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

Chapter 475 Kizaru's Praise

The judges discussed it for a while and then made a decision.

"Ladies and gentlemen!" The host picked up the microphone. "The judges have made their decision! The champion of this cooking competition is Sanji, the chef from the Thousand Sunny!"

"Great!" the Straw Hat Pirates cheered.

Sanji walked onto the stage and accepted the master-level kitchenware set and certificate of honor.

“Thank you for the judges’ recognition,” he said politely. “As a chef, it is an honor to receive such recognition.”

There was warm applause from the audience.

"Sanji is awesome!" Robin clapped.

"As expected of our chef!" Luffy said proudly.

After the award ceremony, Sanji held the kitchenware set and certificate, a satisfied smile on his face.

“This food festival was truly worthwhile,” he said.

“Yes!” Nami was also very happy. “Luffy won ham, and Sanji won cooking utensils and honor. What a great harvest!”

“Now we’ll continue our journey,” Robin said. “The ship is repaired and ready to depart at any time.”

“Let’s go back to the hotel and pack our luggage,” Zoro said.

"Wait a minute!" Luffy suddenly said. "We haven't properly explored the food festival yet! Now that we're here, we should try all the delicious food!"

"Luffy, didn't you just eat a lot?" Nami said helplessly.

"That's a competition!" Luffy declared confidently. "Now it's time to enjoy the food!"

“You rascal,” Nami sighed.

“Okay, okay,” she relented. “Then let’s shop a little longer, but not too long.”

"Great!" Luffy said happily.

The group continued strolling through the food festival, sampling all sorts of delicacies. Despite having just eaten so much, Luffy still enthusiastically tried food from every single stall.

“I really don’t know how his stomach is shaped,” Usopp exclaimed.

“A rubber stomach, huh?” Franky laughed.

As the sun gradually set in the west, the food festival drew to a close.

The Straw Hat Pirates spent their last day in Green Port filled with joy and delicious food.

When they returned to the hotel, everyone had a satisfied smile on their face.

“Today was a really great day,” Chopper said.

“Yes,” Robin smiled. “Although it was only a short stay, Green Harbor left us with wonderful memories.”

"We'll continue our voyage tomorrow," Nami said. "Everyone, get some rest."

"Okay!" everyone responded.

Luffy hugged the giant ham and looked at Sanji expectantly.

"Sanji, can we have ham on the ship tomorrow?"

“Okay.” Sanji nodded. “I’ll take good care of it.”

"Great!" Luffy cheered.

As night fell, the streets of Green Harbor were brightly lit.

By the hotel window, Borsalino gazed at the harbor in the night, a faint smile on his face.

“What an interesting bunch of young people,” he murmured to himself. “Every day is wonderful with them.”

He recalled Luffy's performance in the eating contest today, Sanji's focus in the cooking competition, and the laughter and joy among his companions.

"That's the charm of the Straw Hat Pirates, isn't it?" he said slowly. "Wherever they go, they bring joy and hope to people."

The next morning, sunlight shone on the docks of Green Harbor, and the shimmering sea gleamed with golden light.

The Straw Hat Pirates arrived at the shipyard carrying their luggage. Marco had said yesterday that they could pick up the ship early this morning, and they were all looking forward to seeing the repaired Thousand Sunny.

"What will it be like?" Chopper asked excitedly.

“It’s definitely better than before,” Nami said. “After all, it underwent professional repairs.”

When they arrived at the shipyard's dock, everyone stopped in their tracks.

"Wow!" Luffy's mouth dropped open.

The Thousand Sunny looks brand new.

The hull had been meticulously repaired, leaving no trace of any cracks or damage. The planks had been sanded smooth and new, and the paint had been reapplied, gleaming in the sunlight. The lion-shaped prow had also been cleaned and now stood proudly and majestically.

The entire ship looks as if it was just built.

"So beautiful!" Nami exclaimed.

"You're even more handsome than before!" Franky was so excited that tears were about to stream down his face.

Marco walked over with a smile.

"How is it? Are you satisfied?" he asked proudly.

"Satisfied! Absolutely satisfied!" Franky rushed over and shook Marco's hand. "Your skills are truly top-notch!"

