More than a month had passed since the Buster Call incident. A strange, tense calm had settled over Ambri Island and the entire North Blue. The World Government seemed to have completely forgotten the scar on its pride, and no Marine fleet dared to approach these waters. The name 'Strange Tail' Takero had become a new legend, an invisible shadow looming over the sea that all passing ships knew to respect.
On this day, the sky over the North Blue was a perfect, cloudless blue. High above, a dark figure soared at an astonishing speed. Black flames trailed behind him, and each flap of his massive wings carved white wakes into the surface of the sea thousands of feet below. He was dressed in a tight, black leather suit, his face hidden by a ferocious mask. This was the Beasts Pirates' top executive, the head of the All-Stars: King the Wildfire.
His destination was Ambri Island. His mission was simple: on behalf of his captain, 'Beasts' Kaido, he was to extend an undeniable invitation to the new monster who had thrown the world into an uproar.
A brat who can turn into a giant ape? King's eyes gleamed with a cold light. I hope you don't disappoint Lord Kaido.
As he flew at maximum speed, his sharp, eagle-like gaze suddenly narrowed, locking onto a peculiar ship far below. It was an enormous, fantastical vessel that looked as if it were pieced together from candy and biscuits. On its main sail was the jolly roger of the Big Mom pirates, its greedy, lip-licking expression radiating malevolence.
"The Big Mom Pirates?!" King's brows furrowed. Those lunatics from the Charlotte family were based in Totto Land, deep in the New World. What were they doing in a remote sea like the North Blue?
As the question crossed his mind, a tall figure on the deck of the candy ship looked up. His neck was wrapped in a thick scarf that covered the lower half of his face, but his scarlet eyes, seeming to see the future itself, pierced through the distance and met King's gaze.
It was the second son of the Charlotte family and the strongest of the Sweet Commanders: Charlotte Katakuri. With his powerful Observation Haki, he had "seen" King's arrival moments before it happened.
High in the sky, time seemed to freeze. One was the 'Wildfire,' Kaido's most trusted right hand. The other was the 'Strongest Sweet Commander,' the Charlotte family's greatest masterpiece. Two titans of the New World had unexpectedly crossed paths in the quiet waters of the North Blue. The air grew heavy, thick with the suffocating calm that precedes a storm.
After a moment, King broke the silence. He slowly descended, hovering above the massive ship, his voice cold and unfriendly. "Charlotte Katakuri. I'm very curious. What business do the Big Mom Pirates have in a place like this?"
Katakuri rose slowly to his feet, his five-meter frame casting an oppressive shadow. He looked up, his scarlet eyes calm and his voice deep. "There's no need to ask what you already know, King," he said indifferently. "I believe we're here for the same person."
The look in King's eyes grew fiercer. "'Strange Tail' Takero is a man our governor, Lord Kaido, has personally taken an interest in," his voice was like a wind from hell, filled with absolute dominance. "I advise you to turn this ridiculous ship around and crawl back to your Cake Island. Now."
"Others may fear your Beasts Pirates," Katakuri interrupted, a flash of fighting intent in his eyes, "but I do not." Besides, if Mama found out he had retreated without a fight, the consequences would be severe. "Mama… is also very interested in that boy."
"So, there's nothing left to discuss?" Black flames surged from King's back.
"You've already 'seen' the outcome, haven't you?" Katakuri replied, slowly raising an arm as sticky, white mochi began to flow from it.
Without another word, they prepared for battle.
"Flame Emperor!"
King shot from the sky like a black meteor engulfed in hellfire, his leg cocked back for a kick imbued with terrifying heat and force.
"Mochi Thrust!"
Katakuri was just as fast. The mochi on his arm instantly hardened into a sharp trident, which he coated in black Armament Haki and thrust forward to meet the attack.
BOOM—!!!!
Flames and mochi, Haki and Haki, collided in a deafening roar. A violent shockwave blasted across the ship, the powerful force cracking the deck beneath Katakuri's feet. They separated in an instant, each recoiling from the blow.
Just as they were about to engage again, this time in earnest, a third aura—far more brutal, domineering, and unreasonable than both of theirs combined—swept over them from the horizon like a tsunami.
Both commanders froze. Their movements stopped simultaneously, and they turned their heads in the same direction.
In the distant sky, a tiny black dot was growing larger at an incredible speed. In just a few breaths, it had crossed tens of kilometers and arrived directly above them.
It was Takero. Having just finished a training session in his gravity chamber, he'd felt a bit restless and had come out for a "stroll."
He hovered in the air, looking down with a strange expression, first at the flashy candy ship, then at the winged, fire-breathing man. His brow furrowed in annoyance.
"Hey, you two," he called out, pointing down at the vast sea. "Don't you know this is my territory? If you want to fight, go do it somewhere else."
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion