Translator: PapaSmurf0700
In the New World, on the shores of Whole Cake Island, a strange, lilting laugh echoed through the air.
"Mamamamama~"
"You seem very happy, Mother."
The speaker was a young woman with vibrant orange hair tied in twin tails. She had a pretty face and an enviable figure, but the third eye on her forehead was undeniably unsettling. This was Charlotte Pudding, a member of the Big Mom Pirates. And the "Mother" she addressed was, of course, one of the five Emperors who now ruled the New World: "Big Mom" Charlotte Linlin.
"Mamamama~" another peel of laughter rolled out. "I'm so looking forward to the sweets from Fish-Man Island! Just thinking about those delicious desserts makes my stomach acid churn!"
As she spoke, the entire island seemed to tremble. A colossal figure emerged from the shadows. Standing at a monstrous 8.8 meters, Big Mom was the tallest known human in the world. She had long, curly pink hair, blood-red lipstick, and light purple eyeshadow. A pirate hat sat jauntily on her head, and she wore a frilly pink dress. But no amount of girlish attire could hide her ferocious, almost demonic appearance.
At that moment, Big Mom was drooling as she gazed at a group of trembling figures before her—living pastries and confections. "Are you looking forward to it, too?" she asked with a terrifying grin. "Of course you are! You're the best in the world!"
She suddenly shot her hands out and snatched them up.
"Then you can wait for me… in my belly!"
Screams of terror ripped across Whole Cake Island. "No! Please! Mama!!!"
As the gruesome chewing sounds began, Charlotte Pudding sighed, long accustomed to such scenes. Just then, another group approached. The one in the lead was a short, rotund man wearing a white mask that covered only the top third of his face. It was "Thousand Arms" Cracker, one of Big Mom's Sweet Commanders, accompanied by Bobbin, one of her enforcers.
"Boyoyo~ I have returned," Bobbin announced.
"Oh? What happened, Bobbin?" Pudding asked.
"I taught that country a lesson," he said casually. "Burned the whole place to the ground."
"That place made delicious baked sweets," Big Mom grumbled between bites.
"What a shame," Bobbin replied, his tone nonchalant. "It's their own fault for failing to deliver the tribute they promised." In his mind, destroying a country was a trivial matter. Then, seeming to remember something, he leaned closer to Pudding and whispered, "Speaking of which, I heard Fish-Man Island might not be able to deliver their sweets this month either. But that island is under the protection of the Spark Alliance now. Baron Tamago and his men couldn't do anything…"
"WHAAAAAT?!"
A colossal shadow fell over Bobbin. He looked up into the bloodshot eyes of his mother. "Ma-Ma-Mama!!!" he stammered, scrambling to explain. "Pekoms just sent a message! The sweets from Fish-Man Island… they aren't coming!"
Big Mom's enraged roar shook the sky. "Get me Pekoms on the Den Den Mushi! NOW!"
On the other end of the line, in Ryugu Palace, Pekoms was so startled his sunglasses nearly fell off. "H-hello? Ma-Ma-Mama?" he stammered into the receiver.
"Pekoms!" Big Mom's voice boomed. "Tell me what's going on! Where are my sweets?!"
"Ma-Mama… because… because Fish-Man Island had a riot a few days ago! Their candy factory was destroyed! They can't produce any sweets right now!"
"None at all?" Big Mom's voice grew deeper, more dangerous. "There should have been ten tons."
"Lady Charlotte Linlin." At that moment, the Minister of the Left from Ryugu Palace mustered his courage and stepped up to the Den Den Mushi. "I am the Minister of the Left of Fish-Man Island. This issue with the desserts is indeed our fault. However, due to the unrest, we have nothing to send. If you are willing to postpone, we will prioritize your tribute. If not, we are prepared to pay the penalty as agreed upon."
The Minister's words were respectful but firm. Big Mom, however, didn't care. "Penalty? Can I eat a penalty?! I want my sweets!"
Perhaps it was fate. Perhaps it was the will of the world itself. Just as the Minister was about to say more, the doors to the hall burst open. Monkey D. Luffy strode in, shouting nonchalantly, "Hey, Uncle Catfish! Those desserts from before were amazing! Got any more?"
The Minister of the Left: …
Pekoms: …
Baron Tamago: …
Pudding: …
Big Mom: !!!
"What… did I just hear?" Big Mom's voice crackled through the Den Den Mushi, so filled with menace that Pekoms almost dropped it. "Did I hear someone talking about… DESSERTS?!"
"Um, Lady Charlotte Linlin, I can explain!" the Minister said, frantically gesturing for Luffy to be quiet. Pudding, on her end, also tried to get Luffy to stop, desperate to de-escalate the situation.
But Luffy, hearing talk of snacks, strode right up to the Den Den Mushi. "That's right! The desserts on Fish-Man Island are the best! I just ate a whole bunch of them!" He tilted his head, a wide grin on his face. "By the way, who are you, old lady? You want some of their sweets too?"
"Mr. Luffy!!!" The Minister of the Left wished the floor would swallow him whole.
"Who gave you permission to speak to Mama like that, you bastard!" Pekoms roared. "This is one of the Five Emperors of the Sea, BIG MOM!" With that, he raised his leg to deliver a punishing kick. "Don't you believe the papers when they say you're qualified to challenge an Emperor, Straw Hat Luffy!"
Luffy dodged the kick with ease, frowning. "Did I say something wrong?" He then looked at Pekoms with delayed recognition. "Hey, you're a talking lion! That's cool. We've got something like that too."
"You!" As Pekoms was about to explode, a voice came from the other end of the line.
"You're Straw Hat? Monkey D. Garp's grandson," Big Mom's voice rumbled. "Now I remember. You're the brat who turned the world upside down a few months ago."
"That's me!" Luffy nodded proudly. "That guy with the weird eyes said you're one of the Five Emperors, right? Well, let me tell you something! I'm the man who's going to be King of the Pirates!"
"Mamamamama!!!"
Even through the Den Den Mushi, the sound of her laughter was a physical force, a terrifying echo that made the entire hall tremble.
"Such big words from such a little fool."
"Just who do you think you're talking to?!"