Chapter 47: You Two! You Really Get Along Well!
"Whoosh''
Luffy's neck suddenly stretched like rubber, his head extending from the second-floor deck directly to the terrace below, almost pressing against Sanji's face.
"Hey! Chef! Just join us! Be the chef for our pirate crew!"
Sanji, who was immersed in his own emotions, was startled by the sudden appearance of the large face.
The cigarette in his mouth almost fell out, and the serious, deep atmosphere from a moment ago vanished instantly.
"Whoa! What kind of structure do you have, anyway?!"
Sanji took a step back, looking at Luffy with a face full of disgust. "I already told you, I have a reason why I must stay here. Whether it's the old man or this shop... anyway, just give up."
Without any hesitation, Luffy immediately shouted back:
"Ah, I refuse!"
"Huh? Refuse what?" Sanji was stunned.
"I refuse your refusal!!" Luffy shouted righteously.
"Are you an idiot?!"
Veins popped on Sanji's forehead; he felt like communication with this guy was impossible. "Are you even listening to me?! This is my decision!"
"I'm not listening!"
Luffy stretched out both hands, grabbing the railing like two ropes, and his body catapulted down with a "whoosh."
He squatted steadily on the railing, looking down at Sanji from above.
"Then what's the reason? The reason you must stay here?"
"I have no obligation to tell you!"
Sanji's eyes turned cold. At some point, a gleaming kitchen knife had appeared in his hand, and he pressed it menacingly against Luffy's forehead:
"Keep talking and see if I don't mince you into meat paste, you persistent Straw Hat kid!"
Facing the sharp blade, Luffy didn't back down, widening his eyes and staring back intensely:
"What did you say?! If you dare badmouth this Straw Hat, watch out or I'll blow you away!"
Their foreheads pressed together, sparks flying as neither side yielded.
"Ah... you two idiots, both of you shut up. You're so noisy."
Just then, a helpless voice came from above.
Tatsuya vaulted over the railing with one hand, landing steadily and breaking the tense atmosphere between the two.
Both snorted coldly, ending their standoff and looking at Tatsuya together.
Tatsuya ignored them, instead turning his head to look at Gin, who was struggling to get up from the ground.
"You're the combat commander of the Krieg Pirates, aren't you?"
Gin clutched his still-aching abdomen, looking at Tatsuya warily and taking a defensive stance:
"Yeah... that's right. Although I'm grateful for that plate of rice... if you want to fight, I can accommodate you."
"For Don Krieg, I won't back down."
"Fight?"
Tatsuya's lip twitched, and he wore his signature smiling expression:
"I have no interest in fighting a small fry like you.
"However... if you give me a chance to kill your 'admiral' Don Krieg, I might reluctantly accept."
"What did you say?!"
Gin instantly flew into a rage, his eyes turning red as he glared at Tatsuya. "How dare you insult the Don! Don Krieg is the Overlord of the East Blue!"
"Krieg? What's that? Does it taste good?"
Beside them, Luffy tilted his head and picked his nose with a blank expression.
"..."
Sanji looked at this Straw Hat idiot with dark lines on his face and couldn't help but retort:
"You don't even know that? How are you even a pirate? That's the admiral of a great fleet with fifty pirate ships."
Gin shot a hateful glance at Tatsuya, then took a deep breath to suppress his anger, looking at Luffy with a complicated gaze.
"You guys are pirates too... what's your goal as a pirate?"
Luffy immediately broke into a brilliant smile, his eyes determined:
"Ah! I'm going to find the One Piece and enter the Grand Line!"
"Oh, that."
Tatsuya stood to the side, suddenly nodding and chiming in seriously:
"Ah, that's right. I'm Luffy, the man who will become the Pirate King."
"Hey!!!"
Luffy instantly bristled, stretching his arms to grab Tatsuya's collar and shaking him frantically:
"Bastard Tatsuya! Don't steal my lines! I'm the Pirate King! You're the Pirate King's Vice Captain! Vice Captain!!"
"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Stop shaking me, I'm going to throw up." Tatsuya remained calm, even as he was shaken like a rattle.
Gin watched the two bickering, but there wasn't a hint of a smile on his face.
On the contrary, upon hearing the words "Grand Line," deep fear surfaced on his face, and his body even began to tremble slightly.
"Since Sanji-san saved my life, I'll give you some advice..."
Gin's voice was hoarse, as if he were recalling some nightmare:
"You'd better not go to the Grand Line. That place... it's simply not a place for humans."
"It's just one part of the world's oceans. If you just want to be pirates, the sea is huge; you can go anywhere. There's no need to go and throw your lives away..."
