Katakuri confronted Smoothie privately within the confines of her quarters.
On the table, her secret stash of Snow Lotus Paste—a rare ingredient meant specifically for Big Mom's cake—lay open.
Next to it sat a small, ominous vial.
"Planning to poison Mother?" Katakuri accused, his voice deep and void of warmth.
Smoothie stiffened, her breath hitching in her throat.
"Brother Katakuri… you caught me."
Smoothie turned slowly to look at Katakuri, who had appeared silently behind her like a towering shadow.
Her eyes, usually fierce, now revealed a trace of helplessness and sorrow.
Though she was somewhat unsettled, the fact that someone could enter her room without her knowledge meant it could only be him.
Within the entire Big Mom Pirates, only the strongest Sweet Commander possessed such capability.
Since her second brother had chosen to seek her out personally, he must have noticed her unusual behavior at the docks earlier.
Moreover, he had just witnessed her preparing to blend the venom into the Snow Lotus Paste.
With these pieces of evidence, it was enough for her sharp-witted brother to deduce the general situation.
"Smoothie, tell me," Katakuri demanded, his scarf obscuring his expression, "why are you doing this?"
Hearing her second brother's question, Smoothie remained silent.
She didn't know whether she should tell Katakuri the truth.
What if he flew into a rage and went to settle the scores with Ray immediately?
Katakuri was powerful but Ray was a monster who could obliterated her arms with a single strike.
Her brother would surely be no match and would most likely be killed.
And once Ray was provoked, the entire Whole Cake Island would undoubtedly be bathed in blood.
Katakuri frowned slightly, observing her terror.
Pondering for a moment, he understood his sister's dilemma.
"If there's anything I need to be cautious about, tell me. I won't act impulsively."
"Alright... but brother, you must remain calm."
After a brief hesitation, Smoothie finally broke.
She slowly recounted her nightmare to Katakuri—the encounter on the winter island, the loss of her arms, and the ultimatum Ray had given her.
...
Ten minutes later, Katakuri looked gravely at his 13th sister.
The atmosphere in the room was heavy enough to crush a normal man.
"Is this the only way for you to survive?"
Smoothie shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. "I can't think of any other possibility."
At that moment, Katakuri came up with an idea.
He stepped forward, his presence shifting from accuser to a protector.
"What if I return that dog to Ray myself? Could he be persuaded to restore your arms ahead of time? Then you run. Run far away from Totto Land. That way, whether Ray manages to defeat Mama or not, you'll survive."
"Brother, you..." Smoothie stared at him in shock.
"What, did you think I would choose to stop you?"
Like Smoothie, Katakuri had grown up without experiencing much parental love.
Big Mom was a tyrant, not a parent at all.
All their affection was concentrated on their siblings, they raised each other.
Raised by a mother like Charlotte Linlin, who treated her children as political tools or weapons, how could they harbor deep feelings for her?
Except for their eldest brother, Perospero, who followed Big Mom around all day—perhaps he was a filial son, or perhaps just the most fearful.
But Katakuri was different.
He was the family's shield.
Katakuri gently stroked Smoothie's head, a confident, reassuring smile appearing on his face beneath the scarf.
"Smoothie, let me meet Ray."
"Brother, meeting him is dangerous!" she cried out. "Let's stick to my original plan. Don't get involved!"
Katakuri wanted to reassure Smoothie, to say he was confident nothing would happen and that she need not worry.
He opened his mouth to speak.
But just then, a sharp red glint of crimson light flashed successively in both Katakuri's and Smoothie's eyes.
Both siblings saw the immediate future simultaneously and they shook their heads helplessly.
"It seems we have no choice but to meet him."
As the words left his lips, the space in the room distorted.
Katakuri turned around to face the man who had just materialized in Smoothie's bedroom.
"Ray," Katakuri said, his voice calm but carrying an undeniable weight. "I've long heard of your reputation."
Seeing Katakuri's friendly greeting, Ray did not respond in kind.
He cut straight to business, stating his thoughts with cold efficiency.
"I heard your conversation just now. If you truly bring Chouchou to me safely, I agree to restore her injuries ahead of time."
This was Ray's first time meeting Katakuri physically, and truthfully, he felt no particular stir of excitement.
Although Ray would admit that this man—the second strongest fighter of the Big Mom Pirates and the backbone of the Charlotte family—did have some skill.
However, compared to Ray's current self, fueled by fusion and holding the original Tessaiga, the gap was far too wide.
But for now, Ray had no intention of making a move against Katakuri. If this man could indeed bring Chouchou to safety ahead of time, Ray was willing to spare both him and Smoothie when he eventually slaughtered the rest of the Big Mom Pirates.
Just then, Katakuri proposed another condition.
"Simply healing Smoothie's injuries isn't enough," Katakuri said, his stance shifting into a combat readiness.
"I need you to agree to one more thing."
Hearing this, Ray slightly furrowed his brow, while Smoothie, standing beside Katakuri, grew extremely tense.
"Brother, don't add another conditions!" she pleaded, panic rising in her voice. "Ray-sama, my brother was just momentarily carried away. Please don't take it to heart!"
Before Ray could respond, Katakuri raised an arm to stop Smoothie.
He took two deliberate steps toward Ray and his suffocating aura flare up.
"Let me test your strength."
Ray blinked, surprised.
He had initially thought Katakuri would propose something sentimental, like sparing his other siblings from the massacre he was about to commit, but he never expected him to want to face off against him directly.
"Ray," Katakuri explained, his eyes narrowing. "Your bounty is only 1.5 billion berries. Compared to a Yonko, that amount is far too low. My earlier plan to smuggle you the dog may have seemed perfect, but it actually had a fatal flaw."
Katakuri tightened his fists, his Mochi power beginning to ripple.
"If you lose to Mother and when she finds out the anomaly—the missing dog, Smoothie's betrayal—would inevitably lead to the deaths of many of my siblings. She would purge my siblings."
He looked Ray dead in the eye.
"If you want my cooperation, you must prove that you possess the strength to actually kill Mother. Only her death ensures my family's safety."
After a moment of thought, Ray understood.
Once he met Big Mom, the disappearance of Chouchou would no longer be a secret.
After all, Big Mom was a Yonko—she wasn't stupid.
She would surely deduce that one of her children had betrayed her to facilitate the theft.
Katakuri was hedging his bets on the winner.
A smirk tugged at the corner of Ray's mouth.
He respected the logic.
"Fine," Ray replied, his hand drifting to the hilt of Tessaiga. "Where shall we fight?"
Katakuri nodded, appreciating the lack of hesitation.
"Here is too small, and we cannot alert the others yet," Katakuri said.
"We will go to the Mirror World."
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