I, Kizaru, only came to the chat group after I became invincible

Chapter 436 Five Hundred Thousand Berries?!

And so, after a heartwarming breakfast, the Straw Hat Pirates and Tom reached an agreement. Tom would help them enter the Red Line Kingdom, and they promised not to do anything to harm the innocent.

“Oh, right, Tom,” Franky said, suddenly remembering something. “Your boat needs repairs, doesn’t it? I’ll help you!”

"You can repair boats?" Tom asked in surprise.

“Of course! I’m the shipbuilder on this boat!” Franky said proudly. “Repairing a small fishing boat is a piece of cake!”

With Franky's help, Tom's boat was quickly repaired. Not only were the original damage completely fixed, but its performance was also improved.

"Wow, that's amazing!" Tom exclaimed, looking at his boat in astonishment. "It's even better now than when it was new!"

"That's a piece of cake!" Franky said smugly. "Superb repair skills!"

"When are we leaving for the Red Line Kingdom?" Luffy asked impatiently.

“Not yet,” Tom said. “First, we need to wait until the Free Alliance fleets have completely left this area. Second, I need to go back and make arrangements for your arrival.”

"What preparations are needed?" Nami asked.

“First, you need to prepare proper identification documents,” Tom explained. “Without proper identification, you cannot enter the kingdom.”

“Identity?” Sanji frowned. “How could we possibly have identification from the Red Line Kingdom?”

“I have a way.” Tom smiled mysteriously. “I have a friend who works in the kingdom’s civil affairs department; he should be able to help.”

“That’s great!” Chopper said happily.

“But this will take a few days,” Tom continued. “You can wait for me here, or you can wander around the area, but just don’t let the Freedom Alliance see you.”

“We’ll wait for you here!” Luffy decided. “It’s pretty quiet here anyway.”

“Alright,” Tom nodded. “I’ll go back to the kingdom now to make the arrangements, and I’ll come back to pick you up in about three days.”

Before parting, Tom looked at these friendly pirates and a strange feeling welled up inside him.

"Did I really do the right thing?" he asked himself.

But seeing Luffy and the others' genuine smiles, he felt that his choice was right. These people were indeed different from those vicious pirates; they had pure hearts and righteous character.

"Then I'm off!" Tom waved goodbye to everyone. "See you in three days!"

"Take care on the road!" the Straw Hat Pirates said in unison as they saw them off.

Watching Tom's little boat disappear on the horizon, Luffy exclaimed excitedly, "Great! We can go on an adventure to a new place soon!"

"I hope everything goes well," Nami said with some concern. "After all, it's a country that's very hostile to pirates."

"It's okay!" Luffy said optimistically. "We have Tom's help, and we're not bad guys!"

“But we still need to be careful,” Borsalino cautioned. “It’s always better to keep a low profile on someone else’s turf.”

“By the way, we need to prepare some decent clothes,” Robin suggested. “If we’re going to disguise ourselves as merchants, our attire can’t be too casual.”

"I'll take charge!" Nami exclaimed excitedly. "I'm quite knowledgeable about fashion!"

Three days later, at dusk, Tom returned to the deserted island in his small fishing boat as promised. Judging from the expression on his face, the trip back to the kingdom had gone smoothly.

"I'm back!" Tom waved to the Thousand Sunny from afar. "Everything is ready!"

The Straw Hat Pirates excitedly gathered by the ship, waiting for the good news Tom would bring.

"How did it go? Did it work?" Nami asked eagerly.

"It worked!" Tom exclaimed happily. "My friend was a huge help; your temporary identification documents are all ready."

He pulled a stack of documents from his pocket and handed them to Nami. "These are your temporary residence permits, valid for one month."

Nami examined the documents carefully and found that they were made with great care, and it was impossible to tell that they were temporary forgeries.

“Your friend’s cooking is really good,” she exclaimed.

“He said these documents would allow you to move freely within the kingdom, but not to do business,” Tom explained. “Because business licenses require more complicated procedures.”

