A tavern on Beehive Island.
"Whoa!"
A pirate was sent flying, crashing heavily onto a tavern table. The force sent him rolling across the floor, where he even slammed into several other tables.
"Beautiful!"
The other pirates in the tavern raised their cups and bottles, cheering.
In the center of the tavern, which had been deliberately cleared out, Katakuri proudly spun the trident in his hand. He glared at the few stiff-faced pirates before him. "Who's next?"
The pirates exchanged a few glances. After steeling themselves, they gritted their teeth and charged at Katakuri together. "Don't get so cocky, brat!"
"Hahahaha! You're the cocky ones!"
Katakuri was only ten years old, but he wasn't afraid in the slightest. Laughing loudly, he swung his trident to meet them.
Although he was only ten, Katakuri was already a head taller than the average adult, and his strength far surpassed theirs.
After all, he was the son Charlotte Linlin, the natural-born Destroyer, was most proud of—the Charlotte Family's greatest masterpiece!
With a single swing of his trident, his tremendous strength sent three pirates flying.
Then his body turned into white mochi, casually allowing the pirates' weapons to pass through him. One could already glimpse the future Katakuri, who would use Observation Haki to foresee the future.
Although the special Paramecia Mochi-Mochi Fruit could also achieve elemental transformation, it was not a true Logia. If Katakuri did not actively transform into mochi, he could still be hit.
"Mochi Bullet Stab!"
His right arm also turned into white mochi and began to spin, swallowing the trident in his hand.
Then the trident began spinning and stabbing furiously.
In an instant, blood sprayed everywhere. The remaining pirates were all sent flying by that attack. Worse off than the previous pirates, they now had massive wounds across their bodies, and one unlucky victim had even been struck cleanly in two.
"The hunt is complete!"
Katakuri brushed his left thumb beneath his nose, then slammed the trident against the ground and announced loudly.
The pirates in the tavern cheered. "As expected of Katakuri! You're amazing!"
Roa lay listlessly on a table, lazily watching Katakuri display his might. He joined the crowd in praising him. "You really do look cool, bro! I hereby declare you the strongest ten-year-old on Beehive Island!"
For young people, there really wasn't much to do on Beehive Island, which was crawling with pirates.
What kind of entertainment did pirates have?
Eating, drinking, whoring, and gambling—none of it was suitable for children.
So the bored children had to rack their brains to find their own amusements. The "playing" Katakuri talked about meant randomly picking pirates on the island and starting an exciting Pirate Hunt.
It was hyper-realistic make-believe suited to the physique of Beehive Island's children.
Roa inhaled, sucking in the black aura released by the pirates.
He considered himself a pacifist and had no particular interest in things like killing and hunting. But who didn't like free afternoon tea?
Katakuri, fresh from his victory, excitedly walked over and pulled out a chair. "That felt great, Roa. Aren't you coming? You haven't joined a hunt since you officially joined the Rocks Pirates."
"I'll pass."
Roa still had his head on the table as he drawled lazily, "I'm a pacifist."
After becoming an officer of the Rocks Pirates, he no longer needed to hunt pirates to obtain black aura.
There was the gladiator arena, after all.
"A pacifist?"
The corners of Katakuri's mouth drooped so far they nearly tore open his stitched lips. "What are you talking about? You're the guy who loves torturing pirates. It's not like I haven't been to your arena."
Roa replied casually, unconcerned. "If I eliminate all the pirates causing trouble, isn't that peace?"
"So that's what you call a pacifist!"
Katakuri retorted irritably, "Besides, aren't you a pirate too?"
"I'm just a temp worker. Not a full-time employee. I only enjoy the benefits and don't shoulder any responsibilities."
"What kind of temp worker is that?"
The cheerful Katakuri complained as he pulled a plate of doughnuts from the bag he carried with him. He opened his mouth wide and swallowed one whole, then mumbled to Roa, "Want one?"
Roa waved him off.
Compared with black aura, human food was truly hard to swallow.
