This is Water 7, the city of shipbuilding.
The Straw Hat Pirates had just finished a fierce battle with CP9, the government's intelligence agency, to rescue their comrade Robin.
Now, they were resting under the protection of Iceburg, the Mayor of Water 7 and President of the Galley-La Company. They had agreed to let Franky build them a new ship and were waiting for its completion.
There had been a sudden raid by Monkey D. Garp, Luffy's grandfather, and a massive banquet involving everyone in town, but let's set those aside for a moment.
Amidst all this, Sanji, the cook of the Straw Hat crew, heard a particular story from Iceburg.
"Huh? A cooking contest?"
"Mm-hmm. I thought a cook like you might be interested."
"This city has a lot of nerve to be so relaxed right after the Aqua Laguna."
"I don't know if you've heard, but there's a city connected by the Sea Train called Pucci, the 'City of Gourmet.' Its mayor, a man named Bimine, has a daughter who came to this island with relief supplies for the disaster victims."
"Heh. Is she a beauty?"
"Yeah. Though she has a fiancé."
"...And what does that have to do with a cooking contest?"
"Well, her fiancé accompanied her. He's a man who wanted to hold the competition here—originally supposed to be in Pucci—as a way to help with the reconstruction efforts..."
"Some big shot?"
"Mm-hmm. I'm sure even you've heard of the GIFC, haven't you?"
"GIFC... Global International Foods Company? They're a massive corporation that handles ingredients and cuisine all over the globe. I actually love their spices; they're top-notch."
"That's the one. And believe it or not, that fiancé is the President of GIFC himself—a man called the greatest chef in the world..."
"...Hoh. Is this guy entering the contest too?"
"Well, only as an exhibition match against whoever wins the tournament."
"Sounds interesting. You've got my attention."
"By the way, the grand prize is 10 million Berry. So, want to enter?"
"I'm interested, but a contest... I don't know..."
Sanji was intrigued, but considering the ruckus the crew had just caused, he thought it best to avoid large public gatherings. He was about to decline when an intruder crashed the conversation.
"Sanji-kun! I heard everything!"
"Ten million—you better get it, okay? Our captain used up every bit of our 100 million Berry fund on that giant banquet, so we're completely broke..."
The voice belonged to Nami, the crew's navigator. As the one who held the purse strings, she was currently nursing a massive headache over the fact that Luffy had spent their entire fortune partying with the townspeople.
"By the way, the scale of this thing is huge," Iceburg added. "It's a mix of civilian chefs, pirates, and even Marines."
"Ehh?! If the Marines are there, won't we get arrested?!" Nami cried out.
"Mm-hmm, don't worry, little lady. As you know, GIFC is a giant. They have influence even within the World Government.
This contest is held once a year in Pucci, and by tradition, all conflict is strictly forbidden, even between pirates and Marines. There's no downside to entering. So, what'll it be?"
"Alright! Sanji-kun! Go win that 10 million Berry!"
"Leave it to me, Nami-san! I don't care if he's the 'world's best' or whatever—I'll win it all for you!"
"Mm-hmm. So you're in? The name of the tournament is 'Edible Fight.' Master chefs from every nation, Marine cooks, pirate chefs... every kind of eccentric will be there. Enjoy yourself. The contest is the day after tomorrow. They provide the ingredients, so just bring your own tools."
As Iceburg left, Sanji stood there, fire in his eyes.
"Edible Fight... Cooks from all over the world, the Marines, other pirates... this is getting exciting!"
The days passed in a flash. On the second day of waiting for the new ship, Sanji showcased his mastery, slicing through every challenge with exquisite technique.
In the finals, the theme was "Curry." Sanji prepared a "Water Chicken Curry" using "Mizu-Mizu Meat," a local delicacy of Water 7. He went head-to-head against a Marine chef who presented a sublime "Navy Seafood Curry" and emerged victorious.
All that remained was the exhibition match.
"Sanji-kuuuun! While you're at it, take down the 'World's Best' too!"
Sanji gave a wry smile and waved back at Nami's shouting.
"Now! Ladies and gentlemen in the audience! Thank you for waiting!" the announcer cried. "First, our tournament winner, Sanji! He has produced countless masterpieces, and in the finals, he showed his love for this city by using our very own Mizu-Mizu Meat! To see such skill in one so young is breathtaking.
