Summary:
On their way to the Whale Forest, Strawberries, Wanda, and Carrots battle a swarm of blood-sucking insects called Sutchies. Afterwards, Brook sings a song about Nekomamushi.
The group reaches the Whale Forest residential area where they meet the guards including their captain Pedro. They then encounter Nekomamushi playing around and disobeying his orders to rest. While Chopper heals his injuries, Luffy and Nami meet Pekoms, who reveals that Sanji’s family is a family of assassins and leads a legendary underworld army known as the Germa 66.
As the Straw Hats, Wanda, and Carrot drive to the Whale Forest, Brook reveals that Pekoms agreed to spare their crew from Big Mom’s plan out of gratitude for saving his people, but this proved to be his undoing when Capone Bege shot him. and left him on the island. However, because of this, the Straw Hats were now able to get information on Big Mom’s location, and Luffy vows to get Sanji back from her. As Usopp wonders what condition the lion mink is in, a swarm of yellow insects fly towards the group. Wanda and Carrot reveal that the insects are bloodsuckers known as Sutchies and can easily kill a human due to their lack of fur. Wanda reveals that the Sutchies are also capable of feeding on and weakening the Zunesha, and the Sutchies bite the steed Luffy’s group is riding on, causing it to fall to the ground. The Straw Hats recover and fight the Sutchies, and Franky uses his nipple light to lure the Sutchies to him. Wanda prepares to help exterminate the Sutchies when one of them bites Luffy, though the pirate manages to fend it off by covering his hands in Busoshoku Haki. The Straw Hats and Wanda all unleash powerful attacks on the Sutchies, sending the rest of the swarm to the ground. Wanda thanks the Straw Hats for their continued help, and the group continues to find Nekomamushi. Brook then sings a song about Nekomamushi’s visit, which initially consists of him saying the same line over and over to Luffy’s confusion. Brook then sings about how Nekomamushi lives a lonely life before the conclusion, and the Straw Hats ask if Nekomamushi was like that. However, Brook admits that he only made up the events of the song to shock them.
The group then reaches the Whale Forest residential area under a giant Whale Tree and the Rangers cheer on the approaching Straw Hats. Luffy is greeted by Roddy and Blackback, who apologize for attacking him earlier, saying that they are sometimes overzealous against intruders. Pedro then calls out to the Straw Hats from the tree, thanking them for saving the mink tribe and apologizing to Luffy who was present during the attack. He then jumps down from the tree and tells Luffy that the Heart Pirates are waiting for them in the back, but Luffy wants to see Nekomamushi and Pekoms first. Hearing Luffy’s mention of Pekoms, Pedro clung to Luffy. He whispers to Luffy that Pekoms is recovering in the back of the main building, but the details of the attempt on his life have not been revealed to the other minks. He then confides that he knows Sanji is in trouble and offers to help the guards. A female reindeer mink named Milky then arrives to marry Chopper as Nekomamushi, and Chopper falls in love with her. However, Milky reveals that Nekomamushi is taking a bath, shocking Chopper.
Inside the main building, Nekomamushi is eating lasagna while taking a bath, and Chopper rushes in, angrily yelling at him for doing it because his wounds reopened. Nekomamushi refuses to accept such restrictions due to his love of freedom as he climbs out of the tub and embraces the other Straw Hats in gratitude. In the middle of the hug, Nekomamushi spots a bouncing ball, prompting him to jump on it and reopen his wounds. He is then sent to bed and Chopper prepares to administer the injection. Fearing the pain of the needle, Nekomamushi has Robin waving the lichen in front of him, which distracts him enough for Chopper to shoot him. Meanwhile, Luffy, Nami, Wanda, Carrot, and Pedro encounter Pekoms, who reveals that he survived by absorbing many of Bege’s bullets with his Devil Fruit power. He apologizes for not being able to keep Sanji out of captivity, and Luffy asks him who is arranging the wedding. Pekoms replies that it is Big Mom and Sanji’s father, the patriarch of the Vinsmoke family. The father is an infamous man in the underworld and leads an army known as the Germa 66. Nami is shocked to hear this, thinking that the Germa 66 is a mythical army, but Pekoms confirms her reality, stating that Sanji is from a family of assassins.