The renovated Whole Cake Island.
Because many members of the Big Mom Pirates had abilities related to food, restoring the island to its original state didn't require much effort.
However, due to Big Mom's death, all the Homies that originally existed on the island fell into a deep slumber.
For example, the flying carpet used by Pudding, the autonomously sailing ships of the Big Mom Pirates, like the Queen Mama Chanter, and the various plants, furniture, etc., throughout Totto Land that possessed mobility and speech abilities.
Unless Rin, the new owner of Soru Soru no Mi, infused them with soul energy, they were just ordinary inanimate objects.
At this moment, Jin was lying back, the back of his head resting against Robin's lap in the middle of the cafeteria, satisfied as he watched her grit her teeth while reluctantly serving him.
His legs were crossed and resting on Pudding's knees.
Unlike Robin, although Pudding was also massaging Jin, her expression wasn't as ferocious as Robin's.
Instead, she was smiling, as if she quite enjoyed the feeling.
On the coffee table beside Jin, there's a Den Den Mushi.
Pudding, with one hand massaging Jin's leg, used her other hand to pick up the receiver and hold it near Jin's mouth.
"Pick up the goods at Sabaody Archipelago?"
After listening to the person on the other end, Jin raised an eyebrow slightly.
"Yes, the item is already in our hands. As per the World Government's orders, we are now returning to Mary Geoise to present it to the Celestial Dragons. According to the planned route, we cannot come to you, but we will pass by Sabaody Archipelago."
Stussy's voice came from the Den Den Mushi:
"We will pass by Sabaody Archipelago in approximately two days. You can 'ambush' us there and take the Pure Gold."
That's right, Stussy called to report to Jin about the Pure Gold agreed upon earlier at Gran Tesoro.
The Pure Gold was now secured.
But Stussy, who had now taken over Lucci's position as the leader of CP0, really couldn't deliver it directly.
She could only have Jin pick it up himself.
Hearing the words 'Sabaody Archipelago', Robin's hands, which were massaging Jin, trembled sharply.
"I'll go."
Katakuri, standing on the periphery like a guard, spoke coldly:
"Such a small matter doesn't require the leader to make the trip himself, does it?"
If one were to examine Katakuri's attitude towards Jin closely, it couldn't really be considered loyalty.
It was more like a compromise forced by circumstances.
This most perfect work of the Charlotte Family understood clearly that if they wanted to survive on these seas, they had to rely on Jin as their backer.
Otherwise, Blackbeard would lead his forces tomorrow to seize their abilities, or they would face pursuit by Marine Admirals.
To protect his younger brothers and sisters, Katakuri was willing to be used by Jin.
And Jin didn't particularly care whether Katakuri and the Charlotte Family sincerely supported him or not.
As long as they were usable, it was fine.
Just like Robin, who was currently providing a pillow for him.
Jin admitted he was only interested in Robin's body.
Whether she could come to care for him like Nami did wasn't something he concerned himself with-
In fact, he rather preferred the look on her face when she glared at him with hatred while trying hard not to make a sound in bed.
Jin was about to agree when he suddenly remembered something.
He glanced sideways at Robin and said:
"Huh? I remember your Straw Hat crew's 3D2Y reunion day is around these couple of days, right?"
Robin's face turned pale with fright as she cried out:
"Wh-what do you want to do to Luffy?!"
"Nothing at all. Like I said, I don't care if Luffy wants to be the Pirate King or a sunken pirate. As long as he doesn't get in my way, I won't do anything to him. It's just like with Dragon… I let him leave, but he insisted on causing trouble."
Jin spread his hands, looking innocent.
'You scum!'
'You kidnapped me and Nami,'
'And then tell Luffy not to get in your way?'
'Hypocrite!'
Robin's face darkened as she cursed him inwardly.
"Report! Report!"
At that moment, from a mirror nearby, Brulee, who looked 63 despite being only 43, stumbled out.
As she emerged, she stubbed her toe on the mirror frame and fell flat on her face.
Katakuri frowned and reached out to pick Brulee up.
"Th-thank you, brother."
Brulee brushed the dust off her dress and reported to Jin:
"Jin-sama! Just received intel! That Blackbeard guy has taken two of his captains and is heading towards Sabaody Archipelago!"
Robin's face instantly turned three shades paler.
After all, this guy is another madman who didn't play by the rules of pirates.
"Well, well, the originally uneventful reunion day suddenly got interesting."
Jin couldn't help but laugh.
He almost forgot… during the banquet earlier, he had boasted to Blackbeard about the Nika Fruit.
He didn't expect that guy to move so fast.
"Let's go take a look. Staying at home isn't my style."
Jin got up.
Well, he swore on his conscience…
He was only going to pick up the Pure Gold, definitely not to join the fun or see if Luffy could survive against Blackbeard.
And certainly not because he was curious if Blackbeard could help Luffy 'evolve' into Nika ahead of schedule.
…
Unlike the joyous reunion of the Straw Hats after two years in the original story, because Sunny had been taken, and Sabaody Archipelago had been turned into 'Sabaody Peninsula' due to Jin's previous battle with Shanks, the Straw Hats' meeting place had changed from the original Grove 17, where Sunny was docked, to Shakky's Rip-off Bar in Grove 13.
Luffy held the new wanted posters of Nami and Robin.
Nami with her long hair and Robin with her bangs swept back, their images were completely different from two years ago.
At this moment, Luffy hung his head low, silent.
The brim of his straw hat shadowed the upper half of his face, making his expression hard to see.
