Rumble!
The Tremor in the sky continued unabated for half an hour, the battle showing no signs of weakening, with no clear winner emerging.
BIG·MOM was betting, betting that Rowen would fall before she exhausted her strength.
Totto Land, the Cake Island.
Katakuri and Dante appeared in the center of the City Castle, avoiding the chess soldiers and making their way towards the Hidden Treasure Room.
"Due to the ongoing battle, all the soldiers inside the City Castle have been replaced with Homies. Without Mama's orders, they would sound the alarm at the sight of me," Katakuri explained cautiously.
Wrapping Dante securely in mochi, Katakuri suspended them both from the ceiling, evading the patrols below.
"The same applies even if we kill them. Once a soldier goes missing, the entire City Castle goes on lockdown."
The damages caused by Rowen's previous intrusion into Cake Island had yet to be repaired, prompting BIG·MOM to relocate the castle's facilities to the undamaged lower levels.
Though it appeared chaotic, reducing the defensive area undoubtedly made invasion more difficult.
"But... are there still enemies inside the City Castle who can match you?" Dante inquired, his keen eyes scanning the surroundings for safety before asking, "Why not just rush in and seize the Poneglyph?"
With their strength, they could fight their way out even if surrounded by a large army. Dante couldn't understand why they were being so secretive.
"Because of Chef Streusen," Katakuri replied gravely. "I don't know his exact strength, but his ability is incredibly bizarre and must be guarded against."
"Before Mama became famous, Streusen once surrounded enemies and turned their ships into soft cakes, allowing Mama to escape successfully."
If he could turn ships into cakes, he could naturally transform other objects into food as well.
"A Paramecia Devil Fruit ability!" Dante nodded, sighing, "You're afraid he'll discover our intentions and destroy what's in the Hidden Treasure Room?"
"Does he have the audacity?"
"He does, and he'll definitely do it!" Katakuri knew very well that before their generation emerged, Streusen was the person BIG·MOM trusted the most.
Even BIG·MOM's vast empire of Totto Land was largely built on Streusen's strategies and counsel.
"Chef Streusen" was just his current title in Totto Land, a professional designation. His true identity was the creator of Totto Land!
Even if BIG·MOM was the main figure, his assistance couldn't change this difference in status.
Now, with her children gradually betraying her for their survival, BIG·MOM had to return to the mentality she had before establishing Totto Land, which indicated the level of trust she placed in Streusen.
Originally, her children were merely renewable resources to enrich the utopia of Totto Land, embellishments and necessities for its development.
The only true family members she recognized were the disappeared Sister Carmel and half of Streusen.
Dante understood the severity of the situation, licking his dry lips. "One of the creators of Totto Land, huh? I really hope to witness that."
If I can't defeat Yonko BIG·MOM, then I definitely can't defeat a very old man, can I?
Totto Land, near the Potato Chip Island sea.
"Haa!"
Blinding electric currents illuminated the space as Rowen was enveloped in thunder, revealing that he had already activated his Thunderous Titan mode.
Only in this mode could he barely contend with BIG·MOM, who had broken through with Haki.
However, despite her superior close combat prowess, Rowen could rely on his speed advantage to evade and counter with a God's Cry Shot, giving himself a moment to breathe.
Every crucial moment he managed to slip away, leaving BIG·MOM with a feeling of being used as a training dummy.
Using a Yonko as a training dummy? Such audacity truly challenged Big Mom's perception!
Boom!!!
The God's Cry Shot exploded at close range, causing a piercing pain as BIG·MOM was forced to take a step back to avoid the pursuit.
"You wicked little brat!"
Her body was covered in scars, and the large scar on her abdomen greatly affected her strength. Despite Rowen's somewhat ragged appearance, she was already showing signs of decline.
With his slippery fighting style and unreasonable self-healing ability, Rowen could easily evade even when momentarily defeated.
"Have you reached your limit, BIG·MOM?"
Noticing BIG·MOM's gradually dimming breath, Rowen frowned slightly, then grinned cynically, "If you have any trump cards left, bring them out. This way... you'll at least die with some dignity!"
Fighting BIG·MOM was equally stressful for Rowen. Her colossal figure seemed to possess inexhaustible strength, and every clash brought Rowen's body to the brink of collapse before he healed himself.
