A moment later, Luffy set the empty picnic basket on the ground, a deeply satisfied smile gracing his face.
"I'm full."
"Are you satisfied?"
"Mmm! Totally satisfied. Your cooking is still the absolute best."
"If you're satisfied, then go back. I have to stay here," Sanji said, his head hung low.
"What are you talking about? Let's go back together," Luffy pressed.
"Don't make me repeat myself so many times. I'm not going back," Sanji muttered, keeping his gaze fixed on the ground.
"But why!?"
Sanji slowly raised a single finger to count. "First, I subjected the captain who traveled all this way to rescue me to utter humiliation. On top of that, I unleashed my full power against you while you refused to defend yourself. I have no right to step foot on your ship ever again."
"Second, the old man who raised me and my homeland—the seafaring restaurant, the Baratie, in the East Blue—are being held hostage as an insurance policy. I cannot run away from this wedding."
"Third, my biological, bloodline-connected evil family has been ensnared in Big Mom's trap. In a few hours, every single one of them will be slaughtered."
"My own father, my brothers... they hold absolutely zero affection for me. They are a pack of scumbags, and I have nothing but hatred for them..." Sanji's face twisted in agony as he continued, "And yet... I simply cannot stand by and watch them die!"
The rain continued to pour over the two of them as jagged streaks of lightning rent the sky, illuminating their faces.
After a brief pause, Sanji spoke again: "For those three reasons, I cannot go back with you."
Kenshin froze. Though he had already grasped the general outline of the situation, hearing it directly still came as a profound shock.
Before he could fully process it, a violent gust of wind whipped past him, and Sanji was blasted backward through the air.
BOOM!
While Kenshin stood dazed, Luffy screamed in fury, "Tell me what you truly want!"
An absolute silence fell over the wasteland.
"Cough, cough, cough..." Struggling to push himself up from the mud, Sanji could no longer maintain his facade. Heavy tears spilled uncontrollably from his eyes as a choked, desperate cry tore from his throat. "Aaaagh..."
The memories of his days with the Straw Hat crew flooded his mind, impossible to suppress.
Luffy: "Sanji, where's the food?"Zoro: "Hurry up and cook, you love-cook bastard."Nami: "What's for dinner today, Sanji?"Usopp: "Sanji, look at this massive fish I caught for you."
Countless snapshots rushed into his consciousness, and Sanji wept bitterly.
"Cook us something delicious, Sanji.""Let me eat more, Sanji! Ahahaha!"
Sanji slowly fell to his knees. One hand covered his tear-streaked face while the other clenched into a tight fist. After a long, agonizing silence, he cried out in a broken voice, "Luffy... I... I want to return to the Thousand Sunny!"
Luffy listened in silence as Sanji finally poured his heart out.
A subtle smile played on Kenshin's lips, his gaze toward Luffy filled with immense respect. He finally understood why Drake always brought up his younger brother Luffy, praising him without end at every opportunity. If you spent even a short amount of time around him, you couldn't help but be drawn to him. This was Luffy's unique, inexplicable charm. He possessed the innate ability to turn strangers into allies, inspiring countless people to risk their lives for him without expecting anything in return.
This was the Straw Hat kid, Monkey D. Luffy!
"I finally understand what you meant, Drake..." Kenshin murmured softly under his breath.
Sanji clenched his teeth and continued, "But I don't have the courage to run away. Once the ceremony begins, I won't be able to stop anything on my own..."
"I've never considered that pack of scumbags as my family, and yet..." Tears streamed down his face as Sanji looked up at the sky. "And yet, I still want to save them!"
"Mmm!" Luffy's lips curled into a wide grin, and he nodded with absolute conviction. "Because that's exactly who you are!"
Luffy then beamed a brilliant smile. "And besides, you've got us! Let's go crash that wedding together."
In that exact moment, the thick storm clouds above began to slowly part. Scattered beams of sunlight pierced through the gloom, illuminating Luffy and the others.
Kenshin: "!!?!"
What in the world?
Kenshin stood completely dumbfounded. The sudden shift in the elements felt like a grand sign from destiny itself. A profound realization took root in his heart: the Straw Hat Pirates were a crew destined to lead the new era. Such a group could never be measured by conventional logic.
Looking at the two of them sharing a smile, Kenshin felt a genuine wave of joy for Luffy.
Suddenly, Kenshin's expression shifted sharply. He vanished from his spot, lunging forward like a gale.
BOOM!
A concussive shockwave erupted a short distance away. Luffy and Sanji were startled, their faces instantly turning serious.
"Who are you?"
"It doesn't matter who I am. You're not getting past me today," Kenshin declared, arcs of violent lightning crackling along his blade as he gathered power in his legs to strike again.
"Jinbe!" Luffy called out as he walked over, his face lighting up with pleasant surprise upon recognizing the man facing Kenshin.
"Ah, Luffy," Jinbe replied, equally thrilled. "I heard rumors that you were here, so I rushed over as fast as I could."
"Sanji is here too, I see."
"You two know each other?" Kenshin asked, slowly sliding his longsword back into its scabbard, a hint of surprise in his voice.
"Hahaha, yeah, we do!" Luffy grinned, then turned to Jinbe. "Jinbe, what are you doing here?"
"Currently, the Sun Pirates—the crew I lead—have aligned themselves under Big Mom's umbrella."
"What!? You did what?"
"Hahaha, but I've already resolved to sever ties and leave her crew," Jinbe said, waving a hand dismissively. He then shot a hesitant glance toward Kenshin. "And this gentleman is?"
"Shihihihi... I forgot to introduce you guys! This is a comrade of my brother Drake. His name is Kenshin," Luffy explained with a toothy grin. However, the gap where Sanji had kicked out one of his teeth was remarkably prominent.
Drake...
Sanji thought nothing of the name, but for Jinbe, the memory was practically etched into his soul. He finally realized why Kenshin looked so familiar; they had crossed paths during the Paramount War. Though he hadn't retained a perfect memory of Kenshin's features, a distinct impression remained.
"It's you," Jinbe and Kenshin said simultaneously.
The two shared a brief look of realization before bursting into hearty laughter.
"Hahaha..."
Drake's comrade...
Sanji stood frozen. He was well aware that Luffy actually possessed three older brothers, but he had never imagined that a core member of Drake's crew would descend upon this island.
"Luffy, did Drake come here as well?" Jinbe asked, his eyes flashing with intent.
"Mmm!" Luffy nodded heavily.
"Drake has some separate business to attend to. He left a short while ago with Nami," Kenshin noted.
"NAMI!" Sanji shrieked instantly, a torrent of flames erupting across his body as he became exceptionally agitated.
What's the matter? Did I say something wrong? Kenshin thought, completely bewildered. Why is he suddenly this excited?
But in the next split second, it was as if a bucket of freezing water had been dumped over Sanji's head; the flames across his body vanished instantly. He recalled that when he was trying to drive Luffy away earlier, his brutal words had deeply wounded Nami.
"By the way, Jinbe, what brought you here?" Kenshin asked, studying the fish-man. "You came to check on Luffy's condition, didn't you?"
"Hahaha..." Kenshin chuckled softly to himself. Luffy's gravity was truly terrifying. Even though Jinbe was technically a subordinate of Big Mom right now, he had still dared to infiltrate this sector under these parameters. He had clearly prepared himself for a total rupture with the Emperor. Kenshin refused to believe Jinbe would take such a massive gamble if it weren't for Luffy.
"Hahaha..." Jinbe laughed heartily, his expression gradually shifting into a solemn mask. "Since you're safe and intact, Luffy, and Sanji is here as well, let's sit down and map out our strategy for what comes next."