Uchiha Puppet Master, Starting from One Piece

Chapter 139 The King of Dried Rice

The sea breeze, carrying a salty, warm scent, brushes against the ships drifting on the blue sea.

Ever since Artoria was brought to this sea area from Avalon by Shiraha, this already lively ship has been completely filled with her appetite and pure joy.

The log pointer was still somewhat erratic, but no one on the ship was in a hurry anymore.

Robin still loves to read on the deck, but now, if she occasionally looks up, she can see the blond-haired King of Knights squatting by the grill, his eyes shining as he stares at the sizzling food. He doesn't look like the king of Britain at all; instead, he looks like a little animal waiting to be fed.

Matsumoto Rangiku liked this new companion the most, after all, they both had blonde hair, and Artoria's appearance was exactly to her aesthetic sensibilities.

That's why she deliberately waved the freshly grilled meat skewers in front of her: "Artoria, want some? Call me 'big sister'~"

If it were any other king, they would probably have already drawn their swords.

But at this moment, Artoria's nose twitched slightly, her eyes were only focused on food, her cheeks puffed out slightly, and she softly called out, "Sister."

That clean and pure voice made Rangiku laugh so hard she almost fell over, and she immediately shoved a handful of skewers into Rangiku's hands: "That's great... Eat as much as you want, all you can eat!"

However, while it's easy to say "enough is enough," it's difficult to actually do it.

In just half a day, the food that was originally enough for the group to eat for ten days in the storage room was reduced at a visible rate.

Bai Yu leaned against the railing, looking at the empty plate in front of him, and rubbed his temples helplessly.

He had thought Kanna's appetite was already astonishing, until Artoria appeared, and he realized that even the legendary king's stomach was different from that of ordinary people.

One second she was elegantly wiping the corner of her mouth, the next she was picking up a new plate of barbecue and eating with a smile on her face.

"Mr. Baiyu, aren't you going to eat some? This is super delicious."

Artoria held a large plate of grilled seafood, looked up at him, a little sauce still on the corner of her mouth, her eyes innocent and adorable.

Bai Yu pointed to the nearly mountain of empty plates in front of her: "Are you sure this isn't enough for you?"

Artoria looked down, paused for a moment, then blushed slightly, but still straightened her chest confidently, her tone unusually serious: "As a king, of course I need to eat my fill! Only when I'm well-fed and watered can I have the strength to protect the country and the confidence to face any enemy. What kind of king can't even fill his stomach?"

He said it so seriously that even Nico Robin, who was flipping through a book next to him, couldn't help but chuckle.

"But if we keep eating like this, we'll run out of food before we even reach the next island."

Bai Yu said with a headache.

Artoria tensed instantly, the meat skewer in her hand stopping at her mouth. A hint of panic flashed in her azure eyes, like a little lion cub whose food had been stolen: "Then, then I'll eat less... No, I can help with the hunting! Fish from the sea, birds from the sky, I can catch them all!"

As she spoke, she got up and headed towards the boat. Her hurried and anxious manner, as if she were afraid of not having enough to eat, was truly heartwarming.

Rangiku quickly pulled her back: "I was just kidding, there's plenty of food, eat up!"

Artoria finally breathed a sigh of relief, sat back down in front of the food, and began to enjoy her meal with peace of mind. This time, however, she deliberately slowed down, looking like she was trying hard to restrain herself but couldn't quite manage it. Her adorable expression made it impossible to tease her anymore.

For the next few days, this became the daily routine at sea.

In the early morning, Artoria would practice her swordsmanship with a serious expression, her posture upright and her sword aura sharp. The sea breeze was cut by her sword wind. At this moment, she was the undisputed King of Knights.

But when it's mealtime, the king who was full of charisma just a second ago will rush to the table at lightning speed, his eyes shining, sitting obediently, waiting for the meal to be served.

She would meticulously rank each type of food, and her eyes would light up when she tasted something delicious. If she accidentally ate too much, she would quietly cover her stomach and mutter to herself that next time she would only eat until she was seven-tenths full, and then at the next meal, she would still eat everything clean.

Faced with this situation, Bai Yu could only sigh helplessly: "The food in Little Britain has remained consistently poor throughout history."

When Artoria heard this, she wasn't angry. She just smiled and handed him a skewer of grilled meat: "Mr. Baiyu, with me around, hunting every day is a great way to train our bodies. You need to have a good physique on the high seas, and a good physique requires a lot of food, and a lot of food requires a good body."

The logic is clear and irrefutable.

And so, amidst delicious food and laughter, the originally aimless wandering became exceptionally pleasant.

Several days later, a huge city, surrounded by seawater and dotted with canals and shipyards, finally appeared on the distant horizon.

Skyscrapers stand tall, waterways crisscross the city, and countless massive docks rise in the city. The sea breeze is no longer just salty; it also carries the unique aroma of wood, paint, and sea air mixed together.

"Where is that...?"

Artoria stopped eating with her fork and looked into the distance, her eyes filled with curiosity.

Nico Robin explained softly, "That's Water Seven, the most famous shipbuilding city on the Grand Line, and the starting point of the Sea Train."

"A shipbuilding city?" Artoria's eyes lit up. "Does that mean there are lots of skilled craftsmen? And... a lot of delicious food?"

The previous sentence was still concerned about the ships, but the next sentence went straight to the point.

Bai Yu smiled and ruffled her blonde hair: "Yes, there are even more local delicacies in Water Seven than on the ship."

"marvelous!"

Artoria instantly perked up, and her eyes, which had been slightly languid from eating too much, suddenly became incredibly bright.

The ship slowly approached Water City.

The city is surrounded by clear seawater, with buildings stacked on top of each other and colorful rooftops that gleam brightly in the sunlight.

All sorts of small boats ply the waterways, boatmen humming cheerful tunes, while craftsmen hammer steel in the docks, the clanging sounds blending into a vibrant symphony.

The dock was bustling with people; the shouts of vendors, the sound of waves crashing against the pier, and the laughter of people mingled together, creating a lively atmosphere. Various aromas wafted from the shops along the street.

Grilled fish, fried snacks, sweet and savory seafood soup, refreshing fruit drinks...

As soon as she stepped onto the dock, Artoria subconsciously sniffed, her azure eyes widening instantly.

"It smells so good... even better than on the ship!"

She took a step forward instinctively, as if drawn by the fragrance.

Bai Yu looked at her impatient and adorable appearance, shook his head helplessly and amusedly, but still followed her.