(PS: Forgot to mention—the name of Rin's pirate crew is: Pandora Pirates!)
Although the Cosmic-Cosmic Fruit possessed terrifying power, Rin could not yet harness it fully.
For now, it remained dormant within him.
---
The Crew's Routine
At this moment—
On the deck of the ship, Artoria lay comfortably on a reclining chair, a book in hand.
The book contained recent events from around the world—news from the pirate-infested seas, updates on notorious bounties, and reports on rising threats.
Having been asleep for a long time, Artoria needed to catch up on what she had missed.
Beside her, Casa was also reading.
However, his focus was different—
He was studying navigation manuals.
These books had been gifted to them by King Kedoli before they left the Knight's Kingdom.
Only after boarding the ship did Rin discover that Casa was a trained navigator—one who had studied navigation since childhood.
Realizing this, Rin was overjoyed.
At least now, he didn't have to worry about getting lost at sea.
Watching the two absorbed in their books, Rin shook his head with a small smirk and let them be.
Instead, he sat cross-legged and focused inwardly.
"System, open the Daily Pack!"
---
Unexpected Rewards
'Ding! Daily Pack x2 has been opened!'
'Ding-dong! Congratulations! You have obtained: Memory of the Chef God!'
'Ding-dong! Congratulations! You have obtained: 100,000 Berries!'
A wave of knowledge surged into Rin's mind—
Memories belonging to a legendary chef, one who had dedicated his entire life to cooking.
Rin frowned.
"Why would the system give me something like this?"
While the title "Chef God" sounded impressive, the truth was far less exciting.
Unlike Sanji—who was both a top-tier chef and a formidable fighter—this so-called Chef God had no combat skills whatsoever.
He was just a cook.
That was it.
Rin sighed. "Well… at least I don't have to worry about hiring a chef anymore."
Glancing at the sky, he checked the time.
It was nearly noon.
Turning his head toward Casa, Rin asked, "Casa, where are we now? Are there any islands nearby?"
Casa looked up from his navigation charts and responded, "Captain, we're still in the East Blue."
He pointed at the map in front of him.
"There are two islands nearby—one is an uninhabited desert island, and the other is… Cocoyasi Village."
---
A Familiar Name: Cocoyasi Village
Rin's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Cocoyasi?"
That name sounded very familiar.
Then, it clicked.
A small smirk formed at the corners of his mouth as he asked, "Isn't that the territory of the Arlong Pirates?"
Casa nodded. "Yes, Captain."
Then, his expression turned serious.
"Are we heading there?"
"I think it's best if we don't. After all, we're pirates too. If we show up without a reason, we might be seen as intruders. The Arlong Pirates might attack us on sight."
Rin chuckled and shook his head.
"No, no, no, Casa. You're thinking about this all wrong."
He leaned against the railing, looking out at the open sea.
"Right now, we may call ourselves pirates, but let's be honest—we don't even have bounties yet."
Casa remained silent, listening.
"But Arlong and his crew?" Rin continued.
"They've been occupying Cocoyasi Village for years. And didn't we hear that they have a deal with the Navy?"
Casa's expression darkened slightly.
"If that's true, then how else could a notorious crew of Fish-Men be allowed to rule over an East Blue island uncontested?"
Rin's smirk widened.
"Here's the plan: We sail to Cocoyasi, wipe out the Arlong Pirates, and expose their connections to the corrupt Navy officers who protect them. Then, we kill those officers too."
His eyes gleamed with excitement.
"That should be enough to get us a bounty, right?"
Casa grinned.
"Now that sounds like a plan, Captain."
Corrupt Navy officials?
Casa hated them more than anything.
If they could eliminate both Arlong's crew and the corrupt Marines supporting them, it would be a victory for everyone.
---
A Warrior's Instinct
Hearing the discussion, Artoria closed her book and stood up.
"Do you want me to prepare for battle?"
Rin nodded, but then waved his hand dismissively.
"Ah, but there's no rush."
He stretched his arms.
"It'll still take some time before we reach Cocoyasi Village."
His grin widened.
"For now, let's eat."
Walking toward the ship's kitchen, Rin cracked his knuckles confidently.
"Dear crew, prepare yourselves. Your captain is about to show off his skills!"
Casa raised an eyebrow, watching Rin enter the kitchen.
Turning to Artoria, he whispered, "Wait… does the captain actually know how to cook? Or is this about to turn into some kind of dark cuisine disaster?"
Artoria laughed softly.
"Come on, don't be like that. If the captain doesn't cook, then who will? You?"
Casa's face twitched.
"... Never mind. Let's just hope it's edible."
---
A Peaceful Afternoon on the East Blue
Unlike the Grand Line, where storms could erupt at any moment, the East Blue's waters were calm and peaceful.
The sun shone brightly, reflecting off the gentle waves.
The Pandora Pirates sailed steadily, their ship moving at a relaxed pace.
And as the hours passed—
Both Artoria and Casa found themselves genuinely surprised.
Rin's cooking skills were far better than they expected.
So much so that, by the end of the meal, they both made the same demand—
From now on, Rin had to cook every meal.
Thus, Rin remained the captain of the Pandora Pirates—
But he also became their unofficial chef.
---