novelnext Chapter 174 Longing is the emotion furthest from understanding
Chapter 174 Longing is the emotion furthest from understanding
Chapter 174 Longing is the emotion furthest from understanding
The cloyingly sweet atmosphere in the banquet hall instantly froze into ice after Bai Yu's calm and evenly dismissive refusal.
Just moments ago, the room was filled with laughter and melodious music; now, only the soft swaying of the candy crystal chandelier and the gentle dripping of honey along the edge of the cake remain.
Each sound was like striking a string stretched to its limit.
Charlotte Linlin's smile faded at a visible speed.
Those eyes, which had been narrowed by the sweets, suddenly widened, their pupils surging with fury. The Soul-Soul Fruit, combined with his own domineering aura, exploded like a tsunami, engulfing the entire banquet hall. The chocolate murals embedded in the walls cracked slightly, the carpet woven from cloud-like candies undulated violently, and even the sweet fragrance in the air was suffocated by a cold, violent pressure.
Uchiha Hakuha
Charlotte Linlin's voice was no longer a hearty laugh, but an unusually sharp tone that made the entire cake castle tremble slightly: "Do you know what the consequences are of rejecting me?"
"I will give you status, I will give you power, I will give you all the desserts in the world, and I will give you my best daughter in marriage. How dare you say no?"
"You think this Whole Cake Island is a place you can come and go as you please?!"
Katakuri suddenly stood up, the power of his Devil Fruit instantly covering his entire body, with a pale purple Haki swirling around him, making him look like a mochi warrior.
His deep voice carried an undeniable warning: "Bai Yu, don't force your mother to take action. If you back down now, it's not too late."
Perospero's candy cane cracked with a snap, his smile vanished, replaced by a cold, sinister gaze.
"Bai Yu-jun, if you don't listen to reason, you'll suffer the consequences. Your mother's patience has its limits."
The other children also rose to their feet, their various Devil Fruits and auras intertwining to form an impenetrable net. All of Charlotte Linlin's children drew their swords, their Devil Fruit abilities poised to be unleashed. What was originally a warm and sweet banquet had completely transformed into a treacherous trap.
Smoothie's face turned deathly pale instantly.
She looked at her mother, who was in a fit of rage, and then at Bai Yu, who remained as calm as a deep pool. Her heart felt as if it were being squeezed tightly by an invisible hand, and even breathing was painful.
She knew better than anyone the terror of the old woman's rage—she was someone who could unhesitatingly drain even her own children's lifespan.
Once war breaks out, no matter how strong Bai Yu is, he will be dragged into an endless bloodbath by the entire Wan Kingdom.
She couldn't let Bai Yu, whom she admired, die.
She couldn't let her mother ruin her love for Bai Yu, not even her mother.
"Mommy! No!"
Smoothie suddenly stepped in front of Bai Yu, spreading her arms to protect the man behind her.
Her usual calm and composed demeanor, the poise of one of the Four Stars of Desserts, vanished completely, replaced by panic and urgency. Her voice trembled as she pleaded, "Mom, please—don't hit Bai Yu yet! I failed to persuade him properly. I think we can still talk to each other!"
Charlotte Linlin laughed angrily, "What?! My good daughter, even at a time like this, you're still protecting him?!"
"He rejected me, he rejected the whole nation, he rejected you, he rejected becoming my son-in-law, so he is our enemy."
"Get out of my way! Or I'll take care of you too!"
"No!" Smoothie bit her lip hard, her eyes reddening, but she didn't back down an inch.
"Mom, Lord Baiyu didn't do it on purpose! He's just used to his freedom! Give me a little more time, I'll try to persuade him, I'm sure I can convince him to stay! Please—don't take action now—"
She turned around, no longer looking at the furious old woman behind her, and approached Bai Yu step by step, almost trembling.
Normally tall and voluptuous with a mature and aloof demeanor, she now resembled a lost yet persistent fawn, her eyes brimming with tears and deep affection.
She reached out and gently grasped Bai Yu's sleeve, her fingertips trembling slightly.
The next moment, she could no longer suppress the emotions surging in her heart. She threw herself into Bai Yu's arms, wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, buried her face deep in his chest, and felt his steady and powerful heartbeat.
"Baiyu-kun—promise Mommy you won't go, okay?"
Her voice was choked with sobs, yet incredibly sincere.
"Stay in the world — there are endless desserts here, your mother's protection, and me — I will always be with you, forever by your side."
"I don't care about status or title, all I need is to be by your side —"
"I admire you—ever since the first time you defeated me, I've wanted to follow you forever—please don't refuse me, please don't leave the Kingdom of Ten Thousand, okay?"
