Chapter 353: Pre-battle Preparations, Ready to Go
"Are we just going to do nothing and wait like this?"
In response to Pedro's question, Roman motioned for him to calm down.
"'Infiltration' was never an option—those talking trees, buildings, even flowers and furniture in this country are all creations of BIG MOM's powers, just like my pigeons. Which means:"
"So, as soon as we step into Whole Cake Island, we're exposed?"
"Exactly,"
Roman nodded, facing the serious-looking Panther Ranger.
"Moreover, BIG MOM's treasure room is filled with these 'Homies' creations. Unless we have the 'Invisible Ability' that can block all detection, or the 'Door-Door Ability' that can directly pass through space, getting the Poneglyph means we'll have to force our way in."
"Is that so…"
Pedro's leopard face showed clear disappointment. He had thought he could help his benefactors in his final moments, but now it seemed:
"Don't be discouraged,"
Roman comforted him. Although the lucky 'infiltration and theft' was no longer possible, Pedro, who had once infiltrated BIG MOM's treasure room, would definitely know the way better than Roman, who was here for the first time.
Because of the dense 'Homies,' Roman's pigeon could only circle in the sky, and if it lowered too much, it would be attacked by the trees and windows! So, Roman knew very little about the inside of the buildings.
"Once we've drawn most of BIG MOM's forces, you, Carrot, and Brook—the three fastest people—will infiltrate and copy the Poneglyph. This is a crucial part, and I believe it won't be easy."
"No problem,"
Pedro said seriously,
"I'll give my life for all your kindness!"
"Hehehe, we don't want you to die,"
Luffy, sitting cross-legged on a nearby chair, smiled, showing his teeth. "I want everyone to live, live well, and celebrate together after we win!"
"If possible…"
I also want to see the day you all reach Laugh Tale, but:
Pedro didn't have much time left. It wasn't poison or a curse, but his life was nearing its end.
Life-stealing!
That's the power of BIG MOM's Soul-Soul Fruit.
Five years ago, Pedro led his team to infiltrate Whole Cake Island, hoping to copy the Poneglyph BIG MOM had and give it to the kings of Zou, Cat Viper and Dogstorm. But in the end, his companions were all wiped out, and he barely survived with only one eye and fifty years less of life.
So even though Pedro looks 32 on the outside, he's actually "82" on the inside. Dropping dead at any moment wouldn't be surprising.
"That's right. If I can't make sure everyone gets out of this safely, wouldn't I be a failure as a 'strategist'?"
"Hahahaha."
Watching Luffy and Roman exchange confident smiles, Pedro didn't even know what to say. Isn't this a bit too much confidence?
"But before that—"
As Roman spoke, his hands suddenly blurred into motion, moving as fast as lightning. Even Pedro, with a bounty of 382 million, couldn't dodge in time.
Swish—
In a flash, Pedro had retreated more than ten meters. One hand rested on the hilt of his sword, but he forced himself not to draw it.
"Roman, what's the meaning of this?"
"Shouldn't I be the one asking that?"
Roman rolled his eyes and held up a long strand of explosives.
"Carrying something like this doesn't really scream 'I'm planning to leave with everyone safely.'"
"…By the way, where did you get these?"
Roman was quite interested in these explosives, considering they were strong enough to blow off Perospero's arm. Breaking through Haki and even syrup-based defenses? Impressive firepower.
"…It's a type of high-powered explosive from the New World black market. Probably something made by a Devil Fruit user."
Pedro sighed as he explained, and Roman closed his eyes to sense it.
Sure enough, the explosives gave off a faint resistance to the "Momo Momo" ability. Not as strong as Armament Haki, but still noticeable—clear proof that this was another type of Devil Fruit power.
The Momo Momo ability could enhance normal objects, allowing for things like "tenfold" or "twentyfold" boosts. But when used on Devil Fruit abilities, the effect weakened significantly. And if applied to a Haki user's own body, the boost would drop dramatically—
Otherwise, with Wapol's powerful physique and ability to use "Moonwalk," a true "100x enhancement" would send him flying off the planet.
"I'll be taking these."
With his Momo Momo ability, Roman was the best person to make use of external tools like these. More importantly, if he didn't confiscate them, Pedro might end up pulling a suicide attack mid-battle, just like in the original timeline.
"This…"
"In exchange, take this."
Roman handed Pedro a stack of green paper, making the jaguar warrior's eyes widen in shock.
"This is…"
A powerful surge of life energy flowed into Pedro's body. Unlike Nami's healing blue flames, this felt rougher, stronger! Not only did it instantly restore him to peak condition, but it even gave back some of the lifespan he had lost!
It wasn't much, but it was enough to pull him back from the brink of sudden death.
"These are creations of my ability. They can heal injuries and restore stamina… Too bad Luffy doesn't like using them—"
"If I use stuff like this, I can't become Pirate King!"
"Yes, yes."
