This is the 34th chapter. This chapter is where Sanji gets into a cooking contest to compete against the chefs and 'Fiery' Carmen. Think of this as a cooking shows in between the Wall of Chefs, Chopped, and Iron Chef America.
'So now America, with an open heart and an empty stomach, I say unto to you in the words of my uncle: 'Allez cuisine!' ~Mark Dacascos
Anyway, I don't own the series of One Piece.
No flame reviews
A Culinary Battle! Sanji vs Carmen
Loguetown
When Sanji is taking for a long walk while looking at the women, one of them spoke.
"Sanji! I've searched for you!" The feminine voice called him with a haughty tone, earned his attention when he saw a woman dancing in flamenco style, twirling around and stop with her high-heels. "For 10 years."
She is a tall woman with fiery pink hair and large pink eyes. She is dressed in a dark red flamenco dress with white frills, green sash that she uses as a belt with a large red rose on her hip, and pink high-heels. She wears a gold headband and a silver-emerald necklace that match her diamond-shaped emerald earrings. She holds a ladle in her mouth and a yellow fan in her hand.
Sanji and the crowd were confused as to why would she be looking for the cook of the Straw Hat crew. Until, the two figures appeared behind her.
"Behold the amazing Carmen."
"The greatest cook in the East Blue."
"I am passion. Some have called me 'Fiery' Carmen." Carmen introduces herself as the three then pose. "Ole!"
"I am her first apprentice of Carmen and my name is Leo." Leo introduce himself with a smirk.
He has a short body and a big head. He has a large chin, and his facial (eyes, mouth, and nose) are small compared to his head. He wears a blue matador suit which has gold buttons and edging. He also wore a red tie with a black dress shirt underneath and blue and gray shoes. He has fairly long, unkempt hair.
"And I am her second, Jose." Jose introduces himself when steam came out of his nose along with his tiny eyes were open.
Has a short, round body and a bog nose with his nostrils so big they can be mistaken for sunglasses. His eyes are very tiny, hiding behind his nostrils, and he has a very thick lips. He also has short brown hair and wears a green matador suit with gold buttons and edgings. Underneath his suit he wears a dark green dress shirt with a lighter green tie and green and grey shoes.
This atmosphere is awkward of her apprentices appearance while the crowd were whispering to each other with confusion, wondering why is she here and why is she looking for Sanji. He then kneels down to own knee as he raise his arms and spoke.
"You~! Are beauty itself." Sanji said, in goo-goo eyes, causing the crowd to shout as he then walk towards her. "It is my deepest dream come true. Yes, beauty has come search for me."
Sanji then grabbed her hand as he continues.
"It is truly an honor. Wonderful Carmen." Sanji compliments her as he was about to kiss her hand.
"Don't. You. Dare!?" Carmen shouts as she whacked him in the face with her frying pan, leaving his face red and his nose bleeding.
"Oh my~! You are so passionate." Sanji compliments, still in goo-goo eyes. "But, tell me Carmen, how is it that you and I know each other?"
"Oh boys!" Carmen calls them as she twirl around, pose in flamenco dance style. "Tell the story."
"Ma'am!" Jose and Leo accepts in unison, leaving him extends out his spatula with cards next to him.
"Please, look." Leo offers.
"Okay." Sanji said with confusion as he look at the photos full of chefs. "These are pictures of cooks."
Jose then laugh while spitting on Sanji's face as he spoke.
"True." Jose agrees, pulls himself back while Sanji wipes the spit out of his face.
"These are the most famous cooks of the East Blue." Leo told him, placing his spatula on his back as he wave his red flag along with Jose. "And the great Carmen defeated every one of them in competition."
"Yes, I truly am the most amazing cook in the East Blue." Carmen said with an arrogant smirk, waving her fan as she remembered the time when she competes the chefs and easily defeats them. "The cooks who have challenge me have all been, disappointing simpletons. And I was beginning to think that there is no one left to challenge my skills. But then, I came across an article on the Baratie sea restaurant when you still work there. A cook at the Baratie said 'That his prior sous chef was the best cook in the East Blue.' He said that in all his years in the restaurant business, he had never met your equal! From that moment until now, I have spend every minute of the last 10 years searching the entire East Blue for you."
Sanji and the crowd now understands why Carmen have been calling the chef out which it's to challenge him.
"Actually, it has been 10 days." Jose corrects her.
"Carmen has a weensy bit of trouble with the thing we call the truth." Leo told him.
