Chapter 131: Kaido's Unexpected Arrival!
For a moment, a strange, suffocating silence descended upon the vast, open-air banquet hall of the Whole Cake Chateau.
The singing flowers had quieted down, the homie-infused carpets stopped rippling, and even the sentient clouds floating above seemed to hold their breath. The only sounds that dared to disturb this heavy atmosphere were the crisp, rhythmic clinking of silver cutlery against fine porcelain plates and the focused, rhythmic chewing of a few individuals who possessed appetites large enough to ignore the tension.
Charlotte Linlin sat at the head of the table, a towering mountain of pink muscle and floral fabric. She paused in her consumption of a croquembouche tower, licking a smear of sweet cream from her lips. Her massive, round eyes looked around the table, a satisfied, predatory smile stretching across her face as she took in the sight of her guests.
The magnates of the Underworld—the Loan Shark King Du Feld, the Shipping King Umit, the Queen of the Pleasure District Stussy, and the others—were frozen in their seats. They gripped their wine glasses with white-knuckled intensity, beads of cold sweat tracing paths down their temples.
Linlin naturally took this fearful silence as a compliment. To her, it was proof that everyone was captivated by Totto Land's exquisite cuisine and her overwhelming majesty.
See? She thought, her smile widening to reveal rows of teeth. This is my country. This is my power. Even the kings of the dark world are like obedient children at my table.
Her gaze shifted to the young man seated in the place of honor. Suzaku Yareon. Even this newly appointed, unofficial "Fifth Emperor" was indulging in her desserts.
"Mama mama mama..."
Charlotte Linlin's signature laughter once again broke the silence, rolling over the banquet hall like a sudden thunderstorm. Her massive body leaned slightly forward, casting a shadow that physically enveloped half the dining table. An invisible pressure, heavy with the weight of her Conqueror's Haki, washed over the guests, making everyone's heart skip a beat.
"I'm very happy you all could attend my tea party," Linlin began, her voice vibrating in the chests of those present. "The first purpose of this tea party is, of course, to foster camaraderie and share the sweetness of the world."
Her voice was unhurried, dripping with a false sweetness that barely masked the undeniable authority beneath.
"And the second..." Linlin's eyes narrowed into crescents. "Is as the saying goes, 'no discord, no concord.' The Suzaku Pirates and I could say we 'got to know each other' a bit better before the tea party started."
She deliberately emphasized the words "got to know each other," dragging out the syllables.
A collective shiver ran down the spines of the Underworld Emperors. They all knew what "getting to know each other" meant in the vocabulary of a Yonko. It meant the earth-shattering clash that had nearly leveled the entrance of the island earlier that day. It meant violence.
It's coming! Morgans, the President of the World Economy Newspaper, thought frantically. The main topic is finally here!
The giant albatross-man subtly straightened his posture, adjusting his top hat. Beneath his white feathers, his skin was trembling—not just with fear, but with the adrenaline of a scoop. His journalistic instincts were screaming. He would bet his entire publishing empire that what was coming next would be a headline that would shake the Grand Line to its core!
Charlotte Linlin's gaze swept over the crowd like a lighthouse beam before landing directly on Suzaku. The young captain was currently intent on devouring a slice of premium mille-feuille cake, seemingly oblivious to the gravity of the moment.
"So," Linlin boomed, spreading her arms wide, "I want to take this opportunity today to strengthen our ties even further! To turn a misunderstanding into a bond of blood!"
She paused for dramatic effect, her grin stretching to her ears.
"Suzaku Yareon! My daughters are all here waiting for you. You can choose one of them to marry into our Charlotte Family!"
Boom!
As soon as these words were uttered, it was as if a bomb had been detonated in the center of the banquet hall. The atmosphere instantly ignited!
The magnates of the Underworld could no longer maintain their composure. They turned to each other, their eyes wide and frantic, exchanging looks of absolute shock.
What?!
The thought raced through every mind present. The Yonko, Big Mom, was actually taking the initiative? She wasn't threatening him with death; she was proposing a marriage alliance!
This was not a simple political agreement. In the world of pirates, a marriage alliance with the Charlotte Family meant a complete binding of interests, territories, and bloodlines.
"If this happens..." Du Feld muttered, his cigar falling from his mouth, "it's the end of the balance."
If the Suzaku Pirates—a crew possessing the terrifying strength to repel a Marine Admiral and summon monsters like that blue giant—combined forces with the deeply entrenched, resource-rich Big Mom Pirates... the result would be a super-power.
The balance of power in the sea, maintained delicately by the Marines and the Four Emperors, would be completely rewritten overnight!
"B-Big news! This is... Big News!" Morgans whispered, his beak clicking rapidly. He was trembling with excitement.