Roman waved off Luffy's usual stubbornness. Truthfully, Luffy had sharp instincts—if he relied too much on these "healing papers," he'd unknowingly lose his drive to push forward. And without that, he'd never reach the top.
That's why not just Luffy, but even Roman and the rest of the Straw Hats refused to use these papers in battle for cheap healing tactics.
"Take these papers. We're just dealing with a mere Four Emperors, no need to act like we're all doomed."
Then Roman added with a smirk,
"Unless… you're planning to be Pirate King too?"
"…Thanks."
Trading explosives for healing papers, Pedro knew Roman genuinely meant well. Just as he struggled to find the right words—
"Roman! Hurry up, come quick~~"
"They're bringing out the 'wedding gifts'!"
"That pervy cook actually looks kinda decent when he cleans up—"
"I think the cat-shaped wedding car is kinda cute…"
"...Seriously, you guys are way too nosy."
Aboard the Flying White Merry, Roman, Pedro, and Luffy were discussing plans while Carrot played around on the deck. Meanwhile, the rest of the crew had gathered in front of a "screen," watching with excitement like fans following their favorite show.
The screen, displaying a live feed from Roman's white dove, showed a large cat wearing earmuffs and a "66" on its forehead pulling a carriage—or rather, a "cat carriage"—slowly forward, flanked by two rows of heavily armed soldiers.
A golden sash on the chest, a black cape flowing behind, a giant eagle emblem on the roof, and long flags hanging on both sides... This Germa 66 looked just like something straight out of Germany!
"You guys do realize this isn't just some live broadcast, right?"
Roman reminded the group, "Sanji is going to freak out when he finds out you've been spying on his past. But more importantly—today is the engagement. Tomorrow is the wedding! That means a huge battle is inevitable. Are you all ready for that?"
"Whoa! I'm in top shape this week!"
Franky gave a thumbs-up, standing next to the Black Rhino FR-U4 and Brachio Tank 5, which had been brought up from the Sunny's dock.
These two machines could combine to form General Franky.
"Relax, with my 'Bag Book' and 'Flourishing Book' powers, I'm dying to put on a show!"
Usopp was brimming with confidence. The Bag Book allowed him to carry a ton of gadgets, and the Flourishing Book let him rapidly grow various battle plants—a perfect combination.
"I'm not the same man I was yesterday! I can take on ten at once!"
...If that makes you happy.
"Hey, we're talking about the Four Emperors' 'Big Mom' here. Roman, are you even thinking straight?"
Nami, having spent two years in the Marines, had a good understanding of Big Mom's terrifying strength. And besides—
"If a battle breaks out, I'll be at a huge disadvantage, won't I? No matter how much I know about weather, there's no way I can compete with a monster who can literally control lightning and the sun..."
"Don't panic. You need to have faith in yourself."
Roman patted Nami on the shoulder.
"And besides, I'll be there to help you."
"Easy for you to say. When the entire Big Mom Pirates crew gathers, we'll be up against at least a few dozen Rear Admirals' worth of power, over ten Vice Admiral-level fighters, the Three Sweet Commanders, and Big Mom herself... Ugh, whatever. I'll just do my best."
Ever since Luffy, Roman, and Zoro all agreed on a direct fight, Nami had been feeling low-energy. Unlike the others, she had firsthand knowledge of just how strong the Big Mom Pirates were.
Dozens of fighters with bounties over 100 million, more than ten officers at 300 million, several nearing a billion, and then there was Big Mom herself—4.388 billion berries...
If they could take them down one by one in guerrilla-style attacks, maybe. But a full-on fight?
No matter how she looked at it, there was no way the Straw Hats could win.
"So, who's my opponent, Roman?"
Zoro didn't care about how many enemies there were or how strong they might be. Strategy was Roman's job. His only concern—
"Is there a top-level swordsman among them?"
"There is. One of the Three Sweet Commanders, Charlotte Smoothie. She's a master swordsman and a Devil Fruit user, though her fruit is more of a support ability—her real strength lies in her swordsmanship. She's a tough one!"
"Perfect. I can't wait."
Zoro's face was filled with battle excitement. As for the fact that his opponent was a woman...
Didn't people know that Zoro specialized in cutting down female enemies?
Though, to be fair, he always held back just enough to still look ridiculously cool.
"Anyway, even though they outnumber us, we're not without our advantages. And our goal isn't to completely take down the Big Mom Pirates in one fight. We're focusing on three key objectives:"
"Getting Sanji back,"
"Shaking up Big Mom's forces,"
"And making a copy of the Poneglyph."
First, their friend. Then family. And only after that—dreams.
As long as BIG MOM is taken out, the Straw Hat Crew should be able to at least escape safely, even if they can't defeat the Three Sweet Commanders and the entire Charlotte family.
Roman wouldn't have come up with a plan to fight head-on while the enemy gathered their forces if he didn't know BIG MOM's weakness.
After all, a photo is just paper!
---
----You can read 10 advanced chapters at my patreon.com/YeyeQiu