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Perospero! Katakuri! Amande!
The three siblings stared at their eldest brother.
"Sigh..."
They all sighed at the same time.
Joey, on the other hand, raised an eyebrow and said, "Hey, hey! You three little brats, I can't just ignore that! Looks like you think you don't have enough work, huh? How about I let you handle my workload tomorrow?"
"No, no!"
"Big Bro! I was wrong!"
"I'm sorry!"
The moment they heard that, the three of them looked like they were about to cry, quickly lowering their heads in submission.
What? Take additional workload?
Haha… no thanks.
They quite liked being alive, thank you very much.
Joking aside, even though they seemed busy all the time, everyone knew the truth.
Joey's workload was on a whole different level. And yet, somehow, he got everything done in just three hours a day.
That kind of efficiency? Impossible to copy.
So, they all shook their heads in silent agreement.
Joey smirked. "Still think you're overworked, you little punks? Keep working hard! But, you do have a point—one person shouldn't have to carry everything. Fine, you guys pick someone and start training them up."
"Hmm—"
As he spoke, he started considering something else, murmuring, "Maybe I should also start training someone to take over my work."
The three siblings froze, looking at him in shock but stayed silent.
"Right, so what's up?" Joey asked, curious. "You three came to find me together—what's going on?"
To be honest, with the Charlotte Family growing so much, his younger siblings rarely sought him out together.
Though, with the Whole Cake Island territory and the mirror portals, meeting up was always easy.
Everyone had their own jobs to do.
The Charlotte Family was split into several categories:
First, there were the leaders—only four people held this role: Joey, Perospero, Katakuri, and Amande.
Second, the Devil Fruit users, like Daifuku, Oven, and Cracker, who specialized in handling logistics and the hard missions.
Third, the ministers—those who had eaten Paramecia-type food-based Devil Fruits and managed different territories.
Fourth, individuals like Brûlée, whose powers weren't combat-oriented, so they usually assisted their stronger siblings.
And finally, there were the kids—like Compo, Laurin, and Mont-d'Or—who were still growing up and constantly causing trouble.
Even though they were troublemakers, Joey loved them all the same.
So, for three of them to show up together was definitely unusual.
At Joey's question, Amande rubbed her temples and said, "Big Bro, Big Sis sent word—according to the goblins' research progress, they should be done in about six months. She should be back before the New Year."
Joey nodded. "Sounds about right. Still, those goblins are crazy talented. In such a short time, they actually managed to develop a moving sky island."
Amande shrugged. "Not exactly. Big Sis found a Vinsmoke base. The goblins ended up dismantling the entire Vinsmoke technology base. After that, they figured out how it worked and modified it with magic. That's how they got it done so fast."
Joey blinked.
That... sounded weird on so many levels. Honestly, the whole thing felt incredibly bizarre.
But whatever. As long as it worked, who cared?
Shaking his head, Joey said, "It's fine, not a big deal. Now, what about you two troublemakers?"
Perospero spoke seriously. "Big Bro, there's news spreading across the Grand Line—word of the Suna Suna no Mi (Sand-Sand Fruit)!"
Joey waved it off casually. "Oh, that's not really—wait, what?"
Suddenly, his eyes sharpened.
His entire demeanor changed as he locked eyes with Perospero.
"Yeah," Katakuri confirmed. "Big Bro, it's the Sand-Sand Fruit—Logia-type. Over the past two days, the news has exploded. The whole sea is talking about it."
"And the location? It's in the New World, not far from Totto Land."
Silence fell over the room.
Then, Joey chuckled. "Well, isn't that interesting? The Suna Suna no Mi… If there's one Devil Fruit our Charlotte Family truly wants right now, it's that one."
Without a doubt.
Cabaletta's Devil Fruit—Cat-Cat Fruit, Mythical Zoan, Sphinx Form—was powerful. But unlike other Mythical Zoans like the Azure Dragon or the Phoenix, it lacked a unique supernatural trait.
Its main ability was controlling sand. Which would be fine—except he had no sand to control.
This Devil Fruit couldn't create elements from nothing, only manipulate what already existed.
And that was a massive problem. Anyone with half a brain would understand how annoying that was.
