"Brother Katakuri! How could you kneel to him?!"
Daifuku, the Minister of Beans, struggled to rise amid the rubble, clutching his bleeding arm as he glared furiously at Katakuri. The mighty Sweet Commander, the Charlotte Family's greatest warrior, the undefeated brother who was idolized by all his siblings—was now kneeling before a man younger and smaller than him.
"Shut up!" Katakuri snapped, his voice low but heavy with restrained fury. Still kneeling, he glared coldly at Daifuku. "Do you want Oven to die right in front of you? We lost. Accept it. There's no excuse for failure!"
"Decisive in thought and action," the man before him said, smiling faintly. "Very good."
Shirogai Yamikuro—the man who had singlehandedly crushed the might of the Big Mom Pirates—walked forward leisurely, placing his boot atop Katakuri's head. His tone was casual, almost amused.
"No wonder they say you're the true core of the Big Mom Pirates, Katakuri."
Katakuri didn't resist, even as Shirogai's foot pressed against him. His deep voice came out steady and calm.
"Our crew has been defeated by you. We have no complaints. You may kill or spare us as you wish. But I hope you won't discard the strength of a Yonko's crew so easily. If—"
"Actually," Shirogai interrupted, smiling faintly as he removed his foot, "I don't care about the so-called power of a Yonko crew."
He turned to gaze at the unconscious form of Charlotte Linlin, sprawled in the ruins. His lips curved in quiet mockery.
"Yonko, Four Emperors... are they really that strong? You're all trapped by your own small world, hoarding treasures, clinging to fleeting wealth. You mistake power and title for greatness, thinking that being Pirate King is the highest glory."
His smile vanished. His voice grew cold, sharp as steel.
"Boring."
A wave of chilling air burst from him, rolling across Whole Cake Island. The temperature plummeted instantly. Everyone—soldiers, ministers, even hardened pirates—felt terror claw at their hearts as an unseen pressure pressed down on their souls.
"You all have extraordinary powers," Shirogai said quietly, crouching before Katakuri, his crimson eyes gleaming. "Yet none of you ever thought to use them to make the world a better place."
He tilted his head slightly.
"On my way here, I saw a boy fishing near Totto Land. His dream was simple—to live in a place where he'd never have to worry about food again."
Katakuri said nothing. The words dug deep, though he didn't understand where this conversation was heading.
"For common people," Shirogai continued, "living in Totto Land might be a blessing. Even if they lose a month of their lifespan every six months, they live comfortably and safely under your mother's rule. Among all the Yonko, Totto Land is the only place that offers that much."
Then he rose to his feet.
Bang!
Shirogai's foot slammed into Katakuri's chest, sending him flying backward. Dust scattered as he calmly brushed his trousers.
"Thank that little boy for existing. If not for him, Totto Land would've been wiped off the map today—for daring to threaten my companions' families."
"Thank you, Shirogai San, for sparing our lives," Katakuri said, coughing but smiling faintly in relief. The crushing weight that had haunted him since the battle finally lifted. He could almost see the flames of destruction fading from his mind.
"Brother Katakuri!" Smoothie hurried to his side, helping him to his feet.
Shirogai turned his gaze toward Charlotte Linlin. With a faint movement of his hand, the solid wax under his boots melted into liquid, swirling upward to form a towering cross. Linlin's unconscious body was bound to it as if sealed by divine power.
"Haha... For the next three days, no one enters this area. Even a Yonko learns obedience after going hungry long enough."
He extended his hand, and a glowing sword of light—the God Sword—appeared, merging into the giant cross.
"Prisoner Emperor Cross... Death Seal!"
A thunderous crack split the air. Violent waves of energy surged from the seal, shaking the ground. Even in her unconscious state, Big Mom's body trembled as if resisting the curse.
Below the cross, a massive red circle spread across the ground, glowing ominously.
Shirogai glanced around at the terrified pirates, his tone soft but unmistakably lethal.
"Anyone who steps into that red circle will die. Don't blame me if that happens."
Satisfied, he dusted his hands. Six spectral wings unfolded from his back, gleaming faintly under the sunlight as he rose into the air.
"Oh, and one more thing," he said, smiling down at them.
"If anyone ever thinks of using my companions' families as hostages again... Totto Land will vanish."
With that, his figure dissolved into a shadow and vanished into the sky.
Only silence remained.
Katakuri stared at the empty space above, eyes dark with thought. Was that man truly gone—or merely watching from afar?
"...Check the survivors," Katakuri finally ordered after a long pause. His tone was heavy, resolute. "Rescue those who can be saved, treat the wounded, and bury the dead."
The ministers nodded, limping toward the ruins. The battle had devastated Cake Island beyond recognition.
"What about Mama?" Daifuku asked quietly, eyes filled with lingering dread.
Before Katakuri could answer, a shockwave of Conqueror's Haki rolled across the sea, far more terrifying than before. The air itself seemed to scream.
"Celestial Dragons..." a distant voice thundered. "You all deserve to die!"
Katakuri's heart clenched. His instincts screamed danger as killing intent flooded from afar.
"That's his Conqueror's Haki!" he muttered, eyes wide. "He's angry... truly angry this time!"
He didn't hesitate. "Prepare a ship. I'll go myself!"
Moments later, he was gone.
---
Katakuri's ship reached a small, quiet island surrounded by mist. As soon as he set foot on land, he saw Shirogai Yamikuro standing alone, hands clasped behind his back, facing a field filled with hundreds of simple graves.
"You came," Shirogai said, not turning around. His voice carried none of the arrogance from before—only calm, distant fury.
"If you hadn't... I might've erased Totto Land completely. Even the innocent wouldn't have survived."
"Are you... breaking your word?" Katakuri asked cautiously.
Shirogai turned slowly, his crimson eyes locking onto Katakuri's.
In that instant, Katakuri felt death itself breathe down his neck. His body froze under the weight of that gaze.
"I told you the only reason I spared Totto Land was because of a little boy," Shirogai said quietly. He pointed toward the mounds.
"That reason no longer exists. The boy's family was slaughtered—by Marines... under the orders of the Celestial Dragons."
The wind howled, carrying the faint scent of ash and salt across the graves.
Shirogai's expression was unreadable—but the air trembled with rage.
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