Chapter 47: Picking Up Cosette, Grocery Shopping
Hearing Yumesaki's words, the people gathered there nodded one by one in agreement.
It was true; Blackbeard was capable of consuming two Devil Fruits. As long as the secret behind Blackbeard's body was unraveled, Yumesaki would also be able to wield the power of two fruits.
It seemed that this "Blackbeard" was a target that needed to be captured.
Tobirama decided right then and there: once they finished the business regarding the Doa Doa no Mi, they would set out to hunt down Blackbeard to conduct a thorough, in-depth research on him.
The others didn't just stand by; they reached a unanimous consensus with Tobirama's plan.
Watching the group unite like this, Yumesaki let out a faint, satisfied smile.
Actually, there was one more thing he hadn't told them yet—a little something he planned to keep as a surprise. He was certain that when the time came, their jaws would hit the floor.
After breakfast, Yumesaki led the group into the world of One Piece, arriving at the harbor of Loguetown.
From there, the group split up according to the plan.
Senju Hashirama utilized his Wood Release to construct another vessel, taking Tobirama, Tsunade, Orochimaru, Kabuto, and Shizune toward the Grand Line. Specifically, they were heading for Water 7 to find a certain CP9 agent named Blueno.
Their goal was simple: extract the Doa Doa no Mi from his body.
Meanwhile, Minato, Kanae, and Karin remained by Yumesaki's side to ensure his safety.
Robin stayed behind as well. However, she sprouted a Clone that boarded Hashirama's ship to act as their navigator, ensuring they reached Water 7 as quickly as possible.
It really had to be said—the Clone Technique was incredibly convenient.
Yumesaki and his small group waited at the Loguetown docks for nearly an entire day.
As the golden hues of the setting sun bathed the Loguetown harbor sign, the guest Yumesaki had been waiting for all day finally descended from the sky. Just as she was about to hit the ground, Nico Robin crossed her arms in her signature gesture.
Cien Fleur!
Instantly, a multitude of arms sprouted from the ground, forming a soft net to catch the guest falling from the heavens.
"Welcome to Loguetown, Miss Cosette."
Once the arms on the ground lowered the guest safely, Yumesaki stepped forward with a smile to greet her.
Indeed, the person who had just "fallen" into town was the chef Yumesaki had been waiting for. The head chef of the Vinsmoke family, Cosette.
After Cosette steadied herself, she looked around, her face masked with sheer confusion. "Wait... where am I?"
"Loguetown."
"The Town of the Beginning and the End?"
"That's right," Yumesaki nodded.
"How... why am I here?"
Robin asked, "Did Kuma not tell you?"
"Kuma? Bartholomew Kuma?!!"
Hearing Robin mention that name, the memories came rushing back to Cosette.
Just this morning, Bartholomew Kuma—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea—had suddenly barged into the Germa Kingdom. He had asked her if she wanted to leave that place and move somewhere safe to work.
Cosette hadn't understood the reason, but after much hesitation, she eventually agreed.
On one hand, she didn't dare refuse a Warlord out of fear he might hurt her. On the other hand, she felt that working for the Vinsmoke family was already a nightmare. Moving anywhere else couldn't possibly be worse than staying with the Vinsmokes.
The moment she accepted Kuma's offer, she was sent flying by a single tap of his paw-like palm. She honestly thought she was going to die and had passed out from pure terror.
Who would have thought that in the blink of an eye, she would fly from the North Blue all the way to the East Blue—from the Germa Kingdom straight to Loguetown?
Was this the power of the Seven Warlords? It was simply overwhelming.
"Are you the people Bartholomew Kuma mentioned? The ones who can give me a new job?" Cosette looked at Yumesaki and Robin cautiously, her voice trembling slightly.
"Don't be nervous, Miss Cosette. We aren't bad people."
Seeing her terrified expression, Yumesaki offered a few words of comfort, and Robin chimed in to soothe her as well. Under their combined reassurance, Cosette finally began to calm down.
It seems... they really aren't villains... she couldn't help but think.
Yumesaki continued, "We sought you out specifically because we wanted to recruit a chef who is both beautiful and skilled at making food that looks as good as it tastes. I think you're a perfect fit, Miss Cosette."
"If you're willing to work for me, we won't just protect you; we'll provide you with a salary and even a Devil Fruit. What do you think?"
The moment Cosette heard that the job included a Devil Fruit, she couldn't hide her shock.
"Something as precious as a Devil Fruit... could you really give that to someone like me?"
"If you want one, Miss Cosette."
Cosette shook her head repeatedly. "Then never mind. I'm just a chef. Even if I had a Devil Fruit, it would be useless."
Yumesaki simply smiled and didn't push the issue. People change, after all. Not wanting one today didn't mean she wouldn't want one tomorrow. If Cosette ever truly desired a Devil Fruit in the future, Yumesaki wouldn't be stingy.
After a friendly conversation, Cosette—who currently had nowhere else to go—finally agreed to join Yumesaki's team as their official chef.
"Excellent."
Yumesaki said, "In that case, let's go shopping first. The supplies on the ship are running low, so it's the perfect time to stock up on fresh ingredients. I'll leave the selection to you, Miss Cosette."
"Leave it to me. You won't be disappointed."
Perhaps because it involved her professional expertise, the hesitation from earlier vanished, replaced by a surge of confidence.
The group headed into Loguetown, making a beeline for the central market.
Once they entered the vegetable market, Cosette switched into "full shopping mode." She scrutinized every item with a keen eye, her gaze acting like a professional ruler as she picked out only the highest quality ingredients.
Seeing the pile of food in her arms grow larger and larger, Yumesaki quickly spoke up. "Enough, enough! If we buy any more, we won't be able to finish it all."
Cosette paused, looking puzzled. "Huh? Is this much really enough?"
It was a well-known fact in the world of One Piece that the average person had a massive appetite. Back when she cooked for the Vinsmoke family, she had to prepare mountains of food. The amount she had just picked up would usually last three days at most.
Yumesaki gave a wry smile. "Miss Cosette, you might have a slight misunderstanding about us. Our appetites aren't quite as legendary as you might think. What you've bought is enough to last us a week, maybe even longer."
Only then did Cosette realize the difference between her previous world and this specific group.
"I see. In that case, that's enough for today."
Cosette ended her shopping spree feeling like she could have done more, but she dutifully followed Yumesaki and the others out of the market, carrying the large bags.
However, just as they stepped out, Yumesaki suddenly came to a halt.
She looked up and saw a Marine officer with slicked-back white hair blocking their path, cutting off Yumesaki's way.
"You bastard... you actually had the nerve to come back here." Smoker glared at Yumesaki with a grim expression, his fists clenched tight.
If the man before him made even the slightest suspicious move, Smoker wouldn't hesitate to strike.
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