"Bastard! What did you just say!?"
Staring at the irritating smile on Red's face, the hot-tempered Niji instantly erupted again, crackling lightning bursting from his body as he raised his fist, ready to strike toward Red at the front of the Straw Hat crew.
But at that moment, a palm at least twice as thick as Niji's arm suddenly clamped down on him.
"Enough, Niji!"
Coated in Armament Haki, Vinsmoke Judge firmly seized Niji's arm, then cast a deep look toward the Straw Hat Pirates.
His gaze lingered on Sanji for a long moment.
Only then did he slowly speak in a low voice, "Thank you for your goodwill."
"But there's no need to trouble yourselves."
As his words fell, he turned his attention back to Oven, lightly tapping the combat suit on his body.
In the next instant, the heavy black outfit compressed into a compact capsule, which he handed over to Oven.
"Since these are the rules of the Big Mom Pirates, we will abide by them."
"Please take good care of our raid suits."
"..."
Seeing Judge comply and remove his combat suit, the rest of the Vinsmoke Family hesitated briefly before following suit, handing over their own suit capsules to Oven.
"Heh~"
Holding a tray piled with combat capsules, Oven's stern expression softened into a slightly amiable smile.
Stepping aside, he said,"Welcome to Mama's Tea Party!"
Facing the slowly opening living door, Judge did not step inside. Instead, he turned toward the Straw Hat Pirates and gestured calmly.
"After you."
"You as well."
Red chuckled softly and stepped forward alongside Vinsmoke Judge, heading into Big Mom's castle.
Although Sanji loathed his father and despised the Vinsmoke Family, they were never mortal enemies.
That last bit of resentment had long since dissipated the moment Sanji reached the summit.
At least, that was how Sanji himself saw it.
After encountering the Vinsmokes, Sanji hadn't even lit the cigarette he usually used to mask his emotions—clear proof of just how stable his state of mind was.
After nodding slightly to Reiju, who had been secretly watching him, Sanji silently followed the Straw Hats toward the Big Mom Pirates' castle.
Compared to what they were about to do next, the Vinsmoke Family simply wasn't worth his attention.
Yet that calm indifference was far harder for Judge and the others to accept than outright mockery.
Being ignored was the greatest insult of all.
But when faced with Monkey D. Luffy, boasting a 5.5 billion Beli bounty, Red with 3.5 billion, and the overwhelmingly imposing Straw Hat Pirates, Judge dared not act recklessly.
More importantly—
From the Big Mom Pirates' starkly different treatment of the two groups, it was obvious that in their eyes, the Straw Hat Pirates held far greater importance than the Vinsmokes.
Which meant Judge's plan to regain face by allying with the Big Mom Pirates was likely doomed before it even began.
Thus, with entirely different thoughts in their hearts, the two groups walked together toward Big Mom's castle.
"Welcome, honored guests!"
A biscuit door with a woman's face wore a fawning smile as it slowly opened.
Instantly, peals of laughter and cheerful chatter poured out from within.
To Red and the others, the castle's interior looked nothing like a Yonko's territory—instead, it felt like stepping into a dreamy fairy-tale world.
Countless Homies carried trays between tables, neatly arranging cakes and sweets in careful order.
Figures who could shake the seas with a single stomp were now casually eating desserts and sipping juice, behaving like leisurely aristocrats—actions completely at odds with their fearsome reputations.
And all of it was because the host of this tea party was someone they absolutely could not afford to offend.
Decades of experience had taught them one thing: if they dared skip Big Mom's tea party, their fate would be no better than the dessert Homies she devoured.
Yet what none of these sea monsters expected was—
Besides the familiar faces, many completely unexpected newcomers had also arrived at this tea party!
...
...
"H-Hey—no way! That guy… isn't he the Straw Hat brat who attacked the Holy Land Mary Geoise a few months ago!?"
"What!? You mean the man with the world's highest bounty right now, second only to Pirate King Roger?!"
"There's no mistake!!! He looks a bit different from the poster, but I'd never misidentify that straw hat!"
"And the ones behind him—aren't they the Straw Hat Pirates?!"
"Vice-captain Red, the Dragon Swordsman Zoro, Swarmmaster Usopp, the Flame Knight Sanji, the Storm Witch Nami, the Devil Child Robin…"
"Good heavens…!"
"Just the bounty on those people could keep my company running for ten years!"
"Don't be stupid! If you're going to be stupid, stay far away from me! I'm not done living yet!"
"..."
"..."
With the arrival of the Straw Hat Pirates, the atmosphere of the venue flipped instantly—from a warm tea party into a club of collective sharp intakes of breath.
Though each of them enjoyed fame on the seas, before truly top-tier forces, they were no different from ordinary fodder—just slightly harder to crush.
So when a force already comparable to a Yonko crew appeared here, every mind began racing, trying to decipher the deeper meaning behind it.
That was how the world worked.
Even a casual fart from a big shot would have people sniffing carefully, analyzing what the big shot had for dinner.
