"Hmph! I'm Tornado — don't lump me together with that woman!"
Tatsumaki snorted unhappily, clearly displeased that Katakuri had just referred to her and Esdeath in the same breath.
"Are you companions of Lady Esdeath and Lady Tornado?"
Katakuri pretended not to hear Tatsumaki's declaration and turned to look at Fubuki and the others.
The conflict between two top-tier fighters was far above his pay grade — a Senior Combatant like him had no right to get involved.
Just like when Kaido and Charlotte Linlin clashed, any pirates from the Beasts or Big Mom crews with a bit of sense would run as far as possible. Only the newly joined idiots would fail to notice the danger and get caught in the crossfire between two Emperors of the Sea — a truly miserable fate.
"She's my sister, Fubuki! Don't you dare involve her in anything dangerous!"
As soon as Katakuri's gaze shifted toward Fubuki, Tatsumaki's protective instincts kicked in immediately.
Compared to Tatsumaki — whose power had skyrocketed after eating a Devil Fruit — Fubuki's strength hadn't improved much since joining the Dimensional Chat Group.
At most, she had gained new combat methods by learning to refine chakra. Within A-Class heroes, she ranked among the top few, but against the monsters of the pirate world, she was clearly outclassed.
"So this is Lady Fubuki. Since she's Lady Tornado's sister, how about we grant her the same privileges as a Senior Combatant for now?"
Far from being offended by Tatsumaki's protectiveness, Katakuri readily went along with it, immediately raising Fubuki's treatment to match his own.
"That's more like it…"
Tatsumaki didn't know much about the Dark Matter Pirates' rank structure, but she doubted this mochi-wielding guy had the guts to trick her sister.
The remaining newcomers — Xiao Yan, Xiao Mei, and Lu — weren't so lucky. After confirming they weren't closely related to either Esdeath or Tatsumaki, Katakuri felt a bit of relief. At least there weren't too many big shots to handle delicately this time.
Still, out of respect for Esdeath and Tatsumaki, Katakuri temporarily granted Xiao Yan and the others Intermediate Combatant status — already a massive privilege. Even Cracker, one of the Sweet Commanders like himself, hadn't yet been promoted to Senior Combatant.
Katakuri had even been planning to allocate some ships and pirates to Esdeath and Tatsumaki as their personal subordinates.
But both women flatly refused. Neither Esdeath nor Tatsumaki had the slightest interest in being pirate captains.
Instead, Lu volunteered to take a ship and become its captain, while Xiao Mei seemed tempted — only for her cousin Xiao Yan to talk her out of it.
After all, Lu had enough power to protect himself. As an Initial Battle General with a Devil Fruit ability, his transformation form could even challenge a standard Vice Admiral.
Xiao Mei, however, wasn't even a full-fledged Fighter yet. If she got into trouble, she'd have to rely on the chat group for rescue — not worth the risk.
Of the group who'd come to the pirate world through the chat group, Tatsumaki and Fubuki were here to meet Kizaru, while Esdeath had come purely to seek strong opponents.
Xiao Yan was looking for a way to grow stronger. Lu and Xiao Mei, on the other hand, were just here for fun.
Katakuri had only just finished arranging accommodations for the two newly arrived top-tier combatants and their companions when Kaido and his mother, Charlotte Linlin, stormed in furiously.
"Oi, mochi brat! Where are those two new top combatants?!"
Kaido's voice thundered like a cannon. He had once appreciated Katakuri's "filial" nature — especially compared to his own daughter, Yamato.
But after one incident where Kaido tried to stir trouble and Katakuri reported him, resulting in a brutal beating from Boros…
Now Kaido showed zero courtesy toward him. Even his nickname had devolved into "mochi brat," perfectly showcasing his grudge-holding nature.
"Mamamama! Two new recruits and you didn't even tell me? Found yourself some new bosses and forgot about your dear mama, huh? How heartless of you, Katakuri!"
Charlotte Linlin opened her huge, gaping mouth and complained in a mockingly affectionate tone.
However, anyone who caught a glimpse of the hatred and killing intent in Linlin's eyes would never believe she felt even a shred of warmth toward Katakuri.
Faced with his mother's suffocating malice and barely concealed killing intent, Katakuri's expression remained calm as ever.
Long ago, when he chose to "betray" his mother in order to protect his younger siblings, he had already accepted that she would hate him—and want him dead.
Besides, no matter how much she wanted to kill him, as long as Captain Boros was aboard the ship, Katakuri would be in no danger.
"My apologies… Mother," Katakuri said softly.
He didn't try to explain himself and even stopped his siblings from speaking up in his defense.
