Settsetse! The Pirate Nemesis

228. Sauce

Some things happen very suddenly.

Red-Leg Zeff is indeed a figure of some renown even in a small place like the East Blue. After all, in a place like the East Blue, anyone who can enter the Grand Line is considered a hero. Not to mention someone like Zeff who has been sailing the Grand Line for some time before returning.

Unfortunately, fate is full of coincidences—looking at Zeff, Kuma shook his head, then reached out and with a "bang!", the ship was instantly blasted apart by the Paw-Paw Fruit. In fact, Zeff and the others didn't even see how Kuma attacked.

“Red-Leg Zeff, the Chef Pirates.” Kuma said calmly after glancing at Zeff’s appearance. “He’s a fairly well-known pirate in the East Blue, with a bounty of seventeen million… Hmm?”

Upon seeing the later parts, Xiong gave a slightly puzzled snort to the doctor. Seeing this, Long, standing nearby, asked, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong?"

After confirming this twice, Xiong, who was standing nearby, said, "There is no record of murder... and the records show that crew members who maliciously kill others will be exiled."

Exile, to put it bluntly, is exile. It's a fairly common way for pirates to drive out their crewmates. Usually, they'd give someone a plank of wood, or a small boat if they had a conscience. Then they'd herd the person to be exiled onto the boat, leaving them some water and food, or nothing at all, and then send them away.

Pirates are a chaotic world, but they also have their bottom lines. For example, they can't lay a hand on their own crew. Killing someone outright would cause the crew to resent their captain. Therefore, pirates often choose to exile... On the vast ocean, a small boat or a plank of wood is practically certain death. But that's how pirates are; life and death are preordained, fortune is left to fate. Rules must be followed. Since killing is forbidden, they'd rather not die in front of their brothers, to avoid damaging relationships.

As he spoke, Kuma continued, "It's much better than I imagined. This pirate crew seems to only rob money and treasure; they won't harm anyone, steal fresh water or food... and they strictly forbid harming ladies?"

As he continued, the bear's face grew increasingly uncertain. He glanced at Redfoot Zeff, who was bound to the ground, then at the dragon beside him. The bear explained, "He seems to have a strong sense of chivalry..."

Even Dragon was somewhat surprised to hear that they wouldn't steal food—the importance of fresh water and food on the high seas is self-evident. And someone like Red-Leg Zeff, who doesn't harm women or steal food, but simply plunders valuables, is practically a saint in this chaotic era of pirates…

"...Then why did you become a pirate?"

Long looked at Zeff with a strange expression.

Hearing this, he pursed his lips. From the conversation between the bear and the dragon, Zeff roughly guessed that he wasn't in mortal danger. His entire demeanor relaxed, and he said with a defiant look, "Who doesn't have dreams anymore..."

"..." Under normal circumstances, with any other person, Dragon would never believe such a nonsensical string of nonsense. But Zeff's experiences were clearly written in the records. In other words, Zeff really was the kind of dreamer who pursued freedom...

With nothing else to do, and encountering someone like Zeff, Dragon couldn't help but feel curious—having grown up alongside his father Garp, he had developed a certain fondness for dreamers like Zeff. So, he simply asked, "Then why did you return to the East Blue?"

"Because it's tough being a pirate these days!" Zeff sighed helplessly upon hearing Dragon's question. "You probably don't know, but the Grand Line is practically a chaotic mess right now!"

"..."

Upon hearing Zeff's words, Long was slightly taken aback, but then quickly realized that he had indeed been blinded by Zeff's identity as a dreamer; otherwise, Long would never have asked such a simple question.

The impact of the Mary Geoise massacre was multifaceted. The most obvious was that the three Emperors of the Sea began attempting to send their subordinates to conquer the paradise of the first half of the Grand Line—although the World Government suffered heavy losses, the first half of the Grand Line still touched a raw nerve with the World Government. After all, we've already compromised and given you the New World, and you're still insatiably demanding the first half of paradise? If this continues, will even a piece of the Four Seas be taken away?

Well, in the eyes of the sea emperors, it's not really a bad idea... After all, the Western Sea has already been separated.

Although the Admirals and Fleet Admirals suffered heavy losses, the Vice Admirals' combat strength was not significantly affected. Therefore, during this period, the first half of the Grand Line was teeming with powerful pirates and Vice Admirals from the New World. Especially the great pirates. While they might only be considered mid-tier in the New World, they were top-tier in Paradise. Every now and then, news would circulate of a few who had fled to smaller places like the South Blue or North Blue, establishing themselves as rulers and causing further bloodshed.

