Chương 24: Another Bet
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Nami, her gaze fixed on Coby, challenged him with a hint of playfulness in her voice. "Do you want to bet again?" Her reference to their previous bet, which resulted in her 'reluctant' first kiss.
This time, although she played the role of revenge betting to win back, Coby knew she was doing it on purpose to get closer. So he smirked and said, "Sure."
Nami's eyes sparkled with a mix of challenge and excitement. "If you lose, you owe me a fancy dinner at the best place on this sea," she declared, her voice confident.
"And if you lose?" Coby inquired, his smirk widening.
Nami leaned closer, a playful glint in her eyes as she challenged Coby. "And what do you want?" she asked, her voice a tantalizing whisper.
Coby's smirk deepened, his gaze locking onto her beautiful eyes. He leaned in, their faces mere inches apart, their breaths mingling in the charged air. Nami's eyes fluttered closed, expecting a kiss, but Coby's voice came as a soft whisper, "You take me to a fancy dinner at the best place on this sea."
Her eyes snapped open, a flicker of disappointment crossing her features. "Only that?" she queried, her tone betraying a hint of unfulfilled expectation. She had hoped Coby would take the moment further, but he held back, maintaining the playful tension between them.
Realizing he had caught on to her unspoken desires, Nami's cheeks flushed with a mix of embarrassment and annoyance. 'Bastard,' she thought, cursing him under her breath for his teasing games.
The atmosphere in Baratie was lively, the clatter of dishes and the chatter of customers creating a backdrop to their banter. Luffy, completely oblivious to the exchange, was engrossed in his meal, his focus solely on the plate in front of him.
Zoro, leaning back with a relaxed posture, watched the interaction with an amused expression. He was used to the antics of his crewmates, finding their dynamics entertaining.
Usopp, on the other hand, was still visibly shaken from the discussion about the Krieg Pirates. His eyes darted around nervously, as if expecting danger to burst through the door at any moment.
Coby, noticing Usopp's discomfort, reassured him with a confident pat on the back. "Relax, Usopp. Being part of this crew means facing challenges head-on. We've got each other's backs."
Usopp nodded, trying to draw comfort from Coby's words, but his expression remained anxious.
Meanwhile, Nami, still miffed by Coby's tease, decided to change the subject. She turned her attention to Luffy, who was now stacking empty plates with a satisfied grin. "So, captain, what's the plan after we leave Baratie?"
Luffy, his mouth full of food, replied with a muffled voice, "Find more crew! We need a musician. And a doctor. And maybe a few more people."
Zoro chuckled, shaking his head at Luffy's endless appetite for both food and adventure. "One step at a time, Luffy. We still need to convince the foolish cook to join."
Sanji, who had been busy in the kitchen, emerged with another round of dishes. He skillfully navigated through the tables, his eyes occasionally darting towards their table, though he maintained a safe distance.
As he placed the dishes on the table, Luffy immediately lunged for them, his enthusiasm undiminished by the feast he had already devoured.
Usopp, now slightly more relaxed, joined in, though his appetite was considerably more modest than Luffy's.
Coby observed the crew with a sense of contentment. They were an odd bunch, each with their unique quirks and strengths, but together they formed a unit that was greater than the sum of its parts.
Nami, with a sigh that mingled exasperation with resignation, stood from her seat. "Since Coby said he'll join in two days, are we supposed to just wait here?" Her voice carried a hint of weariness, her eyes reflecting a need for solitude and rest.
Luffy, his face brightening at the prospect of more time to indulge in Sanji's culinary delights, nodded enthusiastically. The idea of waiting didn't bother him in the slightest, especially when it meant he could eat as much as he wanted.
She sighed helplessly as she got up, "I will return to the ship. I need a rest." As she walked back, Coby looked at her back. Unsure if she would still ditch them to return to her island or come clean. Either way, he would let her decide.
Two days later, the relative calm of the restaurant was shattered as a patron, his voice quivering with fear, stuttered, "K-k-krieg pirates!" He pointed towards the sea, his hand shaking uncontrollably. The mention of the Krieg Pirates sent a wave of panic through the patrons and cooks alike. Patty, who had previously beaten Gin with confidence, was now sweating profusely, his composure slipping away in the face of the impending threat.
Usopp, who had only just begun to relax, felt a cold shiver run down his spine, his body tensing up as if ready to flee at a moment's notice. Coby, Luffy, and Zoro, on the other hand, stood up and moved towards the window, their curiosity piqued by the announcement.
Peering out, they saw a dilapidated ship slowly sailing towards them. Its appearance was haunting, a ghostly vessel that seemed to carry with it an air of doom and despair.
"That ship is a wreck," a patron murmured, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at the ghostly vessel approaching Baratie. The sight was unnerving, the once great galleon now nothing more than a ravaged shell, its sails torn and its hull battered beyond recognition.
Sanji, leaning against the doorway with a cigarette dangling from his lips, added with a grimace, "That wasn't the work of men. They must have sailed through a typhoon." His voice carried respect and pity for the crew that had endured such a calamity.
The restaurant fell into a tense silence, the usual clatter of dishes and chatter of patrons replaced by a collective, anxious breath-holding. Then, as if on cue, the door swung open, and a giant of a man appeared. His massive form filled the doorway, a looming presence that immediately drew gasps and murmurs of fear from the patrons.
But as the figure stepped into the light, it became apparent that he was not the threat they had anticipated. Held under the arm by Gin the giant was revealed to be Don Krieg, the feared captain of the Krieg Pirates. However, the man who stood before them now was a mere shadow of the infamous pirate lord. His once imposing figure was now bent and broken, his eyes dull with the sheen of defeat and desperation.
"Please," Krieg rasped, his voice barely a whisper as he struggled to maintain his stance. "May I have some food and water? I have money. Lots of money." His plea was pitiful, the sight of such a notorious pirate reduced to begging for the bare necessities striking a chord of both pity and fear among those present.
While the patrons and cooks of Baratie murmured and scoffed at the sight of the once-feared Don Krieg looking so shabby and desperate, Luffy and Sanji saw something else — a man brought low by hunger and perhaps misfortune. As Krieg wobbled and eventually collapsed to the ground, the stark reality of his condition became evident. Gin, with desperation and urgency, pleaded for help. "Food and Water, please. I beg of you. If you don't help, he will be doomed!"
Patty couldn't help but laugh at the sight. The dread Don Krieg, the terror of the seas, reduced to this pitiful state. "How rich! What a laugh! This bum is the dreaded Don Krieg?" His laughter filled the restaurant, filled with mockery and disbelief.
Gin, undeterred, insisted with a voice strained by desperation. "This time I've got money! We're customers!" But Patty was unmoved. His mind was set on alerting the Navy, a chance to rid the seas of a notorious pirate. "Don't feed them a crumb. Just grab them!" he barked.
The other patrons chimed in, their voices a chorus of fear and scorn. They talked of the danger Krieg posed if he regained his strength, how he would pillage the restaurant, and that he deserved to die for his crimes. The sentiment was clear: Don Krieg was not welcome here, not even for a cup of water.
In the midst of the chaos, Luffy observed Krieg with a contemplative gaze. He understood the fear that Krieg inspired, but he also saw a human being in dire need.
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