"Shut your mouths!?" Carmen yelled angrily at the two, bashing them with her frying pan as she points at him. "Now I challenge you Sanji! If you dare bring your spices to the marketplace cooking competition at one this afternoon, you will be minced like garlic before heated oil in a pan."
With that, Carmen is preparing to leave as she spun around with a haughty laugh which she's spinning very quickly, making it look like she's flying through the air and disappear, leaving them shocked. However, Carmen is still when she ended up being dizzy when she about to collapse down to the ground, her apprentices have manage to grab her as they leave.
"Okay then, we'll see you later!" Leo shouts while he and Jose left, carrying Carmen.
"Ah finally, a woman with a passion like mine." Sanji said, went goo-goo eyes once more.
"So kid, are you gonna compete in the marketplace?"
"Huh? Nah, I don't like contests." Sanji stated when he snapped out his stupor as he then walks way.
Meanwhile at the restaurant, both Buggy and Mohji were eating since they couldn't find Luffy in Loguetown which the clown Captain is angry about it. Even though, entering Loguetown is like entering a giant maze as he then spoke.
"Damn that rubber boy! I can't believe we can't find him anywhere in this entire island!" Buggy cursed with anger, eating.
"Hey Captain, I've been meaning to ask. Why are we wearing clothes?" Mohji questions, leaving Buggy finish drinking while placing it down on the table.
"'Why are we wearing clothes?', Why are you so stupid? There is Marine Captain in this town name Smoker. If he finds us before we find Straw Hat, then I'll never get my revenge." Buggy told him as he slams the table with his fist. "This sucks! Go and find that Straw Hat before I totally lose it!"
Luffy feel satisfied while holding his big stomach which he and Zoro have been eating their lunch at the restaurant.
"Man, I'm stuffed." Luffy said with a smile. "Loguetown might be our last chance to get out good meal for a while. I was starving."
"I was starving too." Zoro agrees, pouring the wine on the glass. "But I was also completely out of money. I'm glad I run into the kid, he got me covered for the new swords. And I'm also glad I run into you."
"Huh? But I don't have any money." Luffy told him, causing Zoro to swallow his drink down his throat.
"You don't?!" Zoro exclaims, slamming his glass on the table.
"Are you sure you don't?" Luffy asks curiously.
"Of course not! Where would I get any money?" Zoro rhetorically questions with a scowl, leaving Luffy chuckle a bit.
"You are always broke." Luffy points out with a laugh, slamming the table with hand.
"ARGH! I HATE THAT DAMN STRAW HAT! I WANT TO CRUSH HIM LIKE A BUG THE NEXT TIME I SEE HIS UGLY FACE! DIE! DIE! DIE! DIE!" Buggy yelled with anger, repeatedly slamming the table with his fist when the bag of gold bounces.
"Then how are we gonna pay for this meal?" Zoro questions, sweating bullets.
"HE WILL PAY!" Buggy yells, slamming the table again as the bag of gold bounces on the fork.
"Maybe we just won't pay." Luggy suggests which its a bad idea.
"I SWEAR HE'LL PAY!?" Buggy yells as he then slams the table, causing him to hit fork while the bag of gold lands right next to Luffy's straw hat.
Luffy was about to grab the bag of gold until a gold coin was about to fall off, quickly grabs it while looking at the gold with a smile.
"Whew, whoa! That's cool!" Luffy said with a smile as he grab the bag of gold, turned his head to Buggy. "Hey, you didn't have to buy us our lunch, but thanks?"
Buggy grunts as the straw hat Captain place the bag of gold next to him as he spoke.
"You're the best." Luffy compliments, flip the gold coin while grabbing it and leaves the restaurant.
"Yeah, thanks a lot buddy." Zoro thanked him as he then leaves the restaurant.
"Yeah whatever, you're welcome." Buggy grunts.
"Come again."
"We will." Luffy said as he and Zoro leaves.
"Wait! I know that voice." Buggy said, realize who that voice is as he look around the restaurant.
"Oh yeah, I think that was the Straw Hat guy." Mohji told him, earned his Captain's attention.
"Take one more bite and die!?" Buggy growled with a tick mark on his head, leaving Mohji scared with his face paled. "DON'T JUST SIT THERE! GO AFTER HIM YOU FLASHY IDIOT!?"
With that, Mohji then left the restaurant to find Luffy.
Meanwhile at the docks, there were people walking towards the street while heading to the marketplace to buy some food. Sanji looks at the marketplace as he spoke.
"A market." Sanji said as he then head towards the marketplace, looking around the sections that are mostly different variety of fish with awe. "Loguetown's market is incredible! They have everything a great chef could possibly want."
Sanji then walk towards the fish that's stored in ice.
"These are superb." Sanji said with a smile, earned his attention.
"You sure know how to pick'em. You're looking at some Coastal Fish we just caught early this morning."
"'Coastal Fish'?" Sanji repeats, grabs hold of the fish while looking at it. "They certainly are firm and fresh. Are you sure they were caught in the East Blue? I've never seen them before, what kind of fish did you say they were?"
"Ah, you definitely know your way around seafood. You are correct, these fish are different they're from the West Blue. People from the East Blue don't usually know this type."
"The West Blue?" Sanji repeats with confusion. "They why do you call them, Coastal Fish?"
"Young man, is this your time here?"
"Uh, yeah?" Sanji answered with confusion as the owner grabs hold of the fish.
"Just look at this. You won't find fish like these in the East Blue, but we got tons of them. You can pull them right out of the water all day long."
"So, how does that happen?" Sanji asks.
"The crossing ocean currents bring them in for all the other seas out there. Loguetown is just on the right place."
Until, what got him to stop the explanation is the crowd of people gathered around at the shore. He placed the Coastal Fish back in its place as he spoke.
"Hey, sounds like they caught something good. Let's go check it out."
With that, he and Sanji were heading towards the shore.
"So what is it?"
However, the fishermen have found something unexpected.
"AH! HOLY!?"
Sanji then walk pass through the crowd, seeing the big fish that has an elephant-like features.
"Nice catch! It's an Elephant Bluefin Tuna Fish!"
"That's right, it must've gotten mixed in from the South Blue. I got her with pull and line."
"Just a pull and line?!"
Sanji then remembered when he was kid before the tides, he was studying a different variety of fish when the chefs told him that fish is an Elephant Bluefin Tuna Fish. Of course, none of the chefs have ever seen it in person, but heard that the fish is called 'the Gem of the Ocean' some say that it's miracle food. However, that fish is from the South Blue unless it was from the 'All Blue', causing the chefs to laugh a little. When his flashback ended, he spoke.
"The All Blue." Sanji muttered with awe.
"Okay, let's go. Lift it!"
When the fishermen were about to lift the Elephant Bluefin Tuna Fish, Sanji then spoke.
"Hey, hold on a second!" Sanji shouts, earned their attention. "How much for it? Sell the fish to me!"
"What?"
"I've got money! Please, let me buy that tuna!" Sanji pleads, leaving the fishermen think for a few seconds as one of them give him the answer.
"I'm sorry, but I can't sell this tuna to you. This fish is gonna be the Grand Prize for the contest."
"It's...a prize?" Sanji questions.
"That's right."
Sanji then look at the owner as he spoke.
"The Annual Cooking Contest happens today. So, cooks from all over the East Blue will be here to compete. And this fish is going to be the Grand Prize for the winner."
"It is an Elephant Blue Tuna after all. Any Champion cook would be honored to have it as a prize."
"It you really want it, then you should enter the contest. You are a cook, aren't you?"
"Yeah." Sanji answered simply, leaving the owner points the direction to the direction while the fishermen lifts up the Elephant Bluefin Tuna Fish and haul it towards the Grand Prize for the cooking contest.
"Registration is right over there. You should give it a try if you still want a shot at the tuna. If I were you, I'd hurry before it closes. See ya."
With that, the owner then left while heading back to the marketplace to try and sell some fish. Sanji then realize that in order for him to get that fish, he has to compete in the cooking contest as he spoke.
"A cooking contest, yeah." Sanji said with with a smirk as he head towards the registration to compete, but stopped he then remembered that few minutes ago, Carmen have challenged him to a cooking contest. After few seconds later, he then spoke while heading to the registration. "Oh well."
And with that, the Cooking Competition begins as the people then head towards the marketplace for witnessing the competition.
"The Annual Cooking Festivities are about to start. The greatest cooks from the East Blue are here competing today."
"It's so crowded, I wonder what's going on?" Nami questions when she, Usopp, Ventus, and Anna have arrived at the marketplace.
"It looks like the cooking contest is about to begin." Anna told them.
"This years Grand Prize is an Elephant Bluefin Tuna. It's the Gem of the Ocean and a Miracle Food. Who is going to win this truly spectacular prize?"
Sanji was sitting on a chair, hanging his head up while blow a smoke when he heard a certain laugh that's coming from Carmen as spoke.
"That'll be me." Carmen said with an arrogant smirk, earned his attention. "I'm so glad you decided to show, Sanji. But the title of East Blue's #1 is going to be mine. This'll be fun, I've never had a real competition before."
"Oh, my Carmen~." Sanji said, in goo-goo eyes while grabbing her hand, leaving Carmen spooked. "It's so good to see you again."
When Sanji was about to kiss her hand again, Carmen then brings out her frying pan.
"Don't You Dare!?" Carmen yelled as she whacks him in the face.
"Yeah, that's the fiery passion I crave." Sanji said.
Nami, Usopp, Ventus, and Anna were passing through the crowd, but saw Sanji in the competition.
"Hey, look over there. Sanji's here." Nami told them, pointing at Sanji as the three then notice the cook is being pushed away from Leo and Jose.
"You're right!" Usopp exclaims.
"Of course." Nami agrees with a smirk.
"HEY! OVER HERE! SANJI! HEY!" Usopp yelled while calling him, earned his attention as the cook then rush towards them.
"Nami~, you came to watch me compete?" Sanji asks while in goo-goo eyes.
"Heck no, I was just walking by." Nami told him with a smile.
"So, what made you want to compete in the cooking contest, Sanji?" Usopp asks curiously.
"Usopp, when did you get here?" Sanji questions, making Ventus and Nami sweat dropped.
"I'M THE ONE WHO YELLED AT YOUR NAME FIRST, JERK!?" Usopp yelled, showing his white eyes and shark-like teeth. Sanji however, look at Ventus as he spoke.
"Ventus, where did you run off too?" Sanji asks.
"I went to HQ to collect the bounty which it's in my pouch." Ventus explains, showing the pouch which Sanji was confused. "But it's not just any ordinary pouch, it's a magic item."
"You're gonna have to give me proof." Sanji told him.
Ventus then opens up the pouch, going through it as he then pulls out his new spear. Sanji, Nami, and Usopp then drop their jaws with shock.
"No...way!? That's insane!" Usopp exclaims with shock.
"This pouch allows me to place any items, whether big or small and it can fit inside of the dimensional pockets." Ventus explains while placing the spear back inside of the pouch.
"Nice, I'm sure it'll come and handy." Sanji said with amaze.
"It can if you want to travel light." Anna cuts in with a smile.
"Who's ready to start the cooking? Just for fun, we picked one of you out of the crowd to join our panel of judges. Say hello to Sam, who was just on his way home to sleep off the rest of his daughter's wedding reception. You ready, Sam?"
"Yeah!"
"The rules are very simple, each cook competes in a blind draw head-to-head Elimination Round where the highest total score wins. Whoever ends up undefeated through all the rounds, will be a new East Blue Champion. First up, from the Eastern most part of the East Blue, Shoo the Lizard. Facing him, representing our Loguetown, Broccoli. Ready, let's go!"
When the owner of the fish market banged the pot with the ladle, the first round of the cooking contest begins as the crowd cheered.
"What's up, Sanji? You really want to be known as the best cook in the East Blue?" Usopp questions.
"No, don't be stupid. I'm just after one thing, and that's the fish." Sanji told them with a smirk, thrusting his thumb at the Elephant Bluefin Tuna.
"A fish!?" Usopp exclaims surprisingly.
"Yeah, that looks like a nice fish." Nami said with a smile.
"It sure does, but the confusing part is trying to figure out exactly how I can get that fish to talk." Sanji agrees, leaving them confused.
And with that, the cooking contest begins. Each round, both Sanji and Carmen were able to beat every cooks without any problems which the two cooks were in the final round.
"Now it's the final round!"
The then begin to cheer with excitement about the final round.
"Oh wow, these people are really excited." Usopp said with a smile.
"You're right." Nami agrees.
"With his extinctive skills and sense of food we have in the finals, Sanji. Facing him with her gorgeous presentation and culinary acumen, Carmen."
Sanji then look at Carmen with surprised look on his face, but went goo-goo eyes again as he waved at her, causing her to ignore him.
"Who will be the winner of the glorious Elephant Bluefin Tuna? Start your cooking!"
When the sound of the ladle banging the pot, the final round for the cooking contest begins. Carmen makes her first move when she grabs hold of the carrot as she cleans it up with the running water while peels them with a haughty laugh.
