To The East Blue

A vibrant color spread shows the Straw Hat Pirates relaxing on a sunny island. Luffy stands with arms raised, mouth wide open in excitement. Zoro sits cross-legged holding his swords, looking relaxed. Nami lounges on a deck chair reading a magazine while sipping a drink. Sanji stands nearby in a suit. Usopp plays a green guitar energetically. Chopper dances on a crate with his tongue out. Robin sits calmly with a book. Franky poses shirtless with his massive arms. Brook plays a guitar in the background wearing a crown. The crew enjoys food and drinks together under a clear sky with the Thousand Sunny visible.

A masked chef in an iron mask carries a tray with a large bottle labeled 'Mihawk's South Blue Wine'. He thinks, 'KEEPS CARRYING THOSE FANCY MEALS OFF TO EVERYDAY. BEATS ME. I WONDER WHERE THAT GUY...' Narration notes 'THE TRUTH HIDES BEHIND HIS IRON MASK.' A panel shows '6 MONTHS SINCE SANJI'S IMPRISONMENT.' A small armored child sits alone in a dungeon cell. In the kitchen, chefs work while gossiping: 'I'M PUTTING MY MONEY ON IT BEING THE KING'S NEW MISTRESS!' '...MAYBE THEY'RE HIDING SOME KIND OF VIP REFUGEE IN THIS CASTLE.' 'OUR ONE AND ONLY JOB IS TO FOLLOW THE KING'S ORDERS.' 'QUIT OVER-THINKING IT.' 'WE HAVEN'T EVEN HAD ANY GUESTS RECENTLY.' An older chef snaps, 'CUT IT OUT, ALL OF YOU!' and '...YES SIR.'

The armored child peers through cell bars at two shadowy figures inside the dungeon. 'SKREECH!' sounds as the child opens a heavy door. The child sneaks into a room, eats from a plate, and reacts with shock 'YAH! YAHHH!' as a clawed creature lunges from the shadows. The child is slammed against the wall. In the main hall, the masked chef dramatically removes his mask, revealing wild hair, and laughs 'WAHAHA!! YOU MAKE ME PROUD, CHILDREN!' Several children cheer 'FATHER! FATHER!' The chef declares, 'SUCH MAGNIFICENT SKILLS... CALLING THESE CHILDREN SUPER-HUMANS DOESN'T DO THEM JUSTICE!'

In a stone corridor of the Germa castle, young Sanji sits alone eating from a box, munching quietly. Elsewhere, a helmeted figure with wild hair and a wide grin hugs several children tightly, declaring, "I LOVE YOU ALL MORE THAN ANYTHING!" The scene shifts to stern guards confronting Sanji. One shouts, "YOU MUST LEAVE AT ONCE! THIS IS NOT A PLACE A ROYAL SHOULD BE SPENDING TIME IN!" Sanji flinches as another guard says, "GOOD HEAVENS, LORD SANJI!" and "OWWIE!" A guard warns, "THE MEDICAL WARD IS LOCATED QUITE A DISTANCE FROM HERE... ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE CASTLE GROUNDS! AND IN THIS WEATHER!" Sanji replies, "MY LORD, ARE YOU SURE YOU WISH TO GO THERE ALONEI!" and runs off into the rain with an umbrella, yelling, "I'M GOING! DON'T FOLLOW ME!" He reaches a door and exclaims with joy, "I FINALLY DID IT!"