She held him so tightly, as if if she let go, the person in front of her would completely disappear into this sweet maze.
Everyone in the banquet hall watched this scene unfold.
Katakuri remained silent, Perospero sneered, and the old woman, panting heavily, awaited Shiraha's reply.
Robin, Rangiku, Retsu Unohana, Artoria, and the others did not move.
They simply watched quietly, their eyes showing no surprise, only complete understanding.
They know Bai Yu too well.
He was never someone who could be trapped by tenderness and tears.
Especially in this situation.
Bai Yu lowered his head and looked at Smoothie, who was crying in his arms and completely dependent on him.
Those eyes, which always carried a faint smile, were now completely calm and unfathomable, as if even the warmth of her embrace couldn't melt them in the slightest.
He reached out and hugged her, offering gentle comfort.
next second.
Bai Yu's right hand moved slightly.
No one saw how he moved; they only heard a very faint, cold sound of something cutting through the air.
The grass sword in his hand had been drawn an inch from its sheath at some point.
The blue-green blade was like a pool of cold water, moving so fast that only a blur remained.
"Pfft"
The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh echoed clearly in the deathly silent banquet hall.
Smoothie froze.
The arm around Bai Yu suddenly loosened, and she looked down in disbelief at the knife that had pierced through her chest.
Fresh blood dripped slowly down the cold blade, landing on the cloud-like candy carpet, blooming into a tragic yet alluring flower.
The sweet aroma was instantly overwhelmed by the strong smell of blood.
"Bai——yu——jun————?"
Smoothie raised her head, tears still glistening in her eyes, a mixture of confusion, pain, and disbelief: "For—for—"
Bai Yu slowly drew his sword.
Blood splattered on his fingertips, but he didn't even flinch.
He looked at Smoothie, whose face quickly turned pale and whose body collapsed limply, and his voice was calm, indifferent, and devoid of any warmth, like the coldest truth, each word striking the hearts of everyone present.
"Smoothie, longing, is the emotion furthest from understanding."
Smoothie's body slid limply to the carpet, and her consciousness quickly faded.
The last thing she saw was Bai Yu's calm and composed face, and deep in his eyes, a tenderness as profound as the night that she had never understood before.
The entire room fell silent.
Time seemed to stand still at that moment.
The next instant—"Smoothie—!!!"
Charlotte Linlin let out a deafening roar, a mixture of anger, grief, and madness that transformed into a pressure powerful enough to tear the heavens and earth apart, sweeping across the entire Cake Castle.
Her massive body took a sudden step forward, the ground cracked open, and the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit went berserk. The surrounding flowers, trees, and candy soldiers all screamed in terror at that moment.
"Uchiha Hakuha!!! How dare you kill my daughter right in front of me!!!"
"I will tear you to pieces!!! I will make you and your companions die in the land of mortals!!! I will extract your souls, make them into candy, and eat them forever!!!"
Katakuri's eyes turned bloodshot, and his Conqueror's Haki erupted without restraint. He charged towards Bai Yu like a black lightning bolt, shouting, "You're asking for death!!!"
Perospero's eyes widened in fury. He swung his candy cane fiercely, unleashing a torrent of sticky syrup like a tsunami: "Kill him! Kill him!!!"
All of the women's children simultaneously erupted in anger and attacked.
The light of the Devil Fruits, the cold glint of the weapons, and the domineering roar instantly engulfed the entire banquet hall.
The sweet dream was shattered, replaced by endless bloodshed and war.
Bai Yu simply flicked the blood off his blade, and the Zanpakuto hummed softly in his hand.
He stood amidst the barrage of attacks, his posture still upright and composed, his face showing no sign of panic, only a faint, slightly wicked smirk.
He looked at Smoothie, whom he had secretly protected in his arms with illusion magic and lightning speed. Smoothie appeared to be seriously injured and on the verge of death, but was actually unharmed. A soft light flashed in his eyes that no one could notice.
This strike was not intended to cause harm.
It is protection.
Only by faking Smoothie's death at her own hands can she be recognized as a victim by the old woman and be completely isolated from the impending destruction.
She will not be caught up in the flames of war, nor will she be buried with all nations, nor will she suffer a gruesome end because she is caught between family ties and personal feelings.
From the very beginning, Bai Yu had paved the way for her to survive.
But he must wield the sword himself on this path.
Retsu Unohana stepped forward gently, her gentle smile concealing the healing and killing aura of her Zanpakuto, already poised to strike: "Shiroha, it seems the game should end."