"Carmen's cooking with an outstanding showmanship while doing things which are relatively simple. Meanwhile, her two cheerleaders are trying to distract her opponent. And how is Sanji doing?"
When the crowd look at Sanji's side, he's cutting up some number fish while getting the fish-bones out and put the sliced-up fish in the bowl.
"He is rockin! Knife blades flying!"
Of course, Carmen wasn't too happy about it as she put the pot in the sink, pouring the water on the pot while Sanji cleans up the knife and sharpens quickly, placing it back in the kitchen utensils.
"And it looks like Sanji is whipping up a creation of delectable delight!"
When Sanji cracked two eggs and placing the egg yolks on the bowl, he began to use the whisk to get the yolks mixed up quickly while doing some thinking which it was about the All Blue. He stopped a few seconds while tap the whisk on the bowl as he head towards the potatoes.
He then remembered at the time when he got into a heated argument about the All Blue when he was a kid which of course, neither of the chefs ever believed him about the All Blue.
He his nostalgia ends, he then chop up an onion while Carmen is trying to get him distracted, but it's not working at all.
'I know that theoretically that this is impossibility. The North Blue, the South Blue, East Blue, and West Blue. They're separate seas that shouldn't be able to mix because of the Red Line continent running from North to South and the Grand Line ocean current running West to East. A place where you can find fish from all four seas should be impossible.' Sanji mentally thought, remembered about the talk of the All Blue while focusing on the placing the chopped vegetables on the pot with his knife while putting th cutting board and knife on the table. 'That's right. Otherwise, how do you explain the West Blue fish and the Elephant Bluefin Tuna?'
When he pour some wine on the pot, he then begin to remember back on the deserted island with Zeff long ago.
'That old geezer might not have been just telling stories, I don't have a choice, I have to look forward in the Grand Line.' Sanji thought, remembered the time that he walk down the hallway and thinking about the All Blue. 'The legendary, The All Blue.'
Sanji then pour the wine on the pan when the flames bursts, earned their attention.
"Sanji is moving on his final preparations!"
When he placed the lid onto the pan, Sanji then rush towards the pot when he opens the lid to mix the stew and do up some finishing touches on the stew.
"Carmen is finishing up as well, she just has to plate up her creation! This is it, folks! The moment we've all been waiting for, who will win the Elephant Bluefin Tuna?"
Sanji have finished up the with the stew as he then opens the lids from the pan, rise up the pan as high as he can when the steaks were flying in the air which it left the whole crowd shocked. Sanji then quickly grabs two plates.
"This is it, he's only a moments away."
When the steaks goes down, landed on the plates, leaving the crowd roared with a cheer. Sanji then placed the food on the table since his preparations are finished.
"He did it! Sanji's masterpiece is finished!"
Carmen have also finished her preparation while placing the food on the table.
"Here comes Carmen with her final touches!"
The crowd then cheered once more since the final round was about to end.
"The contestants are done! So now it's all the hands of the judges."
When the judges have tasted their culinary food, they then begin to decide to pick the winner.
"Well then here goes, the winner of this years Cooking Championship is: San-"
"WAIT!?" Carmen interrupts, earned their attention along with Sanji as she stood up from her seat while walking towards him. "I can't forgive myself. I can't believe I thought I could beat you. I watched you cook when you were young, you were driven even back then, they wouldn't let me in the kitchen like you and made me so resentful. I've trained so hard for so many years, that's why I wanted to find you and show you what I learned, but after all this time, you've only gotten better. I don't know what made me think I can beat you. The truth is, you beat me fair and square. You are the #1 cook in the East Blue."
With that speech, the judges decided not to make an announcement. Sanji then stood up as he then spoke.
"Carmen~, that's the best compliment anyone's ever given me." Sanji said with a smile. "I so happy, I can-"
"Don't You Dare!?" Leo yelled as he whacks him with the frying pan in the face, making Sanji kicked him away.
"WHY'D YOU DO THAT!?" Sanji yelled with his white eyes and shark-like teeth as Leo crashing towards the kitchen table. Carmen then look at the cook as she spoke.
"I'm forfeiting this round, but be ready for the next time we meet." Carmen said with a smile. "I won't lose to you again."
"Well, if it's a challenge from you Carmen, I'll definitely accept." Sanji accepts with a smirk.
The crowd, including Nami, Ventus, Usopp, and Anna smiled, along with the owner of the fish market as he then spoke.
