G-5 Branch, the "dumping ground" of the New World Marines, was now shrouded under a massive, eerie shadow.
A sickeningly sweet aroma filled the air, mixing with the base's usual cocktail of smoke, gunpowder, and sweat. The result was a nauseating stench that made even hardened soldiers gag.
Out on the sea, an impossibly gigantic fleet had surrounded the entire G-5 base, sealing it shut from all sides.
Calling them ships was generous. They looked more like nightmares ripped straight from a twisted children's storybook,
Singing figureheads…
Gingerbread railings…
Cannon turrets made of chocolate…
Everything looked absurd, yet radiated suffocating danger.
And at the center of that monstrous fleet, atop the colossal ship Queen Mama Chanter, stood a mountain-like figure exuding pure destruction.
Charlotte Linlin.
Yonko, BIG MOM.
Her blood-red eyes burned with hunger and rage. Drool poured down her chin like a waterfall as she roared, voice booming like thunder:
"Haaaaiiiiro~~ Yooooo~~~! Get~~ out~~ here~~~ NOW!!"
On the docks of G-5, Tibeard, along with the famously insane, fearless degenerates that made up his division, were trembling so hard it looked like they were performing tap dance.
Gulp.
Tibeard forced down a mouthful of saliva, barely keeping himself upright.
Behind him, the G-5 Marines were in an even worse state.
Some were already writing their wills.
Others were praying that the legendary lazy admiral would, just this once… happen to be awake.
"Perospero-sama, looks like that Marine Admiral Haiiroyo intends to hide like a turtle…"
BIG MOM's eldest son, Perospero, licked the massive candy staff in his hand. His voice was sharp and mocking as his gaze locked on Tibeard.
"Mama's patience is limited. If you don't hand him over soon… this whole island might just become her after-dinner dessert."
At that moment, Perospero swung his candy staff, and a massive torrent of syrup blasted forth like a siege ram, smashing straight toward the top floor of the base's office building…
The very office Tibeard had been calling from moments ago!
"BOOOOOM!!!"
A deafening explosion.
The symbol of G-5's authority was reduced to rubble in seconds.
Tibeard watched, hollow-eyed, as his cherished stash of cheap cigars and risqué posters turned to ashes in the flames.
And at that exact moment…
His call with Admiral Renzo was cut off.
He lowered the charred Den Den Mushi, cold sweat pouring down his forehead.
But from the Admiral's last icy words… he knew one thing:
Reinforcements were coming.
All he had to do now was drag things out.
No matter what it took.
Tibeard sucked in a deep breath, puffed out his chest, and with every ounce of strength he had, shouted toward the monstrous pirate fleet:
"LISTEN UP, YOU BASTARD PIRATES!!!"
The yell was so strong that even BIG MOM paused mid-rampage to turn.
Perospero stared at him curiously, as if watching an ant attempt stand-up comedy.
"Oh? Any last words, little brown-bearded Marine man?"
"Last words? NO! This is advice for you!"
Tibeard stabbed a trembling finger toward Perospero, voice shaking from terror but overflowing with bravado.
"Our Admiral Renzo… is NOT someone you can meet just because you want to!"
"His Excellency- His Excellency is currently performing a world-critical operation:
napping. And this concerns nothing less than the peace and stability of the entire planet!"
"Disturbing his sleep is a crime against humanity! Against the world!! Against the entire UNIVERSE!!!"
Silence.
BIG MOM's pirates froze.
Even the G-5 Marines behind Tibeard stared at him blankly.
'Taking a nap can affect world peace now?'
Perospero blinked… then burst into exaggerated laughter.
"HAHAHAHA! A nap?! Funniest thing I've heard all year! A Marine Admiral acting more high and mighty than the Pirate King!"
"You know NOTHING!" Tibeard roared, now mentally snapping, going full nonsense mode.
"Admiral Renzo's morning temper is officially recognized by the World Government! It's a strategic deterrent weapon on the same level as the Ancient Weapons!"
"Wake him up too early, and the world might not survive!!"
"You think you're facing a mere Marine Admiral? WRONG!"
"You're facing a DEMON KING who will destroy the world out of sleep deprivation!"
"He'll turn all your candy ships into salted snacks!"
"He'll make your syrup taste like foot bath water!!"
"He'll turn BIG MOM's soul-infused cakes into, into STINKY TOFU FLAVOR!!"
The battlefield went silent again.
Katakuri, who had been meditating quietly, actually opened his eyes to look at Tibeard.
'Is this guy… serious?'
BIG MOM's fury instantly spiked at the words "stinky tofu."
She roared:
"Maaaaaamaaaa! I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE!"
"CRUSH THEM ALL RIGHT NOW!!!"
"Seems your delay tactic has failed." Perospero sneered coldly.
He raised his candy staff high, pointing it at G-5.
"ALL UNITS, ATTACK!!"
"WROOOOOOHHHH!!!"
The pirates roared.
Countless cannon barrels aimed at G-5.
Prometheus and Zeus swirled in the sky, gathering apocalyptic energy.
It's over.
Despair filled Tibeard's eyes.
He looked back at his comrades, faces pale, hands shaking, already resigned to death.
He had done what he could, his limited imagination had earned them a few precious minutes.
But in the end, no amount of talking could bridge the gap in absolute power.
"FIRE!!!"
At Perospero's command, a thousand cannons erupted.
A storm of black cannonballs, mixed with fire and lightning, cascaded toward G-5 like the wrath of heaven.
Tibeard closed his eyes, ready to meet death.
And then, at that exact heartbeat, just before the first cannonball touched the dock, something changed.
"Wooooom-"
A strange sound echoed across the battlefield, a low, resonant hum, as if space itself was groaning.
The air between BIG MOM's fleet and G-5 distorted wildly, rippling like water struck by a stone.
Then-
A gigantic gray spatial crack tore reality in half!
And from that impossible rift, a massive warship forced itself into existence.
Not sailing.
Not summoned.
Just inserting itself like a glitch in the world.
BOOOOOM!
The ship's arrival created a towering tsunami that sent pirate ships rolling.
Countless cannonballs suddenly slowed… stopped… and hung motionless in midair as if frozen in time.
The world itself paused.
Everyone stared in horror.
Tibeard's eyes flew open.
And there it was, the ship he knew better than his own reflection.
The warship with that Flag:
The Endless Sheep
At the bow of the ship stood a man.
Still wearing his eternally wrinkled Marine coat.
Still holding a steaming cup of tea.
Renzo slowly turned his head.
His ice-blue eyes swept over BIG MOM's fleet…
then the suspended cannonballs… then finally, BIG MOM's distorted, shock-frozen face.
He took a small sip of tea.
And with the irritation of a man whose afternoon rest had been rudely interrupted, he spoke:
"So it was you…"
"…trying to steal my home?"
.....
If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead.
[email protected]/DaoistJinzu