Chapter 123: An Unexpected Twist!
The dining hall inside the Whole Cake Chateau was a sprawling masterpiece of edible architecture and opulent design, a testament to the gluttonous dreams of a Yonko.
Crystal chandeliers hung from the high ceiling, casting a warm, golden glow over the long banquet table that seemed to stretch on forever. The table groaned under the weight of a culinary feast that could only exist in the wildest fantasies of a sugar addict.
It wasn't just the savory dishes—the roasted meats dripping with rich gravy, the lobster thermidor glistening with butter, or the soups fragrant with rare spices.
It was the desserts.
This was Totto Land, after all. The desserts were the true main course, the lifeblood of this twisted fairytale kingdom.
Towers of profiteroles were stacked high, cemented together with spun sugar that looked like golden glass. Mousse cakes in every shade of the rainbow trembled delicately on silver platters. Macarons the size of saucers, jelly puddings that wobbled hypnotically, and fountains flowing with warm chocolate and strawberry syrup created a landscape of pure, unadulterated sugar.
The air itself was thick, heavy with the scent of vanilla, caramelized sugar, and fresh cream. It was a sweet, cloying aroma that whetted the appetite and made the mouth water instantly.
"Wow...!"
A gasp of pure, unbridled joy broke the decorum.
Akame's crimson eyes, usually so calm and deadly, were now shining with the intensity of two red searchlights. She stared at the spread before her, her usual assassin's composure completely evaporating in the face of such overwhelming sweetness.
She didn't hesitate.
Her hand shot out, a blur of motion usually reserved for sword strikes.
She grabbed a strawberry shortcake that was easily the size of a human head. Without a shred of concern for her image as a deadly killer, she shoved a massive piece into her mouth.
"Mmph!"
Her cheeks bulged like a hamster storing food for winter. Cream smeared the corners of her lips, and a dab of strawberry jam landed on her nose. She looked less like a fearsome warrior who had slain countless enemies and more like a stray cat that had successfully raided a bakery.
"So... good..." she mumbled, swallowing heavily before immediately reaching for a chocolate éclair with her other hand.
Beside her, Nami and the Mink Tribe warriors were equally entranced.
Nami picked up a tangerine tart, her eyes sparkling with tears of joy. "This... this is heaven! Compared to the endless sashimi we've been eating..."
Nekomamushi, the massive cat Mink, was practically purring as he shoveled lasagna into his mouth with both hands. "Meow! This is the life! Fresh meat that isn't fish! And this lasagna... it's filled with cheese!"
It was understandable.
Ever since Hashirama Senju and Ulquiorra Cifer had decided to turn the calm belt into their personal fishing competition, the Vermillion Wing's menu had become tragically single-minded.
Breakfast? Sashimi.
Lunch? Grilled fish.
Dinner? Fish soup.
Even with Rem and Ram's incredible culinary skills, there were only so many ways one could dress up a tuna. The crew's taste buds were screaming for variety, for sugar, for land-based carbohydrates.
This banquet was a torrential rain after a decade-long drought, a salvation for their tortured palates.
Suzaku sat at the head of his group, a relaxed smile playing on his lips. He picked up a silver spoon and gently cut into a piece of Opera cake.
The layers were distinct—almond sponge soaked in coffee syrup, coffee buttercream, and a rich dark chocolate ganache glaze.
He took a bite.
The flavors exploded in his mouth. The bitterness of the coffee perfectly cut through the richness of the chocolate, while the almond sponge provided a delightful texture, followed by the fragrance of sweet wine lingering on the tongue.
"Hmm... It is indeed very sweet."
Suzaku gently placed the spoon back onto the saucer. His gaze drifted over the mountain of pastries, a thoughtful expression crossing his face.
"As expected of Charlotte Linlin," he mused aloud, his voice low enough that only those nearby could hear. "To have a nation built on sweets... it takes a special kind of obsession. However, looking at her now, it's hard to believe she was quite slender in her youth."
He leaned back in his chair, swirling the red wine in his glass, his eyes narrowing slightly as he pondered the physics of the One Piece world.
"But because she loved eating sweets, she ate herself into such a plump state. With the physical prowess of a Yonko, burning calories should be trivial. She could easily maintain a warrior's physique through Haki training or simple metabolism control. But she chooses not to."
He paused, a playful glint in his eyes as he shook his head.
"Honestly, we can't blame her. We should blame the author, Oda! A mere manga artist who has never stepped foot in the real world, drawing whatever he pleases! It seems to be a curse of this world—beautiful women in their youth turning into monstrously large antagonists in their old age. What a tragedy for aesthetics."