"And the winner is: Sanji."
With that, the crowd then cheer for Sanji's victory and the cooking competition have reach to conclusion.
When the Straw Hat crew were about to get the Elephant Bluefin Tuna Fish, Ventus is looking at the Coastal Fish since the stalls were re-opened after the contest is over. Sanji and Anna noticed the young Dragoons attention was elsewhere and followed his gaze to the Coastal Fish.
"Oh, you like the Coastal Fish? I was talking to the store owner earlier, apparently, they're native to the West Blue." Sanji claimed with a smile.
"Did you buy them?" Ventus asks curiously.
"Nah, I've never seen one like it before, so I wouldn't know how to cook it or how they taste." Sanji told him.
"It taste a bit strange." Ventus said, earned his attention. "When you taste the Coastal Fish, it felt like something slimy right down to you throat. You put them in a hot stews and they enrich the flavor. You can also use those scales for medicine by boiling the oil off of them."
"Huh? How do you know that?" Sanji questions.
"Because my mother was born from the West Blue." Ventus said with his sad tone. "She use to make medicine and stew out of them."
"Wait, hold on! Does that mean your mom was from the West Blue?" Sanji asks shockingly, earned a nod from the young Dragoon.
This threw Sanji off along with Usopp and Nami, they wanted to know how his mother had got from the West to North which he would have to go through the Grand Line. Anna knew that Merida have been making a stew for a long time, but she was sad that Ventus' mother was no longer with them. However, she knew that Merida is watching along with Starblaze. Sanji was about to ask more, but the sadness in the young Dragoons voice told all he needed to know. He then come up with the idea as he spoke.
"Stew, huh? How much is needed per pot?" Sanji asks with a smile, leaving Ventus surprised.
"Umm...She usually put two in, but she bought extra two in case if the other goes wrong." Ventus answered.
Sanji then approach the owner and bought four Coastal Fish he can use. Nami and Usopp were surprised that Merida was born in the West Blue while grew up in the North Blue. Anna then give the cook a hand when she grabs the four Coastal Fish.
"So, you'll have to tell me how your mom made that stew." Sanji told him.
On the way, they headed the direction towards the Going Merry when Usopp gives Sanji a hand for carrying the Elephant Bluefin Tuna Fish, much to him complaining. Anna told the lair that carrying something big is good for the arms and shoulders while Nami wanted to hear about Ventus' mother from the ranger. Ventus told Sanji how his mother made the fish stew, told him that the fish boiled whole for hours before she sliced them up, added the fish meat, potatoes, carrots, onions, and parsley. He also told him that to add some spice like pepper and a pinch of salt. Sanji guessed that the fish was needed to make a stock of some kind or slow cooked.
However, Ventus told him that his mother usually make a tossed salad for the side dish which it requires tomatoes, lettuce, spinach, carrots, and sometimes hard-boiled eggs and ham.
With that, Sanji got everything he needs which he and Ventus were pulling the wooden cart for the food in stock along with the Elephant Bluefin Tuna. Due to his dragon trait, the young Dragoon still have the strength which he made it easy to pull. Both Nami and Anna were happy to see that Ventus is getting along with Sanji.
Until, Nami stopped and look at the sky.
"Huh? What's up, Nami?" Usopp asks with confusion, wondering why Nami stopped.
"It's the air." Nami answered.
"'The air'?" Usopp repeats, looking at the sky.
"It's going to rain." Nami claimed.
"But it's so nice." Usopp observed.
"She's right, it's going to rain soon." Ventus agrees, sniff the air.
"I'm sure of it, we have to hurry." Nami suggests as she picks up the pace.
With that, they're picking up the pace and were about halfway there.
Meanwhile, Zoro and Luffy were walking towards the town when the wind blows the straw hat off of his head, causing him to chase after the hat. Zoro was walking, but couldn't find Luffy as he continues to walk the other way.
When the straw hat landed on the main street, Luffy was able to grab hold of his hat as he placed it on his head. However, what got his attention is the execution platform was in front of him.
"I found it." Luffy said, grinned. "Here goes."
However, both the Clown Pirates and the Marines have found out that Luffy is at the main street which they're on pursuit to go after the rubber Captain. Luffy was able to climb at the top of the execution platform, looking at the direction where Gol D. Roger have faced during his death. Unfortunately, Luffy will be in real trouble since the Clown Pirates and the Marines are looking for him since they know where he is.
That's it for the 34th chapter. Sorry about the delay.