DISCLAIMER: I OWN NOTHING, EXCEPT RAGNAR AND ALL VIKINGS AND OCs IN THIS STORY! ONE PIECE BELONGS TO EICHIRO ODA, VIZ MANGA, TOEI ANIMATION AND FUNIMATION ENTERTAINMENT/CRUNCHYROLL LLC
Chapter 49: Fiery Cooking Battle? Sanji vs. The Beautiful Chef
While Nami and Usopp were in awe following the aftermath of the duel with Daddy the Father, Sanji finally managed to get his mind out of the gutter and began the hunt for fresh produce that he could stock up on before they made their way towards the Grand Line. He was in the midst of taking inventory of fresh fruit to stock on, when suddenly a voice caught him off guard.
"Sanji! I've searched everywhere for you…for ten years!" A silvery voice called out. Sanji turned, and saw a tall woman with fiery pink hair and large pink eyes standing before him. She was dressed in a dark red flamenco dress with a white fur trim, a green sash that she used as a belt with a large red rose on her hip, and hot pink shoes. She wore a gold headband and a silver-emerald necklace that matched her diamond-shaped emerald earrings. She was also holding a ladle in her mouth the way a dancer often would hold a rose. In her hand she held a yellow fan with white frills on the end. Everyone gathered instantly paused and gawked at the very sight. Who would dare act that way in public!?
"Behold, the amazing Carmen!" Another voice shouted.
"The greatest cook in the East Blue!" Cried another, as two men in matador costumes stepped out from behind her, playing castanets, from the sound of it.
"I am passion. Some even dared to call me Fiery Carmen," said Carmen, as she danced and the two men revealed themselves.
"I am the first apprentice of Doña Carmen, and my name is Leo!" One of the men declared. His matador costume was blue, but by far the most striking feature about him was his ridiculously large head! On his back, he carried a giant spatula.
"And I am her second apprentice, Jose!" The second, portlier man declared. Jose wore a green matador costume, with a giant whisk on his back. Yet what seemed like sunglasses on his face were truly his nostrils as his tiny eyes opened up above his massively large nose. All the crowd gathered was just so shocked, they weren't sure how to react. Yet Sanji only needed a few seconds to process this, before his lovestruck side ultimately showed itself.
"You…are beauty itself!" He exclaimed as he got down on one knee with the biggest smile on his face, much to everyone else's face-faulting. "It is my deepest dream come true! Yes, beauty has come searching for me!" Sanji professed as he delicately held Carmen's hand in his own, "It is truly an honor, wonderful Carmen!" He declared as he was about to kiss the back of the woman's hand. Yet just as his lips contacted her skin, he felt the cold hard steel of cast iron coming down onto his face.
"Don't you DARE!" Carmen growled as she struck Sanji with a frying pan right on the face. The wound only caused Sanji to bleed from his nose and mouth.
"Oh my…you are so passionate," said Sanji, still smiling despite the wound he suffered, "But tell me, Carmen. How is it that you and I know each other?"
"Oh BOOOOOOYYS~!" Carmen began as she danced back towards her apprentices, "Go ahead and tell the story~." Before long, Leo held out his spatula, which had a stack of pictures on them for Sanji to gaze upon. Sanji only took a good look and noticed that the photos all had one thing in common.
"Okay…these are all pictures of cooks," said Sanji, noticing that the men wore one type of chef's outfit or another, only for Jose to cackle right in his face, which was soon covered in spittle.
"True! These are the most renowned cooks in the East Blue!" The green matador explained as Sanji wiped his face off.
"And the great Carmen defeated every one of them in competition!" Leo finished for his fellow apprentice.
"Yes, they speak truly," Carmen declared, "I truly am the most amazing cook in the East Blue~. The cooks who have all challenged me in the past have all been…disappointing simpletons, and I was beginning to think there was no one left to challenge my skills…but then one day, I came across an article on the Baratie Sea Restaurant from when you still worked 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 spent every moment of the last ten years searching the entire East Blue for you."
"Actually, it has only been ten days," Jose clarified.
"Carmen has a weensy bit of trouble with a thing called the truth," Leo added.
