"Mama—"
No one expected Charlotte Linlin to agree so readily. Among the members of the Charlotte Family, someone shouted suddenly.
Following the voice, a tall, slender middle-aged man with a sharp face, heavy makeup, and an unnaturally long tongue stepped out from the crowd, his expression grave. "Engaging in a war with the Marines at this time is far from ideal!"
"The sinking of the Mammoth clearly shows that Fleet Admiral Xayuki's purpose, from broadcasting the execution of Hana Zha to his current patrol of the East Blue, is to lure us out. We must plan carefully."
Charlotte Perospero!
The eldest son of the Charlotte Family, the Candy Minister of Totto Land, and a core strategist of the Big Mom Pirates, Perospero is a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user with the Lick-Lick Fruit (Pero Pero no Mi). His bounty is 700 million Belly.
"Perospero!"
Charlotte Linlin glared at him sharply, her voice cold and commanding. "It's precisely because this Fleet Admiral is so aggressive that we must join forces with Kaido now! Surely I don't need to explain the saying, 'When the nest is overturned, no eggs remain intact'?"
"This matter is settled. No further discussion!"
With that, Charlotte Linlin turned her piercing gaze toward Kaido. "Tell me your plan!"
Hearing this, Kaido immediately snapped out of his earlier emotional state, his eyes blazing with determination. "I'll personally take down Sakazuki. All you need to do is lead the Big Mom Pirates to meet me at Fish-Man Island. From there, we'll march together on Marine Headquarters!"
Charlotte Linlin frowned slightly. "Fish-Man Island is Whitebeard's territory. How do you plan to negotiate with him?"
"No need to negotiate!"
Kaido waved his massive hand dismissively. "If he dares to stand in my way, it'll be seen as a declaration of war! This world is rotten to the core—destroying it would be for the best!"
Having received Charlotte Linlin's agreement, Kaido wasted no time and immediately left Whole Cake Island.
As Kaido departed, the castle hall once again fell into silence.
All eyes turned to Charlotte Linlin. Some were inexplicably excited at the prospect of war with the Marines, but most wore expressions of worry.
Yes, they were a pirate family. But ever since the establishment of Totto Land, they had spent years managing their respective islands, living relatively stable lives. Though there had been skirmishes with the Marines over the years, both sides seemed to have an unspoken agreement. Neither had pushed the other to the brink, deterred by each other's immense strength.
Especially among the younger members of the family, many of whom had never experienced war or even left Totto Land, the sudden prospect of conflict threatened to shatter their peaceful existence.
Charlotte Linlin remained silent, seated quietly as if lost in thought. Her brows furrowed deeper and deeper.
As one of the Four Emperors of the Sea, she was acutely aware of the current situation. Admiral Sakazuki's high-profile entry into the New World, ostensibly to take over Dressrosa, was clearly a prelude to war.
A single kingdom like Dressrosa wasn't enough to warrant the deployment of an Admiral.
In the past, Linlin wouldn't have paid attention to Kaido's schemes.
The reason was simple: previous Fleet Admirals of the Marines had maintained a balance, ensuring the status quo. Whether it was deploying Admirals or Vice Admirals to the New World, they avoided escalating conflicts to the point of no return.
First, the Marines didn't have absolute confidence in taking down the Four Emperors, even one at a time. A full-scale conflict would trigger widespread chaos and larger wars.
Second, the Four Emperors' presence in the New World served as a stabilizing force, deterring countless pirates from entering the region. This saved the Marines and the World Government significant effort. The worst-case scenario was the Four Emperors expanding their territories, which was a tolerable outcome.
This unspoken understanding had allowed the Four Emperors to coexist in the New World, maintaining a delicate balance.
But now, this balance was being disrupted. The arrival of the young Fleet Admiral Xayuki threatened to upend the established order entirely.
After several minutes of silence, Charlotte Linlin suddenly burst into laughter. "Mamamama! What an aggressive little brat. He's barely taken control of the Marines, and he's already so eager to take us down."
"In that case, let's see just how determined you are, mamamama~!"