After all, every time he devoured black aura, Roa was essentially undergoing a slight evolution. That sublimation from soul to flesh was something ordinary taste could never compare with.
At that moment, the pirates who had luckily survived—but had still been badly injured by Katakuri—struggled to their feet. They trembled around the table, supporting one another as they left the tavern.
Watching their backs, Roa mused, "Aren't you afraid they'll come back for revenge, Katakuri?"
Come to think of it, Brulee was still safe and sound.
"Those guys? If they have the guts, they can come at me anytime."
Katakuri disdainfully wiped the cream from the corner of his mouth, then tossed another doughnut into his huge mouth. The way he ate was truly ugly, and he looked frightening. No wonder he couldn't make any friends.
He glanced at Roa. "Besides, aren't you even more excessive?"
"That's different. I'm kindhearted."
Roa spoke languidly.
Because Lord Roa couldn't stand watching people be torn apart by life and death, the pirates sent to the gladiator arena were always sent away in neat groups. No one was ever left alone, so where would revenge even come from?
As he spoke, Roa looked Katakuri up and down with interest. "Besides, I'm invincible."
"Invincible?"
Katakuri looked somewhat bewildered.
Just then—
Bang!
The tavern door was pushed open, and a boy hurried inside.
His long tongue hung from his mouth, and his face was filled with urgency.
"Brother Perospero?"
Katakuri looked surprised. "What brings you here?"
The eldest son of the Charlotte Family, Charlotte Perospero, said anxiously, "Katakuri, Brulee's been hurt!"
"Huh?"
Katakuri looked confused, and the doughnut in his hand suddenly fell to the ground.
Roa blinked and lifted his head from the table.
Looking at Katakuri, who was already giving off black aura, Roa thought, What a coincidence.
Bro, you smell so good!
That's why I said it. Unlike invincible me, you have far too many attachments.
A little later.
The villa where the Charlotte Family lived.
"Brother Katakuri, I'm fine..."
The small girl lay on a hospital bed, a slanted wound running across her entire face. Even after emergency treatment, blood continued to flow.
It must have hurt terribly, especially for a five-year-old girl. Yet she forced a smile and comforted her brother. "It doesn't hurt at all. Don't worry."
"Brulee!"
Katakuri looked at his beloved sister's deathly pale face and hurriedly turned to his brothers. "What happened? How did this happen?"
"It was those thugs you taught a lesson to before."
Daifuku, one of Katakuri's triplet younger brothers, spoke in a low voice. "They couldn't beat you, so they went after Brulee. They said that an ugly guy like you shouldn't have such a cute little sister..."
Oven, another younger brother with a flame-like hairstyle, looked at Brulee in anguish. "The doctor said she'll have a permanent scar."
Katakuri's body trembled, and cold sweat instantly covered his forehead.
Was this because of him?
Those thugs had mocked his appearance, so he had beaten them up. And now they had hurt Brulee?
Was everything the result of his acting on his own?
"Don't worry, Brother Katakuri."
The little girl Brulee laboriously grasped Katakuri's hand. Enduring the pain, she wore a gentle expression. "Don't pay it any mind. You only need to be yourself."
Katakuri's body shook violently. He suddenly clenched his teeth and gripped his sister's hand. "Brulee, wait here! Your brother will go avenge you!"
With that, he picked up his trident and turned to leave. But he suddenly paused, then flicked his right hand. His arm transformed into mochi and stretched out, grabbing a scarf from a nearby coat rack. He casually wrapped it around his neck, covering the lower half of his face.
"Hey! Katakuri!"
Perospero was stunned.
Katakuri had never cared what others thought of him!
"Brother Perospero, where are they?"
Katakuri didn't even turn his head.
"The harbor..."
Perospero answered instinctively.
"I'll give them absolute fear!!"
With those words, Katakuri charged out the door.
The few Charlotte brothers were left staring at one another.
"I'll go take a look."
Roa, who had been quietly watching from the side, finally spoke.
When his good brother was in trouble, he, the righteous defender of Beehive Island, naturally had to help him out. It had absolutely nothing to do with black aura.
Before you continue