Chapter 463 - 302

Chapter 303: Two Yonko Commanders Enter the Fray!The port of Dressrosa gradually awakens in the morning light.The turmoil of last night didn't seem to affect the island's daytime prosperity.Toys cleaned the streets as usual, human vendors called out loudly, and tourists gathered in front of brightly colored buildings to take photos.On the surface, everything was no different from any other day.Until... that ship appeared.At first, it was just a black dot on the horizon.But as it gradually approached, the bustle of the port began to fade.Vendors stopped shouting, tourists put down their cameras, and even those tireless toys stopped their movements, all looking toward the sea together.It was a ship, but it looked more like a floating castle.The hull was as tall as a three-story building, covered entirely in pink and purple stripes, with intricate candy and pastry patterns carved into the gunwales.The flag hanging from the main mast was not a common pirate skull, but the skull of a woman wearing bright lipstick and a Captain's hat.Dead silence.The port fell into a complete, dead silence.Then, the first person to recognize it let out a trembling cry:"That, that's... the Big Mom Pirates' ship!!"Like cold water poured into boiling oil, the port instantly exploded!"Big Mom?! The fleet of the Four Emperors' Charlotte Linlin?!""Why... why would they come to Dressrosa?!""Could it be... also for the Tremor-Tremor Fruit?!"Panic spread like a plague.People began to push and shove; some wanted to flee, some wanted to hide, but more just stood frozen in place, looking up at the terrifying vessel slowly sailing into the port.The ship docked smoothly at the largest berth.Before the hull had completely come to a stop, a figure had already leaped down from the deck.The person was tall and slender, wearing deep purple pants and black leather boots, with only an open dark blue leather jacket on his upper body, revealing well-defined abdominal muscles.A white scarf was wrapped around his neck, its ends fluttering behind him like flags."Charlotte Katakuri..."In the crowd, an elderly bounty hunter gasped,"The top executive of the Big Mom Pirates, the head of the Three Sweet Commanders, with a bounty of... 1.057 billion Berries!"Before his voice had faded, a second figure slowly walked down the gangway.Wearing a tall hat adorned with candy decorations, a pink and white striped suit, and holding a uniquely shaped candy cane.His long tongue protruded from his mouth, thick syrup constantly dripping from its tip, with a chilling smile on his face."Charlotte Perospero! The eldest son of Big Mom, the Minister of Candy, with a bounty of 210 million Berries!"The two stepped onto the dock one after the other.They brought no entourage, no soldiers, only the two of them. But even so, it was enough to make the entire port fall silent.Perospero licked his cane with his slimy tongue, looked around, and gave a strange laugh:"So many people~ It seems there are quite a few who are interested in what Mama wants~"Katakuri didn't speak; he didn't even glance at the people around him, just kept his eyes half-closed and walked straight toward the port exit.His steps were steady and composed; with every step he took, the stone slabs beneath his feet would sink slightly.The crowd automatically parted to create a path.No one dared to block them!No one dared to stop them!Perospero followed behind him, his candy cane tapping the ground with a crisp "tap, tap" sound.He tilted his head, scanning the pale-faced crowd on both sides, his smile becoming increasingly eerie."Everyone~"He drawled,"We're just here to participate in the Gladiator Tournament~ No need to be nervous~ As long as you don't block the path or get in the way, Mama is very forgiving~ Perorin~"Forgiving?Everyone who heard the word smiled bitterly in their hearts.Who didn't know what the "forgiveness" of the Four Emperors' Big Mom meant.So-called forgiveness was nothing more than a handout when choosing how to die.Katakuri stopped at the port exit.He finally opened his eyes, revealing crimson pupils, looking toward the towering Kings Plateauin the center of the city, and toward the arena further away.Perospero walked to his side,"What's wrong?""There's an aura of trouble."Katakuri's voice was deep and magnetic.Perospero's smile faded slightly: "It's even more lively than we expected~""It doesn't matter."Katakuri closed his eyes again,"No one can take what Mama wants. Those who stand in the way...""Will all be crushed!!"With those words, he continued forward. Perospero shrugged and followed.Only after the two figures had completely disappeared at the end of the street did the crowd at the port dare to breathe again."Two, two executives..."Big Mom is determined to get the Tremor-Tremor Fruit...""It's over... this Gladiator Tournament... is really going to turn into hell..."Whispers rose like a tide.In a shadow of the port, several people wearing white suits and white masks were silently watching all of this."CP0 reporting, targets B-1 and B-2 have landed."One of them whispered into a den den mushihidden in his sleeve,"Intervention by the Big Mom Pirates confirmed. Requesting next instructions."There was a moment of silence on the other end of the den den mushi before a cold reply came:"Continue monitoring. Wait for the 'Contractor' to arrive.""Understood."The masked man put away the den den mushi and vanished into the shadows like a phantom.The port regained its surface bustle.But everyone knew—On the chessboard of Dressrosa, two more pieces capable of overturning the situation had been placed.And the game had only just begun... At the same time, in the central district of Dressrosa, a top-floor suite of a luxury hotel called the "Golden Crown."The curtains were tightly drawn, and the room was dimly lit. Only a single ray of sunlight peeked through a gap in the curtains, cutting a long, thin gold line across the floor.At the end of the gold line was a pair of black military boots.The owner of the boots sat on a sofa in the center of the room, his body completely hidden in the shadows.He wore black leather pants, a dark purple