Challenge Begins

The moment she finished speaking, Charlotte Pudding’s figure flashed. Katakuri’s eyes flew wide open, and his entire body twisted into a bizarre shape. Strange mochi fists surged violently from his body.

However, the red light vanished in an instant. Katakuri staggered back seven or eight steps, bizarre cracks appearing across his body. There was no blood around those cracks; instead, they looked shriveled and withered.

"How about it, Brother Katakuri? You should move aside now, shouldn’t you?" Charlotte Pudding said with a smile.

Katakuri had indeed foreseen Charlotte Pudding’s attack with his precognitive ability. However, her strike had been far too fast. Even though he saw it clearly, his body could not react in time. He was immediately clawed by Charlotte Pudding.

Afterward, he could feel that part of his stamina, spirit, and blood had seemingly been absorbed by Charlotte Pudding. Her presence grew stronger, while his own strength diminished greatly.

That strange absorption ability certainly was not permanent, but even so, it was enough to establish an enormous advantage in battle. Besides, he was no match for Charlotte Pudding to begin with.

Thinking of this, Katakuri silently stepped back several paces. Watching Charlotte Pudding advance step by step toward Cake Castle, his lips moved a few times before he finally spoke in a low voice. "Little sister… be careful!"

"Don’t worry, Brother Katakuri." Charlotte Pudding slightly lifted her delicate little nose. "Mother’s terrifying rule over the entire Charlotte Family will utterly collapse starting today!"

The other members of the Charlotte Family immediately stirred when they saw Charlotte Pudding injure Katakuri in a single move, followed by Katakuri directly making way for Pudding.

"That traitor… can Sister Charlotte Pudding really succeed?"

"Who knows? Mother is so strong!"

"If she really succeeds…"

"Shh, keep it down. It won’t be good if Mother hears us."

Every member of the Charlotte Family wore expressions that were anxious and uneasy, lost and at a loss, yet faintly excited as well, their eyes fixed on Charlotte Pudding as she walked toward Cake Castle.

To be honest, Charlotte Linlin truly could not be considered a qualified mother. If not for her overwhelming strength serving as the umbrella protecting the entire Charlotte Family, the family would have fallen apart long ago.

Fortunately, her children were all quite capable, and there was also Katakuri, the backbone who reconciled the entire family. Otherwise, even though she was the mother of everyone in the Charlotte Family, the family would not have been so united internally.

Thus, the members of the Charlotte Family might have cared deeply for one another. But toward their mother, none of them felt any gratitude, much less familial affection. The only thing left deep in their hearts was profound fear.

"I never expected Pudding to become this strong." Charlotte Smoothie, the only female among the Sweet Four Generals, slowly approached Katakuri. The aged appearance she had worn was gradually fading, clearly showing that Charlotte Pudding had not truly struck ruthlessly.

"I’m even starting to regret not following that Plunderer back then."

Katakuri shook his head. "Opportunities are always reserved for those who are prepared. Pudding… she has been different from everyone else since she was little."

"Heh, indeed. Little Pudding has always had deeper thoughts than all of us." Charlotte Cracker walked over, though it was impossible to tell whether his voice carried mockery or sentiment.

"In any case, let’s wait quietly. Perhaps our Charlotte Family is about to enter a new era." Katakuri spoke calmly.

Charlotte Pudding walked quietly through Cake Castle.

Strangely enough, she had thought that returning here would stir many feelings in her. Fear? Nervousness? Excitement? Yet in the end, her heart was utterly calm.

Only then did she suddenly realize that perhaps, from the very beginning, when she left the Charlotte Family with Yota, she had been hoping for this day to come.

"Mother, I’ve come for you!"

When she pushed open the bedroom doors, she saw Charlotte Linlin inside, devouring cake.

"Mother, it seems like you’ve gotten fatter again."

Charlotte Linlin’s body trembled slightly as she ate. Her bloodshot eyes turned toward her. "Charlotte Pudding, mamamama! You still dare show your face before me?"

"Why wouldn’t I dare see you, Mother?" Charlotte Pudding still wore that gentle smile. "Not only do I dare see you, I also want to replace you as the Captain of the Charlotte Pirates."

Hearing this, Charlotte Linlin’s eyes widened abruptly. She grabbed the Captain’s hat Napoleon from atop her head, and its long blade flashed as it slashed down. "Then let me see what you’re capable of, unfilial daughter!"

With a thunderous boom, massive cracks began spreading across Cake Castle. Then, a seventeen- or eighteen-meter-tall, blood-red Susanoo with bat wings on its back flew out from the top floor of Cake Castle.

"Mamamamama! Don’t even think about running!" Charlotte Linlin rode the thundercloud Zeus as she charged out after her. The two immediately began battling once more in the sky.

Judging by the battle, Charlotte Linlin seemed to hold the upper hand. Her blade strikes were fierce and unrestrained, terrifying shockwaves tearing the clouds in the sky to pieces. Even Cake Island below was affected, with ravines opening one after another.

Thunder, flames, shockwaves, and Charlotte Linlin’s bizarre mamamama laughter made every child of the Charlotte Family’s scalp tingle.

However, the strongest among them, especially Katakuri, revealed faint surprise in their eyes. They could see that their mother had now fallen into an extremely awkward situation.

Charlotte Pudding possessed both the Vampire Fusion Fruit and the Mangekyo Sharingan, specializing in combining all kinds of abilities. Charlotte Linlin, meanwhile, had lost the Soul-Soul Fruit’s power and now relied primarily on her tough body and immense attack power.

Yet although Charlotte Linlin had maintained the upper hand in appearance, she had not landed a single blow that could truly harm Charlotte Pudding. On the contrary, her expression had begun to show signs of confusion, while wisps of white hair had appeared at her temples.

Pudding was slowly using the Vampire Fruit’s power to affect Charlotte Linlin! At this moment, all the powerful members of the Charlotte Family had noticed it.

"Pant, pant, pant…" The battle in the sky continued for a full hour or two before Charlotte Linlin began breathing heavily, sensing that something was wrong.

With her stamina, even fighting for an entire day and night would only barely count as a warm-up. Yet now, after such a short time, she already felt incomparably exhausted.

She raised her hand and looked at the wrinkles on it, then touched her once-pink hair, which had already turned completely pale.

"How could this be…" Charlotte Linlin finally sensed that something was amiss, a flicker of panic flashing through her eyes. At that moment, the blood-red Susanoo in the sky casually waved its hand, and a dark shadowy Susanoo rose from the ground.

"Mother, the battle is only truly beginning now!"