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...
"It seems the so-called Emperors of the Sea don't take me seriously," Ian said, his white coat billowing in the wind, a frosty expression on his face as he addressed Cracker.
Ian's right hand crackled with electricity. Before Cracker could react, a devastating blast of combined lightning and explosive force slammed into him.
Cracker's eyes widened in shock as the attack sent him flying backward, blood spraying through the air. The sickening crunch of breaking bones echoed as he was rendered speechless.
In an instant, he was a projectile hurtling across the sky, a crimson arc against the blue backdrop, before plummeting into the distant ocean. Silence descended upon the scene.
The pirates stared in disbelief, their eyes wide with shock. One of the Sweet Commanders, a top executive of the Big Mom Pirates, Charlotte Cracker, with a bounty exceeding 800 million berries, had just been… obliterated.
Cracker had even clashed with Marine Admirals. Yet, he had been taken out by a single blow from Ian, It was unthinkable.
How could anyone be this powerful?! As they watched in stunned silence, Cracker's body finally disappeared beneath the waves, swallowed by the vast ocean. Ian didn't even spare a glance at the fallen Sweet Commander.
They were sailing through Totto Land, Big Mom's territory, approaching Whole Cake Island, the heart of her domain. Tashigi steered the ship through the bizarre waters. Calling it "sea" was a misnomer. The water was a vibrant purple, like grape juice, stretching as far as the eye could see, its appearance sickly sweet.
"The sea… it's juice! This place is incredible!" Tashigi exclaimed, marveling at the strange sight. She had never seen anything like it.
Even Ian was intrigued. "It seems almost every Devil Fruit user in the Big Mom Pirates has a power related to food, doesn't it? Cream, juice…"
"We don't have detailed intel, but most of the information we've gathered so far suggests that's the case," Tashigi replied softly, standing beside him.
Ian nodded, a flicker of interest in his eyes.
As they continued sailing, the sea changed color once again, transforming from purple juice into a thick, golden syrup.
They had reached the Candy Sea, nearing Whole Cake Island. The viscous syrup slowed their progress considerably.
Ian wasn't in a hurry. He had been taking the opportunity to capture and examine several Homies from each island they passed.
These were the artificial beings created by Big Mom's Soru Soru no Mi, imbued with fragments of souls.
This peculiar ability could grant sentience to inanimate objects, turning them into anthropomorphic beings. Ian hadn't forgotten about Big Mom's Devil Fruit.
It had been on his list of targets for some time.
That was why he had targeted Brook, with his Yomi Yomi no Mi, and Perona, with her Horo Horo no Mi, back in the Florian Triangle. However, their powers had proved to be of little use to him.
...
"Please don't kill me! I'm just a poor little cake! Don't eat me! Please spare me!"
Several food-based Homies pleaded for their lives, their expressions conveying genuine fear.
"Interesting. They look like ordinary pastries, yet they possess human emotions and speech." Ian examined the Homies with curiosity before using his Soul Absorption to devour their souls.
Their souls had been devoured by Ian, reverting them to ordinary food. Unnoticed by anyone, Ian had also used his Float-Float Fruit ability to envelop each island they passed.
Totto Land consisted of thirty-four islands, each themed after a different food, with Whole Cake Island at its center. Since they were relatively small, no larger than a mid-sized town, he could easily control them.
This… was his gift to Big Mom.
"That guy… No, it can't be… How is this possible?" One of the pirates stared at Ian, his voice trembling.
Beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "That… Don't you think that guy looks like…"
"Now that you mention it, he does look familiar…" The other pirates around him turned their attention to Ian.
Their eyes widened in disbelief as recognition dawned on them. They hadn't considered it before, because it seemed impossible. A Marine Vice Admiral…
Many who hadn't noticed Ian before now stared at him, their expressions shifting from confusion to shock and horror. Cold sweat trickled down their foreheads. Only a few, unfamiliar with his appearance, remained puzzled.
"That's… I remember now! That's… The Black-Winged Devil!"
The name hung in the air, silencing the crowd. Even those who hadn't recognized him had heard of the Black-Winged Devil.
His name had been echoing throughout the Grand Line recently. A Marine Vice Admiral.
The man who had defeated several Warlords and legendary pirates, even clashing with Kaido of the Beasts. Even without his Marine coat, his white attire, demonic mask, and tear-shaped markings were unmistakable. The Black-Winged Devil.
"Damn it!"
"How is this possible?! A Marine Vice Admiral… Is this an ambush? Are the Marines planning to wage war against Big Mom?!"
Panic spread through the crowd. No one wanted to be caught in the crossfire of a war between the Marines and a Yonko. This was no laughing matter.
