Chapter 295: Undercurrents Rising
Love's Combat Ability…
This has always been something Adrian ignored.
Although she is a member of the Mink Tribe and has a beast transformation boost, Love has always been a professional chef.
Her combat ability...
Except when she picks up a kitchen knife to face the ingredient, at any other time, it can be considered practically "zero."
Adrian never expected Love to help him in battle. As long as she dutifully cooked and did the laundry, she was a useful little chef.
But today, after arriving at the Kingdom of Shinoxia and accidentally encountering the "Paramecia-type Squeeze-Squeeze Fruit," an idea suddenly popped into Adrian's mind.
Let Love eat the Squeeze-Squeeze Fruit to further enhance her utility.
With this, Adrian could continuously enjoy more and tastier juices and drinks...
Hmm?
It seemed like a worthwhile deal!
"Food-related Devil Fruit?"
Love blinked her eyes.
"Adrian-sama, are you talking about that Paste-Paste Fruit?"
Paste-Paste Fruit?
Adrian was momentarily taken aback. If the little fox hadn't brought it up, he would have almost forgotten about that special Paramecia-type fruit he had extorted from the World Government.
But the Paste-Paste Fruit…
Adrian looked Love up and down, thinking her petite frame was not suitable for this highly demanding special Paramecia-type fruit.
In the original work, the user of the Paste-Paste Fruit—Sweetheart Queen—could not move her clothes along with her when she transformed into paste.
In short, it was an unambiguous fan service fruit.
But clearly, Love's figure wasn't at the level to provide such fan service…
Adrian reached out and rubbed Love's head.
"It's not the Paste-Paste Fruit; it's the Paramecia-type Squeeze-Squeeze Fruit, which can extract water from the bodies of enemies. This fruit is also the final prize of this gourmet competition."
Love stuck out her tongue, looking somewhat disdainful.
"Sounds like a very inappropriate ability! Besides, I don't see any use for this Devil Fruit… If I want to squeeze juice, can't I just use my hands?"
With that, the little fox extended her delicate white hand, covered in a thin layer of glistening white fur, and made a juicing motion in the air.
Seeing this somewhat seductive action, Adrian could only hold his forehead.
I'm definitely not a furry…
Seeing this hand, I lose all those worldly thoughts…
Oh, Miss Songstress, I suddenly miss you so much!
"Actually, the Squeeze-Squeeze Fruit is quite a decent fruit!"
Adrian still tried hard to promote it, driven by his future culinary desires.
"It can be very useful both in the kitchen and in battle."
Love wanted to refuse outright but, seeing Adrian's hopeful expression, couldn't help but ask cautiously.
"Does Adrian-sama really want me to eat this Devil Fruit?"
Adrian wanted to nod in affirmation, but seeing Love's cautious eyes, his heart softened. "Actually, it's not that much!"
Adrian reached out and vigorously rubbed Love's fluffy head, then changed the subject. "It's entirely up to you."
Love lowered her head and whispered, "Actually, I don't want to eat any food-related Devil Fruits. They don't seem useful, at least not for me..."
Adrian, not paying attention, didn't hear Love's last few words clearly.
"Alright, Love, let's watch the final round of this exciting gourmet competition together."
Adrian petted Love's little head again.
"The final contest is about making cocktails!"
"Alcohol!"
Love raised her head, her eyes slightly shining.
Alcohol was an area she had not explored much.
Although this vast sea was full of people who loved drinking, there weren't many around Love who enjoyed alcohol.
Everyone knew that Adrian only drank lightly.
And the little boat spirit, Rumi, had no need for food.
---
Dr. Moy… Let's not even go there!
Lately, thanks to Shanks coming aboard, Love finally found a successful test subject for her liquor experiments.
She's been wanting to brew a one-of-a-kind legendary drink to get Adrian drunk and then—
Ahem!
Focus on the competition, focus on the competition!
In the bustling open-air plaza at Cocuun Center, the four chefs who made it to the finals were about to finish mixing their cocktails.
Mixing cocktails itself isn't too difficult.
The real challenge is how each chef can create a champion-level cocktail that not only satisfies but amazes the audience and judges!
Considering the well-known spirit of the Kingdom of Sinoxia—Tequila.
Out of the four chefs in the finals, two chose tequila as their base for their creations.
The remaining two chefs, one chose vodka, and the other chose gin.
As for how Adrian knew the types of spirits the chefs were using, it was naturally because he had a little chef beside him explaining everything.
"Who would have thought you had such deep knowledge, Love?"
"Of course!" Love said proudly, lifting her chin a bit. "One of my many dreams is to craft a world-class, legendary drink!"
"A dream? One of many?"
Adrian chuckled softly, gently patting Love on the head.