"L-Luffy, don't be sad. Robin and the others were definitely forced. We have to believe in them."
Usopp tried to comfort him.
But his own mood wasn't much better.
After all, his father, Yasopp, had also died at Jin's hands.
Jin: Slander! That's slander! It was clearly Little Eight who killed him! I just provided the weapon! They're all slandering me!
"Damn bastard, actually kidnapping our two lovely ladies while we were away! I'll definitely kick that scumbag flying!"
Sanji also shouted indignantly.
"Stop boasting, you perverted eggplant."
Zoro retorted.
If it were before, these two would have started fighting long ago.
But right now, no one was in the mood for that.
Zoro, who held the unofficial position of vice-captain but was undoubtedly the crew's number two, stepped forward and said:
"Regardless, what we need to do now is enter the New World, right? Luffy, do you still want to move forward? If you want to stop here, then I'll go alone."
Zoro saying this wasn't surprising.
After all, two years ago, when Usopp left the crew without permission, Zoro had said something similar.
Though one had to wonder, if Zoro set off alone, could he even find the right way to the New World?
Luffy placed a hand on the straw hat on his head.
Just as he was about to speak, the ground beneath them began to shake violently.
"Wh-what's happening? An earthquake?"
Chopper screamed in panic.
"No, it's not!"
Luffy looked down.
He saw a terrifying deep black energy, like a tide, covering the ground beneath them.
"This technique is…"
Because he was unconscious when Blackbeard arrived on the battlefield before, Luffy himself hadn't seen this move.
But through his Observation Haki, he could feel the terrifying nature of this dark energy.
"Everyone, get off the ground! Don't stay on the land!"
At that moment, Rayleigh rushed out of the bar carrying Shakky on his back and shouted to the Straw Hat crews.
After speaking, Rayleigh leaped up onto the branch of a nearby Yarukiman Mangrove Tree.
Luffy, Zoro, and the others quickly followed, jumping up.
Sanji even grabbed Chopper with one arm and hoisted Usopp onto his shoulder, using his Sky Walk to quickly ascend into the sky.
Then, everyone looked down below.
They saw the bar, the plants on the ground, rocks, even passing animals, are all being swallowed by the endless black water.
A few seconds later, only barren wasteland remained.
"What kind of move is that? It's too terrifying!"
Usopp cried, tears streaming down his face.
Rayleigh's expression was extremely grave.
Just as he was about to explain, a sinister laugh suddenly rang out:
"Zehahahaha! Took me quite a while to find you, Straw Hat!"
"It's that guy!!"
Luffy's eyes widened with rage.
Following the direction of the laughter, they saw Blackbeard leading nearly a thousand pirates, surrounding the area completely.
Standing on his left and right were Burgess and Pizarro, who had gained nothing from the previous Totto Land war.
"The Sun God… To be honest, I'm still a bit skeptical whether it's true or not. But if it is true, then Ace's actions were really laughable."
Blackbeard laughed heartily, his mouth missing several teeth.
"What did you say!?"
Hearing Blackbeard mention Ace's name, Luffy's emotions clearly spiraled out of control.
He jumped down from the Yarukiman Mangrove Tree and stood in front of Blackbeard, demanding an answer.
"Nothing, just telling a joke. Fire blocking magma for the Sun God… Zehahahaha!"
Blackbeard couldn't hold back his laughter.
He had heard this joke from Jin during the banquet on Whole Cake Island.
He remembered it then.
Although he didn't know if Jin was lying to him, as the Gomu Gomu no Mi itself wasn't recorded in the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia.
If it was true, then he had really hit the jackpot.
Even if it was false, he could still strangle a potential rival in the cradle.
After all, he and Luffy were already at a point of life and death.
…
Boom! Boom!
In Grove 27, not far from Grove 13…
This was one of the dedicated landing ports for the Marines and the World Government.
However, explosive sounds like bombs going off continuously erupted.
CP0 Agents in white, along with regular agents in black, fell to the ground like dead fish.
The special agent force, with Stussy as the vanguard in the absence of any Admirals, fell in droves, like cannon fodder in a musou game.
"Are these people really the World Government's direct agency, CP? They're way too weak, aren't they?"
Katakuri retracted his Armament Haki-coated fist, asking with suspicion.
"The elites are long dead. Hmph, but in my opinion, Lucci wasn't much of an elite either, just a stupid loyal dog."
Jin bent down and snatched the treasure box from Stussy's hands, who was pretending to be unconscious on the ground.
Inside was an oval golden sphere the size of a palm.
The moment the box opened, a brilliant golden light almost blinded Katakuri, Hancock, and the others nearby.
"Is that… Pure Gold?"
Although very concerned about Luffy and the others' situation, upon seeing the obviously extraordinary golden sphere, Nami couldn't help but swallow hard.
Jin smiled seeing this, summoned a Susanoo hand, grabbed the Pure Gold in its palm, and squeezed hard.
Cracking sounds of breaking echoed.
It finally broke into dozens of gold particles the size of fingernails.
Jin turned and handed two of them to Hancock and Nami.
Stare-
Three gazes full of resentment shot towards him.
Jin chuckled wryly:
"This stuff stops bodily growth, you know. Are you sure you want it?"
As soon as he said this, the loli trio shook their heads frantically.
No way.
Their goal was to grow as big as Nami.
Boom-!!!
At that moment, an ominous black pillar shot up into the sky, almost covering the sky above the entire island.
"Hoho~ Looks like things are heating up over there too."
Jin said with a laugh.