The shrill alarm tore through the music like a blade.
"WUUUUUUUUUU—!"
The joyful birthday melody collapsed into confusion. Guests froze mid-toast, forks suspended in the air.
Younger members of the Charlotte family looked around in bewilderment.
"Is this just a drill?"
"It's so loud!"
"Who pulled the alarm? Turn it off!"
But before the murmurs could spread further, a stern voice boomed across Cake Island through the broadcast system.
It was Charlotte Laulin, head of security.
"All Big Mom Pirates, listen carefully! Ten Marine warships have been sighted approaching from the five o'clock direction! Leading the fleet are Fleet Admiral Sakazuki, Vice Admirals Momousagi, and Tokikake, along with members of the Seven Warlords of the Sea. All forces enter maximum combat alert immediately!"
The words hit like a cannon blast.
The expressions of the Big Mom Pirates darkened instantly.
Today, of all days, the Marines dared to attack?
And not just a probing force.
The Fleet Admiral himself.
This was a deliberate challenge.
Linlin rose slowly to her feet.
Her shadow loomed large beneath the chandeliers.
"The banquet is suspended."
Her voice boomed across the hall, carrying killing intent.
"All members of the Big Mom Pirates—prepare for battle! Let these Marines learn what happens when they provoke us on our own territory!"
"OHHHHHH!!!"
The roar that followed shook the hall.
Rage replaced celebration.
Fury replaced laughter.
Meanwhile, the guests' faces turned pale.
Underworld emperors. Brokers. Influential figures from across the New World.
They had come to celebrate.
Not to die in a Yonko–Marine war.
"Your Majesty," several of the underworld representatives stood and bowed stiffly, "since the Marines have arrived, please permit us to withdraw."
They had no intention of being collateral damage.
Linlin's lips stretched into a smile.
But her eyes were cold.
"Mamamama! What are you afraid of? It's only the Marines."
"No one leaves."
"Once I crush them, the banquet will resume."
The hall fell into uneasy silence.
Fleet Admiral Sakazuki leading the charge was no small matter.
Even a Yonko could not ignore that name lightly.
Compote was the first to regain clarity.
"Where is Amande? Why were we not warned sooner? How did the Marines penetrate so deeply without resistance from the outer islands?"
A tense voice answered:
"Sister Amande… hasn't returned."
"The front-line units have completely lost contact!"
Another pirate frantically tried contacting the outpost Den Den Mushi.
Nothing.
Silence.
Like a stone sinking into the sea.
At that very moment, Katakuri's Den Den Mushi rang again.
He answered immediately.
On the other end, panicked shouting erupted:
"They're here! The Marines are overwhelming us—!"
A scream.
Then static.
The line went dead.
This time, no one in the hall could pretend it was manageable.
The outer islands had fallen.
And far too quickly.
Most of their combat forces were gathered here for the birthday celebration—but even so, the speed of collapse meant only one thing:
The Marine deployment was massive.
The guests began whispering in rising panic.
Even some Charlotte siblings exchanged uneasy glances.
This was no symbolic retaliation.
This was extermination.
Outside the palace, distant explosions began echoing faintly across the sea.
At another table near the center of the hall, the atmosphere had completely changed.
Zack, Fossa, and Blenheim no longer laughed. Their expressions were grave.
No one had expected a birthday banquet to turn into a battlefield.
Smoothie strode over quickly, her usual calm elegance replaced with urgency.
"Fossa," she said quietly but firmly, "the Marines didn't come lightly. There are many of them. You… will stand with us, won't you?"
Fossa looked at her—and smiled.
Not recklessly.
Not arrogantly.
Warmly.
"Of course," he replied without hesitation. "You're my wife. Protecting you is my duty."
Smoothie's eyes softened.
"Thank you."
Blenheim rose from his seat next.
"In that case, I'm staying too. We didn't come all this way to watch from the sidelines."
Zack cracked his knuckles, a sharp grin spreading across his face.
"I'll stay as well. I can't watch comrades fight alone."
His expression turned serious.
"But we should inform Captain Marco and Kaido immediately. This is no longer just Big Mom's problem. We are the Three Emperors Alliance."
Ulti crossed her arms with a snort.
"Don't get it twisted. I don't care what happens to the Big Mom Pirates."
She glanced at Page One.
"But I'm not leaving my brother in danger."
Smoothie nodded sincerely.
"Thank you. All of you."
With fighters of this caliber remaining, they could at least intercept Vice Admirals… perhaps even delay an Admiral for a short time.
But before anyone could breathe easier—
The broadcast crackled again.
"Emergency report! Fifteen warships approaching from the twelve o'clock direction—led by Admiral Ryokugyu!"
Gasps rippled through the hall.
