The guardian beast's amber vertical pupils locked onto Sanji.
More precisely, it was targeting the few warm, glowing pink eggs cradled in his arms.
Its muscular limbs dug into the ground as a deep, continuous growl rumbled from its throat. Scalding sulfurous breath spewed with every exhale, slightly warping the surrounding air.
Sanji and Potts were backed against a massive hot spring rock, with nowhere left to retreat.
Sanji's right leg trembled slightly; the earlier clash had left it numb.
Potts was pale, holding a flimsy branch that looked more like a joke than a weapon.
"G-give… give the eggs back, Sanji!"
Potts' voice quivered, on the verge of tears.
"If we keep this up, it's going to eat us for dessert!"
Sanji gritted his teeth, blood still at the corner of his mouth.
'Give up?'
'What a joke!'
'These were top-tier hot spring eggs!'
For a chef, discovering and acquiring the finest ingredients is instinct and honor at the very core. And this lazy Commodore had specifically requested them!
Despite his frustration with Renzo, his pride as a chef wouldn't allow him to surrender these precious ingredients.
Yet fighting head-on was clearly hopeless.
The creature's strength, defense, and that damn corrosive steam exceeded all expectations.
Just as the guardian beast's hind legs tensed for another leap, Sanji's eyes rapidly scanned the area: scattered ingredient baskets and the various juices and powders that had spilled on his body during their rolls.
A crazy idea sparked in his mind.
"Potts!" Sanji hissed urgently.
"Throw me that oil-paper package I told you to hold carefully earlier! Quick!"
Potts froze for a moment, then scrambled through his belongings, finally pulling out a small bundle tightly wrapped in thick oil paper.
Inside was the powder of the pungent "Sleeping Beauty Mushrooms" they had discovered earlier.
Sanji had originally intended to take it back to study its anesthetic properties for culinary use.
At the same time, he quickly pulled a trumpet-shaped "Honey Pot Flower" he had collected earlier from his pocket, crushing it forcefully. Golden, sticky juice oozed out instantly, releasing an intense sweet aroma.
The guardian beast lunged, jaws wide, targeting Sanji's arm holding the eggs!
At the last moment, Sanji flung the crushed Honey Pot Flower and its sticky, fragrant juice toward a flat rock slightly to the side!
Plop!
The golden, sticky juice splattered across the rock, releasing a sweetness so intense it would be irresistibly enticing to any creature with a sensitive nose.
The guardian's attack faltered. Its head instinctively turned toward the source of the aroma, its vertical pupils flickering with curiosity and instinctual interest.
Now!
Sanji tore open the oil-paper package, flinging the grayish Sleeping Beauty Mushroom powder directly at the beast's snout!
The fine powder dispersed through the air, carrying a faint, soporific, moldy scent.
The guardian, distracted by the strange, sweet aroma of the Honey Pot Flower, inadvertently inhaled a large amount of the spore powder.
It shook its head violently, snorting, trying to dispel the unpleasant scent.
But soon, its movements slowed. Its once-fierce gaze became vacant, and its massive body wobbled.
"Roar… whu…"
It let out a muffled whine, its limbs barely supporting its weight, until, with a thud, it toppled sideways like a fallen pillar, splashing hot spring water everywhere.
Its enormous head rested on the rock. Its eyelids drooped laboriously, then finally closed completely, releasing deep, rhythmic snores.
It… was asleep.
The scene was utterly silent, except for the gentle flow of the hot spring and the guardian's thunderous snoring.
Potts gaped, speechless, watching the dramatic turn of events: "…A-asleep? Just… just like that?"
Sanji exhaled deeply, his tense nerves relaxing. He almost collapsed. His back, soaked with cold sweat and hot spring water, now felt the full sting of pain from burns and scratches.
"Just like that?"
Sanji glared at Potts, then carefully checked the eggs in his arms. Confirming they were safe, he gently placed them into a specially prepared soft cloth pouch.
"That was too close! Quick, gather everything and get out of here! Who knows how long these spores will keep it asleep!"
They struggled to collect the scattered ingredient baskets, avoiding the sleeping giant in fear that it might wake.
Supporting each other, they stumbled back along the path, looking utterly beaten.
Sanji's chef uniform was ripped in several places, exposing scratches and burn marks. His mouth was bruised, and his blond hair was matted with mud and leaves.
Potts fared worse, bruised, limping painfully.
"Damn it… when we get back, that guy's paying big time!"
Sanji gritted his teeth in frustration, but feeling the safe, intact hot spring eggs in his arms brought a subtle sense of triumph.
Using culinary knowledge and quick thinking to overcome a formidable enemy was a completely different satisfaction from mere combat victory.
Potts groaned. "Where the hell is the Commodore… we almost died…"
As they staggered back toward the island's central area, following the largest hot spring stream, they soon came upon a scene that made their feelings intensely complicated.
In the most beautiful hot spring pool, Renzo was soaking comfortably.
Wearing only light underwear, his upper body rested against a giant, smooth rock warmed by geothermal heat. His head tilted back slightly, eyes closed, breathing long and even, cheeks faintly flushed from the steam.
He looked relaxed, comfortable, and peaceful, as if in the safest sanctuary in the world, enjoying the finest spa treatment.
The stark contrast with his two battered, torn, bruised subordinates was almost comically cruel.
Sanji and Potts froze, staring at this "Sleeping Beauty in Spring", the air seeming to solidify.
Potts' lips trembled, eyes instantly red with a mix of fear, indignation, and absurdity, almost crying out."Co-Commodore… we… we…"
Veins bulged on Sanji's forehead.
He took a deep breath, trying to suppress the fury churning in his chest, but ultimately failed.
He slammed the basket of ingredients onto the ground, strode to the hot spring's edge, and shouted into Renzo's ear in a low, angry voice, not wanting to wake him completely, but ready to scold him.
"Hey! You! Do you know we almost got roasted by a monster?! And here you are, sleeping so soundly?!"
Renzo didn't react at all.
His breathing grew even deeper, as if Sanji's angry roar was nothing more than another lullaby.
Sanji was so furious, he almost kicked him into the deep end of the hot spring.
Potts hurriedly stepped forward, grabbing Sanji: "Sanji, let it go… Commodore… he's probably just… exhausted…"
Even he didn't believe his own excuse.
Sanji glared at Renzo one last time, then reluctantly let out his anger.
Arguing with someone in a dead sleep is a waste of emotion.
He looked down at his tattered clothes and injuries, then at the hard-won hot spring egg in his arms. A complex mix of emotions swelled inside him: anger, helplessness, pride as a chef, and the unspoken relief that the lazy guy was unharmed.
"Fine," Sanji muttered to Potts.
"First, treat our wounds, then find a spot to prep dinner. Tonight, I'm going to use these new ingredients to make a feast!"
Especially that hot spring egg, he would make it so delicious the lazy guy would almost swallow his tongue.
At this moment, this was his most determined form of "revenge."
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
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