บท 104: Awakening of the Will

The sun had set, casting warm hues across the ship's deck as the Straw Hat crew gathered for a rare and informal meeting. They sat in a loose circle, curiosity evident in their expressions as Raja began speaking, a gentle smile gracing his face.

"Luffy," Raja began, addressing the wide-eyed captain. "For you to truly master your abilities, you need to strengthen your body beyond your Devil Fruit powers. Because you got your Devil Fruit so early, you've relied on it as a crutch. But to be the Pirate King, you need to be just as powerful without it."

Luffy tilted his head, thoughtful but slightly confused.

"Starting tomorrow, I want you to wear seastone cuffs during training. It'll force your body to become adaptable and resilient, even without your Devil Fruit powers," Raja explained. "You'll learn to fight without it as well."

Luffy's eyes widened in understanding. "Alright, I'll do it!" He grinned, already feeling fired up for this new challenge.

Raja turned to Zoro. "Zoro, you have the potential for something extraordinary—King's Haki."

Zoro's eyes narrowed in surprise, but he didn't interrupt.

"In time, you'll awaken it. To reach that point, though, you'll need to train with Luffy and learn to channel this power," Raja continued. "Only then can you truly become the world's strongest swordsman."

Zoro's expression shifted from surprise to a determined grin. "Got it," he said, clenching his fist in anticipation.

At this, Sanji, who had been watching the exchange, raised an eyebrow. "And what about me?" he asked, his voice laced with a hint of jealousy.

Raja chuckled, glancing at Sanji with an unreadable smile. "I'll talk to you separately, Sanji."

Sanji huffed, crossing his arms, while the rest of the crew nodded in agreement to Raja's words about training. "We need strong bodies and combat abilities to support Luffy. If he's fighting a powerful opponent, our role is to clear the path, to make sure he can focus on winning without distraction," Raja said. "Relax tonight. Training starts tomorrow."

With that, Raja gestured for Sanji to follow him into the storage room. As soon as they were out of earshot, Raja fixed him with a serious look.

"Sanji, the reason I didn't mention your King's Haki qualification in front of the others is because it would be... awkward," Raja said calmly, watching Sanji's reaction.

"Awkward?!" Sanji sputtered, glaring. "Why would it be awkward? If Luffy and the marimo have it, why wouldn't I?"

Raja's eyes softened, his tone now solemn. "Sanji, the Will of the King is exceptionally rare. It requires ambition, and more importantly, a strong sense of self."

Sanji scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Are you saying I don't have ambition? Or confidence?"

Raja leaned in, his gaze piercing. "Sanji, I know who you are."

Sanji stiffened, his easygoing attitude vanishing as realization dawned on him. "What... what are you talking about?" he muttered, a hint of defensiveness creeping into his voice.

"Vinsmoke Sanji, third son of Vinsmoke Judge and third prince of the Germa Kingdom," Raja said, his tone steady.

Sanji's eyes narrowed, his fists clenching. "Don't call me that," he hissed. "How do you even know that?"

"I met Reiju in North Blue once. Trust me, I'd recognize those eyebrows anywhere," Raja chuckled.

Sanji's face hardened. "I'm not that person anymore. I'm just Sanji—a chef."

"Really? So, you wouldn't care if I decided to pursue Reiju, would you?" Raja teased, his tone light but with a sharp edge.

Sanji glared, practically seething. "Stay away from my sister, you... magic freak!" he roared.

Raja's grin only widened. "Thanks for the compliment, brother-in-law."

Sanji launched himself forward, throwing a kick that Raja sidestepped with ease. "Don't call me that! I want nothing to do with them!"

"Then why does their shadow still haunt you?" Raja's voice dropped, his tone growing more serious. "You can't be free of them until you face who you are, Sanji. Otherwise, you'll never awaken your true potential."

Sanji stopped, his shoulders slumping as he sat down. He looked down, the usual fire in his eyes dimmed. "I hate them for what they did to me," he muttered. "But it's not like I wish them harm. I just... don't want anything to do with them."

Raja sighed, his gaze softening. "Sanji, you're holding onto a lot of pain. But more than that, you've created a false identity to escape it."

Sanji's head snapped up, anger flaring in his eyes. "What are you talking about? I'm Sanji. A chef. That's who I am!"

Raja's expression grew steely. "No, Sanji. That's the identity you've clung to, to avoid dealing with the reality of your past."

