Chapter 28 You are not worthySanji's gaze towards Luffy completely changed, a mixture of curiosity, inquiry, and even a hint of the complex emotion of finding a kindred spirit.
"So, about the Flame Dragon's Reverse Scale..."
"It'll be given to you after lunch. Don't disturb us while we eat." Luffy picked up his chopsticks and began to focus on his food.
"Yes," Sanji replied, and surprisingly, he obediently withdrew, leaving Paddy and Carne staring in disbelief.
That arrogant Sanji, who never gave men a kind look, was actually being so polite to this straw hat kid?!
Breakfast ended with a near-perfect culinary experience.
Kaya drank two bowls of fish soup, her face quickly flushing a healthy rosy hue, and her spirits noticeably improved.
Nami and Nojiko also raved about the food.
After breakfast, the three girls strolled on the deck, while Luffy was led by Sanji to a quiet storage room next to the kitchen.
Sanji closed the door, eagerly asking, "Can I tell you now? About that recipe..."
Luffy pulled a pre-prepared parchment from his pocket and handed it to Sanji: "The characteristics of the Flame Dragon's reverse scale, three processing methods, seven sauce pairings, two optimal cooking times. Take a look."
Sanji's hands trembled slightly as he took it. After only a few glances, his eyes were glued to it, his face filled with ecstatic wonder, muttering the intricate steps and recipe.
"I see... preheating with volcanic rock to lock in the juices... balancing the greasiness with the spiciness of the lava pepper... God, this idea is brilliant!"
Luffy leaned against the doorframe, watching Sanji's excited expression, indifferent.
A recipe that wasn't top-tier in his past life's memories, exchanged for the astonishment of a top East Blue chef—a worthwhile trade.
More importantly, Luffy had used this method to show off impressively!
...
Luffy returned to the Going Merry with the three girls.
For the rest of the morning, he instructed the three girls in their training, everything proceeding as usual.
At lunchtime, Luffy and his crew returned to Baratie.
This time, Sanji's attitude was much more respectful.
Zoro also appeared in a corner of the restaurant, silently eating his specially prepared sick person's meal. His injuries seemed to be healing quickly; he would occasionally glance at Luffy, but no longer with a challenging intent, more like observing and learning.
"Your injuries are healing faster than expected," Luffy suddenly said to Zoro in the corner during his meal.
"Zeff's medicine is very good," Zoro's voice was still a little hoarse, but much more stable than yesterday.
Luffy cut off a perfectly grilled steak, put it in his mouth, chewed slowly, and swallowed before looking up at Zoro:
"Your physique is quite good. Your recovery speed is much faster than the average person's. This is the foundation built through years of training, and also your innate talent.
However, while fast recovery is a good thing, don't mistake it for that troublesome power within you helping you."
Zorro's hand holding the chopsticks paused slightly. He did feel his body recovering quickly; the numbness and itching at the site of his broken ribs were rapidly subsiding. He had vaguely thought it was related to the berserk power he had "awakened."
Zorro looked at Luffy and asked in a deep voice, "Do you know how to control it?"
Luffy picked up his wine glass, took a sip, and answered decisively, "I don't know the specific method. Everyone's aptitude is different, and the path they control may vary.
But I know one thing: when you try to understand it, to feel the same will it has when you swing your sword, perhaps you can find the opportunity to make it obey."
This wasn't instruction, but rather an analysis based on experience.
Zoro, however, listened intently, lost in thought.
Luffy's words cleared away a layer of fog for him, pointing him in a vague direction—to understand, to feel.
Sanji, carrying a new dish, happened to overhear the latter part.
Sanji put down his plate, unusually not leaving immediately. Instead, he stood by the table, looking at Luffy and saying, "Straw Hat, you seem to know a lot about these... powers beyond reason?"
Luffy forked a piece of meat, his tone casual:
"The more you see, the more you understand. The Grand Line and the New World—these things aren't exactly common, but they're not rare either.
True strength either comes from within or has a way to deal with them."
Sanji's pupils contracted slightly.
The Grand Line and the New World—these words, spoken so casually by Luffy, made Sanji's heart skip a beat.
Just who was this guy who looked a few years younger than him?
Zeff, who had somehow appeared and was leaning on his cane, sat down in the empty seat next to Luffy, tapped his pipe on the edge of the table, and looked at Luffy with aged but sharp eyes:
"Kid, were you serious when you said there was a fleet to the east?"
The restaurant instantly quieted down, and the customers at the nearby tables perked up their ears.
The news from the floating restaurant was always well-informed, and recently, terrifying rumors were indeed circulating in the shadows about the Krieg Pirates being hunted by Mihawk.
Luffy put down his knife and fork, picked up a napkin, and wiped his mouth calmly:
"They're about nine nautical miles away now. The ship is badly damaged, but the core ships are filled with an aura of despair and madness.
On the lead ship, there's a guy wearing tattered golden armor.
If there's only one guy in the East Blue who likes to dress like a golden toilet and calls himself an admiral, then it must be Krieg."
Luffy's description was precise, as if he had seen it with his own eyes.
Zeff's face darkened completely, and his fingers tightened around his pipe.
The classified intelligence he had received only said that Krieg's remnants might be in the nearby waters, never with such precise distance and condition descriptions! This straw hat kid…
"Are you sure?" Zeff's voice was low.
Luffy pointed to his eyes: "My eyes can't be wrong.
They'll be drifting here soon. In their current state, seeing such a huge floating restaurant, what do you think they'll do?"
What will they do? Of course, they'll rob it!
They'll rob the food, the water, and the ship!
Everyone in the East Blue with a modicum of knowledge knows what kind of person Krieg is.
He's a truly greedy and ruthless pirate!
Zeff took a deep breath, the strong smell of tobacco unable to suppress the heaviness in his heart.
He looked at Luffy: "You don't seem worried at all?"
Luffy tilted his head slightly, seemingly finding the question amusing:
"Why should I worry? A bunch of stray dogs terrified by Mihawk, even if there are many of them, they're still stray dogs."
"They don't bother me, I don't care. But if they dare to lay a finger on my ship or scare my women..."
Luffy's gaze swept over Nami, Nojiko, and Kaya sitting beside him, a smile spreading across his face. "I don't mind cleaning up some trash in the East Blue and collecting a cleaning fee on the side."
Luffy spoke the last three words softly, but the implication made Nami's eyes light up instantly. Her greedy instincts told her immediately what the "cleaning fee" meant!
Krieg's treasure plundered from the East Blue over the years!
Zeff looked at Luffy. The young man's tone was too calm, his undisguised contempt for the Krieg Pirates, his absolute confidence in his own strength, even made the seasoned Zeff feel a chill.
Luffy wasn't bluffing; he genuinely believed Krieg and his crew were trash, something he could easily clean up.
"Looks like you've decided to get involved in this?" Zeff asked.