Chapter 475: The Grand Plan, Battle of the Tyrants! (6k)

Chapter 475: The Grand Plan, Battle of the Tyrants! (6k)



"We're broke," Sage sighed.

Sage pondered for a moment and said, "It's easy. I'm not unreasonable. Your lives are not worth as much as money. After all, you've been in the North Sea for hundreds of years, so you must know your way around."

"Consider yourselves an Allied Nation. Then, promoting products shouldn't be a problem. If you help me open up channels, I'll deduct these two trillion in debt from your rewards."

With no money and no use, the only option was to become salespeople.

"You want us to work for you?"

Kajiki was taken aback but shook his head, "Impossible. We are the Vinsmoke family, royalty, and we won't bow to pirates. Unless..."

He glanced at Rejiu and said, "An alliance! I'll marry my eldest daughter to you!"

Loyalty was out of the question, even though they had lost their homeland. They were still recognized as an Allied Nation by the World Government and were eligible to attend the World Conference.

But cooperation was not impossible.

The partnership with Big Mom was definitely off the table. That woman never intended to cooperate with them; she was merely using the wedding as a pretext to kill them and covet their technology.

Since Sage had made this demand, Kajiki had a new idea.

If they were to marry into a Four Emperor's family, why not marry the Four Emperor himself?

Norton Sage was an excellent candidate—young, powerful, and famously wealthy in the Grand Line. His territories were no less than those of Big Mom, the Four Emperor with the most extensive territories.

Big Mom's children were only fit to be with Sanji, the son she had disowned. But if it were the Four Emperor himself, they could match their royal status! With Norton Sage's power, the Vinsmoke family's resurgence was within reach!

Just as he finished speaking, a different kind of oppressive force swept over him, distinct from Sage's grand and domineering aura. This presence exuded a bloody murderous intent.

Someone wanted him dead!

Instinctively, Kajiki turned to Lily, standing beside Sage. Her dazzling golden hair blew in the wind, and her eyes gleamed with a pale blue light as she stared at them, as if looking at dead men.

"No, I misspoke," Kajiki quickly backpedaled. He was not one to stand firm, especially in the face of death.

"You have no room for negotiation," Lily said coldly. "Either agree, or die."

"I..."

Kajiki wanted to say something more, but as Lily took a step forward, he shuddered and said, "I agree! I agree to this!"

"Leave your Life Card and Telebugs with us."

Lily said, "We'll contact you later."

There was no need for them to stay; the Life Card was sufficient. They weren't banned from the North Sea, and even if Sage couldn't move, his subordinates could.

Of course, Kajiki had a Life Card on him. As someone who frequently traveled the world without a specific homeland, what else could he rely on but his Life Card? As for the Telebugs, they provided an extra layer of insurance. By tracking the signals, they could locate him even if he threw away the corresponding Life Card.

Kajiki hesitated for a moment but eventually took out a Life Card and his contact information from his pocket and handed them to Lily, who had already approached him.

Lily took them and let them move around in her palm for a while to confirm it was indeed Kajiki's Life Card before returning to Sage's side.

Sage paid no further attention to the Vinsmoke family but turned his gaze to Duke Feld and the others.

"And you?"

"Please, please relieve my pain. I'm willing to provide the list and compensation!" Duke Feld couldn't take it anymore. Even though the conversation was brief, it felt like days had passed. The pain that penetrated his body was incessant, and he couldn't even get used to it.

He couldn't even faint; it was as if he were watching himself being flayed alive.

Sage chuckled coldly and snapped his thumb, relieving Duke Feld's pain.

As soon as the pain was lifted, Duke Feld immediately prostrated himself, his body drenched in sweat. After a moment of relief, he tremblingly picked up the small Telebug in front of him and made a call. When it connected, he croaked, "Notify all company branches and my headquarters to cash out through Tezoro and send the money to Ohara."

Without waiting for a response, he hung up, and Lily produced paper and pen, placing them in front of Duke Feld for him to write down the companies' contact information and the list of people in charge.

The Grand Line was unconnected for many, but for those in the underground world, it was merely a matter of effort. The same was true for the Four Emperors.

With the contact information and list, Sage could send the CP0 agents directly to find them.

There was no need for him to go personally; the hired thugs from the underground world were sufficient.

Seeing Duke Feld and Umit's compliance, Gibson and Umit didn't dare delay. They also called their subordinates and wrote down the lists and contact information.

They only owed a thousand billion belli, but they still didn't have that much, so they had to write down the contact information Sage requested.

