"Didn't Rocks die at God Valley?"
Taro was very surprised; he almost stood up from the ground.
"Didn't your... Mama give a fruit to... that day!"
Taro stopped halfway through his sentence.
Katakuri naturally knew what Taro hadn't finished saying.
On the day the Rocks Pirates were destroyed and everyone went their separate ways, his Mama gave a Devil Fruit to Kaido, who was still an Apprentice Crew Member at the time!
It was precisely that Zoan-type, Mythical Zoan, Fish-Fish Fruit, Azure Dragon Model Devil Fruit that earned Kaido the title of the'Strongest Creature' across land, sea, and air!
The key was that only the parties involved and Mama's oldest children knew about this!
How did Taro know?
Even if Kaido's eighteen arrests had allowed the Marine to learn about his Devil Fruit Ability,
how did the Marine know that Mama had given that fruit to Kaido?
Katakuri stood up directly in surprise!
His five-meter-tall giant figure was like an iron tower.
"Why do you know these things!"
His voice trembled slightly!
Sitting on the ground, Taro appeared even smaller.
His mouth twitched; ignoring Katakuri's expression, he patted the ground.
"Sit down and talk. It's tiring to keep looking up!"
Taro's relaxed and teasing tone left Katakuri unsure of his intentions; after hesitating for a moment, he sat back down.
"In my hometown, there's a saying: 'If you don't want people to know, don't do it.' If you don't want something to be known, the best way is to not let it happen in the first place!"
Taro said with a smile. The proverb was translated literally, and he wasn't sure if Katakuri would understand it immediately.
He paused before continuing.
"Whether it's what I say or what I hear today, it's all from 'my' personal standpoint and has nothing to do with the Marine. So, let's end this boring probing!"
Katakuri noticed that Taro emphasized the word 'my.' After a long silence, he spoke.
"Thirty-six years ago, that man indeed died on the spot during the God Valley Incident. However, his body was taken back to Narikude by Whitebeard!"
"After that, the Whitebeard Pirates were officially formed, and only then did the Rocks Pirates truly collapse!"
Taro frowned upon hearing this, sensing something strange.
"You mean the Rocks Pirates actually continued for a while after Rocks died? Like the Whitebeard Pirates Remnants?"
"You're very sharp, Taro!"
Katakuri praised him, then nodded before shaking his head.
"It did exist for a while, but the situation was different from the current Whitebeard Pirates Remnants!"
"How was it different?" Taro pressed.
Katakuri's mouth moved slightly, revealing an expression that was hard to define as either a smile or mockery.
After watching Taro for a while, he asked a seemingly random question.
"It's said that you had contact with Crocodile in the Paradise of the Grand Line?"
Taro was stunned. Does this have something to do with Old Sand?
"Yes, that was a few months ago! Why are you asking...?"
Katakuri glanced at Taro again and lay back on the ground.
"I've said enough. If I say any more, Mama will be unhappy!"
With that, he instructed Brulee.
"Brulee, bring in the things Taro brought!"
Clearly, he didn't intend to answer any more of Taro's questions.
Taro lowered his eyelids, deep in thought.
He was only startled awake by the sound of Katakuri munching on Doughnuts.
Taro looked at Katakuri, who was chewing Doughnuts with his gaping mouth, and smiled.
"So, how are the Marine's Doughnuts? Not bad, right?"
"Not great. It's hard to believe you guys eat this kind of food all the time!"
Katakuri swallowed a Doughnut and said flatly,
"I'm telling the truth. You should try the cooking of the chefs in our crew!"
Taro's mouth twitched. "No thanks, I don't like sweets!"
After saying that, he stood up.
"Katakuri, Brulee, I came today in a personal capacity... but,"
"the next time we meet, I will be a Marine!"
Brulee looked angry, but Katakuri didn't care.
"I don't need you to remind me. If you come to Totto Land again, it won't just be Brulee and me welcoming you!"
Taro showed a smile. "I'm leaving!"
Katakuri grabbed another Doughnut and stuffed it into his mouth.
Taro walked to the mirror and suddenly turned back.
"I heard that all your officers gathered on Cake Island a few days ago. Was it also for this incident?"
"No," Katakuri said casually.
"It was because Mama's Treasure Chamber was broken into!"
"Oh? Was anything stolen?" Taro was curious. His first thought was the poneglyphs.
"In fact, twenty-three years ago, Roger had invaded Big Mom's Treasure Chamber and taken Rubbings of the poneglyphs she collected.
Three years ago, Pekoms of the Mink Tribe had also tried to steal the poneglyphs, but he was defeated!"
"No, but we didn't catch the intruder either!"
Katakuri had no intention of hiding anything.
Taro pondered for a while. Was another pirate force eyeing those poneglyphs?
For a moment, he couldn't think of anyone else with the ambition and courage to do such a thing!
After a while, he took his leave.
"Brother Katakuri, how could you tell him about Family matters...?"
Brulee spoke hesitantly after Taro left.
"What does it matter, Brulee?" Katakuri's tone was indifferent.
"If I didn't say it, he would just go and ask other siblings. With his strength, unless Mama..."
Brulee was startled, but then a smile appeared on her face and her tone softened.
"Brother Katakuri, you're still as caring as ever toward us, your younger siblings!"
Katakuri turned his head away, feeling a bit of regret.
"Brulee, I'm sorry that I'm not an omnipotent, perfect superman. I can also lose and fall on my back..."
Brulee's smile widened, her eyes narrowing as she laughed.
"I've already seen it through the mirror!"
Meanwhile, on a small island near Wheat Island.
"Knight of the Sea" Jinbe finally felt relieved.
A few days ago, after returning from Fish-Man Island, he had wanted to steal the tamatebako box containing the Bomb, only to find that the treasure had already been sent to Big Mom by Brulee.
He had to risk sneaking into Big Mom's Treasure Chamber, and as a result, he was almost caught red-handed!
Subsequently, Big Mom's reaction was exceptionally intense; she immediately summoned all her children and officers to search the entire Totto Land sea area.
Fortunately, as of today, no one had suspected him.
However, it seemed that the tamatebako box wouldn't be easily stolen!
What should he do?
If that Bomb exploded and Big Mom took her anger out on Fish-Man Island... Blue Fatty fell into a deep state of confusion!
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