AS IF

Color version of the same scene. Sanji rides the large orange bison-like creature in the same relaxed pose, wine glass raised and bottle in hand, a wide grin on his face. The beast barrels ahead with dust clouds at its feet. Luffy chases closely behind on foot, looking alarmed as he reaches toward the rider.

On the deck of a damaged ship, a man with a blindfold and snake tattoo on his jacket stands with one foot on a fallen cannon, guns drawn. Speech bubbles read: "HE'S JUST ANOTHER COOK THAT I CAN EASILY KILL AT GUNPOINT NOW." and "NO MATTER HOW GREAT OF A MAN HE MAY HAVE BEEN IN THE PAST." Below, smaller panels show close-ups of shocked crew members shouting "SIR!" "SON OF A...!" "WHY THAT BASTARD! HE BROKE OWNER ZEFF'S PEGLEG!" as one hand grips a broken wooden peg leg.

Sanji and Luffy stand together. Sanji, cigarette in mouth, says "WAIT. LET'S SEE WHAT HE HAS TO SAY FIRST." Luffy, fists clenched, replies "THAT'S IT, I'M GONNA SEND HIM FLYING!" Nearby panels show background figures noting "LOOKS LIKE HE'S BEEN PUT DOWN FOR NOW." and "THANK GOD...! WHO KNOWS WHAT WOULD'VE HAPPENED IF PEARL CONTINUED HIS RAMPAGE!" The snake-tattoo man points and declares "THEN LEAVE THIS SHIP!" and "YOU WANT TO SAVE THIS MAN, DON'T YOU SANJII" Sanji's close-up shows him glaring as he snaps "AS IF!" and "LEAVE THIS SHIPI"

Luffy stares upward with wide eyes and an open mouth, his expression frozen in shock.

At the Baratie, Patty and Carne shout in panic. "DON'T PROVOKE HIM ANYMORE OR OWNER ZEFF'LL BE...!" "S-SANJI YOU IDIOT!" Sanji turns away dismissively. "HMPH. I DON'T NEED TO HEAR THAT FROM A LITTLE EGGPLANT LIKE YOU." Carne snaps back, "THAT'S THE KIND OF EXAMPLE YOU SET WHEN THE OTHER COOKS ARE TRYING TO FIGHT!I" Sanji glares at Zeff. "OLD MAN, YOU'RE PATHETIC." Patty and Carne yell desperately, "YOU'RE NOT TRYING TO GET OWNER ZEFF KILLED NOW, ARE YA!" "SANJI, YOU IDIOT! NOW'S NOT THE TIME FOR THIS!" Sanji shouts furiously, "YOU CAN'T TREAT ME AS A KID FOREVER!" "WHO YOU CALLING A LITTLE EGGPLANT, YOU DAMN GEEZER!"

Luffy steps forward and tells Gin, "AND POINT IT AT ME." Sanji orders, "GIN. TAKE YOUR GUN." The cooks react in horror. "W-WHAT'RE YOU SAYING!I" "SANJI!" Sanji replies coolly, "WHATEVER." Luffy grins. "ARE YOU STUPIDI YOU'LL DIE INSTEAD!" Gin threatens, "THEN I'LL KILL YOU NICE AND FLASHY!" Sanji stands firm. "IF YOU WANT TO DIE SO BADLY..." Gin stares in disbelief. "SANJI...! BUT WHY...!I"

Pearl looms over the scene with a massive shield. "I SEE NOW HOW DANGEROUS YOU GUYS ARE. NOW DON'T MOVE IF YOU DON'T WANT THAT OLD MAN'S HEAD TO BE BLOWN OFF." He adds, "I'D NEVER HAVE IMAGINED EVEN IN MY DREAMS THAT I, IRON WALL PEARL, WOULD BE GIVEN A DOUBLE NOSEBLEED IN A SINGLE FIGHT." Pearl charges with "ULTRA NATURAL" force. Gin watches tensely. Sanji is struck hard, blood flying as impact SFX explode across the panel. "PRESENT!"

Sanji launches a devastating spinning kick that sends the armored Pearl crashing through debris with massive impact lines and speed effects. In the next sequence Sanji drives a powerful kick into a gun-wielding pirate, sending the man flying backward with an audible UGH! as the rifle clatters away. Pearl, bloodied and furious, glares upward and growls, "HOW DARE YOU TARNISH MY INVINCIBLE BATTLE RECORD..." while Luffy stares in shock from the side, shouting "SANJI!" with wide eyes and sweat drops.

