Chapter 189: Interrogation of Cracker

"Brother!" Brulee let out a sharp cry of alarm.

Cracker stumbled forward several steps, his tall boots carving two deep grooves into the ground.

He hadn't yet had time to adjust his center of gravity when he suddenly sensed a suffocating oppressive feeling descending from above his head.

Onoki's figure floated in mid-air, blinding white light gathering in his palm: "Dust Release: Detachment of the Primitive World Technique!"

"Damn it!" Cracker's muscles tensed instantly all over; the opponent's timing was too perfect, catching him exactly at the moment his footing was unsteady, the moment hardest to defend against.

With no time to think further, he slammed both palms onto the ground, using the impact force to flip his body backward.

Simultaneously, the Biscuit Fruit's ability erupted, one thick biscuit wall after another rising instantly from the ground.

"Think this can block Dust Release?" Onoki smiled coldly, the white light in his hand slicing down like a sharp blade; the biscuit walls didn't even hold for a second before turning into scattered crumbs filling the sky.

Seeing the situation turn bad, Brulee pressed both hands against the mirror surface beside her: "Mirror-Mirror Fruit: Reflection!"

"Water Release: Water Dragon Bullet Technique!"

A low voice came from the side; Brulee whipped her head around, only to see Yagura appearing at her left side at some unknown time.

His hands formed hand seals at high speed, moisture in the air condensing in an instant into a ferocious giant dragon that roared as it charged at Brulee.

"Damn it!" Brulee's pupils contracted sharply; before she could even complete the reflection, the water dragon had already slammed heavily into her chest.

"Pfft!"

A mouthful of fresh blood sprayed out; Brulee felt her five viscera and six bowels were about to shatter, water currents wrapping around her body tumbling in mid-air, finally crashing heavily onto the ground.

Dirt sprayed in all directions; her body plowed a deep groove into the earth.

"How is it possible to actually control water?" Brulee panted heavily, her eyes full of disbelief, "This kind of ability..."

Just at this moment, a piercing tearing sound interrupted her words; she saw Onoki's Dust Release light pillar had already enveloped Cracker's upper body.

When the white light dissipated, Cracker's upper body seemed to have been erased into thin air, only his two legs still standing straight in place.

"One dealt with." Onoki's voice carried a hint of coldness.

At this moment, an abrupt change occurred.

A cold light shot out from Cracker's remaining lower half!

Purple long hair fluttering in the air, Cracker's figure appeared like a ghost, the long sword in his hand wreathed in terrifying sword qi stabbing straight for A's throat.

"Armament Haki!" Cracker roared, the sword blade instantly covered in a layer of pitch black.

He gripped the sword hilt tightly with both hands; the next instant, his whole body spun at high speed like a top.

"Roll: Salted Cracker Roll!"

A's eyes focused, lightning erupting on his body surface, his right arm muscles swelling instantly.

"Lightning Armor!" He shouted low, his right arm crossing horizontally to block before his throat.

"Clang!"

Sword edge and arm collided, sparks scattering in all directions! An air wave expanded outward with the two as the center; the ground instantly cracked, A's feet plowing a deep groove into the earth, but his figure remained stable as a boulder.

"Hiss—"

A blood mark appeared on A's right arm, fresh blood slowly flowing down the knotted muscles; "What?!" Cracker watched this scene in disbelief, "A strike wrapped in Armament Haki only left this degree of injury?"

Cracker gripped the sword hilt tightly, cold sweat seeping from his forehead; the man before him wreathed in lightning, his body's toughness far exceeded his imagination.

"This is troublesome." Cracker's expression was grave: "These guys, just where did they pop out from..."

"An attack of this degree." A moved his right arm, muscles tightening, lightning surging violently, "Is still far from enough!"

Before his voice fell, A suddenly moved.

The ground exploded beneath his feet, crushed stones shooting out in all directions as if swept by an invisible hand.

Cracker had just readied his sword when only a streak of deep blue electric light remained before his eyes.

"Damn it!" Cracker's vision blurred; A had already rushed before him.

At the critical moment, his left hand suddenly slapped forward: "Biscuit Shield!"

A biscuit shield taller than himself coalesced into form before him; the shield surface flowed with pitch-black Armament Haki, gleaming with a metallic luster under the sunlight.

"Boom!"

The fist peak slammed heavily onto the shield; the air was instantly compressed, a terrifying shockwave expanding outward with the contact point as the center! Spider-web-like cracks instantly surfaced on the shield face.

"Crack!"

The next second, the shield burst before his eyes; countless biscuit fragments danced in the air.

"What?!" Cracker's pupils contracted sharply, but it was already too late to react.

A's fist slammed into his face without any obstruction!

