Chapter 26

*The Shimotsuki family really is full of talent, they even have this skill?*

Siano was a bit surprised and lowered himself, preparing to tap the wooden leg to test the feel. As he squatted down, he happened to make eye contact with a certain blond, curly-browed kid.

"S-Siano-aniki!"

Sanji was a bit nervous and stammered, "Thank you! The old man told me everything. If you hadn't arrived in time, we would have both starved to death on that deserted island!"

*Such a cute voice... is there a Chopper hidden inside?*

"I don't deserve that much credit." Siano smiled and rubbed his little head, "If you were able to survive, you should thank Uncle Zeff more."

"I know."

Sanji nodded vigorously.

He had only figured out the situation after waking up in the medical clinic this morning. He had hugged Zeff's amputated leg and cried his eyes out on the spot.

Zeff had laughed and comforted him, saying how could he sit by and watch a kid with a shared dream starve to death, which made him cry even louder, and he only recovered his spirits before leaving.

"Uncle Zeff."

Siano pinched the wooden leg, looked up, and asked, "It seems like your daily activities aren't affected, but what about fighting? Can you still use those kicking techniques from before?"

"Eh?" Zeff was dumbfounded, "Benefactor, so you... you know my former identity?"

"I know." Siano clapped his hands and stood up, "Captain of the Cook Pirates, Red-Leg Zeff, right? You're quite famous in the East Blue."

Actually, it was more than just famous. Zeff had traveled the Grand Line for a year and returned unscathed; back in the East Blue, he was a hidden boss-level character.

He had also seen his wanted poster in the newspaper: 50 million Berries, which was simply in a league of its own in the East Blue.

"Then you're still so calm? I'm a pirate, shouldn't you be afraid?"

"Are you the kind of person who bites the hand that feeds them?" Siano looked at him strangely, "If not, why should I be afraid?"

Pirates' reputation among the public was indeed terrible.

But he was a transmigrator who knew the plot, so naturally, he wouldn't be stupid enough to categorize people by faction and dismiss them all with one stroke.

Coming to this turbulent Great Pirate Era, he couldn't judge people strictly by the moral standards of his previous modern society. He had good impressions of guys on both the Marine and pirate sides, and Zeff was undoubtedly one of them.

"This..." Zeff was stunned, suddenly realizing that this young benefactor who had saved him didn't seem to be a simple character either.

He looked around again.

Koshiro was still smiling, and his words just now seemed to have had no effect on him at all.

*So none of them are ordinary people...* Zeff couldn't help but laugh out loud, and the faint sense of restraint that had been there completely dissipated.

"As for kicking techniques, I can barely use them, but the power is greatly reduced!"

Zeff said heartily, "The little skill I have left won't get me far in the Grand Line, so I can't be a pirate anymore. But that's fine, at my age, it's time to rest for a while."

But Siano still saw a trace of sadness in his eyes. He pondered for a moment and asked, "Then what are your plans next?"

"This... I'm not sure either."

Zeff looked at the kids training in the dojo and suddenly said, "Tell me, Mr. Koshiro, does your dojo still need a cook?"

"Hmm?"

Koshiro was a bit surprised and shook his head, "How could I afford to hire a chef? In the past, Kuina and I took turns cooking. It's only in the last few years that more kids have come to learn kendo, so we had the old woman next door come over to help."

"How about you let me try?"

Zeff chuckled, "It just so happens that everyone hasn't had breakfast yet, so let me show you what I can do!"

"You're still recovering from your injuries, how is that appropriate..."

Koshiro subconsciously wanted to dissuade him, but Zeff had already waved his hand and walked toward the kitchen. Only after entering did his loud voice come out: "Curly-browed kid! Come over and help!"

"Coming!"

Sanji’s eyes lit up, and he rushed over in a hurry.

*What is this? How can I let an injured guest cook?* Koshiro sighed helplessly, looked into the dojo, and instructed:

"Kuina, Zoro, you two go help out too."

"Yes, Father."

Kuina nodded, put down her bamboo sword, and expressionlessly grabbed the ear of a certain little green-haired kid who was struggling and shouting "I don't want to," and walked toward the kitchen.

……

In the kitchen.

Zoro was angrily chopping onions with a kitchen knife, his expression as if someone owed him five million Berries.

*What the hell!*

*Actually interrupting my training and making me come here to do this kind of grunt work!*

"Your name is Zoro, right!"

A blond little head popped up next to him, enthusiastic and friendly, "Nice to meet you, I'm Sanji. I've worked as a professional chef in a passenger ship's kitchen, so you can ask me if there's anything you don't know."

"You can ask me if there's anything you don't know~~"

Zoro repeated sarcastically, "Well, there are too many things I don't know. After all, not everyone likes to spend all day soaking in a place like this."

"I like it very much." Sanji scratched his head, smiling brightly, "Cooking is one of the most interesting things in the world, don't you think? Oh, right—"

He pointed to the onion that was in a sorry state under Zoro's destruction.

"There's a technique to chopping onions too. First remove the top and bottom roots, then cut horizontally from the middle and turn it over. That way it's easier to..."

"Shut up!"

Zoro turned his head and roared impatiently, "I don't want to hear this nonsense! And why do I always want to cry whenever I hear you talk!"

"That's because of the onion, not me..."

Sanji was speechless, looking at the tearful Zoro, "Uh, you can actually breathe slowly through your mouth, and you can put a bowl of water next to the cutting board when you chop..."

"Still don't want to hear it!"

Zoro roared with bared teeth, "Are you a man? Or are you just a girl who just got a short haircut? How can a man not work hard on swordsmanship, but know so much about this kind of thing!"

"Ha?"

Sanji widened his eyes, also getting angry, "Who are you calling a girl? A guy who can't even chop onions properly, aren't you afraid of accidentally cutting yourself when you swing a sword?"

"You can be smug about chopping onions? I hate onions the most! They're all twisted and circular, just like your eyebrows, it makes me sick to look at them!"

"What did you say! You green-haired plant-man who can't even tell salt from sugar in the kitchen!"

"Sissy who swings a spatula ten times slower than I swing a sword!"

"Single-celled organism that thinks with muscles!"

The two little guys had their faces almost pressed together, not noticing a dangerous figure gradually approaching behind them.

"You two brats..."

Zeff gritted his teeth, grabbing one ear with each hand, "If you argue in my kitchen again, I'll chop you both into pieces and make you today's main course! Do you hear me!"

Thud!

One minute later.

Zoro and Sanji were obediently kneeling in front of the faucet in a seiza position, washing vegetables, with a string of large bumps on their heads, from which blue smoke was rising.

(End of chapter)