A storm rages over the Germa castle as guards shout, "RETREAT TO YOUR HOMES!!" and "A BIG STORM'S COMING!" Young Sanji slips and falls in the rain, clutching his umbrella, thinking, "NOT A WORD TO MY FATHER EITH-" SFX: SPLISH, SPLISH. A dog barks "BARK BARK!!" and "AHHH!" while a chained wolf-like creature growls "GRR..." and sniffs, "YOU CAN'T HAVE THIS FOOD!" Sanji arrives soaked at the medical ward building marked with a cross, wheezing. Inside, a woman with curly hair laughs wildly, "BWA HHH HHHH! WOAA AAHI!" while eating from a box. Another figure comments, "BUT HEY, IF THIS IS APPETIZING ENOUGH THEN AT THE VERY LEA-" and "THAT'S AWFULLY SWEET OF YOU BUT... THE QUEEN CAN BARELY KEEP ANYTHING DOWN SO WE MUST BE SELECTIVE ABOUT WHAT SHE EATS..."

Young Sanji, still in his raincoat, offers food to a woman in bed who asks, "Y... YEAH... DON'T TELL ME... DID YOU PREPARE THIS DISH FOR MEI" and "YOU'LL GET A STERN TALKING TO FROM YOUR FATHER AGAIN IF HE FINDS OUT! COMING ALL THIS WAY JUST TO SEE ME! OH, SANJI..." She tastes it and reacts with shock, "AH... WELL... WHAT HE MADE HAD GOTTEN RATHER... SCRAMBLED DURING HIS JOURNEY HERE... SO WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO DISPOSE OF IT IN THE TRASH!" A maid named Époni enters, saying, "Y... YES MA'AM!" The woman continues, "YOU NO LONGER NEED TO WASTE YOUR TIME AND EFFORTS PREPARING THESE MEALS... I WILL SIMPLY DINE ON WHATEVER IT IS THAT SANJI HAS MADE FOR ME!" Sanji apologizes profusely, "I HAD A LITTLE INCIDENT ON THE WAY HERE AND DROPPED IT... AND IT'S WET FROM THE RAIN TOO... AND... THEN IT GOT CRUSHED..." The woman smiles warmly, "EGG ROLLS... FISH AND... SOME BANANAS, IT LOOKS LIKE. HOW LOVELY!" and takes a bite, "CHOMP" as Sanji watches hopefully.

Sora savors the meal with delight, "MMMMMM! THIS TASTES GREAT!!" Young Sanji and a maid react with shock, "REALLY-YYYI!" and "HUHHI!" In another area, a guard asks a prisoner behind bars, "A COOKBOOK AND SOME COOKING UTENSILSI" The prisoner replies, "WILL YOU... MAKE SOMETHING FOR ME AGAINI" Elsewhere, young Sanji sits on the floor looking at a book as two guards discover him. One says, "HEY, LOOK... IT REALLY IS HIM. MAN, YOU'RE RIGHT!" The other exclaims, "THE ALL... BLUEI" Sanji remains focused on the pages showing sea creatures and maps.

Behind the bars, the modified brothers taunt Reiju. One grips the cell door and snarls, "THEN MAYBE WE CAN BRING FATHER TRUE HAPPINESS... BY MAKING SURE YOU REALLY DO DIE!" Another smirks, "WELL DUH... IT'S BECAUSE HE WISHED THE LIE WERE TRUE!" A third adds, "FOR FATHER TO GO THROUGH THAT ENTIRE CHARADE... SO YOU DIDN'T REALLY KICK THE BUCKET!" The key turns with a "CLING." Reiju stands silently as the brothers mock her from inside. In the next panels, she faces the empty stairwell while the brothers rampage in silhouette, one yelling "TOTAL FAILURE!" and another "YOU'RE A FRIGGIN'..." A massive armored soldier looms nearby. Reiju then speaks to the bound soldier, "THE 'MODIFICATIONS' WERE SUCCESSFUL ON MY BODY AS WELL... BUT I'M NOTHING LIKE THEM. BUT THEY'RE UTTERLY INCAPABLE OF FEELING EMOTIONS LIKE EMPATHY OR SYMPATHY! THOSE THREE MAY HAVE TURNED OUT TO BE THE ULTIMATE WARRIORS FATHER DREAMED OF... JUST TO CLARIFY, I'M NOT ON YOUR SIDE, OKI I DON'T WANT TO END UP AS THEIR NEXT TARGET."

