Chapter 25: Baratie, the Floating Restaurant
After leaving the Grand Line and distancing himself from that wretched weather, Yumesaki was surprised to realize that the ocean could actually be quite beautiful.
As far as the eye could see, there was nothing but a vast, boundless expanse of blue.
Currently, the sea was calm without a single wave, resembling a massive, deep-blue mirror. The sunlight fell at a slant, casting a layer of silver across the surface—glittering brilliantly, yet gentle on the eyes.
The water nearby was as transparent as glass, revealing schools of fish swimming leisurely beneath. With a single flick of their tails, they would vanish into the shifting shadows of the light. Occasionally, a sea bird would glide past, the tips of its wings brushing the surface to create a few concentric ripples that spread out one by one until they finally merged back into that infinite peace.
Looking toward the distant horizon, the point where the water met the sky seemed to blend perfectly, making it impossible to tell where the sea ended and the heavens began.
Yumesaki couldn't help but stand on the deck and let out a cheer.
"Now this is what you call an ocean! Let that Grand Line weather go to hell!!"
As a modern person who had never truly experienced hardship, he really couldn't stomach the erratic climate of the Grand Line. It was pure torture. Now, seeing the peaceful East Blue, Yumesaki felt all the depression and frustration melt away in an instant.
Robin watched Yumesaki venting his emotions on the deck and let out a helpless laugh. Deep down, however, she felt a twinge of envy toward the world Yumesaki came from. She understood clearly how peaceful his world must be; if it weren't, it wouldn't produce someone as pampered and "soft" as him.
By comparison, her own world was truly bleak.
Right now, Robin genuinely wanted to overthrow the World Government as soon as possible, so that her world could become as peaceful and serene as Yumesaki's. Because of this, she decided she needed to put a little more pressure on the Revolutionary Army and its leader, Dragon.
If he just stayed the "King of Perspiration," when would he ever actually get around to toppling the World Government? It was absolutely necessary to urge the revolutionaries to pick up the pace. She had no choice; she truly yearned for peace.
...
Two days passed, and Yumesaki's group arrived at the Floating Restaurant, Baratie, without a hitch. Not a single incident occurred during the trip, which actually left Yumesaki a bit surprised.
"I thought pirates in the world of One Piece were as common as sheep's wool. Why haven't I seen a single one the whole way?"
Robin, finally unable to hold back, said, "The East Blue is nicknamed the 'Weakest Sea.' It's the region with the weakest and fewest pirates, so it's perfectly normal not to see any."
She paused, then added, "As for the Grand Line... you spent every day hiding in your room playing games and reading manga, so it's natural you didn't see them. In reality, while we were sailing the Grand Line, we encountered pirates several times."
"But," she continued, "those pirates were already taken care of by Mr. Hashirama."
Yumesaki turned his head to stare at Hashirama. Is that true?
Hashirama Senju let out a hearty laugh. "They were just a bunch of small-time crooks, nothing worth worrying about."
Although Hashirama had pacified a chaotic world using his Wood Release, that didn't mean it was the only thing he knew. Aside from Wood Release, Hashirama was a master of various other Ninjutsu; after all, his Chakra affinities included Fire, Wind, Lightning, Earth, Water, and Yang. Even Sage Mode was no challenge for him.
To deal with common pirates, simply unleashing a Water Style: Water Dragon Bullet Technique was usually enough to smash both the men and their ships into splinters. He didn't even need Wood Style.
To protect Yumesaki's peace of mind, those pirate crews hadn't even been able to get close before Hashirama effortlessly dealt with them from hundreds of meters away. That was why Yumesaki hadn't seen a single skull and crossbones on the journey.
"Fair enough."
Yumesaki didn't argue the point for long. Once they pulled up alongside the floating restaurant, he couldn't wait to climb aboard. Compared to pirates, Yumesaki was far more interested in tasting the food here.
"Welcome to the Floating Restaurant Baratie! May I ask how many are in your—pffft!"
As soon as Yumesaki stepped through the door, he saw a large, burly chef rubbing his hands together as he approached. But before the man could finish his sentence, a blonde man with curly eyebrows suddenly sprinted past and kicked the chef with incredible force.
The chef went flying sideways, slamming into the cabin wall with a dull thud before collapsing in a heap.
The blonde man with the curly eyebrows didn't even look at the flying chef. Instead, he dropped to one knee in front of Robin with a heavy thump, a single red rose clenched between his teeth.
"What a beautiful lady. Welcome to the Baratie. I am your personal chef, San—"
Bang!
A muffled metallic sound echoed. The blonde man didn't get to finish his sentence either, as a heavy black frying pan slammed into his face and sent him tumbling away.
"How many times have I told you not to harass the customers, you shitty brat Sanji?!"
The man holding the frying pan was the owner of the Baratie, Zeff. As for the blonde man who had just been launched across the room, it was Sanji—the future member of the Straw Hat Pirates.
"You damn old geezer! Are you trying to kill me?!"
After being knocked away, Sanji didn't stay down. Instead, he leaped to his feet and screamed at the top of his lungs. More impressively, even while he was shouting, the rose in his mouth hadn't fallen out. How he managed that, Yumesaki couldn't comprehend.
Furthermore, Yumesaki had seen very clearly that Zeff hadn't held back; when the pan hit, Sanji's head had actually deformed for a split second. Yet, looking at him now, he seemed perfectly fine as if he hadn't taken any damage at all. It made no sense.
If that had been an ordinary person from Earth, they would at least have a severe concussion, if not permanent brain damage. If they were unlucky, Zeff would be kneeling on the floor praying they didn't die. This once again reinforced a logic Yumesaki was learning: humans in the One Piece world were built differently than those on Earth.
Facing Sanji's high-energy complaints, Zeff simply delivered another kick that sent the boy flying once more.
"I apologize, guests, for making you witness such an embarrassing display. How many in your party?"
After booting Sanji away, Zeff didn't forget to apologize to Yumesaki's group. He was surprisingly polite.
"It's fine, no problem," Yumesaki said, waving his hand. "There are three of us. Could you find us a nice spot?"
Zeff nodded. "Please follow me."
He personally led them to a prime table by the window and handed Yumesaki a menu. Yumesaki glanced at it; there were over a hundred dishes, ranging from main courses and snacks to desserts and signature seafood. It was enough to make anyone's head spin.
Yumesaki set the menu aside and asked curiously, "This is our first time here. What would you recommend as your specialty?"
"The Seafood Risotto, of course."
Before Zeff could even open his mouth, Sanji had already walked back over. He said to Zeff without any ceremony, "Hey old man, go back to whatever you were doing. Let me handle this table."
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