— — — — — — —
After five days
"Ugh! My head hurts!"
"I'm dying!"
One by one, groans of pain filled the air as everyone clutched their heads.
It took a full five days for everyone to sober up completely.
"Hehehe~"
Joey stepped out of the castle, looking at the brats. He couldn't help but laugh at the sight.
Perospero, however, had a different reaction. Seeing Daifuku and Oven lazing around so comfortably for five days, his stacked anger flared instantly.
With a sinister grin, he growled, "You little brats!"
Swoosh!
Without another word, he pulled out his brush.
ROAR!
The next moment, before Daifuku and Oven could react, a massive ink dragon had already grabbed them in its jaws and soared hundreds of meters into the sky.
"Huh?"
"What?!"
By the time the two realized what was happening—
Swoosh!
Boom!
Watching the crater form in the ground from their impact, Joey shook his head and sighed, "Look at the mess you made!"
Daifuku and Oven climbed out of the pit, fuming with rage.
"Who the hell—?!"
"What the hell was that for?!"
"Oh?" Perospero slowly approached them, a wicked smile on his face. "Who do you think, huh? And what do you mean 'what for'?!"
Daifuku scratched his head awkwardly. "Second Brother! Is the Dark Trade Guild setting sail? We'll get ready right away! No more slacking off!"
Oven, now equally flustered, nodded hurriedly. "Yeah, yeah! Second Brother, we're on it!"
The two brothers were just about to make a run for it when—
"Hand over the '400' photos," Perospero demanded.
"Huh? Second Brother, what are you talking about? What photos?"
"Yeah, yeah! No idea what you mean!"
"You little brats! I know you took photos of almost every family member in an embarrassing moment. Hand them over!"
"Hahaha—! Oh, you mean those? We lost them!"
"Yeah, we were so drunk that we don't even know where they ended up."
"...As if I'd believe that bullshit. Don't you dare run, brats!"
As the three of them argued and chased each other around, the viewers couldn't help but burst into laughter.
Joey just chuckled and shook his head.
These brats—every single one of them was the same.
Still smiling, he decided to put all that aside for now. "Katakuri, be careful on your next trip. The Charlotte Family has made a big name for itself. Our reputation is well known across the world, but in the New World... you should understand what that means."
Katakuri's expression turned serious. "Big Brother, I know. In the New World, reputation can be both a blessing and a curse. Those pirates won't hold back just because of our name."
Joey nodded. "As long as you understand. But don't hesitate—move forward without fear. No matter what happens, the family will always have your back."
Katakuri smiled. "That's exactly why I can call myself invincible—because I have you and my family behind me!"
With that, Katakuri went off to make the final preparations, wasting no more time.
— — —
For the Charlotte Family, the Big Mom Pirates plundered treasure and rare Devil Fruits across the world, while the Dark Trade Guild bought Devil Fruits in bulk.
"Munch munch—"
Joey turned his gaze toward his mother, who had once again evolved into her greedy food-obsessed form.
Raising an eyebrow, he sighed, "Mom, if you really can't handle it, why not just stay home? Honestly, Big Mom Pirates won't fall apart with or without you."
Hearing this, Linlin, who was still eating, casually waved a hand. "Mama's not planning to leave this time. I'll stay put for the next two years."
Everyone blinked in confusion.
They were just about to set sail, and suddenly their mother decided she wasn't going?
Compote, Katakuri, Cracker, Mondée, Hachée, Effilée—
The six of them stood in silent shock.
Joey remained calm. "Go on, then. Set sail. As always, Katakuri will lead you."
"Alright!" The six nodded.
Honestly, if this were the past, they would have needed their mother's protection. But now?
The Big Mom Pirates were stronger than ever.
Katakuri and Cracker were Silver-ranked, while the other four were Bronze-ranked powerhouses.
The ship carried 300 elite warriors from the Inhuman Tribe, along with 30 strong captives from enemy pirate crews—who had been tamed using a Pet-Pet Devil Fruit.
But really, most of them had already given up on resistance. Totto Land provided good food and drink—why bother fighting back?
Katakuri looked at his big brother seriously. "Big Brother, I'll bring back the Devil Fruit you need. The one that's most suited for you."
Joey chuckled. "Katakuri, don't stress over it. It's just a Devil Fruit. Whether we get it or not doesn't really matter."
Katakuri shook his head. "A legendary Devil Fruit! It only exists in myths, but if it's real, then it's the perfect fruit for you!"
"Hahaha—"
Turning around, Katakuri raised a fist and declared, "I'll bring back the legendary Devil Fruit!"
"Big Mom Pirates!"
"Set sail!"
"ROOOAR!!!"
As deafening cheers erupted, the ship, Queen Chanter, began to slowly move forward, heading toward the open sea.
Joey stood at the port, watching the ship disappear into the horizon. He murmured, "That brat... I wonder just how big of a storm he's about to stir up. That Devil Fruit is supposed to be just a legend—who knows if it even exists?"
At that moment, his mother stepped out of the castle.
Linlin smiled warmly. "Joey, isn't this just Katakuri showing his brotherly love for you?"
"Huh?" Joey blinked before smiling back. "Mom, as long as those brats grow up well, that's enough for me."
"I've prepared everything for them. As long as they mature properly, I can't ask for anything else."
To be honest…There was a time when Joey considered using his entire family as mere tools.
But…In the end, he realized…He couldn't.
Every time he saw his younger brothers and sisters calling him "big brother" and following him around, he even considered abandoning the entire family system for their safety.
But unfortunately…That was something he could never truly give up.
He had to make the Charlotte Family invincible. Not to hide it until danger strikes.
He absolutely refused to let his siblings die.
This was something he would never, ever, EVER allow!!!
Linlin spoke softly, "Actually, Joey! Mama never really cared about some utopian world where all races coexist. What I truly wanted… was family. I was abandoned by my parents when I was little. But now… I finally have real family."
"Now I only care for my dear family."
Joey chuckled. "Mom, are you getting sentimental in your old age?"
"Hmph!" Linlin scowled. "You brat! Are you making fun of your Mama?!"
"Hahaha!"
"Hehehe—"
Mother and son both laughed heartily.
.
.
.