“Haha, you flatter me,” Marco laughed. “Actually, the design of your ship itself is excellent. We just repaired the damaged parts and optimized some structures.”

"Optimize?" Franky became interested.

“Yes.” Marco led them aboard, explaining as they went. “You see, the pumice stone system at the bottom of the ship—we’ve readjusted the installation position and securing method. Now it remains stable even under different air pressures.”

"Great!" Franky crouched down to examine it closely. "This way, the same accident won't happen again."

“That’s right,” Marco continued. “And we’ve also reinforced the keel, increasing the overall strength of the hull. This way, even in strong storms, the ship can withstand greater pressure.”

"Professional! So professional!" Franky exclaimed.

“And the deck,” Marco said, pointing to the ground. “We used a special anti-slip treatment, so it's not easy to slip even when the deck is wet from rain or waves.”

"That's very thoughtful." Nami nodded.

“By the way, we’ve taken good care of your lawn too,” Marco said, pointing to the lawn area on the aft deck. “We fertilized it, trimmed the dead leaves, and it’s growing exceptionally well now.”

The lawn, however, was lush and green, shining brightly.

"Great!" Chopper rolled around on the lawn excitedly. "So comfortable!"

“The sails have also been repaired and reinforced.” Marco looked up at the mast. “We’ve fixed a few worn spots.”

"And the kitchen!" Sanji eagerly rushed into the kitchen to inspect it. After a while, he came out satisfied. "All the equipment has been maintained; it's as clean as new!"

“Of course,” Marco laughed. “We know how important the kitchen is to a chef.”

Robin walked into the library and found it spotless, with books neatly arranged.

"That's so thoughtful," she said with a smile.

Zoro inspected the training room and found that all the equipment had been maintained.

Brooke walked into the music room and found his violin carefully placed on a shelf, with some desiccant around it.

"Oh ho ho ho! How thoughtful!" he said, touched.

“We’ve handled every detail as perfectly as possible,” Marco said. “I hope you’re satisfied.”

"More than satisfactory!" Franky exclaimed excitedly. "It's absolutely perfect!"

“By the way, what about the cost?” Nami asked somewhat nervously. “It’s 500,000 Berries in total,” Marco said. “Considering the workload and materials used, this price is already very reasonable.”

"Five hundred thousand," Nami hesitated for a moment, but nodded anyway. "Okay, that price is indeed very fair."

She took money out of her bag and handed it to Marco.

“Thank you for taking care of me,” she said.

“You’re welcome.” Marco accepted the money. “It’s our honor to serve such an excellent ship. We wish you a safe journey!”

"Thank you!" the Straw Hat Pirates said in unison.

"Then we should set sail." Luffy stood at the bow of the ship, gazing at the distant sea. "A new adventure awaits us!"

"Let's go!" everyone responded in unison.

Franky started the engine, and the Thousand Sunny slowly left the dock.

A large number of residents of Green Harbor gathered at the dock to see him off. They waved goodbye and offered their blessings loudly.

Have a safe journey!

Until we meet again!

Welcome back!

The Straw Hat Pirates stood on the deck, waving to the people on the shore.

"Goodbye, Green Harbor!" Luffy shouted.

The Thousand Sunny sailed out of the harbor and into the open sea. The morning sea breeze ruffled the sails, bringing a refreshing scent.

"Ah, finally at sea again!" Luffy stretched. "This feels so good!"

“Yes.” Nami took a deep breath. “While land isn’t bad, the sea is definitely more suitable for us.”

"What's the next flight path?" Zoro asked.

Nami took out the nautical chart and studied it carefully.

“Based on the direction of the pointer, our next destination should be…” She pointed to a location on the nautical chart, “'Kasuga Island.' About three days' voyage away.”

"Kasuga Island?" Robin's interest was piqued. "Just the name sounds like a beautiful place."

"It's said that the place has a spring-like climate all year round, beautiful scenery, and is a very popular tourist destination," Nami said.

"A tourist destination?" Luffy's eyes lit up. "There must be lots of delicious food there!"

"All you ever think about is eating," Nami said with a helpless smile.

“Speaking of food,” Sanji suddenly said, “I should go prepare that golden ham!”

"Oh right!" Luffy suddenly became excited. "Golden ham! I almost forgot about it!"

