In the woods by the sea, Sanji, struck by Yamato's words, stood frozen like a lifeless statue, his heart shrouded in silence.
Pudding, her face twisted with fury, reached into Sanji's mind and extracted his memories.
With her full power, she projected them vividly before Yamato.
The swirling images began with a tiny infant, time rapidly flowing forward as if on fast-forward—a glimpse into Sanji's entire life.
Yamato and Pudding, one tall and one short, watched Sanji's memories unfold like a film.
In his childhood, Sanji had a gentle and beautiful mother, but she was gravely ill.
His father, a mad scientist, injected his own children with lineage factor serums, modifying their bodies in an attempt to create the ultimate enhanced warriors—all to restore the Germa Kingdom's former glory.
Young Sanji, just like his mother, was kind and tender-hearted.
He endured his brothers' bullying without fighting back.
Even after being beaten time and again, he never resented them, only shedding tears alone.
He secretly practiced cooking over and over, just so he could prepare a meal with his own hands for his sick mother.
When he finally made a dish that looked terrifyingly unappetizing, his mother ate it with a smile, tears in her eyes as she patted his head and praised him.
The memory echoed with Sanji's childish laughter and sobs.
Watching this, Yamato couldn't help but wonder—was her own mother, whom she had never met, just as gentle and understanding as Sanji's?
"Hmph! Sanji's father is a bastard too! Treating his own child like that—he's no different from Kaido! Sanji must hate his father to death. I bet he wants to kill Judge, just like how I want to kill Kaido!"
With these thoughts, Yamato continued watching Sanji's memories.
Time accelerated—Sanji's mother passed away, and eventually, he escaped Germa, setting out to sea where he became an apprentice chef on a ship.
A pirate attacked the merchant vessel, but a sudden storm capsized the ship.
Surprisingly, that ruthless pirate saved Sanji's life at the last moment.
Stranded on a deserted island with no food, the two survived for nearly a month.
When Yamato saw the pirate take a large bag of food, leaving only a small portion for Sanji, she burned with rage.
Starving and lightheaded, Sanji mustered the courage to confront the pirate with a knife, trying to seize the bigger bag—only to find it filled with metal and jewelry.
To his shock, he realized the pirate had been eating his own leg instead.
Scene after scene, Sanji's memories flashed by like a revolving lantern, allowing Yamato to witness his entire life.
Until just a few months ago—Sanji, as a prince of Germa, was forced into a marriage with Pudding of the Big Mom Pirates.
His wicked father, after over a decade of absence, sought him out again, determined to exploit this "worthless failure" for profit!
"That Judge is absolutely despicable! Why didn't Sanji kill him? Sanji is much stronger than him! Huh? What's going on? Why is Sanji saving them—his brothers who never treated him as family when they were young, who bullied him relentlessly? Why? Why would Sanji still save them when he hates them so much?"
Yamato stared in shock as Sanji intervened to rescue Judge and the others, who had been immobilized by Perospero's candy and were about to be executed.
Later, Sanji even saved that wicked father of his again!
The images continued to play—Wano Country, where Sanji resolutely burned his own life force in a desperate attempt to save his comrades.
Dressrosa, where Sanji, tears streaming down his face, reluctantly followed Fujitora away.
Sweet Island, where Caesar coldly declared: "Sanji, I'll give you a choice. Here are your father, sister, and brothers. If you're willing to let them die, I'll let you return to your crew. Tell me your decision."
"Please spare them. I'll stay here," Sanji answered without hesitation, his voice firm.
Deep confusion and bewilderment filled Yamato's eyes.
"Why? Why doesn't Sanji just abandon his evil father and hated brothers? Why does he still sacrifice himself, still endure suffering for them?"
After witnessing Sanji's memories, Yamato realized that this man's life had been far more tragic and despairing than her own.
As a child, she had been Kaido's daughter in Wano Country—practically the jewel of everyone's eye.
Whatever she wanted, Kaido's subordinates, even Kurozumi Orochi, would go to great lengths to fulfill her wishes.
No one dared to bully her.
Aside from Kaido's strict discipline, if anyone so much as displeased her, Kaido, King, Queen, or Jack would reduce that person to ashes!
Pudding gently returned Sanji's memories to his mind, softly caressing his cheek before turning to Yamato.
"Yamato, you've seen it now—this is Sanji's life. What do you think? I didn't alter a single memory. This man has lived up to himself, his mother, his foster father, and his comrades! He couldn't even bear to stand by and watch his wicked father and cruel brothers die! Tell me—what part of you compares to Sanji? Just because Uncle Kaido was strict, you grew to resent him.
Because of Oden's journal, you decided to become Oden and turned against your own father! You conspired with outsiders to slaughter the home you lived in for decades! The Beasts Pirates may be cruel to others, but they never wronged you. Even if you didn't like them, you had no right to be so ruthless—to join forces with the Straw Hats and plot against your own family!"
Pudding grew more impassioned, even stepping forward to point accusingly at Yamato.
"People don't get to choose their birth. Since we were born into pirate families, even if we face destruction at any moment, we must never betray our kin! My brother Katakuri is ten thousand times better than you! And Sanji—he's ten thousand times better than you! You have no right to judge him!"
"If possible, I'd really like to see what kind of thoughts and memories fill your mind to make you feel this way!"
"I..."
Yamato staggered back several steps, visibly trembling from Pudding's words.
Her face turned pale as she turned away in a daze, her footsteps unsteady as she wandered off like a lost soul.
In the woods, Pudding looked at the stunned Sanji with deep affection.
She reached out to caress his cheek before wrapping her arms tightly around the gentle man who was struggling internally.
"Sanji..."
------------------------------
I release a new whitebeard scientist fic : One Piece : Scientist of Whitebeard Pirates
Read 40 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator