One Piece pirates salty life

"Wait a minute… can I ask you something? Is what you just said really true?"

Before Suchen stepped into the restaurant, Sanji stopped him with a heavy heart. His voice was dull, thick with exhaustion and confusion.

After witnessing Zoro's calm acceptance of death, and the tense confrontation between Suchen and Mihawk, Sanji felt as if his entire world was shattering. His dream—the promise he made to Zhepu—was colliding violently with the harsh reality right before his eyes. His mind was tangled with doubt, hesitation, and fear.

"Of course. ALL BLUE really exists!" Leo noticed Sanji's change in mood and laughed heartily, trying to lift the heavy atmosphere.

"Sous Chef, stop standing there and start cooking! We're starving!" Leo's grin was infectious as he pulled out some rare, exotic ingredients he'd gathered during his travels. He handed them to Sanji and winked mischievously.

Across the room, Zhepu stood quietly in the captain's room, gazing out the window. A firm decision settled in his mind. Sanji, you can't waste your life trapped in this small place.

---

Just then, Creek and Ajin climbed aboard the deck from the sea. The aftermath of their fierce battle was evident, but despite the terror of the fight, they had managed to escape with their lives—though only by abandoning most of their crew.

"Haha! Even if I don't have my men anymore, this ship still belongs to me—the East Blue Overlord, Creek!" Creek's voice boomed with pride and arrogance.

Though he feared Leo's presence, Creek knew he had nowhere else to run. And after such a brutal clash, Leo still seemed strong and ready. Perhaps this was his chance.

"What a racket!" Luffy shouted, his face twisted in displeasure. He had been angry with Creek ever since the pirate had stolen food from him. If it weren't for the fact that Creek was the captain of the Akin Pirates—and for Leo's attempts to restrain him—Luffy would have already knocked Creek out cold.

"Captain, let's go!" Ajin hesitated, reluctant to fight alongside Sanji and the others. Despite being known as the ghostly "Ajin," he understood the meaning of gratitude—and the person standing beside him was his savior.

"Ajin, I order you to fight!" Creek roared and drew his weapons, gold armor gleaming under the sun.

Before the battle could begin, Luffy's fist slammed into Creek's face with crushing force.

Blood mixed with strange fluids ran down Creek's ape-like face as his movements halted abruptly.

---

Sanji, ready to cook, turned quickly to face Ajin, launching himself into the fray beside Luffy.

The fight was intense; the victor uncertain for the moment.

Leo walked over and sat beside Zoro, who was seriously injured and breathing heavily.

Glancing at Zoro, Leo assessed the wounds. "The injury looks bad, but luckily, the fatal parts were avoided. With some rest, you'll recover fully."

Leo reached into his coat and pulled out a bottle of expensive wine. He shook it gently in front of Zoro's eyes before taking a slow sip.

"How do you feel now?" Leo asked quietly.

Zoro's face was pale, blood loss draining his strength. His eyes followed the wine bottle, the scent awakening a deep craving for alcohol. "I almost died," Zoro admitted with a forced, bitter smile. "But one day… I'll catch up to him."

Leo nodded, believing in Zoro's resolve.

"What you lack now," Leo said thoughtfully, "is intention. Mihawk's slash isn't just a sword technique—it carries the will to cut through everything. The one who taught you swordsmanship should have explained the realm of a true swordsman."

"Intention?" Zoro's brow furrowed in confusion.

Leo smiled slightly. "Yes. The next step is to swing your sword with your mind, not just your arms."

With that, Leo put the wine bottle away, stood, and quietly left the room, leaving Zoro deep in thought.

---

Zoro's mouth twitched in irritation. He couldn't understand why Leo had shown him the wine but didn't let him drink it.

He had been grateful at first—grateful that Leo reminded him of something so important. But now, all that remained was helplessness. At least a sip, he thought bitterly.

Understanding intention was crucial—once he grasped it, he might reach the level where he could cut through iron effortlessly.

As for Haki, even Leo admitted he hadn't fully mastered it yet. The collision with Mihawk had been more about pressure, a mysterious force Leo called Kamui. Otherwise, Nami and the others would have fainted from its power.

Still, during that moment of impact, Leo sensed a faint but persistent momentum. Could it be that Luffy and his Conqueror's Haki were beginning to awaken?

There were many questions to answer, but for now, Leo decided to focus on strength—and strength would come after a good meal.

---

On the other side, Sanji had finally made his decision.

With one swift kick, he knocked Ajin to the ground, leaving him unable to rise for quite some time.

Meanwhile, Luffy ignored his own injuries and, urged by Leo, fought with relentless energy, swiftly defeating Creek. The golden armor shattered into pieces.

With the Creek Pirates utterly defeated, Nami and Usopp cheered loudly from the sidelines.

Together with Leo, they urged Sanji to quickly prepare something delicious.

Though the battle was brief, the intensity had left them all shaken—and extremely hungry.

The restaurant's chefs, who had been hiding during the fight, now tied up Creek and Ajin securely.

Though only two remained from the Creek Pirates, the combined bounties of Devil Akin and Admiral Creek amounted to nearly 30 million Baileys.

Such a fortune could bring a small fortune to anyone who played their part—even a little.

---

"Eat up. This meal is your reward after the battle," Sanji said, placing plates of exquisite dishes before Leo and the others.

Because of Creek's sudden arrival, none of them had eaten since morning. Leo savored the meal, recognizing it as Sanji's best cooking yet—a taste that seemed almost dreamlike.

The other chefs, seeing the customers had fled, took seats around the tables, grateful for a rare moment of peace to celebrate protecting the restaurant once again.

But beneath the joy, there was also an unspoken reason why someone was preparing to leave this gathering.

Sanji, as if with a newfound resolve, approached Zhepu after serving the meal.

"Have you made up your mind, old man?" Sanji asked quietly.

Zhepu seemed to anticipate the question, interrupting before Sanji could continue.

"Yes, boy. I have."

Sanji's voice choked with emotion. Calculating the years, he realized he had spent over a decade in this place since the restaurant first opened.

"You're not usually so timid," Zhepu said quietly, his voice heavy with memory. "You pointed a knife at me when you first arrived."

Sanji took a deep breath, tears welling up in his eyes. "Thank you… for everything. For your guidance and training all these years."

Unable to hold back any longer, Sanji bowed his head and slammed it hard on the deck.

"Don't catch a cold…" Zhepu murmured, a small smile breaking through his stoic facade.

---

In that moment, everything felt clear to Sanji. The small world he had known was no longer enough. The promise he made, the dream he carried, demanded that he move forward—into the vast, unknown sea.

For the first time in a long while, Sanji's heart felt ready.

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