Chapter 224 – Reaching an Agreement
"Captain of the Whitebeard Pirates?"
Charlotte Linlin—Big Mom—burst into furious laughter the moment she heard the news.
"Hah! Let them all come then! I've been looking for someone to vent my anger on anyway. You've saved me the trouble of finding a target!"
She raised her head, her massive form casting a long shadow across the shattered ground as she glared at the man floating in the sky.
"You brat! Don't think you can scare me with such a show of force!" she roared. "Even if that old man Whitebeard himself came here in person, it wouldn't stop me from taking your head!"
Ace hovered above, his flames flickering like the wings of a phoenix. His expression remained calm as he called down:
"Big Mom, there's no irreconcilable grudge between us. If you hand over those three women right now, we'll leave Totto Land immediately. What do you say?"
To be honest, Ace didn't want to trigger a full-scale war with the Big Mom Pirates at this stage. Once such a battle broke out, it would spiral beyond anyone's control—a disaster for his future plans.
But if things did go too far… he wouldn't back down either.
"Don't even think about it!" Big Mom bellowed. Her Conqueror's Haki surged outward like a storm. "If you'd agreed to my terms in the first place, none of this would've happened! But now it's too late. No one leaves my territory unscathed!"
"In that case…" Ace's eyes flared with fire. "Let's settle this, Big Mom!"
"Ma-ma-ma-ma! That's more like it!" Linlin laughed madly, her Emperor's Sword, Napoleon, crackling with soul energy. "Come down here, brat! Let's finish what we started!"
"Wait!"
Just as Ace prepared to descend, a firm voice stopped him.
He turned toward the source and saw Katakuri walking over, Shiryu of the Rain following just behind.
"Katakuri…" Ace muttered in surprise, then smirked slightly. "So, he's already recruited Shiryu, huh?"
"Katakuri?" Big Mom frowned, her voice deep and dangerous. "My dear son, are you trying to stop me?"
"No, Mother." Katakuri stopped before her, his expression serious. "But compared to waging war with the Spade Pirates… we have a bigger problem."
"Oh?" Linlin raised a brow. "And what could be more important than letting me vent my anger?"
"It's the World Government," Katakuri replied gravely. "Just now, agents from CP0 broke into our territory. They attacked Owen and Daifuku's squads, took away Stussy, and stole one of our Poneglyph rubbings."
He clenched his fists. "That's when I realized—the woman Stussy was a spy all along, sent by the World Government."
"What?!"
The air trembled as Big Mom's fury exploded. Her overwhelming Haki rolled across the battlefield, forcing everyone nearby to step back instinctively.
"Stussy…!" Linlin's face twisted in rage. The Queen of the Pleasure Districts, one of the most trusted figures in the underground world, had long maintained close dealings with the Charlotte Family. Linlin had even considered her an ally—someone who knew countless secrets about Totto Land and its trade routes.
And now, to learn she was a spy?
That betrayal cut deeper than any sword.
"Brat!" Big Mom suddenly turned her glare toward Ace. "You heard everything, didn't you? I'll give you a deal. Bring me Stussy's head and recover the Poneglyph rubbing she stole. Do that—and I'll return those three women to you. Once it's done, our debt is settled. How about it?"
Ace thought for a moment before lowering himself to the ground. His fiery aura dimmed slightly as he met her gaze.
"Fine. But you release them first. I'll keep my word—and make sure Stussy and that rubbing are brought back to you."
"Deal!" Big Mom barked immediately, not even hesitating. "Brûlée!"
"Yes, Mama!"
Charlotte Brûlée stepped out from behind the ranks and activated her Mirror-Mirror Fruit powers. Ripples spread through a large standing mirror, and moments later, three women stumbled out—Margaret, Sweet Pea, and Aphelandra—the Kuja warriors who had been captured earlier.
The three stood frozen, trembling slightly as they found themselves surrounded by Yonko-level monsters.
Big Mom grinned, baring her jagged teeth. "Brat, if you dare deceive me, you'll face the wrath of the entire Big Mom Pirates. And one more thing—don't underestimate CP0."
Ace smirked faintly.
"You don't have to tell me that. I know exactly what kind of monsters hide behind those white masks."
He remembered the rumors—CP0, the World Government's strongest intelligence agency, directly serving the Five Elders and the Celestial Dragons. Their strength was said to rival that of Admirals, and they could even command Marine forces if necessary.
"Ma-ma-ma! Then we understand each other." Linlin twirled Napoleon, which morphed back into its hat form and settled atop her head. "Just don't keep me waiting too long, brat. My patience has limits."
Then, with a wide grin, she added, "By the way, are you sure you don't want to be my son-in-law? I can marry off one of my best daughters to you!"
"Yeah, no thanks." Ace waved dismissively and turned away.
After a few steps, he looked back toward the three women and called out:
"Hey, you three—come with me. Luffy's been worried sick about you."
The Kuja warriors nodded hurriedly and followed as Ace's flames flared once more, lifting them into the sky.
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