Things were alright before; there were some dreamers in the first half of the Grand Line. Especially Zeff's personality—even when he encountered shipwrecked Marines, Zeff would still comfort them with a sumptuous meal—which was also related to his childhood experiences.

Having grown up in loneliness and hardship, Zeff, as a chef, deeply respects and cherishes food. He understands all too well the suffering that hunger can inflict. Therefore, whether they are stranded pirates, sailors, or marines, Zeff treats them all equally, preparing the best food for them to eat their fill.

On one occasion, when Zeff was preparing to rob a group of sailors, he discovered that they were a group of sailors who had been lost at sea for some time and were starving. Zeff left them a lot of food. Although he stole weapons such as muskets and cannons, compared to those pirates who took advantage of people's misfortunes and killed people at the drop of a hat, Zeff's act of leaving them food and guiding them on their way could be considered saving their lives.

Over time, even within the Navy, Zeff's reputation became quite good... Of course, he still fought when necessary, but because of their good relationship, he would sometimes hold back and not go all out. After all, who can guarantee they won't go hungry or get lost sometime? This is a major reason why, despite not being particularly strong, Zeff was able to live peacefully in the first half of the Grand Line.

The reason he can't make it here now is simple... The great pirates of the New World and the vice admirals of the Marine Headquarters have begun a fierce battle in Paradise. Without the peace of the past, Zeff's relatively weaker abilities have immediately been exposed... So, for now, he'll just have to go back to his old home in the East Blue. At least he can live a peaceful life, cooking and enjoying the simple pleasures, instead of endless fighting.

For Zeff, cooking is much more interesting than knitting... In fact, Zeff's most fundamental purpose as a pirate is to come into contact with more amazing ingredients.

"The Chef Pirates... what a straightforward name."

Having seen Zeff's information firsthand, Dragon shook his head with a sigh, then whispered something to a Revolutionary Army soldier beside him. The soldier nodded in response and ran off to arrange for other soldiers to patrol the area.

The dragon untied Zeff's ropes—it wasn't worried at all that Zeff would take the opportunity to escape or take others hostage. Given Zeff's strength, if a real fight were to begin, Zeff probably wouldn't even be able to catch a glimpse of the dragon.

In places like the Four Seas, apart from the West Sea where Sett is based, the Six Styles of the Navy can be considered top-tier secret manuals, similar to the Evil-Repelling Sword Manual, in the other three seas.

As for escaping, forget about it... The Revolutionary Army has eyes and ears everywhere. The Shimotsuki Dojo also has a reclusive Wano Country Greatsword mastered in Armament Haki and Observation Haki; Zeff would probably be caught red-handed before he even leaves the Shimotsuki Dojo.

"...Hmph, I know..."

Although he knew that Dragon was letting him off the hook, Zeff was still somewhat reluctant. But that's understandable; being threatened like this for no reason would make anyone feel a little annoyed.

Dragon, who was standing nearby, didn't pay any attention to this. He turned around and went outside to chat with Shimotsuki Koshiro, telling him about the situation in Wano Country recently and how to exchange some resources such as food.

Although he couldn't leave the dojo, Zeff hadn't set foot on land for a long time, so he strolled around the dojo with his hands behind his back.

Perhaps it was instinct, or perhaps it was the sensitivity of a chef to the smells of smoke and spices. As he walked, Zeff caught a whiff of cooking.

After discerning the smell, Zeff followed it to the kitchen.

Entering the kitchen, Zeff was greeted by a little boy with blond hair. It was none other than Sanji, who had stayed at the Shimotsuki Dojo—though different from the one in the story. Although still a child, Sanji was now taller and stronger. One day, with his leg in a cast, he carefully wielded the spatula, then tasted the sauce.

Sanji nodded in satisfaction as he savored the taste on his tongue. Seeing this, Zeff, standing nearby, blinked curiously. Being a chef himself, Zeff took advantage of Sanji's inattention and dipped his hand in the sauce, then put it in his mouth.

"What are you doing! Who are you?!"

Seeing the arm suddenly extended towards him, Sanji was startled, and then looked at Zeff with some anger.

Zeff, standing to the side, didn't seem to care. He just smacked his lips and said, "Lemon in it?"