"OH SHUT YOUR MOUTHS!" Carmen growled as she struck her apprentices with the same frying pan that she used to hit Sanji with, then glared at him, "Now, I challenge you, Sanji! If you dare, bring your spices to the fish marketplace cooking competition at one this afternoon! You will be minced, like garlic before heated oil…in a pan!" As she laughed haughtily, Sanji was only left utterly confused as Carmen spun round so fast it looked as if she was flying in midair, only for her to suddenly get so dizzy that she was about to fall. Luckily, her apprentices caught her before she hit the ground, and carried her away.
"Okay then! We'll see you later!" Leo called out as he and Jose both ran off. Yet Sanji's confusion gave way to utter lovestruck hopelessness.
"Finally! A woman with a passion like mine!" Sanji muttered, completely stricken with how much of a passion for cooking Carmen had.
"So, kid, you gonna compete in the fish market?" A bystander asked, only for Sanji to regain his wits at the question.
"Nah. I don't like contests," Sanji replied, then walked away. Carmen had a passion for cooking as he did, true, but he did not want to get embroiled in affairs from which he had nothing to gain.
Elsewhere, Luffy, Ragnar and Zoro were all happily enjoying a decent meal together at a restaurant in Loguetown. Ragnar was definitely thrilled by what was on the menu as well: squid ink pasta seasoned with Aqua Laguna salt, pizza, and seafood risotto among others.
"This definitely reminds me of the food I had as a boy back at Water Seven," said the Viking, as he took a bite of pizza which he washed down with some red wine. "Let me tell you guys, the civilizations we encounter on the first half of the Grand Line are numerous, with different cultures and cuisines."
"Sanji's definitely gonna have a field day recording all those recipes down for us!" Luffy exclaimed between bites, as he was also eagerly stuffing his face full with whatever he could find. After he was completely bloated, he only leaned back in his chair, satisfied. "Boy, I'm stuffed!" He declared, "Loguetown might be our last chance to get a good meal for a while. I was starving!"
"I was starving too. Thankfully, Ragnar and I made quite the score earlier," said Zoro, smiling as he poured himself some more wine, "About a hundred thousand berries to be exact. Nami's definitely gonna take interest in our little enterprise we have going on here."
"I'm glad I ran into you guys, then," Luffy chuckled, "I'm kinda strapped for cash anyways. I didn't think I'd need to go shopping since I'm just hoping to find the execution platform."
"Well, no need to be concerned, in that case, Luffy," said Ragnar, taking out a sack of berries, "Zoro and I split the profits we made from our mercantile sale, and once we reach the Grand Line, I'll be able to sell my wares on me for even more. Though, for now, consider this meal on me."
"Ragnar, you didn't have to buy us our lunch, but thanks!" Luffy told his old friend as they all rose, "You're the best, quartermaster!"
"Oh, no problem!" Ragnar replied as they left towards a tether, where Ragnar had Viðar waiting, happily grazing away at some grass that was growing near the restaurant. "C'mon Viðarr. Time to head out," he told his stallion as he mounted, secured his feet in the stirrups and set off at a walk to join up with Luffy and Zoro, but not before he smelled something in the air. 'Am I imagining things?' He thought, 'I could've sworn I whiffed another lion's scent…my nose must be playing tricks on me.' He had no idea how right his instincts were…
Meanwhile, down at the wharf, Sanji made his way to perhaps the most beautiful thing he ever laid eyes upon: the Loguetown Fish Market! He couldn't believe how many species of fish existed off these waters all at once. It was like a culinary mecca for him.
"So, this is the Fish Market, huh?" He asked as he descended the staircase that led towards the wharf and laid eyes on all the fishermen's catches. Some of the fish were species that he'd never even witnessed before! It was like he was a kid in a candy shop. "Loguetown's fish market is incredible! They have everything a great chef could possibly want!" He exclaimed to himself, then came across a crate of high quality fish with green and maroon scales with blue fins all kept fresh on a bed of ice. "These are superb!" He muttered, catching the attention of a local fishmonger, Sapi.
"You sure know how to pick 'em!" The man said, "You're looking at some coastal fish we just caught earlier this morning!"
"Coastal fish, eh?" Sanji asked as he examined one of them, "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 are?"
"Ah! You definitely know your way around seafood," said Sapi, as he made his way towards the fish Sanji was examining, "You are correct – these fish are different. They're from the West Blue. People from the East Blue usually don't know this species."
"The West Blue? Then why do you call them coastal fish?" Sanji asked, utterly perplexed as to why fish from the West Blue would be all the way here in the East Blue.
