Stussy returned to her seat with an ugly expression.
Who could have done this...
How could a thief sneak into the Tea Party?!
What should she do now?
Should she admit her incompetence to Gernica and activate PLAN B? She had promised so confidently before—where would she hide her face now...
Bitter resentment filled her heart, her teeth nearly grinding to dust.
Bonney sat beside her, completely oblivious to Stussy's expression. The little one was still licking her cream-covered fingers with relish.
Unaware that she had inadvertently thwarted a conspiracy.
"Linlin!"
She looked up at BIGMOM with a grin. "I can still eat more. Can you give me half of the next cake later?"
"Dream on, Bonney!"
BIGMOM glared at her, fuming. "If you weren't just a kid, I would've already eaten—no, taught you a lesson!"
"So scary~"
Bonney stuck out her tongue, her eyes twinkling mischievously. "But I won't take your share for free. I can help you with something."
"Such a big talker for a little brat."
BIGMOM snorted dismissively. "I'd believe it if Xiano said that. But you? What could you possibly help me with?"
"Hold out your hand!"
Bonney giggled. "Let me show you my Devil Fruit Ability!"
"You're a Devil Fruit user too?"
BIGMOM was surprised. After a brief hesitation, she extended her right hand.
She wanted to see what Bonney was up to.
Even if it was some kind of trick or scheme, she wasn't afraid.
Haki might not always surpass Devil Fruit Abilities, but her Haki was definitely superior to Bonney's!
If she wanted, she could break free at any moment!
"Here we go!" Bonney chirped. A pink glow flashed from her palm, instantly enveloping BIGMOM's massive figure.
Snap!
In an instant, the bloated, obese body vanished, and the clothes hung loosely.
In its place...
"What's happening?!"
"Th-That's Mama?"
"Mama used to be this beautiful?!"
The entire open-air plaza erupted in shock.
"..."
BIGMOM looked down at her slender arms, then at the crowd around her, their eyes practically popping out of their sockets.
Finally, she realized what had happened.
"Napoleon! Quick, let me see how I look now!"
BIGMOM stood up, trembling.
"As you wish, Mama!"
The pink Captain's hat on her head cheerfully flew off, transforming into a giant broadsword. BIGMOM grabbed the hilt and stared at her reflection in the blade...
She froze.
The blade mirrored a face both familiar and foreign.
Pink hair cascaded like a waterfall, framing delicate, radiant features. Her skin was smooth and flawless, without a single wrinkle. Her waist was slender, almost too delicate to hold, and her legs were long and toned...
Not the old, ugly, bloated woman known as BIGMOM.
But...
But the Charlotte Linlin from thirty years ago—the woman who had once captivated the world!
"Mamamamamama!!!"
BIGMOM spread her arms wide and burst into laughter, "They're back! They're all back! Bonney, you little thing, you've given me such a huge surprise!"
How many years had it been since she'd seen herself like this?
"So, what do you think?"
Bonney puffed up with pride, rubbing her nose with her thumb, "Pretty amazing, huh?"
"Amazing, absolutely amazing!"
BIGMOM lifted Bonney up and planted a big kiss on her cheek, beaming as she asked:
"Hey! Bonney, this is the Paramecia-type Age-Age Fruit, right? What a fantastic thing! How long does the effect last?"
"I'm not really sure about that. It varies from person to person."
Bonney scratched her head, "Some people revert in a few days, while others stay like this for a month or two. It's definitely not permanent."
"I see..."
BIGMOM visibly deflated.
She set Bonney down and returned to her throne, her eyes darting as she probed, "Well, Bonney, don't you just adore the desserts here? Why not stay on Whole Cake Island for good? Speaking of which, Mr. Bear, would you be willing to leave your daughter here?"
"That's entirely up to Bonney," Kuma replied with a gentle smile.
BIGMOM turned her gaze back to Bonney.
"No way!" Bonney shook her head so vigorously it was like a rattle-drum.
Not a chance!
Endless desserts were tempting, sure, but that would mean staying on this island forever. How could that compare to sailing the seas with everyone else?
No luck there, huh?
Well then, what if...