Sanji's massive boot pins the fallen Pearl to the deck as Gin stands ready with his rifle aimed. Sanji warns, "DON'T LAY A FINGER ON HIM, ERRAND BOY!" Gin replies tensely, "YOU...!" Sanji, held at gunpoint, sweats and mutters that the situation is held at gunpoint by him because that damn geezer is involved. Luffy yells, "WHY DIDN'T YOU DODGE THAT!I" Sanji retorts to Gin, "JUST LEAVE THIS SHIP AND YOU CAN SPARE EVERYONE'S LIVES! WHY NOT!I IT'S SIMPLE! ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS LEAVE..." Gin answers coldly, "GIN, YOU CHEAP SON OF A BITCH... THERE'S NO WAY I CAN ACCEPT YOUR CONDITIONS!"

Sanji, sweat dripping, thinks to himself, "IS THE GEEZER'S TREASURE!" and "THIS SHIP," while glaring down. He recalls taking everything away from that damn geezer. Luffy appears surprised in a small panel. A wide-eyed chef with a striped hat stares in shock with an exclamation mark. Background onlookers including cooks watch tensely. Luffy wonders aloud, "WHICH IS WHY..." as thoughts echo: "HIS DREAMS!" "HIS STRENGTH!" and "WHA...I"

Gin stands on a barrel aiming his weapon while Sanji is kicked or thrown back dramatically, shouting, "I DON'T WANT HIM TO LOSE ANYTHING ELSE!" Sanji, breathing heavily, says, "NOW'S NOT THE TIME TO RAMBLE ABOUT ANCIENT HISTORY... DAMN PIPSQUEAK..." Luffy yells, "SANJI, WATCH OUT!" Pearl roars, "AND I TOLD YOU NOT TO TREAT ME AS A DAMN KID ANYMORE!" Sanji snaps back, "SHUT UP!"

A voice calls out "PEARL..." as the armored figure grips the massive ship's wheel. Pearl spins into a powerful close-range assault, arms extended with shields, the wheel slamming forward amid heavy impact lines and debris. The word "CLOSE!" erupts on the right as Pearl drives the attack home with crossed shields and motion bursts, forcing a desperate defense.

Sanji is struck hard, crying "SANJI!" and "AHH...!" in pain. Luffy watches with a wide grin while Pearl stands ready at the wheel. Pearl declares "YOUR STORY'S GOT NOTHIN' TO DO WITH ME." A massive spinning impact "ザザザザ!!!!" erupts as the wheel attack connects, sending hair and force flying.

Luffy shouts "HE JUMPED!" as Pearl launches from the wheel with "SERVICE PEARL!" Someone grunts "GUH!" on impact. Pearl's crew demands the ship while declaring "THIS IS YOUR FAULT ANYWAYS! THIS IS HOW WE FIGHT!" Luffy yells "THIS IS DIRTY, GIN!" amid the chaotic deck fight.

Pearl yells "PRESENT!" while Sanji is warned "SANJI, MOVE!" The wheel attack continues with "TARNISHED SILVER..." A massive spinning strike lands as someone screams "UGHHH!" Pearl's subordinate cries "DAMN IT...!" amid the ongoing assault and scattered figures on the deck.

The Baratie restaurant stands encased in a massive iron wall that has risen from the sea. A booming voice declares, "BEHOLD MY IRON WALL!" while maniacal laughter echoes, "HAAAHAHAHA!" Below, the cooks of the Baratie stare in shock. One yells, "JUST WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED, SANJI!I" Another adds, "TOOK EVERYTHING AWAY FROM THE OWNER...!I" In the foreground, Sanji sits with his head lowered, replying simply, "YUP." A thought bubble appears beside him reading "ALL BLUEI" as the scene fades into memory.

