Summary:
In the Seducing Woods on Whole Cake Island, the living wildlife whisper to each other wondering if the Sanji Retrieval Team has noticed them, saying that “Madam Brûlée” is playing with the pirates. Meanwhile, Nami, Chopper, and Carrot run away from Randolph the rabbit riding a crane, who Carrot says is not a mink despite his appearance. Randolph spins his spear overhead and Carrot turns back to him as he attacks him with electricity. Carrot notes that Randolph can’t use Electro, proving he’s not a mink, and Nami tells Carrot not to separate from them. Carrot electrocutes the crane as he runs back to Nami and Chopper, and Randolph jumps off his downed steed. Randolph hurls his spear at the pirates and they dodge him as he runs into the buried giant again; the spear ends up stabbing the giant in the back of the head. Chopper notes that the giant is a good landmark, meaning they’re getting closer to Luffy.
As he transports Luffy, who is still struggling with his reflection, Nami tells him that he must return to the coast. Luffy agrees to go back with them as he and his reflection run in opposite directions. The Sanji Retrieval Team approaches the damaged donut bridge, but one of the Luffys suddenly calls out to the rest of the team; the other Luffy, the one with the team, immediately shuts his mouth. Luffy and the team wonder where Sanji is, but Nami replies that they aren’t sure the person they saw was actually Sanji. Suddenly, the Sanji Retrieval Team encounters the buried giant again, shocking and confusing both the team and the giant. They decide to turn around and go back across the river, only to find themselves face to face with the giant again. Nami is trying to understand how they keep coming back to the same place when she suddenly sees living flora moving in front of her. Nami realizes that there was never a way back to the coast to begin with, and everything in the forest around them begins to come alive. “Luffy’s” expression changes as he tells Nami what the Seducing Woods really are; she then transforms into Charlotte Brûlée, the 8th daughter of the Charlotte Family, and grabs Nami. Brûlée comments that Nami and Carrot’s pretty faces make her want to cut their nails.
Meanwhile, in Lake Aprico next to Whole Cake Castle, the Germa 66 enters port. The single ship then converges with a much larger platform suspended above other interconnected ships; together, the country on the platform is introduced as the Germa Kingdom, a country ruled by the Vinsmoke family and the only maritime country in the world. It turns out that the vast majority of the kingdom’s citizens are Germa 66 men who constantly train every day.
From the balcony of the Kingdom’s royal castle, a thoughtful Sanji looks down on the training soldiers before turning to his older sister Reiju and asking her how long she intends to sit in his room. Reiju replies that they haven’t seen each other in 13 years and still gives her the cold shoulder. Sanji exasperatedly replies that he made it clear that he wanted nothing to do with their family anymore, and expresses disgust at the family’s choice of interior decoration: a large painting on the wall that showed their father standing over four headless kings. Reiju explains that the picture was taken during the Conquest of the Four Nations, which showcased their father’s dream of regaining the family’s ancestral rule over all of North Blue. Reiju asks Sanji why he would want to give up his royal status and live the mundane life of a pirate, telling him that he could live a life of luxury and be served by his own maids. Reiju continues, stating that Sanji will have access to the wealth, power, and dedicated soldiers gained from generations of their family’s strength, but Sanji reiterates that he has no intention of marrying Charlotte Pudding. As they converse, a voice from outside calls out to the “Commander”, who replies that he is heading to Sanji’s room.
Suddenly, the Vinsmoke patriarch, Vinsmoke Judge, enters the room and is greeted by Reiju. Judge asks Sanji if he wants to give him a hard time, but Sanji retorts that he called him a “bastard” and refused to acknowledge Judge as his father. The judge asks if Sanji did anything to Yonji, despite Yonji’s formidable strength, and Sanji simply replies that he must simply be stronger. The judge then challenges Sanji to come outside and settle their argument with physical force.