A cook, vice-captain of the Rocks Pirates?

"Alright, then I'll show you how a chef fights head-on."

Just as the Silver Axe Fierce's devastating attack was about to land, Rein moved.

Instead of using the knife, he sheathed the kitchen knife, Paoding.

Then, Renn simply raised his right hand, spread his fingers, and gently lifted it towards the falling star.

"Culinary Skills: Flipping the Wok"

This simple, freehand movement resembles an experienced chef tossing food from a pot into the air to ensure even heating.

But such a simple action contains some kind of profound law.

Silver Axe Fierce felt a blur before his eyes. The terrifying impact force, capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, was like hitting a spinning, boundless ball of cotton when it came into contact with the invisible force field in front of Rein's palm.

That force was instantly dissipated, neutralized, and even guided and reversed by a peculiar, spiraling force!

"what?!"

Silver Axe Fierce felt his body lose control. His downward slash, which had gathered all his strength, was carried away by an irresistible force and flung to the side at an extremely strange angle.

Like a giant swinging a hammer, he was helplessly drawn in a messy arc in the air before crashing heavily onto a huge reef in the distance.

The boulder shattered with a crash, and the Silver Axe Fierce coughed up blood, becoming embedded in the rubble. The silver axe slipped from his hand and fell to the beach with a clatter, and he lost consciousness completely.

The entire process was fluid and graceful, full of violent aesthetics.

The battle is over.

The beach was deathly silent.

Everyone stared in disbelief at the young man who still held up the sky with one hand, their minds blank.

If Ryan's skillful maneuvering of Silver Axe Fierce had shocked them, then this final, seemingly effortless flip of the wok completely shattered their worldview.

"Gurgle..."

Gatz swallowed hard, looked at Rein, and stammered, "Chef... Chef... this... this is also a cooking skill?"

"Ah."

Raine withdrew his hand and calmly patted off the non-existent dust on his hands.

"Tossing the food in a wok is a basic skill that every chef must master. It's simply to ensure that the ingredients are heated more evenly and that they absorb the flavors more fully."

Gatz: "..."

He felt he would never be able to look at any pot or pan in the kitchen the same way again.

Raine didn't look at the unconscious Silver Axe Fierce again. He turned around and walked with calm steps toward the small figure in the corner who had been keeping his head down the whole time, trying to make himself inconspicuous.

Teach felt that calm gaze fall on him, and his body stiffened involuntarily.

He slowly raised his head, trying to force a naive and harmless smile.

"Brother Renn, you...you're amazing!"

Ryan didn't say anything; he simply walked up to Teach, squatted down, and looked him in the eye.

Those calm, abyss-like eyes held no emotion, yet seemed to see through all lies and pretenses, piercing the darkness and ambition deep within his soul.

For the first time, Teach's smile became somewhat stiff. He felt like a child who had been stripped naked and thrown into the snow, with all his secrets and schemes exposed before those eyes.

“Teach”.

Ryan finally spoke, his voice not loud, but like a heavy hammer blow, striking Teach's heart hard.

Do you know why I absolutely had to fight him?

Teach shook his head; he didn't dare to speak.

"Because he's wasting it."

Ryan's gaze swept over the iron pot that was still emitting the aroma of meat not far away, and then returned to Teach's face.

"He squandered the shred of decency Captain Newgate showed him, he wasted the goodwill we showed as a family, and more importantly..."

Ryan's tone suddenly turned cold.

"He wasted the meal I made for my family, and because of his arrogance and prejudice, he denied the sentiments that all of us had behind that meal."

"On this ship, I can tolerate anyone who has ambition, desire, or even secrets."

"But I will never tolerate anyone wasting food, let alone... insulting the hard work a chef puts into his family."

Ryan reached out and gently patted Teach on the shoulder.

“You are a smart child, you should understand what I mean.”

After saying that, Raine stood up, stopped looking at him, and turned back to the campfire.

Teach stood frozen in place, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.

He got it.

Ryan didn't fight for any chef's dignity.

He's making an example of someone to scare others.

He was telling himself in the most direct, and also the most terrifying way—

I can see right through you; I know what you're trying to do.

But you'd better behave yourself on this ship.

Otherwise, your fate will be even more miserable than that silver axe left on the beach.

For the first time, Teach felt genuine fear of someone on the ship.

"Alright, the farce is over."

Ryan's voice rang out again, breaking the tranquility of the beach.

"Who's hungry? I'll reheat the food."

"I me me!"

Gatz was the first to raise his hand, as if the thrilling battle just now was merely a performance for entertainment.

The deck was filled with a cheerful atmosphere once again.

This time, however, everyone looked at the young head chef with a deep, soul-stirring reverence.

As night deepened, the campfire once again became lively.

Silver Axe was bound like a dumpling by Gatz with a thick rope and thrown into the ship's solitary confinement room, awaiting Newgate's final judgment at dawn.

The banquet on the deck became even more lively because of the unexpected duel that had just taken place.

The monsters devoured the food that Rein had reheated, loudly boasting about what they had just witnessed, as if trying to release all the shock and excitement in their hearts.

