章 21: Chapter 21: The Sea Restaurant - The Persistent Vice Admiral
Leg techniques were Zeff's pride and joy, second only to his culinary skills. Many had fallen to his kicks, their blood staining his boots, earning him the infamous title of "Red-Leg Zeff."
"Kid, what's your name?" Zeff asked.
"Takumi."
"Alright, Takumi, I'll take the compensation you offered, but you're staying at Baratie to help out for at least a month."
"No way."
"Come on!" Zeff frowned, his voice firm. "All I'm asking is for you to help serve the customers, no kitchen chores involved."
At that moment, a voice echoed from the spiral staircase in the middle of the hallway. "How much does the kid owe you?" It was Garp.
Both Takumi and Zeff turned to look at him.
Zeff's eyes widened in recognition. "You're... Garp the Hero, the Marine Vice Admiral?"
Garp grinned, showing off his teeth. "That's right, and you're Red-Leg Zeff, former captain of the Cook Pirates, now owner of Baratie. Even though you've left the pirate life behind, your bounty still stands, and I could arrest you anytime."
Zeff narrowed his eyes, knowing full well he was no match for Garp. Even so, he wasn't about to go down without a fight. "If you knew I was running Baratie, you could have arrested me long ago. Why wait until now?"
Garp chuckled, "I'm not unreasonable. Let the kid go, and I won't take you in. Fair trade, don't you think?"
Zeff smirked, "So, this kid must be someone special for you to go through all this trouble. He's not just any ordinary kid, is he?"
Garp laughed heartily. "Don't get the wrong idea. The kid's just a regular kid. I was just taking a walk after lunch when I saw a helpless little boy being bullied by a mean old man. My sense of justice wouldn't let me stand by and do nothing, so here I am, rescuing him from your clutches."
Zeff gave Garp a skeptical look. "Yeah, right. What do you really want?"
Garp turned to Takumi with a grin. "Kid, if I save you this time, you owe me one. All I'm asking in return is that you join the Marines."
Takumi stared at Garp, completely unimpressed.
What's with this guy? Why is he so obsessed with recruiting me?
The truth was, after finishing his dessert downstairs, Garp had been drawn to the commotion upstairs. Driven by curiosity, he had come up, only to witness the clash between Takumi and Zeff.
Garp knew all about Red-Leg Zeff. While Zeff wasn't as strong as him, he was more than capable of handling most young upstarts.
But here was this kid, matching Zeff blow for blow!
And that sword hanging from Takumi's waist—it clearly marked him as a swordsman. Yet instead of using his sword, he had chosen to fight Zeff with kicks, as if to beat him at his own game.
Garp couldn't help but admire the kid's audacity. It reminded him of why Shanks had taken an interest in this boy.
Zeff, on the other hand, had picked up on something intriguing.
Zeff smirked, "Garp, let me guess. You've already asked this kid to join the Marines, and he turned you down, didn't he?"
Garp scratched his head with a sheepish laugh. "Heh, you got me there."
Zeff continued, "But it looks like the kid isn't too keen on joining up with you. If you try to force him, how are you any different from the ruthless pirates who stop at nothing to get what they want?"
"Hey now, don't twist my words," Garp replied with a grin. "Who said I was going to force him? I'm just giving him a fair deal. I help him out, and in return, he joins the Marines. Simple as that."
Before Takumi could respond, Zeff cut in, "Kid, I know you don't want to join the Marines. How about you stay at Baratie instead? You don't have to do any of the grunt work. Go wherever you want, do whatever you like, as long as you don't cause trouble. You can stay here as long as you want, no strings attached."
It was obvious that Zeff was doing this just to spite Garp.
"Hey! Zeff!" Garp exclaimed, exasperated. "Do you really have to make this difficult?"
Zeff laughed, "I'm just giving the kid another option. It's up to him to choose. So, kid, what do you think of my offer?"
Takumi chuckled lightly, "Sounds good to me."
Zeff's offer was perfect—it meant Takumi could stay as long as he liked without lifting a finger.
Why would he hesitate? Of course, he accepted.
Owing someone a favor could be a real hassle, and Takumi had no intention of being in anyone's debt.
"I guess I win this round," Zeff said with a smug grin. "Didn't expect you, Garp, to get turned down like that."
Garp was silent for a moment before bursting into laughter.
It was clear he wasn't bothered at all by Takumi's choice.
"Haha!" Garp laughed heartily. "You're a funny kid. Alright then, I've made up my mind too. I'm staying here at Baratie until Takumi decides to leave!"
"What?" Zeff was stunned. "Are you serious? For a kid? Don't you have pirates to catch?"
Garp pointed a finger at Zeff, laughing. "Of course, I'm serious! I heard that pirates often stop by your restaurant. What could be better than eating delicious sweets while catching some outlaws? It's the best of both worlds!"
Zeff: "..."
Takumi: "..."
Takumi hadn't expected Garp to be so persistent. This stubbornness reminded him of how Luffy would later gather his crew, never taking no for an answer.
Like grandfather, like grandson...
Whatever, let him do what he wants.
Takumi didn't plan on sticking around to chat. Without saying much, he headed toward the kitchen.
"Where are you going?" Zeff called after him.
Takumi replied casually, "The kitchen."
Zeff's eyes narrowed. "Do you know how to cook?"
Takumi's expression remained unchanged. "Nope."
Zeff: "..."
Garp burst out laughing again, "Haha!"
After Takumi entered the kitchen, Garp prepared to return to the dining hall.
Before he left, Zeff called out, "Garp, you really plan on staying here?"
Garp flashed a grin. "You bet."
And with that, he headed down the spiral staircase, back to the dining hall.
Zeff's gaze drifted back to the kitchen door. "What's the deal with that kid?"
Inside the kitchen, Takumi's eyes swept over the bustling chefs, finally settling on Sanji, who was diligently washing dishes at the sink.
From his previous experiences in Frost Moon Village, Takumi knew that the sign-in tasks related to Sanji would likely be significant.
Without further thought, Takumi walked over to him.
Noticing someone approaching, Sanji glanced over.
He was surprised to see the boy who had just sparred with Zeff coming toward him.
In his surprise, Sanji fumbled the plate he was holding, and it slipped from his hands.
With a loud crash, it shattered on the floor.
Sanji's face paled. "Oh no! That old man's gonna kill me..."
********
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