"From the three o'clock direction—twelve warships under Admiral Fujitora!"
The voice trembled.
"Additional fleets are advancing from distant waters. Cake Island has been completely encircled!"
The weight of the words crushed the air.
Three directions.
Multiple Admirals.
Fleet Admiral Sakazuki already confirmed.
This was no strike.
This was annihilation.
The Big Mom Pirates' expressions hardened.
The Marines had come prepared to erase them.
Meanwhile, the guests' panic finally broke.
Underworld emperors exchanged urgent glances.
This was beyond politics now.
This was survival.
"Your Majesty," one broker bowed stiffly, "we truly have urgent matters. We must depart immediately."
Another followed.
"Yes, Your Majesty. Please forgive us."
"Next time, we will attend your banquet again."
One after another, they bowed and retreated.
This time, Linlin did not stop them.
Her focus had shifted entirely.
Let them run.
She would deal with the Marines first.
Katakuri stepped forward, mind racing.
"Mama."
His voice was calm but urgent.
"We must notify all thirty-four islands immediately. Order them to use terrain advantage and hold defensive positions."
He paused.
"And if they cannot hold… we must be prepared to abandon outer territories and consolidate our forces."
Silence.
Then—He said the unthinkable.
"If necessary, we retreat into Beasts Pirates or Phoenix Pirates territory and regroup."
The air froze.
Charlotte Linlin's face twisted.
Her eyes widened with fury.
"What did you say?"
Her voice was low. Dangerous.
"You want this me… to abandon my territory?"
The ground beneath her feet cracked slightly as her aura surged.
The idea of retreat—Of surrendering even a single island—Was an insult to her pride.
And yet…
Outside, the cannons were already firing.
Katakuri met his mother's blazing gaze without flinching.
His voice was calm—but resolute.
"Mama, the Marines have committed fully. Dozens of warships are advancing. The Fleet Admiral himself is leading the operation. Their goal is obvious—they intend to erase the Big Mom Pirates in a single campaign."
He stepped closer, lowering his tone.
"At a moment like this, we must be rational. Preserving our core strength is more important than clinging to territory. If the outer islands cannot hold, we must order a strategic withdrawal."
The word hung in the air.
Retreat.
For the Big Mom Pirates, it was humiliation.
Yet even the more arrogant siblings could not deny the reality before them. This was no ordinary clash.
This was extermination.
"Indeed, Mama," several commanders admitted grimly. "If we exhaust ourselves defending every island, we'll lose everything."
Charlotte Linlin's jaw tightened.
For a long moment, her aura flared violently—Homies nearby trembled.
But she was not a fool.
She understood the scale of what approached.
"Fine!"
Her voice thundered through the chamber.
"Send orders immediately to all thirty-four islands of Totto Land!"
"Use terrain to delay the enemy. Hold as long as possible."
"If they cannot withstand the assault, withdraw to Cake Island—or retreat into Beasts Pirates or Phoenix Pirates territory!"
Her eyes flashed sharply.
"And contact Kaido and Marco at once. Invoke the third clause of the alliance. They will reinforce us."
She turned toward Brulee.
"Brulee. We left Marco a mirror before. I didn't expect it to be useful so soon. Open a connection immediately. Have the Phoenix Pirates prepare to deploy through the Mirror World."
Brulee swallowed but nodded quickly.
"Yes, Mama!"
Katakuri spoke again, thinking several steps ahead.
"Mama, we should also evacuate the younger siblings. Use Brulee's ability to send them to the Phoenix Pirates' territory."
He looked toward the palace exterior.
"Cake Island will soon become the center of the battlefield."
Linlin gave a slow nod.
"Do it."
She then turned to the gathered commanders.
"The rest of you—prepare to meet the Marines."
"OOOOH!!!"
The roar that answered her was filled with fury.
War had been declared.
—
Far out at sea, aboard the Marine flagship—
Sakazuki held a Den Den Mushi close to his face.
"All Marine forces, listen carefully."
His voice was absolute.
"Encircle Cake Island completely. Priority target: sink every pirate vessel. Do not rush to land."
He paused.
"I will deliver them a welcome gift first."
"Yes, Fleet Admiral!"
The response was immediate and unwavering.
After ending the call, Sakazuki stepped forward to the bow of the ship.
His coat fluttered violently in the sea wind.
"The Three Emperors Alliance…"
His eyes burned with ruthless intent.
"Let it crumble from here."
"Clear the deck," he ordered coldly.
The Marines immediately retreated, knowing exactly what was coming.
Sakazuki spread his arms.
His fists transformed instantly into blazing magma, heat distorting the very air around him.
The sea below began to hiss and boil.
He roared to the heavens—
"METEOR VOLCANO!"
And the sky above Cake Island began to burn.
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