Chapter 213 – Cooperation Again
"Big Mom! This woman isn't my fiancée Lola! Where did you hide her, old hag? Bring Lola back!"
Prince Loki's furious roar echoed across the tea party hall the moment he saw through the impostor's disguise.
"Oops… guess I've been found out," Chiffon muttered under her breath, her forced smile collapsing.
The faces of the Big Mom Pirates' top officers darkened immediately. Everyone who knew the truth about Chiffon posing as Lola felt the chill of disaster creeping in. They had hoped to deceive the giant prince long enough to secure an alliance, but Loki's sharp eyes ruined everything in an instant.
The real Lola had fled Elbaf years ago. If this deception was exposed, not only would the engagement fall apart — relations between Totto Land and Elbaf could never be mended.
Charlotte Linlin's face twisted with rage, her enormous shadow stretching over the table. But she forced herself to keep smiling — a brittle, dangerous smile. "Prince Loki, whatever do you mean? The woman before you is your fiancée. You must be mistaken."
Loki slammed his fist on the ground, leaving a deep crater in the marble. "Don't lie to me! I could never mistake the woman I love. This imposter is not Lola!"
For a long, suffocating second, no one spoke. The tension was so thick it was almost visible.
"Mom… calm down," Katakuri said quietly, stepping forward to block his enraged mother before her killing intent exploded. Turning to Loki, he added, "Your Highness Loki, perhaps we should discuss this inside. There are… complications that need explaining."
Katakuri had anticipated that Chiffon's ruse might be discovered — but he had hoped for more time. If they could just speak to Loki, maybe they could stall for days, enough to locate Lola and repair the damage.
If not… then at least prevent his mother from going berserk.
Because if Charlotte Linlin lost control and attacked the prince of Elbaf here and now, the fallout would be catastrophic — a war between Totto Land and the Giant Kingdom would be inevitable.
At the very least, Katakuri thought grimly, we can't let this turn into the worst possible outcome.
Thanks to his intervention, both sides managed to restrain themselves. Big Mom and Loki agreed — grudgingly — to continue the conversation inside the castle.
Watching them leave, Ace leaned back with a faint smirk. "What a mess." His tone dripped with irony as he glanced sideways at the man beside him. "Hey, Crocodile. Why'd you come to Big Mom's tea party? Planning to join her crew?"
Before Crocodile could answer, Ace continued with a knowing grin. "Nah… a man like you doesn't serve others. You're here for something else, right?"
Crocodile's eyelids twitched, his expression unreadable. "What are you getting at?"
"I knew it," Ace said, lowering his voice. "Big Mom invited you here hoping to recruit you. But that's not your style. You've got your own agenda." He leaned in slightly, eyes gleaming with curiosity. "Tell me… is it about the Poneglyphs?"
Crocodile's jaw tightened — just enough for Ace to notice.
Ace chuckled softly. "Thought so. Rumor has it you were after something hidden in Alabasta — a clue pointing to the Ancient Weapons. You want a Poneglyph because it might lead you there, right?"
That hit the mark. Crocodile's cool façade cracked, a flicker of irritation flashing in his sharp eyes. "What exactly do you want?" he asked coldly.
Ace's smile faded, replaced by disappointment. "Still chasing that dream, huh? Crocodile… even if a weak man found an Ancient Weapon, he'd never control it. True power doesn't come from relics of the past — it comes from strength and will. I expected more from you."
Crocodile's glare hardened, his killing intent leaking into the air like poison. "You looking for death, brat?"
Ace ignored the threat completely. "Let's cooperate."
Crocodile blinked. "…What?"
"I said, let's cooperate," Ace repeated calmly. "I know where the thing you're looking for is."
Crocodile's expression shifted, suspicion replacing rage. "You mean… you know the location of an Ancient Weapon?"
Ace nodded. "Yeah. But it's not here in Totto Land."
He leaned back, watching the smoke curl from his fingertips as his flame flickered faintly. "Big Mom invited me too, and I doubt she had good intentions. A clash is inevitable. When that happens, I want you to fight alongside me. Help me get out of her territory — and afterward, I'll tell you exactly where to find what you're after."
He looked directly into Crocodile's eyes, his grin returning. "So, what do you say? Partner up?"
A faint spark of interest flashed in Crocodile's golden eyes.
From somewhere above, a voice drifted faintly across the garden's wind.
"I heard that…"
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