Battleships as massive as hills stretched across the blue sky.

The four pairs of propellers on the ship's hull that assisted in landing created a powerful downdraft during descent, causing Judge's cloak to rustle in the wind.

Staring at the "war beast" before him, Judge narrowed his eyes unconsciously and thought of his old colleague. I have to say, that bastard Vegapunk is really capable. Even Judge was jealous of the various advanced technologies used in the Stormbreaker.

If the owner of this ship had been some unknown minor figure, Judge would have seized the vessel without hesitation, bringing disgrace to its occupants. But this was Luffy we're talking about.

As Luffy and his crew walked down the gangway, Judge was the first to greet them, a warm smile plastered across his face.

"Admiral Luffy, I am truly honored to have you here. Please allow me to introduce myself—I am Vinsmoke Judge, king of the Germa Kingdom and father of Sanji in your team."

The two sides resumed the cordiality they had shown when they first made contact. Luffy took the opportunity to turn around and wave to Sanji, calling him over.

Luffy was inwardly speechless when he saw how eagerly Judge was trying to ingratiate himself. But out of politeness, he maintained his smile and exchanged a few courteous words with Judge.

Judge immediately seized the opportunity, enthusiastically guiding Luffy through an introduction to his kingdom. During their conversation, Judge introduced all of his children to Luffy one by one.

Notably, he hadn't spared even a single glance at Sanji—the very person he was using to build a relationship with Luffy—from the beginning until now. It was clear that Sanji was merely a tool for Judge to connect with Luffy.

Like the clone soldiers, the three brothers—Ichiji, Niji, and Yonji—had been implanted with devices that forced them to obey Judge's orders absolutely. Since Judge had warned them in advance, they had maintained proper behavior thus far.

But when they caught sight of Ain, Neff, and Vivi beside Luffy, they couldn't help themselves. Just like certain members of Luffy's crew, their eyes filled with lust, and they became so excited they nearly lost control.

Only because Judge stopped them in time did they refrain from doing anything disgraceful. Otherwise, Luffy would have slapped these three Sanji look-alikes and taught them a lesson they wouldn't forget.

The lascivious behavior of the three brothers was just a brief episode that passed quickly.

Faced with Luffy's summons, Sanji appeared very reluctant. He had already felt uncomfortable watching Judge smile and use him to curry favor with Luffy.

I haven't seen this bastard for so many years, and he's still the same. It's disgusting just looking at him. Sanji moved closer to Luffy with a sullen expression.

During this time, Judge finally turned his attention to his third son—the one he had always despised the most—for the first time since their reunion after so many years.

Looking at the coat of justice that symbolized the Marines, and the shoulder insignia indicating an officer of at least captain rank, Judge suddenly felt that this "failed product" was much more pleasing to the eye. Perhaps his plan might actually be realized after all.

When Sanji approached, Luffy grinned and patted his shoulder vigorously, then said to Judge:

"Your Majesty, Sanji is one of my oldest subordinates who has been following me since our days in the East Blue. His strength and talent are both exceptional, and I have always groomed him as my confidant and right-hand man."

Hearing Luffy's words, Sanji trembled slightly, and his frown slowly relaxed, as if he understood what Luffy was doing.

The more Judge listened, the more delighted he became. He hadn't expected that this "loser" was actually among the earliest veterans to follow Luffy. The revelation came as a complete surprise.

As for what Luffy said about Sanji's strength and talent, Judge assumed Luffy was deliberately exaggerating. What kind of talent could this cowardly failure possibly have when he hasn't even undergone the basic genetic modifications? He simply thought that Luffy was flattering Sanji to save face.

Reiju quietly stood behind her father and brothers, paying close attention to Luffy's every word and action. This young-looking guy doesn't seem like someone who allows himself to be pushed around. And what exactly was he trying to accomplish by deliberately bringing Sanji forward in front of his father?

Just as she was puzzling over this, she heard Luffy continue:

"Before I came to Germa, I wanted Sanji to be the liaison between me and your kingdom—to discuss with Your Majesty Judge the government's future plans, changes in the world situation, and other important matters. But I later learned that there seemed to be some unpleasantness between Sanji and Your Majesty, and that your relationship was rather strained, which created a rather awkward situation."