Chapter 49: The players discover a mysterious sculpture.
Temptation Forest, what a lovely name.
Imagine how much living timber would be lost if such a large forest were all cut down! Violet could hardly believe how lively and cheerful she would be if the Temptation Forest were located in R'lyeh.
"Your family is amazing!"
Is this the power of the Sea Emperor? It's terrifying!
Unlike Violet, whose attempt to establish two leafy meat farms in R'lyeh was violently suppressed by the islanders.
“Sigh…” Violet kicked at the pebbles under her feet with her hands behind her back in a dilemma. “Actually, there are a lot of interesting things on my island too.”
For example, there's the hurricane season boss that can plant crops and fertilize, or the bees that use sword skills and Armament Haki.
Katakuri wasn't interested in anything on Violet Island, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, given the vastness of the sea, once Violet got what she wanted and left, they would likely never see each other again.
"What you're looking for is inside."
A marble tombstone suddenly emerged from the soil deep within the Temptation Forest, its inscription blurred and covered with lush green moss.
Violet took out a golden shovel and walked to the tombstone. Without any remorse for disturbing the deceased's eternal rest, she shoveled at the small mound in front of the tombstone.
A round, chubby little ghost with chocolate-colored skin and white hair emerged from the grave.
She looked at Vera with her crescent-shaped, white eyes.
Would you help me find my treasure?
[[whether]
[The ghost Olbia has followed.]
With a thought, Violet put the ghost Olbia into her backpack. Olbia immediately huddled quietly in the corner, emitting a faint, moonlit glow.
So cute, they're like little elves!
I don't know if I can continue following after completing the task.
The mysterious treasure map revealed that the treasure was deep within the Temptation Forest. After settling the little ghost, Violet studied it for a moment and excitedly called to Katakuri, "Quick, let's go a little further in!"
The Homies and trees in the Temptation Forest will trap and kill anyone who wanders in. Only Linlin herself and items bearing her scent can deter these creatures.
Katakuri held his mother's Vivre Card in his hand, enough to protect them from getting lost in this labyrinthine forest.
The premise is that Vel can't be too far away from Katakuri.
Katakuri watched as Violet, who had let out a howl and vanished like a wild horse, leaving only her back in the blink of an eye, and felt a throbbing pain in his temple.
Katakuri, as a member of the large Charlotte family, did take care of the young Charlottes.
Still pampered by their mother and cared for by the Homies, the little Charlottes were very keen to unleash the excess energy they inherited from their mother on their older brothers and sisters.
Katakuri also had his share of headaches from his younger siblings' liveliness back then.
However, that was all before Katakuri became one of the Three Sweet Commanders. After having his own island and his own fleet, Katakuri had very little time to stay on Whole Cake Island to see his younger siblings who were under ten years old.
At this moment, looking at Violet, who was equally energetic but whose destructive power was increasing exponentially, Katakuri felt a familiar headache, which was rare for him.
He silently raised his hand, and a white glutinous rice rope wrapped around Vera's waist.
Vera: "Huh?"
Under Katakuri's control, the elastic glutinous rice suddenly shrank, and Violet felt her feet suddenly lift off the ground, and then she was uncontrollably sent flying backward.
The soft, fragrant glutinous rice caught her.
Violet struggled to poke her head out from under the sticky rice that was as unbearable as a bed at six in the morning on a winter's day: "Katakuri!"
"Don't run around." Katakuri pressed Violet into the rice like a sweet chocolate bar. "It's dangerous here."
Vera, wrapped in glutinous rice like a spring roll: "...But I have other things I'm looking for."
Katakuri stared at Violet expressionlessly, then gave in after a few seconds: "Okay, I'll find it for you."
"You give me directions."
Violet looked at Katakuri with some surprise. At first glance, she thought he was the kind of guy who was cold and difficult to deal with, but she didn't expect him to be so easy to talk to.
Violet: "You are completely different from what I imagined."
Violet: "I thought you were the kind of person who would be happy to see me in danger."
Katakuri glanced at Violet and, as if not wanting her to overthink it, explained, "It's just that your desserts are alright."
"You like my desserts?" Violet persisted. "Then do you like me?"
Katakuri frowned. Of course, when faced with a teenager asking you "Do you like me?", no one would think of it in a strange way. Katakuri was no exception, taking Wil's question as a competition for affection, just like his younger siblings.
But Katakuri forgot that Violet wasn't like those little Charlottes who desperately tried to get attention from their mothers and siblings.
Violet is the Empress of R'lyeh, and Charlotte Linlin of her island.
She would only act as the referee, sitting on a high chair and deciding which islander she liked better.
However, after thinking about the members and temporary members of R'lyeh, Violet thought, "I think I'm still quite likable."
Violet gave an example: "Perospero and Cracker seem to like me quite a bit."
Perospero and Cracker... Katakuri once again buried his nose in his scarf, not wanting to make any comment about his two shameful brothers.
Sigh, yet another arrogant type.
Violet had a feeling that Katakuri would be very difficult to tame.
But isn't that what makes it challenging?
Perhaps after successfully taming Katakuri, she can take it a step further and create a "Charlotte Factory"?
Katakuri stopped in his tracks; his excellent Observation Haki allowed him to "see" the half-section of pale white marble buried in the soil.
"Is this a tombstone? The shape is so strange..."
Without needing to say anything, Katakuri tacitly placed her next to the "tombstone." After examining the strangely patterned marble without success, Veld gave up and took out a golden shovel to start digging.
One shovel, two shovels, three shovels...
The mound of earth, several times larger than the previous grave, had been shoveled several times but showed no end in sight.