The armored soldier smashes through the wall with a loud "ガシャン!!!" and "ドン!!!" Reiju stands by the broken cell and states, "APPARENTLY WE'RE GOING TO BE FIGHTING SOME WARS IN THE EAST BLUE. JUST SO YOU KNOW... WE'RE ABOUT TO CLIMB THE RED LINE." A massive splash panel shows Germa 66's snail-shaped warships launching from the rocky cliffs in a cloud of smoke and debris. A caption reads, "THE ETA WILL BE APPROXIMATELY 3 WEEKS FROM NOW." Another box declares, "WE WILL BEGIN OUR JOURNEY... TOWARDS THE EAST BLUE!" Below, the three brothers stand ready with weapons as Reiju approaches the freed soldier, who begins, "I..." while the others shout "REIJU..."

The soldier blurts out, "WANT TO BECOME A CHEF!" Reiju reacts with shock, "YOU... STOP BLURTING OUT THINGS LIKE THAT TO ME!" A caption states, "IN THE EAST BLUE." The scene shifts to a battlefield where Judge commands, "THE KOTZIANS HAVE NOTICED OUR PRESENCE! DO NOT LET UP! CONTINUE THE ONSLAUGHT!" Soldiers report, "LORD JUDGE! THEY REALLY DO EXIST!! IT'S THE GERMA 66!" Reiju watches tensely from the side. The soldier sweats and thinks, "IF I RUN AWAY HERE AND NOW... IN THE EAST BLUE... I WON'T HAVE TO SEE FATHER'S FACE EVER AGAIN... WILL II!" while Reiju tells him, "STAND BACK."

Reiju warns the soldier, "YOU WON'T GET A SECOND CHANCE AT THIS! YOU'D BETTER NOT MESS IT UP!" The soldier grips the bars with a determined glare. On the battlefield, Judge's forces charge as he yells, "DEFEAT KOTZIA! BEGIN THE INVASION!" A soldier bursts through a door shouting, "WHAT DO WE HAVE HERE!!" Inside the prison area, the armored soldier blocks the way and growls, "I DON'T RECALL GIVING YOU PERMISSION TO LEAVE YOUR CELL." Judge appears and says, "AH... IT'S JUST YOU, SANJI."

In the grand hall of Germa Kingdom, Sanji stands defiantly before his father. "YOUR STAY IN THE BASEMENT SEEMS TO HAVE HAD SOME ADVERSE EFFECTS ON YOUR MANNERS," Judge remarks coldly. Sanji shouts back, "I'M LEAVING THIS PLACE! NO ONE'S STOPPING ME... NOT EVEN YOU!" Judge's eyes narrow as he warns, "IT'D BE A CERTAIN DEATH FOR YOU." Sanji retorts fiercely, "LIKE I CARE WHAT YOU THINK! JUST TRY AND STOP ME!" Judge sneers, "YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A COMMONER. THERE'S NO WAY SOMEONE OF YOUR ILK COULD EVER HOPE TO FACE AND SURVIVE THE HARSH REALITIES OF THIS WORLD." Sanji's expression hardens as Judge continues, "I COULDN'T BRING MYSELF TO DISPOSE OF YOU WITH MY OWN HANDS. NO MATTER HOW MUCH I WANTED IT, MY HUMANITY JUST WOULDN'T ALLOW IT. EVEN AS USELESS AS YOU ARE... BUT NOW THIS OPPORTUNITY HAS PRESENTED ITSELF... YOU WISHING TO LEAVE HERE OF YOUR OWN VOLITION..." A cruel smile spreads across Judge's face. "IT'S MUSIC TO MY EAR ACTUALLY..."

