Chapter 479: Chapter 479: Recipes
Ben, Maya, Conis, Hina, Mikita, Marianne, Raki, Nojiko, Vivi, Tashigi, Kaya, Saphir, Honey, Robin, Zala, Alvida, and Kalifa made their way back to the Miss Love Duck. As they stepped aboard, they spotted HQ and NT waiting for them on the deck.
"You're all back together," NT remarked.
"Perfect timing," Ben replied with a nod. He looked at his crew, lovers and noted that, while a bit battered, everyone seemed in good condition. He knew they all fought someone strong however they looked like they had just come from a stroll.
"Ben, your shoulder, there's blood," Kaya pointed out as she noticed the dried streaks on his arm.
"Oh, this? It's nothing serious," Ben reassured her, rolling his shoulder to demonstrate.
"My love, you know the rules," Alvida said firmly, crossing her arms with a raised brow.
"Rules are rules," Marianne chimed in.
"I know, I know," Ben responded, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "Let's head into the dining room," he added. "Kaya can treat me there, if there is anything more serious than I will go to the Medical Room," he said.
"Okay, shirt off then," Kaya said as she wanted to examine her Captain.
"Someone wants to see him topless," Nojiko teased.
"We all do," Zala joked.
"It is for medical purposes," Kaya said. They all giggled.
As they moved inside, Ben pulled off his shirt, revealing his well-toned physique. The group couldn't help but notice, a few smiles exchanged between them.
Hot, most of them thought in unison. Tashigi`s cheeks tinged with pink. Shameless, she thought, though the word felt more like a guilty justification than actual disapproval. Hina thought he had a nice body but he could have waited, she thought. Kalifa thought it was nice. There was an unusual allure, she thought. They did forget that Ben did this for medical reasons.
They all sat down around the table. NT and HQ got a few more chairs so they all could sit. Kaya sat next to him and looked at his shoulder. She saw there was some blood however the wound had healed up. "It looks good but let me know if there is any pain," Kaya remarked.
"Thank you Kaya," Ben said. "Anyone else needs their injuries checked?" Ben asked.
A few girls put their hands out for minor scratches and bruises. However their injuries were already gone as well. Kaya thought some of them did not have devil fruits or zoan devil fruits. She looked at Ben and thought back to her theory.
"Alright, I think it's time we debrief," Ben said as the group settled around him.
"You can start, my love," Alvida said, her eyes briefly lingering on the wound at his shoulder.
Ben nodded. "We were exploring the forest, gathering some plants and resources, when we ran into Phantasm Kaku," Ben began.
"Kaku, huh?" Alvida remarked, her expression hardening at the name. He was strong, she thought.
"He was incredibly fast and managed to catch me off guard initially, but once we regrouped, we defeated him without too much trouble," Ben explained, rolling his shoulder slightly as if testing it.
"Yeah, he was quick, but we didn't give him a chance to go on the offensive," Conis added confidently.
"We faced Phantasm Don Krieg, and he barely had a moment to react before we took him down," Zala nodded.
"Don Krieg?" Vivi asked, raising a brow.
"He was a notorious pirate from the East Blue," Ben clarified. "Luffy beat him back then. He was known for being a little cocky and using poison tactics that were still dangerous." he added.
Kalifa adjusted her glasses thoughtfully. "He did attempt that poison mist attack," she remarked.
"But Honey absorbed it all and turned it into a new move," Robin said, a small smile playing on her lips.
"That's incredible!" Marianne said.
"Are you okay after that?" Ben asked, turning to Honey with a hint of concern.
Honey nodded. "I am fine Captain. Poison's effects on me are manageable now, and absorbing it has only strengthened my abilities," she responded.
Ben let out a breath of relief. "Good," Ben said. "Vivi, how did you guys get along?" Ben asked.
"Ben always asks his princess," Nojiko teased. They all nodded.
"We are okay as well. We fought Phantasm Mr 2," Vivi responded. "He was fast and could kick, however like you all said already we had the numbers so we did not let him have a chance to attack us," Vivi added.
"That is good to hear," Ben said.
"There was also the Knuckle Soldier we fought," Saphir said, breaking the silence. "He looked different from regular Marines and was definitely stronger," she added.
"We encountered the Mass Soldier," Zala added.
"He was more powerful than the average Marine too and looked mechanical," Honey chimed in.
"And he seemed like he was part of something larger," Robin noted.
"Something larger?" Maya asked, tilting her head in curiosity.
Robin shook her head slightly. "I'm not sure yet, but it's something we need to investigate further," she added.
Ben thought they may be special minions. It seemed like they might be annoying.
"We also came across Phantasm Mihawk," Mikita said, pausing briefly. "We didn't fight him. We retreated," she added.
"That was the right call," Ben responded firmly. "Facing him head-on wouldn't have been worth the risk," he added. The others nodded in agreement.
"We later found ourselves deeper in the forest, where we encountered Kalgara," Raki said, her voice tinged with both awe and frustration.
"Kalgara?" Kaya asked, the name sparking a memory. "That sounds familiar," she added.
"Yes, our ancient hero," Raki confirmed, her tone more somber now. "They created a fake version of him," she added.
Conis nodded, understanding the weight of Kalgara's legacy for the Shandians. "Even so, we managed to overwhelm and defeat him," Nojiko said.
"It seems like our numbers are making these battles much more manageable," Zala remarked.