"Young man, is this your first time here?" Sapi asked with a smile, at which point Sanji only nodded as he held the fish up, "Just look at this specimen. You won't find fish like these anywhere else in the East Blue, but you'll find tons of them right here in Loguetown's waters. You can pull them right outta the water all day long!"
"So, how does that happen?" Sanji asked, now curious about what Sapi was telling him.
"The crossing ocean currents bring them in from all the other seas out there. Loguetown is just in the right place," Sapi explained, but then all at once, he and Sanji heard the crowd express awe in a spectacle at one of the fishing boats. "Hey! Sounds like they caught something good! Let's go check it out," the fishmonger declared as he and Sanji made his way towards the docks. "So, what is it?" Sapi asked, only to widen his eyes in shock. As Sanji pushed his way through the crowd, he couldn't believe his own eyes either. It was a bluefin tuna, but with the ears, trunk and tusks of an elephant! "Nice catch! It's an elephant bluefin tuna!" Sapi exclaimed.
"That's right! Must've got mixed in from the South Blue," the fisherman reasoned, "And I got it only with pole and line."
"An elephant bluefin tuna!?" Sanji asked to himself. He knew that fish before, having seen a picture of it back when he was only a boy. He then remembered that fateful day when he first saw that picture: the day his dream was born…
It was a calm pleasant day aboard the Orbit, and the kitchen staff were all busy cleaning the dishes after the lunch rush. Nine-year-old Sanji was sitting at a table, drinking some coffee and browsing through a book of seafood recipes, and the page he was on contained a picture of the elephant bluefin tuna.
"Hey look! This fish! It's a weird one!" Sanji exclaimed to one of the chefs.
"What are you doing with that cookbook, Sanji?" One of the chefs asked, "You studying different kinds of fish?"
"That one's the elephant bluefin tuna!" Another explained.
"You guys ever seen this fish before?" Sanji asked them.
"Sometimes its called the gem of the ocean," one of the chefs told the boy, "Others say that it's a miracle food, but nah. I've never seen it."
"Of course, you haven't," Another chef added in, "That fish is from the South Blue. You'd never see it in the East Blue…unless… you can find the All Blue." At that remark one of the other chefs chuckled.
"The All Blue! Now that would be virtually impossible!" Yet he had no clue that Sanji would be thrilled to hear those three words.
"Tell me more about the All Blue, what is it?" Sanji asked, genuinely curious about this mysterious place on the waves.
"It's a legendary sea where all the fish in the world swim together," said one of the chefs, only for his colleagues to look at him as if he'd gone raving mad.
"Careful! Or else he'll believe every word you say!"
"Where is the All Blue?" Sanji asked, continuing to show his inquisitive nature when it came to fish, much to the other chefs' dismay.
"I told you, now he thinks it's real!"
"It's a myth, Sanji. The All Blue doesn't really exist."
"Forget about it; just keep studying." And study was exactly what Sanji did, but that place would forever drive him to find it and be the first chef to make his mark on the world by finding it.
Even now, as a young man, Sanji still hadn't forgotten that dream of his, and the sight of this elephant bluefin tuna confirmed his truest desires.
"The All Blue…" he muttered, deeply mesmerized by the sight of this fish. Ever since he first saw that picture of it as a boy, he was determined to find the All Blue, and if Zeff said it was on the Grand Line, then he was determined to sail with Luffy to find it!
"Okay, let's go! Lift this sucker up!" The fisherman told his two apprentices, as they began to haul the great fish up from the ice bed.
"Hey, hold on a second!" Sanji shouted from the crowd, "How much for it? Sell the fish to me! I've got money, so please, let me buy that tuna!" It was clearly evident that Sanji was eager to cook this fish for the whole crew, and for a moment, the fisherman pondered the cook's request before giving him an honest response.
"I'm sorry, but I can't sell this tuna," the fisherman regretfully told Sanji, "This fish is gonna be the grand prize for the contest."
"It's…a prize?" Sanji asked, unsure about what the fisherman was talking about.
"That's right!" Sapi explained as he walked towards the tuna, "The Annual Cooking Contest happens today. So, cooks from all over the East Blue will be entering to compete, and this fish is gonna be the grand prize for the winner!"
"It is an elephant bluefin tuna, after all!" The fisherman added, "Any champion cook would be honored to have this as a prize."