...
Whole Cake Island, Sweet City.
Big Mom, Charlotte Linlin, was holding her afternoon tea party.
It was a bizarre scene, the food on the table, including various sweets, hopping and chattering like living creatures. "Cream? Check! Fruit? Check!"
Strange creatures and ordinary humans surrounded Big Mom. "Mama, the other three Sweet Commanders have arrived. We're just waiting for Cracker."
"Mamamama, it's been a while since the four of them were together. Is Cracker still not back?"
Big Mom's eyes narrowed, a shadow of concern crossing her face. She had a bad feeling.
Cracker was her tenth son, one of her Sweet Commanders. He could hold his own against even a Marine Admiral, especially within her territory, Totto Land. Driving away a single Vice Admiral shouldn't have been a problem.
"Dealing with a single Vice Admiral shouldn't take this long. When did he become so slow?" Smoothie, another Sweet Commander, with a bounty of 932 million berries, even higher than Cracker's, approached, her long legs carrying her gracefully.
"Cracker-sama should be back soon. He's one of our Sweet Commanders. Dealing with a Vice Admiral should be a piece of cake."
"Indeed." The other ministers chimed in, their words easing Big Mom's concerns.
It was strange that he hadn't returned or sent any messages, but the possibility of an accident seemed remote. However, in the next instant, a commotion erupted in the distance.
The commotion quickly spread, reaching Big Mom's ears, the words laced with shock and disbelief. "M-Mama! Cracker-sama… He's been defeated!"
A panting messenger stumbled before Big Mom, collapsing to his knees, his face pale with fear.
"What… did you say?!"
...
The Edge of Whole Cake Island.
The entire Big Mom Pirates had assembled, surrounding their captain, Charlotte Linlin. "We're here, Mama!"
Totto Land was under constant surveillance, both above and below the sea. Ian's ship's course had been closely monitored and reported to Big Mom.
"He really came… The Black-Winged Devil!"
Big Mom slowly raised her head, a chilling expression on her face, sending shivers down the spines of those around her.
One of the ministers beside her gulped nervously. "Mama's angry!"
"Not even the Marines would be spared. Are we going to war with Marine Headquarters?!"
Several ministers whispered among themselves, their faces grim. Even if he had defeated a Sweet Commander and several Warlords, venturing into Big Mom's territory was suicide.
They had three Sweet Commanders and Big Mom herself. What worried them was the potential fallout. Would Marine Headquarters retaliate for Ian's death, escalating the conflict into a full-blown war between the Marines and a Yonko? That would be a disaster.
Ian's small ship docked at the edge of Whole Cake Island. He stood at the bow, his gaze fixed on the island and the assembled Big Mom Pirates. Tashigi took a deep breath. They had finally arrived.
A massive army of pirates stretched before them, a sea of faces, lacking the organized ranks of the Marines, but their sheer numbers and menacing aura were overwhelming. To become part of a Yonko crew, one had to be exceptionally strong. Each of these pirates could wreak havoc in the Four Blues and even the first half of the Grand Line.
Pirates with bounties exceeding 100 million berries were a dime a dozen here. Ian's eyes scanned the crowd, recognizing numerous faces from wanted posters.
Totto Land was under constant surveillance. Sneaking in by sea was practically impossible. One would have to approach from the sky or underwater to stand a chance. So, the Black-Winged Devil… had come alone?!
"This guy…"
Whole Cake Island was their base of operations. Not only were all the Sweet Commanders and officers present, but Big Mom's power here was practically unmatched. She controlled the entire island, its buildings, even the very land and sky.
Katakuri, the strongest of the Sweet Commanders, stood at the forefront, tossing jellybeans in the air and catching them, his eyes narrowed, his gaze fixed on Ian.
"Charlotte Katakuri, Sweet Commander, bounty: 1,057,000,000 berries… The man who has mastered Observation Haki Almost to its limits. I wonder… how many souls does your strength equate to?"
Katakuri, a Mochi-Mochi no Mi user, could briefly glimpse into the future, much like Roger's ability to hear the "Voice of All Things" and Fujitora's ability to sense everything around him. These were all manifestations of highly developed Observation Haki.
Katakuri's gaze sharpened, his eyes fixed on Ian, his Observation Haki pushed to its absolute limit. Yet, he couldn't see a single glimpse of Ian's future. This meant… his own soul, his spirit, his Haki, were inferior.
"I admire your courage, coming here alone. But since you're here, I assume you're prepared to die."
The more he observed, the more uneasy Katakuri felt.
This… This was a madman.
...
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