By the time Sandy and Nami came out, Zoro had already driven off the Marines, while Luffy had been dragged away by the chefs to work as a helper. Well, who told him to put a hole in their roof?
Just as they arrived at the restaurant, they saw Sanji holding Marine Captain Fullbody by the collar.
Sandy sighed. "What are you looking at? Let's hurry up and eat—I just woke up and I'm starving!"
Nami turned and rolled her eyes at him.
Sandy mischievously raised an eyebrow, which immediately made Nami think about that scene just now. It had felt nice, but still—she had a mission!
Her face turned red as she quickly turned her head and muttered, "Let's go in."
Soon, a lavish meal was served. After they had eaten for a while, Luffy, who came down from upstairs, saw the scene and immediately got restless.
"You guys ate such delicious food without me? That's too much!" he yelled.
"Too much?" Sandy grabbed Luffy's collar and glared. "You've got some nerve saying that. Didn't you say you wanted to be Pirate King? And now you're doing odd jobs?
You idiot! Do you even understand that pirates are supposed to be free? How could you be so half-hearted? A profession as glorious as being a pirate, and you're turning it into a joke!
You're a disgrace to the industry!"
"Hahaha!"
Everyone burst out laughing as Luffy stood there speechless.
"Pirates—a promising profession? A disgrace to the industry?" Nami could barely hold back her laughter. She clutched her stomach with one hand and smacked the table with the other, laughing uncontrollably.
Of course, that laughter immediately drew Sanji's attention.
In the blink of an eye, Sanji ran over to Nami, knelt on one knee, and dramatically declared, "Oh, Sea! Thank you for granting me this encounter today. Oh, Love! You may laugh at me for being unable to bear this pain, but as long as I'm with you—even if I must become a pirate or a devil—I am ready!"
Everyone around Nami was left speechless. How could this guy possibly compete with Sandy?
And where was Sandy, you ask?
Right beside Sanji—holding a notepad and pen he'd pulled out from the [pheromone system]—furiously writing down Sanji's words.
When Sanji came to his senses, he noticed a man even more handsome than him standing beside him. He frowned. "Who the hell are you? What are you doing?"
Sandy urged, "Come on, don't stop. Say the next lines—I need something smooth to use when I meet pretty girls in the future."
Sanji's face darkened. "Are you messing with me, you bastard?"
"Hahaha!" Luffy burst out laughing. "Zoro! Usopp! Look, they're like twins!"
Sandy glared at Luffy. "Who's like this lecherous cook?!"
Sanji shot back, "Watch your mouth, or I'll knock your teeth out!"
Before Sandy could reply, Zeff, the restaurant owner, came over and barked, "Sanji, are you going to pick fights with customers again? You might as well go become a pirate with that Straw Hat kid—this restaurant doesn't need you!"
Sanji snapped, "Old man, what the hell are you saying! I'm the sous chef here, how can I just leave? And—"
Zeff ignored him and went back to the kitchen.
Luffy grinned. "Sanji, he said it himself—you can become a pirate! Come on, join my crew! Hahaha!"
Sanji shook his head. "Becoming a pirate's out of the question. I have my reasons for staying here."
After chatting for a while, Luffy—who had completely forgotten he was supposed to be working—started goofing off again, until Sanji kicked him down and dragged him back to the kitchen.
Watching the scene, Sandy sighed. "Is this what you call Luffy's strength?"
Nami rolled her eyes. "What kind of strength is that?"
Sandy explained seriously, "No matter who he's with, he has the patience to get along. If it were me, I would've chopped that perverted cook already. Who does he think he is, flirting with you, Nami?"
Everyone's faces darkened. You, Sandy, are not much better!
But would Sandy care about their opinions?
Of course not.
He casually sat down beside Nami. "Nami—"
"No money," Nami cut him off instantly, rolling her eyes.
Sandy shrugged. "Don't be so stingy. Anyway, the food here's pretty damn good—"
Before he could finish, a Marine covered in blood stumbled into the restaurant entrance. Seeing Captain Fullbody, he gasped, "Bad news, Captain! Gin—the commander of the Krieg Pirates we captured—he escaped!"
Fullbody broke out in a cold sweat. "How's that possible?! He was half-dead from starvation when we caught him. We haven't given him food for days—how could he escape?"
Before he could think any further, a gunshot rang out.
Bang!
"Ahhh!"
The reporting Marine dropped to the floor, a bullet hole in his chest. At the entrance stood a tall, thin man—Gin of the Krieg Pirates.
The sudden situation caught Sandy completely off guard. "What the hell? That Marine just died right there?"
Even more shocking—no one in the restaurant seemed to care. It was like this kind of thing happened every day.
When he'd watched the anime before, he hadn't paid much attention. But now, seeing it in real life—this world felt off.
Sandy frowned deeply. Something about this world wasn't right. Still, he decided not to interfere. If he took out Gin now, what about Krieg? That was the real catch.
Gin, on the other hand, was acting like a complete lunatic—asking for food while pointing a gun at the waiter, Patty.
Patty promptly slammed Gin to the ground and beat the crap out of him.
Sandy cheered, "Nice one! Beat him harder! Need a hand?"
Zoro, Usopp, and the others turned to him with shocked faces. What was this guy's deal?
Patty, whose chin was larger than his head, turned around and grinned. "Don't worry, kid. I'm Patty, waiter of the Sea Restaurant! Don't underestimate me!"
Sandy waved dismissively. "Nah, you've got this. Though honestly, I kinda wanted to kick him a few times myself. Is that Marine still alive?"
Someone nearby answered, "He's already dead…"
Nami frowned. "What's wrong with you? You're a pirate. Why do you care about a Marine?"
Sandy coughed awkwardly, realizing everyone in the restaurant was now staring at him.
Then—instinctively—he tilted his head upward at a forty-five-degree angle, gazing solemnly toward the ceiling.
Zoro smirked to himself. This guy's showing off again.
Usopp and Nami, though, both felt an odd sense of déjà vu.
Meanwhile, all the customers and waiters, now focused on Sandy, waited eagerly to hear what this strangely kind-hearted pirate would say next.