The Venue Center buzzed with hushed whispers.
The powerful Underworld Emperors filed in, finding their assigned seats. Big Mom took up a lot of room, forcing some others to squeeze in beside them.
Everyone couldn't help but glance at Big Mom and Roya, the man known as Black Hair. They wondered what could have happened between them to make Roya show up at this gathering. It had to be something big, not just a little disagreement.
Seeing the tension in the air, Stussy stepped forward, trying to ease the situation for Roya.
"Linlin, I brought you a present!" she announced cheerfully.
"Ooh, a treasure chest! I just love treasure chests!" Big Mom exclaimed, her attention instantly drawn to the shiny chest Stussy held up. Her face lit up with a childlike grin.
"I brought a gift too!" someone else chimed in.
"I have a rare treasure from the south!" another added.
"Please accept this, it's for you," said yet another.
Soon, a pile of beautifully decorated treasure chests grew before Big Mom.
She clapped her hands together, clearly delighted. "I'm so happy! I always get so many presents. Thank you all, I'm so, so happy!"
The gifts seemed to have done the trick. Big Mom's mood improved instantly, and she no longer glared menacingly at Roya as she sat down again.
Big Mom turned her attention to Yamato. "Are you Kaido's daughter?" she asked.
"Yes, my name is Yamato!" Yamato replied, nodding eagerly, her mouth full of a sweet, chewy dessert. This is the best food ever! she thought, savoring the taste.
"Aunt Linlin, the food here is so yummy!" Yamato exclaimed.
"Mama, if you like it, eat more," Big Mom said gently.
Big Mom seemed to like Yamato, her attitude unusually kind. It wasn't clear if it was because of Kaido or if she simply liked the girl.
She happily ate and drank for a while, enjoying the treats.
Then, holding a cup of red tea, Big Mom looked at Roya.
"Mama, mama, let's forget about what happened before," she said, a strange smile on her face. "But Black Hair Kid, you must agree to one thing."
"Oh? What's that?" Roya asked, his eyes narrowing slightly.
"It's simple, marry my daughter!" Big Mom declared.
She had been thinking about what Katakuri had told her a few days earlier: Don't kill Black Hair, and find a way to bring him over to our side.
A marriage is the perfect solution! she thought. With how strong and important Black Hair was becoming, it would be a great thing for Totto Land.
And, she thought with a competitive glint in her eye, if Kaido wants him to marry his daughter, then I definitely have to do the same! I can't let Kaido win!
"Chiffon, come here!" Big Mom called out.
Chiffon shyly approached.
"Mama, mama, Black Hair Kid, how about Chiffon as your wife? She's just the right age for you," Big Mom said, gesturing towards her daughter.
"Chi-Chiffon?" Roya said, looking at Chiffon's round, puffy figure and her face, which some might find rather frightening. He was taken aback.
Does she really think I'm that desperate? he wondered.
Chiffon stepped in front of Roya, trying to give him a flirtatious look. "Marry me, Roya-san!" she said.
"..."
Roya fell silent.
Getting a wife for free isn't a bad deal, he thought, but I really don't think I could bring myself to kiss that big face!
She wasn't like Shalria, who could bring him great power and influence. If I brought her home, I'd have to lock myself in my room when I went to sleep!
Besides, he reminded himself, I didn't come to Totto Land to get married.
Big Mom had many daughters, but they were all so different. Very few were normal humans with good looks.
There's the long-neck tribe, the long-arm tribe...
Definitely not my type, he thought.
Roya stood up, his voice cool and indifferent. "Can I say no?" he asked.
"Mama, mama!" Big Mom said with a sneer, making it clear what the answer was.
"That's a shame," Roya said, shaking his head slowly. He placed his hand on the edge of the table.
Katakuri, who was sitting next to Big Mom, suddenly looked worried. He seemed to know what was about to happen, but he couldn't stop Roya. He couldn't stop him at all!
Veins bulged on Roya's arm.
He flipped the table! (╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻
"Clang!"
The table flew into the air and crashed to the ground, smashing all the delicious desserts.
The entire venue went silent.
Everyone's eyes widened in shock.
Is he serious? they thought. Black Hair is causing trouble at the Tea Party? Does he even know where he is?
Roya lit a cigarette, his gaze cold. "I don't like dessert!" he declared.
Silence!
Everyone knew that the Big Mom Pirates loved dessert more than anything!
This is a direct insult! A blatant provocation!
"And one more thing," Roya said, looking at Big Mom. "I came here today to be polite, but that doesn't mean I'm scared of you, you old hag!"
Old hag?
Before Big Mom could even react, the Ministers of Totto Land were furious. They charged towards Roya, launching countless attacks.
"Kill Black Hair!" they yelled.
Even if Black Hair was a Celestial Dragon, there was no way he was leaving Totto Land alive after this. Anyone who insulted Mama would meet a terrible end.
Roya stood his ground.
Katakuri saw a glimpse of the future and broke out in a cold sweat.
"Stay away from Black Hair!" he shouted.
But it was too late!
"Numbers mean nothing to me," Roya said, his body crackling with electricity. As the Ministers got close, dozens of blinding bolts of lightning shot out from him!
"Ahhh!!!"
The Ministers screamed and were thrown back, vomiting blood.
When the chaos died down, Roya stood in the center of the venue. Everything around him was destroyed, and the Ministers were scattered around the room, paralyzed and unable to move.
"It... it's thunder!" someone gasped.
No one had expected that Black Hair could control thunder!
"Mochi Thrust!"
While everyone was still in shock, Katakuri rushed towards Roya, his spinning trident aimed at Roya's chest!
"Katakuri!"
"Excellent!"
"Black Hair is finished now that Katakuri has him!"
The Ministers cheered, but their joy didn't last long.
Black Hair didn't fall!
The area where the trident had pierced him was glowing with lightning and healing at an incredible speed.
Elemental Transformation!
The signature ability of a Logia Devil Fruit user!
They had only suspected it before, but now they were certain: Black Hair was a Logia Rumble-Rumble Fruit user!
"Katakuri," Roya said calmly, staring at Katakuri. A powerful electric current traveled along the trident and paralyzed Katakuri's body.
Moving with the speed of lightning, the moment Katakuri stabbed him, he was hit with a paralyzing shock.
Compared to ice or lava, which took time to freeze or burn an enemy, thunder was a hundred or a thousand times faster!
Katakuri's entire body was covered in electricity. He dropped the trident and jumped back, creating distance. His eyes were serious.
He was still feeling the effects of the electricity, his body slow and unresponsive.
Normally, Haki was the best way to defend against abilities, but it could only weaken them, not make someone immune.
And this was thunder, the power of the heavens!
Against a powerful Logia Devil Fruit user, numbers were useless. Only the Sweet Four Generals could stand a chance against Black Hair.
The situation was bad.
Katakuri shouted, "Don't underestimate me, Black Hair!"
"Our abilities are worlds apart," Roya said calmly, frowning slightly.
The way this guy predicts the future and speaks in advance is really annoying, like he's stealing my lines, he thought.
"Hmm?"
Roya looked around.
Besides Katakuri, there were others surrounding him.
Smoothie, Cracker, Snack.
The Sweet Four Generals had all come out!
Other Ministers were starting to recover from the paralysis, grabbing pistols and other weapons.
"Don't get close to Black Hair, use ranged attacks!"
They knew that ranged attacks weren't very effective against Logia Devil Fruit users, but if they could distract Black Hair, they might create an opening for the Sweet Four Generals to strike.
Roya drew his sword.
"Then, I'll have to get a little more serious!" he said.
*
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[T/N:
Latest Chapter translated on Patreon - Chapter 342 (+84 Chapters Ahead!)
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Today's Chapter releases includes the +2 bonus chapter(s)!
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]