"If you really want it, then you should enter the contest," Sapi told Sanji, "You are a cook, aren't ya?"
"Yeah, I am," Sanji replied, only to notice the fishmonger pointing in the direction of a desk far behind him.
"Registration is right over that way," Sapi declared, as the fishermen took the great beast of a fish away, "You should give it a shot if you still want a shot at the tuna. If I were you, I'd hurry before it fills up." Then he gave Sanji a wave and followed the fishermen in the same direction. Sanji couldn't help but reflect on such a matter. This was his chance to show the entire East Blue the years of experience he built up as sous-chef on the Baratie, and a cook worthy of the next King of the Pirates.
"A cooking contest? Oh, hell yeah!" Sanji exclaimed to himself, knowing this was truly his moment to shine. Yet as he walked over towards the registration booth, he paused in his tracks. "Wait a second…" he muttered, remembering what Carmen told him earlier. If there was a contest in town, then it was more than likely that she would be there as well. That must have been what she meant when she challenged him earlier. "Oh well," he merely muttered, and continued walking towards registration. He could care less about beating her. For that tuna, he would happily enter, and it would add to what he would tell Celosia if they met again on the Grand Line.
Around one o'clock in the afternoon, the docks around Loguetown resounded with the sound of fireworks cracking off in the sky. A huge crowd gathered around the docks to witness what was only bound to happen once a year. In the center was a great wooden platform with two kitchen stovetops and counters of restaurant quality, two ovens, as well as rows of ingredients for usage. A small set of stairs past the two ovens led towards the massive elephant bluefin tuna, laying on a bed of ice and seaweed.
In the midst of all the crowd, Nami and Usopp had finally managed to come down from the hilltop graveyard following the encounter with Daddy the Father, with the long-nosed archer proudly wearing his new goggles atop his bandana.
"It's so crowded, I wonder what's going on," said Nami as she and Usopp tried to push through the crowds. First a duel with a legendary bounty hunter got many people's attention, but this resulted in a far larger turnout.
"The annual Loguetown Cooking Contest is about to start!" Sapi announced, "The greatest cooks from the East Blue are here competing today! This year's grand prize is an elephant bluefin tuna! It's the gem of the ocean; a miracle food! Who is going to win this truly spectacular prize?"
Nearby the platform, the contestants were all preparing for the oncoming battles that would be a test of their skills and all they knew when it came to cooking. Yet Sanji only reclined in his chair, legs crossed as he smoked a cigarette while Sapi spoke. Yet then, a familiar haughty laugh caught his attention.
"That'll be me, of course," said Carmen, as she smiled at Sanji, confident of victory sitting in a wicker throne and flanked by her two apprentices, "I'm so glad you decided to show, Sanji, but the title of East Blue's number one chef is going to be mine! This'll be fun. I've never had any real competition before." Yet she didn't even notice that Sanji was at her feet, on one knee, with her left hand in both of his, smiling like an idiot at her.
"Oh, my Carmen! It's so good to see you again!" Sanji professed, as he was about to lower his lips to the back of her hand. 'My lips are so close!' He thought, hoping that this time he could finally win her over with his chivalric demeanor.
"Don't you DARE!" Carmen growled, as she once again struck his face with a frying pan. She would have no such displays of a man trying to impress her, especially from the man she was trying to compete against and outclass.
"Yeah! That's the fiery passion I crave!" Sanji muttered, still bleeding from his nose and mouth. Even if they were competing for the title of best in the East Blue, he still had a soft spot for her, as he did with all women.
From afar in the crowd, Nami and Usopp both wandered through, making their way past the mass of people, when the navigator suddenly noticed a familiar flash of golden blonde hair.
"Hey! Usopp, look over there!" She told her archer shipmate, "Sanji's here!" Usopp only looked at the sight of Sanji blowing kisses towards Carmen as Leo and Jose pushed him away.
"You're right, that is him!" Usopp replied.
"Of course, always trying to flirt isn't he?" Nami asked with a sympathetic smile. Even though she and Luffy were testing the waters in their relationship, she was still flattered by Sanji's chivalrous nature. As his shipmate, though, it was only right that she and Usopp stay and cheer him on.
"HEY! OVER HERE!" Usopp called out, waving his arms, "SANJI! HEY!"
"Sanji! Over here!" Nami chimed in, waving to the chef, who only noticed her as soon as he saw her orange hair in the crowd.
