After boasting and lamenting for a while longer, Bullet stood up and left.
As the door slowly closed, Bullet's figure vanished from Smoothie's sight.
Now, only Smoothie remained alone in the spacious room.
She stood quietly in the center of the room, like a statue, her mind churning with the crucial information she'd just gleaned from her conversation with Bullet.
It seemed as though countless intricate threads were intertwining in her thoughts, urgently needing to be sorted out.
This was a luxurious suite.
The floor-to-ceiling window, like a giant mirror, reflected the dazzling nightscape of the Eternal Divine Kingdom into the room.
Outside the window, the city was ablaze with lights, illuminating its silhouette.
Skyscrapers stood tall, neon signs flickering with colorful radiance, creating a dreamlike ocean.
Against the backdrop of this bustling nightscape, Smoothie's slender figure appeared even more solitary.
Slowly, she raised her hand, her delicate fingers gently pressing the communication Den Den Mushi in her palm.
Her mind, however, wasn't on the beautiful scenery at all but immersed in thoughts of how to accurately report this intelligence to BIG MOM.
Her red lips parted slightly, and Smoothie's voice, low and clear, relayed every word of the information she'd cleverly extracted from Bullet to BIG MOM without omission.
"Mama, that's the situation."
Smoothie's voice was hushed, her brow slightly furrowed, a trace of gravity in her eyes as she continued.
"Ron is personally leading the team to the Land of Wano, with many people in tow. It seems this time, they're dead set on eradicating Kaido and his Beasts Pirates."
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the Den Den Mushi, as if time itself had frozen.
Then, BIG MOM's low laughter came through: "Mamamamama… Well done, Smoothie."
The laughter echoed in the silent room, yet carried a chilling, sinister undertone.
"You remain in the Eternal Divine Kingdom. Safeguard those blood samples, not a single mishap is allowed," BIG MOM's words held an undeniable tone of command, each words striking Smoothie's heart like a heavy hammer.
"Yes, MAMA," Smoothie replied respectfully, her body leaning forward slightly, her gaze resolute.
When it came to Mama's orders, she always obeyed.
She keenly noticed that the Den Den Mushi's simulation of BIG MOM's expression was unusually stern, her brows tightly knit.
That already imposing face now exuded an even more intimidating aura. This was a stark contrast to her usual frenzied demeanor.
Smoothie knew full well that this matter was far more serious than she'd imagined.
After ending the communication, Smoothie slowly turned around, thoughtfully rubbing her wine glass between her fingers.
The crystal glass refracted a captivating luster through her slender fingers as the red wine inside gently swayed, mirroring the turbulence of her thoughts.
She understood clearly that any intelligence their mother took this seriously would inevitably concern the future of the Big Mom Pirates.
Every decision, every action, could determine the pirate crew's destiny.
And she, as a key member under their mother's command, bore significant responsibility.
...
Meanwhile, in the distant seas, Whole Cake Island stood quietly upon the ocean's surface like a massive sweet fortress.
Deep within its palace, a suffocatingly oppressive atmosphere permeated the air.
Big Mom slowly set down the exquisite Den Den Mushi in her hand, as if putting down the weight of the world.
Her enormously obese body sank heavily into the magnificent and imposing throne like a small mountain, making her appear like a giant beast wrapped in layers of worry.
"Kaido..."
Beneath her tightly furrowed brows, those already intimidating eyes now revealed a terrifying glint that chilled one to the bone.
The Homies surrounding her, who usually ran wild relying on their master's favor, didn't dare utter a single word now.
Time seemed to freeze in dead silence, the air filled with fear becoming heavy.
The expressions on Big Mom's face shifted like unpredictable weather - sometimes gloomy, sometimes clearing then clouding over - making it impossible to discern her true thoughts.
"Eternal Divine Kingdom... Ron..." She lowered her head slightly, murmuring to herself.
Though her voice was soft, it echoed through the silent palace.
Her mind involuntarily flashed back to the previous two transactions with the Eternal Divine Kingdom, the scenes appearing before her eyes as vividly as reality.
Those blood samples from ability users containing terrifying power, those exquisite Enchantment Techniques - every cooperation had made the Big Mom Pirates' strength advance by leaps and bounds.
"Mamamamama..." Big Mom suddenly let out a low laugh that echoed through the palace, yet carried no trace of genuine joy.
Her laughter didn't reach her eyes.
Hidden deep within those profound pupils was a barely noticeable trace of worry and vigilance.
"What a frightening brat..."
She sighed softly, lamenting the unpredictability of fate that placed such a powerful and mysterious opponent before her.
Outside the window, the thunderclouds in the already gloomy sky seemed to sense her emotions, beginning to churn violently.
Purple lightning weaved through the cloud layers like a roaring Dragons.
Each flash illuminated the palace and reflected Big Mom's complex, solemn expression.
"That old fool Whitebeard..."
Big Mom growled through gritted teeth, her eyes flashing with anger and resentment.
Her gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, seeing that soul-stirring battle.
"By now, he's probably..." Her voice gradually trailed off, not daring to continue the thought.
Because she knew that two transactions had already elevated her to unprecedented heights, and Whitebeard, who had cooperated with Ron for even longer, had reached a level of power so terrifying it was unimaginable.
This thought weighed on her heart like a heavy stone, causing a sharp pain in her stomach.
Even her favorite cakes, which she usually adored, had lost all their appeal.
Her deep love for delicious food was, in this moment, replaced by profound anxiety.
"That idiot Kaido!" Big Mom suddenly roared in fury, smashing a nearby coffee table with her fist.
Fragments scattered everywhere, mirroring her shattered state of mind.
The teacups and teapot on the table crashed to the floor, shattering with a series of sharp, crisp sounds that echoed piercingly through the silent palace.
"Has his brain been eaten by Sea Kings?!"