Only six days remained until the scheduled public execution of Portgas D. Ace. A full day had passed since the monumental clash between the Yonko Kaido and "Red-Haired" Shanks, an event that had sent shockwaves across the seas. Elsewhere, the Straw Hat Pirates, scattered across the globe by the Warlord Bartholomew Kuma, were each beginning their own solitary struggles. Their captain, Monkey D. Luffy, had just crash-landed on the mysterious Amazon Lily, the Island of Women.
In the New World, within the vast archipelago known as Totto Land, the territory of the Big Mom Pirates was cloaked in darkness. The night was clear, with a bright moon hanging high above a scattering of stars.
This sprawling nation, a collection of thirty-four islands including Cacao, Jam, Nuts, and Cheese, was usually aglow with life, even at this late hour. Centered around the magnificent Whole Cake Island, it was a bizarre utopia. On streets illuminated by cheerful lampposts, residents from countless different races mingled peacefully. This harmony came at a price: every six months, each citizen had to surrender a portion of their lifespan to their ruler, the Yonko Charlotte Linlin.
But tonight, the usual lively atmosphere was gone. A heavy, anxious silence had fallen over the central island. Whole Cake Island was under a strict lockdown, its perimeter heavily guarded. None of the ordinary residents knew what was happening. They had all been abruptly evacuated, leaving the island populated only by Charlotte Linlin's own children and the loyal Chess Soldiers, Homies who would never dream of betraying their creator. It was as if they were preparing for the arrival of a guest of unimaginable importance.
Around ten o'clock, the Queen Mama Chanter, the flagship of the Big Mom Pirates, slid silently into its port. Onboard was Mama's second son, Charlotte Katakuri, returning from the banquet hosted by the Emperor Kaido of the Beasts. However, hidden from all but a select few, another man had returned with him. A man who, like Charlotte Linlin herself, was one of the Four Emperors of the Sea: Kaido.
Inside Whole Cake Chateau, the mood was thick with tension. Normally, Charlotte Linlin, the absolute ruler of this domain, would have been fast asleep by this hour. But not today. Today, she was wide awake, dressed in formal attire, and seated upon her throne. Flanking her on both the left and right were her children, standing in silent, anxious rows. Floating faithfully behind her were her two most powerful personal Homies, the sun Prometheus and the thundercloud Zeus.
The full might of the Big Mom Pirates had been assembled, all to welcome a single guest. The usual arrogance and swagger that Linlin's children displayed during her infamous tea parties were nowhere to be seen. In their place was a raw, undisguised tension that was etched onto the faces of the nearly sixty children present. Even Charlotte Perospero, Big Mom's eldest son, was visibly nervous, swallowing hard to moisten his dry throat.
His display of weakness earned him a look of pure disdain from his mother, who sat upon her giant cake-themed chair.
"Perorin," she growled, her voice a low rumble. "Don't you dare embarrass me."
Despite her sharp words, a flicker of excitement danced in her own eyes. It was clear that she, too, was eagerly anticipating this meeting.
Just then, the voice of a Chess Soldier echoed from the grand entrance, spoken in a singsong, reverent tone. "Mama, the guest has arrived!"
Instantly, the atmosphere in the hall grew so thick you could cut it with a knife.
Charlotte Linlin's face split into a wide, menacing grin. "Hurry up and let that brat in!" she bellowed.
Creak…
The massive doors of the chateau swung open on their own, revealing a hulking, gigantic figure who slowly emerged from the darkness. With each heavy footstep, the very floor seemed to tremble.
BOOM… BOOM…
The moment Kaido's silhouette filled the doorway, it was as if time itself had frozen. The air became so still that not a single breath could be heard. Cold sweat beaded on the foreheads of Linlin's children as they stared at the terrifying man before them.
In that oppressive silence, only one person could speak. Charlotte Linlin let out a sneering laugh, her tone a complex mix of nostalgia and arrogance. "Mamamama! Hey, brat, don't go scaring my children."
Kaido's reply was simple and gruff. "Hmph. If I truly wanted to scare these brats, Linlin, do you think they'd still be standing here?"
And so, after more than thirty long years, two of the New World's Emperors, two of the most powerful individuals on the sea, and two old crewmates, finally met again.
THUD!
Without a shred of politeness, Kaido strode into the room and sat directly across from Charlotte Linlin on a huge sofa she had specially prepared for his immense frame, acting as if he owned the place.
"Alright, all of you can leave now! You're making fools of yourselves!" Linlin barked, irritated by her children's fearful expressions. Now that the initial welcome was over, there was no need for them to remain. They practically tripped over themselves in their haste to exit the hall, their panic palpable.
In an instant, the vast room was empty, save for Charlotte Linlin and Kaido.
Meeting an old acquaintance after so long, Kaido had no interest in reminiscing. He got straight to the point. "Where's the person I want?"
"Mamamama! You're really impolite, you brat. Not cute at all," Linlin chided, a strange look of displeasure mixed with joy on her face. It was as if she were transported back to their days on the Rocks Pirates, when their interactions had been just as abrasive. She turned to her Homies. "Go, bring Pudding over here!"
The animated furniture and objects in the room immediately scurried off to relay the order.
"Have your son bring the old man I brought with me as well," Kaido commanded, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"Tsk!" Linlin clicked her tongue in annoyance but still had her Homies carry out his request.
Once the orders were given, she leaned forward, her expression turning serious. "Tell me, brat, why are you in such a hurry to see me? You of all people should understand what will happen if word of our meeting gets out, right?"
Kaido let out a low sneer. "What? Are you scared?"
"Mamamama! There's nothing on this sea that I'm afraid of," she boomed. As she spoke, her gaze sharpened, and she studied Kaido with a new, surprised intensity. "Mamamama… Kaido, you seem different somehow. Your soul… it's giving off a very strange scent."
"Strange scent?" Kaido repeated, a flicker of surprise crossing his face. Could Linlin's Soul-Soul Fruit actually detect that he was a transmigrator from another world? Even if she could, it didn't matter. He was no longer afraid of anyone on this sea.
"Yes!" Linlin suddenly took a deep sniff of the air, her eyes lighting up as if she were smelling the most exquisite dessert. "What happened to you? How did your soul become so… delicious?" she asked, a trail of drool threatening to escape her lips. After another sniff, her brow furrowed in confusion. "No, wait… there's also a scent that I dislike. What's going on?"
"Worororo! What's with all this 'like' and 'dislike'?" Kaido scoffed. "It doesn't matter, old hag. You can't eat my soul."
"Mamamama, that's true!" Linlin seemed to lose interest in the mystery, her focus shifting back to the main topic. Her face lit up with excitement once more. "Katakuri told me… you fought Shanks and sent him flying."
Kaido did not deny it. "It was just a minor skirmish. Let's talk about you instead, Linlin." He leaned forward, his massive presence dominating the room. "Hey. Are you ready to join forces with me and take over this world?"
"!!!"
At that instant, Charlotte Linlin's eyes widened in disbelief, as if she couldn't be sure she had heard him correctly.
"You didn't mishear, Linlin," Kaido continued, his voice a low, dangerous rumble. "A new era is coming. It's time for us to join forces and take this world for ourselves."
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