Chapter 23 The Baratie, the Sea RestaurantDay Six, noon.
The sun shone brightly, and the sea stretched smoothly towards the horizon like a giant sapphire.
"I see it! It's right there!" Nami shouted excitedly from the Going Merry's lookout tower, her orange hair fluttering in the salty sea breeze.
Nojiko and Kaya, hearing her voice, gathered at the bow. Luffy also put down the fishing line he was casually fiddling with and stood up to look.
In the distance, on the sea, a structure of unimaginable size floated silently.
It was a lifelike "fish"!
The tail was raised high, the mouth was open as an entrance, and the details of the fins and scales were clearly visible in the sunlight, presenting a strange beauty that combined ruggedness and delicacy.
The building's surface was decorated with bright glass windows, and the faint sounds of people talking could be heard carried on the wind.
"Wow...it really looks like a giant fish!"
Kaya gasped, covering her mouth in amazement, her blue eyes wide with disbelief. It was far more spectacular than the rudimentary illustrations she'd seen in books.
"So big...how much money must have cost to build this?" Nami's focus was as practical as ever; her eyes had turned to the symbol of Beli, and she began estimating the value of this floating restaurant.
Nojiko also remarked, "To make a restaurant so famous in a place like this, the owner must be extraordinary."
Luffy's gaze swept over Baratie, his Observation Haki silently spreading.
Hundreds of life auras, varying in strength, pulsed within it, the joy of diners, the busyness of chefs, the haste of waiters...a cacophony of emotions and sounds.
Several auras stood out noticeably stronger than their surroundings, carrying a chilling aura and power honed over years—these must be the combat chefs.
However, deep within a corner of the restaurant, an exceptionally sharp and... subtly unusual trembling aura caught Luffy's attention.
The aura itself wasn't particularly strong, but its essence was unlike anything around it—like a sharp blade constantly trying to break free of its sheath, radiating an aggressive edge.
The Going Merry slowly approached and came to a stop in its designated berth beside the restaurant.
This elegant ram-headed sailing ship immediately attracted attention, but the four people who disembarked were even more captivating.
A black-haired boy wearing a straw hat, and three beautiful girls with distinct appearances and auras.
Pushing open the heavy wooden door, resembling the fangs of a giant fish, warm, bright light and an irresistible aroma of food instantly enveloped Luffy and his companions.
The restaurant's interior was spacious, decorated in a bold, maritime style, yet clean and orderly.
It was lunchtime, and almost every seat was taken.
Behind the bar, a man with blond curly hair and arched eyebrows was processing several orders simultaneously, his movements fluid and graceful like a dance.
He happened to look up at the doorway, and what was initially a casual glance froze him instantly as his gaze swept over Nami and the others, as if drawn by a magnet.
The next moment, the professional expression on his face vanished, his eyes widened into exaggerated heart shapes, and he sprang out from behind the bar like a spring.
He appeared before the three women with near-instantaneous speed, kneeling on one knee. From seemingly nowhere, he produced a vibrant rose and spoke in a deeply emotional, almost aria-like voice:
"Ah~~ What a fortunate day! Three ladies as beautiful as goddesses have graced my humble restaurant with their presence! Did the sea breeze carry you from the land of dreams to my presence?"
His movements were so swift, his tone so flamboyant, that Nami and Nojiko were momentarily stunned, while Kaya instinctively shrank back behind Luffy.
Sanji, unperturbed, took Nami's hand, his gaze captivated: "This orange-haired lady, as radiant as the summer sun, your smile is enough to dispel all the gloom in the East Blue!"
Before Nami could react, Sanji turned to Nojiko, his tone full of admiration: "This older sister with intellectual blue hair, your serene aura is like the most tranquil bay at night, intoxicating."
Finally, Sanji looked at the somewhat timid Kaya, his voice gentle: "And this younger sister with eyes as pure as an angel, your arrival fills the entire Baratie with light!"
Sanji remained kneeling.
"Hey! What rude things are you saying to these ladies?!" Nami finally snapped out of it, pulling her hand away and scolding him with her hands on her hips.
