Sanji's Resolve

"Sanji!"

"Big Mom!"

"Capone Bege!"

Hearing this, Nami and the others' faces immediately darkened.

Sanji had been taken away?

What was going on?

"Moonlight, where's Robin?"

Then they realized that, besides Sanji and Luffy, Moonlight and Robin were nowhere to be seen.

"After Straw Hat Kid heard the news, he immediately went after their ship. Moonlight and Robin went deep into Whale Forest to study the Poneglyph there."

At that moment, Inuarashi stepped out. Looking at the Straw Hats, he held out a letter in his hand!

It was a letter Sanji had left behind!

"Leaving the Straw Hat Pirates?"

"What kind of joke is this, Sanji?"

"What exactly happened?"

Usopp immediately took it, and everyone began reading.

The handwriting on the letter was indeed Sanji's, neat and orderly. It clearly had not been written under duress, yet its contents were impossible to accept.

Sanji was actually leaving the Straw Hat Pirates!

Nami's expression immediately changed.

"This is fake, right?"

Usopp could not believe it.

As the only cook aboard the ship and one of their main fighters, Sanji was just leaving? "That perverted cook wants to quit? Did he even tell us? Did he get approval from the captain and Vice-Captain? I'm bringing him back right now!"

Zoro raised the sword in his hand, about to take action.

"Zoro the Boss, everyone, Black Leg Boss is not a rash man. Since he chose to do this, there must be some reason he had no choice but to do so. Let's calm down first and consider this carefully."

Law hurriedly stepped forward, blocking everyone's path as he spoke calmly.

At this moment, only he could remain calm! "Though I want nothing more than to catch up to Sanji immediately and demand an explanation, Law is right. We need to stay calm and think things through. After all, our enemy is Big Mom!"

Franky spoke.

Brook nodded as well. When it came to staying calm, the two of them were clearly better than the others.

Even Momonosuke, Kin'emon of the Foxfire, and Kanjuro nodded one after another.

Though they had not known each other for long, Sanji had never seemed like the kind of person who would simply leave behind a letter and quit. There had to be some reason for what he had done!

After all, one had once been a seasoned underground thug who had done all sorts of things, while the other was a hundred-year-old ghost. Though they were equally anxious, they could already see that things were definitely not so simple.

Hearing this, Nami and the others stopped in their tracks!

They were right!

"Since Straw Hat Boss has already gone after them, we should find Moonlight Boss and Robin Boss first, then discuss what to do next. After all, if we take action, the enemy we'll be facing is one of the Four Emperors!"

Law spoke again.

"Luffy can't put to sea alone. In that case, fine. We'll meet up with Moonlight first!"

Nami nodded. Then, led by Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, they headed deeper into Whale Forest.

Deep within Whale Forest, Raizo watched Moonlight and Robin continuously study the Poneglyph and could not help sitting on the ground in boredom.

Though he had recognized the two, neither of them paid him any attention, leaving him utterly bored.

Just then, the sound of many footsteps suddenly came from outside the forest. Hearing it, Raizo's heart tightened. After glancing at the two of them, he quickly hid himself.

Compared to them, he was still someone who could not be seen in public!

"Young Master!"

However, when he spotted one person among the crowd rushing toward him, he immediately revealed himself, dropped to his knees before that person, and shouted excitedly.

"Young Master?"

Raizo's sudden appearance startled everyone. Then, upon hearing that title, they immediately looked toward Momonosuke.

Among them, only Momonosuke could be called that! "Raizo!"

Momonosuke was startled at first upon seeing Raizo, then became equally excited.

"Raizo!"

"Raizo!"

At the same time, Kin'emon of the Foxfire and Kanjuro looked at Raizo excitedly as well.

Their purpose in coming here had been to find Raizo!

"Great! We've finally found you. That means five of the Nine Red Scabbards have gathered!"

Kin'emon of the Foxfire was beside himself with excitement as he looked at Inuarashi and Nekomamushi nearby! They had all once served under Kozuki Oden and were members of the Nine Red Scabbards. Now that five of them had gathered—Raizo, Kanjuro, Kin'emon of the Foxfire, Inuarashi, and Nekomamushi—their strength had greatly increased, and they could finally accomplish that task! "Young Master!"

Then their gazes fell upon Momonosuke.

That task required Momonosuke's leadership!

Yet Momonosuke's gaze was fixed on Moonlight, who was studying the Poneglyph, and Luffy, who had returned empty-handed. No one knew what he was thinking.

"Moonlight, Sanji was taken away by Big Mom's people, and he says he's leaving our pirate crew!"

Though Nami, Usopp, Zoro, and the others were surprised by Raizo's sudden appearance, they were more worried about Sanji. Upon seeing Moonlight and Robin, they hurriedly shouted. Usopp especially stepped forward, overcome with emotion.

"Big Mom?"

Moonlight looked at the letter Sanji had left behind. After thinking for a moment, he shook his head. "I'm afraid things aren't that simple. I know Sanji well enough. If he wanted to leave, he wouldn't do it this way. But he did, which means he must have had a reason he had no choice but to do so. Or perhaps someone was threatened by Big Mom!"

At that thought, he immediately considered a possibility! If that was the case, then Sanji's actions would not be surprising!

"Luffy, what do you think?"

Then he looked at Luffy.

"I want to hear him say it to my face."

Luffy's eyes were resolute. If he could have put to sea alone, he would have chased after Big Mom's ship long ago.

"But what kind of threat could make Sanji choose this?"

Hearing Moonlight's words, everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Yet at the same time, an even greater question arose in their minds! What kind of coercion had Sanji suffered?

"East Blue, Baratie!"

Moonlight spoke softly.

Sanji had grown up at the Baratie restaurant. If there was anything that could most effectively threaten Sanji and make him choose this, it could only be the people at the Baratie restaurant in East Blue.

Indeed, to one of the Four Emperors, what was East Blue? Let alone a tiny restaurant like Baratie!

"That's it!"

"I see!"

"That perverted cook really was driven into a corner!"

Luffy, Zoro, Usopp, and Nami shuddered upon hearing this, immediately understanding. At the same time, they were relieved!

No wonder Sanji had made such a choice. So that was why! If that were the case, they would probably have done the same! Franky, Chopper, and Brook were completely baffled. They had joined later and did not know of Sanji's bond with Baratie! "Damn it, Big Mom! I'm going to send you flying!"

Luffy was instantly enraged and immediately wanted to go send Big Mom flying!