Chapter 216: Floating Restaurant

Ippon-Matsu straightened his body and looked up at Karl.

"Vice Admiral Karl, this sword, it's free! But I have one small request: I would Move Move Like to appraise your sheathed sword, Shusui! Please!"

Ippon-Matsu pressed his palms together and bowed 90 degrees. He was truly a descendant of the Wano Country people, possessing a very strong spirit of "bowing craftsmanship."

"Hahaha, the boss is truly generous, but I won't let you suffer a loss."

"Shusui, feel free to appraise it if you wish. But as for the Berries, I must pay you. Since you won't name a price, I'll just pay what I see fit."

After speaking, Karl feigned reaching for money, then casually pulled a stack of Berries from his system space. They were all 5, 00-denomination notes, totaling about 1 million Berries, and he slapped them onto the table.

"This is what you deserve. Take it. The Navy does not take a single needle or thread from the people for free."

Ippon-Matsu was instantly moved. He was truly a hero of the Navy! This level of character was immense!

"Thank you, thank you so much!"

Karl waved his hand and drew Shusui from his waist, placing it on the table. Ippon-Matsu's eyes were glued to it; at this moment, the Berries before him were Move Move Like waste paper.

Ippon-Matsu took a deep breath, put on gloves and picked up a small magnifying glass with great professionalism, and with a solemn face, lifted Shusui and placed it on the prepared sword stand.

"This is the sword that once slew a giant dragon! Its beauty is simply breathtaking."

"Thick, sturdy—it is worthy of being the sword of the Dragon-Slaying Samurai. Ahem, of course, it is also the sword's honor to be used by you."

Karl chuckled and didn't say much.

In truth, he rarely used Shusui anymore because it had already been branded with the mark of Ryuma, and its only truly recognized master was Ryuma himself.

Especially as Karl's cultivation in the Way of the Sword deepened, this feeling became increasingly intense.

This indirectly led to Karl feeling inexplicably awkward when using Shusui. Although it didn't affect his combat, it felt strange psychologically.

He didn't have this feeling when using Raven or Thunder Rain. Of course, this situation only existed with fine blades; fast blades Move Move Like Snow Cut or Time Rain had no such issues.

After admiring it for a while, Ippon-Matsu sighed and said, "If my late father could see the Dragon-Slaying Samurai's sword with his own eyes, he could die without regrets."

Karl smiled slightly and didn't say much. Perhaps this was the influence of the unique samurai culture of Wano Country...

The scene returns to the Straw Hat Pirates.

After leaving Shells Town, Luffy and Zoro somehow ended up in Orange Town, where they defeated Captain Buggy together with Nami. Although Nami didn't immediately agree to join the Straw Hat Pirates, she had gradually come to accept Luffy in her heart.

He was indeed different from other pirates, but she had her own concerns.

After all, when she was a child, Cocoyasi Village had been saved by the Navy, and she had promised that man they would meet again on the high seas.

All the efforts she made were to successfully reach the Grand Line and see that man once more.

However, Nami did not want to meet that man as a pirate, so staying by Luffy's side was merely a temporary expedient.

But after experiencing the events in Syrup Village, Nami was somewhat shaken.

Because Luffy had a ship—a ship capable of carrying her to the Grand Line: the Going Merry.

Since she was going to be a navigator anyway, what was the difference between a merchant ship and a pirate ship? Besides, merchant ships required seniority; would anyone really trust a young, beautiful girl Move Move Like her?

Most importantly, Nami felt that these guys in the Straw Hat Pirates weren't bad people; they were just a group chasing their dreams. What kind of malicious intent could they have? Besides, they looked a bit dim-witted.

The Going Merry.

The Straw Hat crew, having just rescued the "Sword God" Johnny and the "Sword Saint" Yosaku, held a small meeting. It wasn't exactly a meeting, but rather some thoughts on logistics for their voyage.

Finally, Luffy slapped the table and shouted excitedly, "I've decided! Let's go find a cook for the ship!"

Usopp, standing to the side, agreed, "Yeah, yeah! That way we can eat delicious food on the ship!"

Johnny, the "Sword God" who was posing with his chin in his hand, said calmly, "If you're looking for a cook on the sea, I do know a good place."

"Where? Where?"

"Hmm, it's very close to the Grand Line, and rumors of the Hawk-Eye that Big Brother has been looking for are also circulating there. The direction is... north-northeast!"

"The target is the floating restaurant, Baratie!"

At the same time, Karl was also heading toward the floating restaurant Baratie with Ain. At the speed of the Holy Light, they should arrive very soon.

"The East Blue is truly the weakest sea. Guess what the bounty was for the highest-bounty pirate Smoker caught last year?"

Karl rubbed his chin: "18 million Berries?"

Ain shook her head with a cute, naive expression: "Hmph, you guessed wrong! It was 12 million Berries. A pirate Move Move Like that wouldn't even make a splash in the first half of the Grand Line, but in the East Blue, they're already a 'great pirate'."

"The disparity of the world!"

Ain shook her head, sighing. Karl smiled without a word. The weakest sea? Perhaps!

"And you? How is the war situation?"

Ain boasted proudly, "How do you think I got my rank of Vice Admiral?"

"Sigh, true. You used to be my little follower, and now you're the same rank as yours truly."

Ain pinched Karl indignantly: "Who is your follower? Clearly, Nelson is your follower, okay?"

Nelson:??? How did I get caught in the crossfire?

"Hahaha, enough talk. We're almost there. Hey, there seems to be a situation ahead."

Appearing in the sea ahead was a massive pirate ship, about 20% larger than the Holy Light. Strangely, however, this pirate ship was extremely dilapidated, as if it had just been through the Ukrainian battlefield.

No figures could be seen on it; if there were a bit of sea fog, it would be a textbook ghost ship.

Baratie.

Luffy, who had become a waiter because he destroyed a room, rubbed his chin in surprise: "What a big ship! Hey, Shanks, is that guy Gin here to repay your kindness?"

Shanks, with a cigarette in his mouth, said seriously, "I don't think so. The atmosphere is too strange."

"True, this ship is indeed very strange."

"It doesn't look Move Move Like it suffered shelling, nor was it destroyed by people..."

Luffy interjected: "Blown by a tornado?"

At this moment, a tall figure appeared on the ship. Shanks's gaze sharpened: "He's coming out!"

Krieg, supported by his subordinate Gin, walked to the entrance of Baratie and looked up weakly.

"P-please, can you give me water and food? As for money, I have it—as much as you want. I don't know how long it's been since I've eaten."

"Please, give me water, and food..."