Inside the sea restaurant, with Patty and Kālniè, the two chefs, mercilessly shot dead by Ian, the air seemed to solidify, causing a deathly silence in the restaurant, where you could almost hear a pin drop.
Zeff was the most unprepared. As a great pirate who had once entered the Grand Line and sailed for a year, he naturally had a more intuitive understanding of the Celestial Dragons. Yet, he still didn't expect things to be so severe. The sudden change in situation had cost him two chefs.
Although Sanji knew that the Celestial Dragons were the most powerful group in this world, his understanding of them was very superficial. He simply knew that the Celestial Dragons enjoyed all privileges. This led to a temporary blank in his mind after seeing Patty and Kālniè successively killed.
Just replacing Sea Kings with sea cows was enough to draw a gun and kill someone?
Sanji, who had been sent flying, slowly stood up, covering his pierced left shoulder with one hand. His eyes were bloodshot as he looked at Patty and Kālniè lying in a pool of blood. Even though the two of them usually didn't get along with him and often came to blows over disagreements, that was just how men interacted. Not only did they not hate each other because of it, but they had also formed a bond through this mode of interaction.
"Even if you are a Celestial Dragon, you cannot kill people at will in the sea restaurant!"
Sanji stepped forward, his words filled with endless killing intent and anger.
"Oh?"
Ian turned his head and glanced at Sanji, his eyes narrowing slightly as he said, "It seems you know nothing about the privileges of the Celestial Dragons, Sanji. Leaving aside the fact that you used sea beasts instead of Sea Kings to fob This Young Master off, just the fact that there's a group of pirates hidden in this restaurant means all of you should be put on the execution block and beheaded!"
With that, Ian didn't hesitate in the slightest, decisively raising his gun at Sanji and pulling the trigger cleanly.
Sanji, who had witnessed Ian's ruthless methods, was clearly prepared. The moment the gunshot rang out, he sharply dodged to the side, while simultaneously pouncing forward like lightning, his powerful kick striking Ian's gun-wielding hand with lightning speed.
"Sanji, stop!"
At this critical moment, Zeff, who had been momentarily stunned by the sudden bloodshed, finally came to his senses.
The moment his voice rang out, he also rushed out with astonishing speed. Just as Sanji was about to kick Ian, he used an even more fierce and domineering kicking technique to kick Sanji away.
A sudden explosion sound echoed. Sanji, who had never expected Zeff to attack him, crashed several meters away, smashing the tables, chairs, and benches in the restaurant to pieces.
Before Sanji could get up from the ground, Zeff, who had timely intervened to stop Sanji, shed his terrifying kicking image. With a thud, he knelt down on both knees, facing Ian and humbly said, "Saint Ian, I am the owner and head chef of this restaurant. Everything that happened today is my responsibility!"
"If possible, this old man is willing to exchange his old life for Sanji's chance to live!"
After speaking, Zeff prostrated himself on the ground, his expression extremely devout.
"Old man Zeff!"
Just then, Sanji, who had been kicked away, suddenly looked up, staring in disbelief at Zeff, who was bowing subserviently to Ian. His eyes were splitting with rage as he said, "What are you doing? You don't need to beg for forgiveness from him! Even if Kālniè and Patty used sea beasts instead of Sea Kings, it's not a capital offense! Get up, get up for me!"
"Shut up, Sanji!"
Zeff maintained his prostrate posture and said in a deep voice, "Do you know how serious your actions just now were? You cannot bear the consequences of attacking Saint Ian! Kneel down immediately and apologize to Saint Ian!"
"Hmm?"
Sanji's pupils involuntarily constricted, not expecting Zeff to actually tell him to kneel and apologize.
Then, he slowly stood up, gazing intently at Ian, and said word by word, "I! Will not! Kneel!"
Looking at Sanji, who stood up with an unyielding posture, Zeff's forehead was covered in cold sweat from nervousness. "Sanji, don't act recklessly. If you attack a Celestial Dragon, a Marine Headquarters Admiral will arrive immediately. Can you bear such consequences?"
Hearing this, Sanji's expression changed drastically.
At this time, his understanding of the Celestial Dragons was not complete, but he had a very intuitive understanding of the Marine. Let alone a Marine Headquarters Admiral personally arriving, even if the lieutenants from the East Blue Marine base arrived, they could not afford to provoke them.
After a brief silence, the killing intent on Sanji's body gradually faded, but his anger and hatred increased instead.
He was not an impulsive person. The reason he had angrily attacked just now was because Kālniè and Patty had died unjustly. Now that he had calmed down, he naturally understood the stakes involved.
Under Zeff's gaze, Sanji secretly took a deep breath, then knelt on both knees facing Ian, trying his best to suppress the anger and hatred in his heart as he slowly bowed his head.
Seeing this, Zeff secretly breathed a sigh of relief and said to Ian, "Saint Ian, all the responsibility for what happened today lies with this old man. Now Kālniè and Patty have received their deserved punishment. I will bear all the remaining punishment. I hope you can stop here and spare Sanji!"
"Zeff, you wouldn't think that This Young Master came to the East Blue just to cause trouble for your small restaurant, would you?"
As he spoke, Ian walked directly past Zeff to Sanji's front, looking down at Sanji, who, despite being on his knees, still maintained his pride. Then he slowly said, "Although you were exiled to the East Blue by your father Judge because you didn't awaken your gene modification abilities, in the near future, you will become a threat to the World Government. This Young Master's trip is to eliminate you, a potential threat from the Vinsmoke Family!"
Upon hearing this, Zeff suddenly looked up, a hint of shock flashing in his eyes.
As a great pirate who had once roamed the Grand Line, Zeff naturally knew the Vinsmoke Family. After all, they were a powerful force that had once dominated the North Blue, and were even feared by the Marine and the World Government because they possessed high-tech power.
While Zeff was shocked, Sanji also looked up in disbelief at Ian, who had come before him, his face filled with horror as he said, "You know my background?"
"Your background is insignificant!"
Ian decisively chambered a round, then raised his gun to Sanji's forehead. "What's important is that a certain 'Dumb Goose' is about to set sail and will stir up huge waves after entering the Grand Line, eventually growing into the existence my mother fears most. And you, in the near future, will become this 'Dumb Goose's' right-hand man."
"The main purpose of This Young Master's trip to the East Blue is to nip all you potential threats in the bud!"
Before his voice faded, Ian decisively pulled the trigger.
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