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Under the sun, Jin was a dazzling figure. His handsome face, his confident and easy-going manner... he was met with a chorus of screams.
"He's so handsome!"
"Your Majesty!"
"Aaaah... I'm in love!"
Watching the women go crazy over him, including some of his own sisters, Perospero felt a pang of jealousy.
'Damn you, fate! You're so unfair! After creating me, why did you have to go and create such a perfect man? If I exist, why must he?'
In that moment, Perospero felt as if he were completely overshadowed by Jin's radiance.
He was furious.
But there was nothing he could do.
He might even have to call Jin "father" one day...
And that was the most infuriating part.
He would just have to wait for Mama to get tired of him...
Big Mom had never considered any of her non-blood-related, powerless husbands as family. They were like a little girl's dolls, cast aside the moment the novelty wore off.
But the chances of Jin becoming his "father" were close to zero. He wouldn't agree to it, would he?
But what if he did?
As the ship docked, Jin disembarked. He was wearing a formal suit, and he cut a dashing, brilliant figure, instantly capturing everyone's attention.
The crowd at the docks fell silent for a moment.
Then, an even louder cheer erupted.
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"Fuffuffuffuffu! Quite the welcome he's getting."
Nearby, a blonde man in a pink feather coat was watching the scene, a wide, mocking grin on his face.
He was also a guest of Big Mom's, but his arrival had been quiet, with far fewer people to greet him.
And now Jin's arrival was such a spectacle.
It pissed him off.
Donquixote Doflamingo.
Former Celestial Dragon.
King of Dressrosa.
One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.
In terms of status, position, and strength, how was he any less than Jin?
Of course, the real source of Doflamingo's irritation was his defeat at Mock Town and the incident at the G-5 base, both of which had seriously damaged his interests.
Most of the turmoil in the world, when you got down to it, was a matter of "dividing the cake."
And the cake was only so big. Jin's rise meant he was taking a piece of someone else's share.
"Joker! He's Mama's guest!" the biscuit-man, Charlotte Cracker, said, his voice flat.
"So am I," Doflamingo shot back.
"If you're thinking of starting something here, of ruining Mama's tea party... you can try."
"Don't think that just because you're a Warlord, I won't kill you," Cracker said, his voice cold.
Doflamingo's brow furrowed for a moment, then relaxed. "How could I dare to offend Big Mom?" he said with a laugh. "Fuffuffuffu..."
Back in the North Blue, he had been a madman, destroying towns on a whim.
But after coming to the New World, he had been soundly beaten by one of the Four Emperors, Kaido.
He knew just how powerful they were. The gap was insurmountable.
He hadn't been invited to the tea party. He was here to discuss a business deal concerning Punk Hazard...
With his interests suffering one blow after another, Doflamingo couldn't just sit back. He had to find a new "product" to maintain his position in the underworld.
And because of his special status, and Vergo's internal investigation, he knew some of the secrets of Punk Hazard.
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A magnificent, open-topped carriage carried Jin, Law, and Stussy toward the cake chateau.
Along the way, they saw patrols of biscuit soldiers, strangely shaped residents, and all sorts of Homies. And, of course, people of all races.
The day-to-day management of Totto Land's various islands was mostly handled by her children, who held positions as ministers.
All citizens were required to give up one month of their lifespan every six months as payment for Big Mom's protection.
Otherwise, they had to leave.
But the truth was, Big Mom wouldn't allow anyone to leave. Anyone who tried would be sentenced to death.
It sounded harsh, but the benefits of living in Totto Land were actually quite good. No one would attack you, and you'd never have to worry about food or clothing.
It was the equivalent of a person who lived to be 60 giving up 10 years of their life in exchange for 50 years of a carefree existence.
Whether it was a good deal or not was a matter of opinion.
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The chateau was heavily guarded. A massive army of chess soldiers made it all but impenetrable.
Jin's eyes narrowed, taking in the layout.
He had another objective for attending this tea party.
Big Mom's Road Poneglyph.
He had already instructed Maya and Robin to carry out the operation in secret, to make a rubbing of its contents.
Following Perospero and Galette, Jin and his entourage entered the chateau.
As honored guests, they were shown to the reception hall.
There, Jin finally saw Big Mom, as well as some of her children, including Katakuri and Daifuku.
"Mamamama! Let's give a warm welcome to our guest from afar, King Jin of the Winter Blossom Kingdom!" Big Mom boomed from her high-backed chair.
She wore a pirate hat, her long, pink hair in curls. She had on thick lipstick and light purple eyeshadow, and she was wearing a large, pink dress.
She had a smile on her face and her arms spread wide in a welcoming gesture.
Her massive body was like a mountain, radiating an oppressive aura.
The numerous Homies cheered.
"It is an honor to attend your tea party, Ms. Charlotte Linlin," Jin said with a calm smile.
Faced with one of the Four Emperors, he was composed, calm, without a trace of fear or nervousness.
"Mamamama..." Big Mom laughed, looking down at him. "I hear you defeated Whitebeard a short while ago. Is that true?" she asked directly.
Katakuri and the others all turned their heads slightly, also curious about the matter.
"Defeated him?" Jin said. "Not quite. Let's call it a draw. I couldn't bring myself to bully an old man."
Katakuri and the others were all stunned.
The implication was clear.
Jin had won, but he was calling it a draw.
The young are always a match for the old.
Jin wasn't bragging. It was the truth.
Whitebeard was old. Although his technique and his fruit were still at their peak, his body was failing him. He couldn't last in a prolonged battle.
Jin, on the other hand, was in his prime, and he still had aces up his sleeve.
In Whitebeard's condition, if the fight had continued, all Jin would have had to do was wear him down. Once his old wounds had been aggravated, he would have been finished.
"You've got a big mouth, kid!" Big Mom's eyes widened, her massive form casting a huge shadow in the firelight. A tangible pressure, a powerful, domineering, violent Conqueror's Haki, erupted from her, and the entire chateau began to tremble.
The flames flickered, the wind died down, and the air grew heavy, crackling with red sparks.
The weaker ones, like Galette, felt their scalps tingle, their legs trembling uncontrollably.
"Kid, kid... why do you old-timers always like to pull rank?" Jin said, a golden glint flashing in his eyes as he faced her. "Granny?"
An invisible pressure radiated out from him.
The two Conqueror's Haki clashed.
The chateau fell silent.
The fire, the wind, everything seemed to freeze, as if time had stopped.
Galette and some of the weaker Homies' minds went blank.
Thud.
One by one, they collapsed.
Granny??
Katakuri and the others, including Big Mom herself, were all stunned.
"Granny??" Big Mom's voice cracked, a shriek like a howling storm.
"Are you calling me GRANNY??" she roared.
"Well, aren't you?" Jin said, feigning surprise. "You're over sixty. You're my grandmother's age. You think you're still some young fairy? Besides, you called me a kid. I called you granny. Seems fair, doesn't it? And look at you, getting all worked up. You must know you're old, otherwise you wouldn't be so angry, would you?"
Katakuri and the other children's eyes were wide with disbelief.
Holy shit!
Is this guy for real?
Dude, you should probably stop talking now.
Can't you see Mama's about to blow?
They were all terrified.
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