Sanji blinked in confusion.
"Huh? Wait—who are you people? How do you even know my name? Am I that famous already?"
Lucky Drake chuckled.
"Hehe, just heard a little about you. Said you inherited Zeff's cooking. Ever thought about joining our Thunder Pirates?"
Sanji straightened his collar.
Join a pirate crew?
To him, that was lowering his status.
In his mind, the Thunder Pirates were basically inviting him to be their free ship cook.
As if he, Sanji, would degrade himself like that.
"This customer, there's nothing to consider. I will never leave Baratie."
Sanji said calmly, and walked away.
Lucky Drake didn't mind—it was exactly the answer he expected.
He had only casually asked, hoping to pick up a talented chef cheaply.
Since Sanji declined, he wouldn't force him.
Ding!
New Mission Triggered: Defeat Marine Captain Fullbody — Reward: Lottery Points
Just as Sanji left, the electronic voice rang in Lucky Drake's mind.
Lucky Drake smiled faintly.
A stepping stone again?
So the guy in the room Sanji was kicked out of was Marine Captain Fullbody?
"You guys keep eating. I'll go check that room—they're too noisy."
Lucky Drake entered the private room.
There he saw a purple-white–haired Marine officer, drunk and clinging to a pretty woman, eating and drinking shamelessly.
"You little brat again? Trying to peek at my woman? Don't think I'm drunk—I'm totally sober! Get the hell out!"
Fullbody slurred angrily.
"Hmph. Trash."
Lucky Drake said emotionlessly.
"No wonder someone like you would get along with that creep—Hypnotist Jango."
"Too bad for you… Jango was killed by us, the Thunder Pirates."
"Jango?!"
Fullbody sobered up instantly.
He finally realized the man standing before him wasn't the blond kid he had kicked earlier, but a blue-haired young man…
"Wait… you—you're Lucky Drake of the Thunder Pirates?!"
He recognized him immediately.
This was the criminal who robbed the 16th Marine Branch and killed Captain Nezumi.
"That's right. It's me," Lucky Drake said calmly.
Fullbody burst out laughing.
"You dare show yourself in front of a Marine? You must have a death wish!"
He stood up—
BANG!
—and was instantly kicked flat onto the floor.
"AAAH!"
Fullbody curled up, clutching his stomach, screaming in agony.
He felt like his guts were tearing apart.
His girlfriend finally realized what was happening and shrieked loudly.
"Ahhh! Someone's attacking—attacking a Marine!!"
Lucky Drake frowned at the annoying noise.
"If you don't want to get hit too, cover your eyes and shut up."
"Y-Yes! Don't hit me! I'll do it!!"
The woman obeyed instantly.
And Lucky Drake proceeded to stomp Fullbody mercilessly.
"You submit, or not?"
"Aaagh!! I submit!! I do!! PLEASE STOP!!"
"Heh. Still planning to arrest me?"
"No! No! Never! I won't!! I swear!!"
"Hmph. Then get lost."
The system chimed in his head:
Congratulations! Mission Complete — Defeated Fullbody.
Reward: 2000 Lottery Points.
Satisfied, Lucky Drake brushed off his sleeves and returned to the dining area.
"Lucky Drake, who was that inside?"
Alvida asked while eating.
"Sounds like you beat him pretty badly. You weren't doing it for that Sanji guy, right?"
After all, there was no need to help someone who rejected them.
That would be licking boots.
"Help Sanji? Heh. Am I that kind of person?"
Lucky Drake smiled faintly.
Just then, a bruised Fullbody staggered out with his girlfriend's help.
"Huh?"
The Thunder Pirates blinked in confusion.
"He's… a Marine? Wearing the 'Justice' coat? Looks like a Captain too."
Alvida finally realized.
Lucky Drake had simply beaten up a Marine.
"Exactly. Since we ran into a Marine Captain, we couldn't just let him go."
Lucky Drake said casually.
"Besides, beating Marines increases our bounty."
His eyes glinted with mischief.
The crew all nodded in understanding.
Genius plan.
"Why didn't you just kill him?" someone asked.
"That would raise our bounty even more!"
Awei slapped him on the back of the head.
"Idiot! If he dies, who goes back to report that we did it?"
"Oh… right!"
Lucky Drake facepalmed.
My crew is full of low IQs…
Just then—
Outside Baratie, a commotion erupted.
"Huh? What's happening out there?" Nami asked.
Sanji walked in carrying bowls of soup.
"Guests, this is your final dish—digestive soup!"
Nami asked, "Sanji, do you know what's happening outside?"
But Sanji suddenly froze—because he finally noticed the beautiful woman talking to him.
"W-Wow!! A goddess!!"
He quickly set the soup down and leaned toward Nami with hearts in his eyes.
"This lovely lady, you won't believe it—but a huge pirate fleet just arrived outside!
At least several hundred ships!"
"Hundreds? From a single group?"
Nami's expression changed.
~~--------------------------------
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