The Charlotte family's choice!

While the world was plunged into a state of tension, over in Totto Land...

"Brother Katakuri."

On Totto Land's Whole Cake Island, Oven called out urgently to Katakuri, who was seated in the main chair, "Three more islands have declared their independence from the Charlotte Family's rule. Even within the Totto Land Kingdom, quite a few people are beginning to have rebellious thoughts. If it weren't for the suppression by the officers, those folks might have already started a revolt.

Why aren't we taking any action? We should send troops to crush those rebels. If we don't, those people out there on the sea will never know what fear is!"

At a family gathering of the Charlotte Family, the man sitting in the main seat was Katakuri.

After the death of Charlotte Linlin, they quickly returned to the Kingdom of Totto Land, and almost unanimously, Katakuri, who was highly trusted by the other family members, became the new head of the Charlotte Family.

However, with the recent upheavals on the seas and the loss of Charlotte Linlin, their most powerful trump card, several islands that were once under the rule of the Charlotte Family declared their independence from its tyrannical rule.

Moreover, many have set their sights on the territories owned by the Charlotte Family. After all, islands under the rule of the Four Emperors in the New World are prime territories.

What Oven and many other members of the Charlotte Family couldn't understand was why Katakuri was not taking any action against these blatant acts of rebellion.

In the past, the Charlotte Family would have already dispatched forces to annihilate the rebellious islands.

"Oven, calm down. Brother Katakuri has his reasons," said Smoothie, trying to pacify the situation.

"Reasons? Now that we no longer have Mom around, we need to show our strength. Otherwise, everyone on this sea will think they can take a bite out of us!" Oven argued, filled with rage. This was a habit he had developed after being in the New World for so many years.

In the New World, if you don't display enough strength, you'll be swarmed by countless flies.

"Oven, I have my own strategy," Katakuri said in a deep voice. "Right now, we are not in a position to act. The sea is more chaotic than ever."

"Pirates led by Nicolas and Shanks, the Navy, the World Government, the Celestial Dragons, and the Revolutionary Army are all stirring up a war that will sweep across the seas. Compared to this war, those small rebellions are nothing more than minor issues."

"If we make a wrong move in this global conflict, the entire Charlotte Family could be destroyed!"

"That's exactly why we need to strike first!" Oven retorted loudly. "So that no one dares to make a move against us!"

Katakuri shook his head, "No, that would only lead to the loss of our family members, and I do not want to see our family suffer any casualties."

"Katakuri..." Oven's temples were bulging with veins. "I can't agree with your approach!"

"You don't need to agree with me, Oven! I am the head of the Charlotte Family now!" Katakuri responded coldly to Oven's anger.

Seeing the tense atmosphere between the two, Smoothie tossed a piece of intelligence in front of Oven.

"Smoothie, what are you doing?" Oven snapped, his tone unfriendly as he turned to Smoothie.

"Oven, use your brain a little. This is the latest intelligence. The islands that are rebelling have the Revolutionary Army's shadow behind them. Also, according to the latest intelligence, the Whitebeard Pirates have abandoned all their territories. Those guys have decided to hide out in Whitebeard's homeland to avoid this war."

"Even Whitebeard has chosen to retreat from this whirlpool of war. Do you really want the Charlotte Family to jump into it?"

"But we are pirates! We are pirates!" Oven shouted, "What kind of pirates are we supposed to be if we act like this?"

"Do you care so much about the title of 'pirate' that you're willing to risk our family's safety?" Katakuri asked coldly. In his eyes, the safety of his family was the most important. As for being a pirate in this era, he thought it might not even be worth it.

At that moment, Brûlée ran over, holding a Den Den Mushi (Transponder Snail), and whispered softly into Katakuri's ear, "Brother Katakuri, there's a call from Wano Country!"

A call from Wano Country?

Katakuri paused for a moment.

"This is Katakuri," he answered.

As the call connected, the Den Den Mushi quickly morphed into a face somewhat resembling Nicolas.

"This is Nicolas."

"Nicolas?!"

Hearing the voice from the Den Den Mushi, the originally noisy Charlotte members suddenly fell silent, all eyes turning to the Den Den Mushi in Katakuri's hand.

There was no other way. The name Nicolas alone was enough to intimidate everyone in the Charlotte Family.

After a brief silence, Katakuri looked at the Den Den Mushi and asked, "What do you want from us, Nicolas?"

"I want you to come to Wano Country to discuss how the Charlotte Family should exist on the seas in the future," came Nicolas's calm voice from the other end.

Discuss how the Charlotte Family should exist on the seas in the future...

Katakuri was initially stunned, but then his eyes lit up.

"No way!"

Oven shouted from the side, "The future of the Charlotte Family isn't for you to decide, Nicolas!"

The voice from the Den Den Mushi seemed to hear Oven but did not get angry; instead, it chuckled, "This is just a suggestion. The choice is yours to make."

"Alright!"

Katakuri said, "I will go. I will personally go to Wano Country!"

"Is that so? Then I'll be waiting for you in Wano Country."

Click.

The Den Den Mushi was immediately hung up.

"What are you doing, Katakuri? That guy killed Mom!" Oven shouted angrily.

Even the other family members were confused. Although when Charlotte Linlin was alive, she treated them as tools for her rule over the seas, their father as a tool for breeding, and didn't even care about their lives.

If you accidentally provoked Charlotte Linlin, you could be killed or punished.

But no matter what, Charlotte Linlin was still their biological mother.

The hatred for their mother's death was irreconcilable.

Facing everyone's gaze, Katakuri said in a deep voice, "You don't think Nicolas is an easy person to deal with, do you? If you are all ready for it, then let's go to Wano Country right now to avenge Mom!"

Hearing Katakuri's serious tone, everyone avoided his gaze, not daring to look directly at him.

After all, their lives were their own, and they only had one. Avenging their mother was easier said than done.

And surely, Mom, in her spirit, would want them to live well.

Yes, that's definitely what Mom would want.