章 118: Chapter 118
Totto Land, New World
Whole Cake Island, the centerpiece of Totto Land, glistened under the perpetual candy-colored sky. The island was a marvel of confectionery architecture, with buildings made of gingerbread, frosting, and all manner of sweets. The air was filled with the tantalizing scent of sugar and baked goods, mingling with the salty tang of the sea. At the heart of this fantastical land stood the enormous Chateau, an opulent and imposing fortress that served as the headquarters of the Big Mom Pirates.
Within one of the grand mansions of Totto Land, the heart of the Big Mom Pirates' empire, lay the centermost chamber—a magnificent throne room exuding power and opulence. This chamber, adorned with candy-colored walls and intricate sugar sculptures, also served as the seat of one of the most formidable contenders for the title of Emperor of the Sea: Charlotte Linlin, known to the world as Big Mom.
In the rapidly changing tides of the Great Pirate Era, only Whitebeard held the undisputed title of Emperor of the New World. However, the Big Mom Pirates were steadfast in their quest to claim that coveted position.
"Mamamama!" A malevolent laugh reverberated through the throne room, sending chills down the spines of those present. Perospero, standing by his mother's side, wore a grim expression, well aware of the storm brewing beneath her laughter. The room's tension was palpable as all eyes were fixed on the imposing figure of Big Mom.
Kneeling before Linlin was her son, Katakuri, his head bowed in submission. His powerful form, usually a symbol of unshakable strength, now appeared vulnerable as he awaited his mother's verdict. He had recently returned to Totto Land with haste, having been released by Ross as promised upon reaching the New World. Yet he knew that his journey and the events that transpired would not go unexamined by his mother.
Those familiar with Big Mom understood that her laughter was anything but joyous. It was a sound filled with malice and simmering anger, reminiscent of the devil's own mirth. Her eyes, like twin suns of wrath, bore down on Katakuri, demanding an explanation.
"Katakuri," she began, her voice a thunderous rumble that echoed through the grand chamber. "You return to me, but not as the triumphant warrior I sent out. Explain yourself!"
Katakuri lifted his gaze, meeting his mother's eyes with unwavering resolve. "Mother, I encountered a formidable opponent. Despite the circumstances, I have gained valuable insights and information about his capabilities and intentions."
Big Mom's eyes narrowed, her fingers drumming a slow, ominous rhythm on the armrest of her candy-encrusted throne. "Insights? Information? Mamamama! And what use are these if they do not bring us closer to our goal of supremacy in the New World?"
"Mother," Katakuri continued, his voice steady despite the weight of her gaze, "The Donquixote..."
Perospero, though usually composed, could not suppress a shiver at the intensity of the exchange. He knew his brother well enough to recognize the determination in his eyes. Katakuri was not one to accept defeat lightly, and his words carried the weight of his recent loss.
"Katakuri!!!" Big Mom's voice bellowed through the palace, shaking its very foundations. The walls, sturdy and grand, seemed to tremble under the weight of her fury. "I did not ask you for excuses! I asked you why you failed the mission I gave you. Not only did you fail, but you also lost to a brat almost a decade younger than you. Tell me, Katakuri, did you beg for your life for that brat to let you go?"
Her eyes blazed with rage, promising retribution if Katakuri dared to utter a wrong word. The atmosphere in the throne room grew unbearably tense, as if the air itself had been charged with Big Mom's wrath.
"No, Mama! Never!" Katakuri's voice was resolute, standing tall despite the looming threat. "I would never beg my enemy! I respect Ross, but I do not fear him. I would fight him to the death if necessary."
Big Mom's gaze intensified, her anger was palpable. "Then does that mean you ran away like a coward?" Her voice dripped with disdain. She then turned to Perospero. "Summon those brats to Totto Land. If they refuse to come, hunt them down. I want the Donquixote brothers before me within the month—dead or alive."
An ultimatum was given, her eyes gleaming with dangerous resolve. Perospero, his expression grim, stepped forward, ready to carry out his mother's orders. "Yes, Mama, I will make sure to deliver the Donquixote brothers to you dead or alive," he said, bowing slightly before turning to leave the room and summon the rest of the crew.
"And as for you, Katakuri," she continued, her voice a venomous hiss, "you need to understand the weight of failure. Your loss against that brat should not go unpunished." With a swift motion, she extended her hand toward Katakuri, using her power from the Soru Soru no Mi to pull a portion of his lifespan out of him.
The glowing essence of his life force was drawn into her grasp, but Katakuri did not flinch or resist. He stood there, stoic and unyielding, as his mother extracted ten years of his life, although he did not fear her nor did he resist this punishment.
"This time, I have only taken ten years," she said, her tone chilling. "Fail me again!!! Well, there won't be a next time!" Her gaze then swept over the others who had accompanied Katakuri on the mission. They had arrived at Totto Land well before Katakuri but had been too afraid to face Big Mom without their brother.
Big Mom's presence was overwhelming, and her power was undisputed. The room was thick with the scent of fear, as those present could feel the suffocating weight of her displeasure. Even the grand decorations of the throne room seemed to shrink away from her fury.
As the others in the room stood frozen, Katakuri's mind was already working on how to rectify his failure. He would not let this defeat define him. The Donquixote brothers were formidable, but the Big Mom Pirates would not be deterred.
Katakuri, despite the loss of a decade of his life, remained unwavering. His loyalty to his mother and his crew was absolute, and he would prove himself once more. As he stood there in the throne room, his mind was set on their next move. The road to becoming the Emperor of the New World was fraught with challenges, but the Big Mom Pirates would not falter.
