"Seven hundred million Beli."
Those words rang like a death knell, shattering the last shred of hope.
Gern had not only barged into the tea party and defeated its officers, but had thrown the Big Mom Pirates' eldest son, a minister with a seven-hundred-million bounty, before one of the Four Emperors herself as "dessert"!
This was provocation in its most brazen form!!!
"MAMA!!!!"
Big Mom's wild laughter mingled with her roar, the sound sweeping over everything.
Her enormous body trembled with rage as Conqueror's Haki crackled with dark red lightning.
"Gern, you arrogant little Marine brat! Don't think beating Newgate and Shiki makes you invincible!!"
"Mama is an Emperor too!!!!"
As she spoke, Big Mom's Haki bore down mercilessly on Gern with a terrifying pressure that threatened to crush his soul!
Yet...
Facing Big Mom's blast of Conqueror's Haki, Gern did not even furrow his brow. He merely raised his eyes calmly.
"Heh." A cold chuckle rang out.
An equally vast but even more concentrated surge of dark purple Conqueror's Haki erupted, carrying a chilling, bone-deep will!
It lacked any earth-shaking fanfare, yet held an absolute authority that could sever everything!
BOOM!!!
The two surges of Conqueror's Haki collided head-on!
There was no deafening crash, but a muffled, mournful pulse suddenly spread outward!
Within five kilometers of the two, everything from the lavish decorations to the exquisite dessert towers...
To the weaker guests and children who had barely managed to hold on until now...
Even senior officers like Cracker were shoved back and hurled away by the invisible shock wave!
In an instant, the area immediately around them was swept completely clear!
Only bare ground remained, along with the two figures facing each other with proud defiance!
"What's wrong?" The blast ruffled Gern's hair as he stood in the cleared