Perospero nodded. "Big Bro, we've been looking for the Suna Suna no Mi for years to boost Cabaletta's power. But this timing—it's way too suspicious."
Amande, though not an expert in intelligence gathering, quickly caught on. "Big Bro, if we analyze the situation, the only ones who would do something like this are the World Government."
Katakuri agreed. "A Logia-type Devil Fruit appearing so suddenly? It has to be the World Government pulling the strings."
Everyone fell deep into thought.
"Heh…" Joey chuckled softly. "Those old men from the Five Elders sure are crafty. They've calculated everything. This is going to be both dangerous and troublesome. But we have to get the Suna Suna no Mi."
Perospero hesitated. "Big Bro, what do you mean?"
Joey smiled. "Think about it—who's going to be drawn to the Suna Suna no Mi the most?"
"Hmm?" Perospero barely thought before answering, "Obviously pirates—Wait. Pirates?!"
At that moment, everyone's eyes sharpened.
That's right. The people this news would attract? Mostly pirates.
The World Government wouldn't openly act against the Charlotte Family.
But pirates? They didn't care about rules. If they wanted something, they'd fight for it.
A Logia-type Devil Fruit was a huge deal. There was no doubt—this would turn into a bloodbath.
If the whole family gets involved, then who knows what kind of forces might try to intervene from the shadows.
That would be a real headache.
"Ugh—"
Everyone massaged their temples, feeling the pressure of the situation.
This was turning into a serious problem.
Joey looked at his three younger siblings, his voice calm but firm. "So? Have you figured out a plan yet?"
Amande sighed in frustration. "Big Bro! There's no way we can just give up on the Suna Suna no Mi, but getting our hands on it is going to be a real challenge."
"Yeah!" Perospero added, equally exasperated. "This whole situation is a massive headache."
"Heh—" Joey chuckled, shaking his head. "You guys are overcomplicating things. Totto Land has never been an easy place to invade. Have you forgotten what we have within our territory? And all the preparations we've made? You really think just anyone can waltz in?"
He looked at them meaningfully before adding, "Besides—" He paused, letting the suspense build. "There's only one sea route into Totto Land, and it's not that wide."
"Have you already forgotten what Daifuku's ability can do?"
Hearing this gentle reminder from their big brother, the three siblings immediately snapped to attention.
Of course! They had been thinking too much about external threats and overlooked their own defenses.
Or rather, they hadn't considered everything carefully enough.
A lot of things were obvious once pointed out, but in their haste, they had completely missed them.
"Heh—"
Joey chuckled again. "Now you get it, don't you? Don't just focus on the surface of a problem. Once you see the bigger picture, it all makes sense. So? Do you understand how to handle this now?"
Katakuri's eyes gleamed with determination. "Big Bro! Don't worry, I know exactly what to do now. This time, you won't need to lift a finger. I'll make sure everyone understands just how powerful the Charlotte Family really is."
"Not quite!" Joey shook his head. "I won't need to fight, but I do need to show up in person. Sometimes, just having me there is more effective."
The three siblings exchanged glances before nodding in understanding.
They knew exactly what they had to do next. Soon, they left to carry out their mission.
After they were gone, Joey stood up and turned toward a new presence in the room.
"Master! You've arrived!"
The visitor was an old man—his mentor, a wise teacher he deeply respected. Joey always sought wise people to learn from, and this old man was one of them.
Knowledge was power after all.
At any time, in any place, knowledge remained the most valuable resource.
"Heh—"
"Joey, your preparations seem thorough, but you've left a major flaw in your plans. You haven't accounted for the most unique path into Totto Land."
Joey's expression remained calm. "That path must remain open. If we eliminate every possible option, those desperate enough will become far more dangerous."
"When people are cornered with no way out, they become unpredictable. That's far riskier than just letting them have a single, controlled way in."
"Hmm!"
The old man nodded approvingly. "Excellent! Excellent! Joey, your thinking is sound. When it comes to seeing the bigger picture, none can compare to you. The road ahead—hah! The more I see, the more excited I am for your future."
Joey bowed slightly, his tone filled with gratitude. "Thank you for your everything."
Respect was something he never neglected.
He wasn't some noble hero.
But when it came to his siblings, his friends, his teachers—
He would always treat them with the highest respect.
That was simply the kind of person he was.
.
.
.