The next day's news caused quite a stir in the West Blue.
The Capone family, one of the five major underworld organizations, was directly eradicated overnight. At least thousands of people were buried alive, and their headquarters, along with the surrounding area, was completely reduced to a shocking ruin, making the remaining underworld families who paid attention to the matter shiver.
Of course, this was a "small matter" in the West Blue, unrelated to the Grand Line.
Aside from the Marines and the World Government, few paid attention to this. Those great pirates simply didn't take this "insignificant" news seriously.
No mention of Fujitora and Cavendish, who had already begun their return voyage to the Grand Line.
At this time.
Near the Tottland sea area in the New World. On a certain deserted island.
"Misery! Everyone! I'm sorry! Wah..."
Rumble...
Heart-wrenching cries, accompanied by earth-shattering sounds, echoed incessantly throughout the entire sea.
The deserted island had already "463" split into five pieces, filled with shocking cracks of various sizes, and continuously shaking.
Large clouds of smoke and dust obscured the view, making it difficult to see.
"Phew!!"
"Mom's emotions, finally stabilized a bit..."
"This is already the fourth island. Thankfully, she's not wildly exploding like before, or I wouldn't be able to hold on..."
"We can't go on like this. We must quickly find a way to make Mom completely recover!"
Katakuri, Daifuku, Oven, and Perospero, the Big Mom Pirates' Four Sweet Commanders, were sitting on their battleships, hiding deep in the sea. Observing through telescopes, they couldn't help but slightly relax, but they hadn't fully let down their guard.
If they were to approach carelessly, they would be attacked 100%.
"Chef, isn't it ready yet?" Perospero, holding his candy cane, asked through a Den Den Mushi, slurring slightly.
"Almost. In half an hour, the giant cake will be finished. We'll send it over directly then..."
The Den Den Mushi mimicked the expression of a long-faced bread, seemingly a little overtired, with a hint of exhaustion and a lot of sweat, panting. "I believe Mom will definitely be attracted by my cake!"
"It's all that detestable Vinsmoke Reiju's fault. She knew Mom would go berserk early on, yet she intentionally used such information to deceive Sanji..." Katakuri, who rarely put on his armor, had a fiery gaze, gritting his teeth.
For these children of the Charlotte family, whether Charlotte Pudding was dead or alive, if it wasn't for Big Mom herself, they naturally wouldn't care in the slightest.
Big Mom didn't hesitate to use the information gained from trading Sanji. She had apparently eaten Pudding and her companions when she was a child without realizing it. How could they easily accept this?
Losing a Sweet Commander like this for nothing felt a bit too infuriating.
"Things are as they are. Saying these things is useless now. Although Sanji didn't say it explicitly, from his Den Den Mushi call, it's clear he's very satisfied following that Vinsmoke Reiju..."
His gaze passed through the telescope, constantly observing the desolate island ahead, paying attention to Big Mom's condition and changes. Katakuri said somewhat calmly, "Moreover, Germa is not a force to be trifled with. If we turn against them carelessly, we'll suffer losses instead. At present, the alliance between the two sides is most beneficial. It's already irreversible."
Even if Big Mom recovered and wanted to call Sanji back, they would still have to consider whether Germa would agree or not.
He personally knew how strong that Vinsmoke Reiju was. God knows what level that monster would grow to if given a few more years?
That was also his terrifying ability, which could truly be said to be the nightmare of the vast majority of Devil Fruit users.
The fact that he could hold on for so long that day was because the other party, from beginning to end, even when defeating him, did not truly go all out.
Just looking at the strength that guy displayed when fighting Mom was far beyond what he could handle.
Also in the New World.
On a certain snow-covered, bone-chilling winter island.
A monstrous aura, carrying immense oppressive force, filled the entire island, making people suffocate, almost fainting.
"That old man Shiki is doing pretty well!!"
A figure like a primordial beast stood there in the cold wind and snow, his voice like a roaring flood.
He had two horns on his head, black hair on his head and shoulders, an astonishingly tall and robust physique, long whiskers, and a tattooed scale pattern on his left arm.
His upper body was bare, and his lower body wore baggy trousers, with a rope tied around his waist.
That tall and sturdy physique, the slightly frightening muscles bulging with power and explosive force, just standing there, gave people a strong sense of oppression, making them tremble and feel uneasy, even fearful.
"Who would have thought, after hiding for so many years, that old guy from the same era as Whitebeard, who didn't hesitate to cut off his own legs and escaped from Impel Down, the world's first great undersea prison, is actually still alive..."
"Indeed, and as soon as he made a move, he directly took down Admiral Akainu! That's the highest combat power of the Marine Headquarters!"
"Heh heh heh, this... is enough to give those guys in the Marines a headache..."
Standing behind Kaido, all the pirates, dressed in thick cotton clothes, showed a mix of incredulity and schadenfreude.
As pirates, it was impossible for them to have any goodwill towards the Marines.
Especially Admiral Akainu of the Marine's hardline faction. That was a truly ruthless individual. Countless pirates, whether directly or indirectly, had fallen into his magma during their clashes with the Marines, not even getting a chance to enter Impel Down.
Akainu was dead, so they were naturally overjoyed, wishing they could celebrate for days and nights.
However, they didn't get to be happy for long.
A fierce aura relentlessly surged. Kaido, who had just praised Shiki, suddenly became enraged: "That bastard magma waste is really useless! He was actually butchered by that half-dead old man, Shiki..."
Whoosh—
That heart-stoppingly huge Wolf Fang Club swung fiercely towards the sea surface!
Rumble rumble—Roar roar—
The sea boiled, churning violently.
Countless waves, surging incessantly, rushed directly towards the Great Abyss of Retribution [or Kaido's Great Abyss].
"What!?"
"Lord Kaido..."
The pirates following behind Kaido were almost swept away by the wind pressure, some unsteady on their feet. At the same time, they were all startled by Kaido's sudden rage and carefully let out a faint cry.
"An old man who lost both legs and still has a ship's helm stuck in his head, can actually directly take down a Marine Admiral..."
That tall, demonic physique constantly exuded a fierce and incomparable aura, filled with an oppressive force that made people suffocate, almost faint. He took big strides forward. "Damn it, isn't this that half-crippled half-dead Golden Lion Shiki?"
Boom, boom...
The entire island seemed to tremble with his footsteps, making people involuntarily shiver.
Rumble...
The furious Kaido directly rushed into the sea, stirring up gigantic waves: "Marines! Immediately prepare for this old man!"
His deafening roar echoed throughout the entire sea area!
"Marines?"
"Please wait a moment..."
"Lord Kaido!!"
The pirates of the Beasts Pirates, seeing this, all broke out in cold sweat, shouting towards the churning sea. But the enormous black shadow had already plunged towards the deep sea like an arrow released from a bow...
"He's going to challenge the Marines again?"
"Immediately report to Lord Jack and the others..."
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