One Piece: Raijin

Jessica hails from a long lineage of chefs, boasting the most prestigious heritage in the City of Gourmet Food. Her family has produced top-tier chefs for generations, with both of her parents serving as head chefs at Navy Headquarters. Despite being only fourteen years old, her culinary skills are already exceptional.

"She has reached the pinnacle, far surpassing even her parents…"

"She is the strongest contender for the championship!"

The excitement was overwhelming, to the point where everyone seemed to momentarily forget about Asa, the infamous pirate, and instead became immersed in a sea of cheers.

Real food possessed a magical power—it could make people forget their worries, anxieties, and inner fears…

Jessica, though only fourteen, was tall for her age. She wore a pristine white chef's uniform and a matching chef's hat, with strands of golden hair peeking from beneath it, partially concealing her delicate, arched eyebrows. Her small, cherry-red lips were pursed tightly, her expression serious…

Stubborn yet passionate, her eyes brimmed with intense focus. She appeared to pour her entire soul into the art of cooking, shutting out everything else around her.

Asa observed her closely, noting her meticulous approach to ingredients. She never handled fresh produce with bare hands, instead donning a thin layer of gloves. Even her knife work was precise, utilizing specially crafted, razor-sharp ice knives to maintain the ultimate freshness and nutritional integrity of the ingredients—unlike other chefs who focused solely on flavor.

Asa knew nothing about cooking; he only knew how to eat. But even he could understand the stark difference between a chef who pursued both taste and nutrition with responsibility and dedication, and one who merely sought to create delicious food.

"It's you… my first crew member!" Asa declared with a grin.

A senior chef capable of ensuring his daily meals and still so young—there was no way he would let her slip away.

As for whether she would join willingly? Asa never entertained that thought. He was a pirate, after all. If necessary, he could simply take her.

A Dark Scheme

In a house on the outskirts of the food court…

Click!

A bullet was chambered, and a ferocious-looking bounty hunter with fiery red hair and a long scar running down his face raised his sniper rifle. His scope was locked directly onto Asa's temple.

"Killing this big-name pirate with a bounty of 500 million berri… That's not just 500 million berri—I'll be famous across the seas!" Nero, the bounty hunter, trembled slightly with excitement at the thought.

One-third of the people in the food court were either pirates or bounty hunters. Many harbored the same ambition, but only one dared to act—Nero.

Even some nearby Navy soldiers had discreetly aimed their guns at Asa, yet they showed no intention of pulling the trigger, as though they were protecting someone.

"Even at sea, there are always fools who fear nothing and lack brains…" Asa sighed in mild frustration. The moment the sniper's sights locked onto him, an eerie chill prickled at his temple.

Despite sensing the danger, he couldn't be bothered to move. The bullet wasn't coated with Armament Haki, and even if it was, he could react in time to shift into an elemental state. There was no real threat to his life.

Asa's electromagnetic field enveloped his body constantly, training every second like a reflexive defense mechanism. As long as the bullet was metallic, it would never reach him—it would be halted the instant it neared.

If he chose, he could even reverse the magnetic force and send the bullet hurtling back with greater speed and force.

Bang!

After taking his time to aim, Nero finally fired what he believed to be the most important shot of his life. A victorious smirk curled on his lips, as if he could already see Asa's head exploding—his own name immortalized in history.

The gunshot was muffled beneath the lively noise of the square, unnoticed by the bustling crowd. In the dark corners of the festival, an assassination was unfolding in silence.

The bullet tore through the air at blinding speed—too fast for the human eye to follow. Everyone remained fixated on the ongoing cooking competition, passionately debating which chef would emerge as the champion.

But before the bullet could even come close to Asa, it was instantly repelled by an invisible electromagnetic force, returning at an even faster velocity.

Boom!

The bullet reversed course, surging straight back into the barrel of Nero's sniper rifle—before violently detonating.

Nero's victorious smirk froze in place as the explosion sent shards of metal ripping through his body. He was killed on the spot, his wide-eyed expression frozen in disbelief. Until his last breath, he never could have imagined such an outcome.

The bounty hunter's death went unnoticed in the midst of the raucous festival. The lively atmosphere concealed his demise, and no one even realized that an insignificant figure had perished in a quiet corner of the food court.

Trouble on the Horizon

As the chef competition raged on, word of Asa's presence in the City of Gourmet Food swiftly reached Navy Headquarters.

At Marineford, a high-level meeting was underway.

"Marshal Kong, Kaido of the Beasts has entered Whitebeard's territory alone. He's likely challenging Whitebeard again, just like before," Sengoku speculated upon returning from the New World.

"Roger, that bastard, has gone missing. I've got some free time now—I can join the hunt for Asa," Garp muttered nonchalantly, picking his nose.

"Puji… The City of Gourmet Food, huh? That means his next destination must be the City of the Queen of Spring. This Spring Island is connected to multiple magnetic routes—it wouldn't be wise to intercept him there. Regardless, he'll eventually reach the Sabaody Archipelago!" A Vice Admiral analyzed rationally, pointing at the Grand Line map.

Kizaru lounged in his chair, looking exasperated. He had been forcibly assigned to contain Asa, but only he knew just how futile that was.

Of all the Marines, Kizaru was perhaps the only one who posed no real threat to Asa. He found that fact frustrating, yet there was nothing he could do.

"You are the best forces the Navy can deploy right now. This mission must succeed. Failure is not an option. I will contact the Five Elders to see who they will send for reinforcement… Now go and prepare. Meeting adjourned!"

The command was swift and decisive—no hesitation, no room for error.

Asa had stolen Heavenly Tribute and remained at large, infuriating the Celestial Dragons. To maintain their dignity, the World Government had resolved to end his rampage once and for all.

A Sudden Omen

"Hm?" Asa, sitting cross-legged, suddenly felt a strange unease, as if an unseen force was watching him—a primal, chilling sensation.

"What's this…?" He frowned, discreetly scanning his surroundings in the food court, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary.

"Is someone setting a trap for me?"

That was the only conclusion he could draw, but there was no concrete evidence—only a faint, passing premonition, unlike the sharp warnings he had experienced before.

"No point overthinking it—I'll deal with it when it comes." Asa reassured himself, pushing the thought aside and refocusing on the mouthwatering dishes that were about to be served.

"Sixteen chefs have completed their dishes! Now, we invite our esteemed service staff to present the food to our four judges!" The host's enthusiastic voice resonated through the festival, fueling the anticipation.

One by one, exquisite dishes were placed on the long table before the four judges—including Asa.

(End of Chapter)

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