The biting wind howled through the desolate, snowy landscape, whipping around Sanji as he lay prone in the drifting white powder. Each breath sent a jolt of agony through his body, sharp as the icy shards that clung to his skin. The ambush had come swiftly, like a thunderstorm against a clear sky—one moment, he was battling alongside his crew against a large band of pirates, and the next, he was diving to protect the crew's navigator, only to find himself surrounded and overwhelmed.

The forest was heavy with snow-laden trees, their limbs bowing under the weight. Sanji's hair lay matted against his forehead, slick with sweat mixed with blood from the gash on his brow. He could feel the warmth from his injured leg pooling in the snow, the crimson stark against the pure white. With every pulse, a wave of pain radiated through the shattered bone in his leg, making it hard to breathe.

His eyes fluttered, struggling to focus on anything that could distract him from the growing darkness fuzzing the edges of his vision. And just when his consciousness was fading to black, he caught a glimpse of movement.

A figure—known as you—emerged, slowly parting the curtain of falling snow. You stepped carefully, wading through the drifts of snow. Sanji’s heart twisted, pupils dilating as he strained to catch your features through the haze. As you drew closer, the world around him faded further, the edges of reality blurring into a state of darkness.

...

Sanji stirred, consciousness slowly threading its way back into his mind. His senses felt muffled, like he was waking up from a dream. How long had he been out? The scent of woodsmoke and something savory wafted beneath his nose, pulling him awake. With a low groan, he blinked open his eyes, staring up at a wooden ceiling. It took a moment for his body to register the warmth that cocooned him, contrasting sharply with the biting cold he had just escaped.

"Where… am I?" he murmured, his voice rough as he shifted slightly, only to pause as pain shot through his nerves.