Charlotte Linlin left that same day. After visiting Ortoren, she headed straight for the port and departed Whole Cake Island aboard the Queen Mama Chanter.
It was clear that while the Big Mom Pirates and the Flying Pirates hadn't officially clashed yet, the atmosphere was tense—especially for the Big Mom Pirates, who seemed to be under greater pressure.
Yet as an outsider, Ortoren could see it clearly: this situation was actually beneficial for Charlotte Linlin—a new opportunity. In the original timeline, Totto Land's rise to power likely stemmed from reaping the rewards of this very conflict.
After Charlotte Linlin left Whole Cake Island, Ortoren began to reflect on the current events. The Roger Pirates had appeared on the island and made a copy of the Poneglyph.
Shiki had gathered a massive fleet and was preparing to strike the Big Mom Pirates!
If nothing unexpected occurred, the Roger Pirates would likely flee Whole Cake Island and head straight east, aiming to escape Totto Land's waters as quickly as possible to avoid being intercepted by Charlotte Linlin's fleet.
That direction led straight to the Edd War Sea!
Shiki would probably hear about the attack on Whole Cake Island soon and discover Roger's involvement. Having just assembled his fleet, Shiki was clearly more interested in Roger than in starting a war with Charlotte Linlin.
If he could deal with Roger and form an alliance with his crew, then with the information Roger had about the ancient weapons—combined with Shiki's own forces and fleet—nothing in the New World could stop him. Once he united the chaotic factions of the New World, Shiki would be strong enough to challenge the World Government head-on!
So, what likely happened next was that Shiki ignored Charlotte Linlin altogether and moved his fleet to the Edd War Sea, blocking the Roger Pirates' escape route.
Then came the Battle of Edd War—a massive storm that shattered Shiki's ambitions and the colossal fleet that had dominated the New World.
And in that critical moment, the only force prepared to go head-to-head with Shiki was the Big Mom Pirates. Charlotte Linlin had personally taken command at the front lines. In such a situation, as long as she wasn't a fool, she would definitely seize the chance to take the first bite out of Shiki's juicy target!
A grand feast was about to begin. As one of the pirate overlords, Shiki's downfall—well, maybe not a complete fall, but he was definitely gravely wounded—would spark a reshuffling of power across the New World. The other major players would no doubt seize the moment to tear Shiki apart, ensuring that this ambitious monster wouldn't rise to stand over them again.
After running through everything he knew and speculating on what might happen, Ortoren still wasn't sure if his predictions were accurate. But he felt much calmer. Once he was able to get out of bed, he buried himself in the grand library, devouring book after book to fill the gaps in his shallow understanding of the world.
Just like Charlotte Linlin had said, Ortoren had inherited her exceptional bloodline. His physical constitution was outstanding. Though his injuries were far worse than Katakuri's, he recovered much faster. In just over a week, Ortoren was fully healed—right before Katakuri even took off his bandages!
Compared to special ability users like Marco the Phoenix, Ortoren's recovery rate might not seem particularly fast. But in this vast ocean, his vitality was more than impressive—enough to make Katakuri jealous.
Behind Whole Cake Island, near a not-too-high cliff, Ortoren was deep in training.
His upper body was bare, drenched in sweat, muscles surging as he repeatedly struck the rock wall with his fists. The surface was already riddled with dense fist marks, clustered together like a honeycomb.
That's right. At this moment, Ortoren was training his Armament Haki using the method described in Rocks' book.
Before long, footsteps echoed from the jungle behind him. Katakuri appeared, holding a plate of donuts. Maybe because there was no one else around, he didn't bother with appearances—he pulled down his scarf, revealing his fierce mouth, and munched on the donuts with a look of pure satisfaction.
When he saw Ortoren, he didn't interrupt, just stood there casually, watching while enjoying his snack.
After more than half an hour, once Katakuri reluctantly stuffed the last bite of donut into his mouth, Ortoren suddenly threw a powerful punch. His fist, wrapped in Armament Haki and raw brute force, slammed into the cliff face, blasting a huge crater into the rock wall!
Grabbing a towel from a nearby wooden post, Ortoren wiped the sweat from his body, then turned around with a grin.
"Sorry to keep you waiting."
"I knew it!" Katakuri gave Ortoren a once-over and muttered without much explanation.
Ortoren looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"
"Haven't you noticed? Before the full moon, your temper was kind of strange. Even when you tried to hold back your anger, you were still... cold. But after the full moon, it's like you let it all out. That tension you were carrying is gone. You seem a lot more at ease now," Katakuri said with a smile.
"Is that so?" Ortoren thought for a moment, then shrugged. "Maybe."
"So, why did you ask me to come? And have you thought any more about our offer?" Katakuri walked over and sat on a nearby rock.
Ortoren patted a small box beside the towel. "Yeah, I've made up my mind. I'm going to become a Devil Fruit user. I plan to eat the Goro Goro no Mi. But since I've never done this before, I heard that eating a Devil Fruit for the first time can cause your powers to go out of control because of the unfamiliarity? So I figured I'd ask someone experienced... like you."
Katakuri rolled his eyes. "I don't know where you heard that nonsense. 'First time eating a Devil Fruit'? Like you could eat two or something? As for your powers going out of control—not really a thing. Though, yeah, sudden physical changes might make it hard to handle at first. Like, say you ate the Mera Mera no Mi, maybe you'd end up setting yourself on fire because you couldn't control it. But even then, you'd be made of fire, so it wouldn't hurt you."
"I see." Ortoren stroked his chin, then chuckled. "Well, that's a relief."
Still, he didn't eat the fruit right away. Tossing the towel onto the wooden post, he continued, "As for the proposal you mentioned before... I've made up my mind on that too."
Katakuri seemed more concerned about Ortoren's decision than the fruit. His expression turned serious.
"So... you're staying?"
"No. I'm leaving," Ortoren said calmly, shaking his head.
A flicker of regret passed through Katakuri's eyes.
"I see... Well, that's... tsk. Still, it's your choice, and I'll support it."
He quickly pushed his emotions aside and put on a warm, older-brother smile.
"So, after you leave Whole Cake Island, what are you planning to do? Of course, no matter what path you choose, you're always welcome to come back and visit. You may not agree, but I still believe this is your home."
"What if I join the Marines? Will I still be welcome?" Ortoren laughed.
Katakuri burst out laughing. "Join the Marines? You've got jokes, I'll give you that! Hahaha... Haha... Ha?"
His laughter died mid-sentence when he noticed Ortoren's serious expression. He froze.
"You're not actually thinking of joining the Marines, are you?"
"Uh..." Ortoren looked a little embarrassed, covering his mouth with his fist and clearing his throat. "I mean... it's crossed my mind. So I thought I'd ask what you all think... or something."
Katakuri: ???
As much as he hated to say it, his family—the Charlotte family—were pirates through and through. Murder, looting, villainy of every kind... And now this guy, born with that same blood, wanted to become a messenger of justice?
...
(50 Chapters Ahead)
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