The crew ignored his strange ramblings about "Oda" and "manga artists," too busy stuffing their faces to care about his critique of character design evolution. They were content. The journey had been long, and this moment of peace was precious.
Just as everyone had eaten their fill and felt the pleasant lethargy of a food coma setting in, ready to head upstairs to their guest rooms...
BOOM...!
A deafening roar shattered the peaceful atmosphere.
The heavy oak table jumped an inch off the floor. The crystal chandeliers swung violently, chiming like distress bells. Silverware rattled against china, and a half-eaten tower of donuts toppled over, rolling across the pristine tablecloth.
Immediately following the sound, a visible shockwave of air pressure slammed against the castle walls outside. Through the tall, arched windows, a massive plume of dense smoke and dust shot straight into the sky, mushrooming outward like a localized volcanic eruption.
The laughter in the dining room was severed instantly, as if cut by a blade.
Akame froze mid-bite, a piece of cake halfway to her mouth. Her eyes instantly sharpened, shifting from 'glutton' to 'assassin' in a nanosecond.
Nami dropped her tart, jumping to her feet. "What the hell?!" she shrieked, clutching her Clima-Tact which she kept strapped to her thigh. "An explosion? Here? Inside the Yonko's territory?"
"Someone dares to cause trouble in Totto Land?" Carrot's rabbit ears perked up, twitching nervously as she scanned the windows. "Is it an enemy attack?"
The vibration of the floor hadn't even ceased when Suzaku stood up.
The bored expression he had worn earlier vanished completely. In its place was a look of keen interest, his eyes gleaming with the excitement of a man who had finally found something entertaining.
"Interesting!"
Suzaku wiped his mouth with a napkin and tossed it onto the table.
"I was just starting to feel a bit of a food coma coming on. This is perfect timing."
He adjusted his crimson coat, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
"Let's go, everyone! Let's take a look!"
He waved his hand, leading the group out of the dining hall without a shred of hesitation.
Outside the Whole Cake Chateau, the air was thick with the scent of burnt sugar and ozone.
Katakuri stood near the entrance, his arms crossed over his chest. His towering figure was rigid, radiating an aura of suppressed fury. His crimson eyes stared toward the source of the explosion—a location deep within the capital, a core stronghold of the Big Mom Pirates.
For an explosion to occur there... it meant someone had bypassed their outer defenses.
It was a slap in the face. A loud, humiliating slap to the Sweet Commanders who were responsible for the island's security.
"Damn it," Katakuri muttered, his scarf hiding the grimace on his mouth. "Who is foolish enough to attack today of all days?"
He turned to leave, intending to crush the intruder personally, when the heavy doors behind him burst open.
Suzaku walked out, leading his entourage of monsters and oddities. They looked less like concerned guests and more like tourists heading to a theme park attraction.
Katakuri's Observation Haki flared. He sensed their intent immediately—curiosity, amusement, and a complete lack of fear.
A vein throbbed on Katakuri's forehead. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to remain calm. These were Mom's honored guests. He couldn't attack them. Not yet.
He stepped sideways, his massive bulk blocking Suzaku's path.
"Mr. Suzaku, please wait!"
Katakuri's voice was deep and gravelly, carrying a tone of forced politeness that strained against his urgency.
"I apologize for the disturbance. Letting our guests witness such a chaotic scene is a failure of our hospitality."
He looked down at Suzaku, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"This is my oversight, and I will deal with it immediately. Please... return to the dining hall. Do not let these unpleasant matters ruin your mood for tomorrow's Tea Party."
The implication was clear as day: Stay out of this. This is our business. Don't interfere.
However, Suzaku was not a man who followed scripts. How could he miss this excellent opportunity to watch a show?
He didn't back down. Instead, he smiled brightly and stepped forward, audaciously reaching up to drape an arm around Katakuri's massive shoulder—or at least, as high as he could reach.
"Katakuri, my friend! Isn't this being too polite?"
Suzaku patted the man's arm as if they were old drinking buddies.
"We aren't strangers anymore! We are also your guests. We've eaten your food, we've drunk your wine. Now that something unexpected has happened on your turf, how could we just sit back?"
Suzaku's voice grew louder, brimming with self-righteous enthusiasm.
"We are warm-hearted people! We stand by our friends! If there's trouble, of course, we should go and help out! Isn't that right, everyone?"
Without waiting for Katakuri to formulate a rebuttal, Suzaku waved his hand, signaling his crew.
"Follow me! Let's go see who has the guts to bomb a Yonko's backyard!"
He marched grandly toward the direction of the explosion, his back straight and confident.
Katakuri stood frozen for a moment, watching Suzaku's retreating figure. His eye twitched violently beneath his scarf.
Help?
