Compared to the varied expressions among the guests—
Big Mom was already leaning forward uncontrollably, her eyes locked on Nao with an expression filled with hunger and desire.
He's here… he's finally here…
The man who had bewitched her ever since she first laid eyes on him in the newspaper—
Today, he would become her husband.
She had waited so long, exerted so much effort, even going so far as to ruthlessly kill her previous husband, who had given birth to two of her children, all for this very day…
The wedding process in Totto Land was simple and quite unique.
As tradition dictated, once the groom stepped onto the red carpet, he would walk the aisle while receiving the guests' cheers and blessings.
Flower petals would rain from the sky, cannons would fire in celebration, and the couple would circle the altar twelve times—
During which they were to whisper a sacred chant together.
Afterward, they would drink their ceremonial wine and, to the music and dance of the Homies, the groom would lift the bride in a princess carry and walk her into the bridal chamber.
A princess carry…
Just imagining herself being lifted into Nao's arms had Big Mom nearly breathless with excitement.
She was overwhelmed by a happiness like she'd never known before.
Her gaze clung tightly to Nao, praying with all her heart for him to walk faster… faster…
Fifty meters… forty meters…
As Nao walked, flower petals began to rain down from the sky. The guests began rising from their seats, smiles spreading in anticipation of the coming vows.
And then—
He stopped.
Nao halted abruptly beneath the falling petals, looking up into the floral rain above.
Hm?
Big Mom frowned slightly.
Standing nearby, Perospero, who had been discreetly watching his mother's reaction the entire time, felt a chill rush down his spine.
He hurried to Nao's side and lowered his voice anxiously:
"What are you doing? Hurry up—Mama's waiting for you right there!"
"…"
Nao slowly lowered his gaze, giving Perospero a puzzled look.
"Waiting for me? What for?"
His voice was not quiet. Everyone nearby heard it clearly.
At once, the guests began to whisper among themselves, sensing that something wasn't right.
What for?
Seriously?
Perospero's sense of dread deepened. He clenched his teeth and muttered under his breath:
"To get married, of course! At this point, if you humiliate Mama in front of all these people, the consequences will be more than you can imagi—"
"Married?"
Nao blinked, then suddenly burst out laughing.
"Oi, oi… are you guys serious? You're not actually dumb enough to think…"
His laughter cut off. His smile faded.
Nao turned and stared directly at Big Mom.
"…That I'd marry a hideous fat pig?"
The words struck like thunder.
The once-jovial venue dropped into absolute silence.
Many guests stood frozen, mouths agape in shock. They couldn't believe what they had just heard.
Even the Underworld emperors at the VIP table were dumbstruck.
On her massive sofa chair, Big Mom—who had been all smiles—suddenly stiffened like a statue.
Oh no… oh no… this is really bad!
Perospero's legs trembled. His soul practically flew out of his body in terror.
Because Mama…
Mama was truly furious now.
Big Mom slowly rose from the sofa chair, her chilling gaze fixed on Nao's face.
"Maybe the hospitality these past few days made some people forget their place…"
Step by step, she walked into the wedding aisle, her voice as frigid as the abyss:
"Why don't you say it again? What did you just call me?"
The weight of her Haki crushed down on the venue like a mountain. The very air became thick and suffocating. Many of the guests struggled just to breathe.
Nao, however, remained calm.
He looked straight into Big Mom's eyes, unfazed.
In the distance, a red glint flashed in Katakuri's eyes, and his expression subtly changed.
"What a pure, simple dream…"
Nao chuckled softly.
"If you want to hear it again, sure—I'll oblige you."
He smiled.
"Fat. Ugly. Pig."
This head-on confrontation, without any regard for her feelings, made many guests gasp in cold air again.
BOOM!
Like a volcano erupting, Big Mom's accumulated rage ignited completely. She almost bit out each word, gritting her teeth: "How dare you, how dare you…"
Her face twisted into a demonic rage as she lifted her hand. Above the venue, the once-pure white clouds turned dark, transforming into thunderclouds of black-purple lightning.
The storm crackled violently.
"Thunderbolt!"
The words had barely left her mouth when a pillar of thunder exploded downward, shaking the entire venue.
The bolt of lightning struck with such intensity that even the air itself vibrated.
It condensed into a massive bolt of thunder, roaring straight down onto Nao with crushing force.
"GET BACK—MOVE!!"
The guests, already terrified, fled in every direction. The entire wedding venue descended into chaos.
Amid the turmoil, Stussy gritted her teeth, her expression grim.
"To insult Big Mom to her face… what the hell is this guy thinking? Does he even want to escape alive?"
The black-purple lightning crashed onto the red carpet, engulfing Nao entirely. The blast unleashed a violent shockwave, ripping through the area like a bomb.
Even from afar, the Underworld bosses couldn't help but shudder.
They stared at the smoking crater with horror in their eyes.
"My god… this is the power of a Yonko?!"
"She vaporized him with one attack. That's not something a human should even be capable of!"
"There's no way he's still alive. He's got to be ashes by now…"
…
As that thought echoed through the crowd—
The blast winds finally began to dissipate. The arcing lightning faded from the air.
Visibility returned.
Everyone instinctively turned to look inside the massive crater—
Only to find it… empty.
He was gone.
Not a trace remained.
Where is he?
The question wasn't just on the guests' minds. Even the high-ranking executives of the Charlotte Family—Katakuri, Smoothie, and the others—were scanning the surroundings in confusion.
Big Mom's brows furrowed deeply as she swept the field with her gaze.
Where did that brat go?
How could her Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) pick up nothing?
How could he vanish from such a wide, open space?
"Mama! Over there!"
Suddenly, Smoothie shouted in alarm.
Big Mom narrowed her eyes and followed the direction she pointed, her pupils immediately contracting.
—Several kilometers away, at the top of the towering Whole Cake Chateau, a tiny black dot of a figure had appeared at some unknown time, floating in mid-air.
Who else could it be but Nao, who was just in front of them?