Chapter 29: Green Hair and Blond Hair

The Shimotsuki Family truly produces talents one after another; they even have this kind of craftsmanship?

Siano felt somewhat surprised, lowered his body, and prepared to tap the wooden leg to test its feel, but just as he squatted down, he found himself eye-to-eye with a certain curly-browed, blond-haired brat.

"S... Siano Big Brother!"

Sanji was a little nervous and stuttered, "Thank you! That stinky old man told me everything; if you hadn't arrived in time, the two of us would have starved to death on that deserted island long ago!"

What an adorable voice... is there a Chopper hidden inside?

"I don't deserve that much credit." Siano smiled and rubbed the boy's small head. "If you survived, you should really thank Uncle Zeff."

"I know."

Sanji nodded vigorously.

He had only figured out the situation after waking up at the medical clinic this morning, where he immediately hugged Zeff's severed leg and cried his eyes out.

Zeff, however, was still laughing heartily while comforting him, asking how he could just sit by and let a brat with shared dreams starve to death, which only made him cry even louder until he finally calmed down just before heading out.

"Uncle Zeff."

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

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

"Of course I know." Siano clapped his hands and stood up. "Captain of the Cook Pirates, Red Leg Zeff; you're quite famous in the East Blue."

In fact, it was more than just famous; for Zeff to venture into the Grand Line for a year and return with his whole body intact meant he was practically a hidden boss-level figure back in the East Blue.

Siano had even seen his wanted poster in the newspapers; fifty million Berries was simply in a league of its own in the East Blue.

"Then why are you so calm? I'm a pirate; shouldn't you be afraid?"

"Are you the kind of person who repays kindness with ingratitude?" Siano looked at him strangely. "If not, then why should I be afraid?"

Pirates indeed had a terrible reputation among the common people.

But since he was a transmigrator familiar with the plot, he naturally wouldn't foolishly judge everyone strictly by faction and crudely write them all off with a single stroke.

Having arrived in this turbulent Great Pirate Era, one could no longer hold others to the strict moral standards of modern society from his previous life; he had impressions of good guys on both the Marine and Pirate sides, and Zeff was undoubtedly one of them.

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

He looked around again.

Teacher Teacher Gengsilang was still smiling warmly, as if the previous conversation had no effect on him whatsoever.

So none of them are ordinary people... Zeff couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter, and the slight restraint he had felt earlier vanished completely in an instant.

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

Zeff said cheerfully, "With the little skill I have left, I wouldn't survive in the Grand Line, so there's no way I can be a pirate anymore; but that's fine too, at my age, it's time to rest for a while."

Yet Siano still detected a hint of melancholy in his eyes, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Do you have any plans for what comes next?"

"Well... I'm not sure myself."

Zeff looked at the brats training with 'hu-hu-ha-ha' sounds in the dojo and suddenly said, "Say, Mr. Teacher Gengsilang, is your dojo short on a cook?"

"Hmm?"

Teacher Teacher Gengsilang looked somewhat surprised and shook his head. "How could we afford to hire a chef? In the past, Sister Sister Guyina and I took turns cooking; it's only in recent years, as more and more children came to learn swordsmanship, that we asked the old lady next door to come help."

"How about letting me give it a try?"

Zeff chuckled. "Everyone hasn't had breakfast yet, right? Let me show off my skills!"

"You're still recovering from your injuries; how is this appropriate..."

Teacher Teacher Gengsilang instinctively wanted to dissuade him, but Zeff had already waved his hand and strode toward the kitchen, his loud voice echoing out only after he entered: "Curly-browed brat! Come help out!"

"Coming!"

Sanji's eyes lit up, and he rushed over hurriedly.

What is this, letting an injured guest do the cooking? Teacher Teacher Gengsilang helplessly pressed his forehead, glanced inside the dojo, and ordered:

"Sister Sister Guyina, Zoro, you two go help out as well."

"Yes, Father."

Sister Sister Guyina nodded, put down her bamboo sword, and expressionlessly dragged a certain little green moss-head by the ear who was struggling desperately and shouting, "I don't want to!" toward the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen.

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

What is this!

Actually interrupting his training just to make him come over and do this kind of miscellaneous work!

"Your name is Zoro, right!"

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

"If there's anything you don't know, you can ask me~~"

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

"But I really like it." Sanji scratched his head, smiling brightly like sunshine. "Cooking is one of the most interesting things in the world; don't you think so? Oh, by the way—"

He pointed at the onions suffering miserably under Zoro's torment.

"There's a technique to chopping onions too; first remove the root and stem ends, then make a horizontal cut through the middle and turn it over to place it down; this makes it easier to..."

"Shut up!"

Zoro turned his head and roared anxiously, "I don't want to hear this nonsense! Also, why is it that whenever I hear you talk, I always feel like crying!"

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

Sanji looked speechless at Zoro, whose face was streaming with tears. "Um, actually you can breathe slowly through your mouth, and you can also place a bowl of water next to the cutting board while chopping..."

"Still don't want to hear it!"

Zoro roared, baring his sharp teeth, "Are you a man! Or are you just a girl who recently shaved her hair short? How can a man not work hard to train in swordsmanship but instead know so much about this kind of stuff!"

"Hah?"

Sanji's eyes bulged round, his temper flaring as well. "Who are you calling a girl? You idiot who can't even chop an onion properly—aren't you afraid you'll slip and chop yourself to death when you swing that knife?"

"You actually get proud just for chopping onions? I hate onions the most! All those winding layers make me nauseous, just like looking at your eyebrows!"

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

"You sissy who swings a spatula ten times slower than I swing my sword!"

"You single-celled organism who thinks with your muscles!"

The two little brats were practically pressing their faces together, completely failing to notice a dangerous figure gradually approaching from behind them.

"You two brats..."

Zeff ground his teeth, pinching one ear in each hand. "If you keep bickering in my kitchen, I'll chop you all into pieces and make you today's main course! Did you hear me!"

Thump!

One minute later.

Zoro and Sanji sat obediently in the dogeza posture, kneeling before the faucet to wash vegetables, large bumps swollen atop their heads as wisps of steam rose steadily upward.

(End of Chapter)