The seven of them left the Marine base and immediately used *Seimei Kikan* to return their stomachs to normal.
Then, they exchanged glances and burst into laughter. This meal had been so filling that they wouldn't need to eat for days~~~
Captain Smoker really is a good man! They had just saved several million Berry this time!
"Let's go. We should go find Anya now," Ryuen said softly.
The six others nodded, then leisurely began walking toward Anya's family restaurant.
"I wonder if she'll come with us to set sail. If she doesn't, does that mean we'll only have roasted meat to eat?" Daisy asked, her excitement dimmed by the thought of eating just barbecue in the future.
"Daisy, having barbecue is already good enough. You shouldn't be so picky~~~" Ryuen said seriously.
"But Ryuen, we've been eating barbecue for six years~~~" Leah said, her face filled with dismay.
"I think barbecue is pretty good! You guys are just too picky!" Hog said with a laugh.
"You two are grown men, of course, you wouldn't get sick of eating barbecue every day!" Daisy glared at the two in frustration.
"Alright, alright, stop arguing. We'll ask Anya if she's willing to join us when we set sail. If she says yes, we won't have to eat just barbecue anymore. If she says no, then we don't have much choice," Ryuen said with a helpless shrug.
Ultimately, it all came down to Anya's father, Jehalon. As someone who had failed to conquer the Grand Line, Jehalon probably wouldn't let Anya set sail so easily.
"Yeah, I hope she'll come with us..." Nami murmured quietly.
As they chatted along the way, they soon arrived at Anya's family restaurant. By this time, the dining rush had already ended, and there weren't many customers inside.
"Anya! We're back!" Daisy excitedly pushed the door open and shouted.
As they walked into the restaurant, they noticed a crowd gathered around the door to the kitchen, as if watching something interesting.
"What's going on?" Nojiko asked one of the people standing nearby.
"I heard Anya is planning to set sail, but before she does, her father, wants her to cook one more dish. If this dish satisfies him, he'll let her go!" an older man in the crowd explained earnestly.
"So that's what's happening~~~" Nojiko nodded in understanding.
However, the doorway to the kitchen was completely blocked by onlookers, making it impossible for the seven of them to get in. But that wasn't a problem for them.
The seven of them left the restaurant, climbed onto the roof, and sat there, watching the scene unfold in the courtyard behind the kitchen.
The story had reached the stage where ingredients were being prepared. Ryuen watched Anya handling the ingredients, unable to figure out what kind of dish she was making.
After preparing everything, Anya carried the ingredients into the kitchen.
Inside the kitchen, Anya looked at the ingredients she had laid out. Her gaze grew determined. This time, she had to pass her father's test!
Outside in the courtyard, Jehalon stood with the other chefs, waiting for Anya's dish to be served.
After more than ten minutes, Anya emerged, carrying a freshly prepared dish.
It was covered, so Ryuen and the others couldn't guess what was inside.
"Father, my dish is ready!" Anya placed it on the table and spoke earnestly.
"Anya, mapo tofu is all about its spiciness, heat, aroma, color, and texture—the balance of five key elements. Now, tell me, what is the most important element of *magic mapo tofu*?" Jehalon asked calmly, his expression blank.
"It's... crispness!" Anya replied firmly.
In an instant, Anya's dad eyes lit up. His daughter had guessed correctly. He nodded and said, "Very good! You figured it out. Crispness refers to the crunchy texture, and indeed, the sixth element I require is crispness!"
Anya felt a surge of joy. She had guessed right!
Mapo tofu, known for its complex texture, was already a challenging dish. Beyond the five basic elements, what else could it be but the texture? ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ NovᴇlFire(.)nᴇt
"Now, let's taste the mapo tofu you've made!" Anya's dad said gravely.
The other chefs nodded seriously. As judges, they had a great responsibility to make a fair decision.
A chef removed the lid from the dish, and in that moment, the bright red color of the tofu illuminated the entire courtyard!
The onlookers, including Ryuen and the others watching from the rooftop, couldn't help but exclaim in amazement.
This mapo tofu looked incredibly enticing!
As the steam gradually dispersed, Anya's dad and the chefs exchanged glances before starting to taste it.
They placed the steaming tofu into their mouths, chewing slowly. Their faces showed such bliss that it made the crowd's mouths water.
The next moment, Jehalon opened his eyes wide. Then, surprisingly, he used his chopsticks to stack the tofu cubes one on top of the other!
The tower of tofu reached over a meter high!
Everyone was astonished by this display. Anya's knife skills were exceptional!
Jehalon and the chefs quickly finished the entire plate of mapo tofu, their faces still showing delight as if lost in the wonderful flavors.
"You've done it, Anya. The crispness I mentioned refers to the texture of the minced meat!" Anya's dad said, suppressing his excitement.
"But... Anya, could you tell us why the minced meat in this mapo tofu is so crispy?" one of the chefs asked, puzzled.
"Try pressing it with a spoon," Anya replied calmly.
The chef picked up a spoon and pressed it into the minced meat. Suddenly, the piece of "meat" split cleanly in two and bounced apart!
Everyone was shocked by this sight.
They couldn't understand how the minced meat could be so elastic! Normally, no matter what type of meat is minced, there would always be some sinew. But Anya's minced meat was evenly cooked and completely free of sinew!
The texture was incredibly smooth!
"Anya, how did you make the minced meat so crispy?" another chef asked curiously.
Anya smiled and replied, "Actually, it's not meat. I soaked soybeans in water, boiled them, and then crushed and flattened them. After that, I seasoned them heavily with sauce.
The meat-like flavor comes from the sauce's moisture and taste. Finally, I quickly fried them in oil to lock in the sauce's flavor and give them a suitable hardness. This way, the texture becomes very similar to real meat!"
"Well done, Anya. You've passed the test. I approve of you going to sea!" Anya's dad announced with pride.
"Thank you, Father!" Anya cheered happily as she jumped into her father's arms.
The assessment team was also pleased—at last, their chef was ready!
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