— — — — — — —
Splash!—
"What the hell is that?!"
"Pirates! Is it the Big Mom Pirates?!"
"Run for your lives!"
Panic erupted as frantic screams filled the air. People scattered, scrambling to hide wherever they could. Fear gripped them as they peeked at the unfolding scene, their bodies trembling.
It was terrifying—absolutely horrifying.
After all, this was the Big Mom Pirates!
Forget how powerful Linlin was.
Charlotte Katakuri—
This man once fought off an entire army on Fishman Island, slaying tens of thousands of pirates. Just thinking about it sent shivers down their spines.
It was no exaggeration to say that among the remnants of the Rocks Pirates—The Big Mom Pirates, the Flying Pirates, the Whitebeard Pirates, the Three-Body Pirates—
(The three Body Pirates are the alliance of John, Silver Axe, and Wang Zhi.)
All of these crews emerged after the collapse of the infamous Rocks Pirates.
Yet, without a doubt, the most formidable among them was the Big Mom Pirates.
There was simply no comparison.
While others were still trying to establish themselves, Linlin had already paved a new path alongside her children.
They were on an entirely different level.
—Splash!—BOOM!
A ship slowly docked at the shore.
Joey issued an order, "Spread the word—our mission is to search for Devil Fruits. Do not harm the civilians."
"Understood, boss!"
"Got it!"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
If the Big Mom Pirates had come alone, they could do whatever they pleased.
But now?
Not an option!
The Charlotte Family was present.
They couldn't afford to tarnish their name with unnecessary bloodshed.
That would be a disaster.
Hachée and Effilée led their squads, beginning the search for Devil Fruits—but only searching.
Moreover—Joey had given clear instructions: 'If a Devil Fruit was found in someone's possession, they would offer to buy it for one billion Berries.'
To put that into perspective— On the black market, a single Devil Fruit was already worth that much.
Of course— Certain fruits, like Logia types, Mythical Zoans, or the Ope Ope no Mi, had unpredictable prices.
They could easily surpass three billion Berries.
"Sir! Do you happen to own a Devil Fruit?"
"Ma'am! Do you have one?"
The black-clad crew members went door-to-door, inquiring with serious expressions.
As the civilians observed, they slowly realized something—the Big Mom Pirates weren't attacking them.
And more importantly— One billion Berries!
That kind of money could set them and their future generations up for life.
Naturally, they started helping with the search.
Word spread quickly—One person told ten, ten told a hundred, a hundred told a thousand—
Before long, nearly the entire population of this small town—about ten thousand people—was actively looking for Devil Fruits.
"So that's how it works!"
Cornstarch nodded, her cute little head bobbing. "This is what Big Brother meant by 'the power of ordinary people.' They don't understand much, but they make perfect tools. A little favor or reward is all it takes to get them to obey."
Moscato agreed, "But sis, these outsiders are just tools. Our people in Totto Land are different. Big brother said it himself—only our citizens are truly ours."
Clearly—These two young siblings were beginning to grasp Joey's methods for manipulating the masses.
Their older brothers and sisters watched them, a bit concerned.
They wanted to correct them, but— The problem was, no one here was particularly skilled in diplomacy.
They were all brutes and warriors!
Joey walked up behind the two little ones, speaking gently, "You've misunderstood something."
"In this world, apart from family, everyone is a tool. But just like swords are ranked into Supreme Grade, Great Grade, and Skillful Grade, you wouldn't use a Supreme Grade sword to cut a watermelon, would you?"
"Huh?"
The two kids looked confused.
Joey elaborated, "That's why different situations call for different tools. You must learn to use them wisely. Solving problems with brute force is the lowest form of resolution."
"Of course—absolute power is an exception."
Cornstarch tilted her head. "Big brother, why is absolute power an exception?"
Joey smiled warmly. "Because when you have the power to destroy an entire world by yourself, nothing else matters."
"Oh!"
"I see!"
The two kids nodded eagerly, as if suddenly enlightened.
One person, however, took those words to heart—
Katakuri clenched his fists tightly.
He would become the absolute power of his family. No matter what happened, he would always be there to protect them.
Yet—Katakuri himself hadn't noticed that as his indomitable will continued to solidify, his Stand had begun radiating an ominous dark purple energy.
Beneath the heavy, fully enclosed knight armor, only his eyes were visible.
For a fleeting moment, a crimson glow flickered in them before vanishing.
Splash!—
Just then, the sound of crashing waves and approaching ships filled the air.
Everyone immediately turned to look.
Why were only Hachée and Effilée searching for the devil fruit?
Because—
The others were staying behind to welcome their incoming "guests."
Mondée stepped in front of Nusstorte, Mash, Cornstarch, and Moscato, ensuring their protection.
The others sharpened their gazes.
Joey, however, smiled warmly and said, "No need to be so tense, little ones. As long as my stand is here, my siblings will never be in danger."