BIGMOM's eyes shifted to Xiano, and suddenly she grinned slyly:
"Hey, kid. A rare prodigy like you might think my daughters aren't good enough for marriage, and that's fine. But what if—"
"Not happening."
Xiano's face darkened.
This damn old hag actually dared to suggest that!
"Just joking, you humorless brat."
BIGMOM pouted, looking around and deliberately puffing out her chest, clearly relishing the shocked expressions of the guests.
Until...
She finally noticed that one seat at the adjacent table was still empty.
It was the seat reserved for the representative of the Beast Pirate Crew.
"Kaido didn't send anyone?"
BIGMOM's expression instantly turned stormy:
"Katakuri! What's going on here? Didn't you and your brothers tell me the Beasts would send a representative this time?"
Kaido himself had declined again, and truthfully, she didn't care who the Beasts sent—she hadn't even been interested enough to notice the absence until now.
But her indifference was one thing; being stood up was another!
Were the Beasts prepared to face her wrath?
"I'm not sure either, Mother." Katakuri frowned slightly. "Not even sending an envoy is truly excessive. Should I make a call right n—"
Before he could finish, a red glint flashed in his eyes—as if he'd glimpsed a terrifying future—and his face abruptly paled. "Mother! Above!"
Hmm?
BIGMOM instinctively looked up. Xiano followed her gaze, and both of them immediately stiffened, leaping to their feet as their Observation Haki sensed something.
The other guests exchanged confused glances, unaware of what was happening.
And then—
"Urororororo!!!"
Accompanied by maniacal laughter that echoed through the heavens, a massive shadow, towering like a mountain, rapidly expanded in their vision, accelerating until it plummeted downward like a meteor!
Before it even arrived, the powerful wind pressure it generated sent the entire open-air plaza trembling violently.
Countless small Homies were blown away, and many guests couldn't even stay seated, stumbling and falling to the ground along with their chairs. Upon recognizing the figure descending from the sky, their faces instantly twisted in terror.
"T-That's... Kaido?!"
"Beast Kaido?! Why is he here?!"
"Damn it! Two of the Four Emperors appearing at once—is this the start of a war?!"
Some turned deathly pale, others trembled uncontrollably, while a rare few exceptions—like Morgans, who thrived on chaos—lit up with excitement, eagerly pulling out a camera from their pockets.
"Run! Run now!"
"Get out of the way! Let me through first!"
"Help! I don't want to die here!"
The once-elegant Tea Party instantly descended into chaos as guests scrambled to flee their seats. Some even kicked open doors in their desperation to escape down the stairs.
Xiano narrowed his eyes and instinctively took a step forward.
But...
Someone moved faster, earlier than him.
"Are you trying to destroy my Whole Cake Castle?! You brat, Kaido!!!"
BIGMOM let out a furious roar, stomping the ground hard and using the recoil to launch herself into the air!
A terrifying surge of Conqueror's Haki erupted around her, her pink hair whipping wildly like flames. Without even drawing a weapon, she clenched her right fist, wreathed in black-and-red lightning, and punched skyward, colliding violently with the descending shadow.
"Might Nation—!!!"
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion followed as a shockwave of sheer devastation swept across the castle's rooftop.
Tables, chairs, and plates shattered instantly, while cracks spiderwebbed across the walls and ceiling, revealing the floor below. The scene was one of utter ruin and devastation.
Yet, Katakuri exhaled in relief, wiping cold sweat from his brow.
In the future he had foreseen, the entire Whole Cake Castle had collapsed, with guests and his siblings lying dead or grievously injured amidst the wreckage...
Thud!
As the shockwave dissipated, BIGMOM landed gracefully, her gaze sharp as she glared ahead.
At the far edge of the castle, where the falling object had struck, a massive crater had been blasted into the ground.
From the billowing dust, a towering, demonic figure slowly straightened up, stepping forward one heavy footfall at a time. Wiping a trickle of blood from his lips, he looked up with a savage grin.
"Tch, tch, tch—using fists as a greeting?! You damn hag, after all these years, you're still as hot-tempered as ever... Huh?"
It was at this moment that Kaido finally got a clear look at BIGMOM's current appearance.
