THE 3 COOKS

This is a full-color version of the title page illustration. Nami, Usopp, Zoro, and Luffy relax around giant apples under a tree. Nami sits on a large red apple at the left, eating from a small bowl with a spoon. Usopp is midair near the tree, holding a large bottle and pouring liquid into a bowl below. Zoro lounges on a branch in the background with his arms folded and eyes closed. In the foreground, Luffy lies against a huge pale apple wedge, grinning as he bites into it while holding a small red apple in his other hand.

Out on the ocean, a large, unique ship shaped like a fish with a multi-story building on its deck sails the waters. A text box introduces it as the "RESTAURANT OF THE SEAS, 'BARATIE'". Inside, Luffy holds up one finger with a serious expression, negotiating with the owner. "CUT IT DOWN, TO JUST 1 WEEK," Luffy demands. The head chef, Zeff, a large man with a braided mustache and a tall chef's hat, glares back angrily. "WHAT DID YOU SAY PUNK?" Zeff growls. "YOU THINK YOU CAN DESTROY MY RESTAURANT WITH A CANNONBALL, LEAVE ME CRITICALLY INJURED, AND THEN MAKE IT UP BY ONLY WORKING 1 WEEK WITHOUT PAY...?"

In Zeff's damaged room, Luffy argues from the bed while Zeff confronts him nearby. Zeff yells, "YOU'RE WORKING 1 YEAR AND THAT'S FINAL! GOT IT?" Luffy refuses, shouting back, "NO! I WAITED 10 YEARS JUST TO FINALLY BECOME A PIRATE! I'M NOT WAITING ANOTHER YEAR! ALRIGHT, IT'S SETTLED! I'LL WORK JUST 1 WEEK AND THEN YOU'LL FORGIVE ME!" Zeff suddenly kicks Luffy squarely in the face with his peg leg, sending Luffy flying backward with an "OFU!" Zeff roars, "JUST WHO GAVE YOU THE RIGHT TO DECIDE!? TAKE THIS, HEAD CHEF'S KICK OF JUSTICE!!!" Zeff points to himself, declaring, "I'M THE ONE WHO'LL DECIDE WHETHER I FORGIVE YOU OR NOT! LOOK, YOU'RE PERFECTLY FINE." Luffy sits on the floor, rubbing his head and grumbling, "SHUT UP!" Zeff's expression darkens as he offers an alternative: "ALRIGHT, KID. IF YOU'RE SO STRAPPED FOR TIME, THEN I'LL TELL YOU A FASTER WAY TO GET OUT OF HERE."

A single, small panel shows Luffy smiling brightly against a white background, seemingly unfazed by Zeff's threats and the recent kick to the head.

Zeff holds up a large handsaw with a menacing glare. "YOU'LL HAVE TO LEAVE BEHIND, ONE OF YOUR LEGS!" he threatens. Luffy, sitting on the floor, looks at him blankly. "UMM... ISN'T IT OBVIOUS I'M NOT GOING TO CHOOSE THAT OPTION? ARE YOU A LITTLE DUMB IN THE HEAD OR SOMETHING, OLD MAN?" Zeff's veins pop in anger. "SAYING NO TO THIS, SAYING NO TO THAT... DON'T THINK YOU CAN MAKE IT IN THIS WORLD BY ONLY SAYING NO, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" Zeff grunts in frustration, then leaps into the air and delivers a devastating "HEAD CHEF DROP KICK!" straight down onto Luffy. The impact smashes Luffy through the floorboards with a loud crash, as Luffy screams "AHHHH!" and "OOF!"

In the hallway of the Baratie, a large, muscular cook with a Popeye-like face and a bandana, Patty, picks his nose. "CUSTOMERS," he begins. He stands outside the washroom, holding a sign that reads "BARATIE'S COOK, PATTY". He yells enthusiastically, "ARE GODS!" Patty then struts down the hallway with a wide, slightly unhinged smile. "SERVICE IS LOVE! LOVE IS THIS RESTAURANT! MOTTO, MOTTO! SERVICE MOTTO!" A customer watches him pass by, looking slightly bewildered by the cook's intense demeanor.

