Upon the azure sea, eight pirate ships flying different flags had an unexpected encounter on the vast ocean. Sunlight scattered across the shimmering waves, refracting brilliant light. The sea breeze whispered, and sails snapped in the wind.
The flagship of the Big Mom Pirates, the Queen Mama Chanter, slowly approached the fleet of the Beasts Pirates. Two of the most powerful pirate crews were about to hold a momentous meeting that could change the landscape of the New World.
Charlotte Perospero stepped onto the deck of the Beasts Pirates' ship, accompanied by his three younger brothers—Charlotte Katakuri, Charlotte Daifuku, and Charlotte Oven—along with over a dozen elite pirates.
Perospero's signature long tongue swayed slightly as he spoke. "Pero pero... We heard the Beasts Pirates made a huge profit recently in the underworld by selling Adam Wood. It seems the rumors are true, seeing as you've dispatched five large warships at once." His gaze swept over the Beasts Pirates' fleet, noting the state-of-the-art cannons mounted on each ship and the decks teeming with fully armed pirates.
"Mmmhahaha!" Queen's signature laughter boomed across the water, his corpulent frame quivering with each chuckle. "All according to Lord Kaido's wishes. After all, our crews are allied now." He then turned and barked at his subordinates, "Well? Get the tables and chairs for the meeting set up! Now!" His voice carried an unquestionable authority, befitting his status as an All-Star.
Over a dozen pirates sprang into action, quickly arranging a large, circular table made of precious wood with matching chairs on the deck. Queen looked around with satisfaction, his sunglasses glinting shrewdly. "Lovely weather today. Why don't we talk right here on the deck? The sea breeze is quite pleasant."
"Of course. This is your territory, after all," Perospero said, taking his seat gracefully. His brothers followed suit. He produced a newspaper from his coat. "This morning's News Coo brought the latest. Congratulations on taking another kingdom in the New World." The paper's headline clearly announced the Beasts Pirates' conquest of a New World nation, accompanied by a photo of Bullet defeating Dook III.
Queen waved a dismissive hand, though he couldn't hide his pride. "Mmmhahaha! Just a small country. Nothing to write home about." He lit a cigar and blew a smoke ring. "Though its mineral resources are quite abundant."
Perospero's eyes scanned the four men opposite him, sensing the powerful aura each emitted. "I noticed the newspaper mentioned your Beasts Pirates have an officer hierarchy: Captain, All-Stars, Flying Nine, and Shinuchi. Might I inquire which ranks you all hold...?"
"I'm the Beasts Pirates All-Star, 'Plague' Queen!" Queen declared loudly, thumping his chest, his face the picture of smugness.
"All-Star, 'Frost' Kuzan," Kuzan stated calmly, leaning back in his chair with his usual lazy demeanor. Yet, his sharp eyes betrayed that he was no ordinary man.
"Shinuchi, Perick."
"Shinuchi, Cedric."
A flicker of surprise crossed Perospero's eyes. "Two All-Stars dispatched? The strength of the Beasts Pirates is truly unfathomable." He calculated internally. Today's paper had just reported on another Beasts Pirates All-Star—'Armament' Douglas Bullet—with a bounty exceeding 500 million Berries. Add these two before him, and the 'King' Charlotte Linlin had mentioned... the Beasts Pirates had at least four officers with bounties in the five hundred million range.
This was far stronger than what Mama Charlotte Linlin had estimated the Beasts Pirates' strength to be before they departed. However, the Big Mom Pirates were not intimidated, for in their hearts, Charlotte Linlin was the strongest.
Perospero noticed Katakuri was observing the opposing Kuzan with vigilance, clearly sensing his opponent's strength as well.
"I am the eldest son of the Charlotte Family and the Minister of Candy, Charlotte Perospero," Perospero announced.
"Second son of the Charlotte Family and Minister of Flour, Charlotte Katakuri."
"Third son of the Charlotte Family, Charlotte Daifuku."
"Fourth son of the Charlotte Family, Charlotte Oven."
