One Piece : Marine of the Straw Hat Pirates

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Looking at the bounty poster handed to him by Sengoku, Ikki smiled and said, "No problem!"

Ikki agreed to Sengoku's request without a moment's hesitation.

First of all, Ikki admired Trafalgar Law as a character. Law wasn't just intelligent—he was also loyal and kind-hearted in his own way.

Although his demeanor shifted a bit after spending too much time with the Straw Hats, his sharp mind and tactical brilliance always remained intact. Even amidst the Straw Hats' chaotic influence, Law never fully lost his sense of strategy or focus.

As for convincing Law to join? That part was simple enough. All it would take was promising to help him eliminate his lifelong enemy, Doflamingo.

Of course, Ikki knew he couldn't just tell Law outright that he could help defeat Doflamingo. Law would never believe such a claim without proof. They would need to demonstrate either enough strength or the potential to back up the promise when the time came.

With the appointment letter for the new private Marines in hand and Sengoku's request accepted, Ikki had accomplished the main purpose of his visit to Marine Headquarters.

As for the secondary purpose? That was a bit more personal. Ikki wanted to take Luffy to the Marine cafeteria to enjoy some delicious food and give Zoro the opportunity to challenge a Marine swordsman.

Sengoku, ever efficient, quickly made arrangements. He summoned Momonga, to escort Zoro to the training grounds for Marine officers. For Luffy, Sengoku asked Aokiji to personally take him to the cafeteria.

Aokiji didn't seem to mind at all. "I was heading there to eat anyway," he said with his usual laziness.

As Ikki was about to leave Sengoku's office, he paused, as if something had just occurred to him. Turning back, he said, "Fleet Admiral Sengoku, just so you know, Luffy might end up eating a lot. You're okay with that, right?"

Hearing this, Sengoku chuckled warmly, the way a grandfather might. "Let him eat as much as he wants! Why would I mind?"

Sengoku was confident in the stockpile of the Marine Headquarters cafeteria, which was designed to feed an entire base of officers and soldiers. No matter how much Luffy could eat, it wouldn't put a dent in their supplies.

"Alright, then!" Ikki responded with a grin before leaving the office.

And so, under Aokiji's guidance, Ikki and Luffy made their way to Marine's No. 1 cafeteria, while Zoro and Conan followed Momonga to the training grounds.

Conan, too, was curious. Although he came from a different world, he wanted to see if he could grow stronger in this one.

After all, this was a world where strength determined respect and influence. Becoming stronger wasn't just important—it was necessary.

The Marines' training grounds were staffed with experienced instructors, each as skilled as any elite trainer back in Conan's world. With their help, Conan hoped to gauge his potential and explore whether he had the qualifications to grow stronger in this new world.

Soon, under Aokiji's relaxed guidance, Ikki and Luffy arrived at Marine's bustling No. 1 cafeteria.

Canteen No. 1 was the dining hall reserved for Marine officers. Since all the officers were monster-level individuals with enormous appetites, the staff working there—whether cooks or meal preparation helpers—were no ordinary people. Even the cooks possessed impressive physical skills; anyone too weak simply couldn't handle the demands of the job.

As they made their way to the cafeteria, Aokiji casually chatted with Luffy and Ikki.

His questions often circled back to Alabasta, and he didn't hesitate to bring up the name Nico Robin.

Ikki knew that Aokiji's inquiries weren't random. The admiral had been subtly keeping an eye on Robin for years. Ever since Robin was a child, Aokiji had monitored her movements across the seas, fully aware that she had been working under Crocodile. With Crocodile's recent capture, Aokiji figured Robin would now be searching for a new place to belong.

Understanding Aokiji's intentions, Ikki chose not to hold back. He openly shared the news that Robin had joined the Straw Hat crew.

Upon hearing this, Aokiji fell silent, his usual carefree demeanor replaced by quiet contemplation.

When they finally arrived at the cafeteria, Luffy wasted no time. Grabbing a plate, he piled it high with food and started devouring it.

Ikki, however, prepared two plates—one as Luffy's inevitable second helping, and another with a different purpose entirely.

As Ikki glanced at the mountain of food available, he suddenly remembered the Gourmet Cells he had acquired. To strengthen them, Ikki needed to consume delicious food. The tastier the dish, the more developed his Gourmet Cells would become.

Although Ikki loved food, the idea of becoming a massive eater didn't appeal to him. However, with Luffy's already insatiable appetite, adding Gourmet Cells to his diet seemed like a harmless experiment.

With that thought, Ikki discreetly mixed the Gourmet Cells into the rice and handed the dish to Luffy, who had already finished his first helping.

Luffy grabbed the bowl and, without hesitation, shoveled the food into his mouth.

"Wow! The food here is really good!" Luffy exclaimed, swallowing. "But it's still not as good as Sanji's cooking!"

His voice carried across the cafeteria, and the Marine chefs—proud of their skills—immediately bristled at the comparison.

"Hmph! Are you saying our food is worse than some guy named Sanji's?" one chef muttered, raising an eyebrow. "By the way… who's Sanji?"

Before the chefs could fully process their indignation, Luffy's words sparked a burst of activity. Each chef began preparing their signature dishes, eager to prove their culinary superiority. Soon, a parade of plates was set before Luffy.

Ikki clarified with a smile, "Sanji is the cook on our ship."

The chefs nodded, their competitive spirit reignited. "Well, try what we've cooked, and then tell us whose food is better!"

But before they could finish their sentence, something strange happened.

The plates that had been laid out disappeared, leaving nothing but bare surfaces. The chefs looked around in confusion until their eyes landed on Luffy.

To their shock, Luffy's body was visibly slimming down at an alarming rate.

Ikki instantly understood the cause—Luffy's Gourmet Cells had activated, consuming energy at a rapid pace. If Luffy didn't continue eating immediately, he might enter a self-cannibalizing state, potentially leading to death.

"Quick! Bring more food!" Ikki shouted to the chefs and staff. At the same time, he shoved whatever food was in front of him into Luffy's mouth, trying to buy time.

But the small portion Ikki had wasn't enough.

Thankfully, the cafeteria staff realized something was wrong and rushed to prepare more food, while the chefs redoubled their efforts, stirring their pots and wielding their utensils like weapons in a battle.

At a nearby table, Aokiji had been quietly meditating as he ate. Noticing the commotion around Luffy, he paused mid-bite. The other Marine officers nearby, including Smoker and Hina, had also taken note.

"What's going on over there?" Smoker asked, curiosity piqued.

"Hina doesn't know, and Hina doesn't care," she replied with her usual indifference, dabbing her mouth with a pink handkerchief. Standing up, Hina made her way toward the exit, uninterested in the spectacle.

Smoker, however, decided to investigate. As he moved toward the commotion, he noticed Aokiji heading in the same direction.