Chapter 141: Friends!
As the lingering power of that final, world-shaking punch dissipated into the ether, the colossal "True Several Thousand Hands" dharma idol began to fade. It didn't crumble; it dissolved into wisps of green spiritual energy and white smoke, like a dream bubble popping at the touch of reality.
The massive wooden arms that had obscured the sun vanished, returning the light to Whole Cake Island.
Hashirama Senju descended from the sky, landing lightly on a piece of unbroken biscuit. He dusted off his hands, a hint of innocent, almost childish awkwardness still plastered on his face.
"Ah... that was a bit loud, wasn't it?" he mumbled to himself.
And the entire Cake Island, in the wake of Kaido—the strongest creature in the world—being literally punched into the horizon, fell silent.
It seemed as if the wind itself had been terrified into stillness. The clouds, previously churned into a vortex, hung solidified in the sky. The screaming Homies, the cheering pirates, the panicked guests—everyone's breathing involuntarily slowed down to a crawl.
"Gulp."
Someone, it was unclear who—perhaps a Minister, perhaps a waiter—swallowed with difficulty. The sound was particularly jarring, echoing like a gunshot in the deathly silence of the plaza.
He ran?
No, that wasn't running.
That was... being sent flying. Like a baseball. Like a ragdoll.
The dignified Yonko, "Beasts" Kaido, a top powerhouse who ruled the New World with terror and invincibility, was actually forced to flee the battlefield by being physically launched into the stratosphere!
Even seeing such an absurd scene with their own eyes, the people present still found it unreal. Their brains refused to process the visual data.
"Did... did Kaido-sama just... lose?" a chess soldier whispered, his voice trembling.
In this eerie, suffocating silence, Suzaku moved.
He didn't shout. He didn't cheer. He simply stood up from his chair, which miraculously hadn't been destroyed in the shockwave.
He ignored the BIG MOM Pirates members who had begun to doubt their lives and their loyalty. He didn't look at Perospero, whose candy cane had fallen to the ground. He didn't look at Smoothie, who was gripping her sword with white knuckles.
Instead, with a faint, polite smile, he walked with leisurely steps.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
His boots clicked rhythmically against the broken tiles. He headed straight for "News King" Morgans, who was hiding behind a pile of rubble, clutching his camera like a lifeline.
"!!!"
Morgans felt a chill shoot straight from his tail feathers to his skull! His avian instincts screamed at him: Predator! Apex Predator!
He saw that this man, Suzaku, had only stood there from beginning to end. He hadn't moved a finger. He hadn't yelled. He had just watched.
Yet, his subordinate—a man he seemingly commanded with ease—had just trampled the dignity of a Yonko into the mud!
Now, this most terrifying man was walking towards him.
"Ya... Your Excellency Suzaku..."
Morgans instinctively took a step back, his wings trembling. A smile uglier than a cry was forced onto his beak. He tried to look professional, but his knees were knocking together.
"Don't be nervous, Mr. Morgans!"
Suzaku chuckled softly. He reached out and patted Morgans on the wing. The gesture was gentle, intimate even, like a master petting a favored pet. But to Morgans, it felt like a dragon resting its claw on his shoulder.
"The photos..." Suzaku asked pleasantly, "are they all taken? Did you get the good angles?"
When his professional field was mentioned, Morgans' deep-seated journalistic instincts instantly overcame his biological fear.
He suddenly puffed out his chest, his white feathers fluffing up. "Of course! My 'News King' Morgans' skill is beyond doubt! I am the eyes of the world!"
He flapped his wings loudly, regaining some of his bluster. "From angles and lighting to the dynamic movements of the Wood Golem... every moment is a precious image worthy of being recorded in history! I captured the exact moment Kaido's eyes rolled back!"
"Well done."
Suzaku nodded in satisfaction. His smile grew even more amiable, though his eyes remained sharp.
"Then, hurry back and 'produce' the news. I am your loyal reader, you know. I will read your masterpiece at the first opportunity."
He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping a decibel.
"I hope you can continue to write such good news in the future. The world needs clarity, doesn't it?"
All of Morgans' bird feathers stood on end!
This was... this was a "demand for manuscripts" from the pinnacle of the New World! This wasn't a request; it was an editorial directive.
The words "good news" were pronounced with particular clarity by Suzaku.
What is good news? Does that even need to be asked?!
Of course, it's whatever praises the Suzaku Pirates! It's whatever paints them as the new gods of the sea!
