C21 The Vice Admiral of the Baratie Restaurant Was Still Pestering Him

Zeff's Leg Technique was his crowning glory, second only to his culinary prowess. Many had fallen to its power, their blood painting his feet red, earning him the moniker Red Foot Zeff.

"Kid, what's your name?" Zeff inquired.

"Lin Mo."

"Fine, I'll accept the compensation you've offered, but you're going to work at Barati for a month, at the very least."

"No way."

"Hey!" Zeff scowled, "You're just serving dishes to the guests. There's no need for you to do any kitchen grunt work."

Just then,

From the spiral staircase in the corridor's center, Garp's voice emerged: "How much does the kid owe you?"

Lin Mo and Zeff turned to face Garp.

"You're... the Navy Hero, Garp?" Zeff exclaimed in astonishment.

Garp flashed a toothy grin, "Red Foot Zeff, ex-captain of the chef pirates and current proprietor of Barati. Your days of piracy might be over, but your bounty's still up. I could take you in right now."

Zeff narrowed his eyes, aware that he was outmatched by Garp.

Still, he had no intention of going down without a fight. "If you knew Barati was mine, you could've nabbed me anytime. Why the wait?"

"I'm actually quite reasonable," Garp said, still grinning. "Let the kid go, and I won't pursue you. Sounds like a fair trade, doesn't it?"

"Heh," Zeff chuckled dryly. "To think a mere kid could summon a Navy Hero to his rescue. He must be someone of no ordinary standing."

Garp burst into hearty laughter, "Ease up! The lad's just a regular kid. I was simply strolling around to pass the time after a meal and stumbled upon a poor, defenseless brat getting pushed around by you. My sense of justice wouldn't let me stand by without saving him from his plight."

Zeff was dumbfounded.

I don't buy it for a second!

"What exactly do you want?" Zeff asked, voice laced with incredulity.

Garp turned to Lin Mo, still smiling, "Kid, I've saved you once, so now you owe me one. I'm not asking for much—just join the Navy, and we're even."

Lin Mo stared at him, utterly at a loss for words.

'What's with Garp?

'Why does he keep staring at me?'

Actually, Garp had finished his dessert at the restaurant and noticed the disturbance upstairs. Driven by curiosity, he decided to investigate.

That's when he stumbled upon Lin Mo and Zeff in the midst of their kicking duel.

He was familiar with Zeff, known for his powerful legs. Though Zeff wasn't as strong as him, he could easily handle overconfident youngsters.

Yet, here was Zeff, evenly matched with a kid!

What stood out the most was the wooden sword dangling from Lin Mo's waist, indicating he was a swordsman.

Instead of relying on his swordsmanship, he chose to counter Zeff's leg techniques with kicks of his own.

Garp immediately realized that this kid intended to beat his opponent with his own game!

Such audacity.

He found himself increasingly impressed with the kid and began to grasp why Red Hair held him in such high regard.

Regarding Garp's unilateral decision...

Lin Mo was beyond speechless.

Zeff, on the other hand, discovered something amusing.

With a grin, he asked, "Garp, didn't you try to recruit this kid into the Navy, and he turned you down?"

Garp scratched his head, chuckling, "Hahaha, that's a bit embarrassing, actually."

Zeff pressed on, "But look at him, he clearly doesn't want to join the Navy. If you force him, how are you any different from those ruthless pirates who stop at nothing to get their way?"

"Hahaha, now, that's not fair. Who said anything about forcing him?" Garp retorted with a grin, turning to Lin Mo. "Kid, I'll do you this favor, and in return, you join the Navy. We'll call it even."

Before Lin Mo could respond, Zeff interjected, "Kid, I know you're not keen on the Navy. How about you stay in Barati? You won't have to do any grunt work. Go wherever you please, do whatever you fancy, just don't stir up trouble. And you can stay as long as you like. How does that sound?"

It was clear that Zeff was deliberately antagonizing Garp.

"Hey, Zeff!" Garp said exasperatedly, "Do you really have to be like this?"

Zeff just laughed heartily. "I'm merely offering the kid an alternative. Whether he takes it or not is up to him. So, kid, what do you think about the option I presented?"

Lin Mo gave a slight chuckle. "It's fine."

Zeff's proposition basically meant that Lin Mo could just stay put and not lift a finger.

Why hesitate?

He accepted without a second thought.

Paying back favors could be a real hassle.

He had no intention of being indebted to anyone in this world and being led by the nose.

"Haha, I win," Zeff said with a smirk. "Who would've thought you, Garp, would ever face rejection."

Garp fell silent for a beat before bursting into laughter.

He didn't seem the least bit bothered by Lin Mo's decision.

"Hahaha," Garp roared with laughter. "What an intriguing kid. Well then, I've made up my mind too. I'll stick around until Lin Mo decides to leave."

"Eh?" Zeff was taken aback. "All this for a kid? Remember who you are. Don't you have pirates to catch?"

Pointing at Zeff, Garp chuckled, "Catching pirates is a must. I've heard your restaurant is a favorite among them. Imagine enjoying scrumptious desserts while nabbing pirates who walk right into the trap. Two birds with one stone, isn't that perfect?"

Zeff: "..."

Lin Mo: "..."

Lin Mo hadn't anticipated Garp going to such lengths.

This determination to recruit him into the Navy bore a striking resemblance to Luffy's future zeal in persuading Zoro, Sanji, and others to join his Pirate crew.

They truly were grandfather and grandson...

Oh well, it was best to let it be.

Lin Mo had no plans to stick around.

Without another word, he headed for the kitchen.

Zeff inquired, "Where are you off to?"

Lin Mo answered nonchalantly, "The kitchen."

A flicker of curiosity crossed Zeff's eyes. "Can you cook?"

With an unchanged demeanor, Lin Mo stated plainly, "No."

Zeff: "..."

Garp couldn't contain his laughter. "Hahaha."

After Lin Mo made his way into the kitchen,

Garp prepared to head back to the dining room.

Zeff called out to him suddenly, "Garp, are you really planning to stick around?"

With a wide smile, Garp replied, "Of course."

No sooner had he spoken than he descended the spiral staircase, reemerging in the restaurant below.

Zeff's eyes returned to the kitchen door, pondering, "What's the story with this kid..."

In the kitchen,

Lin Mo's attention bypassed the bustling chefs and settled on Sanji, diligently scrubbing dishes at the sink.

Considering the sign-in experience from Frost Moon Village,

Sanji's task progress must carry significant weight.

Without overthinking, Lin Mo approached Sanji.

Sensing someone approaching,

Sanji glanced over.

It was the kid who had just had a leg technique exchange with Zeff.

Caught off guard, Sanji's grip faltered, and a plate slipped from his hands.

It shattered with a crash.

Sanji's face paled as he exclaimed, "Ah! Shoot, the old man's going to have my head for this..."