"Phew—" Mondée exhaled deeply, finally relaxing. "I almost forgot! Big bro's Greatsword is something special!"
Even so, Mondée didn't leave. Neither did the others, their expressions easing into smirks.
Joey was pleased with the sight.
Nothing else mattered. Family—That was the most important thing.
His gaze then shifted to the approaching ship, which resembled a massive whale.
"Oh?" Joey raised an eyebrow with interest. "So, they've already built the Moby Dick? That was fast."
Indeed, the newcomers were none other than the Whitebeard Pirates.
In fact, when Joey first caught wind of the Shining Fruit, the Whitebeard Pirates had also received word.
It was just a coincidence that both parties had ended up meeting here.
Not that Joey was afraid.
Against the Flying Pirates, he hadn't feared Golden Lion even when he had only brought Daifuku and Oven along.
And now?
Against the Whitebeard Pirates, he wasn't afraid either.
Linlin, Katakuri, Compote, Cracker, Daifuku, Oven—
All top-tier fighters of the Charlotte Family were present, except for the five generals, Perospero, Amande, and a few others.
Who should fear whom?
If a real fight broke out, Joey wouldn't hesitate to scrap whatever plans he had for the Whitebeard Pirates.
He'd just wipe them out right here and now.
Plans could always be adjusted.
But— His siblings must never suffer.
"Gurararara—"
Edward Newgate burst into hearty laughter upon seeing the situation onshore.
A smirk tugged at his lips. "Well, well! I didn't expect to run into you lot here."
"Pops!" The members of the Whitebeard Pirates gathered, their gazes sharp and focused.
Clearly, Marco, Jozu, Thatch, Vista, and the others had already joined the Whitebeard Pirates within the past year.
And— Although Marco and Jozu were still relatively inexperienced, the others were far from weak.
A true powerhouse could be recognized from a young age.
The Whitebeard Pirates had fought toe-to-toe with Roger's monstrous crew for three days and nights.
Were the Whitebeard Pirates weak? Were the Flying Pirates weak?
If they were, then the "Three Great Pirate Crews" title would be meaningless.
Standing beside Joey, Katakuri spoke sharply, "Big bro! The enemy's ships were built in advance. Whitebeard used the wealth he took from the Rocks Pirates when they split up."
"Sigh!"
Joey shook his head. "What a shame! If the Rocks Pirates had been united, they might've won the God Valley War. Too bad that crew was full of scheming actors!"
Undoubtedly, besides a few die-hard loyalists, most Rocks members had been slacking off, putting on a show rather than fighting for real.
Katakuri added, "Rocks ruled through violence. He had no real charisma to unite them. It was bound to fail."
Joey nodded. "You're right. But still—this is a hassle."
His eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of sharpness flashing through them.
Then, in an instant, he returned to his usual refined demeanor.
Call him a hypocrite, call him a schemer, Joey didn't care.
No ruler ever revealed their true self to the world.
And besides—He wasn't living a lie.
He only showed his true self to his family.
Soon, the Moby Dick had fully docked.
"Gurararara—"
Standing at the bow, Edward Newgate laughed. "Joey, brat! We meet again! If I count correctly, this is our third meeting, isn't it?"
Evidently, Edward knew that in this place, Joey was the true leader, while Big Mom, Linlin was merely a figurehead.
Moreover, his sharp gaze flickered, as if considering something.
"Hehehe—"
Joey chuckled elegantly. "Whitebeard, don't say that. We've only met twice—once when I was a kid, and now. Where's this 'third time' coming from?"
'Trying to test me? Don't be ridiculous.'
'I'm no fool.'
"Some things should only be said in Totto Land."
"Otherwise, walls have ears."
"Did he really think I, Charlotte Joey was just some clueless kid?" Inwardly Joey was sneering at Whitebeard.
"Gurararara—"
Edward laughed again. "Twice it is! So, brat, are you here to stop me from getting the Shining Fruit?"
Joey shook his head casually. "Why call it 'stopping'? The Devil Fruit belongs to whoever finds it first. Do you expect me to just hand it over to you?"
As Edward's words hung in the air, Joey finished speaking.
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Crack!
Katakuri, Compote, Cracker, and Mondée all tightened their grips on their weapons.
Daifuku and Oven narrowed their eyes, ready to strike at any moment.
There weren't many of them, but their strength was undeniable.
Likewise, the Whitebeard Pirates radiated an intense aura.
Their eyes gleamed with killing intent.
Clearly, they had no intention of holding back.
If a fight broke out, it would be all-out war.
"Hmph!"
Edward smirked. "Brat, are you planning to fight me?"
"Fight?"
Joey shook his head. "That word is too casual, Whitebeard. You can't afford the consequences of warring against the Charlotte Family. There are some in this world who could, but your crew isn't one of them."
Joey's tone was gentle.
But beneath that soft demeanor lay absolute arrogance and unwavering confidence.
'A mere pirate?'
'Thinking of waging war against the Charlotte Family?'
'How laughable.'
.
.
.