The Baratie buzzed with the clatter of plates as Luffy, Nami, Raja, Usopp and Zoro shoveled food into their mouths. Luffy, still glowing from the sight of Gin's recovery, pointed a drumstick at Sanji. "That meal saved him! You're amazing, curly-brows! Join my crew!"
Raja clapped dramatically, cape swirling. "Bravo, Gin! Revived by a mere morsel! This chef's a miracle worker!" He turned to Sanji with a flourish. "Name's Rudra D. Raja Kumara, Wizard King and vice-captain of Straw Hats. Spill your secrets, culinary knight!"
Sanji lit a cigarette, smirking. "Sanji, sous chef. Old man Zeff? Ex-pirate. This fishy joint's his treasure. The cooks? Pirate rejects. Waiters? Quit 'cause they couldn't handle the brawls."
Raja gasped, clutching his chest in mock horror. "Waiters running away from a pirate-filled restaurant? Unbelievable! Just imagine—our brilliant Captain Monkey is the only one left as a waiter, the future Pirate King, stuck serving soup in an apron! His grand adventures reduced to 'Luffy, the Dish Boy'—how tragic!"
Luffy blinked, Shocked. "Nani! that's why Zeff wants me stuck here a year. Nope, Sanji, join us lets run away!"
Sanji exhaled smoke. "Pass."
Raja's eyes glinted. "Then we kidnap him, pirate-style! Toss him in the galley, force-feed him adventure 'til he's our cook!" Sanji aimed a kick, but Raja dodged with a twirl. "Missed me, twirly-toes!"
Luffy swallowed. "Nah, I want friends who wanna adventure with me."
Sanji froze, stunned, while Raja sighed theatrically. "Fine, Captain Noble. We'll wait 'til he begs to join." He flopped onto a chair, muttering, "No flair for drama, this one."
Gin, leaning nearby, rasped, "You're a pirate, huh? What's your goal?"
Luffy grinned. "Find the One Piece! Be Pirate King!"
Gin coughed. "Don't hit the Grand Line. It's a graveyard—I barely know it, and I'm warning you."
In the kitchen, Patty scrubbed a pot, grumbling to Carne. "I roughed up that Gin guy. What if Don Krieg shows?"
Carne paled. "Krieg's got 5,000 goons—fifty crews! We're toast!"
Patty shrugged. "Free food for pirates? Bad business. We've fought off worse. They don't like it, they can quit like the waiters."
Carne snapped, "You're too cocky—" THUD! Zeff stomped in, peg leg echoing. "Enough, you clowns!"
Raja strutted in, wand twirling. "Old Man Zeff! Don Krieg's coming for your pantry, so sharpen your spatulas! Battle stations!"He spun and exited, leaving Zeff blinking. "That sparkly lunatic… he serious?"
Carne gulped. "If he's right, we're screwed."
Zeff grunted. "Then we cook and fight. Move it."
Outside, Luffy and Sanji waved as Gin sailed off. Sanji chucked his plate into the sea. "No evidence, no trouble." Zeff bellowed, "Back to work, you loafers!" Luffy trudged inside, proclaiming, "I'm Chore-Boy!"—then CRASH!—shattered three plates. Patty shoved him out. "Wait tables, klutz!"
In the dining hall, Luffy scowled at his crew lounging. "You jerks! I'm slaving while you chill?!" Sanji swooned at Nami. "My radiant muse, your beauty eclipses all obstacles—distance, fate, this wretched bar!"
Raja gagged. "Obstacles? More like your simping, twirly-toes!"
Zeff loomed. "Sanji, go be a pirate. We don't need you mooning around."
Elsewhere, Gin rowed to Don Krieg's battered galleon. "Boss, Baratie's got food—loads of it. Worth a stop."
Krieg's gaunt face twisted into a grin. "Perfect."
Back at Baratie, Zeff cornered Sanji. "Leave, kid. Live your life."
Sanji bristled. "Not 'til you Dead, old man!"
Zeff smirked. "I've got a hundred years left."
Raja burst in, decked in a doctor's coat and stethoscope. "Correction!"He poked Zeff's chest, dodging a peg-leg swipe. "Twenty-five years, tops! Lungs like a rusty bellows!" Zeff kicked again—Raja twirled away, cackling. "Missed, you fossil!"
Luffy piped up. "Come adventure with us, Sanji! Come back when it's over!"
Sanji's eyebrow twitched. "Shut it, straw hat." Zeff glared at Raja. "Twenty-five? I'll outlive your glittery hide!"Another kick—Raja leapt onto a counter. "Temper, temper! Save it for Krieg!"
Sanji served the Straw Hats, piling Nami's plate high. "For you, my goddess."Usopp got a measly bread roll. "Hey! What's with the favoritism?!"
Nami fluttered her lashes. "Oh, Sanji, you're too kind—any more freebies?"Sanji melted. "Anything for you!"
Zoro smirked. "Careful, Nami. You're playing with fire."
She winked. "You should watch out too."
Raja slammed his wand down. "This is an outrage! Sexist simp alert! Swap servers—give me someone who doesn't drool over skirts!" Sanji glared. "Pipe down, cape clown!"
Raja smirked. "Make me, love-sick stove jockey!" Sparks flew—literally, as Raja's wand zapped the table.
Two days later, Krieg's galleon loomed, a wreck of splintered wood and tattered sails. Customers shrieked, "It's Don Krieg!" The chefs froze as a frail Krieg staggered in, propped by Gin. "Food… water… please…"
Patty sneered. "Call the Marines—bag him while he's weak!" Sanji, ignoring him, hauled out a steaming tray. "Eat."Krieg devoured it, strength surging back. Carne hissed, "He's a snake, Sanji! He'll turn on us!"
Sure enough, Krieg backhanded Sanji, grinning at a stunned Gin. "Nice place. I'll take it."
Chefs bolted, screaming, "We're dead!" Gin grabbed Krieg's arm. "Boss, you promised—no harm!"Krieg shrugged. "New ship, starving crew. I need this. Food for my men—now!" The chefs refused, clutching knives.
Sanji stood, limping to the kitchen. "They're hungry. I'll cook."Patty aimed a gun. "No way, you sap!"WHACK! He floored Sanji. "Stay out!"He fired his meatball cannon at Krieg—BOOM!—but Krieg rose, unscathed, and unleashed a hail of bullets.
Raja waved his wand. "Magic-Magic Neo's Hand!" The shots froze midair, clattering down. "Magic-Magic Kitchen Shield!"A barrier shimmered, saving the stoves. "You're welcome, Cooks!"
Krieg roared. "I'm the strongest! Defy me, die! My armor, weapons, experience—unbeatable!" Zeff hobbled in, tossing him a food sack he prepared after raja's warning. "Take it and go."
The chefs gasped. "Boss, no!" Zeff's eyes hardened. "They're just Grand Line rejects—beaten dogs."
Krieg froze, staring. "Red-Leg Zeff? You?!"
Raja leapt onto a table, cape billowing. "Oh-ho! Plot twist! Old Peg-Leg's a legend? Spill it, fossil, or I'll rune you into next week!"
Zeff glared. "Shut it, sparkles. Krieg, eat and leave."
Krieg smirked. "Not without this ship."
Raja twirled his wand. "Round two, then! Who's betting on the Wizard King to steal the show?" Luffy grinned. "Me!"
Nami groaned. "We're doomed."