Darren froze mid-step.
...That was his first thought.
This woman is insane?!
Big Mom at this moment looks unbelievably sexy?!
In that moment, Darren stood stunned, taking in Big Mom atop the thundercloud, unsure what shocked him most.
She bore no resemblance to the gluttonous, mountain-sized madwoman he remembered. Instead, red-hot lips curved into a smile, her pink hair blazing, and her large eyes gazing down with mature authority.
She wore a snug cropped white shirt, the top two buttons undone, revealing a deep cleavage tapering to a cinched waist and flat stomach. White hot pants and pink thigh-highs marked flesh indentations on her legs. She had an outrageously curvy, fiery figure, with red leather boots highlighting her long, powerful legs and feral confidence.
Especially standing on a thundercloud, she radiated an elegant yet formidable aura.
—Completely disconnected from the terrifying madwoman!
In that moment, Darren understood why that auction dress triggered such lust among the pirate crowd—why so many gentlemans across the seas arranged marriages with Big Mom.
Because at this moment, she was stunningly deceptive.
This was the year 1493 of the Sea Circle Calendar, and—at just 39 years old—Big Mom was loaded with magnetic, predatory charm.
"Mamamama... how about it, little Marine—will you?" Charlotte Linlin, Big Mom, asked with a bold, playful tone as she saw Darren frozen. Her red lips arched.
Darren’s lips twitched slightly.
Never mind the fact that he was a Marine and she a pirate—he sure as hell didn’t want to serve a mad cannibal with such unpredictable impulses.
Sure, present-day Big Mom was astonishingly alluring—this domineering, sensual woman stirred a primal desire to conquer.
But Darren couldn’t forget the horrifying image of that madwoman devolving into a flesh-quarry. His mind froze in terror.
Just like seeing a beautiful woman... then catching her defecating or flicking snot at you. All illusions shattered instantly.
And another small factor—
Standing nearly eight meters tall, Big Mom’s height made Darren’s spine ache with fatigue. His own three-meter frame—already monstrous by human standards—felt like an insect next to her.
He drew a deep breath, expression hardening. He raised a hand in the universal "No!" gesture and declared firmly:
"Oh?" Charlotte Linlin raised a refined brow, smirking.
"Why not?" she prodded, exuding bold confidence, regal even.
Darren replied without emotion: "I’m a righteous Marine. You’re a pirate—by law, you’re evil!"
He pointed at the two corpses, voice laced with contempt: "And I just killed your two sons—don’t you want revenge?"
Big Mom paused, then laughed heartily:
"Mamamama... you killed Perospero and Daifuku—I am angry."
"If it were someone else, you’d be dead by now."
"After all, though Perospero and Daifuku weren’t top-tier, they were among my better children. You killed them—so I’m troubled."
Her eyes glinted with wild greed and a twisted fascination.
She regarded Darren like a mischievous kid discovering a rare treasure, licking her lips:
"You, little Marine—if I’m not mistaken, your physique is Steel Body, yes? Just like me."
Darren remained silent as Big Mom’s voice dropped into ecstatic frenzy:
"You possess the Steel Body, monstrous strength rivaling Giants, extraordinary speed, and a powerful Devil Fruit—"
She threw open her arms, her horns swaying over her chest:
"If you become my husband, our union... will spawn the most powerful warrior this sea has ever seen!"
"Our blood might even surpass mine—a true natural destroyer!"
"He will bury anything in his path!"
"He will be king of all races, and build a world of genuine equality, freedom, and harmony!!"
"Mamamamama! So, little Marine... won’t you be my husband?"
The word "stud"—like "breeding stallion"—smashed into his mind, making him dizzy and his vision blur.
Especially with her unapologetic stare—like she wanted to devour him whole.
Darren felt goosebumps. As though insects crawled over his skin in disgust.
"Don’t even think about it!!" he roared, eyes blazing as his aura exploded outward.
He unconsciously unleashed Conqueror’s Haki!
"Force of a King!!" Big Mom was thrilled. Her eyes gleamed with lust rather than shock.
"You awakened Conqueror’s Haki!!! Mamamama... I was right!! You’re perfect for me, Charlotte Linlin’s husband!!"
A vast, oppressive Conqueror’s Haki erupted from Big Mom, pressing down on Darren instantly.
With a terrible roar, she raised her arm and seized Cloud Zeus.
Lightning spread across the sky like a choking web.
"This is no longer your choice!!" she commanded.
A massive pillar of purple thunder—like a ravaging serpent—tore through the clouds, crashing toward Darren.