"Nami! You came to watch me compete!" Sanji swooned as he made his way over towards his shipmates, much to Carmen's displeasure.
"Heck no! Usopp and I were just walking by," said Nami, grinning the largest smile on her face as she set her bags down.
"What made you wanna compete in a cooking contest, Sanji?" Usopp asked, curious as to what would unleash this competitive side of the Straw Hats' resident chef.
"Usopp, when did you get here?" Sanji asked, pretending that he didn't notice his male friend, much to the archer's irritation.
"I'M THE ONE WHO YELLED OUT YOUR NAME FIRST, JERK!" Usopp growled, miffed that for all his efforts, Sanji still only recognized women first before any men.
Yet at that moment, the sound of a ladle hitting an empty pan was heard, as Sapi indicated it was almost time to start the competition.
"WHO'S READY TO START COOKING!?" The fishmonger exclaimed, turning his attention over towards a panel of judges, one of which was definitely drunk by how red his face was. Given the suit he was wearing, he must've come back from quite the formal event. "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! Are you ready, Sam?" At that question, Sam only gave out a drunken cheer. At the very least, he was a happy drunk. "The rules are very simple!" Sapi explained, "Each cook competes in a blind draw head-to-head elimination round, where the highest total score wins. Whoever emerges undefeated through all the rounds will be the new East Blue champion!" Then two of the first round of chefs made their way forward, as Sapi announced them both. One of them was a normal sized man with a large mouth and droopy eyes. He also had a flat nose, thin eyebrows, and a mustache that stuck out of the sides of his face. He also wore a red uniform with a green tie and a traditional chef's hat. On the other end of the platform was a large, pale man with long black and yellow hair, along with a dark, triangular goatee and stubble. He also had large eyelashes on his lower eyelid. This chef wore a blue jacket over striped orange turtleneck. He also had a large broccoli stalk protruding from the top of his head. A knife and fork were sticking out of the broccoli and were held there with a blue band. "First up, from the easternmost part of the East Blue – Shoo the Lizard!" Sapi began, indicating the man with the unique facial hair, then turned to the man with the broccoli stalk protruding from his head, "Facing him, representing our very own Loguetown: Broccoli! Ready?! Let's go!" Sapi then rang the empty pan with his ladle, and the two chefs began to furiously begin kitchen prep, while the three Straw Hats only watched.
"What's up, Sanji?" Usopp asked, "You were the sous-chef on the Baratie, trained by Red Leg Zeff himself. Do you really wanna be known as the best chef in the East Blue?"
"No, don't be stupid, Usopp," said Sanji, smiling as he pointed to the tuna, "I'm just here for one thing, and that's the fish."
"Yeah, that definitely looks like a nice fish," said Nami, eyeing the tuna in all of its splendor.
"It sure does," Sanji replied, "But the confusing part is trying to figure out exactly how I can get that fish to talk."
The competition continued on throughout the day. Broccoli ended up defeating Shoo in the first round, while Sanji made his way to the next one after beating his opponent, much to Nami and Usopp's delight. The two were eagerly cheering him on as they beheld the spectacle. Yet Carmen also had her fair share of victories, albeit with the most elegant of dancing techniques. Each meal the judges tasted determined the outcome. One by one, the other chefs were defeated out of the competition, until it boiled down to both the final two.
"Now, it's the final round!" Sapi declared, and the crowd went wild with excitement. It was time to decide who would bring home the elephant bluefin tuna, and be declared the best chef in all the East Blue!
"Oh wow, these people are really excited!" Usopp noted, sensing the hyped up atmosphere from the crowd.
"You got that right!" Nami added, noticing who made it as one of the final two contestants.
The two chefs stood tall and proud on the platforms facing each other as Sapi introduced them both.
