Hearing Morpheus's taunt, Sanji's face flushed with anger.
"If your cooking's bad, practice more"? That was outright insulting.
Robin stared at the glowing fried rice, swallowing hard. Her full stomach rumbled, urging her to eat—a primal craving for energy.
Not just her—Sanji, Zeff, and the others felt it too. Only their restraint kept them from lunging for it.
"Can I try it, Boss?" Robin asked.
"Of course," Morpheus said, sliding the plate to her.
Robin dug in, devouring the rice completely, not a grain left.
Her face flushed, legs fidgeting, breathing heavy with satisfaction.
In Food Wars!, dishes could act like aphrodisiacs. Robin's reaction wasn't surprising.
Sanji took a deep breath, forcing calm, and fixed Morpheus with a burning gaze. "How… how did you do it? Glowing food?"
Morpheus shook his head. "Who knows?"
"Isn't this your dish?" Sanji asked, confused.
"Nope," Morpheus said. "My personal chef made it."
Sanji was floored. "You have a personal chef?"
"Is that strange for someone as powerful as me?" Morpheus countered.
Sanji was speechless. He didn't know Morpheus's strength, so he couldn't argue, but the idea of a personal chef filled him with envy.
He wanted to kick this boastful guy, but as a guest, Morpheus was untouchable. Sanji stormed off, unable to stand him another second.
What was so great about a personal chef? He'd get one someday!
After the episode, Morpheus and Robin sipped refreshing drinks, concluding their meal, then left the Baratie on a small boat.
Next stop: Cocoyasi Village.
Morpheus was determined to taste its oranges.
Robin didn't get it. Why obsess over Cocoyasi's oranges? If they were exceptional, they'd be famous across the East Blue. Their obscurity suggested mediocrity.
But Morpheus was the boss, and Robin, seasoned in navigating this world, wouldn't object. She knew better than to defy the one in charge.
Their boat sailed smoothly toward Cocoyasi Village.
A few miles out, they heard a shout.
"Hey, you two! Over there!"
Robin turned to see a smaller boat nearby, carrying a girl with orange hair waving vigorously.
"Boss?" Robin looked to Morpheus.
"Let's check it out."
He hadn't expected to meet Nami, the little thief, before reaching Cocoyasi. But it made sense—she was from the village. Encountering her on the way was logical.
Robin steered their boat to Nami's.
Nami stood, nimbly leaping onto their boat.
"Good afternoon, if I'm not mistaken, you're heading to Cocoyasi Village, right?"
Robin nodded. "Correct. And you are…?"
"I'm Nami, from Cocoyasi Village. I've got some top-secret intel for sale, concerning your safety. Interested in buying?"
Robin smiled. "So, Miss Nami's an information broker?"
"Nothing so grand," Nami said, holding up two fingers. "Just someone who knows a thing or two."
Robin tilted her head. "Let's hear it. If it's valuable, we'll pay."
Nami grinned. "It's worth it. How about 100,000 Berries?"
Robin considered. "Not bad. What's the intel?"
Nami's eyes lit up when Robin didn't balk at the price. She regretted not asking for 200,000—or even 300,000. Too late now.
She sighed, then said, "Cocoyasi Village is under Fish-Man control. If you go there, you might get captured, extorted, or worse—killed. So, is my intel worth 100,000 Berries?"
"Fish-Men?" Robin glanced at Morpheus, wondering if he knew. Was his obsession with oranges tied to these Fish-Men?
Morpheus said, "I already know. The Fish-Man ruling Cocoyasi is Arlong, right?"
Nami's expression shifted. These weren't clueless travelers.
"Who are you, and what's your connection to Arlong?"
Morpheus shook his head. "No connection. I just want to eat Cocoyasi's oranges. Got any? I'll pay."
"Oranges? That's it?" Nami was skeptical, growing more suspicious.
Morpheus nodded. "That's it. Do you have any?"
Nami eyed him warily, unable to tell if he was joking. "I don't. If you really want oranges, stay here. I'll bring you some."
***
Bonus Chapter:
100 Power Stones = 1 BC
300 Power Stones = 2 BC
500 Power Stones = 3 BC
700 Power Stones = 4 BC
1000 Power Stones = 5 BC
***
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