Chapter 105: Dressrosa Must Be Defended

Perospero was the first to receive news of their defeat in Totto Land.

To be honest, Perospero never imagined they would be defeated so quickly.

Katakuri had only just set out not long ago, and he had just reported that they had reached the waters of Dressrosa.

But right after reporting their arrival in those waters, the news of their defeat followed closely.

This string of events left Perospero speechless.

How did it feel like Katakuri threw the fight?

Unless it was a rigged fight, the only other explanation was that the enemy was too strong, leading to such a swift defeat.

But the losses this time were severe. Katakuri's fleet was utterly wiped out.

Oven was seriously injured and barely saved; his life was not in danger.

As for the others?

There were no others left!

Katakuri was captured.

Brûlée was also directly slain by Uchiha Izumi.

The war ended in outright defeat.

It was an utterly brutal outcome.

The Big Mom Pirates had never suffered such a terrible defeat, even when facing the likes of Whitebeard and Kaido.

Such a result made Perospero quite fearful.

He was terrified of what Mama would do when she heard the news.

He feared she might literally swallow him whole.

But in the end, there was no choice but to tell Charlotte Linlin about Katakuri's failure.

"Perospero? Katakuri has already taken down that brat, hasn't he?"

Charlotte Linlin sat at the head of the table, constantly swallowing down cake.

Her hands never stopped moving, eating and eating.

This was Charlotte Linlin's daily routine—after all, in her eyes, eating was the most important thing.

For someone as powerful as her, every minute was spent consuming energy.

"Mama, Katakuri has failed!"

Perospero spoke awkwardly, bracing himself against the pressure.

"Plop."

A piece of cake fell to the floor.

The cake kept calling out, but no one would pick it up off the ground to eat it.

The enormous woman sitting at the table glared at Perospero, her eyes glowing red.

The weather on Whole Cake Island began to change drastically.

Everyone noticed the scene.

They felt a bit of fear in their hearts.

Because this appearance was a precursor to Mama’s anger.

But thankfully!

At least it wasn't a food craving attack.

If it were just anger, it would only result in death.

But if a food craving attack occurred, it could lead to everyone on Whole Cake Island being devoured.

After all, such things had happened often, and they were all prepared to die at Big Mom's hands.

"Katakuri failed? How dare he fail?"

"What about the others? What about Oven?"

Charlotte Linlin asked through gritted teeth.

Her mind was no longer on her food.

It had been a long time since anyone had dared to provoke her like this.

She couldn't believe someone could actually defeat Katakuri.

"Oven was seriously injured and saved by Praline! Brûlée was killed, and Katakuri has been captured alive."

"The fleet we sent was completely annihilated, and Uchiha Reijin possesses extraordinary abilities."

"They had no ability to fight back at all!"

Perospero recounted everything that had happened honestly.

After all, no one could have expected Katakuri to lose so miserably.

Not even a scrap of good news had come back.

Even Perospero didn't know how to soften the blow.

"Ma ma ma ma, that brat Katakuri was captured alive?"

"What a useless fool, wasting all the faith I placed in him."

"From now on, there will be no more Four Sweet Commanders, only three."

"And now you're telling me I have to personally go and rescue him?"

Charlotte Linlin's face twisted into a savage expression.

She had initially thought Katakuri could redeem himself this time.

But she had overestimated him!

He had been captured alive this time.

Why didn’t he die at the hands of those people?

At least then the Big Mom Pirates wouldn’t have been humiliated for nothing.

"Yes!"

Perospero nodded in silence.

When Katakuri returned, his lifespan would likely be cut short by many years.

But within the Big Mom Pirates, no one could change a decision made by Mama.

"Mama, what should we do next?"

Perospero was stunned when he didn't receive an immediate outburst of rage from Charlotte Linlin.

It was different from what he had expected; he thought she would start killing immediately.

But instead, she had only lightly removed Katakuri from his position as one of the Sweet Commanders.

What about the rest?

Aren't they going to rush to Dressrosa to rescue him?

"Next, you and Smoothie prepare the fleet!"

"That brat thinks he can act so arrogantly just because the Navy is backing him?"

"Ma ma ma ma, the Navy is nothing in front of me."

"Tell that brat Uchiha Reijin!"

"His only option is to submit to me! If he does, I might let him replace Katakuri as the new Sweet Commander."

"This is his last chance. If he doesn't agree, I will utterly destroy Dressrosa."

Charlotte Linlin said with a sinister smile.

"Yes!" Perospero was about to leave.

But suddenly, a messenger from Dressrosa arrived on Whole Cake Island.

Dressrosa had been keeping people in Totto Land's waters for some time.

These people truly had no fear of death.

They actually dared to send someone over now.

Weren't they afraid Mama would kill the messenger on the spot?

But unexpectedly, after the messenger entered, they handed over a Den Den Mushi.

Perospero took it with some surprise—this wasn't Uchiha Reijin's Den Den Mushi.