"With his instinctive skills and sense for food, we have in the finals, the former sous-chef of the sea restaurant Baratie: Sanji!" Sapi declared, turning to the other side of the platform, "And facing him with her gorgeous presentation and culinary acumen – Carmen! Who will be the winner of the glorious elephant bluefin tuna?" As soon as Sanji saw Carmen, he only gave a lovestruck smile and waved to her, much to her annoyance, only for Sapi to shout out, "Chefs, start your cooking!" He then rang the pan again with his ladle, and the two chefs began their prep work. Carmen evidently showed how flamboyant and overly confident she was by how she laughed haughtily while rinsing and peeling carrots with ease. All the while, Sapi provided the apt commentary. "Carmen's cooking with outstanding showmanship, while doing things that are relatively simple," the fishmonger commentated, while also noting the dancing that Leo and Jose provided, "Meanwhile, her two cheerleaders are trying to distract her opponent. And just how is Sanji doing?" He asked. From the crowd, Nami and Usopp watched with amazement and happiness as Sanji wasn't even distracted by the display beside him. Instead, he was just cleaning fish right off the bones like it was child's play. "He is rocking! Knife blades flying! It looks like Sanji is whipping up a creation of delectable delight!" Sapi commented, clearly impressed by how skilled the former sous-chef of Baratie was at dealing with seafood.
Upon seeing this, Carmen was utterly perturbed as she filled a pot with water. Yet Sanji didn't let that bother him. He only rinsed and sharpened one of his knives before cracking three eggs into a bowl and whisking vigorously. His mind was on another prize as he went over towards the sack of potatoes behind him, remembering how the other chefs aboard the Orbit dismissed his dream as nothing more than a fantasy for school boys. Still, he was determined, and focused on mincing an onion while Carmen danced as a way to get his attention, yet to no avail.
'I know that theoretically it's an impossibility,' Sanji thought to himself, '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 current running west to east. A place where you can find fish from all four seas should be impossible,' Sanji continued to cook, scraping minced garlic, chives, and red peppers into a pot with olive oil, and then deglazing it with some red wine, 'It just has to exist, though! Otherwise, how else would you explain the West Blue species and the elephant bluefin tuna?' His mind then raced back to those long months when he and Zeff were both stranded on that rock together, and how his surrogate father risked his life to ensure that Sanji was able to have all the food to eat and stay alive, to know that they both shared the dream of finding that sea, 'The old geezer might not have been just telling stories…I have no other choice. I have to look for it in the Grand Line! I don't care how long it takes; I will find it…the legendary sea: the All Blue!'
The competition soon reached its peak, as Sanji presented a flambe of two pork chops, the flame of which caught Carmen completely off guard. Never before had she ever managed to get such a fire of that ferocity when she tried that trick. At this point, everyone stood in complete awe at Sanji's prowess, demonstrating why the Baratie was the best restaurant in the East Blue.
"Sanji is moving on to his final preparations!" Sapi commented, watching as Sanji doused the flames of his pork chops with the lid of the frying pan, then rushed to check on the condition of a stew he had on simmer and peeled some large strips of parsnip into the pot. All the while, Carmen was busy getting plates out ready for serving. "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? The decision is only moments away!" As Sapi continued his commentary, Sanji opened the lid on the pan and flipped it up into the air, sending the pork chops flying upwards, only to catch them on two plates he held with only his right hand, much to the cheering and adulation of the crowd. Sanji's courses consisted of a delightful mix of surf and turf, with pan-fried fish in a garlic and butter sauce, beef stew, a pork roast with a side of potato wedges and asparagus, and a shrimp fried rice. "Sanji's masterpiece is finished!" Sapi declared, while Carmen also plated up her feast, which included the likes of a whole cooked king crab, futomaki sushi, and whole roasted haddock. "And here comes Carmen with her final touches! The contestants are done, so it's all in the hands of the judges!"
"C'MON SANJI! YOU GOT THIS!" Nami cheered, happy to see her shipmate was able to finish his creations in time. Now it was only a matter of the judges to finally make their decision.
After the judges had finished tasting, the big moment came: the decision as to who would win the title of best chef in the East Blue, and win the grand prize of the elephant bluefin tuna. One of them finally rose to make his speech.
"And so, here it goes," he began, "The winner of this year's cooking championship is…San…!"
"WAAAAAIIITTTT!" Carmen suddenly screamed out, as she rose from her seat and made her way towards Sanji, glaring at him, but it seemed that she wasn't angry with him, but rather…something else. "I can't forgive myself. I can't believe I thought I could beat you," she explained, shocking the crowd as she was trying to stop herself from showing tears, "I watched you cook when you were an apprentice on the Orbit. You were so driven, even back then. They wouldn't let a mere passenger like me in the kitchen back then, like you…and it 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'd learnt, but after all this time, you only got better. I don't know what made me think I could beat you…" Carmen then only smiled happily at Sanji, "The truth is, you beat me fair and square. You are truly the number one cook in the East Blue." And with those words, there was no need for the judges to make their decision, as Carmen already stated it for them.