Sanji's eyes flashed with rage. "You don't know anything! Don't talk like you understand me!"

"Alright then," Raja said, voice steady. "Answer this: what would you ask me to do if your Germa bloodline awakened?"

Sanji froze, his expression shifting from anger to a deep, silent fear.

"You'd ask me to kill you, wouldn't you?" Raja asked quietly, his voice soft but firm.

Sanji couldn't bring himself to respond. He looked away, the weight of the question settling heavily on his shoulders. Finally, he knelt before Raja, his face downcast, unable to meet his friend's gaze.

"Sanji," Raja said, his tone turning harsher. "This is what I mean. You lack the will to fight for yourself, for your dreams, for the crew. You live under the shadow of your past, and until you break free, you'll never become the man you were meant to be."

Sanji's fists clenched, anger flickering in his gaze, but he didn't respond. Raja's words had struck deep, bringing a buried truth to the surface.

"You're a robot, Sanji," Raja said coldly. "A shell of what you could be. Deep down, you wish you were emotionless like your brothers. Admit it."

"No!" Sanji shot back, his voice cracking as he fought back tears. "I don't want to be like them!"

"Then prove it," Raja said, his eyes boring into Sanji's. "If the ship sank tomorrow and you survived, would you carry our dreams forward? Would you honor Luffy's dream? Or would you just go back to the Baratie, pretending none of this ever happened?"

"I'd carry them forward!" Sanji roared, his voice fierce. "I'd find the All Blue and make sure everyone's dreams were fulfilled!"

"Then fight for it, Sanji," Raja urged, his voice growing louder as he released his King's Haki. The air grew heavy, a palpable force pressing down on Sanji. "Show me the strength of your will! Show me that you'll hold onto your dreams, bloodline or not!"

Sanji trembled under the weight of Raja's Haki, feeling as though a mountain was pressing down on him. But somewhere, deep within, a spark ignited. The fire that burned inside him—his passion, his dedication, his unwavering loyalty—began to flare to life.

Slowly, Sanji rose to his feet, his body enveloped in flames. The orange glow shifted to a fierce, intense blue, a testament to his newfound determination. He roared, the sound echoing across the ship as his will erupted, and, in that moment, his own King's Haki awakened.

With a final surge of energy, Sanji released his Haki before collapsing, unconscious from the effort. Raja caught him before he hit the ground, a proud smile on his face.

Gently, he carried Sanji to bed, laying him down and leaving the storage room, only to find Zoro leaning against the door, having overheard everything.

"That's how you awaken a king," Raja murmured, giving Zoro a knowing smile before leaving him to process what he had witnessed.

Later that evening, Sanji awoke, feeling a renewed sense of purpose. He prepared dinner for the crew with an uncharacteristic warmth and attentiveness, each dish crafted with care. After they'd eaten, he joined Raja at the side of the ship, struggling to find the right words.

"Raja," Sanji began, his voice quiet. "Thank you... for everything."

Raja smiled, patting his shoulder. "Remember, Sanji, we're all part of the crew of the future Pirate King. None of us are expendable. Luffy can't claim the throne without each and every one of us by his side."

Sanji nodded, feeling the weight of those words. "You're powerful enough to lead, though. Why are you following Luffy?"

"Because of his smile, his heart," Raja replied, gazing out over the ocean. "When he declares he'll be the Pirate King, his voice resonates with a strength that's impossible to deny."

He chuckled, glancing back at the others, who were listening with quiet intensity. "Look at us. Luffy wants the title of Pirate King, Zoro wants to be the world's strongest swordsman, you want the All Blue, Nami who wants draw a whole world map, Usopp want to become a brave sea warrior and as for me an anomaly in this world, heck I even believe that we will find even more people with same grand ambitions as our in future, so we won't left any of our friends behind understood so ask help if you need so that we can fight collectively".

Sanji looked at his friend, understanding dawning in his eyes. In that moment, he saw Raja not as a fellow crewmate, but as the silent guardian of their dreams—the anchor holding them together.

And for the first time in a long time, Sanji felt that he, too, could finally move forward, unfettered by the ghosts of his past.

Raja " The people who are listening also go to bed tomorrow your training start and sanji luffy clearing the fridge".

Sanji " Luffy your Dead, stop eating our portion Baka-yaro".