Chapter 250: The New Era (Part 2)!
Whole Cake Island, Totto Land
Beneath the castle dome, the sickly-sweet scent of whipped cream mixed strangely with the murderous intent surging through the air.
A shrill cackle tore through the hall like a blade of sound.
"Ma ma ma ma! That brat from the Marines… actually killed that old lunatic Shiki?!"
BIG MOM's massive body sank deep into her throne-like cake sofa, the corners of her crimson-painted lips stretching nearly to her ears.
Her laughter rolled outward with waves of Conqueror's Haki, causing the Homies outside the windows to shriek in response. The entire castle trembled as if it had come alive.
Outside the doors, several Chess Soldiers collapsed to their knees at the same time, their halberds clattering loudly onto the floor.
Creeeak—
The gilded candy doors slowly opened.
Katakuri stepped inside first, his tall figure casting a cold silhouette across the frosting-covered corridor.
Behind him followed a petite young girl.
The hem of her blue floral dress swayed gently, while her brown twin-tails trembled slightly in the sweet-scented breeze.
"Ma ma ma ma! Pudding! My precious daughter!"
BIG MOM's bloodshot eyes shifted toward the girl like iron hooks locking onto prey.
She grabbed a triple-layer cream cake beside her and stuffed the entire thing—including the tray—into her mouth. Crumbs and cream sprayed from the corners of her lips as she chewed.
"What a delightful surprise… Straw Hat's 'Black Leg' Sanji is actually the third son of the Vinsmoke family!"
Licking cream from her fingertips, her laughter suddenly rose another octave.
"This is fate! Fate itself is helping Mama!!"
Crackle—!
Black-red lightning exploded around her body without warning, splitting the air with fine fractures like shattered glass.
The overwhelming pressure crashed down like a collapsing sea.
"Ugh…!"
Pudding's face instantly turned pale as she dropped heavily to one knee on the soft carpet.
The third eye hidden beneath her bangs throbbed violently, her vision darkening under the pressure.
"Mother."
Katakuri's calm voice cut through the suffocating atmosphere.
He stepped forward slightly, an invisible barrier quietly spreading out and blocking BIG MOM's Conqueror's Haki several feet in front of Pudding.
BIG MOM's laughter abruptly stopped.
Leaning forward, her enormous shadow completely engulfed the girl. Her sweet breath mixed with the sour scent of fermenting food washed over her.
"Pudding… I want you to marry Vinsmoke Sanji."
"I want you to pry open the technological treasure vault of Germa 66… and turn the Straw Hat Pirates into Mama's new toys."
Her thick fingers lifted Pudding's chin, forcing the girl to look directly into her bloodshot eyes.
"Do you… accept?"
Pudding trembled.
She saw Katakuri standing silently nearby.
She saw the endless greed burning deep within her mother's pupils.
Then—
She smiled.
Slowly, she raised a hand and brushed aside the bangs covering her forehead.
Her third eye snapped open.
A deep violet iris bloomed like a poisonous flower, creating an eerie contrast against her sweet face.
"Don't worry, Mama."
Her voice was sweet as melted honey, but her eyes carried biting coldness.
"I'll make that stupid cook fall head over heels for me."
"Ma ma ma ma!! That's my good daughter!!"
BIG MOM released her chin and burst into laughter again, causing the crystal candy chandeliers overhead to rattle noisily.
But the laughter stopped just as suddenly.
Her finger jabbed harshly toward Pudding's forehead.
"However… cover up that disgusting eye."
Her voice turned icy with disgust.
"That eye… only makes people sick."
"…Yes."
Pudding lowered her head.
Her bangs fell once more, completely concealing the third eye—and every trace of emotion on her face.
Sunlight passed through the stained candy-glass windows, casting a lonely patch of light across her slender shoulders.
Katakuri silently watched his sister's lowered head, the corners of his mouth beneath the scarf tightening into a hard line.
He shifted slightly aside, signaling that she could leave.
Pudding lifted her skirt and walked toward the doors. Her footsteps remained light, but within the overly vast sweet palace, her figure looked thin as paper.
The doors slowly closed behind her, sealing away Linlin's muffled chewing and muttering—as well as the nauseating sweetness that filled the castle.
Outside, warm sunlight shone over real pastries and candy decorations.
Standing beneath the light, Pudding gently touched the forehead hidden beneath her bangs. Her fingertips were cold.
Katakuri stopped beside her, his towering frame half-turned as the edge of his scarf glowed softly beneath the dim sunlight.
"Pudding."
"If you don't want this, I can find an opportunity to—"
"No need, Katakuri-nii."
Pudding raised her face and interrupted him.
Her smile returned.
Sweet. Perfect.
