Katakuri was just as surprised to see Rosinante appear.
"Looks like I won't be dying today after all," Katakuri said casually, sitting down to the side.
"Rosinante, you've really gone and done it this time. Don't tell me your Grey Kingdom intends to declare war on the Big Mom Pirates?" Perospero said darkly.
First, Rosinante had appeared out of nowhere and kicked their mother straight down into the depths of the Cake Castle. Now he was standing there, pretending to innocently ask where she'd gone.
To the Big Mom Pirates, this was nothing short of unforgivable.
"Declare war? Huh, I thought we were already at war," Rosinante replied, giving Perospero a strange look.
"If we weren't, then why would my vice-captain have been beaten to such a miserable state by you lot? Look at him—bleeding from head to toe! If the Big Mom Pirates don't give me a satisfactory explanation today, then yes—we'll officially be at war," Rosinante said with a smile.
Perospero's face darkened at those words.
"War it is then! Who's afraid of you?" Owen said coldly.
"I'd like to see just how strong this so-called troublemaker who's been stirring up the seas really is," Cracker added, stepping forward with the same frosty tone.
Although the news of the Grey Kingdom's assault on Marineford had been buried by the World Government, that was only for the benefit of ordinary civilians.
For a massive pirate crew like the Big Mom Pirates, who didn't have spies in the Marines or a few corrupt officers on their payroll? Something that big happening at Marineford couldn't possibly have escaped their notice.
"Rosinante, since when did Katakuri become your vice-captain? Even if he wanted to join your Grey Kingdom, he'd have to formally leave the Big Mom Pirates first. And by your own crew's rules, that would mean he'd have to openly brand himself a traitor. Even among pirates, traitors are despised and spat on!" Perospero said coldly.
Rosinante chuckled. "Haha, I was just joking earlier! But yes, I have invited Katakuri to join the Grey Kingdom as my vice-captain. So I'll have to ask your Big Mom Pirates to agree to let him go."
"And what if we refuse?" Perospero said.
"If you refuse?" Rosinante's grin widened.
"In this world, face matters. Most of the time, people give me face. If your Big Mom Pirates refuse me that face, it simply means we lack communication and understanding between us. So, to improve our mutual understanding, I'll just have to send you more 'gifts' to promote better relations." Rosinante said the last part with a serious expression.
Perospero's pupils shrank slightly.
"Am I supposed to take that as a threat?" he asked.
He knew perfectly well that Rosinante's so-called 'gifts' weren't gifts at all. Just like with Marineford, they would mean war and assassination.
"Threat? I'm a pacifist—I usually avoid bloodshed. But if you choose to take it as a threat, well… that works too," Rosinante replied, dead serious.
"How dare you!"
"Presumptuous!"
"Don't think a bit of strength makes you qualified to provoke the Big Mom Pirates—you have no idea what you're getting into!" Daifuku barked.
"Don't think just because you attacked Marineford and made it out alive that you're so impressive. You only pulled it off by using the Celestial Dragons to threaten the World Government," Owen said icily.
"Sure, your man—what's his name, Bins—might have some weird tricks, but the Big Mom Pirates aren't afraid of you," Cracker sneered. To him, sniping was nothing worth fearing. It was just bullets—what self-respecting New World powerhouse would be scared of that?
The Charlotte siblings weren't at all impressed by the legends surrounding the Grey Kingdom's so-called miraculous sniping.
No matter how skilled, it was still just assassination and bullets. Myths were always exaggerated anyway. For battle-hardened veterans like the Charlotte family, such stories were just the fanciful boasts of the ignorant.
Yet while his siblings roared with righteous anger, Perospero frowned. He had known two years ago that Rosinante was no small fry.
And now, with their mother absent, none of them here could actually match him in a one-on-one fight.
Not that he was afraid—if it came to it, they could always swarm him. This was the heart of Big Mom's territory, after all. Why should they fear an outsider?
"Well, like I said—we're lacking in communication. Katakuri, do you mind if I give your younger brothers and sisters here a little lesson?" Rosinante asked, glancing over at Katakuri, who was still sitting with his eyes closed, conserving his strength.
"As long as you don't take their lives," Katakuri replied, opening his eyes.
Since Rosinante had arrived, Katakuri hadn't moved from his spot, quietly focusing on recovering what stamina he could.
He knew that even with Rosinante here, leaving wasn't going to be easy. This was the Big Mom Pirates' headquarters—they wouldn't just stroll out.
And while Rosinante's earlier kick had knocked Big Mom down several levels of the castle, it hadn't actually injured her. Sooner or later, they'd have to face her again.
"Good enough for me. Then today, allow me to show you the real me. After today, I doubt you'll be so rude again," Rosinante said with a bright smile.
"Bastard! I'll see what you're really made of!" Daifuku, the third son, stepped forward.
He knew his eldest brother Perospero, with his Wound Seal blocked by Rosinante's earlier strike, couldn't act for now. So he decided to take the initiative and deal with Rosinante himself.
"Owen, Cracker—he's a ship captain, and he just attacked Mama. There's no reason to play fair with him. Let's go together, and don't give him the chance to look down on us!" Perospero ordered.
"Got it, Peros!" Owen replied.
"Perfect. I've been wanting to see what you're really capable of," Cracker said with a cold smile.
Cracker was one of the Charlotte family's newly risen powerhouses after Katakuri had left—young, but already chosen by Big Mom as a Sweet Commander. His strength ranked among the very best of his siblings.
In the blink of an eye, the three of them closed in and surrounded Rosinante.