Chapter 38: Leveled to the Ground (Sixth Update)
In the Ten Thousand Seas, on Cake Island, inside a massive bedroom.
Loud snoring echoed. On a tart-shaped bed, a large woman with an obese figure, nearly nine meters tall, was sound asleep. Such a towering physique was impossible for a normal human.
This woman was named Charlotte Linlin, one of the four emperors of the New World, and the only female pirate among them. She had 43 husbands, 46 sons, and 39 daughters.
Charlotte Linlin slept soundly. Recent troubles had been unrelenting, causing her to lose a few pounds, but given her weight, no one could notice.
"Hm?"
In the midst of her deep sleep, Charlotte Linlin suddenly opened her eyes. With a *whoosh*, she sat up.
*Crack!*
A crisp sound rang out as the tart-shaped bed beneath her collapsed. With a speed far surpassing what her physique suggested, Charlotte Linlin sat up and charged straight in one direction.
After a series of booming crashes, she smashed through over a dozen walls, bursting out of the Cake Castle. At the same time, several other figures rushed out from within.
*Boom!!*
An earth-shattering explosion echoed through the sky. Charlotte Linlin, mid-charge, was forced to halt as a wave of heat-laden wind pressure rushed toward her.
When the heatwave subsided, Cake Island was lit up as bright as day, blinding flames illuminating the entire island.
On the neighboring island, named Soda Island, a blazing red glow engulfed it. This island, which housed a large number of Homie soldiers, had now turned into a vast sea of fire.
"Who did this!!"
Charlotte Linlin ground her flat teeth together with a *crack*, a sign of her reaching the peak of fury.
"Mama."
Several of her children rushed to her side. Big Mom turned to look at them, killing intent surging in her eyes.
"Is it those guys again?"
Big Mom's first thought was that an unknown force—specifically, Kutu—was behind this.
"We... we're not sure yet."
Charlotte Opera's body trembled. He was Charlotte Linlin's fifth son, the Cream Minister, looking like a lump of melting cream.
"Then find out for me right now!" Big Mom's anger subsided slightly as she continued, "Has Smoothie still not found those guys?"
"It seems... not yet."
Charlotte Opera swallowed hard. Though he wasn't the one responsible, his mother might take her anger out on him. An enraged Big Mom would show no mercy to family.
"How's the situation in Dressrosa?"
Big Mom desperately needed some good news to lift her spirits.
"Uh..."
Charlotte Opera dared not speak.
"Spit it out!"
Big Mom glared, as if ready to "sacrifice family for justice" at any moment.
"It seems... maybe... Dressrosa hasn't fallen yet."
"..."
The fat on Big Mom's face twitched.
"Bring me some dessert."
"Eh—"
Charlotte Opera now wanted nothing more than to turn and flee.
"Mama, um, well, that explosion just now... it destroyed most of our cake ingredient reserves. Our weapons and ammunition too..."
"What did you say?! Who told you to store all the cake ingredients on Soda Island? You..."
Big Mom stopped mid-sentence, suddenly remembering that she herself had designated Soda Island as the supply depot. Now, she felt like killing someone to lift her spirits. Her gaze swept around—all her biological children nearby. Killing them would be a waste.
*Brrr, brrr, brrr...*
The unique sound of a Den Den Mushi rang out. Big Mom's nineteenth son, Mont-d'Or, ran over holding one. The snail's appearance bore a striking resemblance to Doflamingo.
Seeing the Den Den Mushi in Mont-d'Or's hand, Big Mom's face darkened instantly. Without a word, she walked over and waved her massive hand. Everyone except Mont-d'Or quickly retreated.
*Click.*
Big Mom picked up the Den Den Mushi. She said nothing, and the same silence came from the other end.
"Was it you?"
Big Mom glanced at Soda Island, still blazing fiercely, her face as dark as water.
"It was me."
Doflamingo's voice came through the Den Den Mushi.
"Kid, do you have a death wish?"
"Big Mom, even if I hadn't done this, you wouldn't have let me off. Katakuri's been 'greeting' me a lot lately."
"Hand over the artificial Devil Fruits, and I won't send anyone to 'greet' you."
As the aggressor, Big Mom's tone was incredibly domineering. This was an emperor. Or rather, this was Charlotte Linlin.
