With Newgate, an eater whose appetite and energy needs were both terrifying, Ren's culinary skills had more room to flourish. He began to experiment with bolder, more challenging dishes. For example, he used electric eels containing a faint amount of lightning power, combined with a paralyzing flower that stimulated the nerves, to create a "Lightning Mapo Tofu" that could greatly increase the consumer's reaction speed for a short time. He also used the hard shells of deep-sea volcanic crabs to make a rich soup containing special minerals, and then added powdered iron ore to create an "Iron Wall Seafood Porridge" that could temporarily increase one's physical hardness.
These dishes would be poison to ordinary people, but for monsters like Rocks and Newgate, they were like highly effective buff potions. Under the enhancement of Ren's "Boon of the Feast," the overall strength of the Rocks Pirates was growing at a snowballing pace.
One afternoon, while Ren was preparing a giant deep-sea octopus in the kitchen, a new notification popped up on his system interface.
[Ding! Detected that the bond between crew member Edward Newgate and the Host and team has deepened. His powerful life force is resonating with the "Boon of the Feast." The exclusive ability "Boon of the Feast" has been enhanced!]
[Boon of the Feast (Resonance Edition): Dishes cooked by the Host will now provide a medium-intensity, permanent buff to the constitution of his comrades, with a very small chance of accumulating special energy within the consumer, to be triggered at a critical moment.]
Ren's movements paused. A medium-intensity buff? Accumulating special energy? It was like adding a critical hit and a hidden passive ability to his dishes. He glanced at Newgate on the deck, who was arm-wrestling with Rocks, making the ship creak. His gaze grew deeper. This man was indeed a top-tier catalyst.
Just then, Rocks's deep voice boomed across the entire ship. "Alright, boys! Everyone, over here!"
Everyone stopped what they were doing and gathered at the bow. Rocks spread out the sea chart again. His gaze swept over everyone present, finally landing on Newgate. "Whitebeard, your joining has increased our strength by more than a single tier," a wild smile appeared on Rocks's lips. "So, we can put the previous goal of the Land Where God Sleeps on hold for now. That place is too ethereal to be the first shot we fire to shake the world."
He extended a finger and tapped heavily on the sea chart. It was a fortress island marked by the World Government as a bastion of absolute justice, and also the most important military base for the Marines in the first half of the Grand Line... G-8 Branch.
The G-8 Branch was renowned for its iron-wall-like defenses and was commanded by a wise and brave Vice Admiral from Marine Headquarters. It was hailed as the "unsinkable sea fortress."
"Our next target is here," Rocks's voice was not loud, but it was filled with an unquestionable dominance. "They're searching for us all over the world, aren't they? Then let's deliver ourselves to their doorstep."
"I want the whole world to see just how fragile their so-called unsinkable fortress is in the face of the Rocks Pirates!"
These words made Gatz and Dolum gasp. To directly attack the largest branch, commanded by a Marine Vice Admiral? This was no longer crazy; it was suicide!
However, Newgate just laughed heartily after hearing this. "Gurararara! Interesting! Sounds much more interesting than finding some sleeping king!" He picked up his wine barrel and took a heroic swig. "Then let's go! I also want to see how many of the current Marine Vice Admirals can put up a fight!"
The decision of the two kings instantly suppressed all doubts and anxieties. Gatz's blood was ignited again. He raised his anchor and roared excitedly, "OOOH! Let's go take down the Marines' nest!"
Silver's eyes also shone with fighting spirit. Only Dolum clutched his heart as he looked at the fortress on the sea chart, which was depicted with countless cannons and warships. "It's over... this time, it's really going to fall apart..."
Rocks waved his hand and gave the order. "Dolum, change course! Target, G-8 Branch!"
"Ren, prepare the victory feast menu!"
The battered sailing ship, led by two future hegemons of the seas, turned its proud bow. Like a drawn sword, it sailed resolutely toward the unsinkable fortress that symbolized the authority of the World Government. A storm that would soon shake the world was already brewing.
On the fifteenth day of the voyage, they were getting closer to the sea region of the G-8 Branch. The air seemed to be filled with the smell of gunpowder and rust.
That afternoon, the sea was unusually calm. Gatz was lying on the deck, sunbathing and patting his round belly, letting out a happy burp. Lunch had been a rich soup made by Ren from the spinal marrow of a giant Sea King and a naturally paralyzing electro-grass. After drinking it, his whole body felt warm, and every cell seemed to be vibrating lightly, filled with explosive power.
"Ah... if I could live like this every day, I wouldn't mind being a pirate for the rest of my life," Gatz sighed contentedly.
"Shut up, you idiot. If you get any heavier, you're going to break this deck," Dolum grumbled from the side as he hammered on the ship's rail, performing his daily maintenance.