Judge's voice echoes as Sanji turns away. "HOWEVER, AS YOUR FATHER..." Sanji pauses, tears welling. Judge offers coldly, "FEEL FREE TO TAKE THE KEY TO THAT IRON MASK WHILE YOU'RE AT IT. WHY ON EARTH WOULD I TRY AND STOP YOUI" Sanji's shoulders shake with sobs. "IT IS REGARDING OUR FAMILIAL TIES... I'D LIKE TO ASK OF YOU, SANJI. I DO ONE LAST THING..." Judge's face twists with contempt. "YOU ARE THE SOLE BLEMISH IN MY LIFE... THE ONE THING THAT I AM ASHAMED OF. UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO EVER IDENTIFY YOURSELF AS MY OFFSPRING! DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEARI" Sanji collapses to his knees, wailing uncontrollably, "WAAAA AAAHH HH!!! UWAAAA AAHH... AAAAA AAHH!! HNG..."

On the shore, Sanji boards a small ship amid chaos. Reiju and others urge him on. "SUCK IT UP, QUIT SOBBING LIKE A BABY, AND JUST DO IT ALREADY! GET ON THAT SHIP, SANJI!!" Nearby soldiers question, "LEAVE THEM BE. THEY'RE UNRELATED TO OUR MISSION. WHAT ARE WE GOING TO DO ABOUT THAT CRUISE SHIP AT THE PORTI!" Reiju's tear-streaked face appears close. "ONE DAY...YOU'RE DEFINITELY GONNA MEET PEOPLE WHO'LL TREAT YOU THE WAY YOU DESERVE TO BE TREATED!!!...DYEAH! THE WORLD IS A REALLY BIG PLACE... YOU CAN NEVER COME BACK TO US... DO YOU HEAR MEI" Sanji screams in anguish, "WAAAAH-HHHHH!!" Reiju shouts after him, "GO! DON'T LOOK BACK... DON'T TURN BACK!!" as the ship pulls away.

Reiju stands over the injured Sanji in a ruined corridor as medics hesitate. "WHAT PART OF MOVE IT OR LOSE IT DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND!" she snaps. A medic stammers, "W... WELL, MISS REIJU... WE SHOULD PROBABLY TEND TO LORD SANJI'S INJURI..." Reiju commands, "MOVE IT OR LOSE IT!" She looks down at Sanji's battered face. "IS THAT REALLY THE FACE OF A MAN ABOUT TO GO SEE HIS FIANCEI...UGH. IT'S JUST SOME RESISTANT RESTAURANT OWNER YOU USED TO WORK WITH! WHY DO YOU CARE SO MUCHI YOU MUST'VE KNOWN IF WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU CAME BACK HERE!!" Kneeling close, Reiju speaks softly, "SANJI. I KNOW YOU HAVE VERY FEW PLEASANT MEMORIES ABOUT THIS PLACE..."

In the Seducing Woods, Luffy battles Cracker amid biscuit soldiers and massive trees. Luffy devours the biscuit warriors while shouting, "HOW DARE YOU DEVOUR MY BISCUIT SOLDIERSI!" Cracker yells back, "I'M NOT PASSING ON FREE BISCUITS DAMMIT!!" and "NOBODY TOLD YOU TO START EATING THEM!!" Luffy, bloated, declares, "I'M FULL, DAMN IT!!!" with a loud "BURP". A narration box notes "11 HOURS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE BATTLE BETWEEN LUFFY AND CRACKER." Luffy wheezes, "GUH... GH..." while Cracker mocks the endless biscuit strategy. Luffy roars, "IT'S GONNA TAKE A HELL OF A LOT MORE THAN THIS TO STOP ME... FROM SEEING SANJI!!!!" Cracker grins widely as Nami watches in shock. Luffy vows, "WELL BRING IT THEN!!! I CAN EAT WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DISH OUT!!"

Close-up of Luffy glaring with intense anger, teeth gritted and eyes fierce. Below, Charlotte Cracker smirks confidently under his wide hat, sweat visible as he faces Luffy directly.

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