If it were not for his strong psychological fortitude and his deeply ingrained fear of Charlotte Linlin suppressing him, he would have already pulled out his camera. He wanted to snap pictures of Suzaku and Linlin, to capture the moment history changed. His wings twitched, itching to write the headline: [THE BIRTH OF THE STRONGEST ALLIANCE: THE WORLD GOVERNMENT'S NIGHTMARE!]
Meanwhile, the subject of everyone's panic finally reacted.
Suzaku slowly, unhurriedly, put down his silver fork. The metal made a soft clink against the china, a sound that seemed incredibly loud in the hushed hall.
He picked up a napkin, wiped the cream from the corner of his mouth, and looked up. His gaze was calm, devoid of the shock that plagued everyone else. He looked past Linlin, towards the area behind her.
There, massive double doors had swung open.
Dozens of the Charlotte Family's daughters were pushed to the forefront. They stood in a line, like goods waiting to be appraised at an auction.
They wore various splendid gowns, silks, and jewels. Under their mother's commanding glare, they tried to puff out their chests. They forced smiles onto their faces, presenting their 'most beautiful' side to the man who would decide their future fate.
But Suzaku saw through it.
He saw the trembling of their eyelashes. He saw the stiffness in their jaws. He saw the cold sweat beneath their makeup. Their smiles didn't reach their eyes; their eyes were filled with inner fear, humiliation, and an unwillingness they dared not voice.
Suzaku's gaze passed over them indifferently, analyzing them not as a suitor, but as a critic.
"Hmm," Suzaku thought, his eyes scanning the line. "Myukuru... Marble... Oh, the Fishman half-breed girl, Praline? Her design is unique. That Boa's long legs are indeed good, aesthetically speaking... Galette's figure is also decent, very distinct..."
His gaze moved further down the line.
"What the? Angel and Custard? How old are they? Ten? Twelve? Are they also being brought out to make up the numbers?"
He felt a wave of speechlessness wash over him. A profound sense of disappointment settled in his chest.
"Tch! Is this how they test their potential executives? By throwing every female relative at them? Which executive can't withstand such a test? It's pathetic."
Looking at the line of 'commodities' before him, varying in build, race, and style, Suzaku almost reflexively blurted out a crude joke: "Bring in a new batch! I've seen these models before!"
Fortunately, his rationality kicked in just in time. The corner of his eye caught sight of a few clearly childish little girls at the very end of the line, clutching their skirts in terror.
The sight made him swallow the joke back down. It wasn't funny. It was tragic.
"Even Pudding and Flampe, who are so young, have been brought out..."
Suzaku's gaze lingered for half a second longer on Charlotte Pudding. The girl was small, dressed in a frilly outfit, keeping her head lowered to hide her forehead.
"A Memory-Memory Fruit user, huh..." Suzaku mused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "That ability to edit memories... it could be quite useful at times. A terrifying power hidden in such a fragile-looking vessel."
But that was all. Just a fleeting thought of utility.
All eyes in the room were focused on Suzaku. The air was thick enough to cut with a knife.
Accept? Or reject?
This decision would directly impact the future of the New World. It would decide war or peace.
Under countless gazes filled with tension, anticipation, and calculation, Suzaku placed the napkin on the table. His posture was as elegant as a noble at a royal court, but the words that left his mouth were overbearing and unreasonable.
"I'm happy that you think highly of me, Big Mom."
His voice wasn't loud, but it projected clearly, echoing off the candy-coated walls of the hall.
"But," he continued, his tone dropping a few degrees, "I dislike it when something as important as marriage is handled so carelessly."
He leaned back slightly in his chair, crossing one leg over the other. His gaze met Big Mom's gigantic eyes, which were gleaming with greed and calculation. A playful, yet dangerous smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Who I want to marry is not something others need to arrange. If I truly fancy someone, I will find a way to pursue them myself!"
He paused, letting the statement hang in the air.
"So, please allow me to refuse!"
Silence.
Absolute, dead silence.
Duffield, Umit, and the other Underworld Emperors were so shocked their jaws almost dropped to the floor. Their eyes bulged.
He... he actually refused?
In front of everyone? In the heart of Whole Cake Island? He rejected a Yonko's marriage proposal to her face?!
"What immense courage!" Stussy whispered to herself, fanning her face rapidly. "Or rather... what incredible arrogance!"
The reaction from the Charlotte Family was immediate.
The sons of the Big Mom Pirates—Charlotte Oven, with his heat radiating from his body; Charlotte Daifuku, rubbing his belt; and Perospero, gripping his candy cane—all showed furious expressions.