high-collared sleeveless tight-fitting shirt, and a black jacket covered in rivets and chains.The black wings on his back were folded by his sides, each feather shimmering with a metallic luster.Great Sign of the Beasts Pirates, "conflagration" King.He had his eyes closed, as if resting or listening. The wings on his back would occasionally twitch slightly, as if they had a life of their own.The room was very quiet.King slowly opened his eyes.His eyes were a strange orange-yellow, with pupils slit like a reptile's.At this moment, a sharp light flashed in those eyes."The scent of the Ope-Ope no Mi..."King muttered to himself, his voice as raspy as grinding sand,"And... the remnants of Fujitora's gravity field. That fellow Doflamingo has indeed run into trouble."He stood up, walked to the window, and gently pulled back a gap in the curtains with one finger.From this height, he could overlook most of Dressrosa.Brightly colored houses were spread out like building blocks, streets were swarming with people, toys and humans mixed together... but what King saw were deeper things.Undercurrents.Countless forces converging, colliding, and brewing a storm that was about to erupt on this island.His gaze swept toward the port and lingered for a moment."Big Mom's people are here too..."A cold sneer curled at the corner of King's mouth,"For the Tremor-Tremor Fruit? Or... is there another purpose?"He let go of the curtain, turned back to the center of the room, and took out a black den den mushifrom his coat.After the den den mushi connected, a deep and majestic voice came from the other end. Even through the den den mushi, one could feel the violent power contained in that voice, like a volcano."King. What's the situation?""Lord Kaido."King bowed his head respectfully,"As you expected, Dressrosa has become the center of a whirlpool. Big Mom has sent Katakuriand Perospero, and Admiral Fujitora fought Trafalgar Law last night.""News of the Tremor-Tremor Fruit has attracted at least seventeen pirate crews with bounties over a hundred million, and many emperors of the Underworld have also arrived."The other end of the phone was silent for a moment.Then, a low laugh came through."Worororo... Lively, how very lively!"Kaido's voice was full of excitement,"So... what about the Straw Hat? Has he come?""Not yet confirmed."King replied,"But Trafalgar Law, who fought Fujitora last night, is the Straw Hat's crewmate. Since he is here, the Straw Hat is very likely here as well.""Find him."Kaido's voice suddenly became ferocious,"That brat... the 'gift' he gave me on Onigashimathree months ago, I remember it clearly every single day!"King could hear the anger in that voice... and a certain deeper, more dangerous desire."I will find him, Lord Kaido."King promised in a deep voice."Don't just find him."Kaido said, "The Tremor-Tremor Fruit... cannot fall into Big Mom's hands either.""If that crazy old hag gets Whitebeard's power, the balance will be completely shattered.""You mean...""If there's a chance, seize it."Kaido's voice was as cold as ice,"If you can't seize it... then destroy it. Do you understand?""Understood."The call ended.King put the den den mushi back in his coat and walked to the window again.This time, he pulled the curtains wide open.The midday sun flooded into the room, illuminating his entire body.The black wings shimmered with a dull luster in the sunlight, the feathers at the edges as sharp as knives.The flame tattoo on his back was faintly visible in the light.That was the unique mark of the Lunarian race, and proof of his status as a descendant of the "God" race.But what King was thinking about now was not race or mission.It was the task.Find Straw Hat Luffy.Seize or destroy the Tremor-Tremor Fruit.Both tasks had to be completed under the noses of the Big Mom Pirates, the Marine, and the other forces on the island.The difficulty was extremely high.But there was no hint of fear in King's eyes.He was the Great Sign of the Beasts Pirates, Kaido's most trusted right-hand man, the "conflagration" with a bounty of 1.39 billion Berries.Fear was not a word in his vocabulary.His gaze turned to the distant arena... that circular building shone in the sunlight like a massive altar waiting for sacrifices.The Gladiator Tournament would officially begin at noon.At that time, all the forces hidden in the shadows would surface.All grudges, all ambitions, and all hatred would collide and explode in that arena.And what he had to do was complete Lord Kaido's orders amidst the chaos.King's wings slowly unfurled and then folded back."Straw Hat Luffy..."King whispered the name, his fingers gently stroking the blade of his sword,"This time, you won't have the same luck you had on Onigashima."He pushed open the door and stepped into the hallway.In front of the elevator at the end of the hallway, several pirates who were talking stopped instantly, their faces turning pale as they made way.King didn't even look at them and walked straight into the elevator.The elevator doors closed and descended.In the hotel lobby, when the elevator doors opened again and King stepped out, the entire lobby fell silent.Everyone recognized him.They recognized those black wings, that iconic outfit, and those non-human eyes."C-conflagration King..."The Beasts Pirates... are here too...""It's over... it's all over... two of the Four Emperors' forces are here... this island is really going to sink..."King ignored all the gazes and whispers, walking straight out of the hotel and into the midday sun of Dressrosa.His shadow was stretched long, the outline of his wings casting a demon-like shape on the ground.A barely perceptible curve formed at the corner of King's mouth."Let them all come."He whispered, his voice audible only to himself,"The more, the better.""That way...""The slaughter will be even more interesting."He stepped forward, merging into the crowd on the street.The black wings were folded behind his back, like a reaper retracting his scythe.The sunlight in Dressrosa was still bright, the flowers were still in bloom, and the music was still cheerful.But everyone knew—The carnival was about to become a bloodbath.