You're in My Hands Now

He had arrived a step ahead of them.

The moment they saw Sanji, all five of them cried out.

Carrot leaped up and jumped onto Sanji, rubbing her cheek against his.

Sanji, who had looked gloomy and somber upon seeing them, instantly became a different person, as though spring had arrived.

"Mr. Sanji!"

Brook called out as well, his skeletal body lunging toward Sanji.

Sanji instinctively dodged, and Brook crashed face-first onto the ground, his old bones nearly scattering apart. "Sanji, you bastard!"

Nami stepped forward, glared at Sanji, then gave him a hug.

Sanji did not dare refuse. Spring had arrived once again!

"Did you finish what you had to do?"

Moonlight looked at Sanji.

Although Sanji had been forced to leave them, he had still departed without saying a word, leaving behind only a letter. Even though they had reunited, things were inevitably a little awkward, so Moonlight took the initiative to speak.

"Not yet, so I can't leave this place."

Hearing this, Sanji gave Moonlight a grateful look before turning solemnly toward Luffy, Nami, and the others. "Big Mom has a scheme that will be carried out at the tea party three days from now."

"A scheme?"

"At the tea party three days from now?"

Everyone froze at those words.

They had not expected Sanji's first words after seeing them again to be this. What did he mean? The five of them looked utterly confused.

Only Moonlight smiled calmly. He already knew.

Seeing this, Sanji gave Moonlight a deep look and continued, "That's right. Using my marriage to Pudding, Big Mom appears to be trying to win over the Vinsmoke Family, but she actually intends to kill every one of them, then bring them under her command and expand her power. And there's this too. I think you and Robin will need it."

As he spoke, he took out four rubbings.

They were the one Road Poneglyph and three Poneglyphs in Big Mom's possession.

He had not been idle during his days here.

When Big Mom had gone berserk because of her Eating Disorder, he had risked sneaking into her room and made copies of them.

Seeing this, Brook and the other two let out sighs of relief.

"So Mr. Sanji had already copied them. Thank goodness!"

The three of them had been tasked with finding and copying the Poneglyphs, but the enemy had stopped them, and they had come away empty-handed.

They had been about to apologize to Moonlight, but Sanji had unexpectedly obtained them.

"That's right. Robin and I do need these."

Moonlight was delighted. Sanji had not infiltrated this place for nothing after all.

The atmosphere among them eased considerably once more.

Sanji was still Sanji. Even after coming to Big Mom's territory, he had not forgotten them!

For that alone, they could forgive what had happened before!

"The tea party three days from now?"

They then began processing Big Mom's scheme.

Although Sanji had fled the Vinsmoke Family as a child, they were still his blood-related siblings. Now that he knew about this, he naturally could not turn a blind eye.

His three brothers, one sister, and father had all been modified into emotionless killing machines, but he had not!

He was still himself!

They were different! Besides, he also had to give Pudding an explanation. Though he had ultimately discovered her true nature, they had still been engaged. He did not want it to end like this!

"The tea party in three days?"

"The Vinsmoke Family?"

"His fiancée?"

"I see!"

"..."

After hearing all this, the five of them understood. Unless these matters were resolved, Sanji would not leave.

In that case...

"Then we'll stop Big Mom! If we can't stop her, we'll wreck it!"

"That's right. Sanji's family? Perfect, we can finally see what they're like!"

"They left too quickly last time. This time, we'll get a proper look at Germa 66's true strength!"

"But honestly, their Raid Suits are pretty cool!"

The five of them looked at Sanji and nodded.

If Sanji would not leave, then neither would they!

Sanji's problems were naturally their problems too!

"Everyone!"

Sanji was deeply moved.

But before he could speak, countless shouts and rushing footsteps suddenly came from the shore.

Big Mom's pursuers had arrived!

"Let's get out of here first!"

Sanji immediately said.

No one objected, and they prepared to leave.

But at that moment, someone suddenly appeared at their port, blocking their path and pointing them in another direction. "Big Mom's territory is made up of thirty-four islands. You won't be able to get out by leaving like this. Follow me. I have a way to take you out!"

The six of them all turned to look.

They saw a short man wearing a hat and scarf, dressed in a pinstriped suit, with a cigar dangling from his mouth.

It was Capone Bege, one of the Twelve Supernovas whom they had met once before! Why was he here, and why was he trying to save them? Yet Capone Bege did not care whether they agreed or not and simply led the way.

"He's Capone Bege, captain of the Fire Tank Pirates! Isn't he one of Big Mom's subordinates? Why is he helping us?"

Brook recognized him immediately.

"That's him! He took Sanji away, along with Caesar!"

Carrot recognized him too.

Besides Pekoms and Baron Tamago, he had also been there when Sanji was taken away.

"An enemy?"

Nami and Luffy both tensed warily.

"Hurry up, there's no time!"

By then, members of the Big Mom Pirates pursuing them from all directions had caught up.

Capone Bege shouted again.

The group hesitated for a moment, then followed him.

As he had said, this was not the time to get tangled up with Big Mom's people. And if they left like this, they would probably be sunk at sea before making it halfway out!

This was Big Mom's territory, after all!

The six of them followed Capone Bege into a castle.

The castle was built exactly like the ones on the island, allowing them to easily evade Big Mom's pursuers! Inside, everyone took a seat and breathed a sigh of relief.

But then Capone Bege said something that made the six of them tense up again.

"Straw Hat Pirates, you're in my hands now!"

After returning to the castle, Capone Bege completely changed his demeanor. He looked at the six of them arrogantly, as though their lives and deaths were entirely in his grasp.