Chapter 100: G-8 Fortress – Kitchen Chaos, Meat Theft & Jailbird Teasing
The kitchen was in full swing. Sanji's spatula danced, sending fragrant aromas everywhere, while Luffy devoured everything in sight like a starving ghost reborn. "Delicious! This one's amazing too! You guys are really good at this!" he mumbled through a mouth stuffed full, giving thumbs-up between bites.
"What's with this guy? He's been eating nonstop since he got here—he doesn't even look like he's here to help cook…" a nearby Navy cook couldn't help muttering.
Sanji flipped the wok expertly without turning his head and laughed: "Don't mind him. He's a professional food critic."
"He just looks like a bottomless pit…" the Navy cook grumbled under his breath, then looked at Sanji with genuine admiration. "But you're different. That skill is insane! The soldiers who ate earlier were all raving about it."
"Thanks for the compliment." Sanji plated the finished stir-fry. "Want me to teach you the trick to this dish later?"
Right then Jessica's voice rang from the dining hall: "Table 8 wants another serving of signature meatballs!"
"Coming right up!" Sanji moved fast. Luffy immediately volunteered: "I'll deliver it!" He grabbed the steaming tray of fresh meatballs and dashed out.
Moments later Luffy placed the hot meatballs in front of Vice Admiral Jonathan. "Good work. You're dismissed," Jonathan said without looking up.
"Yes Sir!" Luffy gave an exaggerated salute but didn't budge from the doorway. He completely failed to notice the disguised Sol sitting right beside Jonathan—only a stolen Navy uniform and a fake mustache, no wig or anything else.
Sol helplessly touched the fake mustache on his face and thought: This idiot captain… but honestly, the entire base hasn't recognized me—the wanted criminal. The sea really is something else.
"Mmm… truly lives up to the reputation…" Jonathan speared a meatball and popped it in his mouth, eyes closing in bliss. After a week of being forced to eat Jessica's "healthy meals," he was finally tasting real meat again. But when he reached for the next one, the plate was already empty.
He opened his eyes to find Luffy standing nearby, cheeks puffed out, happily chewing. Jonathan stubbornly tried again—only for another meatball to vanish at lightning speed, snatched by Luffy.
Jonathan shot Sol an accusing look that clearly said: This is the great captain you chose? Sol immediately looked away and started whistling innocently.
When Luffy reached for the third time, Jonathan swiftly lifted the entire plate and shoved the remaining meatballs into his own mouth in two quick bites.
"Hey! You're so stingy!" Luffy jumped up in outrage. "There was clearly a lot left—sharing a few wouldn't kill you!"
Jonathan wiped his mouth, stood up, and said to Sol: "Sol, come back to my office first. You can explain things properly to them there." Then he strode out of the cafeteria.
Sol responded with a casual "Sure," grabbed the still-grumbling Luffy by the collar like a kitten, glanced at Sanji—who had been peeking sneakily from the doorway—and dragged him along too: "You two, stop dawdling. Follow me."
Inside Jonathan's office, the atmosphere was subtle and tense. Sol hauled Luffy and Sanji in like captured chickens. Both wore looks of utter confusion.
"Hey, Sol! How are you hanging out with the big boss of a Navy branch?!" Luffy's eyes were wide; he couldn't process the situation at all.
"Shut up and listen first." Sol let go and sighed helplessly. After Jonathan calmly explained the whole deal, Sanji exhaled a smoke ring and glared at Sol unhappily: "So your luck is just ridiculous, huh? Randomly crash into a Navy base and it turns out to be the one you used to stay at? We worked our asses off just to sneak into the kitchen!"
"Heh heh, luck, pure luck." Sol grinned annoyingly and patted Sanji's shoulder.
Jonathan sat in his large office chair, fingers steepled under his chin, smiling at Luffy: "Straw Hat kid, what do you think of my proposal?"
Luffy grinned wide and planted hands on hips confidently: "Sounds great, old man! So as long as we beat everyone in the fortress, you'll let us go, right?"
"Exactly." Jonathan nodded. "I've already ordered your ship repaired. As long as you help me 'educate' these new recruits and show them what real strength looks like, you can leave freely."
"Alright! Challenge accepted!" Luffy clenched his fist without hesitation, eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
Sanji blew out another smoke ring and laughed sarcastically: "Heh… never thought a grand Navy fortress would need pirates like us to train their soldiers. The world really is strange."
Sol gave him a lazy glance: "Don't overthink it. If this guy didn't genuinely want to temper his men—and we just happened to drop in—you lot together wouldn't even be enough for him to warm up against."
"Hah?" Sanji raised an eyebrow and sized Jonathan up. "This guy doesn't look that strong to me."
Jonathan kept smiling calmly, completely unbothered by Sanji's doubt.
Sol sighed helplessly: "Hey hey, don't be fooled by appearances. In the Navy, no one reaches Vice Admiral without being a monster. This guy looks lazy, but if he gets serious, all of you combined still wouldn't be enough."
Luffy grinned and waved cheerfully at Jonathan: "Alright then, old man! We'll go find the rest of the crew first!" In his simple mind, this Navy uncle who helped fix the Merry was a good guy. All they had to do now was help him out, beat up some Navy guys, and they could sail away freely.
Jonathan stood by the window, watching the three leave, a playful smile on his lips: "Now then… let's see how these Navy soldiers handle a real crisis."
He rubbed his chin, suddenly remembering something and muttering: "Speaking of which, Rear Admiral Drake is still leading search teams… should I tell him?" After a moment's thought he shrugged: "Nah. Let him find out himself—it'll be more fun."
Meanwhile, rapid footsteps echoed down the corridor.
"Sol, do you know where Nami-san and the others went?" Sanji asked while running, voice full of obvious worry.
Sol didn't turn around as he led the way: "No idea. Besides you two, I only know one thing for sure—Zoro got locked up in the brig yesterday. He's under heavy guard right now."
"Pfft!" Sanji skidded to a halt, his face instantly exploding into a brilliant grin: "Did I hear that right? That directionally challenged moss-head actually got arrested? Hahahahaha!" He doubled over laughing, even slapping his thigh dramatically.
Luffy immediately perked up, eyes sparkling: "For real? When we see him I'm gonna tease him so hard!"
"Count me in!" Sanji—rarely agreeing with the captain—high-fived him. Both wore identical expressions of pure schadenfreude.
Sol helplessly facepalmed: "Zoro really hit the jackpot having friends like you two…"
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