Chapter 157

1 week later, Jiyū Island's mood is still as sober as it was the day the newspaper arrived.

"So they finally came," said Ace as he looked at a ship in the distance.

"It seems like they aren't holding back any punches. But at least Big Mom didn't come with them," said Deuce.

A giant ship that looked to be made out of deserts was slowly coming towards them. On top of the ship are the Sweet Commanders and all the officers of the Big Mom Pirates. The Azure Pirates have already gathered their main crew on the beach. Waiting for their enemies to come closer.

However, they're missing a couple of people. Robert is still not awake. Mura is beating herself up over not going with Ken and hasn't left her room since. Laffitte is still trying to find Ken's exact location. And the Giants are protecting the Kingdoms' borders. So if anyone passes by the main force on the beach, they will take care of them.

"Crew vs. crew. I wonder what gave them the confidence?" said Brook.

"Hahaha, who knows. Ey Kuzan, how about you start this battle and stop them right in their tracks," said Sabo.

He nodded and touched the ocean. "Ice Age." in an instant, the entire sea in front of them got frozen, including the water around the Big Mom Pirates ship, making them stuck.

"200 Million Volt Strike."

Out of nowhere, a blinding light enveloped the massive ship, and a second later, a powerful bang could be heard. Deuce looked at the ship with annoyance. Katakuri was standing on top of the mast and protected the ship and everyone on it from the lightning strike.

"Crack, crack." The Azure Pirates looked at the ice that is turning red and cracking till the ice exploded and the Big Mom Pirates Ship was free from the ice.

"Tsk, damn that Oven guy. You should have taken out both of his arms, Mihawk," said Ace.

"Why? Are you scared of him?" asked Mihawk. Ace just glared at him for a second and then looked back at the ship.

Katakuri jumped down from the mast and landed next to something huge that is being covered by a cloth. After he took the fabric off, the Azure Pirates started laughing, confusing the Big Mom Pirates.

"Brûlée, connect us to the island quickly," said Oven.

She nodded and touched a massive mirror. But after a couple of seconds, nothing happened, and the Azure Pirates started laughing louder.

"Tsk, they somehow knew about your powers and destroyed every mirror on the island," said Katakuri right as Ace was about to explain, which pissed him off. Brûlée just nodded in confirmation.

Katakuri's eyes faintly glowed as he turned around and quickly punched towards Brûlée. She froze in place, not understanding what is happening when his fist passed by her hitting nothing but air. Katakuri looked up at the mast, where you could see someone standing with his eyes closed.

A giant blade suddenly came towards the guy, which he easily dodged. He turned his head to the big genie and didn't look like he was impressed at all. The guy disappeared and appeared next to Sabo.

"How are they, Tani?" asked Sabo.

"They're so slow. It almost made me yawn."

Hearing this, the people on the ship, except for Katakuri, got angered. Katakuri took out a trident from his body and hardened it with haki. In an instant, the trident disappeared from his hand and flew towards the Azure Pirates. More specifically, towards Paulie. Paulie immediately turned completely pale. There was no way that he would be able to dodge or block it.

"Clang!" Instead of hitting Paulie, it clashed head on with Yoru, Mihawk's sword. Mihawk deflected the trident towards the ground, creating a massive crater on the beach. Mihawk immediately sent a sword slash towards the ship, but Charlotte Daifuku used his Genie to block it.

Katakuri was about to command the helmsman to start sailing towards the island again when the ship suddenly started rising out of the water till it was entirely out. The ship suddenly did a 180 and got thrown into the air, away from the island. However, something sticky suddenly stuck onto Jinbe, who threw the ship away, making the ship stop mid air and fly back towards Jinbe. The ship struck Jinbe head on, making him fly towards the island, but he was still connected to the ship, so the Big Mom Pirates got a free ride towards the island.

But before they could make it, the sticky stuff connected got severed by Sabo's spear, and Tani kicked the ship right on its face, making it scream in pain and stopping the ship right in its tracks.

(Big Mom gave her ship a soul, so it is a ship with feelings. If you didn't know already.)

However, Katakuri has already made it behind the Azure Pirates before anyone could stop him. He sent Perona flying into a tree with one kick, immediately knocking her out. He was too fast for her to use her Haki to protect herself. This first small win increased the morale of the Big Mom pirates.

