Katakuri and the remaining members of the Big Mom Pirates who hadn't fainted or died froze when they heard Elior's words.

They all felt an overwhelming sense of horror and disbelief.

An alliance?

Just hearing that word was terrifying and beyond imagination.

Now, Elior was actually saying he wanted to form an alliance with their mother?

"What… did you just say?"

When Big Mom herself heard Elior's words, she momentarily forgot the pain wracking her body.

Even she couldn't believe it.

For a moment, she wondered if she'd heard him wrong.

"An alliance… including you… and Kaido as well?"

Elior spoke calmly, almost indifferently.

Not only Katakuri and the others, but even Big Mom herself was left in shock.

Everyone present, except for the members of Elior's crew, was shaken to the core.

Elior didn't just want an alliance with Big Mom—he wanted to include Kaido as well?

Was this some kind of joke?

"An alliance… you're saying you want one not just with me, but with Kaido too?"

Big Mom's voice trembled.

Katakuri and the others felt a storm raging in their hearts.

It was terrifying.

Elior's so-called alliance would include three of the current Yonko!

If this alliance became reality, the world itself would tremble. Perhaps… this world would become theirs.

The Yonko had always ruled their own territories. Each one commanded an immense power.

But if the Yonko formed an alliance…

The World Government itself could be crushed with ease!

And now Elior wanted to make that happen?

Elior, Big Mom, and Kaido—

Three monsters united?

Just imagining it was terrifying.

Big Mom frowned. "What are you planning? You, me, and Kaido… are you going to bring in the Red-Haired one too, to form a true Yonko alliance?"

Even Big Mom herself felt rattled by Elior's proposal. She had never considered such a thing.

It was beyond imagination.

Elior shook his head.

"No. This alliance is only between me, you, and Kaido. The Red-Haired one… I intend to send him down to meet Roger. Put simply, I'll wipe out the entire Red-Haired Pirates. What do you think?"

"Wipe out the Red-Haired Pirates?!"

Big Mom's voice rose in shock, and even Katakuri and the others felt their hearts race in fear.

Elior smiled.

"Of course, before we destroy the Red-Haired Pirates, we'll form this alliance first. Charlotte Linlin, what do you say? Kaido's already in."

Strictly speaking, Kaido hadn't exactly agreed—Elior had simply roped him in without asking.

After all, Elior had kidnapped Kaido's daughter. He could already imagine Kaido grinding his teeth in rage at night.

But if Big Mom joined… Kaido would have no choice but to follow.

And besides, Kaido already seemed willing to work with Elior.

What he hadn't expected was for Elior to involve Big Mom as well.

That made this alliance all the more terrifying.

"This alliance… it's insane."

Big Mom shook her head. Normally, she was a raving lunatic—but now, she was unnervingly sober.

"Are you serious about this alliance?"

Elior didn't answer right away. He simply nodded.

"Who's in charge?"

Elior smirked.

"Neither you nor Kaido can defeat me. So naturally, I'm the one in charge."

"You…"

Big Mom was speechless. She knew she couldn't beat him.

"Of course," Elior continued, "this alliance will disband after we overthrow the World Government and eliminate the Celestial Dragons. Unless… you'd prefer to keep it going."

Elior had already asked the system once: when he became strong enough to rule the world—when he became King of the World—

He would then be able to travel to other dimensions.

In other words, the world of pirates was only the beginning for Elior.

Once he became King of the World, why would he worry about controlling Big Mom?

It wouldn't even matter.

This world would be his. And this was only the start.

"You want to destroy the World Government… and the Celestial Dragons?"

Big Mom's voice trembled again.

"Don't you?" Elior shot back.

"Instead of sitting on one side of the New World forever… isn't it better to fight for something bigger, Charlotte Linlin?"

Big Mom fell silent.

Elior believed she would accept the alliance.

After all, in the original timeline, Big Mom eventually allied with Kaido.

Sure enough, after nearly a minute, Big Mom finally spoke.

"Fine. I agree to the alliance."

"Welcome aboard" Elior said with a grin.

The Big Mom Pirates erupted in disbelief.

None of them could stay calm.

Their mother had just allied with Elior?

Just like that?

How… was this even possible?

But it was Big Mom herself who agreed.

The truth was undeniable.

On the other side, Stussy, watching from a distance through a telescope, felt her heart tighten.

As an undercover agent for the World Government, she had been ordered to monitor this battle.

Now the fighting had stopped… but what was going on?

From this distance, she couldn't hear what Elior and Big Mom were saying.

But judging by the Charlotte family's reactions…

It had to be something huge.

Stussy felt a creeping sense of unease.

She could never have imagined that two of the Yonko would form an alliance…

And even worse, Kaido was part of it.

And soon… the Red-Haired Pirates would be destroyed.

Meanwhile, at both Marine and among the Red-Haired Pirates watching from afar, confusion spread.

From their viewpoint, they couldn't even see Big Mom down in the crater.

They had no idea what was happening.

But Elior was clearly talking to her.

And the Big Mom Pirates' shocked expressions…

Even Akainu and the others were starting to feel uneasy.

"What are they plotting…?"

Tsuru frowned and muttered under her breath.