Chapter 46: Underwater Struggle
Ralph looked helplessly at Sanji, who was in his heart-eyed state, and asked with a skeptical tone:
"Hey, Curly Brow, aren't you agreeing a bit too readily? Don't you have any compelling reason to stay at this restaurant? Like... some kind of bond? Or isn't there anything in this place that holds you back? How can you so easily agree to follow a Pirate girl you've just met?"
These words snapped Sanji out of his instinctive lovesick trance somewhat.
A flicker of struggle crossed his face as he adjusted the cigarette in his mouth.
"Ah... you're right. This flaw of mine... I truly can't refuse a lady's request, especially from a charming lady like Miss Lufia."
He glanced toward the restaurant, his voice lowering slightly. "You're right, you one-sided love fool. This place... does have reasons why I must stay."
However, before he could finish, Lufia planted her hands on her hips, puffed out her chest, and declared in an almost domineering tone:
"No! I won't allow you to have reasons!"
This statement not only stunned Sanji and Gin but even made Ralph slightly taken aback.
Such an unreasonable, domineering declaration was simply...
Sanji even wondered if he was hallucinating, instinctively asking: "...Huh?"
Seeing he hadn't heard clearly, Lufia repeated it word for word, her tone even more resolute:
"I said—I won't allow you to refuse my request!"
She took a step forward, her large eyes fixed directly on Sanji.
"You're a good cook! I've taken a liking to you! Come be a Pirate with me!"
If this had been the original Straw Hat Boy making such a domineering demand for Sanji to become a Pirate, Sanji would have either kicked him or written him off as crazy.
But now, standing before him was the Straw Hat Girl, Lufia.
Faced with Lufia's such domineering declaration, after a brief moment of shock, the hearts in Sanji's eyes didn't diminish but instead burst forth even more violently. He clasped his hands over his heart, swaying:
"Ah~! So direct! So domineering! Yet so adorable! Miss Lufia, you truly are..."
But the next second, reason struggled to surface again.
On one side was his ingrained impulse, unable to refuse a lady's request, coupled with a faint longing for the vast ocean deep within;
On the other side was the debt and responsibility he felt toward Boss Zeff for saving his life and raising him.
These two emotions clashed fiercely inside him.
Torn, Sanji even started banging his forehead "thump, thump" against the railing.
Ralph watched from the side, his own forehead aching in sympathy.
This malicious world... seemed to have accidentally presented Curly Brow with an ultimate dilemma.
From a personal emotional standpoint, Ralph was ten thousand percent unwilling to have Sanji—a guy with zero resistance to beautiful women, likely to swoon over Lufia at any moment—stay on the ship.
But reason told him that Sanji was a destined companion, an indispensable top-tier chef, and a reliable fighter worth trusting with his back.
This conflicting mindset left Ralph feeling quite complicated.
Looking at Sanji, who was nearly knocking himself out, and Lufia with her "I want him" expression, Ralph sighed and made a suggestion:
"Lufia, since this guy can't make up his mind himself, why don't... you go ask the boss here directly?"
He pointed toward the restaurant interior. "He's an employee here. If the boss himself doesn't want him anymore and agrees to let him leave, wouldn't that naturally allow us to bring him aboard?"
Upon hearing this, Lufia punched one fist into her other palm, her face blooming into a radiant smile: "You're right! Ralph, you're so clever!"
Meanwhile, Sanji stopped his self-punishing behavior and looked up somewhat bewildered.
The shift of decision-making power from his own hands to Boss Zeff created a feeling of uncertainty in his heart.
On one hand, he secretly looked forward to boarding Lufia's ship and seeing the wider world;
On the other hand, he feared hearing Zeff personally tell him to leave.
Just as Lufia was excitedly preparing to run into the restaurant to find Boss Zeff, Gin, who had been leaning nearby quietly recovering his strength, called out to stop her:
"Hey, Straw Hat Girl."
Lufia stopped in her tracks and looked at him curiously.
Gin took a deep breath and said:
"I noticed you earlier in the restaurant. I never expected you to be the captain."
His gaze swept over the Going Merry. "That explains the ship with the straw hat pirate flag."
"Exactly!" Lufia puffed out her chest proudly. "That's my ship, the Going Merry!"
Gin nodded and gave a simple self-introduction:
"I'm from the Krieg Pirates... Gin."
He paused, then asked with a hint of curiosity, "Could you tell me... what's your purpose in setting sail?"
Without any hesitation, Lufia answered in a loud, clear voice:
"My goal, of course, is to find the legendary 'One Piece'! I'm going to enter the Grand Line and become the Pirate King!"
"The Grand Line..."
Upon hearing these words, all color instantly drained from Gin's face. Cold sweat broke out uncontrollably as his eyes filled with fear and lingering terror. "You... you're still recruiting a cook, which means your crew isn't complete yet?"
