Cake Island.
In the port behind.
On a massive three-masted sailing ship, its masts all severed, Kong Tai swung Zan Kong to his right with his right hand.
Swoosh—!
Blinding blood painted a "1" on the deck.
Ignoring Katakuri and Cracker, who stood frozen, Kong Tai walked past them with a calm expression.
Perhaps it was the wind generated by Kong Tai's movement that broke the silence of the two still figures.
Pfft—!
Blood gushed like a fountain, carrying their heads soaring into the sky, then arcing before falling onto the deck with a thud.
Their bodies, as life ebbed away, lost their support and slowly collapsed.
Kong Tai showed no mercy.
Katakuri could indeed foresee the future, but when Kong Tai exuded not the slightest trace of his presence, this man's Observation Haki became blind before him, unable to predict his movements.
Coupled with Kong Tai's overwhelming strength compared to Katakuri, he killed Katakuri in less than two strikes, sending him and Cracker to join their mother and numerous siblings.
Carrying Zan Kong, Kong Tai gazed at the blood-soaked deck, a hint of contemplation in his eyes.
"Should I kill these unconscious Charlotte family members?"
Among those rendered unconscious, he saw "Charlotte Brulee," who had many scenes in the original story.
She must have been only 13 years old at this time!
Besides Brulee, who was the oldest, there were many more little ones aged five or six, even two or three.
"Should I kill them?"
Honestly, at that moment, he truly couldn't bring himself to do it.
Although they were enemies, he couldn't be ruthless towards these children.
These little ones were not Perona; they were genuine children.
Ding—!
"Hmph, forget it!"
Kong Tai exhaled, turned, twirled his sword with a flourish, and sheathed it.
Then he looked towards the open sea.
"Hey! Aren't you coming out?"
His azure pupils calmly fixed on the restless sea, and he spoke placidly.
"Don't worry, I know Jinbe and won't do anything to you."
"If you don't come out, then these little ones will have to fend for themselves here!"
Outside the sailing ship, twenty meters below the sea's surface.
Charlotte Praline, the 21st daughter of the Charlotte family, looked at her husband beside her and asked.
"Should... should we go up?"
Aldin, tall, with a high ponytail, long beard, and a massive trident strapped to his back, turned his head to look at his wife tenderly and replied, "No need to think, Silver Hair has already discovered us. Such a powerful figure, since he said he wouldn't do anything to us, it shouldn't be a lie."
He paused, then looked up at the sea. After a moment's hesitation, he continued, "Besides, your younger brothers and sisters are still up there. I don't think Silver Hair will lay a hand on them. Let's go up and take them away!"
"Mhm!" Charlotte Praline nodded. "I'll listen to you."
Ever since she married Aladdin, her relationship with her family had not been good, so most of the time she and Aladdin stayed on the island he governed.
Katakuri had summoned the Charlotte family to Whole Cake Island yesterday. He and Aladdin hadn't rushed over immediately, only hurrying here today after learning of the retreat from the Totto Land.
Who would have thought that yesterday's impulsive act would have saved their lives?
Not being on the ship at the time, they weren't killed by Kong Tai.
Now, Silver Hair had clearly discovered them. Even though they were in the sea, they felt no sense of security.
And Silver Hair's request for them to come up seemed to be for them to take the younger siblings away.
While her relationship with her family wasn't great, she harbored no ill will towards these younger siblings.
After all, they were family. So, since her husband agreed to go up, they would go up.
Soon, the two surfaced from the sea and leaped onto the ship.
Looking at the deck, which resembled a living hell, their faces turned pale simultaneously.
Especially upon seeing Katakuri's corpse, a chill shot from the soles of their feet to their heads, and their bodies instantly broke out in a cold sweat.
They dared not look up at the young figure amidst the mountain of corpses and sea of blood.
Instead, they lowered their heads and bowed respectfully in Kong Tai's direction.
Ultimately, as the man and husband, Aladdin broke the silence.
He stepped forward, standing in front of his wife, his gaze lowered, not daring to meet Kong Tai's eyes, only looking at the deck beneath Kong Tai's feet, and asked.
"Mr. Silver Hair, what business do you have calling us up?"
"Rest assured, whatever you need, as long as we know, we will tell you everything."
Kong Tai calmly observed the couple, his eyes devoid of any emotion.
Only when he felt their bodies trembling slightly under his gaze did he speak.
"There's no need to be so nervous; I'm not some murderous demon."
"Not a murderous demon?"
A string of question marks appeared simultaneously above the couple's heads.
"Isn't this mountain of corpses and sea of blood on the deck your doing?"
"And you say you're not a murderous demon."
"If this isn't, then what is?"
Kong Tai, unaware of the couple's internal monologue, turned his gaze to the Charlotte family's younglings lying on the ground and continued.
"Take these little ones and leave."
"Without Charlotte Linlin, without the three Sweet Commanders, without Katakuri, the upcoming Totto Land will become a battlefield for countless pirates. If they stay here, it will only be a dead end."
"Although we are on opposing sides, I am not so deranged as to harm children who are only a few years old. Therefore, I will spare them, but you must ensure they do not commit evil in the future."
Kong Tai knew that human thoughts were complex, especially for those born into a family like the Charlotte family.
No one knew what the future held for these children.
But he couldn't truly kill these children based on speculation about one's future malice.
And his request for Aladdin and his wife to guarantee the children wouldn't commit evil was to at least keep an eye on them.
"It's for the sake of these children, after all."
Kong Tai inwardly scoffed at himself, then looked at Aladdin and his wife, awaiting their reply.
Charlotte Praline gazed at her husband's back, waiting for him to make the decision.
Although she had married Aladdin, due to the Charlotte family's power, it was less of her marrying down and more of Aladdin entering her family.
As they were both Fish-Men, her affection for Aladdin was naturally deep, so she usually followed Aladdin's lead on important matters.
Without much thought, Aladdin nodded his assent.
After all, they had anticipated this.
Seeing Aladdin agree, Kong Tai nodded at the couple, then turned and disappeared from the ship.
The couple would naturally handle the aftermath; he had no need to concern himself with it.
As for the Poneglyphs and treasures left there, they wouldn't be able to take them.
If they truly harbored greed.
They would only have themselves to blame.