"How is he doing? What's his situation now?"
"I heard he's the sous-chef at the sea restaurant Baratie in the East Blue. They say his cooking is the best in all of East Blue. I'll soon have the chance to taste it for myself."
"I never thought he'd really become a chef. Then… we shouldn't disturb his life now."
Reiju's voice softened as memories surfaced—memories of Sanji's "dark cuisine" when they were children.
Even when their mother was gravely ill, she forced herself to eat the terrible food Sanji had made. Later, their father accused Sanji of being the reason she died, despising him even more for failing to awaken any of the superhuman gifts their family prized.
"Suit yourself. Still, the bloodline factor in him might be even more perfect than the four of you."
Souta Kiryuu smiled faintly. That Black-Leg Sanji—once his bloodline factor fully awakened, he had the strength to pummel Queen the Plague into submission. Utterly absurd.
After all, Queen was a heavily modified Ancient Zoan user, carrying within himself all the abilities of the Vinsmoke siblings:
the red of flames, the blue of lightning, the black of invisibility, the green of strangulation. All of it, fused into one body.
"That shouldn't be possible… Sanji not only kept his emotions, he was so weak he nearly died under our brothers' constant beatings. How could he be more perfect than us?"
Reiju shook her head, unable to believe it. She remembered how Sanji had been brutalized, nearly killed by his own siblings.
"Just watch." Souta chuckled.
Not long after, under the combined effort of every chef in Baratie, the table was filled with mouth-watering dishes. Souta ate without restraint.
The flavor truly surpassed even the cooking of Baby 5, Perona, and Conis.
"Delicious. Five stars!" Souta grinned, tossing down a chunk of gold as payment.
Before leaving, he leaned close to Sanji's ear and whispered a single sentence—one that made Sanji's eyes go wide.
"Little brother-in-law… Reiju and I will be watching over you."
With that, Souta vanished in a shimmer of invisibility, transforming into his dragon form as he left Baratie behind, continuing toward his next goal.
"He's… no way…"
Sanji stared after the vanished figure, heart pounding. That terrifying man—the God-Slayer, Souta Kiryuu—was his sister Reiju's partner?
Did that mean… his brother-in-law carried a bounty of thirty billion berries?
The world had gone insane!
If word of Reiju and Souta's relationship ever spread, Germa 66 itself might be wiped off the map by the World Government.
"What is it, Sanji? What did he say to you!?"
Zeff slammed a heavy boot against Sanji's head, glaring at him with worry.
"N-Nothing! Nothing at all! He just said… he liked my dessert."
Sanji forced the words out quickly. He didn't dare reveal anything about Reiju, Souta, or himself. It was far too dangerous.
Zeff eyed him suspiciously, but let it go. Still, he knew something big had shaken the boy's heart.
After leaving Baratie, Souta soon came across a towering island shaped like a massive wind-up spring.
"Well, since I'm here…"
He descended upon the clockwork island's summit. With a single burst of Conqueror's Haki, every pirate there collapsed.
"Paramecia: Iron-Iron Fruit. Paramecia: Paste Fruit. Not much, but better than nothing—worth storing away."
Souta casually sliced into the so-called "King of Bears," collecting blood and tissue samples. Even the so-called "Honey Queen" wasn't spared.
"She's not bad-looking, but that paste ability… I wonder how many pirates have taken advantage of it already."
With only a glance at the blonde woman, Souta lost interest. He had more important goals, and far greater women awaited him on Sky Island. This one couldn't hold his attention.
Time was pressing. His identity might soon be exposed, and the journalists of the world had ways of uncovering everything, no matter where he went.
Barely an hour after leaving the clockwork island, Souta spotted two small boats on the sea below. On each stood a young woman, locked in a heated argument.
"Hm? An orange-haired girl and a purple-haired girl… Nami the Cat Burglar, and Karina the Little Fox?"
Souta smiled faintly and dove down. Fate had brought them together on this vast sea.
On the waves, two thieves bickered.
"Little Fox, I should get a bigger cut this time. I found the target!"
"Hmph! Cat Burglar, if I hadn't tricked those men, we'd both be dead by now!"
Nami and Karina—East Blue's most slippery thieves. Rivals most of the time, but occasionally partners when a target was too big to take alone.
"You never let me win, do you?!"
Nami's eyes narrowed, her obsession with money burning strong. Every coin mattered—every single berry was a step closer to the 100 million she needed to free her village.
"Look who's talking!" Karina smirked, refusing to back down.
As the two finished dividing their spoils, a voice cut through the air.
"Since you're splitting the loot anyway… why not save me a share? Or would you rather I rob you instead?"
Souta dropped out of the sky, landing squarely on Nami's boat. The small craft rocked violently, nearly tossing her into the sea.
Karina froze in terror. That long black hair. That gleaming laser eye. That aura of suffocating menace.
It was him. The man who shook the world.
"Here! It's yours, all of it!"
Karina shoved every last jewel and coin forward, hands trembling. Even a sneeze from this monster might kill her.
Seeing her terror, Nami turned as well—and her legs gave out beneath her. Her pupils shrank in horror.
My God… this monster… how is he on my ship!?
It was over. She hadn't even saved Cocoyasi Village yet. Was her young life about to end here?
Nojiko… forgive me. I couldn't protect you.
"Heh… what are you afraid of? I'm not here to take your money. At most, I might steal your hearts. I don't kill needlessly."
Souta grinned, brushing a hand against Nami's frozen cheek.
"Cat Burglar Nami. Little Fox Karina. Cheer me up, and I'll even grant you one wish."
With a single hand, he lifted Karina's boat, tipping her and all her treasures into Nami's craft. Then, with a breath of dragon's fire, he reduced the empty boat to ashes, cutting off their escape.
"W-What do you want us to do? S-Sing for you?" Karina stammered, already sensing what his tone implied but too terrified to voice it.
"That works. But I'm busy. If you can't entertain me… you'll both be fish food."
At that moment, Souta was every inch the villain, his presence crushing the girls beneath waves of fear.
"You mean… you really won't take our money? And you'll grant us a wish?"
Nami's trembling mind latched onto the one thing she most wanted to hear. If sacrificing herself could save her village, she was willing to pay any price.