The scene shifts to slightly earlier.
At 5 PM, the castle kitchen was filled with steam and mouthwatering aromas.
Zeff stood at the preparation counter, processing ingredients for tonight's banquet at a dizzying speed.
Sanji, having just finished a full day of training, had showered and changed before rushing over to help.
Unfortunately, his good intentions weren't rewarded, as he kept getting scolded harshly by Zeff.
"Brat! You ground the salt too fine!"
"Fry those eggs thoroughly! No runny yolks - remember there are two kids aboard who'll get diarrhea!"
"This sauce is too thick - do it again!"
Zeff's beard bristled as he twisted Sanji's ear fiercely. "Your attention to detail is atrocious! Your cooking hasn't improved one bit since before I set sail!"
"Thank goodness the Captain disbanded your so-called Chef Adventure Crew. With third-rate skills like these, daring to use that name? Hmph! You'd have completely disgraced me!"
Still as strict as ever, that damn old man.
Sanji grimaced in pain but didn't dare resist, silently cursing while following instructions.
There was no helping it - his culinary skills still hadn't caught up to the old man's level.
Most crucially, he still couldn't beat the old man in a fight either. Zeff's mastery of Armament Haki was impeccable, while Sanji had only just started learning - they weren't even in the same league.
Hmm?
Just as Sanji was muttering to himself about youth having potential, his peripheral vision caught a flash of pink darting behind the storage cabinets. A vein popped on his forehead:
"Hey! Bonney! Enough already - this is the third time today you've sneaked in to steal ingredients! Can't you wait until dinner?"
Snap!
With a swift motion, he snatched the large ham from Bonney's arms.
"Damn it! Give that back!"
Bonney struggled fiercely to reclaim it.
But being too short, she couldn't reach as Sanji effortlessly dodged her attempts.
Stomping her feet in frustration, she glared fiercely at Sanji, her cheeks puffed up like a hamster's. "Stupid Sanji! Meanie! Drinking cold water!"
"If I were really mean, I wouldn't have pretended not to see you the first two times."
Sanji deftly unwrapped the ham and began slicing it, snorting coldly. "But three strikes and you're out. Your snack raids end here - wait properly until the banquet..."
As he kept lecturing,
Bonney, already bored, pouted while staring at the ham. Suddenly her eyes sparkled mischievously as strange ripples began emanating from her body.
Poof!
The next instant,
standing before Sanji was suddenly a voluptuous pink-haired beauty, batting her dewy eyes pitifully at him. "Sanji-kun, won't you let me fill my tummy first~?"
"OHOHOHOHOHO——!!"
Sanji's pupils instantly turned into heart shapes as blood gushed from his nose, his body wriggling like noodles:
"It's a super hot babe! O-of course! Miss, you can have whatever you want! I'll make it for you right now, and if you have any other requests please don't hesitate—"
"Idiot!"
Before Sanji could finish, Bonney seized the opportunity to snatch back the ham, sticking out her tongue triumphantly:
"Pervert Sanji! So easy to trick!"
With a poof, she transformed back into a little girl, clutching the ham and scampering away with quick, light steps.
"Dammit! How dare you trick me!"
Sanji, holding his bleeding nose, chased after her in a furious rage, "You little brat, stop right there!"
The two of them ran around the kitchen, causing a ruckus with clattering and banging, turning the place upside down.
Zeff, annoyed by the noise, finally lost his temper and smacked Sanji on the head with his supreme spatula:
"Enough already, you idiot! No fooling around in the kitchen! And how are you still so hopeless, getting tricked by a woman so easily?!"
Ouch, that hurt! Sanji saw stars, nearly passing out from the pain. He crouched down, clutching the huge bump on his head.
Hehe, Bonney took a big bite of the ham, snickering gleefully from the sidelines—but she was promptly whacked with the spatula too.
"And you, Bonney! Abusing your powers at such a young age will only bring you trouble! Kuma is a good man and strong enough, but he can't protect you forever!"
"Ow! That hurts!"
Bonney stopped giggling, tears welling up as she crouched down, holding her head. "I was just really hungry, you mean old man, hitting me so hard..."
"If you're hungry, just tell me! What's so good about eating something that hasn't even been cooked yet?"