"Carmen, that's the best compliment anyone's ever given me!" Sanji exclaimed, arms wide out as he approached her, "I'm so happy, I could kiss you!"
"Don't you DARE!" Leo growled as he struck Sanji with a frying pan on the face, determined to defend his mentor. Yet this only riled Sanji's anger as he kicked the big-headed matador across the platform.
"Why'd you do that!?" Sanji yelled as Leo landed with a crash. He didn't mind it when Carmen did it to him, but when a man struck him like that, it was a totally different story.
"I'm forfeiting this round," said Carmen, as she happily looked at Sanji with confidence, "But be ready for the next time we meet. I won't lose to you again."
"Well, if it's a challenge from you, Carmen, I'll happily accept!" Sanji replied, determined to cook against her again. It seems he'd finally found a worthy rival, one he probably wouldn't see again until after he'd found the All Blue. Yet now the annual cooking competition was finally decided.
"And the winner is…SANJI!" Sapi exclaimed, and the crowd roared with thunderous cheers and applause. The former sous-chef of the Baratie had finally been declared best chef of the entire East Blue. Sanji finally won his prize.
"YEAH! WAY TO GO SANJI! WE KNEW YOU COULD DO IT!" Nami cheered, as she and Usopp were incredibly thrilled by the outcome. Now the Straw Hats were able to sail to the Grand Line with one of them now earning the title of best chef in the East Blue!
As the crowd dispersed, Nami, Usopp and Sanji made their way back towards the Going Merry to drop off their belongings, with Nami having had Usopp and Sanji rent an ox-cart for better transport.
"Wow, that was fun!" Nami exclaimed as she took the reins of the cart, "I don't know why, but I just love competitions!"
"How did I get stuck carrying the front end of this thing!?" Usopp asked as he and Sanji carried the elephant bluefin tuna by foot, with Usopp having held the head, and Sanji holding the tail. The archer was definitely miffed that Sanji wasn't doing all the heavy lifting.
'Wow! An actual elephant bluefin tuna! I wonder what it tastes like,' Sanji thought, excited about the prospect of cooking this whopper of a fish, 'I'm gonna definitely use the carcass for stock, I know that, but what am I gonna do with the ears and the trunk? I just can't wait to cook it! I'll probably let Ragnar keep the tusks, though. Knowing him, he can probably use them for sculpting or selling the ivory.'
At that moment, however, Nami felt a sudden shift that caused her to stop the cart altogether. Something was definitely off, and she could sense it, looking up at the sky.
"Hey, Nami? What's up?" Usopp asked, concerned about the crew's navigator. Was she having thoughts about her village again?
"It's…the air," she replied, "It's going to rain. I'm sure of it!"
"But it's so nice, what are you talking about?" Usopp asked.
"No time to argue, let's hurry!" Nami ordered as she led the oxen on faster, with Usopp and Sanji struggling to catch up. They had to get back to the Merry and set sail as soon as possible. But where were Luffy, Zoro and Ragnar?
Meanwhile, on the other side of Loguetown, as Luffy, Ragnar and Zoro made their way through town, a strong gust of wind blew Luffy's hat off his head, and sent it flying down a side street.
"Oh no! My hat!" Luffy cried as he rushed off after it. "Stop, hat!" He cried, as he turned down a street. Zoro and Ragnar tried to follow him, but ended up losing sight of him.
"Did you see where Luffy went?" Zoro asked his Viking quartermaster.
"No, but I can still smell him," Ragnar replied, "He went down that way, but last I recall, I think that leads to Main Street."
"I'm sure he'll be fine then," Zoro muttered, only to notice Viðarr acting up, whinnying frantically as he was eager to move. "Hey, Ragnar? What's up with your horse?"
"I think he senses something's wrong with the weather," the Viking surmised, sniffing the air, "And now, I can too! We'd better regroup with the others! Hopefully, Luffy will be among them!" Zoro only nodded, got in the saddle and both he and Ragnar set off at a gallop to find the rest of the crew.
By the time Luffy caught his hat, he finally found himself back at the main piazza of Loguetown again.
"Thank goodness, I thought I was never gonna find you," Luffy muttered as he placed his hat back on his head, then noticed the execution platform again. "Finally! I found it again! Here it goes! Let's try this again!" He muttered as he ran towards the platform.