Violet rubbed her sore arm and glanced cautiously at Katakuri.
Katakuri: "..."
Looking at Violet's expectant gaze, Katakuri even doubted for a moment that his Observation Haki had improved again, and that he had even gained the ability to directly read other people's minds.
Otherwise, why would he see through Vera's little scheme so clearly?
Violet eagerly raised the golden shovel, which was pitifully small for Katakuri.
Katakuri will help, right? He will!
Katakuri made his move, calling out to Homies who was secretly watching the scene unfold.
"You, go and dig up that pile of dirt," he commanded.
Violet: "..."
Ah, that wicked crown prince.
Katakuri and Vera watched as the unfortunate Homie wielded his golden shovel to do hard labor, when a clang came from the mound of earth as the shovel struck a hard object.
"Um?"
Vera stepped forward curiously, only to find that what appeared in the large pit dug by Homies was not the treasure chest she had expected, but a huge, pale, broken corner of a statue.
[You have discovered a suspicious marble sculpture]
"Huh?"
Violet looked at Katakuri behind her.
Katakuri stared at the enormous sculpture that had been buried in the Land of Treasures for who knows how long. The traces of soil erosion on it proved that it had not been buried here recently.
Who created such a huge and exquisite sculpture, and who smashed it and buried a part of it in the land of the world?
Does Mom know about this sculpture? And will this sculpture bring danger to the world?
The reliable Katakuri pondered.
An excited Vera immediately took action: "This is interesting, let's dig it all out!"
Thanks to the efforts of Violet and Homies, the secret buried in the soil and kept hidden by someone has finally been brought to light.
It was a sculpture that was over five meters long, wide, and high, carved from a single block of marble, with iris patterns engraved on it.
Although severely damaged, its former beauty and exquisiteness can still be seen from the remaining parts.
"Like... a stage, a podium?"
Vera looked at the smooth edge and guessed.
"Not my mom's type."
The style of this marble sculpture is full of aristocratic luxury, with exquisite reliefs, which is completely unrelated to my mother's tastes.
Violet stepped forward to try and put the marble shard into her backpack, but as she expected, she failed.
[Move the suspicious marble sculpture? (Moving will reduce speed by 99.99% and prevent the use of teleportation magic)]
A 99.99% slowdown?! By the time she transports it back to the island, Luo will be an old man!
Violet took out a golden pickaxe from her backpack and smashed it down hard on the suspicious marble sculpture!
A sharp, teeth-grinding sound echoed through the Temptation Forest. Katakuri clearly saw that the marble slab that was hit didn't even leave a trace of white residue.
Katakuri lowered his brow, gripped the trident tightly, and black Armament Haki wrapped around it.
He stepped forward, stomped his feet hard on the ground, his arm muscles bulged, and he slammed his sharp trident down towards the center of the sculpture!
Bang!
Violet raised her hand to shield her face with her arm, and her black braids, combed behind her head, were blown backward by the strong wind.
Katakuri's attack was relentless; even the Adam Tree would show obvious cracks after such a blow.
But no, the pale marble sculpture remained undamaged, without even a scratch. Katakuri's full-force attack was easily neutralized.
Katakuri's expression was somewhat serious.
“Interesting. Can’t it be destroyed?” Violet walked around the deep pit that had been dug with great interest. “Where do you think the other sculpture fragments are?”
Katakuri stared at the sculpture, his eyes growing increasingly dark.
The indestructible stone carvings, seemingly representing some hidden message, easily evoke the image of historical texts.
It is said that the Poneglyphs are indestructible stone tablets containing the truth of the world recorded in mysterious script that has been lost to time.
Four of the special Poneglyphs contain the coordinates of Laugh Tale, the final island.
However, Katakuri is certain that this is not a Poneglyph, because one of the four special Poneglyphs is his mother's collection, which is currently being kept in Whole Cake Island.
Katakuri had seen that stone tablet, and it was clear that the Poneglyph in his mother's hand was vastly different from the fragment of the statue buried in the soil.
He said cautiously, "I have never seen anything like it."
Violet stroked the marble sculpture that resembled part of a stage: "Who are you waiting for to appear?"
The stage was not yet ready, so the actors could not take their places. Under the spotlight, it was dark, and the grand performance was still covered by a heavy curtain.
"This is truly an interesting puzzle."
She's growing to love the game more and more.
Katakuri saw in Wilkes a strong curiosity and a terrifying drive. That childlike purity and willful recklessness, Katakuri had only seen in one other person—his mother, Charlotte Linlin.
Do teenage mothers also look like this?
Katakuri heard his own heart pounding, and he finally realized why his mother had driven Violet away from Whole Cake Island.
A country can only have one emperor, just as a beehive can only have one empress.
Otherwise, sooner or later, their strong egoism will lead them to a life-or-death struggle until a single victor emerges.
This was undoubtedly a disaster for all nations.
"You should leave."
“Eh?” Violet sighed. “I was originally planning to find another ghost.”
"Alright, alright." Violet quickly cheered herself up. She dusted off her hands, walked up to him with her arms outstretched as if they were old friends, and said, "Let's go."
As the soft mochi wrapped around her, Violet happily ruffled the white cat on Katakuri's scarf, unable to stop smiling.
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Author's Note: Seeing someone ask about pairings, I'm also struggling with it. Evil Mushroom Law is great, Cracker is cute, and Katakuri is handsome too [crying emoji].
Could JJ have a split ending? If the series remains evenly matched in the mid-to-late stages, could he have a split ending? [Eating popcorn emoji]
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