Perospero and the others introduced themselves in turn.
Kuzan cut through Perospero's train of thought. "Let's skip the pleasantries. Now, you should tell us about the conflict between your Big Mom Pirates and the Golden Lion Pirates. You can't expect the Beasts Pirates to send forces to assist without even knowing the reason, can you?" His tone was casual, but his words carried an unyielding firmness.
Perospero cleared his throat slightly, a hint of awkwardness in his manner. "It's like this. The current King of the Caister Kingdom is our Mama Charlotte Linlin's twelfth husband. Therefore, the kingdom has always flown the flag of our Big Mom Pirates. However, the King's younger brother—the kingdom's Duke—has long coveted the throne." He paused, spreading a map on the table from his coat. "He secretly contacted Albert, the commander of the Golden Lion Pirates' second division. While the King was a guest on Whole Cake Island, they launched a coup. They not only tore up the agreement with our crew but also replaced the kingdom's flag with that of the Golden Lion Pirates."
The sea breeze suddenly picked up, whipping at the clothing of everyone present. Representatives of the two pirate crews sat around the circular table; the situation in the New World was about to shift because of this meeting. Seagulls circled and cried in the distance, as if witnessing this pivotal conference that would alter the seas. Waves beat rhythmically against the hulls, adding a layer of tension to the proceedings.
Perospero's tone turned grave. "This is not merely an internal rebellion. It is an open provocation against our Big Mom Pirates. Mama hopes the Beasts Pirates will assist us in retaking the Caister Kingdom and teach the Golden Lion Pirates a lesson." His finger traced across the map, pointing out several strategic locations. "The Caister Kingdom is located on a major New World shipping route, controlling multiple trade lanes."
Queen grinned, revealing his gold teeth. "Mmmhahaha! Since we're allies, of course we'll help with this small matter. However..." He narrowed his eyes and blew a smoke ring. "After the deed is done, the Beasts Pirates want half of Caister Kingdom's resources." His tone suddenly turned hard, making it clear this was a demand, not a request.
Perospero's expression froze. He hadn't expected the Beasts Pirates to propose such harsh terms.
Katakuri let out a cold snort beside him, the corner of his mouth hidden by his scarf twitching slightly. "That condition is rather excessive."
"Excessive?" Queen shrugged nonchalantly, his ample body swaying with the motion. "You must remember, we'll be risking a full-scale war with the Golden Lion Pirates." He looked around, his gaze sweeping over each face. "And..." He gave Perospero a meaningful look. "It's clear the Big Mom Pirates' current strength isn't sufficient to face the Golden Lion Pirates alone, is it? You know as well as I do that in the New World today, the Golden Lion Pirates are the strongest."
The atmosphere instantly grew tense, members of both crews instinctively tightening their grips on their weapons.
The sea wind whipped up spray that slapped against the ship's hull with dull thuds. Perospero's long tongue swayed gently as he rapidly considered his options. Katakuri's Kenbunshoku Haki was already deployed, ready to respond to any potential conflict. Kuzan maintained his lazy posture, but the temperature around him seemed to be slowly dropping.
At this tense moment, Perospero suddenly laughed. "Pero pero... Mr. Queen, you do have a sense of humor." His tone lightened again. "How about this? We each take a step back. The Big Mom Pirates will take sixty percent of the Caister Kingdom's resources, and the Beasts Pirates will take forty percent. After all, it was originally our sphere of influence."
Queen exchanged a glance with Kuzan, then laughed heartily. "Mmmhahaha! Interesting!" He stood up, his massive frame casting a large shadow. "Fine. It's decided then."
A gleam flashed in Perospero's eyes. He extended his slender hand. "A pleasure doing business. Pero pero~."
The representatives of the two pirate crews had finally reached an agreement, but everyone present understood well the calculations and probing hidden beneath this cooperation. The sea breeze gradually calmed, and the sunlight grew warm again. But on these seas, a true storm was perhaps just beginning to brew.