Like a carefully decorated cream rose, every curve flawless beyond criticism.
"Once Mama decides something…"
She tilted her head slightly, her bangs swaying to hide any possible emotion beneath them.
"Even you… can't really change it, right?"
Katakuri remained silent.
Pudding turned toward the massive candy window at the end of the corridor.
Outside, cloud Homies dragged rainbows across chocolate rooftops. Totto Land looked sweet enough to suffocate anyone.
"Besides…"
Her fingers unconsciously brushed the embroidered petals on her skirt as she spoke softly, almost to herself.
"As the cook of an Emperor's crew… maybe he and I might actually have something in common."
Then she laughed bitterly.
"No matter how bad it is…"
"Could it really be worse than living in Totto Land?"
With that, she lifted her skirt and walked away in light, cheerful steps.
As though she were truly heading toward a long-awaited date.
Katakuri remained standing there, silently watching his sister's fading back.
Grand Line — Waters Near Sabaody
The sea breeze carried the faint sweet scent unique to Sabaody bubbles across the deck.
After finishing a chase against a Sea Beast earlier, the Thousand Sunny rested quietly within a forest of rainbow-colored bubbles.
"Sanji!! I'm hungry! !!"
The roar nearly shook the seagulls resting atop the mast.
Luffy sprawled across the deck with all four limbs spread out, his stomach sunken dramatically inward like a bowl. His rubber arms dangled weakly.
"Sanji, me too!!"
Yamato sat cross-legged beside him, ears drooping as her stomach growled loudly in agreement.
The two of them supported each other while wobbling pitifully toward the kitchen, looking moments away from starving into skeletons.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Rapid cooking sounds erupted from inside the kitchen like war drums.
Sanji's hands blurred through the air while three frying pans spun simultaneously over the flames. Golden egg and rice danced atop the scorching iron surfaces.
The cigarette in his mouth had already burned into a long column of ash, yet he still hadn't found time to flick it away.
"Yeah, yeah, I hear you! Quit screaming, you bottomless pits—!!"
With a sharp flick of his wrist, two mountain-sized plates of seafood fried rice slid perfectly out the serving window and landed on the deck table with a loud clatter.
The rice glistened beneath a coating of egg, while shrimp and shellfish shone richly under the sunlight.
The instant the plates touched the table, Luffy's rubber arm wrapped around one of them.
Yamato simply picked hers up directly without even bothering with a spoon.
SLURP! GOBBLE! SLURP!
The sound of violent eating instantly dominated the deck like a storm sweeping fallen leaves.
Sanji leaned out the kitchen window, the dark circles beneath his eyes especially noticeable on his pale face.
"I swear… I've gotta recharge Franky's ridiculous energy systems and deal with stomachs bigger than Sea Kings…"
He tugged at his loosened tie, sounding utterly exhausted.
"My hands and legs barely feel like mine anymore! Can't we recruit another cook already?!"
"MMM—!!!"
Luffy's cheeks bulged like balloons as he grinned blissfully through mouthfuls of rice.
"So good! Sanji's fried rice is the best in the world!!"
He swallowed with difficulty before flashing an oily grin.
"Hehehe! Trust me, Sanji! Another cook… will show up eventually!!"
Sanji's eyebrow twitched.
"Oi, Straw Hat… are you just feeding me empty promises here?"
"Don't worry! Don't worry!!"
Luffy had already buried his face into the second plate, his answer barely understandable through the chewing.
Yamato lifted her rice-covered face and nodded heavily.
"Yeah! There'll definitely be one!"
The sea breeze drifted past, carrying several floating bubbles that landed gently beside the empty plates before popping into rainbow-colored sparkles.
Sanji stared silently at the two gluttons who never once looked up from their food.
After a long moment, he finally sighed in resignation.
The cigarette ash finally collapsed.
Turning around, he returned to the stove as the flames roared back to life and the sound of metal spatulas striking frying pans once again filled the kitchen.
On deck, Luffy quietly leaned toward Yamato and whispered:
"Honestly, I think Sanji alone's already enough…"
"Shhh! He'll hear you!"
Sunlight refracted through Sabaody's giant bubbles, casting colorful glows across the Thousand Sunny's deck.
The aroma of seafood fried rice still lingered in the air while several brand-new bounty posters fluttered noisily in the wind.
Luffy sat cross-legged beneath the main mast, stretching one rubber arm absurdly far while stuffing fried rice into his mouth. At the same time, he used his toes to hold down the topmost bounty poster spread across the deck.
[Emperor of the Sea] Monkey D. LuffyBounty: 4,054,000,000 Berries
Rice grains dropped from the corners of his mouth.
"EH—?!!"