You just want to watch the play! I can see the amusement in your eyes!
"Troublesome..." Katakuri hissed through his teeth.
He had no choice but to follow. He had to ensure these "guests" didn't turn a small fire into a blazing inferno.
The group followed the towering column of smoke through the Sweet City. The whimsical landscape of biscuit houses and chocolate fountains had been marred. Debris littered the candy-paved streets, and the smell of burning caramel was overpowering.
When they arrived at the scene, the sight that greeted them caused even the battle-hardened members of the Vermillion Wing to gasp.
It was a plaza, or what used to be a plaza.
Now, it was a crater.
A terrifying pit, easily fifty meters in diameter, scarred the earth. The edges of the crater were jagged, showing signs of having been torn apart by immense physical force and sword slashes.
And standing in the center of this devastation was a nightmare made flesh.
Charlotte Linlin. Big Mom.
She was massive, a literal giant among humans. Her pink curly hair flowed like a wild mane, and her corpulent body cast a shadow that seemed to swallow the light. Her blood-red mouth stretched to her ears in a rictus of rage, and her eyes spun with a mixture of childlike petulance and demonic madness.
In her hand, she gripped Napoleon, the bicorne hat that had transformed into a giant broadsword.
Facing her, trembling and bloodied, were two figures.
One was a jaguar Mink, clutching a sword with a broken blade. His spotted fur was matted with blood, and he was panting heavily, barely able to stand.
The other was a polar bear Mink, lying unconscious near the jaguar's feet, his white fur stained crimson.
"Pekoms!"
Nekomamushi's roar tore through the air.
The massive cat Mink's eyes widened in horror. He recognized the silhouette instantly. It was Pekoms, the lion Mink who served Big Mom, but standing opposite him were faces Nekomamushi knew even better.
"Wait... that's Pedro! And Zepo!"
Nekomamushi turned to Suzaku, his face twisted in desperation.
"Boss Suzaku! Look! That's Pedro and Zepo! They are my brethren from Zou!"
His voice cracked with urgency. "Boss! I beg you! Please help save them! They will be killed!"
"Mama mamamama...!"
Big Mom's voice boomed across the plaza, shaking the very air. She completely ignored the arrival of Suzaku and his group. In her eyes, there was only the prey in front of her.
"You dare to steal my Poneglyph rubbing?"
Her voice dropped an octave, becoming a growl of pure malice.
"You've got guts, little Mink boy! Breaking into my treasure room... thinking you could just leave?"
She raised her free hand, her fingers spread wide.
Hovering beside her, the small sun-homie, Prometheus, flared to life. His face twisted into a wicked grin as he expanded, his flames turning from orange to a blinding white-hot intensity.
"Prometheus!" Big Mom shrieked. "Burn them to death! Leave nothing but ash!"
"Yes, Mama!"
Prometheus roared, opening his maw wide.
WHOOSH!
A massive pillar of fire, concentrated and devastating, erupted from the homie. It was a torrent of destruction, hot enough to melt steel beams instantly. The heat wave distorted the air, creating mirages across the plaza.
The flames surged toward Pedro and the unconscious Zepo like a tidal wave of death.
Pedro looked up, his eyes reflecting the approaching inferno. He gritted his teeth, shielding Zepo with his body, knowing it was futile.
It's over...
In the nick of time!
Just as the destructive flames were about to engulf the two, a figure appeared before them without warning.
It was Suzaku!
He stood firm against the backdrop of the inferno, his crimson coat fluttering in the superheated wind.
He didn't draw a weapon. He didn't raise a shield. He didn't dodge.
He simply faced the roaring torrent of Prometheus's fire and slowly, almost lazily, extended his right hand.
The flames, powerful enough to turn steel into ashes, slammed into him.
But instead of engulfing him, physics seemed to break.
Before touching his palm, the violent fire seemed to meet its monarch. It hesitated. It swirled.
Then, instantly, it became incredibly docile.
Like water being sucked down a drain, the massive pillar of fire spiraled into Suzaku's hand. It condensed, shrinking rapidly, until the world-destroying torrent was easily held entirely within his palm. Not a single spark managed to cross his defense line to harm the Minks behind him.
Suzaku closed his fingers.
Pfft.
As the flames dissipated into nothingness, Suzaku's figure stood clearly before Pedro and Zepo, completely unharmed. Not even a scorch mark marred his skin.
The entire scene fell into absolute silence.
The wind stopped. The crackling of burning debris seemed to mute itself.
Big Mom's frenzied laughter ceased abruptly. Her mad eyes blinked, confusion replacing the rage for a split second.
For the first time, her gaze truly fell upon this uninvited guest!
[Akarin Note:
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