The person on the other end of the line wasn't Uchiha Reijin, so they had no right to speak directly with Mama.

"Connect the call! Let me hear what this fool has to say," Charlotte Linlin ordered, her sharp gaze fixed on Perospero.

This person was far too arrogant, thinking they could flaunt their victory in a minor skirmish and speak boldly in front of her. Did they really think sending a Den Den Mushi was a clever move to mock her?

If this was just to taunt her!

Charlotte Linlin was ready to lead the entire Big Mom Pirates and set out. She would show Uchiha Reijin the true terror of the strongest pirate crew on the seas.

"I am Nara Tianyi! A messenger from Lord Reijin. Lord Reijin asked me to deliver a message to you."

"Charlotte Linlin, is this really the extent of your power? I didn't expect you to be so lacking."

"Do you think someone of your strength can bring us under your control? That is a privilege reserved for the truly powerful."

"In front of the Uchiha clan, anyone is destined to be a failure."

"If you still wish to challenge the Uchiha clan, then let's settle this with a duel."

"After all, in this world, it's survival of the fittest—the strong have the right to speak."

"If the Uchiha lose, we will become a subordinate crew of the Big Mom Pirates. If we win, the Big Mom Pirates will become a subordinate force of the Uchiha clan."

"This duel will be broadcast across the entire sea. Charlotte Linlin, do you dare?"

The voice from the Den Den Mushi recited the message as if reading from a script, fulfilling Uchiha Reijin's command. Even just reading the message made Nara Tianyi break into a sweat. Lord Reijin was putting the fate of the entire clan on the line, including their lives. But as a subordinate of the Uchiha clan, they had no right to object.

Besides...

They couldn't imagine anyone being able to defeat Lord Reijin.

Lord Reijin possessed a power that seemed almost godlike, far beyond what they could comprehend.

"Ma ma ma ma ma, so that's the brat Uchiha Reijin's plan?" Charlotte Linlin chuckled darkly. "Does he really intend to face me alone? Quite courageous."

"I accept. Mama does not go back on her word."

"The duel will take place in one month's time."

"Tell that boy to prepare himself and wait for me."

Charlotte Linlin burst into laughter, her face full of joy. Bringing the entire Uchiha clan under her command would be quite a profitable endeavor for her. She was curious to see what kind of confidence this brat had to be so arrogant.

As for the giants?

Their enormous bodies were nothing but targets to monsters like her.

And since the boy had questioned whether she dared to accept, Charlotte Linlin had no doubt that she wouldn't lose to some upstart brat.

If she refused, she'd become the laughingstock of the sea.

Every action of Charlotte Linlin was closely watched by the world. At this point, there was no turning back. Only by utterly defeating Uchiha Reijin could she cleanse the Big Mom Pirates of the humiliation they had suffered.

Meanwhile, at Marine Headquarters, news of the battle between Uchiha Reijin and Katakuri had already reached them.

Footage of the fight had even been sent to Marine Headquarters for them to review. They had initially expected an evenly matched battle. However, after watching the footage, they saw that it was a one-sided massacre by Uchiha Reijin.

The terrifying power on display was almost unbelievable, showcasing a doomsday-like presence.

The entire Marine Headquarters fell into silence, even Kuzan and Sakazuki.

They understood that the Susanoo was not just enormous.

The power it contained was so overwhelming that they could feel its terror even through the screen.

Fortunately, Dressrosa was a member of the World Government and an ally of the Marines, a part of the Seven Warlords of the Sea.

As long as they didn’t commit any crimes, the Marines wouldn't label Dressrosa as pirates.

This understanding significantly eased the pressure on the Marine Admirals.

"It's grown far larger than before," Tsuru remarked quietly.

Compared to the monster they had seen in Dressrosa, it was now even more massive, exponentially so.

"Indeed, Uchiha Reijin has fully mastered the Uchiha clan's greatest power."

"This is the unique power of the Uchiha clan, only unlocked after awakening the Mangekyō Sharingan."

"It's called the Third Power, Susanoo!"

"But from what it looks like now, it still isn't complete."

Tsunade suddenly slammed the table in the meeting room, her expression shocked as she watched the image of Susanoo.

This guy had reached such a level of control over the Mangekyō? He was becoming more and more difficult to deal with.

But...

Tsunade didn't feel much about it.

She had already given up and planned to live out her days peacefully in this pirate world. Fighting against Uchiha Reijin? No thanks. That wasn't a responsibility for a Senju to bear.

She was just a carefree eighteen-year-old girl.

After all, not all Senju had the abilities her grandfather did.

Tsunade figured that even if she found the Mori Mori no Mi, it might not be enough to take on Uchiha Reijin.

"Wait, you’re saying this still isn’t complete?" Sengoku choked on his tea, stunned as he looked at Tsunade.

If this wasn’t complete, what would the complete version be like?

"Of course not. The Susanoo that Uchiha Madara displayed when he fought my grandfather was truly terrifying."

