As mentioned before, Totto Land is a vast sea region composed of thirty-five islands, so even with Cracker leading the way, Sherwin and the others still continued sailing for most of the day before finally arriving at the "capital" of Whole Cake — Cake Island.
Cake Island lives up to its name. The island itself is basically formed from enormous cakes and cream, and these cakes are not just decorative shapes — they are real, edible cakes.
In fact, all of the islands within Totto Land are like this. Even an island called Cutlery Island has most of its buildings made of food, and on 100% Island, which is managed by the Juice Minister Smoothie, even the surrounding seawater has been turned into juice.
If one were to ignore the lifespan tax imposed here, as well as Charlotte Linlin occasional loss of control due to her hunger pangs, Totto Land really would be a nation as beautiful as something straight out of a fairy tale.
"The air here smells so good! Sherwin big brother! Can Klee Meow go eat those cakes now, meow?!"
(=﹃=)
As soon as the ship docked, the little ragdoll couldn't wait to ask.
On the other side, Shirahoshi, who had been gnawed on by the cats the entire journey, finally let out a long sigh of relief.
During the voyage, Klee Meow and a few other kitten cats who loved sweets had long since been tempted by the sweet aromas drifting from each island they passed.
But since they never went ashore, they could only gnaw on Shirahoshi fishtail to satisfy their cravings.
Although she had gradually gotten used to her role as a "chew toy," the cats were a bit too excited today, and they bit down a little harder than usual.
So after arriving at Cake Island, where the fragrance was at its richest, aside from those few gluttonous kittens, the happiest one of all was Shirahoshi.
Sherwin didn't immediately agree to Klee Meow. Instead, he turned his head and looked at Pekoms beside him.
Because he had a grudge with Sherwin, Cracker had completely dumped the reception duties onto Pekoms after picking them up.
In fact, if he weren't afraid of being punished by Big Mom, he would have wanted to leave the moment they docked.
If the one receiving them had only been Cracker, Sherwin naturally wouldn't have had so many concerns and would have just let the cats run wild on their own.
But Pekom attitude toward them had always been quite good, so Sherwin naturally needed to take his situation into consideration.
"The pastries on the island are free for you to take. As guests, you don't need to abide by Totto Land laws," Pekoms replied at once.
In Totto Land, because most items and buildings were made of food, laws had been enacted to prevent residents from giving in to temptation and eating them…
Of course, these laws only applied to ordinary residents. Big Mom children and the officers of her affiliated pirate crews were not bound by them.
Naturally, guests like Sherwin, who had been invited to the tea party, were no exception.
Just as the Felynes were cheering and getting ready to dig in, Pekoms added another reminder, "But once you enter the castle, there will be even more delicious things waiting for you."
"Meow…"
(=＞Д＜=)
The little Felynes, their cravings thoroughly stirred, immediately fell into hesitation.
"W-why don't you… hold on a bit longer?"
Even though she was so aggrieved that her lips were puffed out, Shirahoshi still took the initiative to offer her fish tail to the Felynes.
"Aaah!"
(=`Д=)
The other Felynes might still show a bit of restraint, but Jinx, that little mad cat, certainly wouldn't stand on ceremony with Shirahoshi. She opened her mouth wide and lunged forward—
Only to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck by Sherwin and yanked back.
"We'll be staying here for several days anyway. There'll be plenty of time to sample the food here, so if you want to eat, just eat. Stop messing with Shirahoshi already!"
Sherwin knocked lightly on the little blue Felyne head, then said to Klee Meow and the others.
"Oooh—!"
(=`=)
No longer needing to struggle with the decision, the little ragdoll immediately cheered, then called out to Shirahoshi—who was actually just as interested in sweets—and dashed toward the cream-covered ground not far away.
"What an interesting place, meow… too bad we didn't see the Island of Liquor… hic!"
(●ω●)
Suika Meow, who didn't have much obsession with sweets, didn't run around with Klee Meow and the others. Instead, she stayed by Sherwin side.
After habitually pouring a mouthful of liquor into her mouth, the slightly tipsy cat spoke with a hint of regret.
"An island related to alcohol actually does exist, gao." Pekoms added from the side in time.