"Hahaha! Did you guys see that? The head chef's wok toss was even cooler than Dad's earthquake kick!"

As Gatz stuffed a huge chunk of meat into his mouth, he gestured wildly, nearly throwing the plate at Dorum's face.

"That's called using four ounces to deflect a thousand pounds! It's the highest level of martial arts!"

Oden, his face flushed from drinking, tried to explain the incredible feat he had just witnessed with his limited vocabulary.

"Brother Renn has incorporated reason into his fighting style. Every move he makes is in harmony with the flow of power, making him flawless!"

Dorum, meanwhile, was writing furiously in his notebook.

"The records show that the head chef's combat style causes zero damage to the ship's structure and can even use enemy attacks to clean small sections of the deck. It is assessed as the most efficient and environmentally friendly combat mode and is strongly recommended for promotion."

Newgate leaned back on his throne, watching the group of clowns, and let out his signature, satisfied laugh.

He raised his huge wine glass and gestured towards the figure who was quietly serving soup to everyone.

Raine felt his gaze, raised the soup spoon in her hand, and nodded slightly.

The two exchanged a smile, everything understood without a word.

Chapter 164 The Strongest Fortress, the Most Precious Throne

This banquet is a celebration for the victors, and also proof that a new family has become more united after weathering the storm.

Only one person stood out from the joyful atmosphere.

Tichy.

He remained seated in that inconspicuous corner, nibbling on the food on his plate with that innocent yet ingratiating smile on his face.

He would applaud Gatz's boasting at just the right moment, look at Oden with admiration when he talked about profound things, and take the initiative to pick up the bones that Dorum had dropped on the ground, for fear of scratching the deck.

He was more well-behaved and sensible than ever before.

However, deep within his lowered eyes lay a cold, unfathomable darkness.

Raine's words and that battle were like a key, unlocking a door to fear in his heart, but also opening another door to a deeper, more secretive ambition.

He realized that to achieve his dreams on this monster ship, patience and scheming alone would not be enough.

He needs power, power strong enough to defy those rules.

The Devil Fruit, which was jet black and exuded infinite attraction and was deeply etched in his mind, became his only and final answer.

He hid that longing even deeper, like a seed buried deep underground, quietly waiting for the day it would sprout.

The next morning, as the first rays of sunlight touched the sea, the New Moby Dick set sail once again.

As for that unfortunate Silver Axe Fierce, Newgate ultimately didn't kill him.

In Newgate's words, killing a loser who has lost the will to fight would dirty his hands and dishonor the clean iron pot of Raine.

He merely crippled Silver Axe Fierce's limbs, leaving him and his dilapidated bone boat to fend for themselves on this nameless island.

For someone who once stood at the pinnacle of the world, this might be a punishment more cruel than death.

The days of sailing returned to normal.

The atmosphere on the ship underwent a subtle change because of this incident.

Gatz's training was no longer simply about pursuing strength; he began to pester Oden, learning how to use his body more effectively and how to find weaknesses in the enemy's attacks.

Although his enormous body still appeared clumsy and laughable when performing delicate movements, his serious attitude made Yutian put away his playful heart and begin to truly teach him the samurai way of Wano Country.

Oden also gained great inspiration from the battle with Rein. His swordsmanship became more fluid, no longer bound by fixed moves, but began to pursue a state of going with the flow and becoming one with the sword.

Newgate, on the other hand, spent more time sitting on the throne, not drinking, but with his eyes closed, seemingly contemplating something.

That battle with Raine gave him a completely new understanding of how to use power.

Teach, on the other hand, perfectly played the role of a well-behaved and sensible character.

He became even more diligent and attentive, polishing the deck until it shone every day, and remembering everyone's preferences clearly, as if he had completely integrated into this big family.

Only Ryan, each time he handed him food, could catch a fleeting, deeply hidden flame in his seemingly innocent eyes.

Renn didn't point it out.

He knew that some seeds, once planted, would inevitably take root and sprout.

What he could do was not to uproot it, but to prepare a sharp enough axe before it grew into a towering tree.

……

The Silver Axe incident, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, stirred up deep ripples beneath the seemingly tranquil surface of the Whitebeard Pirates' territory.

The battle did not end with Newgate winning by overwhelming force, but rather with Ryan effortlessly dismantling his powerful enemy in a way that was almost Taoist.

This completely revolutionized the monsters' understanding of power.

On deck, Gatz's training was no longer simply about swinging the anchor faster and more powerfully.

He was squatting in a ridiculously comical horse stance, his massive body struggling to maintain its balance, but instead of his signature giant anchor, he was holding a large iron wok borrowed from the kitchen that was completely disproportionate to his size.

"No! No!"

Oden sat cross-legged opposite him, holding a huge beast leg bone that had been gnawed in half, giving him a condescending and pontificating look.

"The essence of that move, Brother Renn, isn't the flip, it's the dissipation! You have to feel the flow of power, like using chopsticks to pick up a slippery fish, not punching it!"

Gatz's face turned red as he tried to use his skill to flip the huge iron block in the pot, which was being used as a practice prop, up like Ryan had done.

However, his muscular physique clearly hasn't yet learned how to coexist peacefully with the word "clever."