"Goodbye, Laboon!"
Yamato stood at the bow, vigorously waving her arms as her voice cut through the sea wind. "Make sure to remember the techniques I taught you!"
The others also gathered at the ship's side, waving farewell to that massive figure slowly disappearing into the distance.
"Whaaale..."
Laboon called out joyfully in response, then swam toward the deep ocean carrying Crocus, who had already dove into its belly through the special entrance they had constructed years ago.
The great whale was finally going to put a perfect end to that long wait spanning decades, and the hope in its song carried across the waves like a blessing.
The Rayquaza set sail once more, her dragon figurehead cutting through the azure waters with renewed purpose.
Several days later, somewhere in the New World's treacherous waters, a steel behemoth stretching ten thousand meters lay across the Rayquaza's path like a floating island crafted from dreams and avarice.
Gran Tesoro.
Gild Tesoro's masterpiece, built over years of painstaking effort and countless fortunes. This was the world's largest entertainment city, a sleepless maritime metropolis constructed from pure gold and fueled by human desire.
Two mountain-sized giant island turtles pulled this massive structure through the waves, their ancient shells scarred by decades of faithful service. The ship's bow featured a huge entrance designed to swallow vessels carrying eager guests from around the world, like the maw of some golden leviathan.
Just as the Rayquaza was about to enter that glittering neon entrance, promising untold pleasures within, Violet came running over in obvious panic, pointing frantically toward the stern.
"This is bad, Kai! The Queen Mama Chanter is charging straight at us!"
Kai quickly strode to the stern, his expression hardening as he assessed the situation.
In his field of vision, that giant cake ship was aggressively rushing toward them with unmistakable hostile intent, its gingerbread figurehead grinning menacingly as it cut through the waves.
He frowned deeply. "Who's leading them?"
"Perospero, Daifuku, Oven, Opera..." Violet observed with her Clairvoyance ability, rapidly naming figures already familiar from their extensive collection of wanted posters.
As the Rayquaza's chief lookout, she studied photographs of important figures from major forces daily and wouldn't mistake their identities even at this distance.
Hearing this particular lineup, Kai understood the situation immediately.
None of the Sweet Commanders were present aboard the vessel, so they definitely weren't here to initiate all-out warfare. They must be following Charlotte Linlin's direct orders to investigate Tesoro and determine the Big Mom Pirates' official stance toward his new enterprise.
"Kai-sama, should we avoid them?" Speed asked worriedly, watching the huge ship approaching with obvious concern for their safety.
"Who do you think I am?"
Kai glared at Speed with fierce intensity and roared his response. "Head straight toward them!"
Collision for collision. Who should be afraid of whom?
It didn't matter that the Queen Mama Chanter didn't even have a Sweet Commander aboard. Even if Charlotte Linlin herself came personally, he couldn't allow himself to slink away shamefully like a beaten dog.
This wasn't merely about saving face. This was pure politics and power dynamics at their most fundamental level.
"Yes!" This was Speed's first time witnessing Kai display such raw aggression. Startled by his intensity, she straightened up immediately and turned to shout urgent orders for emergency maneuvers.
Soon, the Rayquaza's massive hull carved a graceful arc across the sea surface, turning to charge at full speed directly toward the Queen Mama Chanter in a display of absolute fearlessness.
Aboard the Queen Mama Chanter, the tension was palpable as officers observed the approaching vessel.
Watching the Rayquaza's aggressive approach, Perospero's expression darkened considerably, like storm clouds gathering on the horizon.
He had originally intended only to tease them slightly, give his brother Oven a small outlet for his long-simmering anger, and demonstrate the Charlotte family's overwhelming might to these upstart pirates.
But the opponent's response, so aggressive it bordered on complete madness, had put him in an unexpectedly difficult position that threatened to spiral beyond his control.
Their mission parameters were quite clear. They were not here to provoke all-out war with the Beast Pirates, one of the most dangerous crews in the New World.
While Perospero weighed the tactical pros and cons with increasing anxiety, his brothers and sisters behind him, apparently fearing the world wasn't chaotic enough already, were excitedly shouting encouragement for violence.
"They're coming directly at us? Not choosing to flee but actively approaching us for battle?"
"How incredibly reckless and arrogant!"
The Charlotte family children laughed mockingly, their voices carrying across the water with cruel amusement.
Charlotte Amande, with her slender sword resting at her waist, paper-pale complexion, and distinctive light blue hair, had dangerous light flashing in her cold eyes as she shrieked with bloodthirsty enthusiasm.
"Ram them! Perospero-nii-san, avenge Oven-nii-san!"
Daifuku rubbed his hands together eagerly, his voice booming as he loudly agreed with violent fervor. "Amande's absolutely right!"
