The room was silent.
No machines.
No commands.
No cold voices.
Just… stillness.
On the bed—
Vinsmoke Sora lay unmoving.
Her chest—
No longer rising.
No longer falling.
Gone.
For the first time—
There was nothing left to fight.
Three children stood beside her.
Not soldiers.
Not experiments.
Just—
Children.
Vinsmoke Sanji stood closest to the bed.
His hands trembled violently.
"…mom…?"
His voice was small.
Broken.
Like something fragile that had already shattered.
"…wake up…"
No response.
He stepped closer.
Slowly.
As if moving too fast would make it real.
"You said… you'd eat my food again…"
His voice cracked.
Tears streamed down his face uncontrollably.
"I made something new… I was going to show you…"
Silence.
His breathing became erratic.
"No… no… no…"
His hands grabbed the sheets.
"…please…"
And then—
He broke.
A sound escaped him—
Raw.
Ugly.
Real.
A cry that no child should ever have to make.
"I don't have anyone else…!!"
That was the truth.
The only truth in his world.
And now—
It was gone.
Beside him—
Vinsmoke Reiju stood still.
Too still.
Her eyes were fixed on Sora.
Unblinking.
Her chest felt tight.
Painful.
Heavy.
Something inside her screamed—
Cry.
Break.
Feel.
But her body didn't respond.
Her face remained calm.
Expressionless.
Perfect.
Just like she was made to be.
Her fingers trembled slightly.
Barely noticeable.
"…I…"
The word didn't continue.
Because it couldn't.
Not fully.
Not freely.
A command buried deep inside her—
Stopped everything.
She lowered her gaze.
Silently.
Alone.
And then—
Reiji.
He didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Didn't react.
He just stood there.
Looking at her.
Waiting.
For something.
Anything.
But nothing came.
His mind was empty.
No thoughts.
No emotions.
Just—
Silence.
This… wasn't supposed to happen.
The idea formed slowly.
Like something distant.
I knew this would happen.
Another thought.
Colder.
Then why…
His fists clenched.
…did I do nothing?
That question—
Echoed.
Louder than anything else.
Nine years.
Nine years in this world.
And nothing changed.
Not her fate.
Not her suffering.
Not the ending.
His breathing slowed.
But his chest felt like it was collapsing inward.
"…I'm weak."
The realization settled.
Heavy.
Final.
I couldn't protect her.
And that—
Broke something inside him.
Not loudly.
Not visibly.
But deeply.
His gaze hardened slightly.
For the first time—
A direction formed.
Clear.
Sharp.
"I'll become strong."
Not for power.
Not for pride.
But for one reason.
"…so I never feel this again."
Sanji's crying filled the room.
Reiju stood in silence.
Reiji stood in stillness.
And on the bed—
The only warmth they had ever known—
Was gone.
Later—
The throne room.
Cold.
Massive.
Unforgiving.
At the center—
Vinsmoke Judge sat upon his throne.
Unmoved.
Unaffected.
As if nothing had happened.
Reiji and Reiju stood before him.
Silent.
Waiting.
Judge spoke.
"Sanji is a failure."
No hesitation.
No emotion.
Reiji's eyes sharpened slightly.
"His existence brings shame to Germa."
Reiju didn't react.
But inside—
Something twisted.
"He will be dealt with accordingly."
Reiji took a step forward.
"…what do you mean?"
Judge's gaze shifted.
Cold.
Absolute.
"He will either be imprisoned… or executed."
Silence.
Heavy.
Dangerous.
Reiji's body tensed.
"No."
The word came out.
Clear.
Sharp.
Defiant.
For the first time—
He stepped out of line.
And for the first time—
Judge responded.
"…kneel."
One word.
That was all it took.
Reiji's body—
Moved.
Against his will.
His legs buckled instantly.
Forced.
Powerless.
His hands hit the ground.
His teeth clenched.
Hard.
"You dare question me?"
Judge's voice echoed through the hall.
Not loud—
But crushing.
"He is weak."
Each word felt like judgment carved into stone.
"He is soft."
Reiji's nails dug into the floor.
"He is unnecessary."
Sanji's face flashed in his mind.
Crying.
Smiling.
Cooking.
Living.
"…he's not—"
He couldn't finish.
His body refused.
Judge stood.
Slowly descending the steps.
"You will learn," he said coldly, looking down at them, "that this world has no place for weakness."
A pause.
Long enough to hurt.
"Even if that weakness shares your blood."
The plan was executed.
Quickly.
Efficiently.
Like everything else in Germa.
The execution—
Was a lie.
A staged death.
A body.
A report.
A conclusion.
Sanji Vinsmoke—
Declared dead.
Reality—
Was much worse.
A dark cell.
Cold.
Silent.
Chains.
Vinsmoke Sanji sat curled on the ground.
Bruised.
Broken.
Empty.
The door opened.
Heavy footsteps echoed.
Judge.
He stopped in front of him.
Looked down.
Disgust clear in his eyes.
"You are a disgrace."
Sanji didn't respond.
Didn't look up.
"You failed to become a soldier."
Silence.
"You failed as a son."
Still nothing.
Judge leaned slightly closer.
"You shouldn't have been born."
That—
That was the final blow.
Sanji's body trembled.
Not from fear.
From something deeper.
Something breaking.
His hands clenched weakly.
"…why…"
His voice barely existed.
"…why am I like this…"
No answer came.
Only silence.
Judge turned away.
Leaving him there.
Alone.
Days passed.
Then more.
Sanji stayed in the dark.
Time lost meaning.
But one thing—
Changed.
The door opened again.
Quietly.
Reiju stepped in.
Then—
Reiji.
They didn't speak at first.
They just sat beside him.
Silently.
Together.
"…you're alive," Sanji whispered.
Reiju gave a small nod.
Reiji looked at him.
"…we'll keep coming."
Simple.
Direct.
Real.
Sanji's eyes trembled slightly.
"…why…?"
Reiji didn't hesitate.
"Because you matter."
Silence followed.
Heavy.
But different from before.
Warmer.
Days turned into routine.
Training.
Pain.
War.
Then—
This.
The cell.
The only place that felt real.
One day—
Reiji placed something beside Sanji.
A book.
Old.
Worn.
Sanji looked at it.
Confused.
"…what's this…?"
Reiji spoke calmly.
"…a place."
Sanji frowned slightly.
"…what…?"
Reiji met his eyes.
"The All Blue."
Silence.
Sanji blinked.
"…a sea where all fish gather…"
Reiji continued.
"…a place where no one goes hungry."
Sanji's hands trembled slightly as he picked up the book.
"…does it… really exist…?"
Reiji didn't answer immediately.
Then—
"…if it doesn't…"
A pause.
"…find it anyway."
Something lit up.
Small.
Fragile.
But real.
Inside Sanji.
For the first time since Sora died—
His eyes changed.
Not full of pain.
Not empty.
But—
Hope.
Reiji watched silently.
And for the first time—
He felt something different.
Not anger.
Not helplessness.
But purpose.
To be continued. 🔥
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