supreme power, were so utterly defenseless against these few men.
Saint Jalmack was also stunned. He stared at Rocks through his bubble helmet, a trace of fear on his pampered face. "Who... who are you people?"
Rocks ignored him. He walked straight to the half-dead CP0 agent, stepped on his chest, and asked from above, "Tell me, where is the most valuable thing on this island?"
"Pah! I... I will never betray the World Government!" the man tried to maintain his last shred of dignity.
Rocks smiled and turned to Ren. "Head Chef, it seems our main course isn't fragrant enough. This guest has no appetite."
Ren understood. He walked over with a plate of the remaining pancakes, crouched down, and held it under the man's nose. The warm, pure scent of "Dawn," which could awaken all beautiful memories, washed over him again. The CP0 agent's body trembled violently, his will rapidly crumbling. On one side was excruciating physical and mental pain; on the other, an ultimate temptation that could redeem his very soul. This torment was more terrible than any torture.
"I'll talk... I'll talk..." he finally broke. "In... in the golden treasury in the deepest part of the mountaintop villa... there are treasures plundered from all over the world... and... and the Heavenly Tribute from the Prosper Kingdom..."
"Very good," Rocks nodded in satisfaction. He lifted his foot and his gaze swept over everyone present, finally landing on the high and mighty Celestial Dragon. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried across the entire square, filled with an unquestionable arrogance and authority.
"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll spare your lives for now. All the treasure on this island is mine. Also..." Rocks pointed at the completely broken Golden Chef Baccarat. "This man's cooking is an insult to food. From this day forward, I don't want to hear the title 'Golden Chef' on these seas ever again."
Hearing this, Baccarat's face turned ashen. His legs gave out, and he collapsed to the ground. He knew he was finished. Not just his culinary career, but his entire life had been sentenced to death by this man.
Saint Jalmack trembled with rage. He pointed at Rocks and shrieked, "Insolence! How dare you steal the treasure of a World Noble! A Marine Admiral will be here soon! None of you will escape!"
"A Marine Admiral?" Rocks looked as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world. He threw his head back and laughed, his voice filled with a world-scorning dominance. "Then let them come! It's about time the world saw whether a so-called god can bleed!"
With that, he ignored the terrified audience and waved to his crew. "Gatz, go get our spoils of war. Silver, Dolum, watch over our Head Chef."
"OOOH!" Gatz roared excitedly. He shouldered his anchor and strode toward the villa's treasury, each step making the ground tremble slightly, like a bull about to charge into a china shop.
Rocks walked over to Ren and ruffled his hair, his smile filled with praise and affection. "Head Chef, how was the taste of today's main course?"
Ren looked at the drama that had been sparked by his single dish. A faint smile finally appeared on his calm face. "The heat was just right."
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