Takero's impatient words cut through the tense air, reaching King and Katakuri with perfect clarity. As the figure slowly descended from the sky, the two powerful commanders finally got a clear look at the newcomer.
His face, recently plastered across the front page of every newspaper, held a youthful quality that was overshadowed by a wild, untamed arrogance. His iconic black hair stood on end, and a dark brown tail, seeming to have a life of its own, swished casually behind him.
There was no mistaking him. It was 'Strange Tail' Takero.
The moment he recognized the man, even a fighter of King's caliber felt his pupils shrink behind his mask. An intense, bone-deep chill shot up his spine, a primal fear like being targeted by an apex predator. He could feel goosebumps erupting all over his skin.
'This aura… it's overwhelming!' King thought, his mind reeling.
This was completely different from reading about him in the papers. The feeling he got from Takero was one of absolute, crushing pressure, an oppressive force that felt like it could shatter a person's spirit. Before this moment, King had been skeptical of the news. He knew "Big News" Morgans had a habit of exaggerating things to sell more papers. Defeating "Black Arm" Zephyr and destroying a Buster Call? King had assumed the stories were embellished. He figured Zephyr was likely weakened by old age, and that a bit of political infighting within the World Government had given this kid a lucky break.
But now, standing before this terrifying, tsunami-like aura, all his doubts evaporated. If this was the man they were talking about, a monster who possessed such an incredible presence, then the world-shaking events described in the newspaper weren't just true… Morgans might have actually understated them.
Meanwhile, on the deck of his ship, Charlotte Katakuri was experiencing a similar level of shock. His advanced Observation Haki, which allowed him to glimpse moments into the future, had sent frantic warnings just before Takero appeared. In the vision his Haki had shown him, there was nothing but a chaotic swirl of dark red energy, filled with destruction and violence. He couldn't see any of his opponent's future movements, nor could he see any possible outcome for himself.
He had only ever experienced something like this when facing his mother, the Yonko Big Mom, or the man known as the "World's Strongest Man," Whitebeard. This could only mean one thing: the young man in front of him possessed a level of power that was completely beyond his ability to foresee.
King and Katakuri turned to look at each other. In that shared glance, they saw the same grim understanding and apprehension. Almost in perfect unison, the hostile auras they had been directing at each other vanished. The black flames that wreathed King's back slowly died down. The hardened mochi on Katakuri's arm softened and flowed back into his body. Faced with this unexpected and overwhelming presence, they had no choice but to put their own conflict aside.
"So, you're Lord Takero," Katakuri said, breaking the heavy silence. He forced a hint of respect onto his usually stern face, which was mostly hidden by his scarf. "My name is Charlotte Katakuri. I was sent by my mother, Big Mom, to extend her sincerest greetings to you."
He gave a slight bow before continuing. "Mama saw your heroic actions in the newspaper and was very impressed. She personally instructed me to invite you to Totto Land to attend the grandest tea party our Charlotte Family can offer." He paused, then presented the offer he knew his mother favored. "Mama also said she would be honored to have you join our family. She has many beautiful daughters, and if you're willing, you may choose any one of them to marry and become our esteemed son-in-law."
"Son-in-law?!" King scoffed internally. 'That old hag Charlotte Linlin is as shameless as ever.'
Not wanting to be outdone, he stepped forward, his own tone now much more respectful. "Lord Takero! Don't listen to his fancy words. What good is just being a son-in-law?!" he said, his voice deep and earnest. "I am 'The Blazing Calamity' King. On behalf of our Governor, the great 'Beasts' Kaido, I formally invite you to join the Beasts Pirates! Our crew is dedicated to building the most powerful army on the seas, made up entirely of Zoan-type Devil Fruit users! A top-tier warrior like you, who must possess a legendary Mythical Zoan ability, would immediately become one of our highest-ranking executives. That's a thousand times better than marrying into that old hag's family!"
The tension between the two commanders returned, but this time, they weren't fighting over territory or pride. They were competing for the allegiance of Takero.
However, after listening to their passionate recruitment pitches, Takero simply picked at his ear, a look of genuine confusion on his face.
He pointed a finger at Katakuri. "So, let me get this straight. Some old lady named 'Big Mom' wants me to marry her daughter?"
Katakuri nodded stiffly. "…You could put it that way, yes."
Takero then pointed at King. "And you're saying a guy named 'Kaido' wants me to be one of his top guys?"
"Precisely!" King confirmed.
"Oh…" Takero nodded, as if he finally understood the situation. Then, under their expectant gazes, he spoke with complete indifference.
"I'm not interested in any of that," he said flatly. "Beasts Pirates? Big Mom Pirates? Never heard of them. Now, I want you to immediately…"
"…get off my territory."
As the words left his mouth, the eyes of both King and Katakuri narrowed, their expressions instantly turning hostile.
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