"If I hand over the artificial Devil Fruits, Kaido won't let me go. And you won't shield me from Kaido."
"Hmph."
Big Mom snorted coldly, and silence fell between them again.
"I don't want this to spiral out of control."
Doflamingo broke the silence. Big Mom was about to erupt in anger when Mont-d'Or beside her quickly shook his head.
Mont-d'Or was known as the archivist of the Big Mom Pirates. His Devil Fruit ability allowed him to manipulate books, and Big Mom trusted him, entrusting him with guarding many key locations.
Seeing Mont-d'Or shaking his head repeatedly, Big Mom temporarily suppressed her fury. She realized why he reacted this way—her pirate crew seemed active on the surface, but the reality was far from optimistic.
"I could have thrown those bombs on Cake Island instead of blowing up a supply island."
Doflamingo's meaning was clear: he didn't want a complete break with Big Mom.
That night, the ones who set out from Dressrosa were Buffalo and Bubu Wang. Buffalo had flight abilities, carrying Bubu Wang over the Totto Land sea. Bubu Wang dropped five Apollos.
If Dressrosa's situation hadn't been critical, Su Xiao would have had Bubu Wang drop those five Apollos on Cake Island, treating Big Mom to five "Big Apollos."
Hearing Su Xiao's original plan, Doflamingo's expression was priceless. His inner thought was: "Is Bai Ye really on my side?"
If the Apollos had been dropped on Cake Island, it would have been an irreconcilable, life-or-death situation with no room for negotiation.
In war, casualties were normal. But destroying someone's home base was a different matter entirely—it was annihilation.
After Doflamingo's strong objections, the two finally settled on Soda Island. It was close to Cake Island, letting Big Mom experience the power of Apollo up close.
"Kid, don't get too cocky. I won this round."
Charlotte Linlin's face twisted as she said this.
"Right, you won."
Doflamingo was sharp. He knew what Big Mom wanted—face, a public declaration of victory.
Didn't Doflamingo crave victory? No, he did. But in terms of overall strength, he couldn't defeat the Big Mom Pirates. It was a gap in raw power. If it came to a final showdown, and Big Mom landed on Dressrosa with everything she had, Dressrosa wouldn't be far from sinking.
"Let's talk."
Doflamingo spoke. Though he couldn't claim victory, he had held his ground against the Big Mom Pirates. Even if his territory was now surrounded by Katakuri's forces.
"Tomorrow, at the Hesh Sea."
Clearly, Big Mom didn't want to keep fighting. It wasn't that she couldn't handle the Don Quixote Family, but she feared more aerial bombardments from above.
These were only part of the reasons. The main factor pushing Big Mom toward a truce was the unknown force running rampant in her territory.
"For the meeting, we need a witness."
Doflamingo's tone softened as well.
"A witness? You don't trust my word?"
Hearing this, not only Doflamingo but even Big Mom's son Mont-d'Or stiffened.
"Red-Hair will be the witness. I'll contact him. He wants peace in the New World more than we do. He reached out to me before."
"Fine."
Big Mom hung up the Den Den Mushi. Her expression at that moment was beyond terrifying.
"Donquixote Doflamingo... Donquixote..."
Muttering his surname repeatedly, Big Mom crushed the Den Den Mushi in her hand. Broken shell fragments mixed with flesh squeezed through her fingers.
...
Dressrosa, inside the villa.
Doflamingo set down the Den Den Mushi and let out a long sigh.
"Tomorrow, negotiations, compensation."
Doflamingo had never craved power as much as he did in that moment. But becoming a powerhouse on Big Mom's level wasn't something sheer effort could achieve.
"Will Red-Hair act as the witness?"
Su Xiao only knew part of Red-Hair's personality, so he couldn't confirm if he'd be willing to get involved.
"Of course he will. Red-Hair wants stability in the New World more than anyone. He doesn't need territory—he needs time. I contacted him half an hour ago, and he agreed without asking for any reward."
Doflamingo sighed and continued, "Tomorrow, we'll negotiate with Big Mom at the Hesh Sea. Red-Hair and Big Mom will both be there."
The Hesh Sea was an area outside Big Mom's territory, relatively close to Dressrosa, and nearby was the territory of the Whitebeard Pirates.