All of them jumped towards the island. Katakuri protected them from all the attacks, making them land on the island safely. The weaker looking officers suddenly ran into the forest towards the Kingdom.

"You bastards, where do you think you're going!" screamed Ace as he sent flame bullets into the forest that went right for the officers and didn't hit one tree. But all of his attacks got blocked by Perospero.

"Kukukuku. Just sit there and watch how your people will be slaughtered Perorin♪."

"Let them be Ace. You know that they won't let any of them through," said Sabo.

"I know, I know, they just pissed me off."

The Azure Pirates and Big Mom Pirates didn't waste any time and engaged in combat.

Charlotte Opera, a giant man made out of cream, suddenly reached out to Perona, wanting to finish her off. But he quickly got sent flying by a bitch slap coming from a hand that is bigger than him. Robin walked towards Perona, checking if she is okay.

Seeing this, Charlotte Amande ran towards Robin, wanting to sneak attack her, but she quickly stopped and blocked a bullet coming towards her. But she didn't expect that the bullet would make her take a couple of steps back.

"It seems like I was fated to get a weak opponent," said Van Augur. However, this didn't piss Charlotte Amande off. She pointed her long sword at Van augur and hardened her sword with Haki. She looked at Van augur's pitch black gun with a serious look. "Being able to push me back with a bullet means that your Busoshoku Haki is incredible. I commend you for that."

"Thank you for calling my weakest attack incredible. You know miss long neck, you shouldn't underestimate a sniper. Captain told me that snipers are fated to be one of the strongest." As he said that, he shot at her again, but this time she managed to easily block it with her own Haki.

Van Augur quickly shot out more bullets, forcing her to start dodging. She suddenly jumped up, dodging hands coming out of the ground, trying to grab her. She sent a sword slash towards Robin, which stopped her from using her Devil Fruit. The sword slash cleaved Robin in half turning her into flower petals.

"Clutch."

Arms suddenly sprouted on Charlotte Amande's body, which restricted her movements and tried to break her bones. "Argh!" She winced in pain as a bullet went right through her right leg. She managed to land on the ground and get the arms off of her body. She suddenly appeared in front of Robin, which took her off guard. Even with an injured leg, Charlotte Amande moved as if nothing happened.

She swung her sword down towards Robin. Van Augur quickly fired multiple shots at Charlotte Amande, but her sister Charlotte Mondée suddenly appeared behind her and deflected the bullets. Charlotte Amande was about to hit Robin when she suddenly stopped and fell on her knees. A small cloud appeared above her, which started raining on her.

"BOOM!"

Something suddenly exploded next to her.

"Sister Amande!" screamed Charlotte Mondée.

Amande got sent flying by the blast, but she managed to land on her feet with minimal damage. She glared at Perona, who is sitting against a tree with a smirk and hollows floating around her. "Aw, I almost got you. I'll have to use a bigger explosion next time. But that Katakuri guy wasn't as strong as I thought." said Perona with a smile as she stood up like nothing ever happened to her.

Amande and Mondée stood next to each other and looked at the three people with a serious face. But they didn't look scared at all. The only thing that could be seen on their faces is confidence.

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Facts & Quotes:

- In Ancient China, soldiers sometimes wore armor made from paper.

- Put together, all of China's railway lines could loop around the earth twice.

- The mortar used to bind the Great Wall's stones was made with sticky rice!

- 7th-century Emperor Tang of Shang had 94 'ice men' who made him ice-cream.

- Asiatic golden cats in the country's south sometimes communicate by spitting.

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"Being single used to mean that nobody wanted you. Now it means you're pretty sexy and you're taking your time deciding how you want your life to be and who you want to spend it with."

"I used to think that the worst thing in life was to end up all alone. It's not. The worst thing in life is ending up with people who make you feel all alone."

"The man who follows the crowd will usually get no further than the crowd. The man who walks alone is likely to find himself in places no one has ever been before."

"Don't be scared to walk alone. Don't be scared to like it."

"Single is not a status. It is a word that describes a person who is strong enough to live and enjoy life without depending on others."