Chapter 49: The Chef's Bottom Line, Tatsuya's Sword
"Hey! Sanji! You damn cook! Get out of the way!!"
Patty held a massive fork, cold sweat dripping from his forehead as he roared at the blond back standing in front of the pirate.
"Have you lost your mind? That's Don Krieg! The ruthless overlord of the East Sea!"
"Sanji! Snap out of it! If you give him food, he'll definitely retaliate against this restaurant once he recovers his strength! Move!!"
Another chef, Karl, gripped his rolling pin, his voice trembling.
The diners in the restaurant also snapped out of their initial shock, and their whispers gradually turned into angry denunciations.
"That's right! Scum like that deserves to die!"
"He's committed so many crimes, robbing so many merchant ships!"
"It's only natural for him to be killed by a pirate hunter! Does that curly-browed cook want to get us all killed? Get out of the way!"
By the railing on the second floor, Head Chef Zeff stood with his arms crossed.
Under that tall chef's hat, a pair of sharp eyes stared intently at the two men confronting each other below, yet he remained silent.
Everyone in the restaurant was denouncing Sanji.
Facing the accusations of a thousand people, Sanji bit his lip hard, his jawline tense.
His expression was frighteningly grim, yet he didn't retreat a single inch.
"Final warning."
Tatsuya held his long sword level, the blade reflecting the candlelight of the restaurant. The razor-sharp tip was only a centimeter away from the tip of Sanji's nose.
"Move, cook."
Tatsuya's voice was as calm as stagnant water, his crimson Sharingan staring coldly at Sanji.
"The man lying on the ground is the East Sea overlord, Don Krieg, with a bounty of fifty million Berries.
"He is a complete piece of scum who will use any means necessary to win."
"By saving him, you are committing murder."
Sanji had a cigarette in his mouth. Through the swirling bluish-white smoke, his exposed deep blue eye stared back at Tatsuya's oppressive eyes without flinching.
"I don't understand your grand principles, red-eyed brat."
Sanji's voice was low, carrying a stubborn rasp.
"East Sea overlord, scum... all I hear is this man's stomach growling."
"For a chef, that's enough."
Sanji slowly raised a leg, his black leather shoe glinting with a dangerous luster under the lights.
"You want to kill him? Fine. But before he finishes this meal..."
"...no one touches him."
"Oh?"
Tatsuya narrowed his eyes, the sword tip inching forward slightly, almost touching the bridge of Sanji's nose.
"Risking your life for a piece of scum you don't even know? Is this your chivalry?
"Even if it sets this restaurant ablaze and puts your benefactor, Zeff, in danger?"
"This isn't chivalry."
Sanji didn't back down at all, letting the sword intent pierce a tiny bit of skin on his nose as a drop of blood slowly slid down.
He just looked at Tatsuya calmly and said, word by word:
"This is just the bottom line of a chef who has known hunger."
"If I can't even feed a starving person, then I'm not fit to stand in this restaurant, let alone call myself a chef!"
The air seemed to freeze.
Luffy held his Straw Hat, making no move. He watched his two companions facing off with calm eyes, saying nothing.
However.
At this moment of extreme tension, when both men's attention was highly focused on each other.
"Gulp..."
A beast-like swallowing sound broke the suffocating silence.
The Two-Tomoe Sharingan in Tatsuya's eyes suddenly flicked downward.
Within his dynamic vision, the massive body on the ground—which had been on the verge of death and seemingly unable to even move a finger—
Now had muscles that suddenly twitched and tightened violently, like a dying beast.
It was adrenaline triggered by extreme hunger.
Tatsuya curled his lips, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes.
"Damn... that's mine...!!"
Don Krieg, who had been lying on the ground, had looked up at some point.
His eyes were bloodshot and his pupils dilated. He wasn't looking at the sword in Tatsuya's hand, but was staring fixedly at the plate of steaming seafood fried rice in Sanji's hand.
He felt the terrifying killing intent emanating from the red-eyed youth—it was a gaze that truly wouldn't hesitate to lop off his head!
If he didn't fight for his life, he really would die here!
If he didn't eat... he really was going to die!
"Give it to me!!!"
Accompanied by a raspy and crazed roar.
Don Krieg's massive body actually erupted with an astonishing speed that was completely inconsistent with his weakened state.
