Sakazuki spoke coldly, "What the Marines want to do is none of a pirate's business. But you, shouldn't you be home giving birth instead of running around the world? It wouldn't be good if you upset the baby."
Behind Big Mom, Katakuri's frowned. "You bastard..."
He raised his trident, aiming it at the vice admiral.
Enel, standing behind Sakazuki, let out a snort. "Hmm?"
He lifted his golden staff, lightning crackling from its tip, and aimed it right back at the pirate.
On the other side, Perospero's candy flowed through his fingers, forming a longbow.
Borsalino, meanwhile, crossed his arms as a cross-shaped beam shimmered between his fingers. "So troublesome~ why is everyone so hot-headed~"
Big Mom raised her hand. "Mamamama~ stand down, Katakuri. We're not here to fight today."
Katakuri and Perospero slowly withdrew their weapons and deactivated their powers.
Sakazuki also waved his hand, and Enel lowered his staff, while Borsalino gradually let his light fade.
Pulling out a sea chart and tossing it to the ground, Big Mom pointed with Napoleon to the island they currently stood on and said, "Since the Marines' already made it this far, I'm guessing you've taken almost all of Shiki's territory. Let's make a deal."
She drew a line across half of Golden Lion's former domain. "Give me this portion. You can name your price."
Sakazuki glanced at the map. "Giving you this section would fill in the gap in your territory. That wouldn't be good for us."
Big Mom narrowed her eyes. "The Marines can't stretch their frontlines that far."
The vice admiral chuckled lightly. "You're not wrong. In that case..."
He tapped toward the map with his finger, piercing several island markers.
"These ones go to the Marines. How about that?"
After those few taps, the rough layout of the operation became clear.
If the exchange went through, by taking half of Shiki's former domain and securing the islands included in the deal, the Marines would establish a trapezoid-shaped zone of influence in the New World, anchored against the Red Line. With each island garrisoned, they could support one another and move as a united front.
Big Mom, on the other hand, would fill the gap in her power, forming an oval-shaped territory that was offensive and defensive in structure.
And if Knox succeeded in taking Fish-Man Island, he'd create a long strip of territory along the edge of the New World, effectively controlling the flow of supplies into the region.
With this reshuffling, all three sides would patch their weaknesses and there'd be no more gaps.
However, several of the islands Sakazuki picked held significant value to the Charlotte Family. Due to their proximity to the Red Line and Fish-Man Island, they were prime hubs for trade and a major part of their economic strength.
Big Mom paused, thinking for a few seconds, then smiled. "Mamamama~ Pleasure doing business."
She extended her right hand.
Sakazuki replied softly, "Pleasure doing business."
He reached out and grasped it.
The moment they shook their hands, both arms instantly coated in Armament Haki.
Boom!
A wild shockwave burst out from between them as Big Mom's sword, Napoleon, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, slashed toward Sakazuki. But he had already formed a magma-armored gauntlet, slamming it straight into the weapon.
Clang!
Zzzt—Zzzt—
Sparks and black lightning crackled violently as their Haki clashed.
Big Mom sneered. "Heavenly Fire!"
Prometheus burst into intense flames and launched himself toward Sakazuki like a comet, who responded coldly.
"Precipice Blade."
From beneath the earth, a magma-forged greatsword surged upward and extended at incredible speed, crashing into the sun homie mid-flight.
Boom!
As the two powers collided, flames and magma exploded and twisted together, spreading outward in a violent wave.
Then, a massive, crimson mushroom cloud shot up into the sky.
The scorching heat in the air began to melt even Katakuri and Perospero, who were hiding at a distance. They didn't dare linger and quickly retreated toward their ship at the island's edge.
In a flash of light, Enel and Borsalino took off in pursuit.
Around Big Mom and Sakazuki, the explosion had blasted open a giant crater over a kilometer wide, yet the two remained firmly planted at its center.
At the same time, they cursed in their minds.
'Old bitch.'
'Little shit.'
Big Mom then bared her teeth in a wicked grin and shouted.
"Mother's Visit Cannon: 3000 Leagues of Misery!"
Energy surged around her as flames, lightning, and sword aura gathered behind her into the shape of a colossal female figure.
"Kill him for me!"
The towering woman let out a sharp shriek.
"Yes, Mama!"
Her enormous arms made of sword energy lunged forward with deadly precision, stabbing toward the vice admiral.
Sakazuki took a deep breath as his chest swelled, then exhaled sharply.
Fwooo!
He fired a compressed blast of volcanic ash, which detonated upon impact with the phantom's head.
Boom!
The shockwave blasted outward once again as thick smoke and ash rolled out, swept up by the violent wind.
In an instant, the entire island was swallowed in darkness.
Then came the eruption of numerous magma spears from the ground, covered in Haki, rising like a forest of death. The massive illusionary figure staggered back continuously under the assault.
Still, neither Sakazuki nor Big Mom released their grip on each other's hands. They held on tightly, unwilling to give even an inch.
Suddenly, they pulled back their weapons and armored arms.
Thunderclouds gathered overhead as Big Mom raised Napoleon high and a thick bolt of lightning shot down from the heavens, connecting directly with her sword.
"Thunder Bolt!"
A massive surge of high-voltage electricity surged through the blade and lashed toward Sakazuki.
He responded by transforming the armor on his arm into a larger structure that covered half his body. His entire form wrapped in Haki as he caught the incoming lightning-charged blade with his bare hands.
"Ugh…"
He grunted from the force. The impact aggravated the bones still healing from his fight with Garp days ago. Cracks reopened.
The lightning jolted through his body and for a second, his muscles seized. But his Haki drove the current out.
Gritting his teeth, Sakazuki drew in a breath.
"Magma Colossus."
Behind him, magma surged up like a geyser, forming a thirty-meter tall giant made of lava. It raised a massive molten warhammer, covered in dense Haki, then brought it down on the two of them.
Big Mom's pupils contracted sharply as the ground beneath their feet became molten.
Boom!
The earth trembled when the hammer struck and both were smashed into the depths of the island.
Using the force of the impact, the vice admiral dragged the pirate downward, deeper and deeper underground. She held her breath and tried to break free, finally letting go of his hand. But he didn't free her, his grip remained firm.
A flash of killing intent sparked in Big Mom's eyes, and Napoleon, wrapped in Conqueror's Haki, slashed straight at Sakazuki's wrist.
He snorted coldly and let go at the last moment as his body abruptly turned crimson and began to expand.
"Magma Burst!"
BOOM—!!!
In the sealed underground space, the explosion magnified exponentially.
* * *
Back at the port, Enel and Borsalino, still skirmishing with the Big Mom Pirates, felt the quake immediately. Their gazes turned toward the heart of the island with concern.
Enel looked up at the dense thunderclouds above and said, "Borsalino, hold them off for a bit."
Then he transformed into lightning and shot into the sky. After a few seconds of brief but forceful negotiation with Zeus, he seized control of the storm.
Next, the endless mass of thunderclouds began shifting from the island's center toward the port as a deep sense of dread crept over everyone present.
The clouds thickened and compressed into a ball the size of the island itself, pressing downward.
"Raigo!"
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