"It's really lively… but that's only natural. It is the Food King Contest, after all."
Where the commoners stood shoulder to shoulder in the crowded square below, the wealthy enjoyed a very different experience.
Surrounding the plaza were elevated platforms lined with elegant seating areas. From there, one could view the competition clearly without being jostled by the crowd.
At this moment, Kaito Arisawa sat in one such private seat on a high platform, Robin beside him. Both were watching the chefs stepping onto the stage with obvious interest.
As she observed the roaring excitement in the square below, Robin couldn't help sighing softly.
The Food King Contest was extremely famous in West Blue. It could even be described as a grand culinary festival.
As someone born in West Blue, Robin had naturally heard of it many times before.
Yet even so, seeing it in person made her realize she had underestimated just how grand and passionate the event truly was.
After a moment, she turned her head toward Kaito.
"We came here this time to recruit the champion of the Food King Contest, didn't we?"
That was indeed the reason they were present.
Kaito had learned that the Food King Contest was being held and had specifically brought Robin here to strengthen the War Pirates' chef team.
"The champion?" Kaito repeated with a faint smile.
He withdrew his gaze from the stage, raised his right hand, and slowly clenched it into a fist in front of him.
"No," he said calmly. "I want them all."
"All of them?" Robin's eyes widened slightly, her lips parting in surprise.
Clearly, she had underestimated his ambition.
She had assumed he intended to recruit only the winner of the competition.
Instead, he was planning to sweep up every chef participating in the finals.
"Of course," Kaito replied matter-of-factly. "We already have a large crew. And we'll have even more in the future. One chef isn't enough. We need an entire culinary team."
Robin paused, thinking it over.
"…You're right," she admitted after a moment. "That actually makes perfect sense."
Even if the champion were exceptionally talented, one person could not possibly supply high-quality meals for the entire War Pirates fleet.
But if all the finalists were recruited…
Then every member of the crew could eat first-class food.
More importantly—
Kaito had the ability to make it happen.
And that ability was not merely force.
It was his Conqueror's Haki submission.
If someone else tried to forcibly abduct these chefs, there was no guarantee they would cooperate sincerely.
But with Kaito's ability, he could conquer their wills directly and ensure their loyalty—and their dedication in the kitchen.
As the two conversed, the contestants finished entering the stage.
There were only ten of them.
Which was entirely reasonable.
This was the final round of the Food King Contest.
After numerous preliminary eliminations, only the finest chefs in West Blue had advanced this far.
Once all participants were in position, the host announced the official start of the finals.
Instantly—
Knives flashed.
Flames roared.
The entire arena burst into motion as a peak-level culinary showdown began.
"Captain, who do you think will win this year?"
"It has to be Miss Karina! I'm her biggest fan!"
"No way—it'll be Mr. Paul! His knife skills are incredible! He can remove fish roe without killing the fish—it can still survive for a day afterward!"
"Knife skills don't automatically mean great cooking!"
"You just don't understand culinary art!"
On another high platform, a group of men were also watching the competition intensely.
What started as a discussion quickly escalated into heated argument—and then into actual shoving.
Smack.
A white bear paw suddenly planted itself squarely on someone's face.
It didn't withdraw immediately.
Instead, it pressed and rubbed back and forth, squashing the man's features comically.
The victim, who had been trying to ignore his subordinates' squabbles, finally snapped.
"Bepo! Do you want to lose that foot?!"
Even someone as composed as Trafalgar Law couldn't tolerate it anymore.
He sprang to his feet, pulling part of his cursed blade Kikoku from its sheath.
The cold steel gleamed sharply.
"Ah! I'm sorry, Captain! I messed up!"
Bepo, who had been brawling with Shachi and Penguin moments earlier, jolted upright in fright.
He immediately retracted his paw—missing shoe and all—and bowed repeatedly in apology.
Seeing their captain angry, Shachi, Penguin, and the others hurriedly returned to their seats.
"Behave yourselves," Law snorted, sliding the blade back into its sheath. "People are already staring at us."
Indeed, most of those seated on the elevated platforms were nobles or wealthy patrons.
Whatever happened in private, everyone maintained a façade of elegance in public.
The commotion from the Heart Pirates had drawn quite a few disapproving looks.
Bepo and the others flushed in embarrassment.
Although pirates, under Law's leadership they maintained a certain level of refinement.
Once things settled down, Law turned his attention back to the arena.
After years of training, his strength had grown steadily.
It was about time to consider entering the Grand Line.
I wonder if there's a chance to recruit a chef here, he thought silently. If we can secure one, food won't be a problem anymore.
While Law was contemplating recruitment, he didn't realize someone was observing him with keen interest.
What a lucky day, Kaito thought, a faint smile forming in his eyes.
I came for chefs… and unexpectedly found a doctor too.
At first, Kaito hadn't noticed.
But the commotion on that platform had drawn his attention.
And when he looked—
He recognized an "acquaintance."
Though younger than in his memories, the distinctive spotted hat and the polar bear Mink at his side made the identification unmistakable.
Trafalgar Law.
One of the future Supernovas of the original storyline.
Kaito's gaze sharpened slightly.
If he could recruit the finalists here…
And perhaps also secure a talented doctor…
Then the Four Elements necessary for entering the Grand Line would be strengthened significantly.
A chef.
A doctor.
A navigator.
A shipwright.
The Food King Contest had just begun—
But for Kaito Arisawa,
This was already turning into a harvest.
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