Big news

"What?"

"Did I hear that right? Oh my goodness!"

"Does this mean the New World is about to erupt into war again?"

...

"Hey hey, what's going on?"

One guest couldn't help but ask their tablemate in a low voice, "Weren't Nicholas and his group invited to the banquet? Why does it look like they're about to start a fight?"

"How am I supposed to know?"

The person being asked responded irritably, then urged their companion, "Hey, have we contacted the ships at the port yet? Remember, as soon as we reach them, get them ready to sail. When we arrive, we'll set sail immediately. My goodness, is the New World about to see the rise of another power?"

...

At a table where the Charlotte family's children were gathered:

"What on earth is he saying!?"

Charlotte's second daughter, Monde, was first surprised, then turned to her older sister, Compote, with an incredulous look, "Does he want to start a full-scale war with the Big Mom Pirates and the Whitebeard Pirates!?"

"I... I don't know."

Compote was also puzzled. As someone who resembled Big Mom a lot in her childhood, thanks to inheriting Big Mom's powerful mutated genes, she knew very well about her strength. And now, this guy named Nicholas dared to make unreasonable demands to one of the strongest women on the seas and one of the most powerful pirate crews in the New World, the Big Mom Pirates.

...

"This is a groundbreaking news that will shake the New World!"

"It seems coming here wasn't in vain after all!"

"The landscape of the New World is about to change again!"

"This news will shake the entire world!"

...

Amidst the commotion,

Big Mom went from initial shock to sudden anger, and finally to a chilling calmness. Her gaze turned icy cold.

Not far away, Katakuri, who observed the changes in both sides, had a complex expression. He quietly tightened his grip on his trident, Mogura.

"Daifuku, Oven, and Brulee, get out of here."

Katakuri whispered to Brulee beside him.

"Nicholas, do you know what you're saying?"

Charlotte Linlin turned her head, her gaze piercing as she looked at Nicholas:

With that statement, the once noisy banquet hall fell into silence again.

"What? Can't understand?" Nicholas met her gaze, his demeanor calm, but his tone unyielding, "Let me repeat it for you. The islands in the border area between your and Whitebeard's territories – I'm taking them!"

As Nicholas's words fell,

Countless pairs of eyes shifted between Nicholas and Charlotte Linlin, watching as the anger in Charlotte Linlin's eyes grew.

"You, what, do, you, want!?"

Big Mom finally spoke, her gaze icy as she stared down at Nicholas, each word enunciated with deliberate force.

"Is my message not clear enough?"

If it were any other person facing Charlotte Linlin's might, they might have already cowered. But Nicholas stood his ground, staring back at her.

This head-on confrontation, without any regard for losing face, made many guests gasp in astonishment.

The leaders of some underground factions began to regret why they had stepped into this mess. With the stand-off between the two sides, the guards of Whole Cake Chateau, and members of the Big Mom Pirates had already begun to encroach.

On Nicholas's side, the group exchanged a silent glance after Nicholas made his stance clear. Each of them discreetly gripped their weapons, prepared for battle at Nicholas's command.

Once Nicholas gave the order, they would dare to engage directly.

"How dare you" Seeing the attack from Charlotte Linlin aimed at Nicholas, the situation escalated rapidly.

A great lightning bolt, accompanied by flames, descended upon Nicholas. The sheer force seemed to shake the very space itself.

"Heavenly Fire!"

Compared to the dazzling and terrifying thunder and flames earlier, this punch's impact range was noticeably smaller. However, with Zeus and Prometheus augmenting it, and the terrifying strength of Big Mom, the destructive power of this blow was even more terrifying.

Boom!

The massive fist missed its target, crashing heavily into the ground. Countless cracks spread out, and within seconds, the ground shattered, revealing the layer beneath Whole Cake Castle.

"This..."

Witnessing the enormous crater, many guests forgot everything else and fled towards the harbor.

As for the tea party?

What use was a tea party when one's life was at stake? Those who roamed the New World understood this well. This level of combat, even as bystanders, carried the risk of losing one's life.

At the same time, some individuals confident in their own strength chose to stay behind to watch the spectacle. After all, regardless of the outcome of this battle, they would get the latest information first-hand.

Meanwhile, other members of the Big Mom Pirates, seeing their captain engaging, began to draw their weapons.