He suddenly tossed aside his spoon as the paper rattled in his fingers.
"It only went up this much?!"
…
Zoro leaned lazily against one of the Sunny's tangerine trees, his three swords gleaming coldly beneath the sunlight.
He glanced at his own poster.
[Pirate Hunter] Roronoa ZoroBounty: 1,232,000,000 Berries
"Tch."
A faint grin tugged at his lips.
"Not bad."
…
"WAAAH! I got a bounty too!!"
Yamato bounced excitedly like a child, her ears twitching happily.
She carefully held up the poster showing her long hair flowing while wielding her kanabo.
[Oni Princess] YamatoBounty: 1,250,000,000 Berries
Sunlight illuminated her radiant smile as her fingers creased the edge of the paper.
…
"Wait."
Sanji's voice suddenly turned cold.
He bent down and picked up his own bounty poster while cigarette smoke curled across its surface.
His usual carefree smile had completely vanished—not because of the bounty amount, but because of the words printed beside his photo.
[Black Leg] Vinsmoke SanjiBounty: 1,210,000,000 BerriesONLY ALIVE
His fingertips paused briefly over the surname "Vinsmoke."
The veins on the back of his hand bulged faintly.
…
"Tra-guy's already at 630 million."
Usopp muttered while staring at Law's bounty poster.
[Surgeon of Death] Trafalgar Law — 630,000,000[Iron Man] Franky — 340,000,000 (ONLY ALIVE)[Songstress] Uta — 320,000,000[Devil Child] Nico Robin — 300,000,000[Soul King] Brook — 280,000,000[God Usopp] Usopp — 200,000,000[Cat Burglar] Nami — 130,000,000
"Everyone's over 100 million now!"
Nami's eyes had already transformed into Berriessigns as she happily compared the numbers.
Then everyone's gaze slowly drifted toward the corner of the deck.
Chopper held his own bounty poster in his hooves, staring through his round glasses with wide eyes.
The paper looked pitifully small in the breeze.
[PET] Tony Tony ChopperBounty: 100 Berries
Time froze for two full seconds.
"W-Why…"
Chopper's voice trembled as the poster shook in his hooves.
"Why am I only worth… 100 Berries…"
He suddenly looked up, tears rapidly filling his eyes.
"I fought with my life on the line too!! I'm the crew's doctor too!!!"
"100 Berries can't even buy a few packs of cotton candy anymore—WAAAAAH!!!"
His wailing startled the seagulls from the mast.
Luffy immediately burst into loud laughter while patting his stomach.
"HAHAHAHAHA! Chopper, your bounty poster's still hilarious!"
Zoro turned his face away, though his shoulders shook suspiciously.
Sanji sighed before walking over and rubbing Chopper's hat.
"Relax. It just means those idiots in the Marines still have no clue how dangerous you really are."
Nami barely held back her laughter as she handed him a handkerchief.
"At least it doubled this time…"
"You guys don't understand!! This is about dignity!!"
Chopper snatched the handkerchief to blow his nose, tears flowing even harder.
"100 Berries can't even buy… buy a medical textbook…"
Yamato crouched in front of him seriously and pointed at the poster.
"Look! Your picture's super clear this time! Chopper looked really cool while fighting!"
"R-Really?!"
Chopper sniffled and looked up before immediately realizing—
"No! That's not the point—!!"
Suddenly, Usopp snapped his fingers.
"Wait! Maybe this is some kind of strategy!"
He struck a serious pose.
"The enemy lowers their guard because your bounty's so low… then BAM! Chopper transforms into Monster Point!"
"OHHHH! So that's it!!"
Chopper's eyes instantly sparkled before drooping again.
"B-But… I still want a higher bounty…"
The wind swept across the deck as bounty posters fluttered noisily.
Robin emerged from the cabin carrying a cup of coffee, her gaze sweeping across the papers scattered everywhere.
"It seems the World Government…"
She smiled softly.
"…has finally started taking us seriously."
Amid the noise and laughter, Luffy suddenly stretched out his arm and smacked Chopper's antlers.
"So what?!"
He grinned broadly as rice flew from his mouth.
"After all—"
A strong gust of wind suddenly scattered every bounty poster into the sky.
The papers spun through the air, passing across smiling and exasperated faces alike.
Luffy's voice rang clearly across the deck alongside the popping sounds of Sabaody bubbles drifting in from afar.
"We're all people the world's gonna chase to the ends of the sea anyway!!"
Meanwhile, inside the Sunny's kitchen, Sanji silently crumpled the bounty poster bearing the name "Vinsmoke" and tossed it into the flames.
The fire swallowed the paper instantly.
As it burned away, he lit another cigarette.
Strong World Arc — End
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