Chapter 218: The Riots Continue
Several hours had passed since the banquet riot.
At this moment, three of the Big Mom Pirates' top four Sweet Commanders were personally leading large groups to hunt down the outsiders who had vanished from the banquet.
In addition to Ace and Crocodile, many other guests had disappeared without a trace.
For example, among the Six Emperors of the Underworld who were invited, only Stussy of the Happy Street had remained visible. The whereabouts of the Funeral Parlor Tycoon Drago Pecklo and the Usury King Lufield were also unknown.
Even Shiryu of the Rain, the former Chief Jailer of Impel Down, had vanished amidst the chaos.
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Inside the Cake Castle, Main Hall
"Still no sign of them?"
Charlotte Linlin sat on her throne, glaring down at her gathered children.
"We've found one, Mama," Charlotte Perospero reported, holding a Den Den Mushi. "It's that Usury King Lufield. But when Brother Snak found him… he was already dead."
"Oh-ho-ho! The Usury King is dead? That's front-page material!" Morgans squawked excitedly, pulling out his notepad.
"Shut your beak, Morgans!" Linlin snapped. She didn't care who killed Lufield. "What about the others? Still nothing?"
"Underway, Mama," Perospero replied, licking his candy cane with a sly grin. "Cake Island is surrounded by your wrath. No one can escape from here… except maybe that Fire Emperor. It's only a matter of time before we catch them, so please, Mama—be patient, lick lick lick~."
"Good," Linlin said darkly. "No one dares to make a fool of me and live!"
Her fury was palpable—such rage she hadn't felt since the day Gol D. Roger stole the Road Poneglyph from her territory before the Great Pirate Era began.
"Of course, Mama!" Perospero flattered. "No one leaves our territory unscathed!"
Just then—
"Buru buru buru~ buru buru~"
The Den Den Mushi in Perospero's hand began to ring.
"Lick lick~ more news already? I wonder whose corpse we've found this time?" he said gleefully, answering the call. But as soon as the line connected, an anxious voice came through.
"Mama! Mama! It's Pekoms—something terrible's happening!"
Perospero's smile faded. "Pekoms? Weren't you outside the island? What happened?"
"I'm on my way back right now!" Pekoms shouted. "But I just got word—the giants of Elbaf are gathering their armies to attack us! What's going on? Weren't we supposed to be allied through marriage? Why would they turn on us?!"
Perospero's face tightened. "There was… an incident at the wedding. Lola ran away, so our marriage alliance with Elbaf collapsed. Worse, the giant prince Loki died here on Cake Island…"
"What?! So the giants already know about Loki's death?" Pekoms said, his voice trembling.
"It seems the news spread faster than expected," Perospero admitted grimly. "The situation's a mess. Return to Whole Cake Island at once!"
"Understood—I'll hurry back!" Pekoms said before hanging up.
"Mama," Perospero said seriously, "the giants of Elbaf are mobilizing. What should we do?"
"...Elbaf…" Linlin muttered, her anger fading into something else—nostalgia, perhaps even regret.
But before anyone could speak further—
BOOM!
A thunderous explosion shook the Cake Castle.
"What was that?!"
"That came from the treasure room!"
"Who dares break into our treasure vault now of all times?!"
From the Den Den Mushi in the hall came Charlotte Compote's frantic voice:
"Mama! It's Shiryu of the Rain—and the Queen of the Pleasure District, Stussy! They've broken into the treasure room!"
"What?!" Perospero's eyes widened. "Shiryu I can understand—but Stussy?! That woman's been invited to every one of Mama's tea parties! How dare she betray us like this?!"
"Let us go handle it, Mama!" Charlotte Oven and Charlotte Daifuku stepped forward.
"No," said Charlotte Katakuri, rising from his seat, his voice calm but resolute. "You two aren't strong enough to face Shiryu."
Linlin's grin returned—sharp and bloodthirsty. "Go, my dear children. Bring me their heads!"
Katakuri nodded, turning toward the corridor. "Anyone who challenges the Charlotte Family… will die." He led his siblings toward the treasure room without hesitation.
"By the way, Mama," Perospero added quickly, "Brother Cracker just sent word—he's found Crocodile and Daz Bones. He's leading the Angry Army to surround them now. It won't be long before he delivers their heads to you as well."
Linlin only laughed—a dark, thunderous sound that echoed through the castle halls.
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Inside the Treasure Room
A fierce battle was raging.
Shiryu of the Rain clashed with Charlotte Katakuri, their blades and Haki colliding in bursts of raw power. The air itself split under their strikes; the weaker soldiers dared not approach, lest they be shredded by stray attacks.
Meanwhile, Stussy was being surrounded by Oven, Daifuku, and Compote. Though she fought elegantly, wielding her concealed weapons with deadly precision, she was still overwhelmed by three high-bounty siblings of the Charlotte Family.
Her situation was rapidly deteriorating.
---
Outside the Cake Castle
In the distance, Crocodile and Daz Bones (Mr. 1) were locked in combat as well, besieged by the massive Angry Army led by Charlotte Cracker.
Elsewhere, Ace and Luffy had quietly slipped back into Dessert City, lying low as they searched for an opportunity to rescue the three women from Amazon Lily who had been captured earlier.
The chaos across Whole Cake Island showed no sign of ending.
The riots… were only just beginning.
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