"No... no problem! Please rest assured!"
Morgans felt his beak trembling, yet alongside the fear, there was an unprecedented excitement welling up within him. This was the story of the century. This was the scoop that would define his career.
"I guarantee that tomorrow's front page will make the whole world crazy for the Suzaku Pirates! The bounty posters will be updated by noon!"
"Oh, right," Suzaku added just as Morgans was about to scramble away.
He seemed to suddenly remember something trivial.
"The photos of Madara and Charlotte Linlin's fight earlier... were they also taken? The ones where she was... struggling?"
Morgans paused. He looked at Big Mom, who was glaring at him from the distance. Then he looked at Suzaku.
He nodded heavily. "Yes! Of course, they were! Every clash!"
Two Yonko. One was beaten into publicly seeking a marriage alliance (Big Mom), and the other was publicly "launched into space" (Kaido)!
There was so much material that he felt overwhelmingly happy; these were all big news stories he had personally captured! He was going to be rich!
"Alright, go quickly. Don't let the ink dry." Suzaku waved his hand, dismissing the News King like a mere messenger boy.
Morgans, as if granted a great pardon from the executioner, transformed into his albatross hybrid form and took to the skies. He disappeared into the clouds with his world-shattering visual Den Den Mushi at an unprecedented speed, eager to reach his printing press.
Only then did the reinforcements arrive.
From the other side of the castle, the Mink Tribe warriors, who had heard the commotion and rushed to support their allies, finally burst onto the scene.
Led by Nekomamushi and Inuarashi, they skidded to a halt.
They stared, dumbfounded, at the chaotic scene before them. The wedding venue looked as if it had been plowed over by a meteor shower. There was a massive crater. There were ruins. But there were no enemies.
"Lord Suzaku! What... what exactly happened just now?!"
Nekomamushi, the massive cat mink, looked at the giant pit in the distance, his pipe almost falling from his mouth. His face was full of disbelief. "We heard the sky splitting! We felt the earth shaking!"
"Did Kaido attack? Where is he?!" Inuarashi gripped his sword, scanning the horizon.
Nami, who was standing nearby, was already flushed with excitement. She jumped forward, waving her Clima-Tact wildly as she began to reenact the battle.
"Kaido! Kaido came! He was huge! Like a dragon!" Nami shouted, her eyes sparkling.
"And then Mr. Hashirama just... 'POOF'!" She threw her arms wide. "He turned into a giant wooden man! Like, taller than the castle!"
She mimed a grabbing motion. "He grabbed Kaido by the tail, and 'THUMP THUMP THUMP', he smashed him around like a toy!"
"And finally," Nami made a swinging motion, "with a 'BOOM', he sent Kaido flying into the sky! Like a shooting star!"
This elementary school-level description of a fight, filled with sound effects and wild gestures, made all the Mink Tribe warriors gasp in unison.
"Defeated... that nightmarish 'Beasts' Kaido?"
"Sent flying?"
In an instant, genuine pride and fanaticism surged onto the faces of all Mink Tribe members! They had suffered under Kaido's subordinates (Jack). They knew the terror of the Beasts Pirates.
And now, their ally had treated Kaido like a ragdoll?
Boss Nekomamushi's burly body trembled slightly with excitement. He stared intently at Suzaku's calm figure, his eyes reddening with gratitude.
"One cadre..." Nekomamushi whispered. "Just one cadre of the Suzaku Pirates could make that arrogant Kaido so miserable... Then... is the day of vengeance for Zou truly here?"
"Amazing!"
Carrot the little rabbit, along with several younger Mink Tribe members, surrounded Hashirama. They hopped around him, pulling at his armor, constantly asking for details.
"Mr. Hashirama! Can you do it again?"
"Show us the wood! Show us the dragon!"
As she asked, Carrot cheered loudly, "So amazing, Mr. Hashirama! You're stronger than the Dukes!"
This made Hashirama embarrassed. The "God of Shinobi," who had commanded armies and built villages, could only scratch the back of his head and smile foolishly.
"Ah, hahaha... it wasn't that big of a deal. He was just... sturdy."
Just then, the sound of heavy boots approached.
Charlotte Katakuri walked over.
He glanced at their devastated "homeland"—the ruined cake, the broken plaza. Then he looked at the calm and composed Suzaku and his group.
His eyes were incredibly complex. There was wariness, respect, and a hint of relief.
"Everyone," Katakuri said in a deep voice, his scarf hiding his expression.
