Meanwhile, Nicholas arrived in the North Sea, quickly locating the direction of Germa 66's war castle using the coordinates provided by Judge. It didn't take long for Nicholas to reach Germa 66.
Vinsmoke Judge, the king of Germa 66, personally came out to welcome him. Such a lowering of one's status might invite criticism from ministers in other countries, but this was not an issue for Germa 66. Moreover, Judge didn't mind lowering his status in the face of Nicholas' strength and reputation. After all, in this vast sea, strength was paramount.
The synthetic soldiers of Germa 66 appeared even more resolute than Judge, showing no fear as they looked at Nicholas. In terms of sheer combat power, Nicholas alone could wipe out all of Germa 66's forces. This absolute disparity in strength had no impact on the emotionless synthetic soldiers of Germa 66, which explained their indifference to Nicholas' arrival.
"Mr. Nicholas, this way please," Judge greeted with a smile, leading the way. Nicholas followed behind him, feeling somewhat uncomfortable with Judge's sudden display of enthusiasm, which was quite different from their last meeting. Where was the imposing presence of Judge, who was determined to unify the North Sea and revive the Vinsmoke name?
In reality, Judge had little choice. He had been battered by both the Beasts Pirates and the Navy to the point of barely managing to survive. If it came down to a clash of forces, Germa 66 wouldn't be afraid. But when faced with formidable opponents like King of the Beasts Pirates and Admiral Sengoku of the Navy, Judge was in a difficult position. His proud synthetic soldiers were mere playthings to these powerful individuals, and he himself was no match for them. The war had already drained a significant portion of Germa's resources.
Nicholas' arrival was a beacon of hope for Germa 66. Nicholas, along with Vegapunk, had long manipulated Judge, leaving him no room for negligence.
To welcome Nicholas, Judge had already arranged a sumptuous lunch. Nicholas followed Judge to the dining room, where a long table was laden with an array of delicious dishes. The "Hero of the North Sea," Sora, and her children were already seated. Upon seeing Nicholas, they stood up one by one.
"Lord Nicholas," Sora and her children greeted Nicholas in unison. Compared to Reiju and her brothers, who were calm and composed while saluting, the youngest, Sanji, seemed a bit nervous, his eyes darting around and avoiding direct eye contact with Nicholas.
Nicholas glanced at the one-year-old Sanji, recognizing him as a future key ally of Luffy and one of Judge's most perfect creations in his bloodline factor research. After a brief moment of reflection, Nicholas took his seat as indicated by Judge.
Judge, observing Nicholas' interest in Sanji, curiously asked, "Mr. Nicholas, you were looking at Sanji just now. Is there something special about this child?" Clearly, Judge had noticed Nicholas' expression when looking at Sanji.
"Yes, this child is indeed different," Nicholas stated straightforwardly.
Hearing this, Judge's eyes narrowed slightly. The discussions he had with Nicholas before had given him new insights into bloodline factors. When Sanji was born, Judge was delighted, but as time passed, he found that this creation was not comparable to Sanji's siblings in any aspect. In fact, Sanji's data was even inferior to the mass-produced Germa soldiers.
The others at the table were also curious. Especially Sora and Reiju, who knew the circumstances of Sanji's birth. Only Sanji himself looked confused.
Noticing Judge and the others' reactions, Nicholas calmly said, "If I'm not mistaken, this child will become much stronger than you in the future, possibly one of the strongest in the world."
"..."
Judge's mind was flooded with images of powerful figures across the seas, and he frowned as he looked at Sanji, who was happily devouring a steak. He couldn't see the potential Nicholas mentioned.
"Mr. Nicholas, could it be..." Judge asked, his eyes widening in disbelief.
Nicholas nodded slowly. "That's right. This child has perfectly inherited the bloodline factor. However, due to his age, he has not yet fully unleashed that power."
Nicholas' tone was calm, but his words shocked Judge, Sora, and the others.
"But how is that possible?" Judge furrowed his brow, struggling to understand. Sanji had undergone the same procedures as his siblings, yet the difference was vast.
'The results are out. From the data on Yonji, Niji, and Ichiji, their development is going smoothly. The exoskeleton has manifested, and their jumping ability and absolute strength far exceed that of an adult man.'
'But why are Sanji's data and his brothers' so different, and why is his body still at the same state as when he was born?'
'Though I hate to say it, Sanji might just be an ordinary person.'
Reflecting on Nicholas' words, Judge began to understand.
"By the way, your wife is dying," Nicholas said nonchalantly, swallowing a large piece of meat.
"Huh!?" Judge was stunned. It was a shocking statement to hear out of the blue. As Nicholas' words sank in, silence fell over the table, except for the sound of the three children eating.
Reiju, who had been cutting her steak elegantly, froze. Sanji, sitting next to Sora, looked at her in shock. Sora, however, simply smiled and patted Sanji's head, as if it wasn't her who was dying.
"Bring all of Sora's recent medical reports!" Judge ordered a Germa soldier. As he reviewed the thick stack of medical records, his frown deepened.
...
Later that night, as Nicholas was about to rest, a figure appeared at his door and quietly entered.
"So late at night, Reiju. What brings you here?" Nicholas asked, smiling at the nervous Reiju standing before him. He found it amusing to tease this mature-for-her-age girl.
Reiju's next words, however, left Nicholas dumbfounded. "If Lord Nicholas is willing to save my mother, then I will belong to you from now on."
[AN-Ayoooooo]
"Huh?" Nicholas was stunned. He could almost feel the cosmic entities watching him, ready to strike if he said anything inappropriate.
"Cough, cough. Reiju, everyone has things they can't do. But just because you can't do something now doesn't mean you won't be able to in the future. I believe that you will be able to achieve great things one day. Besides, with early detection and treatment, Germa's technology can help prolong Sora's life."
Outside the door, a blond-haired boy silently clenched his fists.