Chapter 349: Prelude to a New Era

Time passed.

Several months later.

The great war that occurred in Britannias did not, as Gao Wen had expected, spread throughout the entire world, triggering a new round of turmoil, or thereby push him into the spotlight as a true challenger to the Four Emperors.

Under the suppression of the World Government, the entire sea remained terrifyingly quiet, without raising even the slightest wave because of it.

Yet it was not as calm on the surface as it appeared.

Within the territory of Totto Land.

The ground was littered with devastation; everywhere lay the wreckage of pirate ships and corpses emitting waves of putrid stench.

A great battle had just concluded.

Scattered pirates of Totto Land walked expressionlessly across the aftermath of the battlefield, delivering a final bullet to enemies or comrades who still drew breath.

Katakuri stood in the center of the battlefield with a Solemn Face, gazing into the distance.

After Big Mom's disappearance, even though the high command of Totto Land, led by Katakuri, had sealed off the news, paper ultimately cannot wrap fire.

The subordinate pirate crews that had originally submitted to Totto Land under Big Mom's power, upon learning of her disappearance, began stirring up chaos everywhere within Totto Land, even joining forces with external enemies to gnaw away at Totto Land's territory.

In merely a few short months, Totto Land's front lines retreated again and again, with nearly half of its national territory falling into enemy hands.

But in the end, they held!

Continuous battles acted like whetstones, sharpening Katakuri, Totto Land's sharpest blade.

Shedding his superficial impetuosity and being reborn, his already formidable combat power advanced even further beyond its previous limits.

At this moment, Katakuri was covered in blood, his face heavy with solemnity; his entire aura had undergone an earth-shaking transformation compared to a few months prior.

Having shed his original irritability, he faintly bore the shadow of an emperor, gradually touching upon the realm where Big Mom stood.

"Brother Katakuri."

Smoothie sheathed her long sword and approached Katakuri.

Originally, toward this elder brother who was also one of the Three Sweet Commanders, she had felt unconvinced in her heart, even harboring the faint idea of replacing him.

But now, all those thoughts had vanished like smoke, leaving only immense awe.

Through successive great battles, Katakuri had not lost a single one, among which were even top-tier powerhouses like Wang Zhi, who had once fought alongside Big Mom.

With his formidable strength, strategic vision far surpassing Big Mom's, and a style that won more hearts than Big Mom's, Katakuri had become the undisputed new king of Totto Land following Big Mom's disappearance!

"The northern front has stabilized; in the east, Daifuku and Cracker are holding the line, and they have even begun a counteroffensive to reclaim lost territory."

"In this battle, we have already seen the dawn of victory."

Smoothie paused briefly, then continued:

"We have already decided that after this great war, we will support you, Brother Katakuri, to become the new king!"

"And not..."

"That woman."

Mentioning Big Mom, a trace of fear appeared in Smoothie's eyes, but more than that was resentment and a nausea stemming from the very soul.

Originally, although Big Mom was cruel toward her own children, she could barely be considered fair in rewarding and punishing.

But the act of eating her own children still exceeded Smoothie's limits of acceptance, simply making one want to vomit.

Not only her, but all the high command of Totto Land, Big Mom's most excellent offspring, upon hearing this from Perospero, felt nothing but a chill arising from the depths of their hearts.

Regarding Katakuri inheriting the throne, they had absolutely no objections.

Moreover, during this period, Katakuri had already proven that he possessed the qualification to bear the fate of Totto Land!

"Good!"

Katakuri responded with a single word, then his pupils contracted slightly; he lifted his head to look at the distant sea and firmly gripped the trident beside his hand!

Tap—!

The crisp sound caused Smoothie to pause in slight surprise, and she whipped her head around.

She saw only a familiar figure on the distant sea surface, riding a white cloud and speeding along just above the waves.

That person had only one arm and was in a wretched state from head to toe, yet the bloated figure, pink hair, and that vomit-inducing face were something Smoothie could never forget, even in her dreams.

Smoothie opened her mouth, her eyes filled with indescribable terror:

"Mama..."

"Mama~ Mama~"

Big Mom, having returned to her homeland, looked at the two figures in the battlefield ahead, her eyes lighting up:

"Katakuri!"

"Smoothie!"

"I have returned!"

But what greeted her was not the scene of her children bowing in worship as she had anticipated, but rather a trident strike from Katakuri pressing down like a mountain!

Crimson thunder rumbled in the void!

Violent Conqueror's Haki erupted explosively from that trident, pressing the sea surface down until it collapsed; the strength of this aura directly caused Big Mom's pupils to contract sharply.

"This is... Conqueror's Haki Infusion?!"

In just a few months, Katakuri had already attained combat power approaching her own.

She had anticipated the day Katakuri would grow to this level, but she had not expected that Katakuri would turn his spear against her.

"Katakuri, do you know what you are doing?!"

Big Mom flew into a towering rage, raised her hand to summon Napoleon, and unleashed a horizontal slash infused with Conqueror's Haki, colliding in mid-air with Katakuri's thrust!

Boom—!

Violent force poured out, causing the sea surface within a range of several hundred meters nearby to collapse abruptly!

Surging Conqueror's Haki tore the sky apart, while crimson thunder spread through the void; countless unconscious Sea Kings floated to the surface, only to be swallowed by the sea in the next instant!

Big Mom ground her teeth until they nearly cracked, but when she looked up, she saw only a pair of scarlet eyes brimming with murderous intent!

"You..."

"I know, of course I know!"

Katakuri remained unshaken, gripping his trident even tighter:

"Mama, no, Charlotte Linlin, you should not return to Totto Land; you are not welcome here!"

"What exactly has happened?!"

Big Mom looked utterly bewildered, completely unaware of what was going on.

On the distant sea surface, more and more pirates from Totto Land gathered, including elite fighters like Smoothie, Counter, and Oven.

They were originally the children Big Mom had borne, yet now, all she saw in their eyes was hatred and fear.

Though she did not know what had occurred, Big Mom understood clearly that under such circumstances, if she wanted to regain supreme power, she knew exactly what she had to do!

"Katakuri, you should know what the price of defying me is!"

Big Mom had already decided to suppress all disobedience with absolute force; even if her opponent was her most excellent child who had done such a thing, she would absolutely not tolerate it!

Zzzzt—!

Violent Haki roared as Big Mom unleashed her full power!

She had lost an arm, but she was, after all, a ruler who had once commanded wind and rain across the seas, and she possessed absolute confidence in her own strength!

Katakuri, too, had reasons why he could not be defeated.

Standing behind him were his younger brothers and sisters; if he himself were defeated, these siblings might one day become food for the crazed Big Mom!

I cannot lose!

Nor will I lose!

In the next instant, two overwhelmingly powerful waves of Conqueror's Haki collided once more, and the scattered Haki ravaged the sea surface like a wild wind.

All the elite fighters of Totto Land stood guard along the coastline, awaiting the outcome of the battle.

Whether the old king would defend her authority or the new king would rise through blood, they waited for the answer, and they awaited their fate!

"Brother Katakuri, you must win!"

In a corner.

Brûlée could not help but shout:

"You must win!"

"That's right!"