Reincarnated in One Piece - Chapter 12
After settling into his room, Tang An locked the door and went down to the main hall, which was bustling with people enjoying their meals.
Elegant music played in the background, and many well-dressed patrons dined on steaks and sipped wine with their companions, creating a pleasant atmosphere.
Under this ambiance, even some pirates behaved with unusual grace—whether genuine or feigned was another matter.
The overall atmosphere was quite refined.
The restaurant was also busy with many waitstaff attending to the guests.
The business was better than expected.
“What can I get for you, sir?”
As Tang An descended the stairs, a smiling waiter approached him. He thought it would have been nicer if the waiter had been a charming and seductive woman instead of a scar-faced brute.
“Bring me some of your signature dishes.”
Under the waiter’s guidance, Tang An took a seat by a window, where he could easily see the sea outside.
“Would you like some wine? We have vintages ranging from one to ten years.”
“Bring me a five-year-old.”
“Please wait a moment.”
As the waiter left, Tang An observed the large hall, which was spacious and lively.
Couples were whispering sweet nothings, others chatting in hushed tones, and some simply enjoying hearty meals.
Many pirates didn’t dare cause trouble, finishing their meals and paying their bills before leaving.
About ten minutes later, a young boy of about eight or nine years old brought a plate of food to Tang An. With his blond hair and curly eyebrows, there was no doubt who he was.
Vinsmoke Sanji.
“Please enjoy your meal, sir. We don’t waste any food here.”
Despite his young age, Sanji already had the spirit of a knight and a chef.
Pointing to the wall with a sign stating no food waste, he emphasized the restaurant’s policy.
Sanji and Zeff had survived on a deserted island, making them highly valued food.
“Your name is Sanji?”
Tang An resisted the urge to draw his gun, refraining from calling Sanji by his full name. He couldn’t kill him now, not until he had a clear escape plan.
“Yes.”
Sanji nodded thoughtfully, his face solemn.
“Nice to meet you.”
Tang An smiled gently.
Sanji looked puzzled, not entirely understanding Tang An’s intention.
“I’m traveling in the East Blue. I heard that the food at the Baratie is exceptionally delicious, so I plan to stay for a month.”
Tang An began cutting into his steak-like dish. His actions were not very elegant; he was more accustomed to using chopsticks.
Unfortunately, there were none here, only knives and forks.
“The Baratie has the world’s greatest chef. You won’t be disappointed. I look forward to serving you this month.”
Sanji bowed politely, exuding elegance.
“You lazy Sanji, slacking off during work hours!”
A loud voice boomed from the kitchen, causing the elegant Sanji to lose his composure instantly. He yelled back towards the kitchen, “Damn old man, introducing the dishes to customers is also part of a chef’s duty!”
“Idiot Sanji, you’re just an apprentice!”
Zeff’s head popped out of the kitchen, wearing a chef’s hat and holding a spatula, visibly furious.
“Idiot old man, one day I’ll throw you into the sea. I told you, I’m no longer an apprentice. I cooked this gentleman’s food myself.”
Sanji rolled up his sleeves, stomping towards the kitchen like an angry young bull, engaging in a shouting match with Zeff.
The clatter of pots and pans, along with the two exposing each other’s flaws, could be heard from the kitchen.
Many regular customers in the hall were already used to this.
Tang An turned his attention back to his meal.
It seemed to be a type of seafish with a smooth and delicate texture, seasoned just right.
Based on what Sanji had said earlier, he had prepared this dish himself, indicating that his talent as a chef was already beginning to show.
After finishing his meal, Tang An started exploring the Baratie to familiarize himself with the surroundings. After his tour, he returned to his room to continue his training.
He had to master shaving within a month and enhance his physical condition through basic military combat training.
Time flew by, and ten days passed in the blink of an eye.
Early one morning, Tang An was running around the Baratie with sandbags filled with iron blocks tied to his legs.
“Good morning, Mr. Tang An.”
“Good morning, Mr. Paddy.”
“Good morning, Mr. Carne.”
The Baratie was both large and small, and over the past ten days, Tang An had become acquainted with these people.
“Mr. Tang An, are you training again?”
Sanji yawned from the balcony as Tang An passed by below.
“Good morning, Sanji!”
Tang An waved with a smile before continuing his run.
“Mr. Zeff.”
As he passed by Zeff’s quarters, the old man was brushing his teeth.
“Mr. Tang An.”
Zeff only nodded, not as warm as the others.
After running around the Baratie for an hour, Tang An returned to his room and began his push-ups, sit-ups, and pull-ups.
Each exercise was done three hundred times.
Around eleven o’clock, he finished his training, rested for twenty minutes, and then jumped off the balcony into the rough sea, swimming for over twenty minutes.
After washing up on the ship, he headed to the hall for lunch.
The afternoon was dedicated to practicing shaving, and he spent half the evening training the basics and shaving, repeating this cycle for ten days.
“Mr. Tang An, here’s my latest dish.”
As soon as he sat by the window, Sanji promptly brought him a new dish.
“Oh? Let me have a good taste then.”
Under Sanji’s expectant gaze, Tang An began to eat.
“How is it? How is it? Have I surpassed the old man?”
Sanji sat opposite Tang An, his face full of nervousness and anticipation.
“Hmm, compared to other chefs, you’ve done well, but you’re still a bit behind Mr. Zeff.”
Seeing Sanji’s sad look, Tang An continued, “But I believe you can surpass Mr. Zeff.”
“I think so too.”
Sanji, initially discouraged, regained his confidence instantly.
“Damn Sanji, slacking off again!”
The usual scolding came from the kitchen.
“Damn old man, one day I’ll kick you to death.”
Sanji muttered angrily as he left his seat and headed back to the kitchen.
After finishing his lunch and greeting familiar faces along the way, Tang An returned to his room to practice shaving.
In these ten days, he had made significant progress, from one step in 0.36 seconds to four steps now.
The extra three steps were hard-earned, with countless drops of sweat shed and his legs going numb after each session.
Tang An had initially thought he could master Shave in a month, but at this rate, even two months seemed unlikely.
If it weren’t for his constant basic training and enhanced physique, combined with his knowledge and techniques, he wouldn’t have been able to achieve four steps in ten days.
Shave was more challenging than he had imagined.
“Boom boom…”
In a moment, Tang An stomped four times, but this time, he noticed he had some energy left, managing four and a half steps.
After a few more attempts, Tang An’s mouth curled into a smile.
His effort and sweat had paid off!
“Today, I’ll break through to five steps.”
With a determined look, Tang An continued his repetitive training.
As the sun set and sweat continued to pour, the sky grew darker.
In the final moment, Tang An smiled, having successfully reached five steps in 0.36 seconds.
He felt great, as if all his fatigue had vanished, maintaining an exhilarated spirit.
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