The flavor was the purest expression of the sea itself.
It needed no seasoning.
No embellishment.
Its natural taste alone was enough to intoxicate anyone who tried it.
“W-What…?” Rocks’ eyes widened.
He even stopped chewing, disbelief written all over his face.
Meanwhile, Gatz wasted no time spearing a thick grilled tuna steak and stuffing it into his mouth.
The outside was crisp and beautifully seared.
The inside remained tender and bursting with juices.
The moment his teeth sank in, scalding juices exploded across his tongue.
The aroma of perfectly rendered tuna fat rushed straight to his head, leaving him so overwhelmed with bliss that he nearly fainted.
“Wooooah!” “I’m alive again!” “I feel like I’m overflowing with strength!” he shouted through mouthfuls of food.
Silver silently sampled the tuna tartare.
The silky raw tuna blended with Ryne’s special sauce created layers upon layers of flavor.
Fresh sweetness.
Deep umami.
Bright acidity.
A subtle harmony of spices.
For the first time anyone could remember…
A faint smile appeared on the usually expressionless man’s face.
This meal wasn’t merely delicious.
As the food settled into their stomachs, warm streams of energy spread throughout their bodies.
Weeks of exhaustion melted away .
Bruises and small wounds healed at a visible pace.
Every one of them felt stronger.
Sharper.
More energetic than ever before.
This was the miracle born from combining supreme ingredients with God-Tier culinary skill.
It had surpassed cooking itself.
It was closer to a miraculous medicine.
For a while, the only sounds aboard the ship were chewing…
Swallowing…
And satisfied sighs.
The enormous tuna vanished completely.
Four grown men and one child devoured every last bite.
Even the pot of fish broth was emptied down to the final drop.
Everyone collapsed onto the deck, rubbing their swollen stomachs with expressions of complete satisfaction.
Gatz let out an enormous belch.
“Following Chef Ryne…” “…even drifting around at sea is better than living like a king!” Everyone nodded in wholehearted agreement.
Leaning against the railing, Rocks looked at his satisfied crew before turning toward Ryne, who was quietly cleaning his cooking utensils.
A feeling unlike anything he’d ever experienced welled up inside him.
He climbed to the highest point of the ship and raised his voice.
“We have the strongest captain.” “The finest crew.” “And the greatest chef in the world!” “We’re not aimless drifters.” “We’re the ones who’ll conquer these seas!” Throwing his arms wide, he roared toward the endless ocean.
“From this day forward…” “Our name is the Rocks Pirates!” “One day…” “The whole world will know that name!” “ROCKS!” “ROCKS!” Gatz and Dorum pumped their fists into the air and shouted until their voices turned hoarse.
Silver rose to his feet as well.
He remained silent…
But the fire burning in his eyes spoke for him.
Ryne paused his work and looked toward the man standing proudly at the bow.
Bathed in sunlight…
Rocks looked as though he were draped in golden armor.
A faint smile appeared on Ryne’s lips.
He knew…
The legend of the future ruler of the seas had officially begun.
And he himself…
Would become one of the indispensable figures who shaped that legend.
〈Ding!〉 Hidden Mission Completed!
Mission: Birth of an Overlord Objective: The Rocks Pirates have officially established their name.
Rewards: +5,000 Cooking Experience+3,000 Cooking PointsExclusive Ability Unlocked: Way of Food Way of Food: Meals prepared by the host permanently grant companions a slight increase to their physical constitution.
The system notification echoed through Ryne’s mind.
Way of Food…
Permanent enhancement…
Things were becoming much more interesting.
After drifting across the sea for nearly a month, the Rocks Pirates finally caught sight of their first island on the Grand Line.
Countless enormous cacti covered the island.
Its towering peaks resembled upside-down bottles.
It was none other than one of Paradise’s most famous islands— Whisky Peak.
The moment the ship docked, a crowd of cheerful townspeople rushed over, beating drums and enthusiastically welcoming them.
Leading them was a smiling mayor wearing a cowboy hat.
“Welcome!
Welcome, pirate friends!” “We’re the people of Whisky Peak!” “We love throwing banquets for bold sailors like yourselves!” The mayor warmly offered them food and alcohol while the townspeople sang and danced around them.
The atmosphere appeared lively and festive.
Gatz and Dorum had never experienced such hospitality.
They were immediately overjoyed.
“Hahaha!” “The people here are fantastic!” Gatz laughed after draining an enormous mug of ale in one gulp.
“I like this place!” Dorum happily accepted the food and began eating without the slightest suspicion.
Although Rocks accepted the welcome with a smile…
There was unmistakable caution hidden behind his eyes.
He glanced toward Ryne.
Ever since setting foot on the island…
Ryne hadn’t said a single word.
He hadn’t touched any of the food or drinks offered by the townspeople.
Instead…
His calm gaze slowly swept across every smiling face.
