Neutral Good, A Clean Break

"This, we..."

"What are you all standing there for? Let's go, let's go!"

Big Mom, in a frenzy, began causing destruction everywhere. Charlotte family was caught in a dilemma: could they stop her, or not? They were like a group of people trying to soothe a giant baby. The Straw Hat crew watched in stunned silence, while Roman breathed a sigh of relief.

Challenging the 'Four Emperors' right now is still a bit too much of a stretch.

"Does any of you want to try your luck with Big Mom's fist?"

Not to mention that even Roman, at full power, could only barely wound Big Mom, who didn't retaliate. Just the Charlotte Family members surrounding her, and the three Homies — 'Zeus,' 'Prometheus,' and 'Napoleon'—who had already recovered, were not Germa and the Fire Tank Pirates could possibly mess with. Therefore:

"Retreat, back to our 'territory'! Gentlemen—"

Vinsmoke Judge turned to look at the Straw Hat crew.

"You don't have any boats, do you?"

"If you don't mind, let us send you away from the territory of the Whole Cake Island."

The tall man, wearing a metal helmet and with long, golden hair, glanced at Sanji beside him.

"Don't misunderstand, we Germa never owe favors, especially not to a... 'useless' person! That's our bottom line."

Vinsmoke Judge is both a proud and ruthless king and a hypocritical and selfish father, but he is also a grateful and trustworthy man. Therefore:

"I've said it before, Germa will never leave before your Straw Hat crew does."

"Hey ho ho, what's going on outside?"

Brook, who had just escaped from the cake tower in the chaos, looked terrified.

"We were almost buried alive, even though I'm already a skeleton..."

"Nami, Karuchu!"

A rabbit flew and pounced into Nami's arms, and Carrot, with tears in her eyes, grabbed Nami's hand and poured out her grievances.

"Waaaaah, I was almost eaten by a crocodile! It was hiding..."

"Enough, Carrot!"

The composed Pedro interrupted the bunny girl's self-destruction, then nodded to Luffy and Roman, indicating that everything was going smoothly.

"Let's leave quickly, it's hard to say when they'll realize what's happening."

"That's true, we do need to rest for a while."

Nami let out a long sigh of relief. Although she, as a 'mage,' had been standing in the back row dealing damage, the opponent's various strange abilities and ranged attacks such as arrows and bullets never stopped. Her tense nerves needed a rest.

"Yes, yes, rest is necessary!" x2

Chopper and Usopp nodded repeatedly;

"The battlefield is so exaggerated, my 'General Franky' also needs repairs."

"It would be even better if I could relax with a cup of Black Tea."

Franky and Robin were both unharmed, the only difference being that one, 'General Franky,' was covered in wounds, while the other had completely exhausted his strength.

"Tsk, I haven't had enough of fighting with that long-legged woman yet."

Zoro snorted unhappily, but he knew now was not the time to talk about such things.

"Is this the power of the Four Emperors?"

After the close-quarters collision, Capone Bege gained a direct understanding of Big Mom's power. Even when caught off guard, she was far beyond what someone like him, who relied on external objects, could kill... no, she could even injure! His year-long plan to assassinate Four Emperors was simply not going to work. So:

Capone Bege, having absorbed all his men into his body, turned and transformed his legs into tank treads, then began to run away with a thunderous roar.

"Farewell, Straw Hat crew and Germa."

Castle-Castle Fruit are so convenient...

Unfortunately, Capone Bege is neither an 'enemy' nor a 'friend,' so Roman wouldn't try to obtain his blood-recording ability, and Roman doesn't really need that ability anyway.

"Then let's hurry up and go!"

The Germa men were already heading towards the dock, Roman tilted his head in that direction. Although he was capable of flying everyone away, since there was a free boat to ride on, why not conserve some energy?

In any case, all that could be heard behind them was the rumbling sound of demolition and the futile attempts of Charlotte family to appease Big Mom.

"The wedding cake is already..."

"And Mom never even ate that cake!"

"So, this time the 'topic' is a wedding cake that Mom thinks is absolutely delicious?"

"It's no use," the head chef, 'Streusen,' shook his head. "It took us several days to make this cake, and now it's too late. Cough cough..."

Although 'Streusen' was a founding member of the 'Knox Pirates' and a member of the crew alongside Big Mom, he was definitely a strongman in the past! But that is all in the past.

The 'Streusen' is now a 92-year-old man, this giant cake...

Even if he worked himself to death, he couldn't make another one in a short time.

"It seems the minimum requirement is the destruction of Whole Cake Chateau," Charlotte Katakuri calmly revealed the cruel truth. "Evacuate the civilians first, and prioritize sending my younger siblings to my island. Make sure they are not harmed."

"Yes, Katakuri- san."

