The smell of sizzling meat wafted through the air as Nami, today's self-proclaimed "chef," meticulously brushed oil over the skewers and placed them on the grill. Her focus was unmatched, a rare sight considering the usual chaos on The Stormbreaker.
Around her, Olivia, Hancock, Hina, and a few others gathered, enjoying the lively atmosphere while casually observing the culinary spectacle.
Koala, returning from her call, immediately spotted the spread and her eyes lit up. She swallowed hard, visibly salivating, and made a beeline for the grill.
But her enthusiasm was interrupted by a loud, frustrated wail from the other side of the deck.
"Ahh! I don't believe it! How could I lose with such a good hand? You must've cheated!"
The sound drew everyone's attention to a small table where Luffy sat, grinning triumphantly, while Yamato slumped forward in defeat.
Koala's curiosity piqued, and she diverted course to see what was happening.
Luffy, arms spread wide in exaggerated victory, declared, "That's seven games in a row! Face it, Yamato—you're a sore loser and a fool!"
"No way! I refuse to accept this! One more round, and I'll win everything back!" Yamato's determination was fiery, like a gambler chasing a losing streak.
Luffy chuckled, gathering the cards and shuffling them lazily. "Alright, one final chance. Let's make this interesting. Pick a card at random, and I'll guess it. If I'm right, you'll finally admit you're a woman and start acting like one—dressing, speaking, and behaving like a proper lady.
But if I'm wrong, you can ask for anything. The ship, the title of general in Wano, anything at all. Deal?"
Yamato's eyes burned with resolve. "Deal! This time, there's no way I'll lose!"
She snatched the cards, shuffled them furiously, and even enlisted her "sisters" to ensure there was no cheating.
The gathered women, watching from a distance, exchanged knowing smiles. They didn't know how Luffy was pulling it off, but they were certain he had the upper hand.
Ain shook her head with a sigh. "Poor Yamato. She doesn't realize she's already lost. She's playing right into his hands."
"True," Olivia added, smirking. "But honestly, it's about time she came around. She's part of the family now—might as well embrace it."
Back at the table, Yamato finally held up a card, her face brimming with confidence. "Alright, Luffy, what's this card?"
Luffy closed his eyes for a moment, sensing the faint magnetic field he'd subtly altered earlier. Opening them with a grin, he declared, "Eight of spades."
Yamato froze. Her eyes darted down to the card in her hand, and when the truth registered, her face paled.
"N-no way...!" She looked again, hoping the card would magically change, but it didn't. Overcome with defeat, she collapsed onto the table dramatically.
"Ahhh! I'm really going to become a woman! This is the worst! I'm an embarrassment to the samurai!"
To everyone's shock, Yamato began to sob—loud, unrestrained tears streaming down her face. Even when recounting her harsh experiences with Kaido, she had never shown this level of vulnerability.
Olivia and Kujaku rushed to comfort her, patting her back and murmuring reassurances.
Luffy, meanwhile, rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly, a twinge of guilt creeping into his grin. "Uh... maybe I went too far?"
The other women wasted no time chiming in.
Hancock crossed her arms and sighed. "My dear, you really were too harsh. But... I suppose it's forgivable."
Hina snorted, her tone dripping with sarcasm. "Humph, scumbag behavior as usual. Truly despicable."
Gion smirked, shaking her head. "You haven't changed at all, have you? Still using dirty tricks to get what you want."
Koala, unsure of the full story but eager to join the teasing, pointed at Luffy accusingly. "Luffy, you're the worst!"
Surrounded by criticism, sweat trickled down Luffy's forehead as he chuckled nervously.
Then, like a lightning bolt, Yamato sprang to her feet, her tears instantly replaced with an intense hunger. She turned toward the grill where Nami was proudly holding up a tray of freshly cooked skewers.
"The skewers are ready!" Nami called cheerfully. "Come and eat them while they're hot—"
Before she could finish, Yamato darted across the deck like a wolf on the hunt.
"Barbecue! It's mine!" Yamato roared, leaping toward Nami with startling speed.
Startled, Nami yelped and tossed the skewers into the air. With agility that belied her earlier despair, Yamato jumped, snatching all the skewers in one fluid motion and stuffing them into her mouth mid-air.
Landing with a satisfied hum, she mumbled through a mouthful of food, "Mmm~ so good!"
Everyone stared, speechless.
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