"After all, those two were known as the Shura of the Ninja World and the God of Shinobi."

"Uchiha Madara’s Susanoo was thousands of meters tall, stretching as far as the eye could see."

"With a single swing, it could destroy a small country. The power Uchiha Reijin is showing now is far from that."

Tsunade stared at Susanoo, feeling a bit of pressure. This bastard was growing too quickly. If the Marines really did find the Mori Mori no Mi and sent her to fight Reijin, she might just get her head smashed in by that guy.

If that happened, maybe she should send a message to Reijin and ask him to go easy on her.

---

The conference room fell into silence once again.

Sengoku was deep in thought about the Mori-Mori Fruit.

The Susanoo was already so powerful; what if the Senju Clan's Wood Release was involved?

At that point, Tsunade would surely be a formidable force as an Admiral in the Navy.

She would become their hidden ace.

“This footage has already been reported by Borsalino. It's mostly accurate,” Sengoku said seriously, without much emotional fluctuation.

The Uchiha Clan had hidden many secrets.

“Additionally, Borsalino has requested to be stationed permanently in Dressrosa to investigate certain matters.”

“Zephyr’s arm has already been restored. That country has quite a few methods. Borsalino plans to engage with them further.”

“I’ve already approved this. From now on, Borsalino will be stationed in Dressrosa.”

“As for Borsalino’s tasks, I’m leaving those to you.”

Sengoku didn’t hide the fact that Zephyr’s arm had been restored. He laid it all out in the conference room.

Upon hearing this, Sengoku immediately wanted to rush to Dressrosa to see it for himself.

He hadn’t anticipated that this newly emerged country would possess such advanced technology.

No wonder they wanted Zephyr to go over there as a teacher.

It turns out they were confident they could restore Zephyr’s strength.

But Sengoku adjusted his glasses, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes.

Given Zephyr’s loyalty to the Navy, it wouldn’t be long before he returned.

The idea that Zephyr would work for them in Dressrosa was utterly impossible.

Uchiha Reijin was still too young; he probably hadn’t considered Zephyr’s loyalty to the Navy.

But what was Zephyr letting Borsalino stay in Dressrosa for?

Does Zephyr not understand what kind of person Borsalino is?

In the Navy, he’s known for slacking off; in Dressrosa, he might as well be on vacation.

Zephyr probably couldn’t handle everything in Dressrosa alone.

He probably wanted Kizaru (Borsalino) to lend a hand and repay the favor of having his arm restored.

It made perfect sense.

“Bang!”

Before anyone else could speak, Garp suddenly slapped the table.

“Sengoku! I want to go to Dressrosa too. As a Navy hero, I’d be even more effective than an Admiral stationed there.”

“Even if Charlotte Linlin herself comes over, she’d have to retreat in defeat under my iron fist.”

“And I won’t even damage the flowers or plants in Dressrosa.”

Garp’s tone was serious, as he planned to take Borsalino’s place.

How could he let a chance like this slip by?

Young people should toughen up more in the Navy; enduring hardships is a blessing.

How could he pass up such a great vacation opportunity?

When the time comes, he’ll see if Zephyr has established a school.

If there’s a school, he’ll enroll Luffy and have Zephyr train him properly.

He’s sure Luffy will become a proper Navy man in the future.

First, though, he’ll gather some information.

“????”

Many in the Navy cast odd looks at Garp.

They couldn’t believe Garp was so shameless.

He clearly wanted to go on vacation, but he made it sound so reasonable.

With a face that thick, who could compete with him?

They couldn’t bring themselves to say something like that.

Besides, would Fleet Admiral Sengoku even agree?

“Fine, if you want to go, then go. But you only get two weeks.”

“When you’re there, make sure to cooperate with Borsalino.”

“See if Zephyr needs anything. We can send it over.”

Sengoku’s forehead was covered in black lines, but he didn’t reject Garp’s proposal.

Sending Garp could be beneficial for them.

Garp could find out what secrets were hidden in Dressrosa.

“Bang!”

Kuzan stood up, no longer appearing lazy.

Now, he looked as righteous as he did back when he embraced the idea of ‘burning justice.’

“I’m going with Vice Admiral Garp. The Big Mom Pirates are powerful!”

“I think we should conduct some reconnaissance. I doubt Vice Admiral Garp could complete the task alone.”

Kuzan said this seriously.

Swoosh!

All eyes in the conference room immediately turned to Sengoku.

If Sengoku agreed to this, they’d all want to take a short vacation.

They were overworked and under pressure.

“No! Who’s going to handle Borsalino’s tasks if you leave?”

Sengoku, with a head full of black lines, immediately dismissed the idea.

What kind of people were they?

They were all a bunch of slackers.

Why weren’t they thinking about working harder?

“…”

The thought of taking a vacation was immediately snuffed out among those in the conference room.

Only Garp was grinning happily!

(End of Chapter)