Chapter 113: Beasts And Big·mom
War has omens.
The New World, which seems vast and still has many unexplored areas, is actually far from as spacious as it appears. Now, the five Overlords have divided up the New World, making the Pirate Emperors, accustomed to the four powers standing equally, inevitably feel a bit cramped. Whitebeard, who has long lost his ambition to pioneer, shows no reaction, and the most inscrutable Red-Haired has no obsession with territory either.
However, the other two Pirate Emperors are both ambitious sorts.
In the battle between BIG·MOM and Elus, she acknowledged Elus’s strength. Although she was also dissatisfied with the Eckmond Kingdom’s expansion, that massive maritime transport network that squeezed so many people into jumping into the sea had ruined a lot of her business. But since she had no absolute confidence in defeating Elus, BIG·MOM was unwilling to be the first to step forward.
As long as she wasn’t having an episode, her mind was still very clear.
Even if she didn’t make a move, others would. Especially after she learned that Elus had used overwhelming financial power to sweep clean all the Zoan Devil Fruits on the black market, she knew that war would soon arrive.
“mama~~”
BIG·MOM sat on the deck of the Queen Mama Chanter, laughing happily.
“Finally couldn’t sit still, huh! Kaido.”
She had just received intelligence that the Beasts Pirates’ fleet had left that extremely isolated Wano Country and was heading northeast. Looking at the sea chart, one would see that the Beasts Pirates’ fleet was heading straight for the Eckmond Kingdom.
There were quite a few islands along the way,
but everyone who received this intelligence did not believe the Beasts Pirates’ target was those nameless small islands. They were convinced that the Beasts Pirates were definitely going to cause trouble for the Black Prince.
Look at that madman’s past experiences!
He had once challenged the other Pirate Emperors and the Navy alone multiple times. Just the reliably recorded instances showed Kaido had seven defeats. He had been captured by the Navy 17 times, subjected to over a thousand harsh tortures, and sentenced to death more than 40 times······ Yet to this day, he was still alive and well.
Moreover, these dense records of defeats and captures did nothing to damage this monster’s reputation. Countless villains worshipped the power of Beasts, and among all living creatures on sea, land, and air, Kaido was the [Strongest Creature]. This was everyone’s consensus.
Also,
“One-on-one, it’s probably Kaido who’s stronger,” people said.
So when Elus, the Black Prince, rose in the New World, many people had been looking forward to the clash between Beasts and the Black Prince. They believed that with Beasts’ fanaticism for battle, regardless of reason, he would eventually challenge the Black Prince to a fight.
“Mama, should we take this opportunity to teach the Black Prince a lesson?”
The man, dressed flamboyantly with a top hat and holding a candy cane, asked slyly.
He was Charlotte Perospero, the eldest son of the Charlotte Family, the Candy Minister of Whole Cake Island Kingdom, the Candy Man who ate the Lick-Lick Fruit. Unfortunately, though he was the eldest son of the Charlotte Family and BIG·MOM’s first son, his talent was ultimately inferior to his younger siblings, and he had not made it into the Four Sweet Generals.
That’s right,
Four Sweet Generals.
Not long ago, Charlotte Snack, the twenty-fifth son of the Charlotte Family and the Snack Minister of Whole Cake Island Kingdom, had his bounty raised to 600 million Beli, finally barely earning BIG·MOM’s recognition, turning the original Sweet Three Generals into the current Four Sweet Generals.
“Hm? What did you say? Perospero?”
BIG·MOM looked over, her ferocious gaze making her son Perospero’s scalp tingle. Even though he was already in his forties, nearly fifty, in front of BIG·MOM, he felt like he was still that weak and helpless pitiful child from his childhood.
However,
He knew very well that he absolutely could not show fear in front of Mama, or it would cost him his lifespan.
“The Black Prince has disrupted the order of the New World and obstructed Beasts’ acquisition of Zoan Devil Fruits, which is equivalent to hindering Beasts’ plan to build an army of Zoan Devil Fruit Users. Unless the Black Prince backs down, Beasts will absolutely not let it go easily.”