Years earlier aboard the passenger ship Orbit, a young Sanji listens as the head chef explains, "THAT'S THE NAME OF THE LEGENDARY SEA." The chef continues, "AS COOKS OF THE SEA, IT'S THE OCEAN THAT WE'VE ALL DREAMED OF." A crewmate adds, "DON'T YOU KNOWI YOU DUMBBEAD, OF COURSE WE KNOW IT." Young Sanji's eyes light up with excitement. He declares, "AND I'M GOING TO SEARCH FOR THAT OCEAN AND FIND IT ONE DAY!" A caption notes "PASSENGER SHIP'S COOK IN TRAINING SANJI (9 YEARS AGO)."

The young chef leans forward, saying, "JUST THINK. IT EXISTS!" Another voice warns, "A LEGEND'S A LEGEND. YOU CAN'T FIND SOMETHING THAT DOESN'T EXIST." and "OH, YOU'RE GOING TO BE SEARCHING, ALRIGHT." The head chef smiles broadly and explains, "FOR COOKS LIKE US, THEN IT WOULD TRULY BE PARADISE, IF A SEA LIKE THAT REALLY EXISTED, EAST BLUE, WEST BLUE, NORTH BLUE, SOUTH BLUE. THE VARIOUS TYPES OF FISH FOUND IN EACH OF THOSE 4 SEAS ARE SUPPOSEDLY ALL FOUND IN ALL BLUE..." The boys listen in awe as he concludes, "NOW THAT'S AN OCEAN WORTH RISKING YOUR LIFE SEARCHING FOR! IT'D BE THE ULTIMATE COOKING GROUNDS FOR A CHEF! YOU COULD GATHER ALL THE INGREDIENTS OF THE WORLD'S OCEANS IN ONE PLACE!"

Back in the present kitchen, the head chef laughs and mocks, "IT'S ALL A BIG LIE COOKED UP BY A DREAMER COOK! JUST USE YOUR HEAD A LITTLE AND YOU'LL UNDERSTAND! THERE'S NO WAY SUCH A FANTASTIC OCEAN LIKE 'ALL BLUE' COULD BE REAL! BUT THAT'S ONLY IF IT REALLY EXISTS!" Young Sanji glares angrily. The chef orders, "LET'S GET BACK TO WORK. SANJI, BRING THE PLATES. IT'S TIME TO WASH'EM. ALRIGHT, THAT'S ENOUGH FOOLISH TALK." In the dining area the cooks complain about wasteful customers while clearing plates. One fish slides off a tray into the trash with a "SLIDE" sound effect.

In the Baratie kitchen, Sanji holds up a plate of scraps while scolding the others. "WE'VE GOT PLENTY OF FOOD, ANYWAYS. NOT ONLY THAT, WE'RE GONNA BE ARRIVING AT THE PORT IN JUST 2 DAYS." He continues, "KNOCK IT OFF, GUYS! STOP EATING THE LEFTOVERS! I JUST THREW OUT SOME OF THE OTHER INGREDIENTS THAT LOOKED LIKE THEY WENT BAD." Another cook protests, "NO!" A bespectacled cook with a tall hat gestures with a knife, replying to the idea of waste, "SO WHADDYA SAYI WANT SOMEI YOU NEVER JUST THROW OUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN ON THE SEAS. NEVER A BAD IDEA TO BE A LITTLE FRUGAL. IT'S BECAUSE YOU SAY STUFF LIKE THAT, YOU'RE STILL JUST A KID. DON'T FORGET THAT WE'RE COOKS OF THE SEA." The scene cuts to the deck where Luffy suddenly screams in terror, arms flailing, "A G H H H H H H!" as a large pirate ship approaches the restaurant. Onlookers shout "PIRATES!" while Luffy yells "KYAAAA!" The ship draws closer with heavy sound effects "ゴォ... ゴゴ..."

Panic spreads across the Baratie deck as the pirate ship nears. Sanji stares in shock, "P-PIRATES...!I" Voices cry out, "THERE'S A PIRATE SHIP HEADED THIS WAY!" "PIRATES!" "WHAT'S GOING ON!I" "EVERYONE, PLEASE CALM DOWN." A large panel shows the imposing captain seated on a grand chair aboard the ship, his spiky hair and massive mustache unmistakable. He growls, "PREPARE TO BOARD THE SHIP!" A subordinate answers, "YES, CAP'N!" A plaque on the ship reads "COOK PIRATES CAPTAIN 'RED-LEG ZEFF'" as the vessel closes in on the floating restaurant.

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