Just then, Silver's alert came from the crow's nest. His voice was as calm as ever, but it carried a hint of coldness. "Right front, three o'clock. Fleet spotted. It's the Marines."
"Marines?" Gatz sat up with a kip-up and grabbed his anchor. His face showed no tension, only excitement. "Perfect! I'm full of energy with nowhere to use it. They've come at the right time!"
Rocks and Newgate, who were drinking at the stern, just lazily raised their eyelids. "How many?" Rocks asked.
"Six warships. Judging by the flag, it's the G-8 Branch's patrol fleet," Silver replied. "They've already spotted us and are adjusting their formation to encircle us."
"Gurararara, looks like the appetizer has served itself up," Newgate took a big swig of wine, not paying the six warships any mind.
Rocks smiled and shouted toward the kitchen, "Ren, looks like we've got ingredients for dinner. The provisions on a warship should be better than what's on this wreck, right?"
Ren's calm voice came from the kitchen: "That depends on whether they have a professional cold storage. If not, the freshness of the ingredients will be greatly compromised."
Not a single one of them took the impending battle seriously. They were already discussing the quality of their spoils of war.
On the distant patrol fleet's flagship, a fierce-looking Marine captain was observing the Rocks Pirates' battered sailing ship through a spyglass. "Report, Captain! It's just a single small pirate ship with only five or six crew members. They're not flying any flag. They're probably rookies who just set out," a marine reported.
The captain sneered. "Rookies? Perfect. That bastard Rocks has been causing a ruckus lately. Headquarters has given a strict order to crack down on all rookie pirates to set an example."
"Pass my order! All ships, open fire! Blast them and their ship to smithereens!"
"Sir!"
The order was given, and the black muzzles of the cannons on the six warships all aimed at the lone small ship. BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! Dozens of cannons roared at once. A dense barrage of cannonballs, trailing black smoke, rained down like an iron storm.
-------
Enjoying the story? Support the author and get access to early chapters by joining my Patreon!
Find me at My : pat*eon*com/RuneA
I, Herta's Fiancé, the Universe's Number One Male Fist (114 Chapter (Simulpub-Full) )
Zenless Zone Zero: I'm a Succubus in Sixth Street (320 Chapter)
Reborn in Type-Moon, My Sister is Aoko Aozaki (250 Chapter)
MyGO!! A Story Voiced by Me (120 Chapter)
BLEACH: Blade of Purification (130 Chapter)
Konoha: Starting the Game as Yoriichi (320 Chapter)
My Real Job is Spying on Konoha, but I'm Also its Hokage (130 Chapter)
The Pinnacle of the Navy! Starting from Being Captured by Garp (150 Chapter)
Watching Yu-Gi-Oh! short videos is making the veteran players lose...(75 Chapter)
Uma Musume : The Trainer Who Just Wants to Live (196 Chapter)
Zenless Zone Zero The Random Kamen Rider (160 Chapter)
Genshin Impact: It All Began With Me Being Stepped On by Arlecchino (110 Chapter)
Naruto: I Can Synthesize Summoning Beasts (80 Chapter)
Demon Slayer: The Great Swordsman's System, Disciple of Yoriichi (120 Chapter)
My Wife is a General, but I'm an Emanator of Abundance! (130 Chapter)
Type-Moon: My Nine-Fold Path (130 Chapter)
Uma Musume: They're Peeking at My Diary, and All of Tracen is Panickin (87 Chapter)
The Wild History of Type-Moon world (60 Chapter)
Reborn in Conan, But I Refuse to Be the Bad Guy (70 Chapter)
Ruan Mei is begging me to go back? But there's no going back anymore (130 Chapter)
Just a Slacker at Tracen Academy (130 Chapter)
Survival in Blue Archive (60 Chapter)
Kimetsu no Yaiba: Doma Wasn't Hated Today, Either (90 Chapter)
The Vibe of This Chat Group is a Little Off (90 Chapter)
Heartbreak Simulator: I Broke Them and Made Them Cry (70 Chapter)
The Talentless Trainer Doesn't Want to Restart (70 Chapter)
A Journey Starting as a Quincy (70 Chapter)
Uma Musume: The Master of Romance Obstruction (70 Chapter)
Uma Musume: You Can't Be a Hero Without a Little Chemical Enhancement (30 Chapter)
Honkai Impact 3rd Your Boyfriend is Really Amazing (30 Chapter)
Warhammer 40K: My Fiancée, Fulgrim (134 Chapter)
Classroom of the Elite: Trying to Capture Me! (100 Chapter)
Genshin Impact My Named Senji Muramas (140 Chapter)
A Chef, the Vice-Captain of the Rocks Pirates? (110 Chapter)
Naruto : My Uchiha Girlfriend is Too Tsundere (50 Chapter)
If there's a particular novel you're enjoying on Patron, please give it a 'like' so I know to focus on it.