"Exactly," Ben agreed. "We need to keep using that advantage effectively," he ordered. Everyone nodded in unison.
"We've also gathered plenty of rewards, like those aprons and chef hats," Alvida said, a playful glint in her eyes.
"We could throw a special apron party," Nojiko teased, earning a chuckle from a few.
"The Captain would absolutely love to see the infamous naked apron," Robin added.
The girls all thought of it. "Pervert," Kaya remarked.
"Sexual harassment," Kalifa said, touching her glassess.
The group shared a laugh.
"We did get alot of plants and items," Maya remarked.
[Special Reward Crafter has been added to the Storage.]
(Special Reward Sweetie)
[The system had given you a milestone reward on this occasion. Please redeem the gift.]
(Thank you Sweetie. Redeem Crafter.)
Ben stretched out his hand, and a dazzling light emanated from his palm. The glow intensified, drawing the attention of everyone around him. As the light began to fade, a strange device gradually took shape in his grasp.
"What is that?" Conis asked.
"It is called the Crafter," Ben responded.
They saw a large device. The top of the device featured a slender, polished tube, gleaming with a faint metallic sheen. This tube was connected to a robust central box which had gears, wheels. A small lift mechanism could be seen on one side. Extending from the opposite side of the central box was another tube, slightly larger.
"It looks cool," Marianne said.
"So it can craft my love?" Alvida asked.
[You need to put special ingredients at the top of the tube.
Please see the recipes below:
1x Clear Flower + 1x Honey = 1x Stamina Powder
1x Stamina Powder + 1x Royal Jelly + 1x Honey = 1x Stamina Drink
1x Heal Powder + 1x Fountain Berry + 1x Blue Fruit = 1x Heal Drink
1x Heal Drink + 1x Stamina Drink = 1x Mix Drink
There are more recipes which I will reveal when the time is right.]
(Thank you Sweetie, you are the best.)
[The Heal Drink is powerful as it heals most internal and external injuries. The Stamina Drink recovers all your stamina instantly. The Mix Drink does both however it will heal very extreme injuries including limb recovery. Your stamina will also be temporarily boosted. There are no side effects.]
Ben thought the potential of these drinks was staggering. On the battlefield, they could be the difference between victory and defeat, between life and death. This will help them greatly going forward even after this battle. He thought of Marineford. He thought none of his girls would be there. He was not going to risk it however he could be there with these drinks to keep going.
Ben began to explain each drink in detail. As he spoke, their reactions varied.
"That's incredible," Kaya said, her medical instincts kicking in. "A drink that can heal such severe injuries without risk," she added.
"Limb recovery?" Raki said, wide-eyed. "That's something our ancestors could only dream of. Imagine what we could have done with these during the Shandian wars," she added.
Nojiko folded her arms. "I can see how this would turn the tide in battle," she remarked.
Zala smirked, tapping her chin. "So, you're telling me I can punch someone into the ground, drink one of these, and be ready for round two right after? I like it," she chuckled. They all giggled.
"You would like that," Mikita said.
"So would you," Zala responded back.
"Mix Drink sounds like a cheat code," Marianne joked, holding up an imaginary cup.
Robin listened intently, her expression calm but her eyes sharp. "No side effects? That alone makes them a treasure. These could easily tip the balance of power in any conflict. We'll need to guard them carefully," she stated.
Vivi clasped her hands together, a hopeful smile on her face. "I can see how it can help people and maybe we can help people as well with our Captain`s permission however like Robin says we will be wanted more. My duty says I should help but it sounds limited but I want to protect us as well and be selfish," Vivi said. She felt conflicted.
"We can figure that out later," Ben chuckled.
Conis added, "These drinks are more than powerful tools. They're miracles."
"Mix Drink... limb recovery... no side effects?" Kalifa adjusted her glasses. She thought she had never heard of anything like this.
"Stamina boost, too? My love does need that after the performances the last few days," Alvida teased.
"They still will be good," Honey added.
Saphir looked at Ben. "Captain, with these in our arsenal, we'll always have the edge. You've got to find more," she urged.
Ben smiled. "Don't worry," he said firmly. "I'll make sure we get enough for all of us. These drinks are game-changers, and I intend to use them to keep us safe and strong. I love you all," he stated.
They all blushed. Hina and Tashigi looked at each other. They had just heard a big secret. They could tell the Navy but it will upset Ben and both felt their heart in pain at that thought.
"Let's craft our first batch of drinks," Ben announced with a grin.
The girls erupted in cheers, excitement filling the room. "Alright," Alvida said, stepping forward with a confident smile. "The recipe is simple: 10 Heal Powders, 10 Fountain Berries, and 10 Blue Fruits will give us 10 Heal Drinks, as my love said," she added.
Together, the girls gathered the ingredients and placed them into the Crafter's input chamber. As the materials slid into the device, the Crafter hummed to life. Its gears whirred, lights flickered, and a clunking sound filled the air.
After a moment, the Crafter emitted a final ding, and the output tube slid out ten gleaming aluminum cans back to back. The cans were lightweight yet sturdy.
Mikita picked one up, inspecting it. "They're light, perfect for carrying around in battle," she remarked.
Kaya nodded, her medical instincts kicking in. "The yellow design makes it easy to recognize in emergencies," she said.
"They're... kind of cute," Robin added with a grin. Marianne nodded.
"Now to the Stamina Drinks," Ben said.