"Impossible!"
"Absolutely impossible!"
"If Victor Shaw was truly at odds with Germa, then there's no way he could know my identity!"
"Even you don't know who I really am so how could Wang Shi, the so-called new emperor of the East Blue, find out?"
"It must be the Germa people who discovered my whereabouts!"
"But then... how did Victor get that information from them?"
"There's no other way! There's no possible way he could know about me unless Germa leaked it!"
Sanji was drenched in cold sweat. He remembered it all how, back then, when he failed to display the enhanced strength of a cyborg, his father Judge had locked him away and declared him dead.
Only a tiny handful of people in the world knew he even existed.
There was no other explanation. Victor had to have gotten that intel from Germa.
"You mean... if Victor Shaw knows about you, then Germa must have found out first?"
"Exactly!" Sanji answered with conviction.
Zeff's face darkened. That meant if Victor had Sanji's information, then the Germa army must have it too.
And that was terrifying.
"Sanji," Zeff said slowly, "if the Kingdom of Frost really hired Germa and that puts them at odds with Victor Shaw why hasn't Germa tried to snatch you yet?"
Zeff was confused. How had they suddenly become pawns in a looming war between the East Blue's Goa Empire and the North Blue's Germa Kingdom?
"He… he asked me," Sanji muttered, "whether I should keep running… or seek protection from a powerful country."
A light sparked in Sanji's eyes. Was that... a hint?
Was Victor actually offering him a choice?
It seemed like there were only two roads left: be captured and forced into a political marriage, or take shelter with a country strong enough to fight back against Germa.
As for running away again…
That felt nearly impossible now.
Unless he abandoned Barati, abandoned Zeff, and took to the seas as a pirate hunted by both the Germa army and the Marines.
"Take shelter in a powerful country?"
"Hmph. Sounds like he's trying to recruit us." Zeff gave a dry laugh.
They were right back to where they started.
But… would Victor Shaw really go to war with the Germa Kingdom for the sake of a bunch of cooks?
"He's recruiting us?"
Sanji blinked in disbelief.
The king knowing full well that the Vinsmoke family was coming for him to drag him back into a marriage still wanted to recruit him?
Why?
Sanji, who was only a few months older than Zoro, was still just 17 years old this year. He hadn't yet become the calm and wise cook he would one day be.
"If there's no way to escape… then I guess we'll have no choice but to accept the Goa Empire's offer."
Zeff puffed on his pipe thoughtfully. He couldn't be sure whether Victor Shaw was recruiting Sanji just to provoke the Germa army or if he genuinely admired their cuisine and kept extending invitations because of it.
But he didn't believe for a second that Victor was offering Sanji protection purely out of kindness.
"…Old man…"
Sanji looked over at Zeff, his eyes conflicted. He knew full well that he was dragging this father figure of his into the mess.
"Hah! Don't act like some blushing girl," Zeff snorted, smacking him on the head with a calloused hand. "Just go have a proper conversation with His Majesty Victor Shaw."
"So what if we change where we do business? It's not like we're gonna die!"
Zeff gave a hearty laugh, shoving Sanji forward toward the door.
Then he turned to bark at the slack-jawed chefs Paddy, Carne, and the others who were eavesdropping from the kitchen.
"What are you idiots gawking at?! Get back to the stoves! Keep cooking and bring out the next course for His Majesty!"
With that, he shoved Sanji out into the dining hall.
···
Inside the grand hall.
"Your Majesty, I'll be direct. If we relocate to the Goa Empire, will you actually provide us with protection?"
Zeff looked Victor straight in the eye. He wanted to understand this clearly. He knew nothing in this world came for free.
Victor didn't answer right away. Instead, he picked up his wine glass and asked with a small smile,
"Tell me, any of you ever dream of sailing around the world… chasing the legendary All Blue? That mythical sea said to contain every fish from all the oceans?"
At the mention of All Blue, both Zeff's and Sanji's eyes lit up.