Lily made a phone call to Ohara, providing contact information and the list to the officers for verification. After about ten minutes, the call came back with confirmation.

"You two can go now," Sage said, waving his hand at Gibson and Umit. He then stood up and walked towards Duke Feld.

"What are you doing?!" Duke Feld's eyes widened in anger. "I agreed to your terms, aren't you the most trustworthy?"

"Of course, I'm trustworthy, but I have a score to settle with you," Sage replied with a sinister smile as he approached. "You owe me 100 billion, and your life is worth another 100 billion. That's a total of 200 billion belli, which I can waive if you do as I say. But we have other accounts to settle."

Sage pressed down on Duke Feld's head, "I told you a long time ago that rats in the gutter only have the fate of being crushed once they're exposed. You were very disrespectful to me back then, and even after I entered the New World, your disrespect remained. I don't want to settle this account with money."

"You owe me money, and you've paid your ransom this time. But your disrespect makes me unwilling to let you off. Rest assured, I'm a man of honor, and I'll spare you the torment."

Sage's five fingers penetrated Duke Feld's head, and he quickly withdrew his hand, not even bothering to look back.

"Sage, what have you done to me?!" Duke Feld cried out in fear as his head was pierced, even though the wound was shallow. The sense of life-and-death crisis didn't fade but intensified.

"One," Alita said, taking the telebug and retreating, her voice cold.

"You won't get away with this! You think this money is so easy to take? Tezoro is just like you, controlling 20% of the world's share, but he's stronger than you. He can mobilize the World Government! No matter what you do, if anything happens to me, you'll get nothing!"

"Two," Alita continued, her voice cold.

"Please, I beg you! I don't want to die. I can earn more money, and I can work for you, Sage, Lord Sage! You're also a loan shark, and you know I can do things for you. Please spare me."

"Three," Alita said, cutting him off.

"Waaahhhh!" Duke Feld's body inflated like a balloon, his eyes bulging and his rotten teeth protruding like a dead goldfish.

Boom! As he swelled, he exploded like a balloon, his entire body shattering into pieces that scattered around.

The North Star Death Finger had pierced the secret acupoint 'Baihui' on his head, and once the finger was removed, it would only take three seconds for his body to explode.

Duke Feld's physique and willpower were clearly no match for Sage's strength.

"This..." Gibson swallowed hard, his face covered in cold sweat. His legs trembled, and although he wanted to move, the sight of the scattered flesh around him robbed him of his courage.

"Cataclysm, I'm leaving!" Umit, with a bolder heart, grabbed Gibson and ran off.

Sage smiled as he watched the two flee, then took out a cigar and called out, "Take your time, we'll have more opportunities to cooperate in the future."

"Sage, is it enough to let them go like this?" Alita asked, taking out a lighter and lighting his cigar. "What if they change their minds and don't pay?"

If they were to consolidate the underground world's industries, eliminating leaders like this would cause temporary chaos, allowing them to take advantage of the situation and expand their influence.

It was similar to eliminating a major funeral director.

"I won't go back on my word. Besides, we have their company's address, they can't escape. And these small fry will come in handy someday." Sage blew out smoke and turned towards Charlotte Linlin's direction. "I'll take her out faster than they can transfer their industries."

At that moment, Charlotte Linlin, driven by her gourmand syndrome, was wreaking havoc on Cake Island. The Cookie Soldiers under Cracker's command were no match for her. With a simple punch, the hard Cookie Soldiers shattered, and with a stomp, they were flattened.

The so-called Three Generals were worlds apart from the Four Emperors, even when compared to a weakened Emperor.

"Speaking of which, our models are quite similar," Sage laughed, watching Charlotte Linlin like an observer. "The Four Emperors and their subordinates are on completely different levels."

Alita was growing well, and although she wasn't yet proficient, she had already mastered that power. Additionally, she could use her will to sever will-based slashes, making her a unique asset among the Four Emperors' subordinates.

However, in Sage's eyes, this power was still not enough.

He, Kaido, and Big Mom were on a whole different level.

In comparison, Teach and Red Hair were somewhat similar, especially Teach after obtaining the power of Green Chicken. They were more evenly matched.

"We will win," Alita clenched the sword hilt, her voice determined. "Sage, we will definitely win!"

"Of course," Sage grinned, his gaze greedy as he looked at her curved blade and the flames burning in her hair. "Soon, no one will be able to stand against me!"