Katakuri couldn't help but sigh in relief internally. Big Mom's wrath was directed solely at him, sparing his siblings. However, her next words sent a shiver down everyone's spine. Even Perospero, who was about to step out of the throne room, froze in shock. Katakuri, with his foresight active, immediately understood what Mama was about to do. He wouldn't challenge her authority, but he gritted his teeth so hard that his mouth was stained with blood.
"You all have paid for losing to those brats," she growled, her eyes scanning the room with a predatory gleam. "But you have yet to pay for all those mermaids of mine that you lost." Her gaze fell on the remaining brothers. Big Mom, despite her seemingly erratic nature, was a very calculative woman. Although Katakuri had failed, he was her strongest cadre. She didn't want to push him too hard, but that didn't mean she couldn't vent her anger at someone else.
"Oven, it seems you have already been punished," she commented, eyeing his stump. Her face twisted with rage at the sight of one of her own being so severely injured. The thought of her subordinates being humiliated under her name made her blood boil. She wanted nothing more than to tear the Donquixote brothers apart. Her gaze then settled on Daifuku, who appeared unscathed.
A cruel grin spread across her face as she clenched her fists, invoking her devil fruit powers. "Mama! Noooo!!!" Katakuri tried to intervene, but it was too late, as Big Mom had already made a grab. She pulled out a chunk of Daifuku's soul, a fragment much larger than the one taken from Katakuri. Throughout it all, Big Mom held a sinister smile. To her, her children were nothing but tools to do her bidding, and she was willing to sacrifice anyone to achieve her goals.
Daifuku screamed in agony as his life force was ripped from his body. He fell to the ground, clutching his chest, where the fragment had been torn out. The remaining siblings watched in horror, powerless to stop their mother's wrath.
Katakuri, still kneeling, felt a pang of guilt and helplessness. He had always tried to protect his siblings, but there were limits to what he could do against their mother's overwhelming power. He swore to himself that he would never fail again, that he would grow stronger to shield his family from Big Mom's wrath.
Big Mom, satisfied for the moment, turned her attention back to the room. "Let this be a lesson to all of you," she hissed. "Failure is not an option. You are my children, and you will either bring glory to the Big Mom Pirates or you will suffer the consequences."
Perospero, finally able to move, nodded and quickly left the room to carry out her orders. The others remained silent, the weight of their mother's punishment hanging heavy in the air.
Katakuri stood, helping Daifuku to his feet. Despite his own pain, he offered his brother a reassuring nod. They were in this together, and they would find a way to navigate their mother's brutal expectations.
As they left the throne room, the echo of Big Mom's laughter followed them. The path to becoming the strongest was fraught with danger, and the Big Mom Pirates would need every ounce of their strength and cunning to survive not just the challenges of the New World but also the wrath of their own mother.
After everyone left the throne room, it was just Big Mom and her homies, creations imbued with fragments of her own soul. The expression of mad glee she had worn in the presence of her children transformed into one of cunning calculation. For years, she had carefully built her power, never rising in silence, never reckless. Though she believed she could stand against the likes of Whitebeard and Roger, she was never eager to test that belief without cause.
Katakuri had shared that he encountered someone on Fish-Man Island who seemed far stronger than Whitebeard. Initially, she had dismissed his account with laughter, accusing him of being too frightened to face his enemies. Yet, she knew Katakuri wasn't one to give false accounts. She pondered the existence of mythical Zoan users that might match the description Katakuri had provided.
"Mama, do you really think someone like that could exist? Someone even stronger than your current level?" Prometheus, a manifestation of Big Mom's own soul, questioned curiously. As her creations, the homies were privy to things even the strongest cadres of the Big Mom Pirates were unaware of.
"Katakuri doesn't exaggerate," Big Mom rasped, her voice laced with a hint of respect for her son's honesty. "There are still many things in this world we are unaware of. Perhaps, as that bastard said, the One Piece might hold all the answers." The thought of the One Piece sent a surge of adrenaline through her. She had the ambition to rule the world, and she would stop at nothing to achieve it.
"Prometheus, inform the intelligence cadres. I want them to find more details about the poneglyphs. Roger wouldn't have risked his life to steal the contents of the poneglyph I hold without sound reason," she commanded, her mind already working on the next steps.
"But Mama, what if what Katakuri said was true? What if there really is someone like that? Will you stand a chance against such a person?" Zeus questioned, only to realize he had overstepped. Big Mom's gaze narrowed, her eyes burning with fury.
"In that case, we kill them. We kill them all!" she bellowed, her voice echoing through the grand chamber. "I need to get Elbaf under my control. With the giants on my side, no one will be able to stop me." As she spoke, she used her soul power to torment Zeus, punishing him for his doubt.
The homies quivered in fear, fully aware of their mistress's wrath. Big Mom's ambition knew no bounds, and her desire for power was insatiable. She was determined to conquer every obstacle in her path, no matter the cost. The throne room fell silent, the only sound being the crackling of Prometheus's flames and the faint whimpers of Zeus. Big Mom's mind raced with plans and strategies, each more ruthless than the last.
She would find the secrets of the poneglyphs. She would seize control of Elbaf. And she would crush anyone who dared to stand in her way. The New World trembled under the weight of her ambition, and Big Mom's dark and ominous laughter echoed through the palace once more.
***************
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