“How could you possibly forget?” Usopp retorted. “You’ve mentioned it over a dozen times since last night.”

"Hehe." Luffy laughed sheepishly.

Sanji went into the kitchen and carefully took out the golden ham from the storage room.

The ham has an enticing golden-brown surface and emits a rich aroma. Just looking at it makes your mouth water.

“This is truly top-quality ingredient.” Sanji examined the ham closely. “It’s cured perfectly, and the aging time is just right. Ham of this quality, if cooked properly, can bring out its most exquisite flavor.”

He took out the master-level kitchenware set he won in yesterday's competition, which contained a variety of exquisite knives.

“Perfect timing to use the new knife to process this ham.” Sanji selected a sharp slicing knife.

He carefully peeled away the outer skin of the ham, revealing the delicate meat inside. Then, he began to slice it.

Each cut is precise and elegant, producing ham slices as thin as cicada wings, almost transparent. Through the ham slices, you can even see the scenery behind them.

"Wow, it's so thin!" Before anyone knew it, Luffy was already peering into the kitchen window.

"Don't disturb my work," Sanji said without looking up.

"But it smells so good!" Luffy drooled.

“Wait a little longer,” Sanji said. “I want to make it the perfect dish.”

He elegantly arranged the sliced ​​ham on a plate, resembling a rose. Then, he prepared some side dishes—fresh lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, and some fruit.

"The ham is so high-class, the side dishes also need to be carefully selected," Sanji muttered to himself as he prepared. "They shouldn't overshadow the ham, but they should also complement its deliciousness."

He also prepared a special sauce, made by mixing olive oil, lemon juice, honey, and some spices.

"The sweet and sour taste of this sauce balances the greasiness of the ham while enhancing its aroma." Sanji nodded in satisfaction.

Finally, he garnished the rim of the plate with some herbs and edible petals.

"Done!" Sanji picked up the plate and walked out of the kitchen.

On the deck, the others had been waiting for quite some time.

"Wow!" they exclaimed in amazement when they saw the dish Sanji served.

The ham slices on the plate are like works of art, and the rose arrangement is exquisite and beautiful. The colors of the side dishes are harmoniously matched, making the whole picture pleasing to the eye.

"So beautiful!" Nami exclaimed.

“It’s like a painting,” Robin smiled.

"That's Sanji's cooking skill." Zoro nodded in agreement.

"It has to look good, it has to taste good too," Sanji said. "Come on, everyone, have a taste."

He distributed some ham slices and side dishes to everyone.

Luffy was the first to eagerly start eating.

His eyes widened the moment the ham slice hit his mouth.

"Delicious! So delicious!" he shouted. "This is the best ham I've ever eaten!"

Others also tasted it.

"It's truly delicious," Zoro rarely praised. "The meat is tender, flavorful, and not too salty."

“And it melts in your mouth,” Nami said. “You don’t need to chew at all; it just melts there.”

“The sauce is also very well made,” Robin said, savoring it. “It’s perfectly balanced between sweet and sour, and it complements the ham perfectly.”

"Sanji's cooking is always so excellent." Franky gave a thumbs up.

"Wow! This is delicious!" Brooke exclaimed, full of praise. "Even though I don't have a tongue, I can still taste how delicious this is!"

Chopper ate with a blissful expression: "This is so delicious!"

Usopp nodded in agreement: "As expected of ham worth 100,000 Berries, paired with Sanji's culinary skills, it's a match made in heaven!"

Borsalino also picked up a slice of ham and slowly savored it.

His eyes widened slightly as the taste of the ham filled his mouth.

“Oh my!” he exclaimed in surprise, “This is truly delicious.”

"Right?" Sanji said smugly. "Uncle Kizaru thinks it's delicious too, right?"

“Hmm.” Borsalino nodded. “The meat is perfectly cooked, and the spices are used skillfully. More importantly, the cooking technique is superb. To bring out the best in such fine ingredients requires considerable skill.”

"Ah~ I'm so happy to receive praise from Uncle Kizaru~" Sanji said excitedly.

“But to be honest,” Borsalino continued, “it’s been a long time since I’ve had a meal prepared with such care.”

(End of this chapter)