Chapter 397: Chapter 397: Red Hair: We Won, But Where’s the Treasure!
Zeus and Prometheus had planned to use Big Mom’s dazed state to escape with her, but Shanks didn’t give them the chance.
He stood firmly in front of them, sword in hand, blocking their way.
"Red Hair!" Katakuri shouted angrily, his voice full of rage and frustration. He was already badly injured, swaying on his feet, but still forcing himself to stand.
"Let Mom go, and we’ll give you the Poneglyph!" Katakuri took a deep breath and spoke in a deep voice. Saying this made him extremely unwilling, but to save his mother, he had no other choice.
Hearing this, Smoothie couldn’t help but cry out in shock, "Brother Katakuri!"
Her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at her beloved older brother.
In her heart, Mom had always been a figure of unmatched strength and determination. If Mom were conscious right now, she would rather die in battle than allow the Road Poneglyph to be handed over to Red Hair.
But faced with his sister’s doubt, Katakuri gave no reply.
His calm, steady gaze stayed locked on Shanks, as if trying to pierce through him.
To Katakuri, the safety of his family mattered more than anything else.
Even if Mom woke up later and punished him for this, he was willing to bear it. The most important thing right now was to rescue Mom from Red Hair and make sure the whole family got out safely.
Shanks looked at Katakuri, then glanced around the battlefield.
"Alright."
"Deal." Shanks said in a deep voice, then sheathed Gryphon.
He had fought the Big Mom Pirates for the Road Poneglyph from the start. Now he could get it without more bloodshed, and Big Mom wouldn’t have to kill again.
When Shanks agreed, the tension in Katakuri’s chest eased, and a wave of relief washed over him.
Even though the Big Mom Pirates had lost to the Red-Haired Pirates in this battle, as long as Mom was still alive, their family wouldn’t fall apart.
After all, the seas weren’t peaceful right now.
Thinking of this, a faint trace of relief even showed on Katakuri’s stern face.
With the deal struck, both the Red-Haired Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates couldn’t hide their joy and excitement. It was like a flood breaking through a dam, with people crying tears of relief.
In such a brutal war, surviving was a rare kind of luck for everyone.
At that moment,
The battlefield was filled with the joy of surviving a disaster, as if even the clouds in the sky had been dyed bright and colorful by it.
Soon after, both sides began treating their wounded.
Katakuri quickly led Shanks and the others toward the heart of Whole Cake Island. But when they reached Big Mom’s palace, they saw that all the Homies outside had been wiped out, and an uneasy feeling hit everyone.
"This is bad!"
"Brûlée!" Katakuri’s eyes widened, and he dashed toward the palace like lightning.
Shanks and Beckman exchanged a look before also charging in.
When they stepped into the room where Big Mom usually kept her treasures, they were met with empty shelves. The sight made everyone’s faces darken.
"Katakuri..." Shanks frowned and called his name in a deep tone.
Katakuri bit his lip hard and said, his expression like iron,
"The Poneglyph was in Brûlée’s Mirror World, but now Brûlée is gone, and all of Mom’s treasures have been looted!"
"Someone must have snuck in during our fight and robbed Mom’s treasure room. Brûlée was definitely taken by them too!"
Shanks and Beckman looked at each other again.
They both understood the meaning behind Katakuri’s words—
The Poneglyph they had wanted had vanished along with the treasure!
In that moment, Shanks and Beckman’s faces were so dark it was as if water could drip from them.
For the sake of this Road Poneglyph, they had gathered every force the Red-Haired Pirates could muster, going to war with the Big Mom Pirates, another Four Emperors crew!
They had won, but it was a hard-fought victory, and their own crews had taken heavy losses.
But now, the very reason they fought Big Mom’s crew — the Road Poneglyph — had been taken by someone while they were busy fighting?
They didn’t doubt Katakuri’s words.
Even pirates have their own code. A promise made is a promise kept.
"Who could it be..." Beckman muttered.
Shanks was puzzled too. Many could pull something like this off, but at the moment they couldn’t figure out who had slipped in during their battle and taken all the treasures.
"I’m sorry, Red-Hair. It looks like I can’t give you the Poneglyph. If you want to go back on our deal, our Big Mom Pirates won’t complain," Katakuri said with shame. After all, he had promised, and now he couldn’t deliver.
Shanks shook his head. "What matters most right now is finding out who took the Poneglyph. I’m sure you’re worried about your sister’s safety too."
"Of course!"
"I will find my sister Brûlée no matter what!" Katakuri said firmly.
Shanks and Beckman exchanged a look, then left Big Mom’s palace. They now planned to use their information network to find out exactly who this person was.
"Katakuri, what’s going on? I just saw Red-Hair and his crew..."
"How could this happen?"
"What about Mama’s treasures?"
Outside, Smoothie ran into the grim-faced Shanks and Beckman. Before she could ask more, she was shocked to discover that Big Mom’s treasures had completely vanished without a trace.
The sudden change hit Smoothie like a bolt from the blue, leaving her frozen in disbelief.
"Someone took advantage of our battle with the Red-Haired Pirates to sneak in and clean out all the treasures. Even the Road Poneglyph and Brûlée are gone," Katakuri’s deep voice rumbled like distant thunder in her ears.
"What?!" Smoothie’s face was filled with disbelief.
"Activate all our information channels right now. We must find out who did this, and we must find Brûlée!" Katakuri ordered without hesitation.
"I understand," Smoothie replied heavily, then quickly turned and left to begin the search.
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