His Observation Haki had been active the entire time.
Beneath the laughter…
He clearly sensed faint but unmistakable killing intent.
One Strike Their heartbeats.
Their breathing.
Everything about them contradicted the smiles on their faces.
More importantly…
As a chef, Ryne only needed a single sniff to judge the food.
Poor ingredients.
Careless preparation.
Some of it wasn’t even fresh.
For a town famous for its hospitality…
That was far too suspicious.
“Something wrong, Chef?” Rocks asked quietly.
“Not to your taste?” Ryne shook his head.
His reply was equally soft.
“The meat smells off.” “The liquor is cheap.” “The smiles are fake.” “The killing intent is real.” The grin on Rocks’ face widened.
He had sensed something was wrong from the beginning.
Ryne had merely confirmed his suspicions.
Just as expected of the chef he had chosen.
Not only was his cooking extraordinary…
His instincts were equally sharp.
“Interesting.” Rocks raised his wine glass toward the mayor in a friendly toast before emptying it in one gulp.
“Then…” “Let’s play along.” The banquet continued in the town square.
Gatz was already half drunk, boasting loudly about how they’d hunted the Azurefin Tuna and how Rocks had knocked it unconscious with a single punch.
The townsman beside him laughed and encouraged the stories while quietly probing for information.
Greed flickered in his eyes.
Ryne sat alone in a quiet corner.
Watching.
Observing.
He noticed the so-called mayor discreetly making a hand signal to the people around him.
As night grew darker…
The celebration became louder.
So did the murderous intent lurking beneath it.
Finally…
When the clock struck midnight— The trap was sprung.
“ATTACK!” At the mayor’s command, every smiling face twisted into a murderous grin.
Hidden swords and firearms appeared from beneath coats.
The townspeople charged from every direction toward the Rocks Pirates.
“W-What?!” Still drunk, Gatz barely had time to react before a sword came slashing toward his face.
Clang!
A spear intercepted the blade with perfect timing.
Silver.
He had remained vigilant from beginning to end.
His expression was icy.
One thrust.
The ambusher was skewered instantly.
“You bastards!” “So you planned to fight dirty!” Half his drunkenness vanished as Gatz roared, grabbing a nearby table and hurling it into the attackers.
Dorum also reacted immediately, drawing his axe and hammer before joining the fight.
These “townspeople” were actually members of the Mosk Bounty Hunters Guild.
A gang of ruthless bounty hunters who would do anything for money.
They had assumed capturing a rookie pirate crew would be effortless.
Instead…
They had gravely underestimated their opponents.
Rocks didn’t even move.
He simply stared coldly at the mayor— The guild officer named Laika.
“Is this all?” “What a disappointing welcome.” His voice dripped with contempt.
Laika’s face turned pale.
Not only had they been exposed…
Every member of the pirate crew was far stronger than expected.
Gritting his teeth, he reached beneath his curly hair and pulled out two short-barreled pistols.
His eyes locked onto the weakest-looking target.
The eight-year-old child.
“Die, brat!” He pulled both triggers.
His plan was simple.
Take the child hostage.
Turn the battle around.
The bullets screamed through the air toward Ryne’s forehead.
Ryne’s expression didn’t change .
A fraction of a second before impact…
He tilted his head slightly.
The bullets grazed his hair before embedding themselves into a giant cactus behind him.
An impossibly precise dodge.
Laika’s pupils contracted.
Before he could react…
The child moved.
Instead of retreating…
Ryne stepped forward.
Casually…
He grabbed a nearby frying pan from one of the banquet tables.
Yes.
A plain black iron frying pan.
The sort used to fry eggs.
Before Laika could fire again…
A blur filled his vision.
BAM!
The frying pan slammed squarely into his face from an impossible angle.
The impact exploded across his nose.
Blood sprayed everywhere.
Two front teeth flew through the air.
Laika collapsed backward like a felled tree.
His pistols clattered onto the ground.
One strike.
Instant knockout.
Silence briefly descended over the square.
Both the bounty hunters…
And the members of the Rocks Pirates…
Stared blankly at the eight-year-old boy standing there with a frying pan in hand.
Gatz rubbed his eyes repeatedly.
Unable to believe what he’d just witnessed.
Their quiet little head chef…
Could fight like that?
And with a frying pan of all things?
Ryne casually shook his slightly numb wrist.
He glanced at the unconscious Laika.
Then looked thoughtfully at the frying pan.
It felt…
Surprisingly well-balanced.
“That’s one pest taken care of.” Rocks’ voice shattered the silence.
He stepped forward.
An overwhelming aura erupted from his body, engulfing the entire square.
Looking at the remaining bounty hunters…
He smiled.
It was the smile of a monster.
“Now…” “It’s your turn.” What followed…
Wasn’t a battle.
It was a massacre.