"What the hell?!"
"The Big Mom Pirates are retreating?!"
"No way! What happened…?"
What's worse than a fight between equals? When your ally suddenly bails on you mid-battle.
At the very least, for the Beasts Pirates, seeing Big Mom ruthlessly smash through Whitebeard's commanders and then turn away without a second glance—taking her children with her—was nothing short of despair.
If they weren't in the middle of a battle, they would have cursed out loud: *Your mother had a great time!*
?! "Linlin, what are you doing?"
Even Kaido, who was fighting, noticed the commotion. For the first time, the invincible dragon looked shocked! This wasn't how things were supposed to go—this battle was only halfway through, and his ally was already preparing to run? This wasn't just a betrayal—no, betrayal was something he already had to deal with from Yamato. This was straight-up backstabbing an ally!
"Shut up, Kaido!!"
Feeling the presence of countless Homies in her territory disappearing one after another, Big Mom immediately realized that a huge crisis was closing in on Whole Cake Island! If she didn't act now, she might really have to go back to her old ways of struggling for survival.
"My Whole Cake Island is under attack! You handle things here yourself!"
After a quick explanation, Big Mom bulldozed through the battlefield. Even Roman and Nami's combined knight form had to avoid her rampage, let alone the samurai of Wano or the members of the Whitebeard Pirates.
Anyone who was too slow to dodge was instantly sent flying like paper dolls—or worse, turned into lifeless corpses!
"Perospero!"
Big Mom turned to her eldest son, and Perospero, holding his massive candy cane, quickly nodded.
"Candy Slug!"
Perospero pointed his cane, and a flood of syrup surged toward the sea next to Onigashima. The Charlotte family members and their fighters immediately leaped onto it. With Perospero's ability, they could cross the ocean without a problem!
But—
"Chanter, come here!!"
At Big Mom's furious shout, the massive *Queen Mama Chanter* quickly sailed toward the family, meeting them on the syrup-covered sea. Big Mom then smacked Zeus onto the deck.
"Chanter, flight mode!"
Crackle—!!
Zeus expanded into a giant thundercloud, lifting the massive ship into the air. While this mode couldn't last long and was difficult for climbing altitude, it was enough for gliding.
And just like that, the Big Mom Pirates made a dramatic exit!
They left in a rush, a rush, a rush…
"Linlin!! You bastard!!!!"
Kaido was losing his mind. The battle had reached such a critical moment, and Big Mom just up and left?! Even though he was called the strongest creature in the world, none of the fighters here—Straw Hat Crew, Whitebeard's commanders, the Ruffians, or the Red Scabbards—were weaklings. Out at sea, each of them was feared by Marines and pirates alike. Their bounties alone started at 200 million, with several of them reaching the 1-billion mark!
"Great, the Big Mom Pirates are gone. Let's go—"
As Roman controlled the massive knight toward the right side of Onigashima, Nami, sitting on its shoulder, frowned.
"Roman, did you already know Big Mom would leave?"
"Yes."
Roman saw no reason to hide it.
He hadn't mentioned it earlier because he wasn't sure exactly when the Blackbeard Pirates would attack Whole Cake Island—or if something unexpected would happen. As the saying goes, *Man plans, but the heavens decide.* Even the best strategist couldn't control everything. If he had spoken too soon and nothing happened, he'd just embarrass himself.
But now that Big Mom had rushed off—
"I subtly leaked information about Whole Cake Island's weak defenses to Blackbeard. Knowing his ambitious nature, he wouldn't pass up such an opportunity. Right now, the Blackbeard Pirates should be attacking Whole Cake Island."
And with Katakuri and Smoothie already weakened from their battles with Luffy and Zoro, there was no way they could stop Blackbeard and Shiryu. Unlike the Straw Hat Crew, not everyone had insane recovery abilities or top-tier medical care.
Without a doubt, Whole Cake Island was as good as lost!
And if Roman's guess was correct, even Big Mom, returning home, would probably…
"Hasn't anyone answered the call yet?!"
Aboard the *Queen Mama Chanter*, Big Mom's furious roar filled the air. A group of Charlotte family officers anxiously kept dialing their Den Den Mushi, their foreheads dripping with sweat. But no one was picking up—not the children left behind, not the other officers.
Was the battle too intense? Or…
"Brrrr! Brrrr—!!"
?!
"This is Perospero! Who is this?! What's happening over there?!"
Perospero snatched the only incoming call among the many unanswered ones. At this moment, he didn't even care about Big Mom standing next to him. He was fifty years old—he had a family, a home, a wife, and children in Totto Land!
In this era of great pirates, was there any place that was truly safe?
