"No… this is a dire omen."
The voice came without warning, abrupt and chilling.
Like a bucket of cold water poured over their heads, it instantly extinguished the flicker of joy and hope that had just begun to bloom.
Had those words come from anyone else, they would've been met with scorn—or even a beating.
But when they turned to see the one person standing beside Charlotte Linlin, no one dared refute him.
For in their eyes, he was the undefeated war god—Katakuri, the strongest of the Sweet Commanders, second only to Big Mom herself.
Even Linlin, known for her domineering and impulsive nature, was willing to listen to him. That alone spoke volumes about Katakuri's overwhelming strength.
"Katakuri, what do you mean 'a dire omen'? I worked hard to gather all these men for Mama. This is how we strengthen the Big Mom Pirates!" Perospero's face darkened.
As the eldest son, he had always been overshadowed by Katakuri.
He respected Katakuri's strength—but that didn't mean he had no ambitions of his own. After all, in the original timeline, he too had once vied for the position of Emperor, only to be unanimously opposed.
He had hoped that this recruitment drive would earn him favor with Mama.
He never expected Katakuri to suddenly speak out like this.
"Enough, Perospero. Katakuri must have his reasons," said Charlotte Linlin from her throne, swallowing a chunk of cake and letting out a satisfied burp.
"Haha! Don't forget—Katakuri is the one I trust most!"
"Go ahead, Katakuri. Tell us why."
Perospero's face turned ashen. The open trust in her voice stung.
But seeing how everyone else accepted it as normal, he knew arguing was pointless. He could only snort coldly and say, "Katakuri, I'd like to know too. How does recruiting pirates to strengthen our crew become a 'dire omen' in your eyes?"
All eyes turned to Katakuri.
Even Big Mom looked on with interest.
Unfazed by the attention, Katakuri sat with his trident in his arms, his expression cold as ever.
"The seas are abuzz with talk of a Pirate Winter. Bringing in so many pirates at once will indeed grow our strength—but it will also make us the Navy's number one target."
"If the Navy decides to strike, the Big Mom Pirates will be first in their sights."
"Brother Perospero, you wouldn't want that, would you?"
"Most importantly… my instincts are telling me this is dangerous."
Instinct?
Everyone's expression changed.
If Katakuri had just been offering an opinion, they might have listened—but not taken it too seriously.
But now he said it was instinct.
That changed everything.
After all, the reason Charlotte Linlin trusted Katakuri so deeply was because he had honed his Observation Haki to the point of glimpsing the future—not vague feelings, but clear fragments, down to movements and words.
That's why when Katakuri said "instinct," they all took it seriously.
"I haven't seen far ahead yet," Katakuri continued, "but something feels wrong. We should be cautious."
"Cautious?" Perospero's face twitched. "Are you saying I should drive away the pirates I worked so hard to recruit?"
"That's over ten thousand men! If word gets out, what happens to Mama's reputation?"
"And what about the Navy? Are we supposed to just wait for them to come knocking? Or go crawling to that Red-Haired brat for an alliance?"
Perospero was clearly agitated.
Others in the hall looked uneasy too.
After all, Luoyu's feats three days ago were beyond legendary.
Charlotte Linlin fell silent for a moment, then said, "Perospero, don't be so hasty. Let Katakuri think it through."
"Besides, the Big Mom Pirates aren't some pushover crew…"
Katakuri remained silent.
But then his brow suddenly furrowed, and his face filled with shock.
"Katakuri, did you see something?" Charlotte Linlin noticed the change in his expression and couldn't hold back.
"Mama… your least favorite guest has arrived." Katakuri looked up toward the open sky above the hall.
Everyone froze and looked up.
Even Charlotte Linlin was no exception.
ROAR!
A dragon's roar split the heavens.
A massive figure burst through the clouds, diving straight toward the palace.
The dragon's form was identical to the one seen in the transponder snail broadcast three days ago.
But this time, it was real—and it left everyone stunned.
"Linlin! I've come to see you!"
Kaido roared, transforming mid-air into his human form, kanabo in hand, and leapt down.
With the force of a falling mountain, he brought his weapon crashing down.
"Kaido! I told you—if I ever saw you again, I'd kill you! I thought you'd drowned in the sea, and I'd lost my chance. But it looks like the heavens have given me another shot!"
Charlotte Linlin's eyes blazed with fury as she roared back.
"Napoleon!"
BOOM!
Two mountain-sized figures collided.
The shockwave swept through the hall like a hurricane.
In an instant, everyone present was blown away.
The grand palace was shattered on impact.
Amid the chaos, Katakuri stood firm, one of the few who remained unmoved, shielding others from the blast.
But as he looked at the uninvited guest before him, his face darkened.
The omen of kings clashing had just grown heavier.
Kaido—who should have been dead—was here, alive, and had just taken a full-force blow from Charlotte Linlin head-on.
Katakuri couldn't even force a smile.
Instead, a heavy dread settled in his heart.