One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 208: The Three Marine Admirals Descend from the Sky!

The tea party was held in the massive open-air plaza of Cake Island. The Big Mom Pirates had spared no effort in creating a grand and luxurious atmosphere. Dozens of tables were set up across the plaza, accommodating hundreds of attendees, including members of the pirate crew and their honored guests.

Maids and waiters moved briskly between the tables, constantly replenishing the desserts and snacks.

Claudius sat at a table alongside Doflamingo, Gion, and Crocodile. At a nearby table, Stussy was seated with Enel and Mihawk, their presence drawing occasional glances from others in the crowd.

"I have to admit," Claudius said, stuffing a small cake into his mouth, "this Charlotte Linlin knows how to put together a proper tea party. The desserts are excellent. But seriously, can we get to the main course already? This endless stream of sweets is going to give me a sugar coma."

There was still a smudge of cream on the corner of his mouth as he spoke.

Crocodile, puffing on his cigar and looking unimpressed, mocked, "This is a tea party, not a banquet. Did you seriously think there'd be a proper meal? This is a place for tea and desserts, not a feast. If anyone here looks tired of the food, it's you. But clearly, you're still going strong."

Claudius ignored the jab. He was used to Crocodile's prickly nature and didn't take his comments seriously. Claudius simply shrugged and replied, "What can I say? You need energy to work. Speaking of which, aren't you going to eat anything?" He picked up a slice of bread and waved it teasingly in front of Crocodile.

Crocodile shot him a disgusted glare. "Don't treat me like a stray dog or cat. Keep your bread to yourself."

"Fufufufufu," Doflamingo chuckled at their banter. He reached over, grabbed the slice of bread from Claudius's hand, and took a bite. "It's actually pretty good. You sure you don't want to try it, Crocodile?"

Crocodile hesitated, eyeing the desserts on the table with mild suspicion. Finally, he shook his head and said, "What if it's poisoned? I'll pass. If something does happen, at least I'll be the one collecting your corpses."

Hearing this, Gion, who had been about to take a bite of a small cake, paused mid-motion. She frowned at the dessert, suddenly uncertain. Before she could decide what to do, Claudius snatched the cake from her hand and popped it into his mouth.

"Stop listening to Crocodile's nonsense," Claudius said between bites. "Why would it be poisoned?"

"That was mine!" Gion exclaimed in irritation, glaring at him.

"I'm just testing it for you," Claudius said shamelessly.

While Claudius and the others were busy eating and chatting, Charlotte Linlin was on stage, addressing the gathered crowd. She was introducing her "new son-in-law," Tesoro, with an exaggerated sense of pride.

Tesoro, tall by most standards, looked absolutely diminutive next to Charlotte Linlin. He barely came up to her knees, and the sheer difference in presence between the two was overwhelming.

Before anyone could respond, another massive magma fist descended from the sky, aimed directly at Charlotte Linlin.

"Like the candles on your cake, Big Mom?" bellowed Sakazuki's voice as he appeared high above.

The crowd collectively gasped in recognition. That voice, that fiery figure—it was Akainu, the new Admiral of the Marines!

Charlotte Linlin didn't hesitate. Wrapping her fist in Haki, she punched upward, meeting the molten fist head-on. The collision sent a violent explosion of magma into the air, scattering flaming debris across the plaza like fireworks.

The festive atmosphere was gone in an instant, replaced by sheer panic. Screams and cries filled the air as the once-celebratory plaza descended into chaos. Guests fled in all directions, desperate to escape the carnage.

Claudius, unfazed, looked down at the table in front of him, which had been partially melted by a stray glob of magma. Glancing at the half-burned plate of biscuits in his hand, he muttered in irritation, "Seriously? I wasn't even done eating yet."

Gion stared at him in disbelief, then handed him the demon blade, Shindō. "You're unbelievable," she said. "In a situation like this, any normal person would grab their weapon first. But no, you saved your biscuits. Are you even human?"

"You just don't get it," Claudius retorted. "The biscuits would've been burned to ash. Shindō, on the other hand, isn't going anywhere. Priorities, Gion. Priorities."

Before Gion could reply, a flash of golden light streaked across the sky. A massive explosion engulfed Charlotte Linlin's position, and a moment later, the elegant yet casual figure of Borsalino landed lightly on the ground.

"So strange," Borsalino drawled, his hands in his pockets. "I kicked her, but it didn't feel like I broke through..."

Moments later, Kuzan descended from above, landing coolly beside him. Sakazuki joined them soon after. The three Marine Admirals now stood together, their combined presence radiating overwhelming power.

Charlotte Linlin's massive figure was obscured by the dense smoke from the explosion, leaving her current condition unclear.

"Huh? Where's Bartholomew Kuma?" Crocodile asked suddenly, frowning. "There were four figures earlier. Where did he go?"

Claudius smirked knowingly. "Doesn't matter. As long as the plan proceeds, it's fine."

***

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