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Whole Cake Island, rebuilt and fortified after Shiki's attack, was now Big Mom's absolute domain.
Her Soul-Soul Fruit—imbued with the power to grant souls to inanimate objects—gave her the confidence to face even the mightiest of the Four Emperors.
"Forget the flour. Just make sure the Tea Party proceeds as planned. And take note of those who don't show up. Do they really think Shiki's little tantrum weakened us? Naive idiots…"
"Does Gram have a Den Den Mushi?" Charlotte Linlin's voice was cold, her expression grim. "Call him."
"Yes, Mama!" The Minister of Sweets, trembling, his demeanor subservient, fumbled for the Den Den Mushi, his hands shaking, terrified of incurring Big Mom's wrath.
Arthur, having finished his training, was enjoying a meal he'd retrieved from his storage bracelet, his exhaustion slowly fading.
Complacency wasn't in his vocabulary.
"A new struggle for dominance is about to begin." He lounged against the ship's helm, his mind racing.
Roger was nearing the end of his journey.
Shiki, his ambition shattered, was a non-entity.
Only three major players remained to fill the void—Kaido, Big Mom—and Arthur himself.
Whitebeard remained in his own territory, uninterested in expansion.
For the next decade, before the next generation of Supernovas—Mihawk, Doflamingo, Kuma, Moria—rose to prominence, the New World would be ruled by these four.
As long as Whitebeard didn't kill him first.
The Den Den Mushi, its face a grotesque caricature of a woman with heavy makeup, its tongue lolling out, rang, its incessant ringing a jarring interruption to the quiet solitude. It hadn't been watered in days and was on the verge of dying of thirst.
"About time." Arthur stretched lazily, answering the call.
A familiar voice, deep and powerful, boomed from the other end.
"Big Mom? What a coincidence. We speak again." Arthur's tone was laced with sarcasm.
"You little brat… Seabury D. Arthur. So, Gram is dead." Big Mom's voice was devoid of emotion, her tone flat.
Arthur laughed. "HAHAHAHA! I was going to bring you Gram's ugly head as a gift, Charlotte Linlin."
"Very well... You survived your encounter with Roger. You've earned the right to speak to me as an equal. Gram's death is irrelevant. Now… do you dare attend my Tea Party?"
Big Mom had been briefed by her Minister of Juice.
She even knew about Arthur's fight with Roger. There were informants everywhere—Risky Red Island wasn't exclusively Roger's territory. Other Emperors had their spies there as well.
'Not angry? That's not like you, Big Mom. What's your game?' Arthur was surprised. He hadn't expected such a calm, measured response.
"I'll be there. After all—I did just steal Wheat Island from you. It would be rude not to at least say Hello..."
"If you dare to show your face—Wheat Island is yours." Charlotte Linlin's laughter echoed, a chilling, menacing sound. "Mamamama! I'll be waiting for you, 'Thunder God' Arthur."
She hung up, then, heaving her massive frame up, issued orders to the trembling Minister of Sweets.
"Tell Perospero and the others—to welcome Arthur at the entrance to Whole Cake Island."
"A new struggle for power is coming. Who will reach the top? Mamamama!"
"Yes, Mama!" The Minister of Sweets, terrified, scurried out of the palace, eager to escape Big Mom's unpredictable wrath.
The Charlotte siblings, scattered across Whole Cake Island, began their preparations.
At the entrance to Whole Cake Island…
The Queen Mama Chanter's bizarre mantra echoed across the waves, its garish, smiling face a terrifying sight to any who dared approach.
To most—this ship, the flagship of Big Mom, was more fearsome than any ghost ship.
She was one of the strongest pirates in the world, second only to the four Emperors, her power rivaled only by Kaido.
"A ship is approaching! Towards us!"
"Do we fire? Awaiting orders!"
The homies—imbued with souls by Big Mom—stationed on the ship's lookout tower, sounded the alarm.
"Mama said... Seabury D. Arthur was coming."
"Perospero-nii, what should we do?"
The ship's deck was filled with a bizarre assortment of creatures—long-armed, long-legged, not a single normal human among them.
"It's him! She said Seabury D. Arthur killed Gram! Mama wants to meet him—A meeting of the highest importance!"
They were all curious about Arthur. Only Perospero and the others who'd faced him before wore grim expressions.
Their humiliating retreat was a stain on their pride. If not for Big Mom's timely call and Arthur's disinterest—they'd be at the bottom of the sea.
Katakuri, his lower face hidden by his scarf, his expression unreadable, his composure unwavering, despite the unease he felt…
Even he, Katakuri, had sensed a real danger when facing Arthur.
Their difference in strength—it was too great to overcome... for now.
"Silence!" Katakuri's voice was cold, his usual brotherly affection replaced by a stern authority. "Mama said to welcome him. We will follow her plan. Do not deviate from it."
"What is Big Mom planning?" Arthur, watching the Queen Mama Chanter approach, frowned, his own ship continuing its steady advance.
Just as others couldn't read his mind, he couldn't fathom Big Mom's motives.
He'd killed one of her strongest subordinates, a significant blow to her forces. She'd need to rely on her still-developing children to fill the void.
Such an act—it should have ignited her infamous fury.
But instead of retaliation—she sent her children to welcome him?
It didn't make sense.
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