Sanji instantly snapped back to reality, abruptly standing up, bowing repeatedly, his face adorned with an impeccably obsequious smile.
"Ah! My utmost apologies!"
"I was out of line! The beauty of the three ladies is simply too dazzling, and my chef's heart couldn't resist!"
"As an apology, please allow me to serve you myself!"
Sanji turned and shouted loudly towards the kitchen, "Paddy! Carne! Bring out the best ingredients! I'm cooking myself!"
After shouting, Sanji immediately reverted to his gentlemanly demeanor, slightly turning his body and elegantly gesturing with his arm to an empty table with the best view in the restaurant:
"Three beautiful ladies, please sit here. The sea view here is superb, perfectly matching your elegance."
The whole process was seamless, completely ignoring Luffy, who was also standing at the door.
Luffy didn't care at all. He didn't even watch Sanji's performance; his gaze had already traversed most of the restaurant, landing on a seat in the corner by the window.
There, a man with short green hair was silently eating, seven or eight empty plates piled in front of him, and three sheathed knives on the table.
The man's bare upper body was wrapped in bandages, with faint traces of blood seeping through. His face was somewhat pale, but he sat upright and ate quickly.
What attracted Luffy's attention wasn't his injuries or posture, but the spiritual tremor surrounding him.
This tremor was extremely subtle, barely perceptible to ordinary people or even weaker warriors, but to Luffy's keen Observation Haki, it was like the slightest ripple on a calm surface of water.
This wasn't the hardening of Armament Haki, nor the perception of Observation Haki, but another, far more intimidating quality…
Conqueror's Haki!
Although extremely weak and unstable, it was undeniably the nascent form of "the potential of a king."
This green-haired swordsman, in this place, at this stage, had already touched that threshold?
Almost the instant Luffy's gaze focused, Zoro's chopsticks, which were picking up food in the corner, abruptly stopped in mid-air.
It wasn't that he saw Luffy, but rather a primal, instinctive alertness.
As if swept over by the gaze of a predator while asleep, Zoro's back muscles tensed instantly, a chill running down his spine.
Zoro slowly raised his head, his sharp gaze piercing through the crowd, locking precisely on Luffy.
Their eyes met.
Luffy's gaze lingered for only half a second before shifting away, as if confirming something trivial.
Zoro's pupils suddenly contracted, his fingers gripping the chopsticks turned slightly white from the pressure, and fine beads of cold sweat uncontrollably appeared on his forehead.
It wasn't just his swordsman's intuition frantically alarming him; the newly awakened, still uncontrollable, violent power within him trembled slightly!
Facing the straw-hatted boy before him, Zoro felt as if he were gazing up at an unfathomable volcano!
Just eye contact sent Zoro's blood racing—the most instinctive, heightened reaction to a threat far beyond his own capabilities.
This man… is ridiculously strong! And he seems to have sensed the abnormality within him too?!
Luffy ignored him and walked straight to the table Sanji had shown the three women, sitting down opposite them.
Sanji seemed to finally notice Luffy, his fawning smile vanishing instantly, replaced by undisguised disdain.
Sanji glanced at Luffy out of the corner of his eye and asked businesslike, "Oh? There's another guy here. What do you want to eat?"
"A large portion of meat, one of everything," Luffy replied, unconcerned about Sanji's attitude.
Sanji's lips twitched slightly. He jotted it down in his notebook, gave a curt "hmm," and then, turning to face the three women, his voice softened considerably:
"What would you three beautiful ladies like to eat? Today, we recommend a special fruit salad imported from Skypiea, paired with silver cod, a specialty of the East Blue..."
Just then, a steady voice came from the corridor leading to the kitchen: "Sanji, the customers at table 23 are complaining about the slow service. Go to the kitchen and check on the special seafood platter."
Everyone turned to see a tall, elderly man with a spiky mustache and a wooden prosthetic right leg emerge.
It was Red-Leg Zeff, the owner and head chef of Baratie.