Patty stands outside the washroom door, greeting a customer, Marine Lieutenant Fullbody, as he exits. Patty beams with a terrifyingly wide smile. "AND THE FOUNDATIONS OF GOOD SERVICE, IS A KIND AND PLEASANT WELCOME! WELCOME, YOU SQUID-FACED BASTARD!" Fullbody looks shocked. Patty's expression turns to a greedy shock as he demands, "THAT'LL COME TO 10,000 BELIS!" Fullbody glares at him, and Patty quickly shifts to a smug, mocking grin. "PARDON ME, DUMBASS." Patty then bows slightly with a serious face, "PLEASE NEVER COME BACK AGAIN!" Having finished his bizarre customer service routine, Patty happily marches down the hall. "AHH, THAT WAS A GOOD DUMP! I FEEL GREAT AGAIN TODAY! MOTTO, MOTTO! SERVICE MOTTO! THE CUSTOMERS ARE GODS!"

Patty looks into the main dining area and his jaw drops in horror. "W-H-A-T!? THE CUSTOMER IS BEING...!!?" he yells. In the dining room, Sanji is holding Fullbody up by the face and jaw with one hand. Patty screams, "YOU AGAIN, SANJI!? THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING TO OUR CUSTOMER!?" Sanji, calmly smoking a cigarette, glances over. "HM? OH, IT'S JUST YOU, THE SHITTY COOK. DON'T CALL MY NAME SO CASUALLY LIKE THAT." Patty points frantically, "NOT ONLY THAT, THAT MAN'S ALSO A MARINE LIEUTENANT!" Sanji tightens his hold, replying coldly, "I AIN'T GONNA STAND BY AND LET A SHITTY COOK CALL ME A SHITTY COOK!"

Patty continues to yell at Sanji, "IT'S A RESTAURANT'S DUTY TO SERVE ITS CUSTOMERS! JUST HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN YOU INJURING OUR PRECIOUS CUSTOMER?" Sanji exhales smoke, unbothered. "SO WHAT IF HE'S THE CUSTOMER? HE DARED TO WASTE OUR PRECIOUS FOOD AND INSULTED A COOK! I WAS ONLY TEACHING HIM A LESSON." Fullbody, now bruised and bleeding on the floor, shouts in outrage, "WHAT'S WITH THIS PLACE...!? HOW CAN THERE BE A RESTAURANT THAT ILL-TREATS ITS CUSTOMERS TO THIS EXTENT...!? I'LL CLOSE DOWN THE RESTAURANT! I'LL REPORT THIS PLACE TO THE GOVERNMENT!" Sanji steps toward him menacingly. "YOU'RE GOING TO REPORT US, ARE YOU NOW...?" Fullbody stammers in fear, "W-WHA...!?" Sanji looks down at him coldly. "WELL, THEN I GUESS I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO KILL YOU RIGHT NOW." Patty panics, waving his arms, "NO, STOP!"

Patty and another cook tackle Sanji, desperately trying to hold him back. "HOLD HIM DOWN OR HE MIGHT SERIOUSLY KILL HIM!" Patty yells. Sanji struggles against them, his face contorted in rage. "GOD, IT JUST GETS ME SO ANGRY... TO SEE A DAMN SPOILED SON OF A BITCH LIKE YOU!" Patty pleads, "STOP, SANJI! YOU'VE WENT TOO FAR!" Sanji glares fiercely at Fullbody. "JUST WHO THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE!?" Fullbody cowers, sweating profusely. "ACK! W-WHAT'S WITH THIS GUY!?" Suddenly, the ceiling splinters and Luffy crashes down directly onto Fullbody, screaming "AGHHHHHH!" Patty throws his hands up in exasperation. "WHAT IS IT THIS TIME!?"