“It’s alright, we just wanted to take a look around,” Robin said gently.

"By the way, have you prepared suitable clothing?" Tom inquired. "In the kingdom, attire is very important."

“Of course we’re ready!” Nami said confidently. “We’ve all changed into merchant’s attire!”

Indeed, thanks to Nami's careful arrangements, everyone had changed into appropriate attire. Luffy had traded his signature straw hat and vest for a simple yet neat businessman's outfit. Zoro had sheathed his three swords, carrying only a single, ordinary sword at his waist. Sanji, on the other hand, had donned a more formal suit.

The most surprising one was Borsalino, who changed out of his naval uniform and into a low-key dark suit, wearing non-prescription glasses, looking like an ordinary businessman.

“Borsalino, you don’t look like a Marine Admiral at all,” Franky remarked.

“It’s nice to experience the life of an ordinary person once in a while,” Borsalino said in a slow, deliberate tone, but with a hint of anticipation in his voice.

As a naval admiral, he rarely had the opportunity to live in unfamiliar places as an ordinary person. This experience was indeed very new to him.

"Let's set off now!" Luffy said excitedly.

“Wait, Luffy,” Tom called out to him. “Before we enter the kingdom, I must remind you of a few things again.”

"What precautions should I take?" Luffy asked.

“First and foremost, we absolutely cannot reveal our pirate identities,” Tom said seriously. “If we are discovered, not only will you be in danger, but I will be implicated as well.”

“We understand.” Nami nodded.

“Secondly, don’t do anything that might arouse suspicion,” Tom continued. “Like fighting, making loud noises, or displaying superhuman abilities.”

Borsalino glanced at Luffy thoughtfully, a hint of worry in his eyes. Given Luffy's personality, keeping a low profile wouldn't be easy.

"Also, prices are quite high in the kingdom. Have you prepared enough money?" Tom asked.

“Of course!” Nami patted her wallet. “We have plenty of funds!”

After some preparation, the Thousand Sunny followed Tom's small boat towards the Red Earth Kingdom. Two hours later, a magnificent island appeared before them. The Red Earth Kingdom truly lived up to its name; the entire island's land was a unique red, appearing exceptionally beautiful under the setting sun.

"What a beautiful color!" Chopper exclaimed excitedly. "It really is red earth!"

“This is because the soil contains a lot of iron,” Robin explained. “After oxidation, it forms this unique red color.”

The island is dotted with buildings, a testament to its bustling prosperity. The harbor is teeming with ships, indicating a vibrant commercial scene.

"Welcome to the Red Earth Kingdom!" Tom proudly introduced his hometown. "This is the commercial center of the entire sea!"

They completed immigration procedures at the port. Tom's guarantee, coupled with his excellent identification documents, made the whole process very smooth. The customs officer only conducted a routine check and then let them through.

"Great! We made it in!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly, but Nami quickly stopped him.

"Keep your voice down!" Nami reminded her. "Don't be too conspicuous!"

Borsalino carefully observed his surroundings. The port was indeed heavily guarded, with armed soldiers patrolling everywhere. Moreover, he noticed that these soldiers appeared well-trained and well-equipped, definitely not ordinary militia.

"This kingdom's military strength should not be underestimated," he thought to himself. "It seems that the pirate invasion truly taught them a profound lesson."

After entering the kingdom, Tom led them to the capital's commercial district. The streets here were wide and clean, lined with various shops and restaurants, bustling with people.

“This is the most prosperous area of ​​our kingdom,” Tom introduced. “Where would you like to visit first?”

"Of course we're going to eat!" Luffy said without hesitation. "I can already smell how delicious it is!"

Indeed, the streets were filled with the aroma of various delicacies, making one's mouth water.

"Let's find somewhere to eat first," Nami agreed. "A long voyage definitely requires replenishing our energy."

Tom led them to a restaurant that looked quite nice. The restaurant was elegantly decorated and crowded, clearly a well-known local establishment.

