"Heh, looks like this is going to be even more fun than I expected."
Without another word, Lucian vanished.
________________________________________
High above the sky, that golden figure made no attempt to conceal himself. Instead, he pushed his radiance and heat to the limit.
BOOM—!!!
Lucian's entire body turned into a pillar of pure golden light, tearing through the atmosphere with a shriek sharp enough to scorch the heavens, hurtling straight toward the heart of Totto Land—Whole Cake Island!
________________________________________
At that moment, on Whole Cake Island—
The core combatants of the Charlotte Family were almost all present.
Led by the Three Sweet Commanders—Katakuri, Smoothie, and Cracker—dozens of key ministers lined both sides of the throne in tight formation, their expressions grim and war-ready.
Across from them stood two out-of-place figures, exuding suffocating auras of menace.
One was tall, encased in black leather, a cold mask covering his face, with an eternal flame burning behind him.
First of the All-Stars of the Beasts Pirates—"Conflagration" King!
The other was grotesquely large, sporting a golden ponytail braid, chomping a cigar as he impatiently adjusted his cybernetic arm.
One of the All-Stars—"Plague" Queen!
Top forces from two Yonko crews stood side by side, forming a deadly alliance that turned the plaza before the Cake Castle into a field of death.
All of them were waiting for the same person.
"Katakuri… is that guy really coming?"
Katakuri didn't answer.
Queen stood to the side, licking his lips with a crimson tongue, voice thick with bloodlust and anticipation.
"Lord Kaido must be joking, sending both of us over here."
"No matter how high his bounty is, what can one brat really do? Flip the whole damn sky?"
Suddenly—!
"What is that?!"
A lookout screamed, voice cracking with terror.
Everyone instinctively looked up.
High above, a tiny golden speck was expanding at a speed faster than the eye could follow!
It wasn't a flying object.
It was a sun, plummeting straight down!
The pressure was apocalyptic, so overwhelming that even monsters like Katakuri and King felt their hearts skip a beat.
"Scatter!!"
Katakuri, seeing the future, roared a warning louder than he ever had in his life.
But it was too late.
That golden "sun," carrying the power to incinerate all creation, smashed directly into the center of the plaza!
BOOOOOOMMMMM—!!!!
The explosion that erupted in the heart of Whole Cake Island shattered eardrums and tore the world apart!
A shockwave beyond description surged outward like a collapsing star.
The solid ground, made of biscuit and cream, was instantly blasted into the air—ripped apart and vaporized!
Dozens of Charlotte Family underlings were knocked unconscious with blood streaming from every orifice before they could even scream.
Not just Whole Cake Island—several surrounding islands began to shake violently!
Dust and debris surged skyward, forming a massive gray column connecting heaven and earth, completely engulfing the plaza.
________________________________________
Time passed.
When the tremors finally ceased, when the smoke and dust began to settle—
A gaping crater lay at the heart of the plaza.
Around its rim: rubble, toppled walls, and groaning soldiers scattered like leaves in a storm.
Katakuri, King, Queen, Smoothie, Cracker—all Yonko-level elites—had reacted instantly to defend themselves, yet even they now looked battered, faces filled with stunned disbelief.
That was just the entrance.
And the destruction was already this catastrophic.
All eyes were locked on the center of the crater.
There—
A single figure stood.
His simple white shirt was pristine—not a speck of dust or wrinkle in sight.
As if that apocalyptic blast had nothing to do with him.
Lucian lifted his head, gaze calmly sweeping over the wreckage.
There was no tension in those eyes, no nervousness at entering an enemy stronghold.
Only the cool indifference of a man surveying his own territory.
From deep within the castle, Charlotte Linlin sensed his presence. She let out a low, rumbling growl and stood from her throne, her massive frame casting a mountainous shadow.
"Mamamamamama…"
Her eyes brimmed with killing intent as she glared at Lucian, her face twisted with fury.
"You little brat… you really came here to die!!"
"Oh-ro-ro-ro-ro-ro—!!"
At that moment, a special Den Den Mushi at Queen's waist crackled to life—
Kaido's unmistakably wild laughter roared through the receiver.
"Linlin! Has that bastard arrived yet?!"
The Den Den Mushi's mouth opened and closed, simulating Kaido's rugged, excited face.
"Oi!! You little brat with the 7.5 billion bounty!"
Kaido's voice thundered through the stunned plaza.
"Is that you?! You dare challenge the authority of the Yonko?!"
Surrounded by two Yonko's fury and hundreds of elite warriors—
Lucian finally responded.
He slowly looked around—
From Charlotte Linlin's furious face, to King's stone-cold presence, to Queen's irritated scowl.
Then, he spoke.
His voice wasn't loud, but every person present heard it crystal clear.
"Two Yonko crews…"
He paused, and in his eyes flickered a faint trace of… disappointment.
"This is it?"
"I was expecting something a little more impressive."
Time to clear the field.
The moment the words left his mouth—
BOOM—!!!!
A pressure beyond words erupted from Lucian's body—a Supreme Conqueror's Haki so monstrous it defied comprehension!
Black lightning danced violently around him, crackling and exploding like a storm of wrath!
The sky—was torn apart by this tyrannical will, a massive black rift ripping through the heavens!
Queen gasped involuntarily.
Was this some kind of joke?!