"We're pirates, after all! How could there be no alcohol? It just that the liqueur island managed by Zect isn't on the route we're taking."
"Meow?!"
(●ω●)
Upon hearing this news, the little drunk cat immediately looked at Sherwin with sparkling eyes.
"All right, all right, I'll take you there. I was planning to tour all the islands here anyway." Sherwin said as he gently patted her small head…
Then, without thinking, he took the "thank-you drink" Suika Meow handed him and downed it in one gulp.
"Cough cough cough cough cough…"
Only after finishing the drink did Sherwin come back to his senses.
He coughed violently several times, feeling his head already starting to spin, and looked at the utterly oblivious little drunk cat with a wry smile.
"Don't casually use your ability to purify alcohol! Even if you do, don't just give it to others to drink! Aside from you, hardly anyone can withstand this stuff, you know?!"
Sherwin had never tasted the legendary 96-degree "water of life," but the bowl of liquor Suika Meow had just given him was definitely far stronger than anything like that.
"Meow hahahahaha! I accidentally forgot, meow~ hic!" The swaying Suika Meow poured another bowl of liquor and handed it over.
"This one is normal alcohol now, meow."
With the intoxication surging up, Sherwin wanted to refuse in his heart, but his hand didn't listen to him at all.
It reached out, took the bowl Suika Meow offered, and once again boldly drank it all in one go.
Another bowl went down, and Sherwin face had already turned red, while the scene before his eyes began to wobble slightly.
Fortunately, his thinking was still relatively clear. As he handed the bowl back to Suika Meow, he casually knocked her small head lightly once.
"Stop forcing alcohol on me! Do you want to be dragged off by me for a bath again?"
Under the threat of bathing, the little drunk cat finally behaved herself. And with Sherwin current physique, although that bowl of liquor was very strong, the amount wasn't much, so after being slightly dazed for a moment, he quickly recovered.
However, seeing Sherwin continue to land on the island and heartlessly engage in intimate interactions with his own cats, Cracker—who already disliked him—grew more and more irritated.
Unable to hold it in any longer, he urged impatiently, "Are you done playing yet?! Mom is still waiting!"
"Huh? But…"
Pekoms originally wanted to correct him. Although Big Mom had indeed invited Sherwin and the others, she wasn't specifically waiting for them, so there was no need to rush them at all.
However, before he could finish his sentence, he was glared back into silence by Cracker vicious stare.
Even without Pekom reminder, Sherwin could tell that Cracker was deliberately picking a fight.
After giving that coward a sidelong glance, he said bluntly, without giving him any face at all, "Then let her keep waiting."
"You!"
Cracker hadn't expected Sherwin to be so bold, showing not the slightest respect that Big Mom should have commanded.
But when he thought about their previous feat of fighting Kaido, it seemed that pulling out Big Mom name really didn't have much deterrent effect on Sherwin…
Yet if he backed down just like this, and Big Mom found out, he would be in deep trouble.
Big Mom was already displeased with Cracker because of his several failed missions.
If she learned that he had invoked her name yet failed to uphold it, losing ten or even twenty years of his lifespan was entirely possible.
But even if Cracker wanted to maintain BIG·MOM authority, his strength simply didn't allow it!
Unless everyone present kept their mouths shut about this matter.
However, given his relationship with Sherwin, Cracker had no hope at all—and most importantly, this whole mess was something he himself had started first…
Thus, Cracker gloomily realized that what had originally been just a casual attempt to pick a fight had instead ended with him being trapped by his own actions.
After suffering defeat at Sherwin hands several times in a row, Cracker couldn't help but begin to doubt himself…
Could this Hunter really be my nemesis?
Just as Cracker was caught in an awkward dilemma and starting to let his thoughts run wild, a furry little paw held out a gigantic Japanese-style sake dish in front of him—something that could hardly be called a sake cup and was more like a sake basin.
"Don't rush, have a drink first to calm yourself down, meow~"
(●ω●)
"Hmph! Do you think you can curry favor with me like this?! There no way I'm drinking the alcohol you lot give me!"
Harboring absolutely no goodwill toward Sherwin and the cats, Cracker refused with great resolve…
And then, quite naturally, he lifted the sake basin—somehow already in his hands—and downed it in one go.
Cracker: ???!!!