Zeff peers down through the newly formed hole in the ceiling. Patty yells up, "S-SIR, WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Zeff looks devastated, "SHIT! THE CEILING OF MY BEAUTIFUL RESTAURANT IS...!" Luffy sits up on the floor, rubbing his head. "WHEW, THAT SCARED THE CRAP OUTTA ME." Zeff points down angrily, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT, YOU DAMN BRAT!" Luffy yells back, "YOU DESTROYED IT YOURSELF!" Patty calls out to Zeff, "SIR! PLEASE STOP SANJI FOR US!" Zeff looks confused. "HMM?" He sees Sanji and asks, "SANJI! ARE YOU RUNNING WILD IN MY RESTAURANT AGAIN...?" Sanji mutters, "SHUT UP, YOU SHITTY GEEZER..." Patty points at the scene. "IT'S EXACTLY AS IT SEEMS, SIR! AND THIS TIME, SANJI BEAT UP SOME IDIOT MARINE LIEUTENANT!"

Zeff drops down from the ceiling and immediately kicks Sanji in the face with his peg leg. "ARE YOU TRYING TO RUIN MY RESTAURANT, YOU LITTLE SHIT!?" Luffy notices the crushed Marine beneath him. "AH, ISN'T THAT THE GUY WHO FIRED THE CANNONBALL EARLIER? WHY'S HE ALL BLOODIED-UP...?" Zeff then turns his wrath on Luffy, kicking him away as well. "AND YOU! GET THE HELL OUT ALREADY!" Luffy screams "GYAAAAA!" as he flies across the room. Fullbody watches the chaos in utter disbelief. "E-EVEN THE OWNER OF THIS PLACE IS VIOLENT!?" Fullbody scrambles away on his hands and knees. "JUST WHAT DO THEY THINK THEIR CUSTOMERS ARE!? JUST WHO DO THEY THINK I AM!? THIS BARBARIC AND VIOLENT RESTAURANT IS... JUST LIKE A PIRATE SHIP!"

Zeff, Sanji, and Patty stand together. Zeff declares, "THE CUSTOMERS ARE OUR GODS!" Sanji retorts, "NOT SURPRISING YOU'D CALL THEM YOUR GODS, CONSIDERING THAT THEY CAN ACTUALLY STOMACH YOUR SHITTY FOOD..." Zeff yells, "PATTY! SANJI! IF YOU'RE GONNA FIGHT, THEN DO IT IN THE KITCHEN!" Fullbody watches them, sweating. "ARE THESE GUYS... REALLY COOKS!?" Suddenly, the restaurant doors burst open and a panicked Marine runs in. "LIEUTENANT! LT. FULLBODY! IT'S AN EMERGENCY!" The Marine is out of breath. "FORGIVE ME SIR BUT... HE'S ESCAPED FROM THE SHIP'S PRISON!" Luffy, picking his nose, observes, "THIS PLACE SURE IS NOISY..."

The Marine continues his frantic report. "THE UNDERLING OF PIRATE KRIEG HAS ESCAPED! IT TOOK 7 OF US JUST TO CAPTURE HIM IN THE FIRST PLACE, BUT NOW HE'S GONE!" Fullbody is stunned. "THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE! HE SHOULDN'T EVEN HAVE THE STRENGTH TO MOVE! HE WAS ON THE VERGE OF DEATH WHEN WE CAPTURED HIM 3 DAYS AGO, NOT TO MENTION HE HASN'T HAD A SINGLE SCRAP OF FOOD SINCE THEN!" The cooks in the background begin to panic. "A MEMBER OF K-KRIEG'S CREW...!?" "THE SAME PIRATE KRIEG WHOSE CREW IS SAID TO BE THE STRONGEST IN ALL OF EAST BLUE!?" Suddenly, a gunshot rings out. The Marine is shot in the back and falls forward. "PLEASE FORG..." he gasps. The customers scream in terror.

The Marine collapses to the floor. In the doorway stands a gaunt, menacing man holding a smoking pistol. The customers scream in panic. Zeff calmly observes, "ONE CUSTOMER, COMING THIS WAY." Sanji, smoking his cigarette, says, "HE BETTER NOT START ANY TROUBLE IN MY RESTAURANT." Luffy looks on curiously. "A PIRATE?" The man, Gin, walks slowly into the restaurant, his footsteps echoing heavily. He looks completely starved, his eyes shadowed and desperate.

