Ezekiel decided to wait and see. The current situation was too chaotic. He wanted to observe what Katakuri would choose. If there was a chance to recruit Katakuri to his own crew, that decision might be made in this very moment.
In truth, neither Ezekiel nor Fujitora was particularly concerned with how insane Big Mom might be… Ezekiel was the strongest King in the world, and with him were two others who could stand toe-to-toe with an Admiral. At any moment, through the passageways set up by soldiers in the castle, they could summon the military might of Alabasta.
On the other hand, Ezekiel was also curious about the Soul Fruit.
Fujitora was thinking the same thing.
So, it seemed the two of them shared the same idea…
Hey, Fujitora-san used to be such a straightforward person—what happened to him now?
You've changed, Fujitora.
"I suggest you leave. This isn't your fight," Fujitora said to Zoro, who stood to the side.
"Our captain is fighting here. No matter what happens, I won't let anyone interfere!" Zoro replied firmly.
Fujitora looked at this young man, hardly able to believe his ears.
Does this kid even realize what kind of being they're about to face?
Even though they're about the same age, does he really see himself as an equal to His Majesty Ezekiel?
This is Big Mom—one of the Four Emperors! You and your captain are ready to face an enemy like this?!
"I'll kill you all!!!" Big Mom was rampaging across the island, destroying everything that stood in her path. The senseless burst of Conqueror's Haki shook the entire island.
The world's largest three-masted sailing ship rocked as if in an earthquake.
At that moment, Gekko Moria seemed a bit bewildered; he realized who was coming. In truth, Moria was already quite old. He was a pirate who had once challenged Kaido. It was possible he didn't even know who this was.
Still, he stubbornly refused to leave. If you wanted to know what gave him such courage, it was probably Oars…
He kept thinking that as long as he had enough shadows, Oars would be able to recover his strength, but honestly, that was still a distant dream.
Besides, Moria harbored enormous ambitions to steal Big Mom's shadow; maybe now he had a chance! If he put Big Mom's shadow into Oars' body, just how powerful could he become?
As he considered this, a greedy glint flashed in Moria's eyes.
Katakuri looked at Vivi and Brulee, then made up his mind and mumbled, standing beside Sanji and Usopp:
"Can I trust you?"
"Our captain will definitely work a miracle!" Usopp answered confidently
Katakuri's face twisted slightly.
Boom!
Luffy was knocked off his feet again by a blow, and as soon as he got up, Katakuri grabbed him by the shoulders.
"Go! Don't interfere in my fight!"
Hearing this, Luffy was about to shout, but a split second later, he shut his mouth when he felt a terrifying surge of Conqueror's Haki. Katakuri's eyes looked absolutely menacing, and his expression was a bit unsettling. But this Haki wasn't coming from him.
Luffy glanced over Katakuri's shoulder and saw a gigantic, hideous woman standing behind him. With a sun and thundercloud hovering over her head, she held a massive sword in her hand.
Her face gave her the appearance of a witch straight out of a fairy tale, and her pair of red eyes looked like those of a demon's mother from hell. She wore a disgusting grin, and drool constantly dripped from her wide open mouth.
Everyone was left utterly speechless. This terror couldn't be described with words.
Katakuri never looked back; his eyes remained focused on Luffy.
"Straw Hat boy, I've made my choice. You will fight the giant and Gecko Moria to retrieve my sister Lola's shadow, and then, using Brulee's power, I'll take you out. Remember, you have half an hour. If you can't get away with us in time, know this: everyone left on this island will die!"
Boom! Big Mom swung her sword, but Katakuri blocked the strike with his mochi-covered arm, hardened with Armament Haki…
"Straw Hat boy!!! Can I trust you?!!" he shouted loudly.
There was a fire in Luffy's eyes, and with a fierce punch, he drove his fist at Oars.
"I don't know if I deserve your trust, but as long as he's our enemy, I'm giving it everything I've got! Whether it's this foolish giant, that Shichibukai, or that old witch—everyone's going down!"
Katakuri nearly coughed up blood; his eyes were red with strain as he desperately tried to block Big Mom's next strike, his mochi arm nearly cracking.
"Straw Hat boy! I'll take on the Emperor myself, I'm putting my life on the line. But even knowing that, you still want to fight one of the Four Emperors?"
Katakuri… you're choosing to fight me—why? Is it because of Lola?!! Charlotte Linlin's glare was terrifying, and she kept hacking away with her sword, giving Katakuri no room to fight back.
She's too powerful!
Even if he could see the future, there was no way to stop her attack.
Katakuri's eyes were bloodshot. This was a fight to the death, whether he wanted it or not.
It would only last half an hour. Katakuri knows his limits. In a head-on clash like this, all he can do is hold his opponent back.
"Zeus!" Big Mom shouted, and Zeus instantly unleashed a lightning bolt that seemed to shatter the world.
Boom!
In a split second, Katakuri's mochi was blasted apart.
"Katakuri! I'll kill you!" Charlotte Linlin was completely out of her mind.
The few people witnessing this terrifying battle were left speechless. Was that really a human?!
"That's Big Mom, one of the Four Emperors," Vivi said with a deep breath, informing the others of the woman's identity.
"An Emperor?!" Usopp's nose drooped, and his voice quivered in fear. He remembered Kaya once mentioning the Four Emperors