At the top floor of the Whole Cake Chateau,
a vast, empty hall stretched out, filled with tables and chairs.
On the tabletops were desserts of every imaginable kind, meticulously arranged and overflowing with sugar and cream.
At this moment, Big Mom—the ruler of Totto Land and captain of the Big Mom Pirates—lay quietly in the center, resembling a child several tons in weight, dreaming endlessly of sweets.
Soft murmurs escaped her lips like a gentle stream.
With each breath she took, the room seemed to hum, resonating with her immense presence.
Outside the room,
the massive doors slowly opened with a strange expression.
Two fairy-tale-like eyes peered down at the approaching figures.
The anthropomorphic door Homies spoke, their humanlike mouths forming words:
"Kata… Katakuri, is there something wrong?"
Masked and stern, Charlotte Katakuri didn't hesitate. His voice carried authority:
"Open the door! Someone has intruded onto Whole Cake Island!"
"But… Mama is still resting…"
The door Homie hesitated, knowing the consequences of disturbing Big Mom could be catastrophic.
"There's no time to explain! Open it now!"
Katakuri's roar left no room for delay. The door Homie immediately obeyed.
Within the Big Mom Pirates, Katakuri's orders sometimes held more weight than Big Mom herself.
He didn't let the whims of childish temper interfere. Whatever had provoked him to act so urgently was clearly of the utmost importance.
...
...
"Ah!!!"
"Ah!!!"
On the lower levels of the chateau, violent gusts of wind erupted, lifting furniture, decorations, and even Homies into the air, smashing them against the walls.
Cream cakes, donuts, and other dessert Homies piled atop one another like a chaotic stack, emitting panicked wails.
"Devil Fruit powers sure are incredible!"
Usopp, curious as ever, watched the animated desserts pile up, unable to hide his awe.
But these Homies were no joke. Each soldier was at least as strong as a Marine, able to handle three or four ordinary humans without trouble.
At the sunlit doorway, a magical array etched with intricate runes emitted a final glow before vanishing completely.
Nami lowered her arms, calming the swirling gusts inside the castle instantly.
Yet her expression remained tense, fists clenching as she whispered toward the castle's depths:
"They're here."
Clang!
At Nami's signal, Zoro and the others drew their blades, eyes fixed on the wide staircase ahead.
Above Whole Cake Island, dark clouds gathered, signaling an approaching storm.
From the top of the stairs, an overwhelming aura surged downward like a tsunami, enveloping Zoro and the crew.
The weight of it forced the weakest among them, Chopper, to stagger back, body trembling uncontrollably.
"Chopper!!!"
Usopp shouted, drawing everyone's attention to him.
"I'm fine!"
Chopper's small, adorable form suddenly shifted into a towering, muscular beast, his voice booming:
"Don't worry! How could I ever fear a small Emperor?!?"
Earlier, his reaction had been a mere instinctive flinch against the terrifying Conqueror's Haki of a Yonko.
Having frequently watched Luffy and Zoro train, he would never be truly afraid of someone like Big Mom.
The team refocused, relieved Chopper was safe from Big Mom's Soul-Soul powers that could drain life.
The Starry Sky Pirates were never afraid of anyone.
Zoro grinned.
"Exactly."
Boom!!!
A dark, godlike aura surged from his body.
A crimson-purple fog clung to the ceiling above, flowing toward the staircase like a creeping demonic energy.
The two auras collided, and fine cracks appeared across the ceiling as the room shook violently.
From the top of the staircase descended massive, shadowy figures.
Katakuri, the other Sweet Commanders, and dozens soldier stationed on Whole Cake Island revealed themselves.
Big Mom followed closely behind.
The crowd parted, giving her a wide path as she stepped onto the first floor.
Her enormous eyes glared angrily, accompanied by powerful elemental Homies, as she roared at Zoro and his companions:
"Brats, you've got some nerve!!!"
Boom!!!
With her roar, her Conqueror's Haki surged, like a massive mouth trying to consume them entirely.
"Tch!"
Zoro stepped back slightly.
Compared to an experienced Yonko, his own Conqueror's Haki was still slightly weaker.
But…
He wasn't alone in spirit.
"Hah!"
From Zoro's waist, the three swords of his Roronoa blades emitted a fierce cry.
A young girl's silhouette appeared briefly behind him, then vanished, transforming into an invisible force that amplified Zoro's aura.
Step!
His retreat halted.
"Roar~!!!"
The blades resonated again with the roar of a beast, filling the hall with a bloodthirsty scent that pressed down on Big Mom's crew like a tidal wave.
Zoro stepped forward, regaining his original position.
"Wha… what!?"
Katakuri and his commanders' expressions darkened.
To withstand an Emperor's Conqueror's Haki meant Zoro's strength was comparable—even without fully unleashing it.
Indeed, Haki was always a direct measure of power.
The two forces clashed like armies, generating violent energy storms across the room.
Cracks on the castle walls widened, letting in shafts of sunlight that spotlighted the battlefield below.
The entire castle shook, on the verge of collapse.
Katakuri, seeing the stalemate, stepped forward.
He ignored the risk of angering his mother. Weak siblings behind him were already fatigued and overwhelmed by the aura clash.
In contrast, the Starry Sky Pirates remained calm, unmoved.
Katakuri knew the crew's true power was far beyond what was rumored.
This would be a hard fight for Big Mom's crew.
A circular aura burst from Katakuri, pressing toward Zoro.
Big Mom glanced toward him but said nothing, sensing that Zoro's strength rivaled her own.
Though proud, her intelligence was unmatched as long as her gluttony wasn't triggered.
The addition of this pressure forced Zoro to strain visibly.
Sanji stepped forward, ready to join the aura confrontation.
But Zoro, grimacing, stopped him.
"Let me handle this."
Boom!!!
A towering, blood-red, godlike Shura materialized behind Zoro, merging with his being.
The three swords' energies fused, glowing with golden light as an immense force surged downward, striking the Whole Cake Chateau like a descending mountain.
Immediately, from the cracks in the walls, black beams shot upward, drawing the attention of every inhabitant on Whole Cake Island.
"Look! What's happening to the castle?!"
"The walls… they're splitting!!!"
"Could this be the intruders?!?"
"No way! Who would dare attack the Whole Cake Chateau? Even an admiral wouldn't have the guts…"
Boom!!!
Before the residents could finish their speculation, the castle erupted in a tremendous explosion.
Smoke and debris blotted out the sky.
Everyone froze, eyes wide, unable to believe what they were witnessing.
…
Amid the rubble, Big Mom and Katakuri stared in shock at Zoro, whose presence alone had overwhelmed the two of them.
Zoro exhaled deeply, surveying the partially unconscious Big Mom Pirates.
Despite sweat beading his forehead, he stood casually with one hand on his hip:
"Luffy said to make our presence known. I think… this should be enough."