"Perospero-nii, it's me…"
A weak voice came from the other end, and at the same time, the Den Den Mushi's face changed into a plump woman wearing a wide-brimmed black hat.
Everyone on deck instantly recognized the caller.
"Sister Mondée! What's happening?!"
"Shut up!"
As the chaotic and anxious voices filled the room, Big Mom let out a furious roar, instantly silencing everyone. Her cold gaze then landed on the transponder snail.
"Mond, report!"
Charlotte Mond—the second daughter of the Charlotte family and Big Mom's sixth child.
She was actually part of the Snake-Neck Tribe, but because of the thick fat around her neck, she just looked like a younger, rounder version of Big Mom. After coughing from her injuries, the transponder snail finally responded.
"It's the Blackbeard Pirates."
"We were attacked by them! Katakuri fought bravely with our men, but—"
"Shut up!!"
Big Mom rudely interrupted before she could finish.
"Don't make excuses for your failure. Just tell me how many people they sent and which tough ones are with them! I'll deal with them myself!"
"...Yes, Mama."
"Blackbeard Teach led the attack himself. With him are 'Rain' Shiryuu, 'Supersonic' Van Augur, 'Corrupt King' Avalo Pizarro... Everyone except 'Champion' Jesus Burgess is here. And they only brought... one ship..."
"Useless fools!!"
Big Mom cut her off again, her furious roar echoing throughout the massive pirate ship. Even the singing figurehead, which usually loved making noise, shrank back into silence.
"Just one ship, and you couldn't even hold them off?! What do I even keep you weaklings around for?!"
"...Mama... But he's one of the Four Emperors..."
*Click.*
Big Mom hung up. She had no patience for more excuses. It was clear now—Whole Cake Island wouldn't last against Blackbeard's attack. She could only hope those fools held out long enough for her to return and personally crush that bastard—
But things were worse than she thought.
"Tch, did she really just hang up on me?"
A plump woman with long, wavy blue-green hair, wearing a yellow-buttoned suit and a wide-brimmed black hat decorated with pink flowers, twirled the bloodstained transponder snail in her hand before turning around.
"Admiral, is this enough?"
Standing next to "Charlotte Mond" was a man with a thick, four-braided black beard, wearing a captain's hat marked with his pirate crew's insignia, draped in a captain's coat—Marshall D. Teach!
"Zehahaha, yeah, this'll do."
Sitting on a "chair" formed by four burly men—Charlotte Counter, Charlotte Cadenza, Charlotte Cabaletta, and Charlotte Gala—Blackbeard took a deep swig of liquor and wiped his mouth with satisfaction.
"That old hag Big Mom has been a Four Emperor for too long. Stuck in her ways, leading a crew of losers... She can't compare to the flexible tactics and powerful alliances of the Blackbeard Pirates!"
The "chair" he was sitting on was made up of four of the Charlotte family's quintuplets. Well... now they were quadruplets. The missing one—Charlotte Opera—had been killed by Big Mom herself.
Thanks to Roman, the White Dove and future Admiral candidate, air and underwater technology had advanced rapidly over the past two years. The Blackbeard Pirates took advantage of this, secretly producing a fleet of submarines to transport their forces to Whole Cake Island. Once they blocked the transponder snail signals, their ambush was unstoppable!
"As soon as she gets that call, she'll rush back with everything she's got! And we'll have a grand surprise waiting for her—
The sea doesn't need a bunch of washed-up 'Four Emperors.'
It only needs one Pirate King! Zehahahaha~~"
"No doubt about it, that person is you, Admiral."
The "Demon Sheriff" Lafitte gracefully removed his hat and bowed to Blackbeard, making the leader of the Blackbeard Grand Fleet even more pleased with himself.
"Heh, of course! Who else could be the boss? Muuuruhuhuhu~~"
With that eerie laugh, "Charlotte Mondee" suddenly vanished into a puff of smoke.
In her place stood a tall woman with a captain's hat decorated with extravagant flowers, a beautifully crafted European-style sword at her waist, and a luxurious coat draped over her shoulders—Catarina Devon.
That's right—the "Charlotte Mondee" from the call just now was actually Catarina Devon, who had transformed using her Mythical Zoan Dog-Dog Fruit, Model: Nine-Tailed Fox. Her ability didn't just change her appearance and voice—it even altered her clothes, making it far superior to Bon Clay's Clone-Clone Fruit.
"Even fate is on my side."
Blackbeard Teach stood up, his already massive three-meter frame seeming even larger, nearly reaching five meters!
When the time is right, the world moves with you.
