As soon as the words left her lips, Pudding's figure flickered. Katakuri's eyes widened, his body twisting unnaturally as his mochi fists erupted toward her in a flurry of strikes.
A red flash streaked through the air.
Katakuri staggered back seven or eight steps. A strange, withered crack had appeared on his body—dry and bloodless, yet unnervingly deep.
"Well, Brother Katakuri? Are you going to step aside now?" Pudding asked with a smile.
Katakuri had foreseen her attack with his advanced Observation Haki. However, her speed was so overwhelming that even though he saw it coming, his body couldn't react in time. The moment she struck, he felt his physical strength, spirit, and even his blood being drained, fueling Pudding's aura while significantly weakening his own.
The absorption wasn't permanent, but even temporary energy siphoning created an overwhelming advantage. And that was on top of the fact that he wasn't her equal in raw power to begin with.
Silently, Katakuri took a few steps back, watching as Pudding advanced toward Cake Castle. His lips moved as if to say something, and finally, in a low voice, he muttered, "Be careful, Sister..."
"Don't worry, Brother Katakuri." Pudding tilted her head, brushing her hair aside as she grinned. "Mother's reign of terror over our family ends today."
The other Charlotte siblings, witnessing Katakuri's swift defeat and his decision to yield, grew restless.
"That traitor... Could Pudding actually win?"
"Who knows? Mom is still incredibly strong."
"If she succeeds..."
"Shh! Don't let Mom hear you!"
A mix of anxiety, confusion, and even faint excitement flickered across their faces as they watched Pudding stride toward the castle.
Charlotte Linlin had never been a loving mother. She ruled the family through sheer strength and intimidation. Without her power, the family would have long since fractured.
It was thanks to her children's individual strengths—and Katakuri's stabilizing presence—that they had remained united. But none of them felt genuine gratitude toward their mother. If anything, what bound them was fear.
"I can't believe Pudding has become this strong." Smoothie, the sole female member of the Sweet Commanders, approached Katakuri. Her previously aged appearance had already faded, proof that Pudding hadn't inflicted any permanent damage.
"I almost regret not joining that Plunderer's crew."
Katakuri shook his head. "Opportunities are for those who are prepared. Pudding... She was always different from the rest of us."
"True," Cracker chimed in, his tone unreadable. "Little Sister Pudding has always been more cunning than the rest of us."
"For now, we wait," Katakuri said calmly. "Perhaps this is the beginning of a new era for our family."
Pudding walked quietly through Cake Castle.
Strangely, she felt no rush of emotion upon returning. No fear, no anxiety, no excitement.
Instead, she felt... at peace.
It was at that moment she realized—this had been inevitable from the moment she left with Shin. She had been walking toward this confrontation all along.
"Mom, I'm here for you."
She pushed open the bedroom doors and found Charlotte Linlin gorging herself on a cake.
"Mom, you look like you've gotten even fatter."
Charlotte Linlin flinched slightly at the familiar voice. Bloodshot eyes snapped toward the door.
"Pudding... Hmph! You dare to come back?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Pudding's smile remained unchanged. "Not only have I returned, but I'm here to take your place as captain of the Big Mom Pirates."
Charlotte Linlin's eyes widened. She reached up and grabbed Napoleon from her head, the sword gleaming as she swung it downward in one swift motion.
"Then let's see what you've got, unfilial daughter!"
With a deafening crash, massive cracks splintered through Cake Castle. A towering, blood-red Susanoo with bat-like wings erupted through the roof, carrying Pudding into the sky.
"Well, well, well, well! Don't think you can run!" Charlotte Linlin roared, stepping onto Zeus as she shot into the sky, chasing after her daughter.
Thunder clashed, flames roared, and shockwaves split the heavens. The sheer force of their battle tore gashes into the sky, while Whole Cake Island trembled from the aftershocks.
Watching from below, the Charlotte children observed the chaos with mixed emotions.
However, those with the keenest eyes—especially Katakuri—noticed something peculiar.
Though it seemed like Charlotte Linlin had the upper hand, something was... off.
Her attacks were relentless, her swings ferocious, but none truly connected. Pudding dodged or deflected every strike with minimal effort. And though Linlin appeared dominant, her breathing was growing ragged.
Meanwhile, Pudding remained calm.
The battle dragged on for an hour, then two.
"Huff... Huff..." Charlotte Linlin exhaled heavily, a frown crossing her face.
Something was wrong.
Normally, even if she fought for a full day and night, she'd only be getting started. Yet now, after barely two hours, fatigue gnawed at her bones.
She glanced down at her hands. Wrinkles lined her once smooth skin. Hesitantly, she reached up to touch her hair—
It was no longer pink.
Panic flickered in her eyes as she stared at her reflection in a fragment of broken glass. Her once-vibrant hair had turned ghostly pale.
"How... How is this happening?!"
Above her, Pudding's blood-red Susanoo hovered ominously. She raised a hand, and from the shadows below, another massive figure began to rise—
"Mom, the real battle starts now."
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