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Tea Party, Reverie, Fire Festival
At almost the same time, all factions were busy with their own major events and had no time to deal with external situations.
Totto Land, Whole Cake Island.
"Katakuri-nii is back!"
After two or three years, the news of Katakuri's return shook the entire Totto Land. His younger siblings were overjoyed, but also worried.
Mama was angry!
In the past two years, the competition among the various forces in the New World had become increasingly fierce, and Totto Land had become a target for all sides. Any random person passing through Totto Land would try to take a bite.
Even the Sweet Commanders had been defeated several times.
At this moment of greatest pressure, Katakuri, as the Charlotte Family's greatest masterpiece, chose to leave home and train on his own.
That would have been fine. At most, his other siblings would have to work harder. But the most serious problem was that Katakuri repeatedly defied Mama's orders to return!
No one could refuse Mama, let alone her own family.
This was a grave taboo!
Whole Cake Island, Whole Cake Chateau.
"Hurry!"
The younger siblings ran frantically toward Whole Cake Chateau. They heard that Katakuri-nii had gone directly to see Mama after returning and were terrified that Mama would punish him.
The Charlotte Family could not be without their brother!
Whole Cake Chateau, rooftop garden.
The Tea Party was about to begin, and the garden was already set up. Looking around, everything in sight was delicious dessert.
Mama looked at Katakuri below, who showed no sign of admitting fault, and her anger instantly ignited. The sky darkened with her mood.
"Crack!"
Dark clouds rolled, and thunder rumbled constantly.
The woman who controlled the weather!
When the siblings arrived, they saw such a terrifying sight. The terrible weather represented Mama's mood!
Mama was like a demon.
"Katakuri, I need a reasonable explanation!"
"Mama."
Katakuri's gaze was calm. Under the uneasy gazes of all his younger siblings, he spoke steadily.
"I came back for this Tea Party to challenge you. From now on, I will lead the Charlotte Family!"
"Challenge me?!"
Mama's mind went blank.
The younger siblings were equally terrified, unable to believe that Katakuri dared to defy Mama by challenging her.
He would die! He would definitely die!
Mama's terror had long been etched into their souls. Even her own children would only find death if they defied Mama.
Let alone challenging her!
"Shut up, Katakuri!"
Oven anxiously roared. "Quickly bow and apologize to Mama!"
Seeing this, the other younger siblings also quickly spoke up to advise him.
"Katakuri-nii, calm down!"
"What did you experience out there?!"
"Don't be impulsive! Quickly apologize to Mama. Mama will forgive you!"
Katakuri was the most beloved brother and the pride of the Charlotte Family, deeply trusted by his younger siblings.
No one wanted to see Katakuri die.
Katakuri remained unmoved, calmly staring at Mama.
At this moment, Mama finally regained her senses, and the fire of her soul blazed in her eyes.
Before, she was merely angry. As long as Katakuri was willing to admit his mistake, she would forgive him. After all, among her children, Katakuri was the strongest and the one she valued most.
But now, Katakuri had crossed her bottom line. In this country, she was the only king!
There was no need to ask for reasons. There was only one thing to do next.
"Stay or Life?"
As soon as these words were uttered, all her children showed expressions of fear.
It was Mama's Soul Pocus!
Surrender your life or pay with lifespan!
"My life!"
Katakuri made his choice, yet no soul floated out of his body. This scene once again shocked his younger siblings.
"His soul didn't float out!"
"It can't be! Could it be that Katakuri-nii has no fear of Mama at all?"
Facing the Soul Pocus, even if there was the slightest hint of fear in one's heart, the soul would leave the body and be taken by Mama.
This meant that Katakuri had absolutely no fear. But this should be impossible.
If Katakuri wasn't their brother but an outsider pirate, then it might be possible for him not to fear Mama, for the ignorant are fearless.
But precisely because they were her children, they had lived in the fear brought by Mama since childhood, and this fear couldn't disappear.
"Hmm?"
Mama also felt confused, and her face became even more ferocious.
Katakuri spoke coldly.
"Mama, I returned to replace you in ruling Totto Land, and to allow my younger siblings to live peacefully from now on, without fearing you!"
"Katakuri!"
Mama finally realized at this moment that Katakuri wasn't driven by ambition, but genuinely intended to replace her.
Calmness had always been Katakuri's greatest strength. Even now, Katakuri's emotions showed no great fluctuations.
"You think you can challenge me?!"
Mama's eyes widened in fury, and Conqueror's Haki like Shura erupted—a deep blue shockwave sweeping across the entire Tea Party venue.
It surged toward Katakuri.
Katakuri stood still. When the shockwave drew close, his eyes narrowed, and an equally terrifying Conqueror's Haki surged forth!
"Boom!"
One blue and one red Conqueror's Haki violently collided, like two fierce beasts wildly pouncing and tearing at each other!
"Crack!"
Tables and chairs cracked, wine bottles shattered!
Everything in the venue was torn apart by the impact of the Haki storm, swept out of the garden.
"Thud! Thud!"
The children fell one after another, foaming at the mouth. Even the ministers knelt on the ground, unable to stand upright.
Only the Sweet Commanders and a few ministers, each a renowned powerhouse, could still move.
"Katakuri-nii's Conqueror's Haki and Mama's Conqueror's Haki... are evenly matched!"
Perospero, the eldest son, Daifuku, the third son, Oven, the fourth son, and Sweet Commanders Cracker, Smoothie, and others.
The strongest siblings' pupils dilated in shock, unable to believe the scene before their eyes.
Mama was one of the Yonko, the strongest woman in the world. When Kaido came to Totto Land before, he fought Mama for a day and a night without a clear winner.
But at this moment, the Conqueror's Haki displayed by Katakuri was not inferior to Mama's in the slightest, which left them utterly astonished.
Was this truly the Katakuri-nii they knew?
"Boom!"
The air blast exploded!
"Napoleon!"
Almost simultaneously, Mama's pirate hat transformed into the Emperor Sword and landed in her hand, and a trident, Mogura, surged from Katakuri's right arm.
The next moment, both swung their blades at once!
"Clang!"
Black lightning exploded!
"Look at the sky!"
Oven shouted a reminder.
Everyone immediately looked up at the sky and couldn't help but gasp in shock.
The thunderclouds summoned by Mama were now rolling to both sides, and a huge crack appeared in the center, as if it had been split open by the previous attack.
No—it was more like the sky itself had split open!
They had seen such a sight when Kaido and Mama fought. Katakuri-nii truly had the power to challenge Mama!
"Rip!"
Katakuri tore off his top, revealing his scarred upper body. Just by looking at it, one could tell what kind of brutal training he had undergone in the past two years.
A newspaper floated down from the sky, featuring a report from a week ago about Katakuri's duel with Bullet, the Demon Heir.
Katakuri won!
"Brûlée!"
Katakuri looked at his younger siblings, a hint of tenderness in his eyes, then softly called out.
"Open the Mirror World!"
His battle with Mama might destroy Whole Cake Island, so he needed a place that wouldn't be affected by the outside world and wouldn't cause damage to Totto Land.
Mama wouldn't care about the destruction, but he had to.
Totto Land—he would protect it!