At the same time, the Den Den Mushi on Tamago's end went silent, but Big Mom's heavy, angry breathing came through clearly. "What the hell is happening?"
Tamago gulped heavily, casting a sidelong look at Pekoms before speaking into the Den Den Mushi. "Mama, there's… been a development. The Straw Hat Pirates ate all the sweets from Fishman Island meant for you." He paused, then added with clear irritation, "And their Vice-Captain, Coby the Copy Ninja, burned your flag. They declared the island under Straw Hat Luffy's protection."
A heavy silence lingered on the line, broken only by Big Mom's sharp intake of breath. Then, her voice erupted from the Den Den Mushi in a furious roar. "They WHAT? Eating my tribute is one thing, but burning my flag—do they think they can just step into the New World and walk all over me?!"
Luffy strolled over to Tamago and snatched the Den Den Mushi right out of his hand. "Oi, Big Mom! I'm Monkey D. Luffy, the man who's gonna be the Pirate King!" His voice boomed, "Yeah, we ate your sweets, and this island's mine now. But I got something else for you. There's a ton of treasure here. I'll trade that for the sweets I ate. Fair deal, right?"
Big Mom's furious silence filled the air. Tamago's eyes widened as he saw the Straw Hats unloading bags of treasures, the glint of gold and jewels spilling out. He glanced at Pekoms, who looked equally stunned, then back to the Den Den Mushi, anticipating Big Mom's reaction.
"I CAN'T EAT TREASURE, STRAW HAT!" Big Mom's voice crackled through the receiver. "I want sweets! If I don't get my tribute, I'll come down there myself and turn Fishman Island to rubble!"
Tamago, sweating under Big Mom's enraged growl, cleared his throat, adjusting his monocle as he tried to intervene. "Mama," he spoke carefully, "the Straw Hats have eaten all the sweets, yes, but… the treasure may be a suitable substitute. A… a form of tribute."
Tamago cleared his throat, glancing nervously at the furious Den Den Mushi. "Mama, you know… the brat Eustass Kid cost us two ships last month. We're low on funds, and a stockpile of Fishman Island's treasure might cover the loss. It'd be a wise investment—considering what we've lost to these rookie pirates."
But Big Mom was relentless. "YOU BASTARD, TAMAGO, DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT?" Her roar crackled through the Den Den Mushi, making everyone nearby tense.
Tamago gulped, but he tried again. "If… you could, perhaps, find it in your heart to forgive them this one time—"
"SHUT YOUR DAMN FACE, TAMAGO, YOU SWINE!" Big Mom snarled. "HOW DARE YOU EVEN SUGGEST SUCH A THING! WHAT KIND OF WORTHLESS PIRATE WOULD PROMISE AWAY THE TREASURE HE DESIRES? WE ARE PIRATES! WE TAKE WHAT WE WANT BY FORCE!"
Tamago gasped, wide-eyed, and Pekoms looked ready to bolt. The Den Den Mushi went quiet for a beat, and Big Mom's tone shifted, cold and calculating. "But I'll admit… I'm intrigued. So, Garp's grandson, huh? You think you can challenge me?" Her voice dropped lower, each word a threat. "You want to protect Fishman Island? Fine. From now on, I'll set my sights on YOU, Straw Hat Luffy."
Luffy grinned, not the least bit shaken. "Then bring it on, Big Mom!" He laughed, his excitement building. "The New World's supposed to be full of strong opponents, right?"
Big Mom's laugh echoed darkly through the Den Den Mushi. "You'll regret this, Straw Hat! And when I get my hands on you, I'll show you what a real Yonko can do."
The Den Den Mushi clicked off, and Tamago and Pekoms stood there, visibly shaken. Coby gave them a dismissive wave. "Well, looks like you're done here, boys. Fishman Island is ours now. Go tell your 'mama' to find herself a new playground."
Tamago shot him a glare, but his fear outweighed his anger. "You idiots really don't know what you've started." He and Pekoms turned after grabbing treasures, stalking off with their heads held high, but it was clear they couldn't get away fast enough.
As soon as they were out of earshot, Coby turned to Luffy, chuckling. "Guess we've got ourselves a Yonko's attention, huh?"
Luffy just shrugged, unfazed. "Yeah, but it's nothing we can't handle."
The two of them strolled back toward the ship, passing by the stunned citizens of Fishman Island who'd gathered around, jaws dropped at the sight of the destroyed flag and the overheard exchange. Whispers swept through the crowd, a mix of awe and apprehension.
King Neptune approached them, his expression a mix of disbelief and concern. "Straw Hat… you really just declared war on Big Mom?"
Luffy grinned. "Yeah, seemed like the right thing to do. We'll protect Fishman Island from now on."
Neptune stared at him, trying to process the sheer audacity. "Well… I suppose we're in your debt, then. Fishman Island will remember this."
Nami crossed her arms, looking up at Neptune. "Make sure you've got enough treasure to cover our fees, then."
Neptune chuckled despite himself, sweating nervously. "You already have all the treasure we had." He glanced back toward the minister, who quickly nodded, meaning the Straw Hats already emptied the treasurer, avoiding Nami's calculating gaze.
Brook chuckled, strumming his guitar. "Yohohoho! Sounds like our work here is done, everyone."
Nami glanced back at the people of Fishman Island, who looked on, some cheering while others simply waved in gratitude. "Alright, everyone! Let's get ready to set sail. We've got a lot more ocean to see!"
With their ship loaded and supplies stocked, the Straw Hat crew bid their final farewells, climbing aboard the Thousand Sunny. The sails unfurled, and Franky controlled the helm, sailing away from the Fishman Island.
Luffy leaned over the railing, hands cupped around his mouth as he yelled to the shrinking island, "See ya, Fishman Island! Next time, let's have another feast!"
The crew laughed, joining him in waving goodbye. Shirahoshi stood on the edge with her brothers, waving her arms, a wide smile on her face. "Goodbye, Luffy-sama, everyone! Thank you for everything!"
As Fishman Island faded from view, Coby joined Luffy at the front of the ship, crossing his arms. "So, where to next, Captain?"
Luffy's grin stretched even wider. "Wherever the strongest opponents are!"
After another wild underwater adventure from Fishman Island toward the New World, the Straw Hats encountered a massive, ghostly white whale gliding alongside the Thousand Sunny. Brook's eyes practically popped as he leaned over the railing, hands clattering with excitement.
"Laboon!" he shouted, waving wildly, although the massive creature didn't react. Luffy, peering over the edge, was just as thrilled. "Nah, that is Uncle Whitebeard!" he yelled.
Just as they recovered from their excitement, a monstrous typhoon swept through the water, threatening to pull the Sunny off course. The waves churned violently, rocking the ship. Before Franky could fight the current, a pod of gigantic whales with identical scars on their heads appeared, circling the Sunny and shielding it from the raging waters. This time, the entire crew froze in stunned silence.
"Laboon!" Brook shouted, practically falling over the railing in disbelief.
"No way!" Usopp yelled, squinting to take in the whole pod. "But they look just like him!"
The whales kept pushing forward, guiding the Sunny safely through the churning waters. With a final shove, the pod launched the ship forward, carrying them beyond the sub-typhoon and back into calmer waters.
Luffy laughed, leaning over the railing to wave at the whales. "Thanks, Laboon crew! Next time we see you, let's all have a party!"
The pod let out a collective, rumbling call that echoed through the ocean as they sank back into the depths, leaving the Straw Hats to sail onward. As they finally rose toward the surface, the golden light of the New World broke through the water, bathing the deck in a warm glow.
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