From a side alleyway, one of the hooded individuals searching for Luffy turned towards his leader.
"We found him! At the main piazza!" He said to his master.
"Are you certain about this!?" The leader asked, determined to get revenge on that boy. He then gave the order as the rest of his men followed him down the street, "Let's go flashily! I hate that damned Straw Hat and I want to crush him like a bug the next time I see his ugly face!"
Back at Marine HQ, Smoker was finally informed of Buggy's location as another Marine came towards his office.
"He's there now!?" Smoker asked, shocked by what he was hearing.
"Yes, we were watching the vicinity near the piazza as you ordered," the Marine replied, "Individuals reported seeing several cloaked men, and one of them was riding a lion. We could definitely make him out by his nose."
"Perfect!" Smoker replied, "Send word out to all units, and to any Vikings who want in on the action. They won't wanna miss this."
"Yessir!" The marine replied, and ran off. Smoker, meanwhile, looked out the window as he rose and made his way towards the main turret of the fort.
'So, we finally found him! It took him long enough,' Smoker thought, 'It's only a hunch, but I have a pretty good idea why he'd come to the piazza.' As Smoker looked out at the sky, he could tell that an ominous wind was coming towards the city.
"Captain Smoker?" Tashigi asked as she followed behind, "Is there something wrong, sir?"
"Come with me, Tashigi," Smoker told his subordinate, "We're about to land one of the biggest catches in the East Blue."
Back at the piazza, Luffy finally managed to climb to the top of the execution platform, much to the awe and shock of the crowd gathered below. Among the bystanders' ranks were two notable individuals. One was a light-skinned, tall and lean yet muscular man with a light green pompadour, no eyebrows, a demonic looking face, sharp fangs, and a ring piercing on his nasal septum. There were two lines tattooed under his right eye that curve towards his ear. For clothes, he sported a yellow and red vertically striped coat with tan fur around the neck. He also had brown pants and a black belt. The other notable individual was a curvaceous, tall, and buxom young woman in her early 20s. She had long light pink hair and purple eyes, while her outfit consisted of a white low-cut tank top, along with a pair of orange-and-black striped buckled shorts with long, thin suspenders. She also wore black high-heeled boots that reached to her calves, with large laces coming from the openings, and a pair of hot pink and dark red stockings with a yellow sun-like motif on them. She had a golden anti-eyebrow below her right eye, a brown furred jacket and a green Furażerka hat with a light-green lining that has foldable earflaps that can be pulled down for cold weather. Both were just shocked at the sight of a mere boy climbing the execution platform like it was nothing, and more still – he was laughing!
"WOO-HOO!" Luffy finally exclaimed, getting a lay of the land. He finally got what he came here for. "So, this is what the King of the Pirates saw when he died!" He chuckled. Yet he had no idea that as he stood tall atop the platform, what would happen next would only be the beginning, and would turn him from the most powerful pirate in the East Blue to a man whose name would be sung on the lips of skalds the world over!
A/N: And here we go! Another chapter down and done for the count! So, now that we're done with these filler chapters, we can finally concentrate on what's looming ahead: the ultimate culmination of the East Blue Saga, right up there with Luffy's victories over Kuro and Krieg, and the fall of Arlong Park! I hope you're all excited for this. It was a slow start, but it was definitely worth the wait.
In case you may have noticed, we did have two notable individuals make their debut, who will definitely be affiliated with the Straw Hats later on down the line, especially when they reach the New World. Now, you'll have noticed that aside from Nami, Viðarr and Ragnar also sensed changes in the weather. Most animals can sense whenever a storm is coming, and will actively try to seek shelter because of it.
Now, you'll notice that I also had Sanji think about using the carcass of the elephant bluefin tuna for stock. Just like when you're done with butchering the carcass of any vertebrate, you can use the bones for stock. This also applies to fish, so long as the gills and guts are taken out beforehand. However, processing tuna is different from filleting other round fish. With tuna, you have to process the fillets into loins, due to the massive bloodline. With larger species like bluefin tuna, it really becomes a two-person job, especially considering the fact that these fish can reach up to 13 feet, and weigh up to 678 lbs.
Anyway, I hope you guys all enjoyed this chapter, and stay tuned for the next one! It will definitely be a sight to behold, a return of some familiar faces, and perhaps the sight of a new one...