"Cake!!!" Charlotte Linlin roared, her eyes red. Her tall and slender body charged forward, more agile than her previous bulky form. After trampling the Cookie Soldiers in her way, the flames on her hair spread to her arms, and a massive fireball formed in her fist.

"Mom, no! The island will be burned down!" Kriju exclaimed in shock.

Big Mom's territory was made entirely of sweet treats, with the exception of the ground. Thanks to the numerous Devil Fruit users, they didn't need to actively search for food to maintain their food reserves.

Of course, it was all sugary treats.

And once these sweets caught fire...

"These guys are good," Sage muttered, glancing at one of them who was cutting open the ground and quickly transforming it into a wall of ingredients, preparing to use it as a defensive measure against the incoming onslaught.

"That guy is the best," he chuckled, "he can eat the ability users of the fruit."

Lily's eyes also showed a hint of longing.

Since they were about to engage in battle, they had naturally gathered all the necessary intelligence.

In their eyes, the most notable members of the Big Mom Pirates, aside from Charlotte Linlin and Katakuri, were these guys.

Long Bread, the founder of the Big Mom Pirates, possessed a terrifying ability to turn anything in the world into ingredients.

Ohara had a high food reserve, but even with that, they still needed people to grow the food. It was an industry, but regardless of whether it was a strategic resource or a daily necessity, food was always in high demand.

This ability might not have much impact on combat power, but its practical use was stronger than any other fruit.

It could turn the ground into hard bread, wood into meat, and rocks into cake.

The quality might be ordinary, but the sheer quantity was enough to overcome any shortcomings.

It could feed the entire world!

"Marica once said she didn't need this external power," Lily said. "She wanted something permanent, something that could be passed down, something that would allow everyone to master it and never go hungry."

"However, we can give it to our chefs to eat, and it can also provide us with an endless supply of food for decades," Lily added.

"That's a last resort," Sage smiled. "Food consumption is an economy. These things you create out of thin air will only make people lazy and lose their desire to produce. As a final measure, it's acceptable. Let's capture him later."

"Understood," Lily nodded.

On this island, she wasn't in a hurry. According to her strategy, Cake Island would eventually be surrounded, and they would clear out all nearby forces, turning it into...

A graveyard for the Four Emperors!

Boom!!

Charlotte Linlin unleashed a massive flame with her punch, instantly burning a large amount of ingredients. The enormous flame even overwhelmed the hard bread wall, known for its durability against blades, and turned it into charred debris.

"Flowing Sticky Rice!"

Just as the flame was about to continue its assault, the area in front suddenly transformed into a flowing mass of sticky rice liquid, creating a huge wave that repeatedly smothered the flames, extinguishing them.

"Mom, please calm down! The cake is coming!" Katakuri shouted, holding his trident and addressing Charlotte Linlin.

He still had some injuries.

Earlier, in the Mirror World, he had been fighting Straw Hat Luffy, and the more they fought, the more surprised he became. He wasn't sure if Luffy had a natural talent for combat or had accumulated enough experience, but he quickly learned the ability to 'Future Sight' with his Kenbunshoku Haki.

He had wanted a good fight, but the anomaly on Cake Island made him too concerned to focus. As his attention wavered, he was punched and sent flying by that Straw Hat, allowing him to escape.

He no longer had the heart to fight. Stopping his mother was the most important thing now.

"Oh Katakuri, my son, do you know where the cake is?"

Charlotte Linlin's red eyes glared down at Katakuri, as saliva, even corrosive, flowed from her mouth.

The monster's stomach acid had come up, and it was so strong it could be used as a powerful acid if it dripped onto the ground.

"Yes, I know. It's coming right away, so please wait a moment, Mom!" Katakuri shouted.

"Did you hide it?!"

Charlotte Linlin's expression changed, and she punched out, "Let me eat the cake!"

"Brother Katakuri, it's ready!"

Katakuri clenched his teeth and tightened his grip on the trident, ready to block the punch, but just then, Brulee called out and held up the mirror.

The mirror shone, and three figures appeared: a woman with three eyes, Zoro in a suit, and Capone Bege.

"Why do I have to be here too?!"

Capone Bege cried out in the air, and a hole appeared in his chest. A cake flew out, and as it left the space, it rapidly grew in size. It was then supported by Zoro's hands as he stepped through the air with Geppo, delivering it to Charlotte Linlin's open mouth.

The cake had arrived!

They had prepared the cake beforehand, but they were running out of time. Fortunately, Brulee's ability allowed them to enter the Mirror World and use spatial movement. However, the cake was too big to carry, so they had to ask Capone Bege to use his ability to suck it into his castle body. It was only when they reached the corresponding mirror in the Mirror World that they could bring it out.

