One Piece: Marine Luffy, Garp regrets it

"Ah, well… I'm sorry," Yamato muttered, her head bowed as she fiddled nervously with her fingers.

Nami rolled her eyes but decided not to press the matter further. Ain, Hina, and the other girls exchanged glances, sighing and shaking their heads.

"How did Kaido raise her like this?" Hina muttered. "She's way too cautious for someone of her strength."

Although the incident with the pool had been minor, seeing Yamato looking so downcast motivated Nami and Koala to cheer her up. They jumped up, moving to warm their bodies, and took turns holding Yamato's hands, reassuring her.

Fortunately, Yamato's naturally cheerful and lively disposition helped her bounce back quickly. The guilt melted away, replaced by her usual big-hearted optimism.

Still, she avoided the pool for the time being.

After a moment of thought, Yamato clapped her hands together as if remembering something important. "Oh, that good man named Luffy told me to find him after an hour of playing!" she exclaimed. "It must've been more than an hour now—I have to go!"

Just as she turned to Hancock to ask for directions, Kujaku cleared her throat. "Ahem. Don't worry about Luffy," Kujaku said smoothly. "He's busy discussing something important with Vice Admiral Gion. Let's go eat instead—it's lunchtime."

"Really? Well, I am hungry!" Yamato agreed without hesitation, rubbing her flat stomach with a sheepish grin.

The rest of the group followed Kujaku's lead without questioning her motives. After all, who would suspect she had orchestrated a meeting between a candidate admiral and Luffy under such unusual circumstances?

After changing out of their wet clothes, the group headed to the restaurant.

The dining room was elegantly designed, with pristine white decor and subtle touches of refinement. Yamato's curious eyes darted around, trying to take in every detail of the space.

Before she could ask about the layout, Ain stepped into a small adjoining room and picked up a microphone on the wall.

"Hello, this is Ain," she said crisply. "Please bring lunch up."

After receiving confirmation from the other end, Ain hung up and turned back to Yamato, who was watching with wide-eyed curiosity.

Before Yamato could speak, the floor in the center of the room slid open, revealing a rising platform. On the platform were steaming trays of food, their aromas filling the room.

With a smile, Ain gestured to the setup. "This is a lift built at Luffy's suggestion. It's connected directly to the kitchen below. Meals are prepared in advance, and when it's time to eat, all we have to do is call, and they're delivered instantly. If we need anything extra, we just make a request."

"Wow!" Yamato exclaimed, stars shining in her eyes. "That's so convenient!"

Pleased by her reaction, Ain chuckled and motioned for everyone to help set the table. Yamato eagerly joined in, her excitement evident in her quick movements.

Once the food was laid out, the long table was filled with an array of dishes, each more enticing than the last. Yamato's eyes sparkled as she stared at the spread.

Though she was the daughter of Kaido and the heir to the Beasts Pirates, her life had been far from luxurious. Her strained relationship with her father had often left her to fend for herself, scavenging for food and surviving on whatever she could find. Her favorite dishes were raw seafood she caught herself—especially raw salmon—and oden, inspired by her idol, Kozuki Oden.

Now, faced with an assortment of beautifully prepared dishes she had never seen before, Yamato's mouth watered uncontrollably.

Without even uttering the customary "I'm going to start," she grabbed a fork and chopsticks, attacking the food with gusto.

Her unrestrained enthusiasm was infectious, prompting everyone else to join in. With Luffy as their leader, formal dining etiquette was the last thing on their minds.

However, Yamato's voracious appetite quickly turned the meal into a fierce competition. She devoured dishes faster than anyone could grab them, forcing the others to speed up or risk missing out entirely.

Ain had to call for extra servings multiple times just to keep up with the pace.

By the time everyone was satisfied, the dining room was filled with laughter and the warm hum of contentment.

Meanwhile, in the library, Luffy and Gion's "discussion" had concluded.

The room was quiet except for the faint crackling of a cigarette. Light green smoke curled lazily through the air as Gion leaned back against the sofa, her hand resting casually on the backrest while the other held a cigarette to her lips.

Her usually sharp demeanor was softened by a look of deep satisfaction.

Luffy, on the other hand, lay sprawled across her lap, a mix of exhaustion and exasperation on his face. His petite frame looked almost comical compared to Gion's towering height, and his helpless expression gave the impression of a defeated fighter.

Though frustration simmered in his chest, he couldn't deny the surge of heat that rose when he thought back on the encounter.

Smacking his lips, Luffy raised a hand to get a clearer look at Gion's face.

Noticing his movement, Gion looked down at him with a sly smile, her red eyes sparkling with amusement.

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