Zeff snorted, then pulled a few coins from his pocket and gently placed them in Bonney's palm.
"Actually, we're running low on cola for the party. How about we make a deal, Bonney? You go to town and buy some—quickly. My special dessert is almost ready. If you bring the cola back to me, I'll let you eat five servings first."
"Five servings? Really?"
Bonney's eyes lit up, the pain forgotten instantly. She grabbed the empty can and skipped toward the door. "I'll go right now! You better keep your word, old man Zeff!"
She hurried cheerfully through the castle corridors and, at the entrance, happened to run into Kuma, who was reading a newspaper on a bench.
Seeing the empty can in his daughter's hand, Kuma adjusted his glasses and asked in surprise, "Going to town? Can you manage alone? Do you want me to come with you?"
"No need, Papa Bear!"
Bonney stuck out her tongue playfully. "This is a deal between me and old man Zeff. It won't be fun if you join in. Besides, I'm not a three-year-old anymore!"
With that, she dashed off in a flash.
Not three years old—seven, Kuma thought, chuckling to himself before returning to his newspaper.
He wasn't worried about Bonney's safety.
The nearest town to the south was only about two kilometers away. With Bonney's abilities, even including shopping time, the round trip would take no more than half an hour.
And besides, they were on Crescent Moon Island—the heart of the Curtain Closer's stronghold. What danger could there possibly be?
...
The southern town.
"Five desserts, five desserts~ I want crème brûlée and matcha mousse~"
Bonney hummed an off-key tune as she entered the town, clutching the cola can, when suddenly she stopped in her tracks, drawn by the aroma from a nearby bakery.
The glass display case was filled with all kinds of sweets, making her eyes sparkle instantly.
"Little one, would you like some dessert?"
A gentle voice came from behind. Bonney turned to see a beautiful, golden-haired girl, about sixteen or seventeen, bending down to smile at her.
"Mm-hm!" Bonney nodded vigorously, her tiny finger pointing at the strawberry-topped cream cake in the display window. "That looks super yummy!"
"You've got great taste," the golden-haired girl said with a smile. "This shop just opened, and it happens to belong to a friend of mine. Want to come in and try some? They're offering free samples."
Bonney's eyes lit up, but then she remembered Zeff's warning and hesitantly raised her empty cola can. "But, miss, I need to buy cola first..."
"It'll be quick," the girl said, already taking her small hand. "Just a sample, won't take long. Plus, they sell cola here too—half the price of the grocery store."
Bonney grew wary the moment her hand was grabbed. She wasn't some clueless little kid!
She immediately peered into the shop window. The newly opened bakery was bright and clean, well-lit, with a soda fountain clearly visible on the counter. Over a dozen customers were browsing, including familiar townsfolk.
Okay, 100% confirmed—this shop was legit!
Without further hesitation, she happily followed the girl toward the bakery entrance.
Until...
The moment the girl pushed open the glass door, Bonney suddenly felt something was off.
The doorframe seemed to shimmer with an eerie green glow, and beyond it, the space that should have led into the bright bakery had somehow transformed into a swirling vortex of chaos.
"The shop itself is fine," the girl's calm voice came from beside her, "but any door in my hands can become... problematic. Your caution is commendable, but it seems misdirected, kid."
"Now, come along quietly. A very important person has requested your presence."
Thud!
In the next instant, Bonney was yanked inside with tremendous force as the door slammed shut behind her. The wind chimes above jingled briefly before settling.
Inside the bakery, customers continued shopping. Passersby walked by outside as usual, completely unaware of what had just occurred.
As if nothing had happened.
Only the empty cola can remained, clattering to the ground before rolling to a stop by the curb, attracting curious cats who came to sniff and lick it...
——————
"That's about it," Kuma placed the empty cola can on the table, clenching his fist.
"I waited, but Bonney never returned, so I went looking. Found this by the bakery at the town entrance. Bonney's presence... it's completely gone from that town. I asked everywhere—no one saw anything."
Everyone sat around the dining table, expressions grim, the atmosphere heavy with tension.
Though mischievous, Bonney knew when to be serious. She'd never pull a disappearing prank at a time like this.
Only one possibility remained.
She'd been kidnapped!
