"Wilhelm, big brother Katakuri..."
Smoothie stood by the door, waiting.
Thanks to her wide-ranging Observation Haki, she had already overheard the conversation between Wilhelm and Katakuri. With a hint of excitement, she said, "Looks like it worked!"
"It's all thanks to Wilhelm."
Katakuri nodded with a smile. Then, without warning, he vanished.
In an instant, he reappeared silently behind Smoothie—almost like teleportation.
"You've already gotten used to it? As expected, this fruit really suits you, big brother Katakuri..." Wilhelm raised an eyebrow and smiled.
Katakuri, who had once awakened the Special Paramecia Mochi Mochi no Mi and could shape his body at will, instinctively used the "elementalization" of the Logia Air-Air Fruit.
Unlike other Devil Fruit users who struggle to adapt to their new abilities, Katakuri handled it effortlessly—something even some seasoned fighters couldn't do early on.
"As expected of big brother Katakuri! That's amazing!"
Smoothie, relying on her Future Sight, turned around but couldn't react in time. She couldn't help but admire him sincerely.
Even though she possessed the Logia Goro Goro no Mi and had excellent reflexes, she was still only sixteen. The difference in strength between them was too vast.
If Katakuri fully mastered the Air-Air Fruit, he could easily overpower her in a real fight.
Then—
With a natural instinct, he raised his right arm and turned it into air.
His hand slowly drifted like smoke.
But with just a thought, he instantly reformed it back into a solid state.
"Whoosh!"
Katakuri's eyes sharpened.
He flicked his finger.
"Boom—!"
A deafening sound tore through the air.
A barely visible shockwave, no larger than a fingernail, shot forward at incredible speed—too fast for anyone to react.
The thick, solid wall in front of them was effortlessly sliced through by the razor-thin air blade.
"Hey, big brother Katakuri, I get that you just got a powerful ability and can't wait to test it out, but don't go overboard..."
Smoothie was amazed but rolled her eyes helplessly. "If you're not careful, you might end up tearing down my whole place!"
"Sorry, Smoothie. I got a little too excited..."
Katakuri realized his mistake and sincerely apologized.
Watching Katakuri's performance, Wilhelm commented, "Since you've already mastered the Mochi Mochi no Mi, even though you just got the Air-Air Fruit, controlling it doesn't seem too difficult for you."
"Yeah. The Mochi Mochi no Mi is a Special Paramecia, so it already had some Logia-like properties."
Katakuri nodded, feeling the new power flowing through him.
"As long as I get a little familiar with it, I can use it just like before..."
A satisfied smile appeared on his face. "I have to say, the Air-Air Fruit is truly an incredible ability!"
There was no doubt—he had made the right choice.
A top-tier Logia ability like the Air-Air Fruit was far superior to the Paramecia Mochi Mochi no Mi.
Even in its awakened state, the Mochi Mochi no Mi couldn't compare.
Katakuri was completely confident.
If he had a few days, with his experience as an awakened Paramecia user, he could fully master the Logia ability and reach the "Air Realm."
At that point, his combat power would definitely surpass what he had before with the Mochi Mochi no Mi.
This was the natural advantage of Devil Fruits.
The idea that "there are no weak fruits, only weak users" was something only unlucky fighters told themselves when they failed to get a strong ability.
Take a basic Zoan Fruit and compare it to the Logia Pika Pika no Mi.
If the same person trained for the same amount of time with both, the difference in strength would be obvious.
The three of them soon arrived at the main hall and took their seats.
Wilhelm, sitting comfortably on the sofa with his legs crossed, turned to Katakuri and said, "Even if the Marines have already assembled their expedition fleet, it'll take a few days for them to reach Totto Land. There's no need to rush..."
"In the next few days, big brother Katakuri, take some time to get used to the Air-Air Fruit. I might need you to cooperate with my plan."
"Oh?"
"What plan?"
Smoothie, Katakuri, and the others looked at Wilhelm in surprise.
"Since the Marines are going all out to send a large fleet deep into the New World..." Wilhelm sneered, lacing his fingers together. "Naturally, we, the Big Mom Pirates, must give them a proper welcome."
A cold glint flashed in his sharp eyes, filled with murderous intent.
With two unpredictable space-related Devil Fruits—the Warp-Warp Fruit and the Door-Door Fruit—if they timed it right and worked together, even the strongest opponents could be caught off guard. Wilhelm could trap them alive in another dimension.
If they couldn't take advantage of the Marines' unpreparedness to eliminate at least one or two of their top fighters...
Then the storm he had deliberately stirred up would be wasted.
"You don't seem worried at all..."
Katakuri's expression was serious as he spoke in a deep voice.
"According to our intel, the Marines are sending an Admiral—one of the strongest forces in the Navy.
And there's a chance that even the legendary Marine hero, 'Iron Fist' Garp, the man who once pushed the Pirate King Roger to the brink, might join the operation!"
They were pirates.
If necessary, abandoning their base wasn't out of the question.
But Totto Land was different.
Charlotte Linlin had controlled these waters since the Rocks era, back when she was one of the top officers of the Rocks Pirates.
After Rocks D. Xebec's downfall and the crew's disbandment, she had founded the Big Mom Pirates, claiming Totto Land as her own and ruling it for nearly thirty years.
This wasn't something they could just walk away from.
The Marines weren't just putting on a show to impress the World Government this time.
They might truly be aiming to wipe out the Big Mom Pirates in one decisive move.
If they succeeded, they could take control of Totto Land, establish a new Marine base in the New World, and station a large force there.
Using this as a foothold, the Marines could push back into the New World, reasserting their dominance over the so-called "Pirate Paradise" and sending a clear warning to those ambitious enough to challenge their rule.
The era of great pirates was no longer just contained to the entrance of the New World's first half.
"Don't worry," Wilhelm said calmly.
"The Marines have ruled the seas for centuries, and their foundation runs deep. Their power is undeniable... but that doesn't mean we can't make them bleed."
His sharp gaze was filled with confidence and intelligence.
"No matter how careful the World Government and Marines are, they'll never go all-in with their forces."
"With my abilities, combined with the strength of the Sweet Commanders and our top fighters, if we plan things right, the Marines won't even have time to react."
"If we strike at the right moment, taking out one or two of their strongest fighters isn't impossible."
"And at worst?" Wilhelm smirked.
"I can force them into a corner—make them retreat in desperation."