And everyone watched as...
Kaido's steps froze mid-motion, his Spiked Club clattering to the ground. His eyes visibly glazed over in shock.
His head tilted to the left—then tilted further—then even further down, until his cheek nearly touched his shoulder.
"You're..." Kaido muttered blankly. "Linlin? Or... one of her daughters?"
"Don't recognize me now?"
BIGMOM pulled out a cigar from who-knows-where, lit it, took a puff, and crossed her arms with a cold laugh:
"True enough. The last time we met, I'd already put on quite a bit of weight. As for how I look now, it must be hazy and distant in your memories, brat Kaido!"
"So it really is you, you old hag!"
Kaido flew into a rage, then couldn't help but shudder. "Hey, someone in their sixties or seventies shouldn't be striking poses like this... it's just weird! That Linlin had already faded from my memories—what kind of dark magic are you using? How did you pull this off?"
Bonney was startled and instinctively hid behind Kuma.
She happened to notice Smoker nearby, frowning deeply as he watched the two Sea Emperors confront each other while patting his pockets as if searching for something.
"That's none of your concern!"
BIGMOM glared at Kaido and snarled, "Calling me an old hag over and over—seems like it's been too long since you got a beating, you little brat! Enough nonsense. Speak up—what's gotten into you this year? Finally had a change of heart and decided to grace my Tea Party with your presence?"
"Spare me the delusions, you old hag!"
Kaido sneered. "If it were just you here, I wouldn't bother coming to this dump. Everything's greasy and disgusting... The only reason I showed up is for him!"
His thick index finger suddenly pointed at Xiano.
"..."
Xiano wasn't in a hurry to act now. He leisurely sat back down in his seat, crossed his legs, and rested his interlaced hands on his thighs, speaking calmly:
"Considering Linlin just approached me about a marriage alliance, your words could easily be misunderstood, Kaido..."
"Wororororo, I knew it!"
Kaido burst into unrestrained laughter. "So the rumors were true—going to any lengths to recruit Xiano and all that... Good thing I made the trip. Even if the chances of success seem slim, if this man were snatched away by you, old hag, I'd be wallowing in regret for days, bawling my eyes out!"
"Hey, Xiano!"
He bent down to pick up his Spiked Club from the ground, slung it over his shoulder, and grinned at Xiano:
"You haven't agreed to her yet, have you? Serving under a woman is no fun. Compared to that, the Beast Pirates are clearly a better fit for you!"
"Enough of this farce—it's about time you came with me. Last year's promise in Paradise still stands. If you're willing to join, the position of All-Star... no! The entire Beasts Pirates Vice Admiral role is yours! And if you're still hung up on that marriage alliance, I've got no problem with that either. Happen to have a daughter lying around..."
"Don't talk nonsense!"
BIGMOM scoffed. "With a face like yours, any offspring would look like demons straight from hell. How could they compare to my Bloodline?"
"Don't look down on people, you stinking hag!"
Kaido roared. "You just haven't met her! Yamato is beautiful! Far more beautiful than you ever were in your youth!"
Even if that idiot "son" of his gave him headaches, he'd never allow outsiders to belittle her!
"You—!"
BIGMOM's face twisted with fury.
Just as tensions reached their peak, a soft sigh suddenly broke the silence:
"One after another, endlessly. Seems like giving you an inch makes you think you can spout nonsense at will."
Hmm?
The open-air plaza suddenly fell into silence as Kaido and BIGMOM simultaneously turned their heads toward the young man lounging on the sofa.
"Urorororo..." Kaido narrowed his eyes. "Hey, kid. What exactly do you mean by that?"
"What do you think?"
Xiano uncrossed his legs, casually spreading them apart as he leaned back against the sofa.
Then he lifted his gaze slightly, his cold eyes locking onto Kaido:
"At least Linlin knows how to behave properly. But you... don't seem to understand the situation at all. What do you take me for? Some random underling you can order around?"
"Didn't I make it clear long ago that I have zero interest in joining your crew? Yet you keep pestering me. What's wrong, Kaido? Are you deaf... or is your brain failing in your old age?"
He raised a finger and lightly tapped his own temple.
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