Luffy's request was for Reiju to hand the battle suit over to Sanji.
However, Judge also had his pride and wanted to deliver it personally.
"What did you say?!"
Sanji's expression changed.
That damn Luffy left first and abandoned him there?
Looking at the pitch-black cylinder in his hand, he recognized that type of object—similar to Reiju's— the crystallization of Germa's technology.
The number on it was 3!
"Men speak with their fists. The Vinsmoke family has always been like this, using force to seize what we want!"
As he spoke, Judge turned around and left the castle.
Sanji was extremely irritated.
Did he really need that battle suit?
"Stop looking down on me!"
Father and son rushed to the plaza in front of the castle and began fighting on the spot, without saying a single unnecessary word.
Soon after, Reiju and Ichiji came to watch the battle.
"Haha, it's Sanji who's fighting," said Yonji, with green hair, laughing. "He's definitely going to get beaten up. This reminds me of my childhood…"
That was how it was supposed to be.
But what happened next shocked everyone.
Sanji defeated Judge!
Judge's nose was injured, his face swollen, and he let out a heavy breath.
Sanji threw the combat suit in front of Judge and said disdainfully:
"I don't need this kind of thing! Don't ever come talk to me again!"
After saying that, he transformed into a pink dragon and flew toward Fish-Man Island.
"Your Majesty!"
The medical staff rushed over immediately.
Judge straightened himself, raised a hand, and said, "I'm fine."
Although he was badly beaten, he showed no anger; on the contrary, his expression was very calm.
He picked up Sanji's battle suit, tossed it to Reiju, and said:
"Send it to him. There's no need to come back for now. Stay with the Straw Hats and contact me when the time is right!"
The right time?
Reiju didn't understand.
"When the time comes, you'll naturally know!"
Judge didn't explain further and dragged his injured body back into the castle.
Seeing this, Reiju let out a long sigh, immediately put on her combat suit, and flew into the sky toward Fish-Man Island.
---xXx---
Fish-Man Island
The banquet continued and eventually turned into Uta's personal concert.
"UTA! UTA! UTA!"
Whether mermaids or fish-men, everyone was cheering Uta's name from the audience.
At a dessert table not too far away, Nami rested her chin on her hand and said with a smile:
"She's a huge star. She's already more popular than Princess Shirahoshi."
Shirahoshi and the others were in the best seats and were applauding as well.
Luffy sat across from Nami, resting his chin on his hands, and said:
"Won't you sing a song for me?"
"As if I'd dare," Nami rolled her eyes. Although she could sing, she was obviously far inferior to a professional singer like Uta.
"Did you get anything?" she asked.
Robin nodded and said, "I'm translating the Road Poneglyph. I didn't expect it to go so fast."
That's because of Luffy, Nojiko thought to herself.
At that moment, Sanji ran over angrily:
"Luffy, you bastard, you left me alone in that place!"
"Oh, Sanji."
Luffy greeted him. "You fought with your father already? How did it feel?"
Sanji was startled. "How do you know?"
"Take a guess."
Luffy smiled and looked toward the sky not far away.
Reiju also arrived and landed lightly beside them.
"Sanji, you forgot this."
"Reiju… I told you I don't need this kind of thing!" Sanji frowned, but he was ultimately forced by his sister.
Reiju slightly turned her head and glanced around Luffy; there were many beautiful women.
"I'll be in your care for a while, Captain Straw Hat."
"Judge asked you to come?"
"Yes. But what does 'the right time' mean?" Reiju asked, worried.
"The moment when everything is ripe. In short, when the time comes, you'll know."
Luffy laughed.
Reiju was left speechless.
That didn't make her happy, and staying in the dark didn't feel right.
"What's going on, Luffy?" Nami asked suspiciously.
"My deal with her father: he gave Sanji's battle suit to Sanji, and I'll give him Kaido's genes. I don't have them right now. Later, I'll go to Wano and 'borrow' them from Kaido."
Luffy explained casually.
Of course, the transaction between the two wasn't limited to that; in reality, it was far more complicated.
The group continued heading toward Elbaf.
Fish-Man Island, the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hat crew—and now one more: Vinsmoke Reiju.
Fortunately, they were traveling through the air. Although slow, it was still much faster than sailing by ship.
Two more days passed.
The news released by Morgans' World Economic News once again caused a sensation across the world.
The Newsbird Group spread newspapers across every sea.
Fish-Man Island was also visited by delivery birds.
Perhaps there was a Morgans branch nearby, as hundreds of journalists gathered.
Nami knocked one down with a Thunderbolt and managed to grab a newspaper.
The contents shocked everyone.
Even Luffy was a little surprised.
New Shichibukai
First: Captain of the Blackbeard Pirates — Marshall D. Teach!
As a pirate crew that stormed Impel Down during the Paramount War, the Blackbeard Pirates absorbed many prisoners, including the former chief warden Shiryu. Today, they are a force impossible to ignore on the seas.
Of course, the news claimed that the World Government had "recruited" these pirates and prisoners.
Second: Captain of the Buggy Pirates — Buggy the Clown!
Buggy also absorbed a large number of escaped prisoners. The news even stated that he and Shanks were friends; as both were former members of the Pirate King's crew, Buggy became a hot topic.
Third: Edward Weevil.
Self-proclaimed Whitebeard Jr., the news praised him for "possessing the power of Whitebeard in his youth."
The pirate who defeated several remnants of Whitebeard's forces had now been recruited by the World Government and became a new Shichibukai.
In addition to the three newcomers, there were also four veterans:
Boa Hancock.
The world's greatest swordsman, Dracule Mihawk.
Donquixote Doflamingo.
And Bartholomew Kuma, who had completely lost his self-awareness and become a human weapon.
"They found Shichibukai candidates that fast?"
"Yes, very fast."
Luffy nodded.
In the original timeline, this had been delayed for a year; now, only a little over a month had passed.
However, compared to the second piece of news, the Shichibukai matter wasn't nearly as shocking.
"Fleet Admiral Sengoku Retires! New Fleet Admiral: Akainu Sakazuki!"
"Eight Days and Nights of Fierce Battle! Admiral Aokiji's Life and Death Unknown! The Marines Refuse to Reveal Information!"
"Worldwide Recruitment! Two Monsters Join the Marines! The New Generation of Admirals!"
The new Fleet Admiral: Akainu.
The new three Admirals: Kizaru, Ryokugyu, and Fujitora!
In the blink of an eye, the two major forces under the World Government had recovered once again.
(End of the chapter)