Several Charlotte family executives immediately took orders to evacuate the crowd and move away the younger siblings who were not very strong, while the remaining senior executives were left in a bind.

If they stop "Mother," Charlotte Opera's corpse, now completely cold, is a prime example; if they don't, it seems their Whole Cake Island is doomed. —Then they might as well go after the Straw Hat crew, at least that way no one will say they're doing nothing.

Most of them would rather face the Straw Hat crew than their 'mother'. However:

?!

"You actually dare to come back!"

Before them Luffy, Roman, Zoro, Sanji, and Charlotte Brulee, who had turned back.

"Perfect, capture them!"

"Wait a moment,"

Faced with her aggressive older siblings, Brulee stepped forward and opened her arms.

"Isn't the most important thing now to let 'Mom' eat the wedding cake? Or are you planning to let her keep causing trouble like this, even destroying the entire Whole Cake Island?"

"·······"

For a moment, the Charlotte Family's high-ranking officials, who had been so excited just moments before, were speechless. After all, there was no way to restore Big Mom's Hunger Pangs except to give her the food she craved. If this dragged on...

"Brulee, are you really sure?"

The bride, still wearing her wedding dress, nodded vigorously as Charlotte Katakuri stepped forward.

It wasn't that she was intentionally trying to be a riddle; rather, she knew Katakuri had already "seen" what she wanted to say. However:

"This is the end, Katakuri- nii!"

The three-eyed girl looked up at her older brothers and sisters. Although many of them had left her with bad memories, and many were the reason for her current awkward personality, but:

"Thank you for taking care of me all these years, Katakuri- san."

Within the entire Charlotte Family, the most respected member is undoubtedly the 'second brother' before us. Compared to their 'mother,' who is prone to both beatings and scoldings, Katakuri is the true pillar of the Charlotte Family. However, Katakuri is busy fighting and has never been defeated, doesn't have much time to manage their lives, except for protecting his younger siblings.

"I will make the 'wedding cake' with Mr. Sanji, and then leave the BIG MOM Pirates!"

"This is my 'end,' Katakuri- san, and everyone else—"

The three-eyed girl fearlessly scanned the faces of her older brothers and sisters. Some were angry, some were sad, some were expressionless, and some held a hint of approval or nostalgia...

What do you think?

··········

"Can,"

Katakuri nodded, accepting the offer on behalf of the entire BIG MOM Pirates.

"Katakuri, but the Straw Hat crew— "

"I already know their 'answer'."

Katakuri his hand, interrupting his twin brother Daifuku's question.

"The rest of you go and evacuate the crowd, hunt down the Tank Flame Pirates, and the Germa 66 members. Leave this to me, Perospero, and Smoothie."

Katakuri's gaze fell on Luffy and Zoro. As long as there were no distractions and he could concentrate, he could see into the more distant 'future'.

"How is it? Straw Hat Luffy, 'White Knight' strategist."

"That's some ridiculously Observation Haki," Roman sighed. "He knows exactly what conditions we're going to propose; it's practically a bug. But—"

Roman turned to look at Luffy.

"Luffy, you make the decision."

"Long-legged man, our battle is not over yet!"

Hmph, what a hypocrite.

Roman rolled his eyes. As for why they turned back, it was partly because of Brulee's 'final settlement,' and partly because:

Amidst the deafening roar of the demolition, the cries and screams of ordinary people could be heard. With Big Mom's destructive power during her episodes, every gesture she made was terrifyingly strong! Even the high-ranking members of the Charlotte Family dared not approach; ordinary people were nothing more than ants before her.

A fragile life that you wouldn't even notice if you just stepped on it!

Whether it's Sanji, Luffy, Zoro, or the rest of the Straw Hat crew, none of them want to drag ordinary people into danger because of their own actions. That's why they turned back to confront the Charlotte Family.

Of course, this is on the premise that the rest of the Straw Hat crew is safe, otherwise Luffy and his crew are not the kind of 'saints' who would sacrifice their comrades for ordinary people.

Acts of kindness that are within one's means are acceptable;

I'm sorry if you're trying to use moral blackmail.

This is what pirates are like.

Germa 66

Inside the castle of the giant snail ship.

"Nami, is it really okay for Luffy, Roman, and Sanji to be like this?"

Nami waved her hand in response to Carrot's concern.

"Don't worry, with Roman around, those idiots will be fine."

Don't forget, although Roman doesn't use it often, he possesses an ability that makes him virtually invincible!

Swap Ability.

Even the Four Emperors wouldn't be able to easily capture Roman, who can teleport directly by swapping with the 'White Knight'. Although any creature captured and swapped away by Roman would experience excruciating pain, those guys just wanted to go back and play the hero.

Well, Nami herself didn't object.

Because she believed in Roman.

We also respect our partners' decisions.