“The food here is famous throughout the kingdom,” Tom explained. “Especially their red clay beef, made with local red clay cattle, it tastes absolutely delicious.”

"Red clay bull?" Sanji's interest was piqued. "That sounds quite unique."

They found a corner seat in the restaurant to avoid drawing too much attention. Borsalino sat in a spot with a panoramic view of the restaurant, habitually keeping an eye on his surroundings.

"Gentlemen, what would you like to order?" the waiter asked politely as he approached.

"I want this! And this! And this!" Luffy exclaimed excitedly, pointing at the pictures on the menu. "They all look delicious!"

"Luffy, don't order too much," Nami said worriedly.

But Luffy had already ordered more than a dozen dishes, all of which were large main courses. The waiters were astonished by his appetite.

"Sir, are you sure you want to order this much?" the waiter confirmed. "This portion is enough for eight people."

“That’s right! I have a huge appetite!” Luffy said nonchalantly.

Borsalino inwardly groaned at the sight. Luffy's gluttonous eating and drinking were sure to attract attention.

“Um… let’s add a few more local specialties,” he said, trying to divert attention from Luffy. “Like that red clay steak, anything else you’d recommend?”

“We also have red snapper soup, made with locally sourced redfin flounder,” the waiter explained. “And red snapper vegetable salad, made with fresh, locally grown vegetables.”

“That’s all then.” Borsalino nodded.

Soon, a variety of dishes were served. The cuisine of the Red Earth Kingdom was indeed very distinctive, not only delicious but also beautifully presented. The Red Earth Steak, in particular, was tender and had a unique aroma.

"This is so delicious!" Luffy excitedly began to eat, completely forgetting his promise to keep a low profile.

“Eat slowly, Luffy,” Sanji reminded him. “Don’t eat too fast.”

But Luffy was completely absorbed in the world of food, devouring it like a whirlwind. His eating habits attracted the attention of the other guests in the restaurant, who all looked at their table with curiosity.

Borsalino noticed the stares he was receiving and felt uneasy. He tried to change the subject, talking to Tom about the kingdom's history and culture.

"Mr. Tom, could you tell me about the history of the Red Earth Kingdom?" he asked politely.

“Of course.” Tom was happy to introduce his hometown. “Our kingdom has a history of eight hundred years, originally founded here by a group of people fleeing war.”

“Eight hundred years? That’s a very long history,” Robin said with interest.

“Yes, our ancestors discovered rich mineral deposits here, especially iron ore,” Tom continued. “So the kingdom quickly prospered.”

While they were chatting, Luffy had finished eating all the food he had ordered, but he was clearly still not full.

"Boss! Ten more red clay steaks, please!" he shouted.

"Luffy!" Nami stopped him in alarm. "You've eaten enough!"

But Luffy wouldn't listen and continued ordering food from the waiter. "And that fish soup! Five more servings, please!"

The restaurant patrons were astonished by Luffy's appetite. They had never seen anyone eat so much.

"This gentleman has an amazing appetite," remarked a guest at the next table.

"Yes, he can eat our whole family's worth of food all by himself for a day."

Borsalino realized the situation was dire; Luffy's continued actions would surely arouse suspicion. He was trying to distract him when he suddenly heard the restaurant owner approaching.

"I'm so sorry, gentlemen," the owner said somewhat awkwardly. "You've ordered far too much food; our kitchen may need some time to prepare it."

"It's okay, we can wait!" Luffy said nonchalantly.

“However,” the boss hesitated for a moment, “based on your current spending, the total amount will be approximately 500,000 Berries.”

"Five hundred thousand Berries?!" Nami was stunned.

This amount far exceeded her budget. Although the Straw Hat Pirates had a considerable amount of money, if Luffy kept eating like this, they would soon run out of money.

"Luffy! Do you know how much the food you ordered cost?" Nami angrily grabbed Luffy's collar and shook him.

"How much money?" Luffy asked, bewildered. "Isn't Nami in charge of managing the money?"

(End of this chapter)