Though Oven remained silent, his visibly trembling body and eyes that seemed ready to breathe fire spoke eloquently of his consuming fury.
That devastating battle three years ago had nearly destroyed his life completely.
If he hadn't been successfully rescued by his family, he would probably be suffering a fate far worse than death at this very moment.
Hearing his siblings' increasingly frenzied clamoring for blood, Perospero abandoned his careful diplomatic emotions entirely.
He raised his ornate candy cane high above his head, pointing it directly at the approaching Rayquaza with dramatic flair. "Then let's give those barbarians our proper greetings!"
"Ohhh!!!"
Amid thunderous cheers that echoed across the water, the Queen Mama Chanter's already incredible speed increased even further, spray flying from her bow as she surged forward.
Within mere minutes, the two massive vessels were nearly touching, close enough that people on both ships could clearly see each other's determined expressions and read the intent in their eyes.
Almost simultaneously, as if choreographed by fate itself, both Kai and Perospero heavily stomped their respective decks as pitch-black Haki covered their bows like an advancing tide of pure willpower.
BOOM!!!
The next instant, the dragon head and gingerbread face collided without ceremony or hesitation.
Terrifying impact spread outward from the collision point in concentric waves, stirring up massive swells that rocked both vessels violently.
Both ships shuddered and bucked like wild animals, their hulls groaning under the tremendous stress.
The devastating impact made everyone aboard both vessels stagger dangerously, with some losing their footing entirely and falling hard to their knees.
"Ow! That really hurts!" the gingerbread figurehead cried out in a comically pained voice that somehow managed to sound both ridiculous and genuinely distressed.
However, no one had time to spare sympathy for the Queen Mama Chanter's hurt feelings. They stared in growing shock at the Rayquaza's aggressive response.
There, the Rayquaza had smoothly raised its cannons with mechanical precision, aimed directly at them in an unmistakably battle-ready stance that promised devastation.
Kai stood at the bow completely unaffected by the violent collision, his voice cutting through the chaos with icy authority. "Charlotte Perospero, are you declaring war on the Beast Pirates?"
"Bastard! That's my question to ask you!"
Perospero raged back, expertly turning the tables on his opponent. "You're the one who actively rammed us!"
He felt confident in his tactical position and moral high ground.
After all, he had merely been following the Rayquaza at a respectful distance and hadn't had sufficient time for any aggressive maneuvers when the enemy vessel had actively initiated the collision.
"Heh." Kai's lips curved in undisguised mockery, his voice carrying cold dominance that brooked no argument. "Are you seriously trying to use logic and reason with a pirate?"
The implication was crystal clear. I am a barbarian by choice and profession.
If I declare that you started this trouble, then you started this trouble, regardless of facts or evidence!
Perospero's face turned an ugly shade of iron-blue with mounting rage, prominent veins bulging visibly on his forehead.
He was thoroughly accustomed to playing the unreasonable aggressor role to toy with weaker opponents. When had he ever been forced to suffer such humiliating treatment from someone else?
But before he could formulate a properly scathing argument, two black shadows descended from above like avenging angels.
"Natural Disaster Kai! Oni Princess Yamato!"
Opera, the Cream Minister whose rotund body was completely covered in thick cream and possessed a distinctly bloated figure, swallowed nervously after recognizing the legendary arrivals with growing dread.
The naturally timid man suddenly experienced an ominous premonition of impending doom.
Kai swept his calculating gaze over the assembled Charlotte family members crowding the ship's deck, making no effort whatsoever to hide his obvious disdain for their capabilities.
"With just you few small fries, you actually dare to provoke me directly?"
His voice carried the casual contempt of someone swatting irritating insects.
"Yamato, give them a proper lesson in respect."
"Got it!"
Yamato grinned with predatory enthusiasm, showing her naturally sharp fangs in a display that promised violence.
The next instant, terrifying Conqueror's Haki burst from her compact body like a tsunami of pure willpower, sweeping across the Queen Mama Chanter's crowded deck with devastating effect.
Thud! Thud! Thud!
As if struck down by invisible hammers wielded by an angry god, those Charlotte family members with insufficient mental fortitude didn't even manage a single grunt of protest before their eyes rolled back and they collapsed like wheat before the scythe.
In the blink of an eye, the previously crowded deck now hosted only a handful of ministers with stronger abilities who were still barely maintaining consciousness through sheer willpower: Perospero, Daifuku, Oven, Opera, and Amande.
However, even these seasoned veterans were now pale-faced with cold sweat beading prominently on their foreheads, their bodies trembling from the overwhelming pressure of facing a true monster's killing intent.