But it makes sense! As many of you know, he was the Sous-Chef of the famous floating restaurant in the East Blue, Baratie! The man who defeated the renowned 'East Blue's Best' female chef, Carmen! Now the cook for Straw Hat Luffy... the Pirate Cook, Sanji!!"
Cheers for Sanji erupted through the venue. They sure did their homework on me, Sanji thought, impressed.
"And for this Fight! His opponent is the Savior of Pucci and President of GIFC! Often called the 'Don' of the Culinary World, the man who has won every Edible Fight he has ever entered... the world's greatest chef, President Krieg!!!"
The crowd's excitement hit its peak. The man who appeared was massive, wearing a red-themed chef's coat and a matching red bandana that held back his light-purple hair. He had a stern, unyielding face.
"I heard he was Marumieta-chan's fiancé, so I expected some pretty boy... but this guy is a tank," Sanji muttered, recalling the woman with the binoculars he had spoken to briefly before the match.
"So, you're an acquaintance of Marumieta's?" Krieg spoke, his voice deep and commanding. "No matter. Sanji, I watched your matches. You have incredible skill. It's clear you received the discipline of 'Red-Leg' Zeff."
"!! How do you know that name...?"
"Old man Zeff taught me a thing or two about cooking a long time ago. But today, I'm just here to make the best dish I can. Let's give this audience a show, shall we?"
"Now! While our two chefs prepare, let's spin the roulette for the theme! And the theme is... What?! Unbelievably, just like the finals, the theme is Curry! Does this put Sanji at a disadvantage since he already used his best curry recipe?!"
"Hey, announcer," Sanji said, gripping his kitchen knife. "Don't underestimate a cook. A real pro always has three or four aces up his sleeve. You think you can see everything a chef has to offer in just a few plates?"
"Ooooh! What a chilling response! He's got the looks and the attitude to match!"
"Give it a rest. I'm not interested in men."
"It seems both sides are ready... Edible Fight! Ready... GO!!"
With that cry, the two began to cook with ferocious speed.
That night.
"Platinum Chicken Curry... The world's greatest chef. He wasn't kidding," Sanji muttered to himself on the roof of the Galley-La Company headquarters, reflecting on the afternoon's match.
He had tasted the portion served to him. First, the roux. The onions had been cooked with such care that their sweetness was pushed to the absolute limit, perfectly balancing the rich, deep flavor of the chicken.
Because it had been strained multiple times, the texture was incredibly smooth, yet there were occasional bursts of a crunchy texture.
That must have been caramel, Sanji thought. Inside the caramel were coarse-ground spices, providing a perfect accent. Beyond the standard cumin, coriander, cloves, and cardamom, Krieg had used Monk Fruit and Sumac to elevate the flavor to another dimension.
Then there was the rice. He had blended three different varieties and added Koji (rice malt) to unify them seamlessly. But the true masterpiece was the stock used for the roux. Normally, one would boil the bones once.
"To think he took the stock three separate times... They say a double-boiled chicken soup shines like gold, but three times... it truly was Platinum. 'Platinum Chicken Curry' was the perfect name for it..."
As Sanji lost himself in the memory of Krieg's dish, a voice called out.
"Ah, there you are, Sanji-kun. Luffy's been making a racket, demanding you make him some curry."
"Ah, sorry. I haven't made dinner yet, have I? I'll get on it right away."
"...Are you frustrated? About the match today?"
"No. I made the best thing I could. A curry that our captain would want to eat."
"Well, for what it's worth... I like your cooking better," Nami said softly.
"Na—Nami-san! You said you like me?!"
POW! A fist of correction—the kind that keeps the crew on track—descended upon him.
"I didn't say that! Honestly, I thought you were depressed, and I wasted my sympathy!"
"...I'm not depressed, Nami-san. If anything, I'm excited. It just reminded me how vast the world of cooking really is. 'The World's Greatest Chef,' huh? Maybe aiming for that alongside the All Blue wouldn't be such a bad idea."
"Hmph. Well, if your cooking gets even better, I won't complain."
"Alright! Our captain's hungry, so I'm gonna go whip up the best curry he's ever tasted!"
With a new goal etched into his heart, Sanji stood up and headed for the kitchen, ready to test his skills once more.
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