Chapter 23: 21. Encounter The Straw Hat Pirates in The Sea Restaurant!
Sea Restaurant Baratie.
This marks Al's first stop on their journey.
Al hadn't planned to visit this place originally.
But when Tom learned from Nami about a restaurant out at sea known for its delicious food, he couldn't resist.
Being a seasoned food enthusiast, Tom was eager to seize this opportunity and kept urging Al to give it a try.
With Tom's persistent enthusiasm, Al couldn't refuse.
So, Al agreed to accompany Tom to the sea restaurant.
Tom was thrilled as they made their way there!
Every so often, they'd brandish various weapons from behind, urging the sea beast Momoo to pick up its pace!
Meanwhile, Al kept up with his daily workout routine at the gym.
Nami took great care of the orange trees growing on the cabin's roof.
Despite Tom's occasional threats towards the sea beast Momoo, both Al and Nami chose to discreetly ignore them.
In fact, Al even gifted Tom a Western sword!
The sea beast Moo muttered, "These folks are all devilish!"
"Ruthless devils who exploit their workers!"
...
Just as they arrived at Sea Restaurant Baratie, a sudden "whoosh" transformed Tom into a streak of blue lightning, catching the customers and staff off guard.
Tom eagerly sat in a seat, clutching a knife and fork in both hands as he excitedly perused the menu.
Al and Nami exchanged helpless glances at Tom's impatient behavior.
"Whose cat is that?"
"Look, Mom, that cat is adorable!"
"What a spirited cat, I really want one as a pet!"
...
In no time, the once serene sea restaurant erupted with activity.
Tom's presence had undoubtedly made him the most prominent figure at Sea Restaurant Baratie!
Of course, sharp-eyed bounty hunters quickly recognized Tom and began contemplating capturing him for the reward.
Suddenly, a gruff voice echoed from the attic:
"Quiet!"
"Shut it, or you won't be eating!"
A middle-aged man sporting a tall hat and a wooden prosthesis on his right leg emerged, commanding attention.
"Chef Zeff!"
The sea restaurant staff respectfully bowed to him.
In a secluded corner, a man in a black top hat with piercing yellow eyes observed Chef Zeff.
With a smirk audible only to himself, he muttered, "Red-Leg Zeff?"
However, unnoticed by the others, all eyes were fixed on Chef Zeff.
After receiving bows from the staff, Chef Zeff's gaze landed on Tom, who was engrossed in the menu, and they inquired:
"Chef Zeff, what should we do about this cat?" asked the waiter nervously.
Chef Zeff shot a glare at the waiter and scolded:
"Have you forgotten the rules of our sea restaurant?"
"Whether they're marines, pirates, or even a cat, as long as they behave, they're our customers!"
Chef Zeff's imposing presence instantly silenced everyone in the room.
The waiter, trembling, broke out in a cold sweat and quickly attended to Tom's table.
After gesturing towards a few dishes, Tom shook his head.
Perplexed, the waiter couldn't grasp Tom's intentions.
Stepping forward, Al explained with a smile:
"Tom means to include everything except for these few items."
The waiter hesitated for a moment, but before he could speak, Nami intervened:
"Tom is part of our crew, apologies for any inconvenience."
The waiter smiled awkwardly, crossed out the dishes Tom had pointed to, and hurried back to the kitchen.
"Captain Al, have you noticed that some people nearby are giving us strange looks?" Nami asked.
"It's alright, Nami. If they cause any trouble, I wouldn't hesitate to toss them into the sea and let the sharks deal with them!" Al declared boldly, diverting any potential animosity towards himself.
Nami nodded, flashing a reassuring smile, then returned to perusing the menu.
But with just a second, the grin on Nami's face froze in an instant.
"How can it be so pricey? One dish actually costs several thousand berries!" Nami exclaimed, feeling distressed.
But upon seeing Tom's hopeful eyes, she gritted her teeth and called out:
"Waiter, bring another serving!"
The waiter, just stepping out from the kitchen, peered at Nami with a strange expression and echoed:
"Another one!"
After a while, the dining table brimmed with delicacies from both land and sea.
As the waiter served the food, he intended to mention the sea restaurant's policy against wastage.
However, he watched in awe as Tom widened his mouth and devoured the entire plate in one go. When Tom withdrew the plate, it was spotlessly clean.
The waiter swallowed hard, stunned for a moment, before managing to utter, "Enjoy your meal."
As soon as the voice faded, a deafening explosion erupted from the second floor.
Instinctively, Nami jolted up in alarm and exclaimed, "What's happening!"
"It's alright, Nami, sit down and eat," Al reassured, his tone calm.
Tom nodded in agreement and handed Nami a piece of cake.
Nami sighed softly and accepted the cake, but her mind was elsewhere, a sense of impending doom looming over her.
Al already had a hunch about who was causing the commotion upon hearing the explosion.
However, what he didn't anticipate was encountering Luffy in this place.
Now that Luffy had arrived at the Baratie restaurant, would Hawkeye, renowned as the world's greatest swordsman, be the next to appear?
A smirk curled at the corner of Al's mouth.
"This visit to the sea restaurant isn't just about enjoying delicious food," he remarked. "It's also a chance to stretch our muscles even after indulging in a meal."
Nami paused, momentarily puzzled by Al's words.
But one thing was unmistakable: the sly grin on Al's face.
And that could only mean trouble ahead!
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