"You know? I only put in a tiny bit!" Sanji was surprised to hear Zeff's words, but then his surprise turned into delight.

Although Sanji has found companions, friends, and childhood memories at the Shimotsuki Dojo, it's undeniable that he still doesn't have a teacher or mentor.

Zeff shook his head with some disdain: "Using lemons in sauces isn't exactly a novel idea, but your lemons are too sour, and their delicate flavor is ruined during cooking. You're just wasting the food!"

"Impossible! I clearly followed the instructions in the book!"

Hearing Zeff's words, Sanji became somewhat reluctant. After all, this was something he had painstakingly made. Seeing this, Zeff glanced at the well-worn cookbook beside the stove. Clearly, this blond kid had put a lot of effort into it. It's just a pity…

"This book is ten years old! And the author is rubbish! The method for removing the fishy smell when cooking sea monster meat is so primitive! It's only suitable for a small place like the North Blue. In the Grand Line, this kind of lousy book can't even recognize all the spices!!"

As he spoke, before Sanji could angrily retort, Zeff picked up a lemon from the cutting board. With his other hand, he easily held a knife blade, and to Sanji's astonishment, the lemon peel was sliced ​​into tiny pieces at a visible speed. With a gentle blow, the pieces fell into the sauce beside him.

Then, he picked up a bunch of bottles and jars from a nearby cabinet. Instead of starting a fire, he simply seasoned the ingredients. After stirring it well, Zeff handed the iron pot to Sanji and said, "Try it."

Hearing this, Sanji was still a little confused, but he still used a spoon to dip a little bit and put it in his mouth.

The next moment, Sanji's eyes widened in surprise. The sauce, which had been a bit too sweet and sour, had gained a refreshing flavor after being simply cooked. It was no longer sour, and a light sweetness accompanied by the refreshing taste of lemon zest filled his mouth.

"good to eat!"

"That's the best food you've ever had!"

Zeff showed no excitement whatsoever about this.

Some things happen very suddenly.

Red-Leg Zeff is indeed a figure of some renown even in a small place like the East Blue. After all, in a place like the East Blue, anyone who can enter the Grand Line is considered a hero. Not to mention someone like Zeff who has been sailing the Grand Line for some time before returning.

Unfortunately, fate is full of coincidences—looking at Zeff, Kuma shook his head, then reached out and with a "bang!", the ship was instantly blasted apart by the Paw-Paw Fruit. In fact, Zeff and the others didn't even see how Kuma attacked.

“Red-Leg Zeff, the Chef Pirates.” Kuma said calmly after glancing at Zeff’s appearance. “He’s a fairly well-known pirate in the East Blue, with a bounty of seventeen million… Hmm?”

Upon seeing the later parts, Xiong gave a slightly puzzled snort to the doctor. Seeing this, Long, standing nearby, asked, "What's wrong? Is there something wrong?"

After confirming this twice, Xiong, who was standing nearby, said, "There is no record of murder... and the records show that crew members who maliciously kill others will be exiled."

Exile, to put it bluntly, is exile. It's a fairly common way for pirates to drive out their crewmates. Usually, they'd give someone a plank of wood, or a small boat if they had a conscience. Then they'd herd the person to be exiled onto the boat, leaving them some water and food, or nothing at all, and then send them away.

Pirates are a chaotic world, but they also have their bottom lines. For example, they can't lay a hand on their own crew. Killing someone outright would cause the crew to resent their captain. Therefore, pirates often choose to exile... On the vast ocean, a small boat or a plank of wood is practically certain death. But that's how pirates are; life and death are preordained, fortune is left to fate. Rules must be followed. Since killing is forbidden, they'd rather not die in front of their brothers, to avoid damaging relationships.

229·Sin Army Plan

Hearing Sanji's words, Zeff pursed his lips—if it were anyone else, they would only think Sanji's dream was insignificant, right? After all, the so-called Blue Ocean is the legendary ocean that gathers all the world's rarest culinary ingredients. Although it sounds good, it's just a good aquaculture area.

Compared to other teenagers in this era who aspire to become the Pirate King or the world's greatest swordsman, Sanji's dream seems incredibly cheap just to look at... Is he deliberately trying to please himself as a chef?

Zeff couldn't help but think of that. But then he saw the sparkle in Sanji's eyes when he said "Blue Ocean." That kind of passion and love couldn't be faked.

"Damn it... how could I run into a brat like this at a time like this?!"