Gradually, the tea party fell into silence.
Only the footsteps of the Homies echoed through the hall, proof that time itself hadn't been stopped.
Yet that silence spoke volumes about the storm raging within everyone's hearts.
And then—
What absolutely no one expected was that the world's most wanted man would say, upon entering—
"Wow!!! There's so much food here that looks amazing!!!"
After holding back for so long at Red's insistence, Luffy finally snapped the moment he saw the vast spread of sweets.
His nose twitched as if alive, sniffing hard, and in a single rubbery stride he landed at a table, immediately devouring everything in sight without a shred of decorum.
The sudden appearance of Luffy sent the pirates around that table scrambling backward in alarm.
"Luffy, you idiot!?"
Watching the carefully built atmosphere shatter instantly, Red shouted helplessly.
In the end, all he could do was shake his head and sigh.
"Yeah… I knew it."
What should have been a grand debut before the world's powers—a scene that would've taken three episodes and several flashbacks in an anime—was annihilated by Luffy's appetite in seconds.
All one could say was—
Whenever Luffy was around, it was hard to believe they were the world's most wanted pirate crew.
Luffy: born with enemy-confusing aura, permanently applying an INT-down debuff.
"So you're the Straw Hat Pirates?!"
Just as Red raised a hand, a figure radiating hostility suddenly appeared before him and spoke in a harsh tone.
"Hm?"
Red looked up, first seeing a thick, fluffy scarf, followed by a short-haired man with a vicious expression.
Someone Red knew all too well.
One of the Big Mom Pirates' Sweet Commanders, second only to Big Mom herself—
Charlotte Katakuri, second son of Charlotte Linlin!
"Hey!? Isn't that Katakuri, one of the Sweet Commanders?! Why is he blocking the Straw Hats!?"
Katakuri's appearance drew all eyes back to the castle entrance.
Meanwhile, Judge and Reiju, who had entered alongside the Straw Hats, desperately wished they could crawl into a crack in the floor.
Though no one was looking directly at them, even a stray glance from so many big shots made their hearts pound.
For a fleeting moment, father and daughter even wished they could be like the three foolish sons/brothers beside them—utterly fearless, wearing confident smiles.
Thankfully, Red's voice rang out, reminding them that here, they were nothing more than background extras.
"Didn't you invite us here?"
"What—are the Big Mom Pirates goldfish or something? Only seven seconds of memory!?"
Facing Katakuri blocking his path, Red kept a calm smile, his tone exceedingly "friendly."
Seriously—
If Law hadn't yet found where Buggy and the Barto Club were imprisoned, Red would've torn the Big Mom Pirates apart already.
Their time was precious; they had no budget to waste on acting.
Hearing Red's sharp words only confirmed Katakuri's suspicions.
These people definitely weren't here just for a tea party.
They were newcomers, yes—but newcomers who had defeated Marine Admirals together.
The Straw Hat Pirates were on an entirely different level from leftover Warlords.
This time, Mama's actions were far too arrogant.
Still, with so many guests present, Katakuri bent forward threateningly to uphold the Big Mom Pirates' authority.
"Listen."
"I don't care why you're here—but I'll be watching you the entire time."
"I will protect the tea party's security!!!"
"Protect?" Red smirked. "With what?"
"And also… could you step aside?"
"You're kind of in the way."
As he spoke, Red stepped forward, casually grabbing the still-eating Luffy.
"Alright, Luffy."
"We're special invited guests. Our seats are further inside."
"Trust me—the desserts offered directly to Big Mom will taste ten thousand times better than these!"
"Really!?"
"Hehehehehe…"
Stuffed with sugar and dopamine, Luffy broke into a dopey grin.
It was impossible to associate that face with the title of "world's most wanted man."
Watching the Straw Hats leave, Katakuri clenched his fist.
If before it was only suspicion, now he was certain—
The Straw Hat Pirates had come with ill intent.
But…
"Why isn't my future-sight Observation Haki reacting at all?" Katakuri wondered.
There were only two possibilities.
Either the Straw Hats truly came just for the tea party—
Or someone among them possessed Observation Haki stronger than his, interfering with his foresight.
"I can't let this slide."
Resolving himself, Katakuri made a decision—one that might go against Mama's will.
Under the gaze of countless guests, Katakuri turned and strode toward the outside of the castle.
As he passed the Vinsmoke Family, he didn't spare them a single glance.
Like grains of dust—utterly insignificant.
...
...
"Red, was it really okay to just let him leave the castle?"
"Will Law be alright?"
Elsewhere, the Straw Hats continued forward, far less relaxed than they appeared.
On enemy territory, cautious by nature, Usopp spoke up immediately.
Red smiled faintly.
"Relax. According to my psychic sensing, Law has already reached the cell holding Buggy and the others…"
"Today's the official tea party—every minister is on Whole Cake Island. Outside, there are only a few Homies and no real powerhouses."
"With Law's abilities, rescuing them will be effortless."
(End of Chapter)