Chapter 120: A Welcome From Them
"Wow, I can't believe big brother Katakuri actually brought Luo Ning to Whole Cake Island! Who do you think Luo Ning has his eye on?"
A wave of excited chatter rippled through Whole Cake Island. Citizens buzzed with the assumption that Luo Ning's visit signified romantic interest in one of Big Mom's daughters. Matchmaking theories flew like wildfire.
"Smoothie's gotta be the one! She's a General Star and a real beauty. It has to be Smoothie!"
"Hold your horses! Don't forget Luo Ning's average height. Smoothie towers over everyone at 4.6 meters. Does that sound like a match?"
"Maybe Pudding then? She's become quite the favorite with Big Mom lately, even with that unsettling eye."
"Watch it your mouth! You don't want trouble, do you? Pudding practically royalty around here. If she gets wind of you dissing her, you're toast!"
The speculation about Luo Ning's romantic prospects echoed throughout Cake Island, much to the exasperation of the women in question.
"Can't they just shut their gossiping pie holes? This is getting out of hand! Who knows who he even fancies!"
The daughters of Big Mom, the current subject of the island's matchmaking frenzy, were gathered together, a collective look of exasperation etched on their faces.
It was true that Big Mom had relied heavily on her husbands for child-rearing, resulting in a diverse group of daughters. Beauty came in many forms here. Pudding and Smoothie represented the conventionally attractive, while others... well, let's just say some exaggeration was involved in describing their looks.
Even among those already married, there were some rather peculiar-looking women.
"Alright, enough of this," Smoothie interjected, cutting off the conversation. "We'll find out everything when Katakuri's brother returns. They should be here in a day or so."
"Agreed," another Big Mom's daughter chimed in. "The honor guard is prepared to receive Luo Ning with the utmost ceremony!"
"But something feels... off," Pudding muttered, a persistent unease gnawing at her. "There's been very little news from big brother Katakuri, just a few cryptic messages. If the other side truly intends to target us, wouldn't they have contacted us first with preparations? Why the complete radio silence?"
The others exchanged nervous glances. While they shared Pudding's apprehension, Pudding chose to remain silent.
***
Time ticked by, and soon, Luo Ning's ship followed Katakuri's into the sight of Cake Island.
"This place feels more like a fairytale than Sky Island or Fishman Island," Nami remarked, gazing at the whimsical surroundings. "It's hard to believe it's a Yonko's territory!"
"A twisted fairytale, indeed," Luo Ning chuckled. "After all, even fairytales have their wicked witches, wouldn't you agree?" He cast a sly glance towards Big Mom's looming castle, the image of the Emperor mirroring his description perfectly. "These visuals might be enchanting, but beneath the surface..." he trailed off, leaving the unspoken implication to hang in the air.
The extravagant welcome ceremony stood in stark contrast to the reality of the Charlotte family. While internally functional, their treatment of their younger members left much to be desired. Even Katakuri, with his now-iconic mouth, was ridiculed for it as a child.
Speaking of Katakuri's mouth, his insistence on devouring entire donuts in one go was rather perplexing. Couldn't he savor them bite by bite? It seemed an eccentricity shared by him and Big Mom, their thought processes far removed from the norm.
"Quite a show they've put on," Robin remarked, eyeing the welcoming party on the shore. "Little do they know what awaits them." She couldn't help but feel a pang of pity for the oblivious crew. A celebration fit for a hero heralded the arrival of their enemy – a truly ironic spectacle.
"Katakuri, for what comes next, worry not," Luo Ning said. "Take away any siblings you deem worthy. However, they too must pass a test of mine. Failure will have its consequences, the nature of which you can explain to them."
While Luo Ning possessed the ability to read minds and expedite the selection process, the act itself was distasteful to him. There were some minds he simply wouldn't sully himself with.
"Understood," Katakuri replied. "I'll retrieve them first. Brûlée, step out!"
Upon returning to Whole Cake Island, Brûlée's ability, linked to Katakuri's ship, reactivated. As Katakuri called out, an elderly woman materialized, her attire and appearance a stark contrast to her previous form.
"A witch!" Shirahoshi shrieked, startled by Brûlée's new appearance. The woman's eccentric look was undeniably striking.
"Apologies for the fright," Brûlée said, her voice gentle. "This is simply my true appearance. And no, I am no witch."
Brûlée felt powerless regarding her appearance. While she blamed a past disfigurement, the truth was a simple knife wound wouldn't have transformed her so drastically. Bluntly put, Big Mom's strong genes overwhelmed Brûlée's, twisting her into this witch-like form.
Previously, Brûlée could freely trap people in her Mirro-World, but with Luo Ning and others present, she didn't dare risk any mistakes, especially appearing before them in this state.
"Let it go, Brûlée," Katakuri said reassuringly. "Your ability is valuable. It could even become a core asset for the Charlotte family's future."
Brûlée hadn't caused much harm; she mostly targeted those who mocked her ostracized existence.
"That's good to hear," Katakuri said, relieved. His bond with Brûlée ran deep, and despite her disfigurement, he'd always looked after her. Brûlée, too, felt a wave of relief wash over her at his words.
She knew the fate awaiting the targeted siblings: Impel Down. At best, for Katakuri's sake, they wouldn't die. But in that Underwater Prison, immortality wasn't exactly a blessing.
Level Six, for the powerful, might be tolerable, but for the rest, it would be a nightmare.
"Alright, Brûlée," Katakuri resumed, focusing on the task at hand. "Send the people on the list to your Mirro-World first. They can emerge once things settle down outside."
Keeping them out of harm's way was crucial.