"Hmm?" Sage looked at Katakuri's back, where a woman with a face like a witch held a mirror. "What a convenient ability, to have such a power."

"The Mirror Mirror Fruit," Lily explained. "It's an incredibly powerful ability, similar to Bruno's spatial gate ability. Not only can it create a separate space through mirrors within its range, but it can also replicate others and even temporarily replicate the user's powers."

"More convenient than a Telebug for surveillance and instant communication, and most importantly, it's highly secure."

Telebugs were fascinating creatures with many varieties.

The basic Telebugs were used for communication, with larger ones having stronger signals and smaller ones having weaker signals. With special attachments, they could even send faxes.

There were gold and silver Telebugs used as messengers and receivers, often employed by the Navy as demon-slaying orders.

Photo Telebugs and Projector Telebugs were used for taking photos and projecting images.

Black Border Telebugs were used for eavesdropping and anti-eavesdropping, and Horned Telebugs could even block signals in the surrounding area.

Special Telebugs were rare and hard to come by, mostly under the control of the World Government. Sage had a few of them, kept in the palace to prevent eavesdropping.

While it was difficult to use them on a large scale, some unique abilities could meet the necessary conditions.

For example, in Wano Country, although they couldn't gather intelligence, they knew of a similar ability to the native secret arts that could provide real-time surveillance and communication.

Similarly, on Big Mom's side, they relied on a special ability user, a woman dedicated to intelligence.

"Cake! Cake!"

After taking an involuntary bite, Charlotte Linlin immediately retracted her fist and instinctively caught the giant cake, burying her face in it. Her red eyes gradually cleared as she ate, and her emaciated body quickly returned to its original form, collapsing with a thud and lying on the ground. She held her face in her hands, revealing a satisfied and intoxicated expression.

"This is the taste... It's so blissful!"

Sanji lit a cigarette, took a deep puff, and exhaled the smoke. "Thank you for the compliment."

"Let him go!"

He turned his head towards Brine, who was gazing at him with heart-shaped eyes due to Sanji's coolness, but before he could speak, Katakuri suddenly rushed over and grabbed Sanji.

"You saved Cake Island, so I'll let you go this time. Go now! If you have the chance, tell Straw Hat that I'll fight him again!"

Without waiting for Sanji's reply, Katakuri pushed him into the mirror held by Brulee, who was right behind him, causing Sanji to disappear. Then, he turned to the side and looked at the white-haired man sitting regally on a banquet chair, biting a cigar.

"Cataclysm!"

Katakuri glared at Sage, his trident clenched tightly. He then glanced at Lily, who stood beside him, "And you, Sword Maiden, are you going to fight us?"

Clang!

Lily didn't respond but drew her white lightning sword.

"Mom, please wake up quickly! I can't handle this guy!" Katakuri pleaded, taking a deep breath.

Aside from their captain, the Big Mom Pirates were invincible, ranking just below the Four Emperors. Facing a true Emperor, the difference in their aura was evident.

Lying on the ground, Charlotte Linlin's happy expression suddenly turned sour as she heard this. Her massive body quickly sprang up like a mountain, standing behind Katakuri.

"You little brat, Sage!"

She bared her large teeth and glared forward. "Can't you let me savor this for a bit longer?"

Sage threw away his cigar and blew out smoke. He picked up a bottle of wine from the banquet table, uncorked it with one hand, and took several large gulps. The red liquid flowed from his lips, resembling the remnants of a blood feast.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

In the outer sea, the sound of cannons constantly echoed as the cake ship and battleships occasionally sank into the stormy waters. Amidst the storm, smoke billowed, enveloping Cake Island.

Sage slowly stood up, his body trembling as bones and muscles creaked.

The wild storm and raindrops suddenly subsided, falling into a calm.

Boom!

A thunderbolt lit up the dark sky, illuminating Sage's face, which was gradually twisting into a sinister expression.

"I've been waiting for you, Charlotte Linlin!"

Sage extended both hands to his waist, stepping forward with his right foot. A sinister smile curved his lips.

"Was it you who thwarted my plans, or will I crush you underfoot and ascend to heaven? Let's settle this here, to the death!"

Lily's eyes also blazed with battle intent, her sword pointed at Katakuri.

This was her goal.

To fulfill Sage's grand plan, she must defeat Katakuri here!

Only then could she serve by his side on his path to greatness.

And so, the battle of tyrants began!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end