“Mama, this is such a good opportunity. We can take advantage to pressure the Black Prince together and make him spit out enough interests to compensate for our losses. Since the wastes in the Dark World were taken out by the Black Prince, this year’s fiscal revenue has been very pessimistic!”
“Are you telling me to cooperate with that guy Kaido?” BIG·MOM lowered her head and asked ferociously.
“No, not cooperation.”
Perospero shook his head desperately in denial. As the eldest son, he had followed BIG·MOM on the sea for a very long time. He had once been an apprentice pirate in the Rocks Pirates. Though he didn’t know the specific details, he knew that the relationship between Mama and Kaido was not amicable.
Kaido had challenged Mama several times, and the two fought with the genuine intent to kill each other.
Unfortunately, one was a monster who couldn’t be killed no matter the means, and the other was a Steel Balloon who could be beaten to death barehanded by a five-year-old from the Giant Race. Neither could kill the other, so the battle ended inconclusively. Tired of the meaningless slaughter, the two stopped and since then maintained a stance of never crossing paths until death.
“We’re just happening to target the same goal, Mama. Recently, our ingredient-collecting troops for making sweets have faced a lot of obstructions too. The Black Prince’s maritime transport network is really causing trouble!”
Perospero was glib-tongued.
He knew what BIG·MOM cared about most. Mama had three wishes: first, to build a paradise where all races in the world could live harmoniously together; second, to become the Pirate King; third, to have endless sweets to eat.
As long as it involved these three points, Mama would never casually ignore it.
“Sweets, my sweets······”
Sure enough,
Hearing that her sweets supply had been obstructed, BIG·MOM’s smile instantly turned manic. “Perospero, go make preparations. The next destination is the capital island of the Eckmond Kingdom. What was it called?”
“It’s Bikahi Island.”
“Right, Bikahi Island. Go give the order, have Cracker and Snack come over to accompany me to Bikahi Island. Have Katakuri and Smoothie hold down Cake Island.”
“Yes, Mama. I guarantee the mission will be completed.”
Perospero promised loudly.
He then went to contact his younger siblings and relay BIG·MOM’s orders.
The reason he was so eager to urge Mama to act against the Black Prince was not really for personal gain. As BIG·MOM’s eldest son, his martial power was inferior to Katakuri, Smoothie, Cracker, and other younger siblings, but he was the true finance minister of BIG·MOM’s pirate crew.
He controlled the financial power of Whole Cake Island Kingdom, this grotesquely prosperous nation.
What he had said to BIG·MOM earlier was not exaggeration. Losing the tributes from the magnates in the Dark World had instantly cut a huge chunk from Whole Cake Island Kingdom’s fiscal revenue. Plus, some time ago, mysterious people had attacked their subordinate pirate crews, causing a commotion for a while without catching the culprits.
Moreover, BIG·MOM’s spending on sweets was staggeringly high. Even with the kingdom and many vassal small nations’ offerings, BIG·MOM, whose tastes changed unpredictably, would cause major commotions every few days. All sorts of expenses had this Candy Minister worrying until his hair fell out.
Most importantly, the spread of the maritime transport network had drastically reduced BIG·MOM’s pirate crew’s robbery income. They couldn’t openly rob ships flying the Black Prince’s flag—that would be equivalent to challenging the Black Prince.
But now, most merchant ships in the New World flew the Black Prince’s flag. Without robbing those, they could only target those poor ragged pirates······
Perospero had been racking his brains lately, thinking how to restore Whole Cake Island Kingdom’s fiscal level to its former excellence, but no matter what, he couldn’t get around the mountain that was the Black Prince. Fortunately, heaven never seals all paths; just when he was at his wits’ end, Beasts made their move.
This gave him a chance to topple the Black Prince’s mountain. Even if he couldn’t completely topple it, just clearing a path would alleviate Whole Cake Island Kingdom’s fiscal situation.
Thus,
The beckoning skull pirate flag with a top hat, pink wavy curly hair, and lipstick fluttered in the wind. BIG·MOM’s pirate crew fleet also left Whole Cake Island Kingdom’s sea area, heading northwest.
————
Bikahi Island.
