One Piece: Starting with Sharingan, First Mate Uchiha

The night was as still as water, and the sea breeze carried a hint of coolness.

Sanji, who had been "driven" out of the kitchen by the chefs, was now lying sprawled out on the empty deck of Baratie.

He had an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth, his gaze piercing through the swirling clouds as he stared at the brilliant starry sky above.

It was very quiet around, with only the sound of waves lapping against the restaurant's base.

In this tranquility, long-forgotten memories surged into my mind like a tide.

That was ten years ago, on that desolate, rocky island.

Despair, hunger, thirst.

There was also an old man who left all the food for him, but ate the leg himself...

Sanji subconsciously reached out and touched his stomach, which was now full and brimming with energy.

"Did they gamble their leg and the whole store on me...?"

Viktor and Zeff's words echoed in his ears during the day.

"Is this what you call the 'way of the chef'—just spending your whole life in this small East China Sea, taking care of an old man with a broken leg?"

"Get out! You're just a burden!"

Sanji slowly closed his eyes, a bittersweet smile playing on his lips.

"Seriously...a bunch of idiots with terrible acting skills."

Sanji pulled a lighter out of his pocket, but his hand trembled slightly as he tried several times to light the cigarette in his mouth.

The rising smoke made his eyes sting.

He finally understood.

He had always believed that staying here, spending his life protecting this restaurant, and caring for that old man until his death was the best way to atone for his broken leg.

But he was wrong.

That old geezer gave up everything to save him back then.

Is it just to train a watchdog who only knows how to guard his small plot of land and cook the same dishes every day?

No.

What Zhefu wanted to see was that boy who shared the same dream, fulfilling his unfulfilled ambition.

"Aren't parents just a bunch of unreasonable creatures...?"

"If I just stay here and die, I'll be truly wasting the value of his leg."

Only by going to that legendary ocean...

Only by taking the place of that old man and finding the "ALL BLUE" that every chef dreams of...

Go and witness the world he has always dreamed of, and then bring back the scenery and tastes there to tell him.

That would be the greatest reward for that stinky old man!

Having figured this out, Sanji stubbed out his cigarette.

"Puff puff puff—"

Just as the atmosphere was heavy and melancholic, a series of rapid flapping wings broke the silence.

A black shadow swooped down from the night sky and landed steadily on Victor's shoulder on the deck.

"Giggle! Grandpa! Grandpa! I'm exhausted!"

Clay was panting heavily, his small chest heaving, clearly exhausted.

Viktor was leaning against the railing, enjoying the night breeze, when he saw this and casually took out a piece of jerky and stuffed it into its mouth.

"How's it going? Did you find it?"

"Glug!"

Clay swallowed the jerky in one gulp, immediately regained his spirits, puffed out his chest, and loudly reported to his superior:

"Hehe! Found her! That woman with orange hair sailed northwest in her boat!"

"There...there's a strong fishy smell over there! It's the territory of the fish-men! There are so many strange people with gills!"

"A fish-man?"

Luffy, standing nearby, adjusted his straw hat, his eyes instantly sharpening. "Where is that?"

Johnny and Joseph turned deathly pale and their teeth chattered when they heard the words "fishman" and "northwest."

"The northwest...could it be...A-Long Paradise?!"

"That's the base of Arlong's crew, the most evil fishman pirate crew in the East Blue! Why would Nami go there?"

"Regardless of the reason."

Without any hesitation, Luffy clenched his fist. "Now that we know her location, let's go get her! And my Going Merry too!"

"But……"

Usopp glanced at the "Joseph" next to him, which could only seat two or three people, and looked troubled.

"Our ship is too small to fit so many people, and the Merry has been taken away."

"Squeak—"

Just as everyone was worrying about the boat, the restaurant door was pushed open.

Zhefu walked out with his arms crossed and his wooden legs supporting him, followed by several chefs pushing a strangely shaped boat.

That's the restaurant's spare boat used for purchasing ingredients—the "Shhhhh".

Despite its strange name, the bow of the ship is shaped like a giant Psyduck, making it both comical and practical.

"Hmph, you pirates are still worrying about your ships? Kids."

Zeff snorted coldly and pointed at the ship:

"This ship is for you. It's not big, but it's enough for you to sail to the next island."

"If you're going to be at sea, you need a decent ship."

As he spoke, his gaze seemingly casually swept across a corner of the deck, and his voice rose a few decibels:

"Also, take that idiot chef who's been refusing to leave with you, so you don't have to see him and get annoyed."

Upon hearing this, Sanji, who was lying on the ground, trembled slightly.

He slowly stood up and dusted himself off.

Then, without saying a word, he turned and walked back to his room.

After a while.

