The man, named Gin, was a merchant from a town in the East Blue who had encountered a shipwreck while sailing. The crew members scattered, each trying to save themselves.
Having no other options, he clung to a broken plank, barely surviving in the vast ocean.
“A shipwreck? That doesn’t add up. The merchants we met earlier mentioned that the East Blue has been calm and ideal for business these past few days!” Aqua, showing rare intelligence, immediately raised a question.
Hearing this, a flicker of confusion crossed Gin’s weary eyes before he explained that he had encountered an elusive underwater current, which is typically difficult to detect in advance.
“I see, you were really unlucky then,” Aqua remarked.
The fact that this goddess of misfortune could even feel sorry for someone else’s bad luck was quite ironic…
“Please, don’t send me away. I can do anything—any work. Just until we reach an inhabited island where I can contact my family. I promise I won’t be any trouble!” Gin pleaded, trembling as memories of his harrowing ordeal at sea seemed to flood back.
“Really?” Aqua’s eyes lit up with a sly glint.
The sea restaurant had plenty of chores. Icey handled cooking and accounting, King managed navigation and course plotting, while Aqua took care of cleaning bathrooms, doing laundry, washing dishes, and serving food. Sharing some of these tasks would definitely lighten her load.
“Yes, absolutely. I might not be able to do anything too specialized, but I can handle basic chores just fine!” Seeing a chance to stay on the ship, Gin enthusiastically agreed.
This played right into Aqua’s plan: “Great, you can stay then.”
“Thank you so much!” Gin’s relief was palpable.
Despite Aqua’s unilateral decision, Icey surprisingly didn’t scold her. Instead, he stood up and addressed Gin: “Alright then, remember, we’re not running a charity here. If you don’t perform well, you’re back to the sea.”
“I understand, thank you!” Gin expressed his gratitude once more, though his stomach growled loudly.
“I’ll make you something to eat and find you some dry clothes,” Icey said, eyeing Gin briefly before heading to the kitchen.
Hidden beneath his clothes, his muscles tensed, ready to counter any potential attack from Gin. Or, more precisely, from the battle commander of the Krieg Pirates—Gin the Man-Demon!
“Icey, can I get a fried chicken leg, please?” Aqua chimed in.
“Didn’t you just eat?” Icey asked, exasperated.
“Repairing the ship is really exhausting!” she protested.
“Fine, wait a moment,” Icey relented.
What surprised Icey was that, even as he cooked, Gin didn’t display any hostility. Instead, he remained quietly seated at the table.
This wasn’t the usual tactic of pretending to be weak before launching a surprise attack… Interesting.
Icey didn’t know what the Krieg Pirates planned to achieve by sending Gin aboard, but it was clear they had their eyes on the Infinite Dream.
He had recently lamented the lack of business and the absence of bountied pirates dining and dashing. Little did he know, a lucrative opportunity would present itself so soon!
If he could take down the Krieg Pirates and their fleet, it would be a substantial boost to their funds before heading to the Grand Line. It was a fitting challenge.
Moreover, Gin himself was a factor. Despite being the top enforcer of the Krieg Pirates, Gin was known for his loyalty and sense of honor. He once risked his life to save Sanji, the cook, from poisonous gas, even though he only owed him for a single meal.
Gin’s potential was significant; he could rival pre-time-skip Sanji in strength. His farewell line, “See you on the Grand Line,” had sparked endless speculation among fans, creating the famous meme, “Everything is Gin.”
So, Icey decided to play along and see what the Krieg Pirates were planning. He had no immediate intention to subdue Gin but instead aimed to lure out the bigger fish.
While Icey cooked, Gin quietly observed the crew of the sea restaurant. The owner seemed kind and always wore a gentle smile. Gin felt an odd warmth from his gaze, almost as if he were being sized up like treasure by a pirate.
Next, he noticed the blue-haired girl with beautiful eyes. She seemed to be a water-based Devil Fruit user, as evidenced by her earlier display. Her power was likely significant, despite her current activity of folding napkins into intricate shapes.
Finally, there was the man in the corner.
Gin’s eyes flickered towards King but quickly averted. This blond man, with three vicious scars on his face and an aura that seemed to scream dominance, was the most intimidating. Even sitting silently, King’s presence made Gin’s muscles tense involuntarily.
He dared not meet those piercing eyes, fearing they would expose his intentions and ruin his plan.
“Captain Krieg’s caution was warranted. These people, especially this blond man, are not to be taken lightly!” Gin thought, deeming King the most dangerous among them.
Little did he know, King was merely debating whether to increase his dumbbell weight from ten to fifteen kilograms…
Soon, the sound of the stove turning off signaled the completion of the meal. Icey brought out a plate of fragrant fried rice and a golden fried chicken leg.
“Enjoy your meal. Once you’re done, get ready to work,” Icey said, placing the food before Gin and casually tossing the chicken leg, which Aqua deftly caught, savoring it immediately.
“Thank you,” Gin muttered, scooping up the rice and devouring it hungrily. He had floated on the restaurant’s route for nearly three hours to make the encounter seem genuine and was famished.
“This is delicious!” Gin exclaimed, his pupils contracting slightly in pleasure.
“Hahaha, Gin, Icey might be strict and stingy, but his cooking skills are top-notch!” Aqua, ever the opportunist, grabbed two bottles of chilled beer and joined Gin.
She placed one bottle in front of him. Her friendliness stemmed partly from knowing that Gin would be taking over her chores and partly from wanting to enjoy a drink herself.
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