Everyone knew that Charlotte Katakuri's Observation Haki was the pride of the Charlotte Family. For someone to beat him so badly that he withdrew into himself showed just how bizarre the battle had been.
Charlotte Linlin finally put down her cake and rose from her seat, her enormous body looming over the room. She narrowed her eyes as she studied Katakuri. Her ever-proud second son now hung his head, and even his scarf could not hide the exhaustion on his face. She had never seen him like this before.
"You're lying to me!"
Charlotte Linlin's voice suddenly rose, and her Conqueror's Haki swept through the entire hall like a tangible tidal wave.
She did not believe a word about the ability Mu Chen had used. Even she lacked Katakuri's level of Observation Haki, and she had no way to counter it.
"Mama, I'm telling the truth!"
In truth, Charlotte Linlin knew that this son was the most obedient of all her children, and the one she trusted most. He would never lie to her.
But what Katakuri had told her was simply beyond belief.
Katakuri bent slightly under his mother's Conqueror's Haki, but he did not back down. He continued speaking.
"He also said he's already fought the other three Emperors."
"The other three? Kaido and Whitebeard, I know about. But how could that Red-Hair fellow have fought him?"
Charlotte Linlin's eyes flew wide, her scarlet pupils filled with disbelief.
"He didn't give me the details, but I could tell he was telling the truth. That familiarity with the title of Emperor wasn't something he could fake."
"Interesting. How very interesting!"
At those words, a deathly silence fell over the hall. Only Charlotte Linlin's heavy breathing echoed through it.
Meanwhile, in the East Blue, the thin morning mist curled around