Scratching his head, Zeff felt speechless. He wanted to ask more questions, but as an elder, he felt too embarrassed to do so. So he simply grabbed Sanji's hand and examined it closely under Sanji's questioning gaze.

Sanji was somewhat puzzled, but out of admiration for Zeff's culinary skills, he didn't make any further moves. After careful observation, Zeff was certain that Sanji genuinely loved the profession of chef... It was clear that Sanji had been training consistently. A strong, powerful pulse could be felt in his pulse. This wasn't a sign of illness, but rather the result of robust blood and energy. His muscles were well-proportioned, yet his palms didn't show excessive wear and tear—a good thing, as mastering the heat is crucial from the beginning. The few calluses he had were located at the base of his left index and ring fingers and his right ring finger.

He shifted his attention and glanced at Sanji's feet, asking, "What happened to your feet?"

"It's nothing, I just tripped and fell."

Hearing this, Zeff frowned slightly. Just then, Kuina pushed open the kitchen door. When she saw Sanji by the stove, her eyes showed no surprise, but rather an expression of "I knew it!" She said with a hint of reproach, "Don't run around when you're injured! I'll be in a real headache if you worsen your injuries like this!"

Upon hearing this, before Sanji could even ask, Zeff inquired, "Do you know how he got injured?"

Upon hearing Zeff's question, Kuina didn't hide anything. After all, everyone in the gym knew about it now.

Upon hearing Kuina's "Flower Rain," Zeff suddenly felt that Sanji was exactly to his liking—considering his recent experiences, Zeff knew that the seas were no longer a place for someone like him who only tried to fish in troubled waters. At least until the seas calmed down, Zeff didn't plan to go out to sea again. And if that were the case…

"Does this dojo need another chef?" Zeff asked, a toothpick dangling from his mouth, as he looked at Kuina. "I'm quite confident when it comes to cooking!"

Meanwhile, in Windmill Village, Luffy, Ace, and the others stared in disbelief as they watched the footage broadcast from the dilapidated giant screen.

They exchanged a glance, completely oblivious to Garp's smug old face beside them—they had made a pact to become pirates back then.

Now, watching Sett on TV, who was dying and coming back to life, growing stronger and stronger, Luffy felt his teeth chattering. Even with Luffy's easygoing and optimistic personality, he still felt a little scared after seeing Sett's fighting stance.

He exchanged a glance with Ace, then looked at his grandfather as if he were looking at a demon—"You want us to defeat this thing before we can set sail?"

"You guys agreed pretty quickly back then, I didn't even have time to refuse, hahahahahaha!!!!"

Garp laughed heartily, showing no sign of sadness whatsoever, his entire being radiating smugness.

But after the laughter subsided, Garp watched the video with Luffy and the others. Although it wasn't the first time, no matter how many times he watched it, Garp found it hard to connect the irrational monster, whose fighting style resembled a dying beast, with the tenacious Sett, who possessed an iron will and constantly honed his bones.

Garp knew Sett loved fighting. After all, Garp himself was like that too. But Garp was certain Sett would never enjoy this style of fighting. Because in this situation, there was absolutely no sense of real combat.

Thinking about it, Garp clicked his tongue. As a Marine, Garp should have condemned this practice. But now, Garp genuinely admired it—he had long disliked the Celestial Dragons and that damned slave system! It's good that they've praised them! But speaking of which, that guy Roger mentioned actually actually exists…

Recalling Roger's words to him on the eve of his surrender, Garp's gaze turned somewhat heavy.

Just then, a series of Den Den Mushi (snail phone) rings out.

Hearing the sound, Garp was somewhat surprised. Since he was on vacation, the ringing of the bell at this time could only mean that the Navy had encountered a new problem.

"Hello? Who is it?"

“It’s me, Crane.”

"Oh! Ah He! What's wrong? What's the latest development?"

Hearing Garp's nonchalant tone, Vice Admiral Tsuru on the other end of the phone shook his head, then glanced at Sengoku, who had already woken up and was dealing with the backlog of documents, and said with a solemn look in his eyes, "The World Government has issued a new order."

"A new order? The Five Elders...don't those old guys think the seas aren't chaotic enough already?"

He almost blurted out Im's name, but Vice Admiral Tsuru didn't seem to care, simply saying, "The World Government has decided to cancel the proposal to establish the Seven Warlords of the Sea!"

"Haha! They're smart to know what's good for them!"