Raine didn't make anything complicated; he simply took the freshest lamb chops, lobsters, and vegetables, gave them the simplest treatment, and then grilled them over a fire.
But as Raine secretly used the Endless Spice Jar again, sprinkling those invisible secret spices, an aroma even more dominant and overbearing than any previous feast surged into the sky.
This aroma seemed to carry magic, quickly spreading throughout Whiskey Peak.
The townspeople, startled by the fighting and hiding in their homes, heard this smell, and their stomachs growled uncontrollably.
Some bolder ones quietly pushed open their windows, greedily sniffing the scent in the air.
And the bounty hunters, who had been beaten half to death by Rocks and were lying on the ground groaning, perked up at the smell, their survival instincts making them involuntarily look towards the source of the aroma.
Rocks was also a little curious, wondering what Raine was up to.
Soon, the first batch of grilled meat was ready.
Golden-brown lamb chops sizzled, bright red grilled lobsters emanated an alluring glow, and there were also brightly colored grilled vegetables.
Raine didn't share the food with Rocks and the others; instead, he carried a plate of grilled lamb chops to the highest-ranking bounty hunter, who was still pinned under Rocks' foot.
The man stared at the lamb chops, so close and emanating a deadly aroma, frantically swallowing his saliva.
Raine squatted down, held the plate in front of him, and calmly asked, "Who is the boss of the Mosk Guild? Where is its headquarters? How many members does it have? Tell me everything you know."
A flicker of struggle crossed the man's eyes.
Raine didn't rush him; he simply picked up a lamb chop and took a small bite in front of him.
Crunch...
The crispy skin broke, and the tender juices instantly overflowed.
The rich aroma, at such close range, assaulted the man's sense of smell and sight.
This was more tormenting than any torture.
"I'll tell you... I'll tell you! I'll tell you everything!"
The bounty hunter completely broke down, spilling everything he knew about the Mosk Guild like beans from a bamboo tube.
Raine nodded in satisfaction and tossed the lamb chops on the plate to him.
The man treated it like a treasure, ignoring his injuries, and devoured it, crying as he ate, whether from pain or deliciousness, it was unclear.
Rocks watched this scene, first stunned, then burst into thunderous laughter.
"Hahahaha! Good, good, good! Using delicious food to open the enemy's mouth! As expected of my Head Chef! This trick is even more effective than my fists!"
Next, Raine did the same.
He used unparalleled deliciousness as a weapon, completely destroying the psychological defenses of these strong-willed bounty hunters, one by one.
For a time, a very bizarre scene appeared in the square.
A group of pirates leisurely ate barbecue, while a group of bounty hunters, beaten half to death, eagerly betrayed their organization for a bite of grilled meat.
Gatz watched, dumbfounded, and finally gave Raine a thumbs-up, his face full of admiration: "Head Chef, your trick... it's brilliant!"
This interrogation feast continued until dawn.
The Rocks Pirates not only emerged unscathed but also plundered a large amount of Berries from these bounty hunters and obtained detailed intelligence about the Mosk Guild and the forces in the first half of the Grand Line.
As they prepared to leave, the townspeople of Whiskey Peak spontaneously filled the port.
They looked at the pirates who were about to leave, their eyes complex.
They neither sent them off nor cursed them; they just watched silently.
Raine tossed a package full of food to the hungriest-looking little girl in the crowd.
After doing all this, he boarded the ship without looking back.
As the ship set sail, Rocks stood at the bow, unfolding the latest nautical chart obtained from the bounty hunters.
"We're famous."
Rocks shook a newspaper he had just bought from a Whiskey Peak news bird, on which their portraits and wanted posters were clearly printed.
Although the bounties were not high, with Rocks' highest at only thirty million Berries, the name Rocks Pirates had appeared on the world stage for the first time.
"Captain, where are we going next?"
Dolum asked.
Rocks looked at the sea chart, his finger tracing across it, finally stopping at one place, a smile of interest on his face.
"According to the intelligence, the next island is an island that retains its prehistoric appearance, called Small Garden, and it is said that two giants have been dueling there for over fifty years."
He turned to Raine, grinning, "Head Chef, interested in dinosaur meat?"
Raine was wiping his frying pan; at the sound, his movements paused.
He looked up, a gleam in his eyes.
"Dinosaurs?"
Raine's ingredient catalog indeed had records of these ancient creatures.
That was a very rare, high-grade ingredient.
Raine's lips slowly curved into a smile.
"A little interested."
...
The Rocks Pirates' dilapidated ship bobbed for more than half a month in the Grand Line's unpredictable weather.
Gatz's favorite thing to do every day, besides eating, was to pester Raine to ask what they would eat next.
He had fantasized about the taste of dinosaur meat more than once, drooling as he spoke, which made Silvers next to him Can't help it move a few steps away.
"Head Chef, is dinosaur meat as big as a mountain? Is one leg enough for us to eat for a year?"
Gatz carried his anchor, his eyes sparkling with a longing for unknown ingredients.
"I don't know."
Raine was maintaining his chef's knife, his tone calm.
"For unprocessed ingredients, size is meaningless."
"If this broken ship really hits a dinosaur, we'll definitely be the ones to fall apart."
Dolum, the shipwright, tapped a loose plank on the ship's side, his usual pessimistic tone in his mouth, but everyone could hear the hidden hint of anticipation in his words.
Finally, Silvers in the crow's nest gave the signal.
"Island spotted ahead, huge outline, vegetation... primitive."
As the ship approached, everyone was shocked by the sight before them.
This was not an island at all; it was more like a forgotten prehistoric world.
Giant ferns, blocking out the sun, formed a dense green canopy, and strangely shaped towering trees pierced the sky.
The air was filled with a hot, humid, primitive scent mixed with earth and humus, and occasionally, a long roar, not belonging to any known creature, could be heard from the depths of the island.
"Gulp..."
Gatz swallowed, a mix of excitement and tension.
"This place... it's really something!"
Rocks stood at the bow, his wild black hair dancing in the humid wind, no fear on his face, but rather the excitement of a hunter discovering a top-tier prey.
"My lads, are you ready to eat?"
The ship cautiously sailed around the island, searching for a suitable landing spot.
Just then, a deafening roar came from the center of the island, followed by the ground seemingly trembling.
Boom!
A plume of smoke rose from deep within the jungle.
"What's going on? A volcanic eruption?"
Dolum's face changed.
"Doesn't look like it."
Silvers' gaze was as sharp as an eagle's: "It's more like... a collision of some immense power."
Rocks licked his lips, battle intent rising in his eyes: "Interesting, let's go see."