Luffy stopped shaking Tatsuya and looked thoughtful.
"I see... so, do you know anything about the Grand Line?"
"Don't ask!!"
Gin suddenly clutched his head in pain and squatted on the ground.
"No, I don't know anything... I understand nothing... it's hell... it's hell..."
Tatsuya looked at his breakdown, smiled, and said nothing.
Just a few days after entering the Grand Line, they encountered the Worlds Greatest Swordsman, Hawkeye Mihawk, who was out hunting small fry. Fifty large ships were instantly cut down until only one wreck remained.
It was like a group of Bronze and Iron rank players being matched against the number one player on the server...
Should one say the Krieg Pirates were lucky to survive, or that their luck was the absolute worst...
...
The scene shifted.
Gin was a combat commander after all; his mental fortitude was decent, and he quickly regained his composure.
With Sanji's help, he boarded a small spare supply ship from the Baratie.
"Goodbye, everyone." Gin untied the rope.
Luffy stood on the railing and said with a laugh:
"Ah, goodbye! But I'm still going to the Grand Line!
"Just like this chef said, although it's dangerous, I also have a reason why I must go! Hee hee hee!"
Sanji leaned against the railing, his expression softening slightly as he looked at Luffy's fearless and determined face.
"Phew—"
He took a deep drag of his cigarette, tilted his head back, and exhaled a thick cloud of smoke.
"Cough, cough..."
Tatsuya, whose face was washed in smoke, frowned, waved it away, and looked at the curly-browed man with unfriendly eyes.
"Hey, Curly Brow. If you're going to smoke, can you do it in the sea? You're polluting the air."
Tatsuya strongly suspected this guy was doing it on purpose.
"Huh?!"
Sanji, with the cigarette in his mouth, looked over provocatively. "How am I supposed to smoke in the sea? Is your brain waterlogged? And who are you calling Curly Brow?! Do you want to fight, you red-eyed bastard?"
The smile on Tatsuya's face widened.
"Sure. Don't mention it... you'll get to experience firsthand what it feels like to smoke in the sea in a moment."
"Huh?" Sanji's face was covered in dark lines.
Did that mean he was going to throw him into the sea?
"Hahahaha!"
Luffy looked at the two at each other's throats. Instead of trying to stop the fight, he slapped the railing and laughed loudly.
"Ah, you two really are idiots! You really get along well!"
"You're the idiot!!"
Tatsuya and Sanji turned their heads in perfect unison and roared at Luffy.
"Eh? Is that so?" Luffy scratched his head with an innocent look.
"Heh..."
Gin, who had already rowed some distance away, couldn't help but show a long-lost smile as he watched this lively scene.
"Hey—!!"
Gin interrupted their bickering, stood up, and gave Sanji a deep bow.
"Sanji-san, thank you so much. You're my benefactor. That plate of fried rice... was the most delicious food I've ever eaten in my life."
He looked up, a hint of hope in his eyes:
"If there's a chance in the future... can I come and eat again?"
Sanji was stunned for a moment, then a smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
The cigarette between his fingers flickered. He waved his hand and said coolly:
"Ah, anytime. As long as you want to eat."
"Thank you!!"
Gin turned and rowed his small boat further away.
Tatsuya stood by the railing, glanced at Sanji, and then kept his eyes fixed on Gin's receding back.
He was hesitating.
If he threw a Kunai now, he could precisely deal with Gin and even save himself a lot of trouble later.
But...
He glanced at Sanji, who was still smoking beside him with a somewhat lonely expression.
If he killed Gin now, it would be a denial of Sanji's way of saving people, and it might even completely infuriate this future companion.
Snap.
Tatsuya put away the Kunai, clutching it in his palm.
Forget it.
Better to let him bring that Krieg here and deal with them all together.
It was just a bit more work anyway, and it would be a good chance to farm some Ninja Points.
"Sanji, you have your convictions, and I have mine."
"When it's time to swing my sword, I will never hesitate!"
Tatsuya said silently in his heart, then turned and walked toward the restaurant with a smile.
"Hey, Curly Brow, aren't we your customers—your gods—right now?"
"I'm hungry. Another plate of fried rice."
"Ah!" Luffy looked annoyed. "I saw him eating so deliciously just now!"
"Thanks for the reminder! Tatsuya! Sanji! I want a plate too!"
"Go drink seawater, you two bastards."
Sanji crushed his cigarette and walked toward the kitchen.
Loving Book So Far Check Out 80+ Chapters In Advanced At Pa Treon:
patreon.com/FicTonic1