Sanji's dream his burning ambition was to find All Blue and become the greatest chef in the world.
"…Wait, Your Majesty… are you saying you plan to go on a voyage to find All Blue?"
Zeff's expression turned incredulous.
An emperor? A ruler of an entire empire, abandoning his throne to chase a pirate's dream? To venture across the four seas?
Surely, he was joking.
Victor swirled the red wine in his glass and took another bite of elephant-nose fish, savoring its rich tenderness.
"I'm planning a diplomatic journey across the Four Seas," he said casually. "So… would you like to join the voyage as the chef of the flagship?"
The tender fish melted in his mouth the flavor was outstanding. Even the royal chefs back in the Goa Empire couldn't compare to the artistry of the Barati's kitchen.
"Traveling the seas? Chasing after All Blue…?"
Sanji's eyes gleamed with awe. Even Paddy and Carne, who were still carrying dishes, gasped aloud.
Even Zeff… was visibly shaken.
That kind of journey… might just be their once-in-a-lifetime chance.
Zeff had once formed the Chef Pirates, sailing out to sea in pursuit of the All Blue. But he only lasted a year in the Grand Line before pulling back to the East Blue.
The reason was simple strength.
A pirate crew made up of chefs wasn't strong enough to survive the Grand Line, let alone venture into the New World.
Even in Paradise the first half of the Grand Line they suffered devastating losses.
And so, at the peak of his journey, Zeff made the choice to retreat.
But after his fateful shipwreck on a deserted island with Sanji, he came to understand the true meaning of food… and of being a chef.
To feed those who are starving.
To never waste a single scrap of food.
Zeff glanced at Sanji.
He was getting old. If the dream of finding the All Blue was to live on it had to be passed to this kid.
"Sanji!" he suddenly snapped. "You're going with His Majesty to sail the Four Seas. Barati doesn't need you anymore!"
Zeff's voice was harsh, decisive.
He knew the Vinsmoke family posed a real threat to Sanji. If he stayed, they'd only come for him and drag the Barati down with him.
But if Sanji left with Victor Shaw, the Goa Empire might protect him.
And just maybe… Sanji could chase their shared dream and one day find the All Blue.
Letting Sanji set out alone as a pirate would be too dangerous.
And gathering another chef crew to set sail again… was something the old man no longer had the strength for.
"You're kicking me out?" Sanji stared in disbelief.
But he quickly understood what Zeff was doing.
Still, he didn't want to leave him the man who had become both his father and master.
"I'm just clearing out the clutter," Zeff barked, flapping his hand like he was swatting a fly. "Don't get in the way around here anymore."
"…If Victor ends up kicking you off his ship, you can always crawl back and peel potatoes in my kitchen."
Zeff added the last part gruffly, trying to hide his emotions.
"Old man…"
Sanji clenched his fists.
"I won't get kicked off. I'll definitely find the All Blue and become the world's best chef!"
His voice was firm.
He could feel Zeff's care even if the old man hid it behind insults.
Just like always.
Victor Shaw, Nami, and the others watched the scene play out with amused smiles.
The heartfelt bickering between the old chef and his stubborn apprentice warmed the mood in the dining hall.
And so, the meal came to an end… with laughter, tension, and an unspoken farewell.
···
Far away, on the open sea
The Flaus Kingdom's army, the Germa 66 mercenary fleet, and the Kingdom of Sassba's navy were approaching the waters near the Barati.
A clash was imminent.
Back aboard the Goa Empire's flagship, Van Oka climbed to the top of the mainmast on the Exiled Emperor.
Through his long-range scope, he scanned the horizon his eyes sharp as ever.
Several fleets came into view.
"They're here."
Van Oka's calm voice carried over the wind.
The storm was coming.
Victor Shaw looked at Sanji who was packing his bags, and wondered which of Sanji's brothers had come to the Germa 66th Army this time.
···