Whole Cake Château — Interior
The corridors were chaos.
Servants rushing. Homies shouting. Orders flying over one another like a storm that refused to settle.
And through it—
Two figures moved.
Fast.
Quiet.
Tenjin led.
Pudding followed just behind him, her steps lighter, more cautious. Eyes darting at every corner.
"…Left."
Pudding whispered.
Tenjin didn't even hesitate. He turned instantly.
"…You're good at this."
Pudding blinked.
"…What?"
They slipped past a group of Chess Soldiers before rounding another corner.
Tenjin glanced back at her briefly.
"…You've had that eye open this whole time."
Pudding froze for half a second.
Her hand instinctively rose. Covering it.
"…S-So what if I have?"
Tenjin shrugged.
"…It suits you."
Silence.
"…Huh?"
He kept moving.
"…Looks good."
Pudding stopped walking.
Completely.
Her face—
Red.
Rapidly.
"…W-WHAT KIND OF IDIOT SAYS THAT SO CASUALLY!?"
Tenjin glanced back.
"…What?"
Her hands shot up, flailing.
"Y-You're a Marine! Act like one! Don't just, just compliment people like that out of nowhere!!"
Tenjin frowned slightly.
"…It wasn't out of nowhere."
"…IT WAS!!"
He shrugged again.
"…You're overreacting."
Pudding turned away sharply.
"…I'm not overreacting!!"
Her voice dropped into a mutter.
"…Stupid… idiot… reckless… clueless…"
A pause.
"…Why would he say something like that…"
Her cheeks burned.
Again.
Then—
Her expression snapped.
"…Tch. Don't get the wrong idea."
She smirked slightly.
"…Even if you compliment me, it won't save you when Mama tears you apart."
Tenjin didn't even react.
"…Okay."
"…OKAY!?"
He kept walking.
Unbothered.
Pudding stared at his back.
"…Does he not hear me…?"
"…Or does he just not care…?"
She bit her lip.
Then hurried after him.
Moments later—
They reached the outer edge of the château.
The massive doors stood ahead.
Open.
The outside—
Visible.
The sky.
The chaos.
The distant rumble of battle.
Pudding slowed.
"…We made it…"
Tenjin stepped forward.
"…Yeah."
They walked out.
---
The air was thick.
Heavy.
Charged with something ancient.
The sky itself looked torn.
Black lightning flickered faintly in the distance.
Shockwaves rolled across the horizon.
"…That's him…"
Tenjin muttered.
Pudding followed his gaze.
"…That's Vice Admiral Garp…?"
Another explosion echoed.
She swallowed.
"…What are you planning to do?"
Tenjin cracked his neck.
"…Go there."
Silence.
Pudding turned slowly.
"…What?"
He pointed toward the battlefield.
"…I'm going to Garp-sensei."
"…ARE YOU INSANE!?"
Tenjin blinked.
"…No."
Pudding stepped in front of him.
"You just got out! You're injured! You should be escaping, not running straight into the biggest fight on the island!!"
Tenjin tilted his head.
"…Why would I run away?"
"…BECAUSE YOU'LL DIE!?"
A pause.
"…Not if I don't get hit."
"…THAT'S NOT HOW THAT WORKS!!"
She grabbed his coat.
"…And even if you wanted to go. How are you planning to get there!?"
The battlefield was far.
Miles away.
Across chaos.
Across enemies.
Across war.
Tenjin smiled.
"…I can fly."
Pudding froze.
"…You can what?"
Tenjin stepped back slightly.
"…Watch."
From his feet—
Green sprouted.
Thin at first.
Then thicker.
Stronger.
Roots twisted together—
Forming a blooming structure beneath him.
Petals unfolded—
Wide.
Stable.
A massive flower bloomed under his feet.
Pudding's eyes widened.
"…You're kidding…"
Tenjin stepped onto it.
Balance perfect.
"…You coming?"
Pudding took a step back.
"…Absolutely not."
"…Suit yourself."
The flower shifted.
Lifted.
With reluctance Pudding quickly got on.
And then—
WHOOSH!!
It rose into the air.
"…Idiot…"
She whispered.
But her gaze didn't leave him.
---
Elsewhere — Whole Cake Château, Lower Chambers
The prison chamber stood silent.
Burned.
Empty.
Three figures stood within.
Figarland Shamrock.
Gunko.
Sommers.
Shamrock looked down at the charred remains of the book.
"…We're late."
Gunko clicked her tongue.
"…Annoying."
Sommers stretched lazily.
"…Well~ that's unfortunate."
He shrugged.
"…Guess we should just head back."
Gunko shot him a look.
"…Excuse me?"
Sommers raised his hands.
"…What? Mission failed, we go home. Simple."
Gunko scoffed.
"…Pathetic."
Shamrock didn't look at either of them.
His gaze remained forward.
Calculating.
"…We're not done."
Sommers sighed.
"…Then how do we catch someone who's already left~?"
A pause.
Gunko smirked slightly.
"…I can take us there."
Shamrock glanced at her.
"…Explain."
Gunko lifted her hand.
Faint energy pulsed around her fingers.
"…My ability."
She smiled faintly.
"…I can redirect movement."
Sommers tilted his head.
"…Meaning?"
Gunko's eyes gleamed.
"…Meaning I can send us exactly where we need to go."
Silence.
Then—
Shamrock nodded.
"…Do it."
Gunko raised her hand fully.
"…Let's go retrieve him."
Elsewhere — The Sky Above Totto Land
The clouds burned.
A massive figure tore through the sky.
Big Mom.
Riding atop Zeus—
Lightning crackling beneath her.
Prometheus burned beside her.
A blazing sun roaring with excitement.