Before her laughter had fully subsided, Linlin's aura surged, the overwhelming authority of a sea emperor radiating throughout the hall. Her sharp gaze swept across her children.
"Katakuri, Smoothie, Cracker, Snack!"
As Linlin called their names, the four stepped forward in unison.
"Prepare for full-scale war. We're heading to Fish-Man Island!"
"Yes, Mama!"
Outside the castle, Katakuri set aside all distractions and methodically issued orders.
Under his command, members of the Big Mom Pirates began converging on Whole Cake Island from their respective islands.
Meanwhile, thousands of pirates already stationed on Whole Cake Island worked tirelessly to prepare for battle.
Due to Charlotte Linlin's status and influence as one of the Four Emperors, the Big Mom Pirates hadn't mobilized on such a large scale in years. Most expeditions were led by core family members, with only two or three ships at most.
But now, they were preparing to march on the Grand Line's Paradise, facing the largest military force in the world. Dispatching just a few ships was out of the question.
Most importantly, Linlin had ordered full-scale war preparations.
This meant that the Big Mom Pirates' allied forces had to join the operation.
As a result, they needed more ships. Many long-dormant vessels in the docks were being brought out and readied for deployment. The Big Mom Pirates' allied forces alone could muster at least 50,000 to 60,000 combatants.
By evening, dozens of warships were already assembled at the port, fully equipped and ready to sail. Meanwhile, more allied forces continued to arrive.
At the port, Smoothie stood beside Katakuri, watching as pirates loaded strategic supplies onto the ships. Her gaze shifted upward to the countless pirate flags fluttering in the wind, a silent testament to the Big Mom Pirates' power and status.
"Katakuri-nii," a familiar voice called out, drawing their attention.
They turned to see Galette, dressed in a red skirt and high heels, approaching them. She stopped beside them, her eyes fixed on the pirate flags above the port. Her expression was serious.
"I don't know why," Galette said, "but I have a feeling that neither we nor the Beasts Pirates will make it to Fish-Man Island."
She turned to look at Katakuri and Smoothie, emphasizing, "It's just a woman's intuition—no reason behind it."
"Brurururu~"
Before Katakuri or Smoothie could respond, the Den Den Mushi in Katakuri's pocket suddenly rang.
A voice filled with urgency came through as soon as he answered.
"Katakuri-nii, it's me—Lola!"
Hearing the voice, Katakuri, Smoothie, and Galette were all momentarily taken aback.
Charlotte Lola, the 26th daughter of the Charlotte Family, had once been the Chocolate Minister of Cacao Island. A year ago, she fled Totto Land to escape an arranged marriage with Prince Loki of Elbaf. Since then, she had formed her own pirate crew and ventured into the Grand Line's Paradise.
"Lola?"
After a brief moment of surprise, Katakuri quickly asked, "Where are you? Why are you contacting me now?"
"Katakuri-nii, I have critical information to report!" Lola's voice was filled with urgency. "About ten minutes ago, I spotted a fleet led by Admiral Kuzan through my telescope. Based on their direction and route, I believe they're heading for Totto Land!"
Katakuri's expression darkened instantly. He turned to Galette, his mind racing.
Not only will they stop us from reaching Fish-Man Island—they're planning to bring the battle to Whole Cake Island itself!
Smoothie's brow furrowed deeply. "How is this possible? Are the Marines targeting us from the beginning? This... this can't be!"
"The Marines aren't targeting us," Galette interjected. "They know that Kaido has been to Whole Cake Island!"
Smoothie looked up at the port, her voice grave. "Have we been under surveillance? Or is there a Marine spy on Whole Cake Island?"
Katakuri had no time for analysis. He spoke urgently into the Den Den Mushi: "Lola, take care of yourself. Don't get caught by the Marines."
"Being captured now would mean certain death!"
"And don't worry about home. I'll handle everything!"
To Be Continued...
Three updates today. More coming tomorrow! Thank you for your support!
~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~
Explore More Amazing Fanfiction on My Patreon!
Unlock 30+ Advance Chapters and Enjoy Exclusive Stories Early!
��patreon.com/GoldenLong