"That's right!"
Lufia counted on her fingers: "Me, Ralph, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, plus the curly-browed guy... that makes six people!"
Nearby, when Sanji heard Lufia had already counted him as the sixth crew member, the heart shapes that had just settled down began overflowing again. His body twisted unconsciously as he muttered:
"Ah~ Although this is Miss Lufia's generous invitation, and I deeply yearn to travel with you, but... but this matter hasn't been decided yet... Boss Zeff might..."
Ralph couldn't stand watching any longer. Without warning, he suddenly lifted his foot and accurately kicked Sanji in the butt!
"SPLASH!"
Completely unprepared for this sudden attack, Sanji fell heavily into the sea.
"Cough... Ptooey!"
Sanji surfaced from the water, spitting out the salty seawater, and shouted angrily at Ralph: "You bastard! Are you crazy! Why did you kick me for no reason?!"
Lufia also cast a puzzled look his way.
Ralph maintained his composure and explained seriously:
"Since this curly-browed guy might become our ship's cook, isn't testing his combat ability and adaptability a necessary procedure? The sea can be quite dangerous."
Lufia tilted her head in thought, then nodded vigorously with full agreement: "Mm! You're right, Ralph! That makes perfect sense!"
Thus, on Baratie's deck, Gin was describing the horrors of the Grand Line to Lufia with lingering fear;
Meanwhile, in the waters beside the restaurant, Ralph was preparing to demonstrate through action what dangers Sanji would face upon joining the Straw Hat Pirates.
Sanji was quite proficient in water, at least in terms of "swimming" skills, the system rated him as [Intermediate].
He moved with agile twists and turns in the water, grappling with Ralph, momentarily matching him blow for blow.
Sanji's signature kicking techniques couldn't deliver their full power underwater, while most of Ralph's combat skills were similarly hampered by the water's resistance.
However, Ralph frequently dived for fishing, giving him superior flexibility and water current perception compared to Sanji.
Moreover, he had one final trump card.
Just as the two crossed paths again, Ralph's hand shot out like a ghost, his fingertips lightly brushing past Sanji's collar, buttons, belt and other areas, moving too fast for the eye to follow.
After several exchanges, Ralph seized an opportunity, pushed off forcefully with his feet, and was the first to leap out of the water, landing lightly on the deck.
In his hands, he now held a bundle of dripping wet clothing.
Shirt, tie, dress pants... even including underwear!
Meanwhile, Sanji in the water suddenly felt a chill all over his body. Looking down beneath the water's surface, he found himself completely naked!
He hadn't seen how Ralph did it at all! His clothes had been stripped away piece by piece like magic, completely unnoticed!
"You... you despicable thief! Shameless scoundrel!"
Sanji trembled with rage, desperately covering his private parts as he shouted at Ralph in humiliation and anger,
"Give me back my clothes!!"
This humiliation was worse than being beaten up!
Just as Ralph was about to show off his achievement to Lufia, he saw her curiously leaning over the railing to look down, innocently exclaiming: "Wow Sanji, you're so pale!"
These words struck like a final critical blow. No matter how much of a womanizer Sanji was, he wasn't shameless—after all, he wasn't a pervert.
Being completely naked before a lady completely violated his knightly principles!
This round, he not only lost the fight but also buried his dignity in the ocean depths!
Overwhelmed by shame and anger, he stopped cursing and abruptly dove deep underwater.
Ralph was also stunned by Lufia's shocking remark, quickly pulling her back, "What's so interesting to see? Don't look at random things!"
By this time, Gin, having eaten his fill and rested for a while, had finally recovered some energy.
He found a small boat and prepared to leave.
At their parting, Lufia stood by the ship's rail, waving vigorously at him: "Hey, Gin! Thank you for telling me the Grand Line is dangerous! But I'm still going!"
Gin stood in the small boat, his back to them, and waved his hand, "Do as you please... Earlier, it was just... some advice from an outsider."
The small boat slowly sailed away.
Gin fell silent for a moment, then suddenly took off his pirate-flag-printed coat and casually tossed it into the sea.
Sanji, who had just surfaced, instinctively caught the drifting coat.
Without turning around, Gin said calmly, "...This is nothing compared to the debt I owe you for that meal."
Just then, Ralph—who had barely exchanged words with Gin before—suddenly raised his voice toward the gradually receding boat and added:
"Gin! You wouldn't... bring the main force of your Krieg Pirates to flatten this restaurant, would you?"
Gin's figure visibly stiffened. He whipped his head around, anger flashing across his face at the doubt, and shouted back:
"How could I ever do something so ungrateful?!"
