Chapter 439: Big Mom's Recruitment

"Hmph!"

Feeling Zhang Jie's naked gaze, which was so intense it was almost spitting fire, the strong-willed Smoothie glared back without showing weakness.

"BIG MOM, what do you mean?"

Zhang Jie, who had some understanding of Big Mom's style of doing things, seemed to grasp her meaning.

"Mamama, you are a rare powerhouse on the sea. I want to invite you to join our Xia Luote Family.

As long as you are willing to join, I will take charge and marry Smoothie to you. From now on, we will be one family!"

Big Mom, as a pirate emperor and strongwoman who had been used to having her word be law for decades, spoke bluntly.

'As expected.'

Zhang Jie thought to himself that it was as expected.

Among the eighty-plus children Big Mom had given birth to, there were both men and women. The men were powerful combat forces,

while the women were naturally excellent tools for political marriage.

In the anime, in order to win over the Vinsmoke Family, which possessed high-tech levels,

Big Mom chose to marry her thirty-fifth daughter, Xia Luote Pudding, to Sanji, who came from the Vinsmoke Family.

While Zhang Jie was thinking, Big Mom's gaze shifted to Smoothie:

"Smoothie, my daughter, are you willing?"

Although the words sounded intimate, there was little affection in them; it was entirely a superior's command to a subordinate.

"Mama, I… I am willing."

Although Smoothie was somewhat resistant to Mama wanting her to marry a man she was meeting for the first time,

she dared not refuse, hindered by the brutal prestige Big Mom had built up over the years.

'If it's him, it seems it wouldn't be bad.'

She swept a glance at Zhang Jie from the corner of her eye, silently comforting herself.

Although she and Zhang Jie were meeting for the first time and knew next to nothing about each other, knowing Zhang Jie was strong enough was enough!

Zhang Jie was strong enough, which fit her criteria for a spouse perfectly, and he was young enough,

with room for improvement in the future. Maybe one day… maybe he could overthrow Mama!

Crack!

Keeping a cool appearance, Katakuri, who was sitting to the side without saying a word, snapped the knife and fork in his hand.

'It's like this again, it's like this again!'

The anger in his heart surged like an active volcano about to erupt.

Although they were all Mama's children and all had the blood of the Xia Luote Family,

in Mama's eyes, they were merely tools used to strengthen her power.

This brutal monarch only ever considered what was in her own interest and never cared about their feelings!

"Mamama, as long as you join, you will be one of the new Sweet Commanders,

and your status will be on par with Katakuri." Big Mom continued to offer her recruitment terms.

"My answer is…"

Zhang Jie spoke slowly after thinking for a while.

Everyone present pricked up their ears: once Zhang Jie chose to join,

and after marrying Smoothie, a brand new, massive faction

capable of rivaling Katakuri would emerge within Totto Land.

Although the officers of the Xia Luote Family were all brothers and sisters of the same mother,

there were so many brothers and sisters that they could form seven or eight soccer teams. Plus, with different fathers,

conflicts of closeness, distance, and even interests would naturally arise.

Smoothie was also somewhat uneasy: she both hoped Zhang Jie would flatly refuse Mama and was inexplicably looking forward to it.

Only Katakuri, who could foresee the future, had a smile appear on the corner of his mouth.

"My answer is, the world is so big, I want to go and see it."

Zhang Jie slowly stated his answer.

Having finally arrived in this rich and colorful Pirate King World, and having finally gained enough strength to protect himself,

how could he limit his future to the New World, or even to this corner of Totto Land?

Although Smoothie was also very beautiful, women would only affect the speed at which he draws his sword…

Uh, it would affect his plan to travel the world: Smoothie was a great pirate with a bounty of nearly one billion Berries.

If she went out into the New World, then the ones coming to visit him would be Marine Admirals.

Besides, how could he give up the whole forest for one tree?

Zhang Jie, having the Zhang Jies of *Water Margin* and *Heavenly Dragon* as role models, indicated that his chest was broad enough…

'He refused…'

Smoothie, having received the answer she wanted, felt inexplicably disappointed.

Big Mom's expression suddenly turned icy:

"Mamama, so you are choosing to refuse?"

Zhang Jie spread his hands: "Big Mom, do you need me to say it more clearly?"

"It seems you prefer a toast to a forfeit!"

Big Mom suddenly stood up, and the massive shadow cast by her bloated figure, which was taller than two elephants stacked together, enveloped Zhang Jie:

"Since you are so unappreciative, then don't leave today!"

Zhang Jie had fought her before, and although he hadn't hurt her,

the pain of being beaten like a bowling ball was not fake at all.

Could it be that she, BIG MOM, was a good-tempered person who didn't fight back after being hit?

Furthermore, Zhang Jie was so young and possessed such powerful strength. If she let him go,

who knew how strong he would become in the future? Would he reach the level of Whitebeard,

or even Captain Rocks, whom she still found hard to forget to this day?

For such a genius, if he couldn't be used for her own purposes, then just in case, he had to be destroyed!

"Katakuri, Smoothie, do it!"

Big Mom gave the order.

With her, having recovered her sanity, as the main force, and with Katakuri and Smoothie assisting from the side,

she was confident that even Kaido would not be able to leave if he came.

A Zhang Jie whose strength was inferior to Kaido would definitely have nowhere to retreat!

"I'm sorry."

Although she felt some guilt toward Zhang Jie in her heart, Big Mom's dominance over the years still gained the upper hand.

Smoothie, standing on Zhang Jie's left, drew the long sword at her waist and pointed it straight at Zhang Jie.

Katakuri remained silent, but his figure had already quietly

appeared on Zhang Jie's right, silently blocking Zhang Jie's retreat.

The other members of the Xia Luote Family also took out their respective weapons, eyeing Zhang Jie like tigers watching their prey.

Big Mom, feeling that victory was already in her grasp, said: "Kid, Mama will give you one more chance.

Marry Smoothie now and join my Xia Luote Family!"

"My choice is still… refuse!"

Zhang Jie answered decisively.

He, Zhang Jie, had always been one to eat soft but not hard, and what he loved most was saying "no" to self-righteous people like Big Mom!

"You're courting death!"

Big Mom was furious. Napoleon, who had turned into a hat on her head, sensed his master's anger,

and ignited with raging flames, performing what it meant to be truly furious.

"Ten Thousand Thunderbolts!"

Zeus, the thundercloud, who had been harboring a grudge because Zhang Jie had swallowed all the thunder he had unleashed earlier,

immediately unleashed all the lightning he had been storing toward Zhang Jie.

Sizzle!

Lightning like dragons and snakes pierced the air and landed on Zhang Jie.

"Hee hee."

A smile immediately appeared on Zeus's face.

Although with Zhang Jie's strength, this lightning strike couldn't hurt him,

it would cause a momentary paralysis like the one Mama had earlier. It was that momentary paralysis he wanted

—whether it was Mama or Katakuri and the others, they were all battle-hardened masters

with incredibly keen combat instincts, and they wouldn't let such a great opportunity slip by.

While being besieged, losing the initiative almost meant losing the hope of breaking out. ===== CHAPTER 440 =====