He was indeed using Big Mom's hand to train himself, but in a way different from what BIG·MOM imagined.
There was no need to strive for a breakthrough at the edge of life and death. As long as he could turn everything he experienced in battle into nourishment, Rowen was confident he could overcome his current limitations.
True champions didn't need to pursue power because power was something they inherently possessed.
On this point, Rowen had that confidence, that unwavering belief! His greatest difference from all the other strong individuals in this world lay precisely here.
Others sought to grow stronger for some purpose, to shine and be great!
He only saw power as a necessity, like eating, drinking, or smoking a cigar. It was just a tool to satisfy his thirst for battle intent.
Hearing Rowen's disdainful words, BIG·MOM burned with rage, "Don't underestimate me, you brat! Before you made a name for yourself decades ago, I was already a renowned powerhouse in the New World!"
"And then I accomplished what took you decades in just a few years..."
Rowen nodded as if to say, "I heard that, and then what?"
From the moment he arrived in this world with a weaker physique than average, to now battling one of the Yonko, BIG·MOM, Rowen had only spent a short six years.
Six years!
For a Yonko, it was just a blink of an eye, not even enough time for them to carefully plan a conspiracy.
In just this short time, Rowen rose unexpectedly, leading the Marines to sweep through the sea, completing one incredible quest after another, winning one astonishing battle after another that amazed the world.
Similar to the reason Shanks regretted not taking him seriously in their initial encounter, the time required for all this might be a lifetime gap for ordinary people, but Rowen accomplished it in just six short years.
"I heard you like to use marriages of your children to court geniuses, but I never received an invitation from the Borth Island before."
"Was it because I was too weak at the time and didn't catch your eye, BIG·MOM?"
"Asshole!"
BIG·MOM's face turned red and blue, because Rowen hit the nail on the head.
The Yonko had channels to hear about the brief encounter between Shanks and Rowen, but at that time, no one took Rowen seriously.
It wasn't until the Sabaody Archipelago incident, where Kuma and Kizaru teamed up against Rayleigh, and the "right arm of the Pirate King" showed fear towards Kuma, that Rowen officially entered the sight of the top-tier fighters of the sea.
But by then, Rowen was already like a wild horse, advancing rapidly on the path of growing stronger, crafting his own legend, and having ambiguous connections with the Celestial Dragons.
Not to mention the advantageous marriages and threats of BIG·MOM, even the Gorōsei (Five Elder Stars) had to consider the consequences before acting against Rowen.
The defeat at Borth Island not only made BIG·MOM realize the terrifying potential of the Kuma Dragon but also made her feel that the times had changed, giving birth to the misconception that "I'm getting old".
As a result, in the year 1518 of the Sea Calendar, an official decree to abolish the term "Pirate Era" appeared.
The first year of the Marine!
Countless pirates and criminals secretly loathed Rowen because he was the "culprit" behind all the changes.
Currently, the reason why the sea still calls this era the "Pirate Era" is nothing more than a lack of recognition stemming from a natural hatred of the Marines by a group of failures.
As long as the Yonko still exist, they have reasons to deceive themselves.
In other words, the Yonko are the last bastion of the Pirate Era!
Regrets?
Countless people are regretting.
"If the 'Assassination King' Jino hadn't died, there would be plenty of people wanting his head."
"Enough nonsense!"
BIG·MOM, furious and ashamed, ceased dwelling on it. With a heavy step, she stomped down, causing the waves to surge rapidly, rushing towards Rowen in the sky.
"Today, only one of us will leave here alive!"
"Heh!"
Rowen grinned cynically, surrounded by Thunderlight, creating a storm sweeping in all directions.
"Nonsense!"
Rowen felt this way because, as the Great Tree mentioned before, apart from the outline being planned before writing, the details were pieced together slowly by the Great Tree whenever he had time, writing wherever inspiration struck. However, today, he suddenly realized that the upcoming detailed outline didn't flow well and conflicted with existing chapters. Perhaps it was due to the long time passed, and he didn't pay attention while typing, so it's difficult to start writing. He'll immediately go write the third installment, anyway, it's the holiday, so there's no rush.
(End of this chapter)
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