The customers stare at Gin in fearful silence. Gin slumps into a chair at an empty table. "ANYTHING WILL DO... JUST BRING ME SOME FOOD..." he mutters weakly. He leans his head back, sweating and exhausted, looking up at the ceiling. "THIS PLACE IS A RESTAURANT, RIGHT!?"

Patty steps up to Gin's table with his signature terrifying smile. "WELCOME, YOU SQUID-FACED BASTARD!" The customers whisper nervously. "W-WHAT!?" "THAT COOK, IS AS GOOD AS DEAD!" Gin glares at Patty. "I'M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONE MORE TIME SO LISTEN UP! I'M A CUSTOMER, AND AS SUCH, YOU'LL BRING ME FOOD THIS INSTANT!" Patty leans in, his smile dropping. "PARDON ME, DUMBASS, BUT... DO YOU HAVE ANY MONEY?" Gin raises his pistol and points it directly at Patty's forehead. "YOU ACCEPT LEAD?" Patty remains unfazed. "SO YOU DON'T HAVE ANY MONEY?"

Without hesitation, Patty violently smashes Gin into the table, shattering it completely and sending pieces flying. The customers gasp in shock. "OHHHH!" "WHAT!?" Zeff scowls, "DAMN THAT PATTY, HOW DARE HE BREAK THE TABLE!" Luffy watches with wide eyes. "WOAH, HE'S PRETTY STRONG."

The customers cheer for Patty. "IF YOU CAN'T PAY THE BILL, THEN YOU AIN'T NO CUSTOMER!" "NICE GOING, COOK!" "SHOW THAT PIRATE WHO'S BOSS, PATTY!" Gin lies groaning among the broken table pieces, and his stomach rumbles loudly. Patty mocks him, "OH? IS THAT YOUR STOMACH RUMBLING?" Gin, still starving and defiant, answers, "THAT WAS... JUST ME FARTING, YOU BASTARD. SO HURRY UP... AND BRING ME SOME FOOD." Patty begins to brutally stomp on Gin. "IF YOU'RE NOT A PAYING CUSTOMER, THEN GET THE HELL OUTTA HERE! THIS IS A RESTAURANT FOR PAYING CUSTOMERS! I AIN'T EVEN GONNA GIVE YOU A SINGLE BREAD CRUMB TO A BROKE-ASS PIRATE SCUM LIKE YOU!" Sanji watches the beating for a moment, then turns and walks away in disgust. "I'VE HAD ENOUGH...! I DON'T WANT TO INVOLVE MYSELF WITH THIS RESTAURANT ANYMORE!"

Patty leaves Gin sprawled outside on the exterior deck and returns to the dining room, announcing, "NOW THEN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! PLEASE ENJOY THE REST OF YOUR MEALS!" Luffy watches the scene unfold. Outside, Gin lies face down on the wooden deck, his stomach growling loudly. "GUURGLEEE... RUMBLE..." Sanji walks out, sits down on the deck near Gin, and places a steaming plate of fried rice in front of him. "EAT," Sanji says simply, taking a drag from his cigarette.

Gin stares at the food in disbelief, then grabs the spoon and begins shoveling the rice into his mouth ravenously. Sanji watches him eat, smoking quietly. "I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO SAY..." Gin mumbles between bites. Tears stream down Gin's face as he devours the meal. "I'VE NEVER HAD SUCH DELICIOUS FOOD... IN MY ENTIRE LIFE! I'M SO GRATEFUL...! I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO DIE...! I THOUGHT IT WAS ALL OVER FOR ME...!" Sanji smiles warmly. "IT'S DAMN GOOD, RIGHT?" Up on the balcony above them, Luffy watches the interaction with a wide grin. "HAHA... LOOKS LIKE I FOUND, A GOOD COOK! HEE HEE!"

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