Artoria gripped the holy sword at her waist, her golden eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
Matsumoto Rangiku lazily tossed her hair, her Zanpakuto clanging softly. Her eyes, devoid of any trace of drunkenness, held only a sharp, piercing light: "Finally, we can get serious. I'm so tired of all this sweet stuff. My Grey Cat should be famous throughout the world by now."
Nico Robin stood at the far side, the power of the Flower Flower Fruit quietly spreading, countless arms silently blooming in the shadows.
"Let's make a scene, Bai Yu."
Bai Yu raised his eyes and looked at the furious Charlotte Linlin, as well as the entire Big Mom Pirates crew that were charging towards them.
"Since you insist on starting a war."
"Then I will do as you wish and crush the entire world."
The sky over Totto Land was torn apart, and the thick clouds exploded in the clash of Conqueror's Haki. Charlotte Linlin was surrounded by Haki that could crush steel. Her huge body shattered the earth, and every step made the entire Whole Cake Island tremble violently. The rolling waves of pressure crushed towards Uchiha Shiroba.
Bai Yu's robes fluttered in the wind, his golden Sharingan suddenly spun, the three tomoe rapidly moving within his pupils, and a scarlet stream of light pierced the sky—a sharp edge woven from eye power and domineering aura that surpassed all things.
Without flinching, lightning crackled beneath his feet, and lightning chakra and Armament Haki enveloped his body. His figure transformed into a streak of purple-gold lightning, charging straight toward Big Mom.
"You brat! How dare you boast of crushing all nations? Today, I'll make sure your soul is annihilated!"
The old woman roared, her hands gathering terrifying soul power. Huge flames and lightning rolled in her palms, and Prometheus and Zeus roared as they pounced, the intense heat distorting the air into scorching waves.
"Noisy."
Bai Yu let out a cold shout, his Sharingan power erupted, and the skeleton of Susanoo unfolded behind him with a bang. The black giant phantom blotted out the sky, and Armament Haki covered the armor of Susanoo, turning it into an indestructible barrier.
The fist slammed out, colliding with the old woman. The shockwave swept in all directions, crushing the surrounding chocolate buildings into dust and creating deep, bottomless ravines in the ground.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the battlefield, a full-scale melee had already broken out.
Katakuri unleashed the full power of his Mochi Mochi Fruit, his pale purple Conqueror's Haki intertwining with top-tier Observation Haki. He had already foreseen all attack trajectories, and his trident, sharp enough to tear through space, was fixed on the woman before him—Artoria.
Artoria gripped the curry stick, her eyes blazing with fighting spirit. The Wind King's Barrier wrapped around the sword, and the fierce sword energy sliced through the air with a piercing shriek.
Facing the strongest fighter in the Big Mom Pirates, her innate competitive spirit was actually ignited.
Your power is meaningless before absolute power.
Katakuri's deep voice rang out, and the spear formed from the mochi ball pierced out in an instant, so fast that it left afterimages. Artoria simply snorted and blocked with her sword. The sword and the mochi ball's power collided, and the two instantly became entangled in battle. The light of the sword and the afterimage of the mochi ball intertwined, enveloping the entire Mirror Coast in the aftershocks of the fierce battle.
On the other side, Retsu Unohana, Rangiku Matsumoto, and Nico Robin were surrounded by more than a dozen executives of the Charlotte Family.
Daifuku's demonic powers, Oven's high temperatures, Garette's Butter-Butter Fruit—all sorts of bizarre Devil Fruit abilities came crashing down, an impenetrable onslaught.
Retsu Unohana, wielding the Minazuki, remained calm yet exuded a chilling aura. With a light swing of her Zanpakuto, she deflected countless attacks, leaving no one daring to meet her blade. Rangiku Matsumoto's Gray Cat had already been unleashed, countless gray particles raging through the air. Nico Robin, her expression composed, unleashed the power of her Hana Hana no Mi (Flower Flower Fruit) with its pervasive reach, countless arms blooming wildly around the enemy, beneath their feet, and on their weapons, snapping joints, disarming them, and binding their forms. The three stood back to back, surrounded yet holding their own. Blade flashes, sandstorms, and flower-like arms intertwined to form an unbreakable defensive line, preventing the Charlotte Family's executives from advancing an inch.
In a corner of the battlefield, an ugly figure moved silently. Charlotte Brûlée stared at the chaotic battlefield, the power of the Mirror-Mirror Fruit quietly surging in her palm.
Her gaze swept over the fiercely fighting crowd, finally settling on the petite, cute, and harmless-looking figure, Kanna.