Summary:
The world’s only maritime nation, the Germa Kingdom, sails into Whole Cake Island while Sanji wallows in his castle. There, he is approached by his father, Vinsmoke Judge, who confronts him about his fight with Yonji, which resulted in him punching Yonji in the face. When Sanji gives him a cold shoulder, Judge challenges his estranged son to a duel. Unexpectedly, Sanji proves to be an equal partner to his father, and as they fight, he remembers being abused by his brothers as a child, which Judge did nothing to stop.
Meanwhile, Luffy is chased by the anthropomorphic flora of the Seducing Woods as he searches for his teammates on his own.
Behind Whole Cake Castle on Whole Cake Island is Aprico Lake, a bay from the sea where Big Mom’s allies can dock. Several Germa 66 ships arrive there, and they link together to form the Germa Kingdom, the world’s only maritime kingdom. whose territory consists only of these ships. The kingdom is mostly populated by men and soldiers who are constantly training whenever they get the chance, and Sanji sees many soldiers training as he gloomily looks down on him from the balcony of the main castle. Sanji looks behind him only to sigh in exasperation as his sister Reiju still remains in the room. Reiju remarks that they are family so he should be nicer to his sister, whom he hasn’t seen in a while, but Sanji claims that he cut all ties with his birth family a long time ago.
He points in disgust at a portrait on the wall that shows a man standing over the heads of four kings. However, Reiju is unfazed and says that it was the Conquest of the Four Nations, where the Germ Kingdom defeated the four kings in Northern Blue. The triumphant man who was their father seeks to assert control over the Northern Blue, once ruled by the Kingdom of Germa, and once killed these kings in his quest. Reiju says that there’s nothing wrong with men fighting for power and it’s what the Vinsmoke family is proud of and tells his brother to enjoy the royal luxury their power affords them. Sanji just gets angry and just as this happens, his and Reiju’s father, Vinsmoke Judge, comes to him. Judge greets his son for the first time in a long time, but Sanji refuses to consider him his father. The judge asks what Sanji did to Yonji, surprised by the act as he thought Yonji was strong. Sanji just replied that he must have been stronger and continued to blast Judge, prompting him to tell Sanji to meet him outside where they could work things out physically like men.
Meanwhile, Luffy runs around the luscious forest looking for his crewmates confused, wondering what the fake version of him really was. As they run, the forest flora comes to life and they wonder if they should take Luffy out themselves. They decide to do so and sneak up behind Luffy who is still running through the forest.
Back in Germ Kingdom, the residents rush to the site of Sanji and Judge’s upcoming battle as the two prepare to fight. Meanwhile, at Yonji’s castle, Yonji is hit in the face with a hammer as he remembers his encounter with Sanji. Their fight left a massive gash in his face, and Yonji’s scientist says that a hammer won’t work and that he’ll have to use a press. Yonji’s face is then smashed left and right by giant beams, returning his face to normal. Yonji wonders how he could have lost by failing like Sanji. Outside, Judge starts the battle by lunging at Sanji and spearing him, but Sanji dodges all the attacks. Reiju and the citizens are amazed at his skills.
As he and Judge fight, Sanji continues to disown his family and tries to figure out ways to escape their lives, even marrying Pudding, but Judge says that won’t work as he continues to claim Sanji as his son. Sanji angrily denies this as he remembers making the cake as a young child. However, when it was done, it was stolen by his brothers and Sanji tried to chase after them to get it back, but Yonji kicked him into a wall. He tried to punch his eldest brother, but the blow had no effect and his brother brutally beat him in response. The other brothers laughed and as Judge and Reiju walked by, Sanji begged his father to stop the bullying. However, Judge was content to let this happen, seeing Sanji as weak and worthless and Reiju just laughing. Sanji was thus left at the mercy of his brothers and was once again thrown into the wall when Yonji attacked him.
Back in the present, Sanji blocks the Judge’s spear strike with his Busoshoku Haki-soaked leg, shocking both the Judge and the audience, and the Judge is surprised that his former weakling son knows Haki. He then retrieves the sword and throws it to Sanji, expecting him to take it since he was trained in swordsmanship. However, Sanji coldly refuses, saying that his hands were only for cooking, as the tension between him and Judge is still simmering.