Following Usopp's directions, Sanji turned his gaze toward the stove. Hanging there were two kitchen knives, they looked ordinary, but their edges gleamed with a dangerous sharpness.
[Eternal Spirit Blade]: A knife specialized for processing sea ingredients.
[Garuda Blade]: A knife specialized for processing land ingredients.
These two knives were part of the kitchen facilities that Luffy had purchased when outfitting the Baratie. Because of limited funds, he had chosen them with utmost care.
Their attribute read: [Deliciousness +20%].
Luffy didn't quite understand what "Deliciousness" meant in technical terms, but he could tell it made food taste better.
The world may be vast, but nothing is greater than food!
Buy! Buy! Buy!!!
Of course, for knives this powerful, there had to be drawbacks.
Their only flaw was that they couldn't be taken outside this kitchen, and not just anyone could use them.
Even Luffy, who had spent a small fortune to buy them, couldn't wield them himself, not that he ever intended to.
He bought them for one reason only: to make sure his ship's cook could bring joy to everyone's stomachs.
========
Under Usopp's subtle gesture, Sanji slowly stepped toward the stove.
When his eyes fell upon the two knives gleaming under the kitchen lights, he froze in place. His gaze went blank, lost in some unknown trance.
At first, Usopp didn't notice Sanji's strange expression. Maintaining his proud senior posture, he continued his explanation:
"According to Luffy, these two knives may look ordinary, but they each have an extraordinary name…"
"Eternal Spirit and Garuda!!!"
"It's said that only those with the Heart of the Legendary Chef can use them, the true Legendary Kitchenware!!!"
After finishing his dramatic speech, Usopp turned, expecting to see awe on Sanji's face, only to notice something was off.
Still, he simply assumed Sanji was shocked by his story and thought nothing more of it.
With a confident grin, he said:
"Go on, try it, Chef Sanji!"
That single word, chef, snapped Sanji out of his trance.
A flash of blue and red light shot out from his left and right eyes, glinting for an instant before being absorbed into the blades.
The moment Usopp's words ended, Sanji reached out and pulled both knives from their racks.
And then, maybe it was just Usopp's imagination, he thought he heard two faint cries:
One was a deep, draconic roar…
The other, a sharp, phoenix-like screech!
But in the next second, he realized it wasn't an illusion.
As Sanji gripped the knives tightly, a faint glow erupted from their edges.
The blades trembled.
A green dragon emerged from the surface of the Eternal Spirit Blade.
A fiery phoenix soared from the edge of the Garuda Blade.
"ROAR!!"
"SCREECH!!"
The dragon and the phoenix danced through the air before Sanji, their spectral bodies swirling and coiling.
It felt as if they were examining him, judging whether he was worthy to wield them.
"Roaaar~"
"Chiiiirp~"
After a few moments, they seemed to reach an agreement. Both spirits turned back into streaks of light and returned into the knives.
Sanji's eyes once again shone blue and red, behind that glow, one could faintly see the proud silhouettes of the dragon and the phoenix.
After about ten seconds, the light faded. Sanji stood motionless, staring at the knives in disbelief.
Was what just happened real… or a dream?
Fortunately, Usopp had traveled with Luffy long enough to stop being surprised by such bizarre phenomena.
He gently patted Sanji's shoulder and smiled.
"Looks like they've accepted you."
"They… accepted me?"
Even as the one holding the knives, Sanji could barely believe what had just happened. His gaze trembled as he stared at them.
"Don't doubt it. I think… you already know what to do, Chef Sanji!"
Again, that word, chef, seemed to ignite something inside him.
He smiled faintly as he examined the blades again.
Well… this ship is full of miracles anyway.
Two divine kitchen knives? That didn't seem all that unbelievable here.
With a flick of his wrist, he returned the knives to their racks.
Then his eyes drifted to a basket of West Blue eggs behind him. A familiar heat stirred within his chest, the passion only a true chef could feel.
Sanji turned toward Usopp.
"Are you hungry?"
"Huh?"
Usopp blinked at the sudden question. Then, realizing what Sanji meant, he rubbed his belly and chuckled.
"Now that you mention it… a bit."
"Heh…"
Seeing Usopp's perfect cue, Sanji grinned.
"Leaving someone hungry, that's a disgrace for a chef."
He opened the fridge, spotting a bowl of leftover rice that had probably been there for quite some time.
He sniffed it lightly.
Still good.
In no time, he was at the counter, his hands moving with the confidence of someone who knew every tool by heart.
Fresh vegetables and shrimp arrived from the conveyor line.
Clack, clack, clack,
The crisp sound of a knife meeting a cutting board filled the room.
Usopp sat at a small table, quietly watching Sanji work.
Every motion, smooth, efficient, graceful, looked less like cooking and more like art.
No wonder people say a man who can cook is the most attractive.
In just a short while, the ingredients were perfectly prepared.
The wok flared to life. Oil shimmered.
In went the diced vegetables.
After a few expert tosses, Sanji reduced the heat, poured in beaten eggs, and coated every piece evenly.
Seasonings followed: salt, soy sauce, shrimp, and finally, the rice.
He fried it until every grain separated and turned golden.
Clang! Clang!
He tapped the wok twice, a chef's habit, signaling completion.
A fragrant bowl of golden shrimp fried rice was placed in front of Usopp.
"Secret Seafood Fried Rice," Sanji announced politely. "Please, enjoy."
Usopp's long nose twitched as he inhaled the aroma greedily.
The sight, the smell, perfection.
Moments ago, he hadn't been hungry. Now, his stomach roared.
He scooped a spoonful,
Swoosh!
A brilliant golden light burst from the bowl, blinding them both.
The kitchen glowed like a divine realm. Steam shimmered in the golden haze.
A few seconds later, the light faded, leaving the two men stunned.
"W-What… was that?" Usopp stammered, staring at the fried rice.
Even Sanji, the creator himself, was equally bewildered.
They just stared at each other.
The fragrance still filled the room, unchanged.
Eventually, hunger triumphed over fear.
Usopp slowly lifted a spoonful and tasted it.
"Mmm!!?"
His eyes bulged as he let out a strangled gasp through his nose.
Unbelievable!
There was no way food could taste this divine!
To Usopp, the fried rice before him was no longer food,
It was a beautiful woman.
Fair skin, a delicate face, a light beige dress slipping just slightly off her shoulder as she lay in a bed of flowers, whispering seductively:
"Come on~ come eat me~"
Usopp lost all reason.
His eyes turned red, his breath came heavy, and without hesitation, he grabbed the entire plate.
The spoon became a bulldozer, shoveling rice straight into his mouth.
Chomp! Chomp! Chomp!
Like a rubber man possessed, he devoured the dish in seconds.
Even after swallowing, the flavor lingered in his mind, no, his very soul.
Steam rose from his head as his whole body flushed bright red.
He collapsed back in his chair, wearing the face of a man who had just tasted heaven itself.
Sanji looked at him, a shiver running down his spine.
Did I accidentally put some strange drug in there…?
What neither of them realized was that, in that very moment, Usopp's stats were quietly increasing, bit by bit.
But that… was something yet to be discovered.