As the distance closed, Badak finally got a clear view of the ship—a pirate vessel, and one he recognized. The sail bore the image of a grinning skull with three scars over its left eye, crossed by two swords behind it. This was none other than the future infamous ship of the Four Emperors, Red-Haired Shanks' crew, who seemed to be holding another banquet.
"Hey, Shanks, something's approaching fast. Should we be worried?"
Yasopp, being a top-tier sniper, was the first to notice Badak's rapid approach.
"Ah, no worries. Whoever it is, we can handle it. Hey, Boo, stop hogging the meat—bring some over here!"
Shanks adjusted his straw hat nonchalantly. Indeed, though he was only in his early twenties and the Red-Hair Pirates weren't yet one of the Four Emperors' crews, they were already among the top pirate crews on the sea. Shanks was confident they could face any foe, even the world's strongest man, Whitebeard Edward Newgate.
"Mmph, coming, coming!"
Lucky Roux balanced a massive tray laden with all sorts of food in one hand while stuffing a huge chunk of meat into his mouth with the other. He navigated the deck effortlessly, stepping over drunken pirates sprawled everywhere—truly the most agile fat man.
As soon as the food was set down, the crew dug in with boisterous laughter, chugging alcohol between bites. Shanks blended right in, shouting loudly and showing no trace of a captain's dignity as he was egged on to drink more.
Benn Beckman leaned against the railing, quietly smoking while keeping his attention fixed on Badak, who was riding a cloud. He'd already confirmed the newcomer wasn't one of the New World's monstrous women—Big Mom Charlotte Linlin. Regardless of whether this stranger posed a threat, anyone who could ride a cloud clearly had no ordinary Devil Fruit ability, warranting his attention. Watching Shanks and the others fool around, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly: Who's the captain here, really? What a bunch of idiots.
"Hey there! My name's Badak, from the West Blue. I'm eight years old and a Devil Fruit user. The ship I was on got capsized by a huge wave—mind if I hitch a ride to the next populated port? I've got some local specialties I can offer as payment. If that's not enough, I can help out—I'm pretty good at grilling meat..."
Badak called out from afar. He had to—if Yasopp or Beckman decided to take a shot at him, he wasn't sure he could withstand it.
"Kid, you do realize we're pirates, right?" Beckman asked curiously. Few people willingly sought passage on a pirate ship, given that most pirates were outright villains.
"Ah, yeah, I saw your Jolly Roger," Badak replied, keeping his Somersault Cloud level with the ship. "But I can feel your joy—you're different from other pirates. My gut tells me you wouldn't mind having a temporary grill master aboard."
Badak thought to himself, I can't exactly say I've read your manga and know you pretty well.Ben Beckman looked to Shanks, leaving the decision to him. Shanks was very interested upon hearing Badak boast about his grilling skills and said with a laugh to Lucky Roux, "Roux, you've got competition." Then he turned to Badak, "I have an appointment coming up, after which I'll be staying at Sabaody. If that's alright, why don't you come aboard and join the feast?"
Hearing "Sabaody," Badak was momentarily stunned. The original owner's family had been on their way to Sabaody Archipelago for a vacation when they encountered extreme weather.
"Then let me show my gratitude by putting my skills to use," Badak said, leaping onto the deck. He dispersed the Somersault Cloud and reverted to his human form, quickly cleaning up before starting to grill meat on the spot.
This Somersault Cloud ability was different from the one in Dragon Ball—it was a one-time skill. If not used, it had to be dispersed, otherwise it would continuously drain stamina. To use it again, he'd have to summon a new one, and its size could be adjusted based on the amount of stamina expended.
"Kid, are you really eight years old? You're so tall—nothing like a child," someone in the crowd questioned.
Badak was now nearly 1.7 meters tall and, after half a year of training, looked strong and robust. If his parents were still alive, they could have proudly said, "My son has the makings of an admiral."
"Absolutely genuine. I just spent half a year living with wild beasts on a deserted island."
"Kid, you're quite handsome. Which part of the West Blue are you from? Our captain is also from the West Blue."
"Oh? I'm from the Kingdom of Ilusia in the West Blue."
Badak thought to himself: Like I'd tell you all that Shanks is actually a Celestial Dragon child Roger adopted in God Valley in the West Blue.
While deftly handling the crew's casual probing and chatter, Badak partially transformed his eyes into their beastly state and focused on grilling.
Before long, the aroma of the grilled meat began to waft through the air, making everyone's mouths water. Given that Shanks and his crew held feasts every other day, each of them had refined tastes when it came to food. Just from the smell alone, they could tell Badak hadn't been lying—he really was skilled at grilling.
"Roux, this is bad. Once Badak leaves the ship, we won't get to eat such delicious grilled meat anymore."
"Yeah, Roux, think of something quick!"
Several pirates who were close to Lucky Roux kept teasing him.
Roux didn't even look up, devouring the food left and right, eating faster than anyone else. At this point, whoever ate the most was the real winner.
"Hey, Badak, how about joining my crew? Your grilled meat is amazing—everyone loves it!" Shanks laughed as he extended the invitation.
Shanks never cared about how strong someone was when recruiting—after all, no one was stronger than him—he only cared about whether they felt like a good fit.
"Hahaha, Shanks, I'm only eight. I'll need to think about it."
"Thinking about it" was a polite refusal, but Shanks just smiled and didn't mind, continuing to fool around with the others.
During his half-year on the deserted island, Badak had grown bored enough to roughly outline his future plans:
First, the Marines. He would never join them. Not only were they the Celestial Dragons' guard dogs, but he also wanted to live freely on the seas—something incompatible with Marine life. Marines had to obey orders from above, and even an admiral couldn't defy the commands of the World Government's Five Elders. That alone ruled out the Marines for him. However, the Marine's Six Styles were incredibly appealing, and he was determined to learn them no matter what.Second, pirates. Badak didn't like pirates. Most pirates were disruptors of order, responsible for countless tragedies. The few who called themselves pirates but were actually adventurers still caused plenty of destruction and were constantly being chased around by the Marines. If he had to become a pirate, the Red-Haired Pirates would honestly be a good choice—their captain was easygoing and unpretentious, the crew was united and harmonious, and the entire ship was incredibly strong. In the future, they would undoubtedly become one of the Four Emperors. However, the freedom of a pirate ultimately depended on the captain's freedom, and if Badak had a choice, he'd prefer to be the boss himself.
Third, other options. Things like gourmet, traveler, scientist, doctor, or journalist—he'd considered them all. There were many professions he wanted to try, but right now, the most important thing for him was getting stronger.
"How can I get Shanks and the others to teach me Haki?"