"Then go ahead and pursue that dream!"
Love's eyes sparkled brightly. "Adrian-sama doesn't mind?"
"Why would I mind to something so right?"
Adrian laughed casually.
"On this great sea, no one can stop another person from chasing their dreams!!"
"You promised!"
Love's face lit up with a triumphant smile, clenching her fist.
"You agreed, Adrian-sama!"
"Is it worth getting this excited?"
Adrian rubbed his chin, recalling his words carefully. Indeed, he couldn't find anything wrong with them. He shook his head, thinking it was just Love being intermittently excited.
Soon after, the four chefs on stage finished their creations.
On the far right was a tall young man in a red jacket, about two meters tall, with wild, untamed black hair fluttering in the warm wind. His sharply angled eyebrows nearly formed a sixty-degree angle with his eyes.
"Presenting the Tequila Sunrise, full of youthful passion and purity, please enjoy!"
The sixty-degree eyebrow man handed over five already mixed cocktails to the judges' table one by one, then stood aside.
Tequila Sunrise is a vibrant, eye-catching cocktail, garnished with petal-like orange slices on the rim, with colors transitioning from yellow to red from top to bottom, resembling the colors of the sky at sunrise, very visually appealing.
For some reason, Adrian felt this first chef looked strikingly similar to a certain unforgettable Tequila girl...
The second chef also presented his work.
He was a thin man in a light blue suit, holding an unremarkable pale yellow cocktail with a thin lemon slice on the rim.
"Marguerite," the suit chef said concisely.
The remaining two chefs also presented their works in turn.
"Bloody Mary."
The third chef's cocktail was a vividly red drink, thick and resembling murky blood.
"Dry Martini."
The fourth chef presented a clear cocktail with a light green olive in the middle.
Adrian couldn't tell which chef's drink was superior, but just from the presentation and appearance, the first chef's "Tequila Sunrise" was definitely the strongest!
After tasting the chefs' creations, the five judges began to whisper among themselves, discussing the scores.
The host also started randomly selecting some lucky audience members to come up on stage to taste the finalists' cocktails.
"Adrian-sama! Isn't that Shanks?"
With her sharp eyes, Love immediately noticed the lucky straw hat wearer who got called up, and couldn't help but exclaim in surprise.
"It's Shanks!"
Adrian looked at the excited straw hat-wearing Shanks on stage, who seemed like he wanted to do a few backflips on the spot, feeling quite speechless.
You actually got chosen!
The protagonist's aura is really something else!
Damn it!
So envious!
At the side of the arena, on the top floor of a three-story VIP stand.
"The competition is about to end, should we make a move now, Daifuku-nii?"
The speaker was Charlotte Oven, known for his fiery and aggressive temper.
As Paramecia-type Heat Heat Fruit user, he could transfer heat to anything he touched, instantly heating it, burn anyone who came into contact with him, heat up large parts of the sea, causing it to boil, or even heat his target from a distance, burning them.
{Take it wiki excerpt – Oven uses his power in combat, transferring heat to other people's weapons in order to make them too hot to hold or transferring heat to his own clothing and weapons to heat them up and even set them alight. He can also grab onto an opponent and directly burn them. To quickly damage enemies, Oven often attempts to transfer heat to them via eye contact and set them ablaze at will. Because this fruit's effects can affect even water, Oven tends to be a major obstacle for those attempting to escape by sea travel, as he can just boil the water up to a point where it starts damaging ships.}
"Wait until the competition is completely over, then we'll just take away the best chef!"
Charlotte Daifuku, with his cold and ruthless personality, said in a chilling tone.
"Don't forget, besides the Paramecia-type Squeeze Squeeze Fruit, we also have the task of bringing a top-tier chef back to Totto Land."
"If Mama finds out we brought back a top chef from the Gourmet Kingdom, she'll definitely be pleased."
Charlotte Daifuku, a Paramecia-type Puff Puff Fruit user, could call an oil lamp man. By lightly rubbing his body, he could summon a sentient "Lamp Genie" to assist in battle.
{Take this wiki excerpt – Daifuku uses the genie summoned by this fruit to assist him in combat. The genie emerges from his belt buckle and attacks opponents with its halberd. While using his power, Daifuku continuously rubs his stomach. It seems to have a consciousness of its own, as it generally asks permission from its "Master" before taking any kind of action.}
"Shouldn't we look at the other chefs too?" Charlotte Oven asked, puzzled.
"They must also be top-notch chefs since they made it to the finals of the Sinoxia Gourmet Competition."
"But Totto Land only needs the very best chefs."
Charlotte Daifuku smiled cruelly, his expression harsh and cold.
"And the very best chef, of course, there will only be one!"