"You damn brat actually have the nerve to say that?"
Zeff was so angry he laughed.
Luffy was simply being honest.
He really didn't have any money.
Then he finally noticed Zeff's chef uniform.
Half of Companion Day was still left.
Luffy clapped his hands together as the perfect solution suddenly came to him.
"Old man, join my crew as our cook!"
That way, he wouldn't have to pay anything and he'd recruit a cook at the same time.
Luffy had never felt so smart in his life.
"You brat really know how to push your luck."
Zeff laughed from sheer anger.
"Do you think you're some famous pirate or something? Tell me your name."
"I'm Monkey D. Luffy! The man who's gonna become the Pirate King!"
"Hahahahaha!"
Zeff burst out laughing.
"Pirates these days all have such unrealistic dreams?"
"What's the difference between someone without a dream and a salted fish? Old man, laughing at someone else's dream is really rude."
Luffy clenched his fists until his knuckles cracked.
A man's dream never ends.
The youthful spirit radiating from Luffy made Zeff feel as though he were looking at his younger self.
Then the image shifted, and he remembered a certain blond brat talking about his own dream.
If those two got together, they'd probably have plenty to talk about.
"Fine. I apologize."
Zeff acknowledged Luffy.
"Then I'll be taking my leave!"
Luffy immediately seized the opportunity.
"What the hell does me acknowledging you have to do with paying for the damage?! If you don't have money, then stay here and work as a chore boy until you've paid off your debt!"
...
Inside Baratie's restaurant.
Nami and the others sat around a table beside a window.
Almost the moment they'd finished ordering, dishes that looked, smelled, and tasted incredible began arriving one after another.
Whatever else could be said, there was certainly nothing wrong with Baratie's speed and efficiency.
Seafood rice, enormous steaks, perfectly grilled fish, and richly aromatic soup quickly covered the entire table.
"This is amazing! So this is a sea restaurant!"
Usopp was practically drooling as he eagerly dug in.
"Hey, Usopp! Have some manners!"
Nami scolded him verbally, though her own fork was already darting toward an exquisite-looking pudding.
Don't underestimate it.
At sea, they could go ten days or even half a month without getting to eat something like this.
Zoro, meanwhile, happily took a huge gulp of beer before cutting into the thick steak in front of him.
Then, as though suddenly remembering something, he couldn't help asking,
"Didn't we forget something?"
Forget something?
It seemed like they'd forgotten their captain.
Everyone exchanged glances.
Then, with perfect mutual understanding, they silently dropped the subject.
Just then, a commotion broke out on the other side of the restaurant.
A young blond chef with curled eyebrows elegantly served a female customer her meal.
That elegance was considerably less enjoyable for the woman's male companion.
Fullbody practically had to check whether he was wearing green.
"Hey! You there, curly-browed waiter! Where the hell is the fish I ordered?! What's taking so long?! I've still got pirates to hunt after I finish eating!"
"I'm not a waiter. All the waiters ran away. Call me the sous-chef."
...
"Looks like they're about to start fighting over there."
Usopp looked up.
"It's that Marine."
"The guy who tried to damage our ship, right? Keep an eye on him," Zoro said. "After we finish eating, find Luffy and ask whether our captain wants to go to war."
The commotion quickly drew Zeff over.
"Everyone who comes here is a customer! Don't cause trouble in my restaurant, you bastard Sanji!"
Zeff gave Sanji a harsh scolding and brought the disturbance under control.
"Marines are just a bunch of bastards who throw their authority around."
Zoro snorted under his breath, clearly disgusted by Fullbody's attitude.
"Let's just focus on enjoying the food."
Worried that something else might happen, Nami quickly urged everyone to continue eating.
Inside the dishwashing area, the rushing sound of water mixed with the clattering of pots, bowls, and plates.
"Stinking old man! Tyrant! Dictator! Stubborn fossil!!"
"Damn old man! Evil capitalist! Exploitative demon!!"
Luffy and Sanji stood almost shoulder to shoulder in front of the enormous sink.
One washed enthusiastically while the other washed with a belly full of resentment, yet their complaints came one after another in surprisingly perfect harmony.
"Hm? Who are you?"
Sanji looked at Luffy in surprise.
"Never seen you before."
"Oh, I'm new. Keep cursing him."
Luffy could tell Sanji was insulting Zeff, so he continued egging him on.
He'd seen everything that happened outside earlier.
Keep it up!
Besides, when that pirate had later been thrown out, Sanji had still given the starving man something to eat.
Luffy grinned.
This guy was pretty much his kind of person.
"That bastard old man actually sided with a Marine who wrecked the restaurant!"
Sanji angrily slammed down a plate.
"Exactly! Exactly! How can you throw out a hungry customer?! What kind of restaurant does that?!"
"Hey, hey! Be careful! Those plates are expensive!"
One of the chore boys poked his head in to warn them.
"Shut up!"
The two turned around and shouted at the same time, frightening the chore boy into shrinking back.