Napoleon rested in her head.
Grinning.
"MAMAMAMAMA!!"
Her laughter echoed across the heavens.
"…Garp…"
Her grin widened.
"…You came to me!!"
Zeus trembled beneath her.
"…Mama~ this is gonna be scary…"
Prometheus roared.
"Scary!? This is exciting!! Burn him, Mama!!"
Napoleon chimed in.
"Cut him down!!"
Big Mom's eyes gleamed.
"It's been a long time…"
Her voice dropped.
Heavy.
Excited.
Hungry.
"…since I fought someone like you."
Lightning split the sky.
Fire roared.
The wind howled.
And as she surged toward the battlefield—
Two monsters—
Were about to collide.
While a third—
Was flying straight into the storm.
---
Nuts Island — Totto Land
The battlefield had become unrecognizable.
Nut forests. Flattened.
Buildings. Reduced to rubble.
The earth itself cracked open in jagged lines from repeated impacts.
And at the center of it all—
One man stood.
Monkey D. Garp.
His coat hung off one shoulder.
His fists, still raised.
His grin, still there.
Around him—
Bodies.
Charlotte Daifuku. Down, struggling to even rise.
Charlotte Oven. Collapsed, breathing ragged.
Charlotte Amande. Unconscious.
Even Charlotte Perospero, leaning on broken candy constructs just to stay upright.
"…Monsters…" Perospero muttered under his breath.
Only one remained standing.
Charlotte Katakuri.
His body trembled.
Not from fear—
From damage.
Blood stained his coat. His breathing was heavy. His vision, flickering.
But he didn't fall.
'If I fall…'
His eyes sharpened.
'He reaches Mama.'
Garp rolled his shoulders.
"…Still going?"
Katakuri didn't answer.
Instead—
He stepped forward.
Future Sight flared.
The world slowed.
'He attacks, high, no, feint then right—'
Katakuri moved first.
"Zangiri Mochi!"
A slicing strike. Fast and precise—
It landed.
Garp's head tilted slightly as the blow cut across him.
A line of blood.
Silence.
Then—
"BAHAHAHAHA!!"
Garp laughed.
"…You're stubborn."
Katakuri didn't slow.
He pressed forward again.
"Mochi Tsuki!"
"Buzz Cut Mochi!"
Blows rained down—
Relentless.
Calculated.
Each one guided by future sight.
Garp blocked.
Took them.
Let them hit.
His feet dug into the earth.
The ground beneath him shattered.
But he didn't move.
"…That all?"
Katakuri's eyes widened slightly.
'He's… not slowing down…'
Garp stepped forward.
And vanished.
Katakuri saw it.
'Above—!'
He raised his arms—
Too late.
BOOOOM!!
Garp's fist slammed down.
Katakuri blocked—
But the impact drove him into the ground.
The island cracked again.
Dust exploded outward.
Katakuri coughed. Blood spilling from his mouth.
Still—
He forced himself up.
Still—
He stood.
Garp looked down at him.
This time—
His grin faded slightly.
"…You've got spirit."
A pause.
"…But I don't have time to play anymore."
The air changed.
He raised his fist.
The sky darkened.
Black lightning crackled violently around him.
Conqueror's Haki surged—
Katakuri's eyes widened.
'This…'
Garp stepped forward.
"…Let's end this."
He pulled his arm back.
The world seemed to hold its breath.
Then—
"GALAXY DIVIDE!!"
His fist came down.
Katakuri reacted instantly—
Future Sight screaming—
Body shifting—
Mochi expanding—
But it wasn't enough.
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
The impact split the battlefield in half.
The ground—
The air—
Even the horizon—
Everything cracked.
Katakuri's body was swallowed by the strike—
And when the dust cleared—
He stood.
Barely.
His body broken.
Blood pouring.
One knee touching the ground.
"…Still…"
He coughed.
"…standing…"
Then—
Silence fell.
Perospero's eyes widened.
"…Katakuri…"
Daifuku clenched his teeth.
"…Damn it…"
Garp lowered his fist.
"…You did well."
The battlefield stilled.
For a moment—
Everything was quiet.
Then—
"MAMAMAMAMAMA!!!"
Laughter.
Loud.
Wild.
Familiar.
Garp's grin returned instantly.
"…There she is."
The sky split open.
Lightning.
Fire.
Clouds scattering violently—
And descending from above—
Big Mom.
Riding Zeus.
Prometheus blazing beside her.
Napoleon drawn—
Grinning.
She landed with a crash that shook the island.
"…Garp!!"
Her smile stretched wide.
"…You've gotten bold!!"
Garp cracked his neck.
"…Had to come get my kid."
Big Mom's eyes gleamed.
"…Then come try."
She moved first.
Napoleon swung down—
Massive.
Overwhelming.
Garp stepped in.
His fist rose.
Black lightning erupted.
And then—
BOOOOOOOOM!!!
Fist met blade.
A shockwave exploded outward—
Splitting the sky clean in half.
The clouds tore apart.
The heavens cracked.
Conqueror's Haki clashed.
Violent.
Unmatched.
The air screamed.
Across the battlefield—
Marines on Garp's ship dropped instantly—
Eyes rolling back—
Unconscious.
Even seasoned fighters staggered.
On the shore—
Gion's eyes widened.
"…This…"
She clenched her fist.
"…This level of Haki…"
Perospero stared in disbelief.
"…Monsters…"
Daifuku gritted his teeth.
"…This is what it means… to stand at the top…"
The clash held.
For a moment—
Neither moved.
Then—
They both grinned.
Garp.
"…Linlin."
Big Mom.
"…Garp."
The air trembled again.
Because now—
The real fight—
Had begun.
---
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