"How audacious," Kuina said coldly, her gaze even colder. "To dare snatch someone from Crescent Moon Island."
And to do it when all the core members were gathered for a banquet, no less.
This was blatant provocation.
Who in the entire world would have the nerve?
Could it be the World Government's retaliation?
To target a seven-year-old girl—such despicable behavior isn't entirely unexpected, but the real question is, how did they manage to infiltrate?
The Curtain Closer organization is no longer the understaffed group it once was. With the Four Legions guarding the galaxy, it should be absolutely impossible for any ship to bypass patrols and sentries to sneak onto Crescent Moon Island.
Especially with so many powerful figures stationed on the island. Even the God Knights' eerie teleportation abilities couldn't allow them to land unnoticed.
"My fault."
Zeff yanked off his chef's hat, crumpling it in his hands as he muttered in frustration, "It's all my fault. If I hadn't sent her out to buy cola because she was being a nuisance..."
"Hey, old man Zeff, what are you doing? Now's not the time for self-blame."
Zoro patted his shoulder, then turned to Kuma with a grave expression. "Brother Kuma, did you make a Vivrecard for Bonney?"
"I did, but it was a long time ago. After moving around so much, it got lost."
Kuma shook his head, covering his face in sorrow. "We'd finally settled down recently, and I was planning to take her to make a new one in a few days. But before that could happen..."
"At the very least, we should issue orders to blockade the sea."
Kuina slowly stood up, turning to the man seated at the head of the table. "Lord Xiano, we should set out immediately, each leading a team to search—"
"No need."
Xiano, who had been keeping his eyes slightly closed, finally opened them and spoke. "I already have a rough idea of where Bonney is."
Huh?
The others froze in surprise.
Xiano's gaze shifted toward a certain direction.
Upon hearing the news earlier, he had appeared to be deep in thought, but in reality, he had been accessing his system panel and activating two abilities in succession.
First, he immediately invoked the Substitute Death Technique contract, assigning one of the remaining two slots to Bonney to ensure her safety.
Second, he used the upgraded Marauder's Map's search function.
A single search cost 2,000 Points—not exactly cheap—but compared to locating Bonney, it was nothing.
The result, however, left him somewhat stunned.
Bonney, who had only left to buy cola two hours ago, was now thousands of nautical miles away.
How was that even possible?
Xiano narrowed his eyes. The mystery of how it happened didn't matter now. Knowing where Bonney had been taken...
"Zoro, hand me the Den Den Mushi."
His voice was icy as he issued the order. "I want to ask that old hag myself—the one who acted so friendly last time we met—just what the hell she thinks she's doing now!"
Old hag?!
Zoro, Sanji, and the other newer crew members exchanged confused glances, while the veterans immediately understood, their expressions darkening.
So, the one behind Bonney's abduction was her?
——————
Totto Land, the heart of the Totland waters.
Inside Whole Cake Castle.
"Mamamama..."
BIGMOM paced restlessly before her throne, her massive frame casting an oppressive shadow across the floor.
Every now and then, she grabbed a nearby cream cake and shoved it into her mouth with rough impatience.
The sweet delicacy that usually brought her happiness now tasted like ash, utterly failing to soothe the desperate craving gnawing at her soul.
"Forty hours... It's been forty hours already!"
BIGMOM suddenly halted her steps, turning her head and roaring with a voice that shook the entire castle:
"Hey! Perospero! Is that bounty hunter you brought even reliable? Didn't you promise to deliver that little girl to me within two days? Why is there still no sign of her now!"
Below.
The eldest son, Perospero, broke into a cold sweat and quickly bowed, saying:
"Mama~, there's still one last night left. Please relax and be a little more patient. Just wait a while longer."
"That bounty hunter named Beverny has a very special ability. Since her rise to fame last year, once she locks onto a target, she's never failed. Taking Bonney from the Curtain Closer's stronghold is an extremely difficult task, and only she can accomplish it. She should be back soon—"
"Soon? I can't take it anymore, I want her now!"
BIGMOM furiously kicked over the Dessert table, sending cream and jam splattering everywhere.
A few drops of cream landed on the carefully framed photo hanging on the wall.
In the photo, an elderly nun smiled kindly at the camera...
(End of Chapter)