The Calm Before the Storm

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"I've got to move fast!" One of the pirates, who was among the first to spot Brontes's arrival, was running as fast as he could toward the heart of Totto Land, where the Big Mom Pirates were based.

He was aware that if the Marines caught him, it would be the end for him.

"Perospero-sama! I need to get to Perospero-sama!" He thought, his face tense with worry. "Why is Admiral Ragnarok here? They need to know about this!"

...

After landing, Brontes could tell there was a lot of objects along the shore.

His eyes were shut, so he couldn't see exactly what it was, but the sheer volume of the wreckage caught him off guard. He pointed toward the ocean and asked Kaise: "What's all that over there?"

"It's wreckage, sir. It's a mix of things, but mostly broken coral and wood. Not too long ago, a massive tsunami hit Totto Land, bringing up all this debris from the ocean floor onto the beach. It did a lot of damage to the coastal areas." Kaise explained.

"Have there been a lot of tsunamis and natural disasters around here lately?" Brontes asked.

"Totto Land is a tropical place with five islands, all with similar climates, which is great for growing sweet fruits. But archaeologists say a new island is forming nearby, and that's causing all these disturbances." Kaise replied.

With Kaise's explanation, Brontes now understood the recent increase in tsunamis. The emergence of a new island suggested there was an active volcano under the sea; islands don't just pop up without a reason. Most islands form from volcanic eruptions, and an active volcano means more activity under the water, which leads to unpredictable sea conditions.

Totto Land was having a bit of bad luck. As a tropical region, it enjoyed constant rain and warm temperatures all year.

But now, it was dealing with problems from both inside and outside. The frequent tsunamis, a result of the volcanic activity, were destroying their resources. And on top of that, the Big Mom Pirates were demanding more and more sweet fruits.

Being part of the World Government, Totto Land had asked for help several times. They needed to handle the Big Mom Pirates to get their internal issues under control.

"Let's head straight for the capital. We can't let the Big Mom Pirates slip through our fingers. Oh? Looks like a little bug has slipped away and is trying to warn the others." Brontes observed, lifting his hand and pointing a finger toward the sky.

"ZliZli!"

With a shout, Brontes sent a bolt of lightning shooting from his finger, piercing the sky and vanishing into the clouds.

The Marine soldiers behind him watched in awe, wondering what he was up to as the lightning disappeared into the clouds.

...

Meanwhile, a few kilometers away, the pirate on the run glanced up, noticing a strange shift in the clouds above.

The skies were usually crowded with clouds over tropical islands, but this felt personal, as if he were the target.

He didn't have Observation Haki to sense danger, but his gut was screaming that his life was on the line.

"Rumble!"

A massive lightning bolt tore through the sky, striking down fiercely. The pirate's eyes went wide as he saw the lightning bolt hurtling towards him.

"Ah!!!"

"Boom!"

A scream of agony echoed through the air, and then silence fell.

The lightning faded, leaving behind the scent of charred clothing and flesh. The pirate lay on the ground, motionless and unable to move.

...

Ten minutes later, as Brontes and his men walked past the scene, the Marines finally grasped the reason behind Brontes's earlier action.

They were not just stunned by his ability to take down a pirate with a single move; they were astonished at his precision in striking a fast-moving target from such a great distance.

They pressed on towards the capital. The docks were in turmoil with the arrival of the Marines, sparking a glimmer of hope among the citizens of Totto Land.

An Admiral of the Marines had come to their country and was going towards the capital. His intentions needed no explanation.

For years, the Big Mom Pirates had been a heavy burden on them. The country's revenue had suffered due to natural disasters, and on top of that, they were forced to pay protection money to the Big Mom Pirates, which felt like a ransom for their lives.

...

Near the capital, the Big Mom Pirates were stationed at one of the docks when they received a message from a covert spy among the dockworkers.

This spy was a native of Totto Land who, after the Big Mom Pirates took control of the sea area, had been coerced into service, trading loyalty for money.

The recent disasters had nearly wiped out their means of living, making them desperate, so there was a lot of spice among the natives.

Upon hearing of Brontes's arrival, the Big Mom Pirates wasted no time in relaying the information to Big Mom herself on Whole Cake Island, which lay not too far off.

"The Marines are making their move, huh? It's that user of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit, Marine Admiral Ragnarok, isn't it?" Big Mom mused to herself after getting the update from Totto Land.

Big Mom had put on some weight, but she wasn't overly heavy yet. Ever since the fall of the Rocks Pirates, she had been in a cycle of pregnancy and childbirth, keeping a low profile on Whole Cake Island.

But with the dawn of the Great Pirate Era and the constant challenges from rival pirates, Big Mom felt it was time for her children to bare their teeth.

She hadn't anticipated that their bold moves would draw the attention of a Marine Admiral so quickly.

"Get Katakuri on the line!" Big Mom ordered loudly with a voice filled with excitement.

Katakuri wasn't on Whole Cake Island; he was out on a mission for his mother, so she had to reach him using a Den Den Mushi.

"Katakuri, where are you right now?" Big Mom asked through the Den Den Mushi.

"Mom, I've secured the legendary Sweet Golden Cheese. I'll return shortly." Katakuri's voice responded from the other side.

"You've got it? Wonderful! I knew I could count on you," Big Mom exclaimed with a hearty laugh.

Then she remembered the pressing issue: "Oh, right, the Marine Admiral. Our recent activities have caught the World Government's eye, and they've sent an Admiral after us."

"Which Admiral is it?" Katakuri's tone shifted to one of seriousness.

"Admiral Ragnarok. You've encountered him before, haven't you? You know his strength. Your siblings might be facing a real threat." Big Mom warned.

Hearing his mother's words, Katakuri was taken back to the past. Back then, Brontes wasn't an Admiral; he was the Commodore in charge of the G-2 Base.

As the most formidable person in the Big Mom Pirates and Big Mom's second son, Katakuri's combat prowess was unmatched within the crew, second only to Big Mom herself. He had been clashing with pirates and Marines in the New World since he was young.

...

Four years ago, Katakuri had led a fleet for the Big Mom Pirates on a special mission. Big Mom had discovered from an adventurer's log that there was an exquisite dessert on an island in the New World.

As someone who aspired to sample every dessert on the planet, Big Mom's cravings were not to be ignored, and Katakuri was charged with the critical mission of retrieving this dessert.

The island where this dessert was located happened to be near the G-2 base, within the territory overseen by Brontes.

When Brontes became aware that Katakuri was in his vicinity, he took his subordinates to the island and confronted Katakuri.

The ensuing battle was intense. Brontes's lightning powers were a formidable match against Katakuri's mochi abilities.

Although Katakuri's Devil Fruit powers were akin to those of Logia types, he was not a true Logia user and, at that time, did not have the advanced Observation Haki that he would later develop.

Brontes's abilities nearly overwhelmed him, but Katakuri was resilient enough to break through the Marine blockade and retreat with his crew, despite getting serious injuries from Brontes.

Recalling that encounter, Katakuri inhaled deeply, aware of the peril that Brontes represented.

Brontes had even held his own in a battle against Kaido over a year ago, which only solidified Katakuri's realization that he stood no chance against such an opponent.

"Mom, I can't defeat that man." Katakuri admitted, his voice tinged with bitterness.