Originally, when Burgess lost contact after being sent to Dressrosa to fight for the Flame-Flame Fruit, Teach felt some regret for his loyal helmsman. But to his surprise, Burgess was captured by the Straw Hat Crew and taken all the way to Big Mom's territory.
Then, because of conflicts over a forced marriage between one of their own and a member of the Big Mom Pirates, the Straw Hats fought fiercely against them. They managed to injure two of the Three Sweet Commanders and even blew an entire island to dust! This sent Big Mom into a furious rage, chasing the Straw Hats all the way to Wano.
Amidst the chaos, Burgess managed to escape and relay all this information to Teach. This gave Blackbeard the perfect opportunity to crush the remaining forces of the Big Mom Pirates and take Whole Cake Island for himself!
"What a shame—"
Teach turned his gaze to the other side of the battlefield.
There stood Charlotte Katakuri, his entire body bloodied and covered in enemy weapons. He was using his broken trident, Mogura, to prop himself up, refusing to fall.
Around him, several Blackbeard Pirates officers lay defeated—each of them high-bounty pirates worth over a hundred million berries. Even Avalo Pizarro, the "Corrupt King," had lost the armored gauntlets on his hands, and one of his arms was twisted at an unnatural angle.
But no matter what—Katakuri had lost.
"Katakuri, I respect you."
Teach strode toward the silent, downcast man, trying to recruit him.
"You didn't lose because you were weak. You just happened to run into me—zehahaha! Why don't you join my crew?"
"The World Government has already sent its forces to wipe out the Warlords of the Sea. Their next target is the Four Emperors of the New World!"
"The Revolutionary Army launched an attack on the Holy Land to take back Kuma, fighting against Fujitora and Green Bull!"
"Even the Straw Hat Crew is in Wano, looking to take Kaido's head..."
Teach spread his arms wide, his overwhelming presence surging like a black storm, ready to swallow the world.
"What do you think? The battle for the throne of the strongest is about to begin! Once I take Big Mom's power, I'll be the true ruler of the seas! Submit to me—"
Now!
Just as Teach was basking in his own victory, the battered and seemingly spent Katakuri suddenly opened his eyes, filled with unyielding determination!
He let go of his broken trident, Mogura, bringing his fingers together like a blade and thrusting forward with all his might!
"Die!!"
This was a desperate, all-or-nothing strike—Katakuri pouring every last bit of strength into one attack, ready to sacrifice everything for a sliver of hope.
His resolve was so powerful that even his Conqueror's Haki wrapped around his fingers, crackling with energy!
Splurt—
Before the Blackbeard Pirates could react, Katakuri's hand-blade had already pierced through the darkness shrouding Teach's body!
Blackbeard's massive frame jolted backward, and the sickening sound of flesh being torn apart echoed through the battlefield, shocking everyone around them.
How could he still be this strong?
If that had been them facing this attack, they would be dead…
"Admiral!"
"Captain Teach?!"
"This… this can't be—"
Shing—
A drawn katana blocked the path of the stunned officers, preventing them from rushing forward—whether they were genuinely worried about Teach or just hoping to land a finishing blow.
"Calm down."
Shiryuu, puffing out a ring of smoke from his cigar, spoke coldly.
"Teach isn't the kind of man who would die here."
?!
"So… that's your answer?"
As the dark mist of Teach's Devil Fruit dispersed, the officers finally saw what had happened—just before Katakuri's strike landed, Teach had clenched his fingers and caught Katakuri's hand in his grasp.
Everyone let out a collective sigh of relief.
Though whether it was from reassurance or disappointment, no one could say.
"You killed so many of my siblings… how could I ever let you go?"
"What a foolish decision."
As Katakuri remained frozen in his attack stance, Teach simply flicked his captain's coat with a smirk, turning away.
In that same motion, he subtly covered the wound on his chest.
"When we take down BIG MOM, a lot of people will finally 'see' the truth!"
If they conquered Whole Cake Island, absorbed the BIG MOM Pirates, and gained the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit, the Blackbeard Pirates would undoubtedly become the strongest force in the New World. As for Wano Country's secret treasure, they could let the Straw Hat Crew have it for now. After all, with the Dark-Dark Fruit—
Blackbeard raised his hand, and the darkness swirling above it seemed to swallow everything in its path, just like his ambitions.
With this power, even without the secret treasure, he had a chance to challenge 'that man.'
The Celestial Dragons' 800-year reign was about to come crashing down!
"Zehahaha! We humans don't need gods!" Teach spread his arms wide and declared loudly, "Because human dreams will never end!!"
And with gods in the way, how could dreams be limitless?
(End of Chapter)
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