If their mother's hatred had to fall on someone, he was more than willing to shoulder it alone. For reasons he didn't quite understand, Captain Boros seemed to view him differently than the others.
If it were any of his brothers or sisters instead, and their mother suddenly lashed out in one of her rages, Boros might not necessarily intervene in time.
Perhaps the captain wanted to deepen the rift between him and his mother—or perhaps there was something within him, something he didn't even know about, that made Boros value him more.
Either way, it didn't matter. Katakuri's only wish was to protect his younger siblings.
"Well, well… Katakuri, you really are Mother's good son!"
Seeing that Katakuri's expression hadn't changed at all under her oppressive aura, the faint flicker of pride that had just appeared in Linlin's eyes was immediately snuffed out—replaced by blazing anger.
And right then, Kaido let out a loud, mocking laugh. To Linlin's ears, that grating sound was drenched in schadenfreude.
If it hadn't been for their fierce battle not long ago—if her arm weren't still throbbing from his Thunder Bagua—Big Mom would have already exploded in fury.
She was one of the Emperors of the Sea!
Since when had her own son dared to treat her like this—like she was nothing?!
"Shut up already! What's with all this noise?!"
Just as Linlin seethed in silent rage, torn between her pride and the inability to strike her son, Esdeath emerged from her cabin wearing a new outfit, her face clearly irritated.
So many people gathered near her quarters, shouting and bickering—did they think she didn't exist?
"Linlin?!"
Kaido nearly dropped his sake jug in shock. In his drunken haze, the moment he saw Esdeath, he instinctively thought of a memory from decades ago—when he was still a brat, meeting the then-gorgeous Charlotte Linlin for the first time.
But he quickly shook his head hard. The resemblance was there in her outfit, sure—but this woman's face was completely different. In fact, she looked more like Black Maria than the old hag ever had.
Still… that proud, imperious aura of hers—it was exactly like Linlin in her youth.
"What stupid nonsense are you spouting, Kaido?! When I was young, I was way prettier than that little girl! How dare you mix us up?!"
Charlotte Linlin jabbed a thick finger toward Esdeath, clearly offended.
The nearby pirates struggled to hold in their laughter; if not for Big Mom's suffocating presence, they'd have burst out already.
Kaido, meanwhile, squinted at Esdeath again, comparing her face to the Big Mom of his memories—then gave a satisfied nod.
"I still think this woman's prettier…" he muttered.
Kaido scratched his head. Even though the old hag in his memory was already the "beautified" version, there was still an obvious gap when compared to Esdeath's stunningly beautiful face.
In Kaido's impression, the only woman who could match this one in terms of beauty was the so-called most beautiful woman in the world—Boa Hancock.
However, unlike the Pirate Empress, Esdeath didn't have the same unnatural charm granted by the Love-Love Fruit, so she lacked that unreasonable allure.
"What are you two even here for? If you're here to argue, get lost. If you're here to fight, I'll gladly oblige!"
Esdeath interrupted Kaido impatiently. From the two hulking figures before her, she could feel an overwhelming sense of pressure.
The fight with Tatsumaki earlier clearly hadn't satisfied her, and now, facing Kaido and Charlotte Linlin, Esdeath's battle lust was burning again.
Kizaru's world was simply too perfect for Esdeath. Not only were there countless strong opponents, but fights broke out every other day—it was paradise for someone like her.
If Kizaru hadn't disagreed, Esdeath would have long since abandoned her original world to stay here permanently. She had no sentimental attachment to her empire anyway, and even her Three Beasts were nothing more than subordinates.
At worst, she could just ask Kizaru for a few Zoan-type Devil Fruits and bring her Three Beasts and the other Imperial Arms users over here too.
"Ahahahahahaha! What an arrogant little—stupid woman! You've got a death wish?!"
Kaido burst into laughter again, but in the next instant, Esdeath's figure vanished from sight.
Sensing danger, Kaido instinctively tilted his head, and a sharp sting ran across his cheek—Esdeath's saber had cut a neat line across his face.
The slash was so fast that even Kaido almost failed to react. If her blade had aimed for his neck instead of his cheek, even his awakened Zoan body might have taken serious damage.
Before Kaido could even start cursing, he suddenly felt something fall from his face. Looking down, he realized—it was one of his prized whiskers.
The two long, ribbon-like beards that used to hang down to his stomach… now only one remained.
"Mamamamama! That's hilarious! Since when did you quit being a pirate to become a clown, Kaido?"
Charlotte Linlin roared with laughter, showing no mercy. This bastard had always taken joy in her misfortune—finally, it was her turn to laugh!
"ROAR!!"
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