The two sides stood face-to-face, neither willing to back down. The chefs formed a wall in front of Sanji, but Sanji refused to step aside. He was determined to prepare food — even for pirates.
To most people, Sanji's current behavior would seem downright idiotic. Knowing the other party was an enemy, yet still insisting on feeding them? In my previous life, we had a term for that — a total mother complex.
But I… I could understand.
So I quietly stayed on the sidelines, saying nothing, sipping a drink while I watched. If things really went south, I'd just step in and settle it. No way I'd let Baratie suffer any real damage on my watch.
The surrounding customers had already fled. When Crick was weak earlier, he didn't look threatening. But now? He'd clearly recovered. As normal civilians, they'd made the only choice they could make — run.
"Mr. Sanji, I'm sorry… I didn't want it to turn out like this, I… I just—"
Akin lay on the ground, face full of guilt as he looked up at Sanji. He'd only thought of Baratie because his captain, Crick, and the rest of the crew were starving to death. He never imagined Crick would ignore their agreement. Akin had brought him here on the condition that Baratie would remain untouched.
"It's not your fault, Akin."
Sanji shook his head. Akin had only brought his captain and the others here hoping they wouldn't starve. He had never intended to raid Baratie — but Crick, being the scheming scum he was, clearly had plans of his own.
Bang!
Without warning, Paddy — one of the chefs — smacked Sanji across the back of the head, sending him crashing to the ground.
"Paddy!"
The other chefs were shocked. No matter how foolish Sanji was acting right now… he'd been working alongside them for years.
"Sanji," Paddy growled, "did you sometimes sneak around the back door just to feed the customers I kicked out?"
Paddy had always been the one tossing freeloaders out the door — so he naturally knew what Sanji had been doing secretly. Normally, he'd let it slide. But today was different. This wasn't charity. This was war.
"I'm not judging whether you're right or wrong… but today, you are wrong. Crick isn't like the others we usually feed. I won't let you get reckless again — I'll protect Baratie myself."
Paddy marched to the base of the spiral staircase in the center of the hall — head down, retrieving his weapon.
"Luckily, for now, there's only one enemy. If we feed them… that one turns into hundreds. There's just one enemy. We've dealt with worse. What the hell do we have to fear?"
Paddy glared hard at Crick, who stood casually by the entrance.
"This is Baratie — a sea restaurant where pirates cause trouble every single day. We're prepared for any kind of guest."
He pulled off the white cloth wrapping his weapon — and revealed the truth beneath it: a hand-held heavy cannon… shaped like a lobster.
"Hey, Crick! You full already? Want dessert? How about a steel dessert!? Enjoy it, bastard!"
BOOM!
The cannon fired with deafening force — flames bursting from the barrel. Everyone shielded their eyes as Crick's expression turned slightly grim.
KA-THOOM!
A massive plume of gunpowder smoke erupted from the doorway. The sheer power of the blast had Akin trembling beside him. He genuinely feared their captain might not survive.
"…I may have destroyed the door," Paddy muttered, "and I'm probably gonna get yelled at by the boss again… ahh, whatever."
Despite his words, there wasn't a trace of fear on his face.
"It's fine," Sanji replied calmly. "You were protecting the restaurant. The old man wouldn't blame you."
The thick black smoke still filled the doorway. Maybe Crick was dead? Sanji believed he should be. That cannon was purchased at an insane price — its power comparable to the Navy's standard ship artillery.
Comparable… huh? Please. That thing could vaporize a small boat.
Gradually, the smoke began to clear — revealing a vague silhouette inside.
"…"
Everyone's eyes widened.
You're kidding… right?
"It stings a little," Crick said, dusting off fragments of the broken shell from his body. "Your restaurant serves desserts like this? Terrible. I'm gonna leave a one-star review."
"…are you kidding…?" Sanji murmured, stunned.
Crick shrugged off his tattered cloak — revealing a radiant golden armor underneath. It gleamed with a luxurious brilliance.
He then removed his black gloves — and on the iron gauntlets attached to his armor were several massive diamonds — each the size of a goose egg.
The diamonds are eternal — one lasts forever.
