A cook, vice-captain of the Rocks Pirates?

The little girl's cries struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer blow.

All the nobles, all the guards, and even the high and mighty Celestial Dragon stared in disbelief at the scene. They sensed something they had never experienced before from that plate of pancakes—true light.

Chapter 23 Vulnerable

Bakara's face was ashen. He looked at his cold, ornate, yet soulless Deep Sea Stars, and then at Raine's Dawn that could bring tears to one's eyes and awaken hope. He knew he had lost, utterly and completely.

"No...impossible..."

Bakara retreated, looking utterly dejected.

"I am the Golden Chef... I..."

"you lose."

Lox's voice rang out behind him, like the pronouncement of death.

Saint Carlos abruptly rose from his throne, pointing at Renn, his voice sharp and piercing with agitation: "You! You dish! Make me another one! No! Make a hundred! I want you to be my personal chef!"

His guards immediately stepped forward to arrest him.

However, Rocks stepped in front of Renn first, raising his head to look at the high and mighty Celestial Dragon, a cruel and arrogant smile on his face.

"Sorry, but you can't lay a finger on my head chef."

Lockes took a step forward, and an incomparably terrifying aura soared into the sky, instantly enveloping the entire square.

"Alright, that's the end of the appetizer."

Lox cracked his neck, making a series of snapping sounds.

"Now, it's time for the main course."

Lox's words were like a thunderclap, exploding in the deathly silent square.

Saint Garuma's bodyguards finally broke free from the terrifying Conqueror's Haki. They were the World Government's most elite force, daring to wield their swords against pirates of any level.

A dozen CP0 members dressed in black suits instantly drew their weapons and pounced on Rocks from all directions like ghosts. Their movements were swift and their teamwork was perfect, blocking all escape routes.

"Protect Saint Carlo!"

However, they are fast, but someone is faster than them.

"Hahaha! It's finally my turn, old Gatz, to stretch my muscles!"

With a loud shout, Gatz's massive body, like a moving mountain, crashed down in front of Rocks.

He didn't even use the huge anchor; instead, he directly met the first CP0 member who rushed in with his fist, the size of a sandbag.

A hint of disdain flashed across the CP0 member's face. His iron body was strong enough to withstand artillery shells, so what was a mere fist?

boom!

A dull, jarring thud that made your teeth ache.

To everyone's horror, the CP0 member's prized ironclad defense shattered like a fragile eggshell.

He was struck head-on by a charging elephant, his sternum caved in, blood gushing from his mouth as he flew backward, knocking over seven or eight of his companions before finally stopping.

"what?!"

The remaining CP0 members were shocked, and their offensive stalled.

In that instant of stillness, a silver lightning bolt flashed and disappeared into the crowd.

Silver moved.

His figure was like a ghost, and the spear in his hand seemed to have come to life, leaving a trail of afterimages with every tremor.

He didn't kill anyone, but the tip and shaft of the gun always managed to strike the most vulnerable joints of each CP0 member—the wrist, knee, throat, etc.—at the most tricky and unbelievable angles.

Dang Dang Dang...

After a series of rapid, sharp cracking sounds, like raindrops hitting banana leaves, none of the dozen or so CP0 elites were able to stand up again. They either clutched their wrists or hugged their knees and collapsed to the ground in pain, their weapons scattered all over the place.

The whole process was fluid and fast, almost dazzling, more like an elegant yet cruel dance.

"Tsk, Captain, these guys' bones are much brittle than sea kings'; they're not tough at all."

Silver stood with his gun holstered, his tone indifferent, as if he had only done a trivial thing.

On the other side, shipwright Dorum silently walked to Renn's side. He didn't make a move, but guarded his head chef like an iron tower. Any guards who tried to get close were driven back by his cold, iron-like eyes.

From the moment Lockes spoke until all the guards fell, the entire process took only a dozen or so breaths.

The nobles in the square were terrified. They stared wide-eyed at the surreal scene, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

Their CP0, which they were so proud of and which represented the highest fighting force of the world government, was so utterly vulnerable in front of these few people.

Saint Carlos was stunned. Through his bubble hood, he stared intently at Rocks, a hint of fear showing on his pampered face.

"Who...who exactly are you people?"

Ignoring him, Rocks walked straight up to the CP0 member who was half-dead from a punch, stepped on his chest, and looked down at him, asking, "Tell me, where is the most valuable thing on this island?"

"Bah! I... I would never betray the World Government!"

That person still wanted to maintain his last bit of integrity.

Locke laughed and turned to look at Ryan: "Head Chef, it seems our main course isn't quite appetizing enough; this guest doesn't seem to have much of an appetite."

Ryan understood immediately. He picked up a plate of the remaining muffins, knelt down in front of the man, and held the plate up to his nose.

That warm, pure scent of dawn, capable of awakening all beautiful memories, surged in once more like a tide.

The CP0 member's body trembled violently, and his will was rapidly crumbling.

On one side was the excruciating pain of both body and mind, and on the other side was the ultimate temptation that could redeem his soul.

This kind of torture is more terrible than any other form of torture.

"I said...I said..."

He finally broke down.

"In...in the deepest part of the mountaintop villa, in the golden treasury...there are treasures plundered from all over the world...and...and the heavenly gold surrendered by the Kingdom of Prospah..."