Boom! Lightning exploded; Cracker only felt a buzz in his brain, his vision spinning heaven and earth.

Before severe pain could even arrive, his whole body had already flown backward like a shell.

"Bastard!"

"Smack! Smack! Smack!"

While flying backward, Cracker clapped his hands frantically; each clap accompanied by a large amount of biscuit fragments coalescing in mid-air.

Biscuit fragments rapidly recombined, forming one burly biscuit soldier after another, each soldier holding a weapon.

"Stop him!" Cracker stumbled slightly upon landing; he wiped the blood traces from the corner of his mouth, gaze locking onto A ahead.

Dozens of biscuit soldiers charged at A with weapons raised! The air was thick with rich biscuit fragrance, but every soldier emitted a heart-palpitating aura.

"Brulee!" Cracker wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, eyes sharp, "Go notify Elder Brother Katakuri! These guys are too dangerous!"

"But Brother..." Brulee's face changed.

"No nonsense!" Cracker clapped his hands again, more biscuit soldiers coalescing in mid-air, "Go quickly! I'll hold them back here!"

"I'm going now." Brulee pressed both hands on the mirror surface beside her; the mirror surface rippled, just as she was about to step into the mirror world, a cold snort came from above her head.

"Want to run?" Onoki's figure floated in mid-air, hands joined: "Earth Release: Rock Fist Technique!"

Boom! A massive rock fist surged from the ground in an instant, directly interrupting Brulee's movement.

She cried out in pain, her whole body sent flying into the air toward Onoki; before she could steady herself, Onoki had finished his hand seals and pressed a palm onto her body.

"Earth Release: Super-Added-Weight Rock Technique!"

Boom! Brulee felt her whole body sink, as if carrying a burden of ten thousand jin, and fell to the ground instantly; she struggled to rise but found her limbs completely unable to move.

"Damn it, what is this ability?" Cold sweat poured from Brulee's forehead, her eyes filled with terror.

On the other side, just as Cracker's summoned Biscuit Soldiers had not yet fully charged forward, a low shout came from Yagura's mouth.

"Water Release: Great Waterfall Technique!"

Yagura formed hand seals with both hands; moisture in the air condensed instantly, and with a rumble, a sky-covering water curtain descended from the heavens, like a mountain flood bursting forth.

"What!" Cracker watched wide-eyed as his carefully crafted Biscuit Soldiers rapidly softened under the impact of the water flow. "How is it possible that someone in this world can control water at will?"

The Biscuit Warriors emitted creaking sounds, beginning to rapidly soften under the impact of the water flow.

At this moment, A's voice exploded within the water flow.

"Hell Stab: One-Finger Nukite!"

A's figure vanished from the spot in an instant! A dazzling flash of lightning passed through the Biscuit Soldier group in a flash.

Time seemed to freeze at this moment; the next moment, every Biscuit Soldier's chest bore a piercing wound.

"Boom!"

In the moment the electric light exploded, all Biscuit Warriors shattered simultaneously. Biscuit fragments scattered in the air, mixed with water vapor, and a burnt sweet fragrance permeated the air.

The next instant, A had already arrived before Cracker, the lightning at his fingertip bursting with dazzling light!

"Armament Haki!" Cracker wrapped black Armament Haki around his sword blade, thrusting the long sword straight forward.

Clang!!! Sword edge collided with finger, air waves surged! The ground cracked instantly, spiderweb-like cracks spread outward, and Cracker's boots plowed two deep grooves in the ground.

"Impossible with just one finger." Cracker gritted his teeth, veins on his arm coiling like horned dragons, yet A's offensive did not lessen in the slightest, instead growing increasingly fierce.

At this moment, a chill came from behind! Cracker's pupils contracted, but it was too late to turn around.

Yagura had appeared behind him at some point, his palm lightly pressing against Cracker's back.

"Water Prison Technique."

In an instant, a large amount of water surged from his palm, instantly wrapping him in a huge water ball!

"Guh!" Cracker wanted to struggle, but the long sword in his hand slipped out of control, even the most basic movements becoming difficult; Armament Haki was forced to recede under the water pressure, revealing his original skin tone.

"Brother!" Brulee struggled to rise, but Onoki's Super Added Weight Rock Technique left her unable to move, and she could only watch helplessly as Cracker was trapped in the Water Prison.

She gritted her teeth and roared at the three of them: "You despicable bastards! When Katakuri Elder Brother arrives, not one of you will escape."

Onoki slowly descended at this time, standing together with the two of them.

"You guys are so strong!" Pound crawled out of the ground, patted the dirt off his body, his eyes filled with awe: "Even Cracker Junior and Brulee Junior are no match."