“They’re coming awfully fast!” Elus flipped through the dense stack of messages on the table. The contents were all brief but continuously reported the Beasts Pirates fleet’s movements: when they sailed to such-and-such place, stopping at some island to rest······
This intelligence all ended up on King Berville’s desk.
“El, what do you say we do?”
His Majesty the King spread his hands, glaring at his son standing before the desk.
“Meet soldiers with generals and water with earth, Father. Don’t worry. I guarantee Beasts won’t set foot on Bikahi Island.” Elus smiled as he looked at the messages, showing no panic on his face. His leisurely and composed attitude was genuine.
“It’s not just Beasts!”
Berville felt a massive headache.
Although he had prepared for such a dire situation, being truly in it still made him feel lost and panicked uncontrollably. The infamy of the Four Emperors was so resounding, and they had once relied on Whitebeard’s flag for protection of the kingdom for many years.
“BIG·MOM’s pirate crew fleet is heading our way too! The intelligence says it clearly: BIG·MOM is in the fleet.” Berville pointed to another messy stack of documents on the desk.
Lately, he had been preparing to attend the World Conference, had arranged his flagship, and was just waiting for the set date to head to the Red Line. He could even pay a long-overdue visit to his father. However, Berville’s travel plans were forced to miscarry before they began.
Although the Beasts Pirates hadn’t declared war directly, their undisguised aggression pointed straight at the Eckmond Kingdom. Various rumors from the Beasts Pirates’ subordinate crews also confirmed they were indeed coming for the Eckmond Kingdom.
No choice,
The World Conference participation plan was temporarily shelved. He called Elus to ask what to do.
But—
This brat’s carefree attitude really left him helpless.
“No rush, no rush.”
Elus’s smile remained composed.
He picked up those documents, glanced at them, and tossed them aside. “Father, it’s fine. BIG·MOM is just here to loot while the fire burns. Once we deal with Beasts, BIG·MOM won’t tear face with me directly. That madwoman is sharper than most when she’s not having an episode.”
“El······ are you sure it’s okay? What if Beasts and BIG·MOM team up?” Berville was still uneasy.
If it were just one of the Four Emperors, with Elus’s past battle records, he could barely set his mind at ease. But now, two Pirate Emperors were approaching together. Two fists can’t beat four hands, especially against enemies on the same level. He had mixed on the sea before; he understood this reasoning well.
“How about contacting Whitebeard?”
“No need.”
Elus rejected decisively.
“Father, rest assured! I’ll handle this.”
Elus said resolutely. “You should remake the plan to go to the Red Line! After dealing with Beasts, we’ll go to the Red Line together. I’ve made an appointment to meet someone in Marie Geoise.”
“······ You brat.”
Berville cursed helplessly, but after two seconds, he suddenly widened his eyes. “El, you said you’ve made an appointment to meet someone in Marie Geoise? Who? A princess from which kingdom? Or a queen from which country?”
“Though I told you to rest assured,······ this mindset shift is too fast, isn’t it?”
Elus shook his head with a smile.
“Hmph! I can’t get involved in this anyway. Instead of worrying blindly, better to care about your major life event. Your mother really likes that mermaid princess. If she weren’t so huge······ I might have grandchildren by now.” Berville said.
“······”
Elus rolled his eyes.
Princess Shirahoshi received incredibly warm hospitality in the Eckmond Kingdom. Unlike Prince Hoshigaki Kisame, who was thrown into the army for training, Elus’s mother liked this huge but crystal-pure-hearted mermaid princess after interacting with her.
With the queen’s favor, Princess Shirahoshi naturally received welcome from many people.
“The one I’ve arranged to meet in the Holy Land is a man, the king of Jermma Kingdom in North Blue. Over a small business matter, we’ve agreed to meet during the World Conference.” To stop the grandson topic, Elus explained straightforwardly.
“Tch!”
Berville clicked his tongue in disappointment.
Elus pretended not to hear.
“Alright, El. Since you’ve boasted, the matters with Beasts and BIG·MOM are yours.” Berville waved his hand, signaling Elus could leave.
“Then, Father, I’ll take my leave.”
“Go!”