"Mom instructed that, to apologize for the 'accident' just now—and for Kaido's rudeness—she wants to arrange an even grander banquet for everyone. We have more cake. We have tea."
"Banquet?"
Suzaku smiled at the words.
He looked around. He looked at the collapsed biscuit buildings. He looked at the bottomless giant pit where Kaido had been buried. He looked at the terrified faces of the Charlotte siblings.
Then he turned to Katakuri, a hint of playfulness in his smile.
"No need! We appreciate your warm hospitality, and we'll remember this favor."
Suzaku dusted off his coat. "We've eaten the wedding cake. We've had tea. We've even had some... entertainment. It's time for us to depart."
"Mama... mama! Don't be in such a hurry to leave!"
A massive shadow fell over them.
Charlotte Linlin's enormous body lumbered over. She pushed Katakuri aside.
Her face was filled with an unprecedentedly enthusiastic smile. It was jarring. Just minutes ago, she wanted to kill them. Now, she looked like a doting grandmother. It was as if the recent conflict was merely an entertaining side show.
"Suzaku boy, seriously, won't you consider my daughters?" Linlin leaned down, her eyes sparkling with greed.
"Pudding! Flampe! Custard! Galette!" She shouted names, pointing at her terrified daughters who were hiding behind pillars. "Pick whoever you like! Take two! Take three!"
"Smoothie, one of my Three Sweet Commanders, is also an option! Look at those long legs! Perfect for strong offspring!"
Smoothie blushed furiously, pulling her hat down, but she didn't dare object.
"If you don't fancy them, no problem!"
Big Mom waved her large hand, pointing to the two men standing behind Suzaku.
She pointed to Madara, who stood coldly aloof with his arms crossed.
She pointed to Hashirama, who looked innocently awkward.
"Those two! One each is fine too! I have plenty of daughters!"
"Mama... mama! From now on, we'll be one family! Imagine the children! Wood users! Eye users!"
"No need."
Madara didn't even bother to lift his eyelids. He coldly spat out two words, his rejection sharp enough to cut glass. He looked at Big Mom with sheer disgust.
"Ah? Hahaha... Well, thank you for your kindness, but I'm married!"
Hashirama scratched the back of his head, revealing an awkward but polite smile. "My wife would be... very upset. She has a temper."
Being rejected repeatedly, Charlotte Linlin showed no anger at all.
In the past, rejecting Big Mom meant death. But today?
She smiled even more happily.
"Mama... mama! What character! I like it! This old woman thinks highly of you all!"
She slammed her fist into her palm.
"Fine! No marriage today! But from today on, we are friends! The Suzaku Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates are allies!"
At these words, Katakuri, standing nearby, finally let out a long sigh of relief. His shoulders slumped.
He knew what this meant.
His mother was... "admitting defeat"!
She realized she couldn't win. She realized that fighting them meant the end of Totto Land. So, she wanted to use the title of "friend" to temporarily establish a verbal friendly relationship. It was a survival tactic wrapped in arrogance.
"Then, I'll see you all off!" Katakuri volunteered quickly, before his mother could change her mind.
"Please, follow me to the port."
Katakuri personally escorted this group of plagues... no, this group of "new friends," all the way back to the port where the Vermillion Wing (Pola) was docked.
The walk was silent. The Homies lined the streets, bowing in terror as Suzaku passed.
When they reached the ship, the massive magi-tech engines of the Vermillion Wing roared to life. The ship, a fortress of steel and magic, began to pull away from the dock.
Suzaku stood at the stern, waving politely.
Katakuri stood on the dock, watching them go.
It wasn't until he watched the enormous steel warship set sail and completely disappear below the horizon, vanishing into the mist of the New World.
Only then did Katakuri realize something.
He touched his back.
His leather vest was soaked. His back was already drenched in cold sweat.
He turned around, looking at the mess behind him—the broken port, the smoke rising from the castle.
He sighed in his heart.
"So this is what it feels like..."
He finally understood.
He understood why those who saw them off in the past—the Marines, the weaker pirates—always broke out in cold sweat.
Now that the roles were reversed, he tasted that feeling. The metallic taste of fear.
When the disparity in power is too great, one unconsciously reveres the other.
Worrying about every action that might displease the other party. Worrying that a wrong word could lead to annihilation.
This is the instinctive behavior of the weak.
And today, for the first time, the Big Mom Pirates were the weak ones.
[Akarin Note:
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