Sanji came out carrying a small blue backpack.

He approached Luffy and Victor, took out a lighter from his pocket, and lit the cigarette in his mouth with a "snap".

The firelight illuminated his slightly reddened eyes.

He took a deep breath, exhaled smoke, and tried to mask his inner turmoil with a calm tone:

"There's no other way... Since this place can no longer accommodate me, and I also want to see the outside world."

Sanji looked up at Luffy:

"Hey, Captain. Take me with you to the Grand Line."

"Then... I'll go find my own miracle."

After a brief silence.

"oh!!!!"

Luffy raised his hands and shouted excitedly, "Great!! Sanji!! You've finally agreed to join us!!"

"Yay! We have a chef now! We won't go hungry anymore!" Usopp cheered, hugging Luffy.

Viktor, watching this scene, clapped his hands with a smile.

"Ah, finally I can eat some human food. My poor stomach is finally saved."

Upon hearing this, Zoro's face darkened; he used to be the one who cooked all the meals!

What does he mean by that?

"Shut up! Red-eyed bastard!" Sanji glared at him irritably, but couldn't help but smile.

……

The moment of parting finally arrived.

The sea breeze howled.

Sanji threw his luggage onto the "What What What" and prepared to board the ship.

The restaurant entrance was deserted; not a single person came out to see them off.

Paddy, Carl, and that stinky old man all seemed to have vanished in an instant.

"Heh... fine then."

Sanji lowered his eyebrows and chuckled self-deprecatingly, "It's a more clean way to leave."

He jumped onto the boat and untied the mooring ropes.

The small boat began to slowly drift away from Baratie, carried by the waves.

Without turning around, Sanji stood with his back to the restaurant, but his ears were perked up, as if he were expecting something, or perhaps afraid of something.

Just as the ship was about to leave the range of hearing.

"Hey, Sanji."

A familiar yet rude voice drifted down from the second-floor balcony.

Sanji's body suddenly stiffened.

He stopped what he was doing, still with his back to the restaurant, without turning around.

On the second-floor balcony, Zhefu crossed his arms and watched the departing figure.

There were no lengthy instructions or sentimental farewells.

This stubborn old man, who had been defiant his entire life, simply uttered the simplest of words in an ordinary tone:

"Don't catch a cold."

boom--!

These four simple words were like a heavy hammer blow, instantly shattering all the defenses Sanji had built up in his heart.

Tears welled up in my eyes in an instant, gushing out like a flood bursting its banks.

He could no longer maintain that carefree demeanor.

I can no longer suppress my emotions.

"Waaah..."

Sanji suddenly turned around and knelt heavily on the deck.

Even though we were some distance apart, even though tears had blurred my vision.

He still kowtowed deeply to the old man who had raised him, saved him, and taught him everything.

"Daddy Tetsuo!!!"

With all his might, Sanji cried out the words that had been hidden in his heart for so long:

"Thank you so much for taking care of me all this time!!!"

"I will never forget this kindness!!!"

With his cries.

"Sanji!!!"

"You bastard! Take good care of yourself!!"

We'll miss you!!!

The restaurant door was suddenly pushed open.

Paddy, Carl, and all the chefs rushed out, sobbing uncontrollably.

They waved their spoons and spatulas, desperately waving at the departing ships, crying their hearts out.

"Waaaaah! You idiot Sanji!!"

"We absolutely have to find ALL BLUE!!"

Zhefu stood on the balcony, watching this scene, and finally a tear welled up in his eye.

But he still held back, turning his head away and muttering a curse under his breath:

"Stupid men... stop making a fool of yourselves."

……

On the small boat.

Viktor watched this deeply moving scene in silence.

"Ah, so this is what they call... the farewell of men of the sea."

He sighed, then took out a handkerchief from his pocket and handed it to Luffy and Usopp, who were crying even more bitterly than Sanji.

"Hey! Why are you crying so hard? Wipe your noses, the snot is dripping into your mouths."

"Waaaaah! Victor! Sanji! This is so touching!" Luffy cried while blowing his nose.

Although Zoro was lying in the cabin covered in bandages, a smile appeared on his lips when he heard the commotion outside.

"Ugh, so noisy."

The wind is blowing.

The sails billowed.

The shopping ship, named "Shhhhh," carrying the Straw Hat Pirates, sailed northwestward through the waves.

Usopp stood at the bow of the ship, pointing ahead with great pride.

He was just about to offer some words of encouragement as "captain" when Luffy, who had anticipated this, punched him down onto the deck.

At the bow of the ship, Luffy wiped away his tears and pointed ahead with high spirits:

"Men! Assemble!"

"Target—Aron Paradise!!"

"Bring Nami back!!"

"oh!!!!"