Seeing that Fox was satisfied with her gift, Big Mom felt the timing was ripe.
She gazed at Fox eagerly and said warmly:
"Mamamama, after talking for so long, Mama feels our relationship isn't close enough yet!
How about this—why don't you join the Big Mom Pirates?
As long as you're willing to come, you can pick any of my daughters, as many as you want!
Even Mama herself can stay by your side!"
Boom!
These words struck like thunder. The previously somewhat noisy venue instantly fell into dead silence.
Everyone froze in place, eyes wide, unable to believe what they had just heard.
The Six Underground Kings' expressions changed drastically, their eyes filled with shock.
Who would have thought that Big Mom would be willing to pay such a high price to win Fox over!
It was well known that most of the Charlotte family's daughters were exceptionally beautiful. For an ordinary pirate, even winning the hand of just one would be enough to skyrocket to the top.
Yet Big Mom was letting Fox choose freely—such generosity was unprecedented.
What shocked them even more was the second half of her statement: Big Mom was even willing to offer herself to Fox!
That was Charlotte Linlin, one of the Four Emperors, a ruler who intimidated the entire New World.
She had always been the one others submitted to; never had she actively accommodated anyone else. Yet now, to keep Fox, she had cast aside all pretense and status. Such sincerity made everyone present gasp in astonishment.
The members of the Charlotte family were also stunned. They exchanged glances—some in disbelief, others with complex expressions—but no one dared to object.
Big Mom's word was law in Whole Cake Island.
For a moment, the entire venue fell silent. All eyes were fixed on Fox—some envious, some jealous, some wary, and some curious.
They wanted to see how Fox would respond to this invitation.
Upon hearing Big Mom's words, Ivan showed no joy. Instead, he stiffened, and the strong liquor he had just sipped sprayed from his mouth.
The first half, inviting him to join the Big Mom Pirates, had seemed quite sincere.
But the second half left him utterly dumbfounded.
Become Big Mom's husband?
Just the thought made his scalp tingle.
Big Mom in her youth might have been considered graceful, but now she was a mountain of flesh. Far from being attracted, even being near her made him uncomfortable.
Accepting such an offer would be a terrible loss for him.
Besides, he wasn't lacking in women. He already had beauties like Robin and Nami by his side, which was more than enough.
Marrying one of the Charlotte daughters would only tie him to Big Mom, giving him a host of fatal weaknesses. No matter how he looked at it, it was a losing deal.
The thought flashed through his mind, and without a moment's hesitation, Fox spoke up firmly, rejecting Big Mom's invitation:
"I appreciate your kindness, Big Mom. But I've always been accustomed to acting alone and don't wish to be bound by marriage. I must respectfully decline. Please forgive me."
Hearing Fox's outright refusal, the smile on Big Mom's face instantly froze.
The next second, a terrifying aura erupted. Her eyes widened, and her overwhelming presence surged toward Fox like a tidal wave.
She instinctively used the same method she had employed against previous Supernovas, hoping to make Fox submit.
But she forgot.
The man before her wearing the fox mask was no ordinary Supernova she could easily manipulate—he was a monster capable of overturning the entire Big Mom Pirates!
Sensing the pressure directed at him, Fox's eyes turned cold, and his own aura surged abruptly.
He didn't retreat an inch, showing no fear. His own imposing presence met Big Mom's head-on, clashing fiercely with hers.
The next moment, the air distorted, and a fierce wind howled.
Although neither of them unleashed Conqueror's Haki, the mere collision of their auras was enough to terrify ordinary pirates.
Even the Six Underground Kings and the members of the Charlotte family nearby turned pale and struggled to breathe under the pressure of the two overwhelmingly powerful auras.
As their auras continued to clash, neither held back, and the intensity gradually escalated.
Finally, black-red Conqueror's Haki Lightning tore through the void—a clash of Conqueror's Haki was about to begin!
At this critical moment, Katakuri's pupils contracted sharply.
He saw the future.
If this stalemate continued, the Tea Party would turn into a battlefield, and Whole Cake Island would be flattened by their battle.
Not daring to hesitate, he immediately unleashed his own Conqueror's Haki and rushed forward, hoping to forcibly separate the two and prevent the disaster.
But he never expected.
His intervention didn't stabilize the situation—instead, it directly accelerated the arrival of the future he had foreseen!
Katakuri's Conqueror's Haki swept across the venue, crimson lightning crackling in the air, momentarily suppressing both Big Mom's and Ivan's auras.
Under this Conqueror's Haki, weaker pirates and the subordinates of the Six Underground Kings collapsed one after another, fainting. The venue was left in disarray.
Just as he thought he had finally stopped the disaster, his expression changed drastically the next second.
His Conqueror's Haki hadn't calmed the confrontation—instead, it had thoroughly enraged the two most powerful figures on the seas!
The dignity of emperors could not be challenged or interfered with by others!
Boom!
Two Conqueror's Haki auras, far more terrifying and violent than his own, erupted simultaneously.
The sky was torn apart, and dense black-red Conqueror's Haki Lightning rained down chaotically. The entire Tea Party venue shook violently, and the surrounding walls crumbled.
Katakuri's Conqueror's Haki was like a firefly facing the sun before these two overwhelming auras—instantly crushed.
He felt a tightness in his chest, his blood churning. He could only retreat to a corner, gritting his teeth and struggling to hold on.
The Conqueror's Haki of two emperor-level figures collided head-on, evenly matched. The astonishing pressure swept across everything.
This time, the vast majority of the Big Mom Pirates and the subordinates of the Six Underground Kings fainted, leaving only a handful barely standing, though they had lost most of their combat strength.
Even Katakuri himself could only resist with all his might, barely preventing his Conqueror's Haki from collapsing completely and avoiding being knocked unconscious by the backlash.
Only now did he truly understand.
His attempt to intervene in the clash between two emperors of the sea had been utterly presumptuous.
He was indeed strong—strong enough to crush ninety-nine percent of the pirates in the New World.
But before true emperors of the sea, his strength was still far from enough!
The chasm between him and those top-tier powerhouses remained despairingly vast!
The two Conqueror's Haki auras clashed fiercely, black-red lightning ravaging the venue.
Suddenly, Fox pressed his palm to the ground. A pitch-black, intricately patterned stone greatsword erupted from the earth, which he grasped firmly.
The sword was tall, heavy, and exuded a chilling cold. He pointed its tip diagonally toward the ground, his sharp gaze sweeping toward Katakuri in the corner. His tone was icy and piercing:
"Big Mom, by suddenly sending Katakuri to attack me, are you deliberately provoking a war between the Big Mom Pirates and Shadow Garden?"