He didn't attack Tatsuya, who posed the greatest threat, but instead chose the "benefactor" who was protecting him with his back turned.
Bang!
"Wha...?!"
Sanji was fully focused on guarding against Tatsuya's sword and never expected the "guest" behind him to suddenly strike from the rear.
Beside them, Gin's eyes widened. He wanted to shout but couldn't make a sound.
"Ugh!"
Sanji felt a massive force slam into his waist. He lost his balance and stumbled to the side, the plate flying from his hand.
Clatter—
Don Krieg lunged forward like a rabid dog, grabbing the plate mid-air, then scrambled into a corner of the restaurant.
He didn't care at all about his dignity as an "admiral," nor did he pay any mind to the disdainful looks from those around him.
He used his filthy hands to grab the scalding fried rice, ignoring the heat as he frantically stuffed it into his mouth.
"Mmph! Mmph! Delicious!!!"
"This is food!! This is life!!"
Rice fell onto his golden beard and his mud-stained armor.
But he didn't care, like a hungry wolf that hadn't eaten meat in centuries, a bone-chilling swallowing sound coming from his throat.
"Haha... I'm alive... power... is surging..."
The scene instantly went quiet.
Sanji steadied himself against the railing. Looking at the man in the corner who had abandoned his humanity for food, his face showed no anger, but rather a look of relief.
He brushed the dust off himself and relit the cigarette at the corner of his mouth.
"Hmph, as expected... aren't you quite energetic now?"
However.
Before Don Krieg could even swallow his second mouthful of rice, a killing intent colder and purer than before instantly enveloped him.
His entire body froze. It felt as if the Shinigami's scythe was held against his neck.
Tatsuya naturally wouldn't give him the chance to recover his strength, put on his gear, and go on a rampage.
"Body Flicker Technique."
A black shadow flashed.
Don Krieg looked up in terror, but all he saw were Tatsuya's eerily spinning red eyes.
"Demonic Illusion: Hell Viewing Technique."
Tatsuya whispered.
Boom!
Don Krieg's mind instantly exploded.
Reality disappeared.
In its place was that raging Grand Line, and that nightmare of a man, Hawkeye, who had cut down his fifty warships!
It was the ultimate fear deep within his heart.
"No... don't..."
Don Krieg's body froze instantly, his pupils dilated, and the grains of rice fell from his hands to the floor.
"Die."
In reality, Tatsuya had already appeared by his side.
He raised his foot and mercilessly pinned Don Krieg's head against the hard wall, leaving him unable to move.
Then, gripping the long sword with both hands, his Chakra erupted as he slashed with all his might at the thick neck!
Squelch!
Crack!
It was the sound of a sharp blade cutting through muscle and severing the cervical vertebrae.
Everything ended in a flash.
Don Krieg's massive head, carrying a face full of terror and resentment, was neatly lopped off by Tatsuya's sword.
Thump... Thump...
The head rolled across the floor, stopping right at the feet of a dumbfounded Patty in the center of the restaurant.
Patty felt extremely uncomfortable as Don Krieg's unblinking eyes stared up at him.
So... he used his toe to secretly kick it over to Luffy's side.
Blood erupted from Don Krieg's remaining torso like a fountain, instantly staining the surrounding walls and floor red.
Shing.
Tatsuya flicked his wrist, sending a grim arc of blood through the air to clear the blade.
He sheathed his sword and stood by the headless corpse, his expression as cold as ice.
"When it's time to swing my sword, I will never hesitate."
The sudden turn of events terrified everyone.
Gin's hands trembled as he propped himself up on the floor, before falling back down weakly.
He muttered under his breath, unable to make a sound, and clutched his head in pain, sobbing quietly.
The entire restaurant was deathly silent, with only the sound of the waves outside echoing.
The overlord of the East Sea... admiral Don Krieg, who possessed a fleet of fifty ships...
Just died like that?
He didn't even have time to resist before being decapitated like a dead dog?
Just then, a pleasant notification sounded in Tatsuya's mind.
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for defeating a special target: East Sea admiral Don Krieg (Bounty: 17,000,000 Berries).]
[Battle Evaluation: S.]
[Reward: 1500 Ninja Points.]
[Ding! Congratulations to the host for slightly altering the original plot.]
[Reward: 1000 Ninja Points.]
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