"Nani!"
Katakuri's pupils shrank.
The moment Reddy's eerie voice fell, ten figures instantly appeared out of thin air around him, forming a protective circle.
The Secretary emotionlessly tore off the net covering Reddy and lightly tapped the solidified candy block.
The candy trapping Reddy shattered into pieces.
Reddy stood up, dusting off the debris from his body, and smiled as he spread his hands. "See? It's that simple."
"You're not a Devil Fruit user?"
Katakuri's expression was grave.
The net had been woven with seastone, enough to completely restrain any Devil Fruit user.
It was something he had specifically prepared for Reddy.
Yet, to his surprise, Reddy truly wasn't a Devil Fruit user.
If he wasn't a Devil Fruit user, how had Reddy summoned these clones?
A flood of questions surged in his mind, giving him an extremely ominous premonition.
"Katakuri, stop wasting time, capture him!"
Big Mom stretched out her hand, and her pirate hat Napoleon instantly transformed into a giant sword, landing in her grasp.
"Mom!"
Prometheus almost simultaneously shifted into combat form, landing atop Big Mom's head and erupting into nearly ten-meter-high flames, making her appear even more imposing.
"Mom!"
Zeus also transformed into combat form, grinning viciously as Big Mom's free hand reached into its body.
"Attack!"
Katakuri gave the order, a trident squeezing out from within his body and into his grip.
At the same time, the other officers pulled their triggers.
A barrage of bullets instantly engulfed Reddy and the ten clones.
Gun smoke filled the air.
"MAMAMAMA!"
Big Mom laughed wildly, convinced that Reddy and his group couldn't possibly emerge unscathed from such an assault.
However, Reddy, with his Lunarian heritage granting him immunity to damage, had no need for caution. He could go all out without restraint.
Stussy and the other high-ranking figures had already retreated to a safe distance, knowing this was merely the appetizer—the real spectacle was yet to come.
Click, click!
Morgan greedily captured the precious scene with his Den Den Mushi, overjoyed.
They were really fighting!
The two Emperors of the Sea, representing the old and new eras, were officially clashing!
Katakuri raised his right hand.
The other officers ceased fire.
As the smoke cleared, apart from the shattered tables and chairs, there was no trace of Reddy or his clones.
"Stay alert!"
Katakuri calmly signaled his siblings to remain vigilant while activating his Observation Haki to foresee the future.
He knew now wasn't the time to conserve energy.
"Daifuku!"
Katakuri's eyes flashed as he issued a warning.
Daifuku, though confused, immediately leaped away.
The moment he moved, a door materialized in the air, and a fist coated in Armament Haki suddenly shot out from within, smashing into the spot where Daifuku had just stood.
Debris flew everywhere!
A crater over five meters in diameter appeared on the ground.
Daifuku broke out in a cold sweat.
How the hell were they supposed to fight this?!
The next moment, the door that had launched the failed attack retreated and vanished.
Katakuri cautiously scanned his surroundings, continuously predicting the future to pinpoint Reddy's next target.
"Katakuri, where is he?!"
Big Mom stomped forward, her expression dark.
During the battle in East Blue, she had been tied up by two clones. Though she had gained a slight advantage, she hadn't been able to inflict significant damage.
But now, she was seeing another side of Reddy.
Katakuri didn't dare relax, shaking his head.
No matter how much he tried to foresee the future, he couldn't catch a glimpse of Reddy or any of the clones.
It was as if Reddy had simply left!
This was awkward.
His previous plans hadn't accounted for Reddy abandoning the pride of a top-tier fighter and resorting to such tactics.
"Come out, you brat!"
Big Mom roared, kicking over the tables and chairs blocking her path.
"Mom, calm down."
Perospero, worried that Big Mom's rage might trigger her hunger pangs prematurely, hurriedly tried to soothe her.
It was futile.
"Shut up!"
Big Mom, seeing her meticulously planned tea party trap so easily dismantled by Reddy, was on the verge of losing control from sheer humiliation.
Perospero immediately clamped his mouth shut, not daring to provoke her further.
"He's waiting for Mom's hunger pangs to kick in!"
At first, Katakuri couldn't comprehend Reddy's actions, but seeing Big Mom teetering on the edge of madness, he quickly realized Reddy's plan.
"Go tell Chiffon to finish the cake as soon as possible."
Katakuri pulled aside Snack, one of the Sweet Commanders, and gave him a brief order before sending him off to ensure Chiffon's safety—their family's last hope couldn't afford any mishaps.
Snack nodded and hurried away from the venue.
Katakuri refocused on predicting the future, trying to locate Reddy.
Not only had he deduced that Reddy was waiting for Big Mom's hunger pangs, but Stussy had also figured it out immediately.
"What a terrifying man."
Stussy watched Big Mom's growing fury, the corners of her lips curling slightly.
Reddy had piqued her intense curiosity.
After all, no other Emperor of the Sea would remain so composed in this situation, choosing to avoid direct confrontation.
Reddy had shown her a different kind of powerhouse.
Despite his overwhelming strength, he was extraordinarily cautious.
Undoubtedly, Reddy was a man the entire world needed to regard with extreme wariness.
Stussy glanced back at the Cake Castle.
The situation was becoming more and more intriguing.
Reddy was waiting for Big Mom's hunger pangs.
Drake and the others were also waiting for Big Mom's hunger pangs.
But Katakuri and his siblings had to do everything in their power to prevent it.
"What is Dr. Reddy's goal?"
Umit, baffled, turned to Loan-Felder for answers.
He genuinely couldn't understand Reddy's actions.
First, he revealed his Lunarian heritage, then displayed those monstrous clones, and now he had just… run away?
"Don't ask me."
Loan-Felder bluntly admitted he didn't get it either.
It was downright absurd!
Morgan sneered. "Your stupidity exhausts me."
Umit and Loan-Felder's faces darkened.
Ignoring their expressions, Morgan continued mockingly, "Can't you see Dr. Reddy is also sending a message to Big Mom?"
Umit and the others paused, vaguely grasping Reddy's intent.
Big Mom had forced Reddy into a corner by acting first, a clear show of power.
But Reddy's bizarre actions had achieved the same effect.
The message was clear: you can't handle the consequences of provoking me. I can target your people anytime.
Can you guard against a Emperor's ambush forever?
With this move, all the pressure shifted onto Big Mom.
Unless she paid a heavy price to appease Reddy's wrath, the Big Mom Pirates might truly be doomed.
Who could claim to be unafraid of an Emperor's sneak attacks?
No one.
Realizing this, the two underworld bosses shuddered.
They knew Reddy was fearsome, but they hadn't imagined he already possessed the power to annihilate an Emperor's crew.
Just then, Stussy suddenly moved, using Geppo to approach the enraged Big Mom while calling out from a distance, "Linlin, Dr. Reddy has already left. Let's continue the tea party."
Umit and the other bosses inwardly recoiled.
What a venomous woman!
On the surface, she seemed to be calming Big Mom, but in reality, she was subtly fanning the flames.
The tea party's guest of honor was Reddy.
With the main attraction gone, mentioning the tea party now was a slap to Big Mom's face.
"Hah?"
Big Mom, furious, ignored Stussy's status as her old friend and shot her a murderous glare.
Stussy, as if frightened, immediately shut her mouth and retreated. As she turned away, a faint smirk curled her lips.
Her timing was impeccable.
She had subtly declared her stance while leaving Katakuri and the others no room to criticize.
See? I was only trying to calm Big Mom down.
At this point, Katakuri didn't know what expression to wear.
But one thing was clear:
They had to prevent Big Mom from refocusing on the tea party—at least until Chiffon finished baking the cake.