"very good."

Rocks nodded in satisfaction. He lifted his foot, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, finally settling on the high and mighty Celestial Dragon.

His voice wasn't loud, but it carried clearly throughout the entire square, exuding an undeniable arrogance and authority.

"I'm in a good mood today, so I'll spare your lives for now. All the treasure on this island is mine. Also..."

Locke pointed to the Gold Chef Baccarat, whose confidence had been completely shattered.

“This man’s cooking is an insult to food. From today onward, I do not wish to hear the title of ‘Golden Chef’ again on this sea.”

Upon hearing this, Bakala turned ashen-faced, his legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.

He knew he was finished. Not only his cooking skills, but his entire life had been sentenced to death by this man.

Saint Carlos trembled with rage. Pointing at Rocks, he screamed, "Insolence! How dare you steal the treasure of my World Nobles! The Admiral will be here soon! None of you will escape!"

"Admiral?"

Lox seemed to have heard the funniest joke. He threw his head back and laughed, his laughter filled with an air of domineering arrogance.

"Then let them come! Let the world see if so-called gods really shed blood!"

Having said that, he ignored the terrified audience and turned to wave to his crew.

“Gats, go and bring our spoils back. Silver, Dorum, watch over our head chef.”

"Oh!"

Gatz excitedly hoisted the anchor and strode toward the treasure vault of the hilltop villa, each step causing the ground to tremble slightly, like a bull about to break into a china shop.

Lockes walked over to Ryan and ruffled his hair, his smile full of approval and affection.

"Head Chef, how is today's main course?"

Looking at the farce that had been caused by his dish, a faint smile finally appeared on Ryan's calm face.

"The heat is just right."

Chapter 24 The Land of the Gods' Sleep

The Isle of Glory has been ravaged like never before.

Gatz was like a mouse in a rice bin in the gold vault. He stuffed everything that looked shiny, whether it was gold bars, gems or ancient artifacts, into several huge sacks he found in the vault.

When he returned to the square carrying several small mountains of treasure, the nobles' eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and they were so heartbroken that their hearts ached, but not one of them dared to utter a sound.

The Rocks Pirates sailed away triumphantly under the watchful eyes of all the island's elites.

Instead of taking the small boat they had come in, they directly requisitioned the most luxurious and fastest gilded three-masted sailing ship in the harbor.

As soon as Dorum boarded the new ship, his eyes lit up, muttering that the keel material was alright but the sail design was terrible.

Despite his initial disdain, he swiftly and skillfully carried out the modifications, transforming the frivolous aristocratic pleasure boat into a high-performance pirate ship in less than half an hour.

The oppressive atmosphere on Radiant Island finally erupted as the ships sailed away from the harbor.

Saint Carlos roared hysterically, vowing to make these audacious pirates pay the most terrible price.

The news spread like wildfire, reaching the world even faster than the previous food battle.

[A rookie pirate crew provokes a Celestial Dragon in broad daylight!]

[Golden chef Baccarat is in a slump, suspected of mental instability!]

The treasure vault of Radiant Island has been completely looted, and the losses are incalculable!

One after another, explosive news stories were broadcast to all corners of the world via news birds. A pirate crew named Rocks entered the world's view for the first time in the most flamboyant and domineering way.

The Navy Headquarters was shaken, the World Government leadership was furious, and countless forces began to pay attention to this rising star, which was full of danger.

At this moment, the new star is leisurely lying on the deck of the new ship, basking in the sun.

"Hahaha! That was great! That was so much fun!"

Gatz lay on a pile of gold and jewels, grinning from ear to ear.

"Captain, are we rich now?"

Rocks crossed his legs, toying with a ruby ​​the size of a pigeon's egg in his hand, a hint of dejection on his face: "Money is just a tool, it has no real meaning."

His gaze fell on Ryan, who was studying new ingredients in the kitchen, and a playful smile appeared on his lips: "However, we could use this money to get our head chef a better kitchen."

At dinner time, Raine prepared an extremely sumptuous feast using top-quality ingredients from Radiant Island.

Flaming steak made with A5 grade Wagyu beef, golden broth made with king crab leg meat from the deep sea, and a colorful salad made with various rare fruits.

With the help of these top-quality ingredients, the effects of food are brought to their fullest potential.

Everyone felt their bodies undergoing a subtle transformation, with strength, speed, and perception all increasing slowly but steadily.

After dinner, Rocks gathered everyone together.

He spread a newly printed internal nautical chart of the World Government, which he had smuggled from the King's study on Radiant Island, on the table.

"We've become famous."

Lox's tone was flat.

"Next, the Navy and CP will swarm us like sharks smelling blood. We can't go to Radiant Island anymore."

"Where are we going? Back to the East China Sea?"

"Dorum asked."

"Do not."

Rocks shook his head, his finger tracing patterns on the chart before landing heavily on an unknown area in the middle of the Grand Line, marked as extremely dangerous.

That sea area had no island markings, only a skull symbol and a line of small characters written in ancient script—"Land of the Sleeping Gods."

"here?"

Dorum leaned closer for a look, his face turning somewhat pale.

"Captain, even the World Government only dares to mark this place as a restricted area. Legend has it that ships that approach it will mysteriously disappear, leaving not even a single plank of the ship behind."