"You bastard, you said earlier you were BigMom's husband?" A withdrew the lightning around his body, staring sharply at Pound.

Pound scratched his head, revealing a bitter smile: "Ah, yes. I am Lily's twenty-fifth husband."

"Wait," Onoki suddenly turned his head, his face full of shock, "you mean BigMom got married 25 times?"

Hearing this, even the usually calm Yagura showed an expression of disbelief.

"Shut up!" Cracker in the Water Prison suddenly struggled violently, stirring up layers of waves, "You traitor, how dare you in front of outsiders"

Before he finished speaking, Yagura clenched his hand, and stronger water pressure made him unable to speak.

"That's right," Pound continued, "Lily has over forty husbands in total. But after giving birth to children, we husbands are all abandoned by her."

His voice was full of helplessness: "I just want to go to the Castle to see my daughter, even if you make me do anything."

Cracker in the Water Prison heard this and struggled violently once, but was soon suppressed by stronger water pressure.

Onoki thought for a moment: "If so, you should be very familiar with BigMom. Tell us, what is a Life Card?"

Pound was stunned, looking at the three of them with a strange gaze: "You... don't know what a Life Card is?"

He scratched his head: "This is the most basic thing in the New World. A Life Card is a piece of paper that can sense a specific person's location and life status."

"What about the Castle's structure?" A pressed further, "Where will BigMom keep the Life Cards?"

Pound shook his head: "Sorry, my status wasn't high before, and ever since I was driven out of the Castle, I've never been able to go in again..."

"Then it seems we can only get the answer from you." A's gaze swept over Brulee and Cracker, lightning flickering around his body, a oppressive aura permeating the air.

Yagura changed his hand seals, ripples spreading at the edge of the Water Prison, revealing Cracker's blood-covered face.

"Heh," Cracker sneered: "Use whatever methods you want, trying to extract information from my mouth, dream on!"

"Is that so?" A raised his right hand, the lightning at his fingertip like a flickering snake tongue.

"Zila—"

Electric current spread through the entire Water Prison along the water flow in an instant. Cracker's body stiffened violently, muscles twitching wildly, but he bit down hard on his lower lip, not letting out a single scream.

Cracker spat out a mouthful of blood, but a mocking smile curled at the corner of his mouth: "Is that all you've got?"

"Brother!" Brulee was on the verge of tears, but her body, suppressed by Earth Release, could not move.

"Seems we need to change methods." Onoki, seeing Brulee's reaction at this time, said: "Perhaps your sister will understand cherishing life more."

Onoki slowly descended before Brulee: "Tell me the location of the Life Card, and I can consider letting your brother go."

"I..." Brulee bit her lip, her eyes full of struggle.

"Don't say it! Brulee!" Cracker roared hoarsely, "For Mother, absolutely cannot"

"One Finger Pierce Hand!"

Electric light exploded! A's arm was like a bolt of lightning, instantly piercing Cracker's abdomen! "Pfft!"

Cracker spat out a mouthful of fresh blood, but before he could react, the next second, A coldly shouted.

"Discharge!"

Dazzling blue light exploded at the wound, electric current sweeping over Cracker's entire body in an instant! In a flash, the entire Water Prison was shrouded in blue electric light. Electric current raged wildly in the water, the water surface ionized into countless bubbles, emitting a sizzling sound.

"Ahhh!!"

A piercing scream echoed through the forest as Cracker's body convulsed violently within the Water Prison.

"Stop! I'll say it! I'll say everything!" Brulee cried out in despair.

Cracker panted heavily: "B-Brulee, shut up!" He forced his head up, only to lower it again in a wave of pain, "If... if you betray Mom... you know the consequence."

"Enough, brother," Brulee's voice trembled with tears, "Are we just going to watch them..."

Ai immediately withdrew the lightning, the electric light in the Water Prison dissipated, and Cracker slumped down, his chest heaving violently.

Brulee took a deep breath, her voice trembling: "We each had a Life Card before. But ever since someone escaped from Cake Island, Mom flew into a rage and took back everyone's Life Cards."

"All taken back?" Yakura frowned slightly.

"Only one remains, carried by Mom herself," Brulee said with her head bowed, her voice growing fainter, "She... she hid it behind the Holy Mother Photograph. Every time at the Tea Party, she places that photograph on the long table in the Hall."

"Tea Party?" Onoki narrowed his eyes, "Exactly when is it held?"

"Tomorrow." Brulee's words had just fallen.

Yakura immediately continued: "Wait, you said earlier you were waiting for someone here—exactly who were you waiting for?"

"The Kid Pirates. They plan to attack Cake Island during the Tea Party. We received intelligence and thought you were Kid's people."

Onoki and Yakura exchanged a glance.

(Chapter End)