Sanji, still floating in the water, was taken aback at first, but then a relieved smile spread across his face. Tying the soaked coat around his waist to barely cover himself, he said:
"If such consequences really come from just one meal, then there's nothing to be done about it."
His tone was as firm as his conviction.
"Making sure people are fed is a chef's duty. If staying true to that duty brings disaster... then I'll bear the consequences."
Lufia also pouted, glaring discontentedly at Ralph:
"Ralph! Gin doesn't seem like a bad person! How could he possibly do such a thing?"
Her reproachful look made Ralph feel as though the 95% favorability rating above his head was suddenly in jeopardy.
Ralph quickly raised his hands in a gesture of surrender. "Alright, alright, consider it nonsense then."
But he still called out toward the direction where Gin's boat had disappeared: "Gin! You'd better not betray our captain's trust! Otherwise..."
"I'll definitely make you regret it!"
Just then, a deep, magnetic voice came from behind Ralph and Lufia:
"Hmph, had enough fun yet?"
The two turned around to find Boss Zeff standing on the restaurant's upper deck, looking down at them. He had clearly witnessed everything that had just happened.
Lufia immediately looked up and shouted toward Zeff, "Boss! Can we take the curly-browed guy with us to be the chef on our pirate ship?"
Sanji, who had only a soaked coat tied around his waist, silently swam back to the edge of the deck. His wet blond hair clung to his forehead as he lifted his head, his gaze complex and unreadable, nervously awaiting the boss's decision.
Zeff crossed his arms, his wooden peg leg tapping on the floor, and snorted.
"That brat Sanji? I'd be glad to see him gone! Always swooning over female customers—it's annoying to watch!"
At these words, a flicker of disappointment passed through Sanji's eyes.
But Zeff wasn't finished:
"Leave!"
"However—"
He drew out the word, his eyes sweeping over Lufia and the approaching Ralph. "Right now, not only can Sanji not leave... none of you are going anywhere either."
"What?" Ralph was taken aback, a sense of foreboding rising within him.
Boss Zeff then pulled out a thick roll of paper from his chest. With a flick of his wrist, it unfurled like a white waterfall, cascading down with a rustle all the way to the lower deck.
Ralph focused his gaze and was startled to see an absurdly long—bill!
The moment his eyes landed on the final number, Ralph slapped his forehead hard, finally realizing what a grave oversight he had made!
Earlier, to ensure Lufia and the others could feast to their heart's content, he had tacitly allowed everyone to order freely... As a result, the combination of two bottomless pits plus the dishes and drinks ordered by the rest had produced a staggering astronomical sum!
This amount even far exceeded the earlier compensation costs for Boss Zeff's medical expenses and the restaurant repairs!
Instinctively, Ralph turned his gaze toward Nami, who had just stepped out of the restaurant.
Nami seemed to have anticipated this scenario long ago. Planting her hands on her hips, she declared resolutely, "Don't even think about asking me! Paying your repair and medical fees earlier was a moment of temporary insanity! Expecting me to cover the meal too? Not a chance! Don't even dream about it!"
Would Ralph indulge her?
Obviously not!
The few gold coins he carried weren't even enough to cover a fraction of the bill. In his panic, he threw caution to the wind and charged toward Nami, intending to detain her and force her to hand over her treasure.
However, he had only taken a few steps when a sharp gust of leg-driven wind came whistling from his side!
"Thud!"
It was Sanji! With Gin's coat tied around his waist, he delivered a precise kick that sent Ralph flying back into the restaurant.
"You scheming bastard! Don't you dare harass Miss Nami!"
Sanji assumed a combat stance. Though he looked somewhat disheveled, he remained firmly positioned in front of Nami.
"No money to pay for the meal? Fine! Then you'll all stay and work off your debts! That way, we'll have plenty of time... to get acquainted... slowly!"
He practically spat out those last words while glaring directly at Ralph, clearly still seething over having his clothes stolen and suffering humiliation earlier.
Ralph climbed up from the floor, dusted himself off, and met Sanji's glare without backing down. "Stay then! You think I'm scared?"
After some "friendly negotiations," the Straw Hat crew finalized the list of members who would remain to work off their debts:
Lufia and Zoro: As the primary consumption culprits who ate the most, they bore undeniable responsibility.
Ralph: The gold coins hidden on him were actually enough to cover his own share with plenty to spare. But as Lufia's suitor and the vice-captain, he voluntarily offered to shoulder part of Lufia's debt. More importantly, he needed to stay and keep an eye on a certain curly-browed cook.
Additionally, Zoro was assigned to vegetable chopping, Lufia to miscellaneous tasks, while Ralph unexpectedly earned a spot at the cooking station.
This arrangement made Ralph raise an eyebrow slightly. He glanced at the old chef who now had only one leg, sensing there might be deeper implications behind this assignment!
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