"Gentlemen, your specialty roasted meat is ready. Please enjoy!"
At that moment, the tavern owner emerged from the kitchen carrying five large plates of sizzling roast meat. The rich aroma instantly filled the air.
He seemed completely oblivious to Shark and his men groaning on the floor, and equally unfazed by the lingering tension in the room. Smiling cheerfully, he placed the plates in front of Sami's group.
Only after that did he straighten up and sweep his gaze across the bounty hunters still clutching their weapons.
"What are you all doing? Put those things away! Have you forgotten the rules of the Sea Monster's Throat? Anyone who walks through this door is my guest! Until I close for the night, nobody lays a hand on my guests!"
Shark tried to argue, pointing angrily at Sami.
"Boss, it wasn't us—it was them who started—"
"Hmm?!"
Under the owner's intimidating glare, the bounty hunters hesitated. Reluctance flashed across their faces, but in the end they slowly released their weapons and sat back down, pretending nothing had happened.
The tense atmosphere finally eased.
Still, curious and scrutinizing glances continued to drift toward Sami's table.
Sami observed the entire scene and couldn't help gaining a bit more respect for the tavern owner.
"Boss, I didn't expect you to have such influence. Even these people who live with blades at their throats listen to your rules. Seems like you have quite a reputation around here."
Before the owner could respond, the bartender who had been silently polishing glasses spoke without even looking up, his tone carrying a hint of pride.
"Of course he does. Back when our boss ruled the seas, his bounty reached 12 million Beli. They called him Rockbreaker Gruff. These days he's just retired from the waves and settled down here."
Gruff chuckled and waved a hand, returning to his friendly merchant demeanor.
"Ancient history, nothing worth mentioning. I'm old now. Fighting and killing lost its appeal long ago. I'm just living off a bit of goodwill from old friends."
He glanced meaningfully at Sami.
"You're new here, so you didn't know our rules. Let's forget about what just happened."
His gaze lingered thoughtfully.
"You're young, bold… and clearly come from an unusual background. In the future, there will surely be a place for you on this sea."
Sami snorted softly and sat back down, wearing the expression of someone who knew he was impressive but preferred to remain modest—as if that shocking declaration about the Human-Human Fruit earlier had been nothing more than a casual remark.
He waved to his still-dazed subordinates.
"What are you all standing there for? Sit down! Drink and eat!"
"Y-Yes! Boss!"
The officers snapped out of their shock and hurried to sit.
The way they looked at Sami now carried even more awe than before.
Their captain truly seemed unfathomable.
The murmured conversations throughout the tavern never stopped. The topic inevitably circled back to the Human-Human Fruit and the young pirate named Riberra Sami.
Sami calmly cut pieces of roast meat with his knife and fork.
Outwardly composed.
Inside, his mind was racing.
Watching everyone's reactions, he was fairly certain that his improvised story had worked.
But now there were two things he absolutely had to figure out.
First: how had his photo spread?
Second: which specific incident had caught the Marines' attention and earned him a bounty of 7 million Beli?
At the moment, he had no clue.
Sami took a big bite of meat and chewed slowly, his eyes drifting again toward the pink wanted poster on the wall.
Then another thought struck him.
Actually… is this poster even useful?
As long as I don't transform, who would know that pink jellyfish-looking thing is me?
By the time he had eaten through most of the meat on his plate, Sami finally remembered the real reason they had come.
Setting down his knife and fork, he turned to Gruff.
"Boss, since you used to sail the seas yourself, I imagine your connections are extensive. My ship needs to recruit a few sailors. Could you introduce some capable men?"
Gruff wiped the bar counter and smiled.
"Capable men? Out of the people coming and going through this tavern, eight out of ten think they're capable."
He paused.
"But the truly capable ones are often arrogant. Do you have the confidence to keep them under control?"
Sami smiled confidently.
"Boss, you misunderstand something. On my ship, whether someone is capable or not comes second."
"What matters most… is whether they follow my rules."
"Rules…"
Gruff raised an eyebrow and set down his rag. His expression turned somewhat complicated.
"I've heard about them. To be honest, for pirates who value freedom, your rules seem… a bit too strict."
"Oh?" Sami narrowed his eyes slightly. "Do you have objections to my rules?"
Gruff shook his head.
"Not objections. Just… I can't quite agree with them."
He lowered his voice.
"If I'm not mistaken, your original plan was probably to quietly build your strength, accumulate power, and wait for the right moment before making a name for yourself."
"To be honest, if you didn't have so many rules, and given how discreetly you operate, that wanted poster might not have appeared for quite some time. You would have had much more time to grow stronger."
He leaned slightly closer.
"The news I heard is that the men you kicked off your ship for breaking those rules held a grudge. They sold your movements and actions to both the Marines and the mafia groups you've crossed."
"Now that the wanted poster is out, it means you've officially entered the sights of the Marines—and certain underground bosses."
Sami nodded silently.
Gruff's words struck directly at his concerns.
His original intention really had been to develop quietly.
After all, although he was familiar with the plot of One Piece, his knowledge only covered the story after Luffy set sail, and even then mainly from Luffy's perspective.
The current year was Sea Circle Calendar 1470—fifty years before Luffy's voyage.
Almost none of the plot he knew was useful here.
He only remembered a few legendary events.
For example, the Rocks Pirates once attempted to overthrow the rule of the World Government and launched a shocking attack on the Celestial Dragons at God Valley.
(Setting: Before Sami transmigrated, the manga had just finished the Wano arc.)
Even worse, Sami's memory of those events was extremely vague.
The exact year.
The details.
He couldn't recall any of it clearly.
He only had a feeling that the God Valley Incident should occur within the next few years.
Under such circumstances, drawing attention to himself too early was definitely not a good thing.
And what if those fan theories were right?
What if Rocks really went around recruiting powerful pirates?
Would that madman drag him onto his ship as well?
Sami wanted to grow stronger.
But he couldn't afford to be too high-profile—or that lunatic might set his sights on him.
After all, according to the story's outcome, the Rocks Pirates eventually failed.
And in a battle between monsters on the level of future Emperors, surviving at all would already be a miracle.
He had absolutely no desire to get caught in something like that.
Thinking about it made his teeth itch with frustration.
If only Oda hadn't updated the story so slowly…