Killing intent instantly flared up, a wave of hostility crashing towards Suzaku. How dare this rookie insult their family? How dare he reject their sisters?
However, to everyone's surprise, Big Mom did not explode in rage on the spot.
She didn't scream. She didn't summon Prometheus.
She merely stared intently at Suzaku. Slowly, the corners of her mouth stretched wider. Her smile became increasingly sinister, terrifying, and filled with a twisted desperation.
"Mama mama mama... No need to refuse so quickly, Suzaku!"
She had noticed Suzaku's brief lingering gaze on Pudding earlier. In her twisted mind, she presumptuously believed she had grasped his 'preference.'
"Is the selection not to your liking? Are they too old? Too tall?"
She stood up, spreading her massive arms wide, like a collector showing off his prized possessions in a display case.
"As long as you are willing, you can choose any of my daughters you like!"
Her voice boomed, shaking the plates on the table.
"You can have one! You can have two! You can have as many as you want! I don't care who it is!"
At these words, even her own sons were stunned.
Charlotte Katakuri, standing near the head of the table, felt a sharp pain in his chest. He could no longer bear to watch. He silently turned his head away, his scarf hiding the grimace on his face. Beneath the table, his fists were clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, drawing blood.
Treating his sisters as bargaining chips was one thing. But offering them up like a discount package deal? Offering them in bulk just to secure power? It crossed his bottom line. It was disgusting.
Yet, he could do nothing. He was a son. She was the Emperor.
In the face of such 'generous' and humiliating terms, Suzaku's response remained unchanged.
He looked at the desperate Yonko, and he offered a simple, unwavering, gentle shake of his head.
No.
That decisive gesture was more resolute than any shout. It was a complete rejection of Big Mom's values.
At this, even Charlotte Linlin's smile finally froze. The mask cracked.
The temperature in the hall seemed to plummet to freezing point. The homies stopped smiling. The clouds turned grey.
Big Mom's eyes turned cold—a flat, soulless look reserved for those she intended to kill.
She no longer looked at Suzaku. Clearly, the Captain was stubborn.
So, she turned her gaze to the man sitting beside him.
Uchiha Madara.
The man with the wild black hair and the red armor, who had been remarkably quiet and silent throughout the entire meal, sitting with his arms crossed and eyes closed.
Yesterday, it was this man who had displayed formidable strength in his confrontation with her. He was a monster in his own right.
If the Captain was unwilling... perhaps the subordinate could be bought?
"Uchiha Madara..."
Charlotte Linlin opened her massive mouth, preparing to make another proposal that would shake the world.
But she never got the chance.
"Rumble...!!!"
A sound like the sky tearing apart descended without warning from the heavens!
It wasn't thunder. It was something heavier. Something physical.
CRASH!
The entire roof of the banquet hall—a masterpiece of architecture and pastry engineering—was struck by a force of unimaginable magnitude.
It instantly exploded into a horrifying, gaping hole!
Countless cream-like bricks, frosting mortar, and cookie-crumb stones rained down like hail, smashing onto the exquisite dining tables. Soups splashed, cakes were crushed, and dust clouds billowed outward, choking the guests.
"Kyaaa!"
"What is happening?!"
The guests shrieked in terror, diving under tables and scrambling away from the impact zone. The banquet fell into instant chaos.
Before everyone's horrified eyes, a massive claw covered in azure scales—scales as tough as diamonds and shimmering with mystic energy—ripped open the gap further. The claw was as large as a house.
And then, a head followed.
An enormous, ferocious, and domineering dragon head slowly peered in through the destruction it had caused.
Its long whiskers flowed in the wind like whips. Its golden vertical pupils, dilated and carrying seven parts drunkenness and three parts pure, unadulterated ferocity, looked down upon the chaotic banquet below.
The beast opened its mouth, revealing rows of razor-sharp teeth.
"Hiccup~"
A loud burp erupted from the dragon, carrying a strong scent of high-grade alcohol that mixed bizarrely with the smell of sweet cake. A powerful, unstable aura washed over the room, making even Big Mom's Haki flicker for a moment.
Immediately after, a thunderous roar made the entire banquet hall tremble, rattling the very foundations of the Whole Cake Chateau.
"Linlin! I heard..."
The dragon's voice was slurred, booming, and filled with a dangerous irritation.
"...that your subordinates encountered the Suzaku Pirates... and came into contact with that scoundrel 'Suzaku'?"
Lightning crackled around the dragon's horns.
"Stop talking nonsense!"
The dragon roared, its golden eyes scanning the room frantically, ignoring the terrified screams of the Underworld Emperors.
"Quickly call out that guy who came into contact with Suzaku to me!!!"
[Akarin Note:
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