The moment I saw them, my brain went haywire.
—Holy mother of gacha pulls.—How many supply draws could I buy with that!?Give me that armor — give me all those diamonds — you flashy gold-plated bastard!
And that wasn't all — I had also completely forgotten that Crick wasn't just a man with a bounty — he was also loaded. Lucky day for me.
"Go to hell, you lousy cooks!"
The golden shoulder plates hanging from Crick's armor unfolded — and then his waist section did the same, revealing multiple dark muzzles beneath.
Bang-bang-bang-bang!
A storm of bullets rained down like machine-gun fire — blasting toward Paddy and the other Baratie chefs.
Screams filled the hall. A spray of blood splattered across the floor.
"Damn it!" Sanji shielded his eyes with his arms — but strangely, Crick didn't target him. Probably because he still wanted him to cook, which meant Sanji was left untouched.
Around him… lay a sea of fallen chefs.
"You are not allowed to resist, worms! I am the strongest — with steel arms tougher than any blade, a super-alloy body you can't pierce — and diamond fists that crush everything."
"With weapons embedded across my body — fifty ships at my command — five thousand men under my rule — and not a single loss on my record — I AM the man most worthy to be called leader!"
"…"
I leaned on my hand, dead-fish-eyed, watching him show off.
Yes, yes, you're the strongest, the big boss, king of everything. So tell me… if you're so powerful—why did Mihawk slice you all the way back into the East Blue? Weren't you heading toward the Grand Line?
Right then, from atop the spiral staircase, Luffy suddenly heard a voice behind him.
"Move aside, kid."
Luffy turned — right before an enormous package slammed toward him. He yelped.
"When I tell you to prepare food… you obey. NO ONE RESISTS ME!"
Crick roared while glaring at the cooks still wailing on the ground.
"Bring the food. Then leave."
Moments later, Zeff descended the stairs — stepping right onto Luffy and walking past him with ease — carrying a massive sack. When he dropped it before Crick, the floor shook.
"…You… you're Zeff!?"
Crick clearly recognized him. His eyes widened. He'd heard the tales of Zeff, seen the bounty posters — but never expected the Red-Leg Pirate himself to live in such a small restaurant.
But when Crick saw Zeff's right foot — nothing left but a wooden prosthetic — it clicked. So the rumors were true. The legendary Red-Leg Zeff had been injured — and the most important part of his fighting style was gone.
Crick looked relieved.
"Boss Zeff!"
The chefs around were stunned. Sanji wasn't the only abnormal one here — even their boss had shown unexpected resolve.
Luffy blinked in confusion.
"What's that old guy doing? That's dangerous!"
Even someone as simple as Luffy could tell you — feeding the Crick Pirates was insane. Why would Zeff do it?
"There's enough food here for a hundred men. Move it to their ship and feed them," Zeff ordered plainly.
"…"
Crick glanced around. He was strong — but there were many people here. And Zeff's true power? Still unknown. Hard to say whether he could win outright yet. If he wanted to fully seize Baratie, he needed his crews' strength restored first.
Silently, Crick hoisted the food onto one shoulder and turned back.
"If you don't want to die… get out of the way."
With that, he left to return to his wrecked ship — which looked ready to sink any moment.
If he could have, Crick wouldn't have bothered warning anyone. He would've just killed them all. But for now, his subordinates were starving — long-term malnutrition meant poor combat ability. Scaring off some cowards was enough for now — fewer defenders meant easier victory later.
As soon as Crick left, the chefs crowded around Zeff.
"Boss! Why'd you give them food!?"
"Yeah! They'll just come back with hundreds of men to attack us!"
Zeff replied calmly:
"It depends on whether they still have the will to fight. To me… they're nothing but a group of losers from the Grand Line. Nothing to fear."
"Losers… of the Grand Line?"
Everyone fell silent. Of course they knew the name — the legendary Devil's Sea. But to think the overlord of the East Blue — the Crick Pirates — were losers there…?
Just how terrifying must that sea truly be?
Let me know when you're ready with the next chapter — I'll maintain all tone, names, personality, and worldbuilding exactly as required.