One Piece: A Warlord's Path

Chapter 918: Chapter 918: Discovered and Exposed

"Dammit! Looks like we’re compromised!"

On the manicured lawn of a fifth-floor balcony, Aeridar crouched by the window with Pudding in tow. He muttered under his breath, pressing a hand to his chest as he hurriedly refastened his black mask.

Pudding, however, was staring blankly at a man lounging in the sun just a dozen meters away, a man whose hair was sparking with live embers.

The man was equally dumbfounded, watching Aeridar casually put on a mask as if no one else were there.

"Uh..."

Catching someone in his peripheral vision, Aeridar’s neck stiffened as he turned his head slowly to meet the man’s gaze. For a long moment, the three of them simply stood there, eyes wide, staring each other down in a deafening, awkward silence.

"C-C-Cracker-niisan..."

After a few beats, Pudding’s face went deathly pale as she stammered out the man’s name.

Reclined on a white lounge chair was a man with purple hair styled into three distinct tufts; the two on the sides sparked and flickered with fire, and a jagged scar ran down his right eye. He wore brown gloves and a single pauldron on his right shoulder attached to a pink cape, paired with baggy breeches and brown boots. A massive broadsword leaned against the round table at his side.

Charlotte Cracker, nicknamed "Thousand Arms" Cracker. He was the 10th son of the Charlotte Family, the Minister of Biscuits of Totto Land, and one of the Three Sweet Commanders. He held a bounty of 860 million berries and possessed the power of the Paramecia-type Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit!

Cracker loathed pain, he hated it so much he couldn’t even stand the prick of a needle, which is why he usually kept himself encased in a suit of Biscuit Soldier armor. However, when relaxing, such as during this sunbath, he would reveal his true form.

"Pudding! ’Golden Ring’ Aeridar! What the hell are you two doing?"

Cracker stood up, struggling to suppress a surge of manic rage. He took a deep breath, his voice dropping into a low, rasping hiss. "Slinking into Whole Cake Chateau and sneaking into Pudding’s private quarters... just what do you think you’re playing at?"

At that moment, the squad of Chess Soldiers that had charged into Pudding’s room scrambled out of the window, spotting Aeridar and Pudding on the terrace.

"Ahem," Aeridar cleared his throat awkwardly, offering a cautious shrug. "If I said I just came by early to wish Pudding a happy wedding, would you believe me?"

The moment he saw Cracker, Aeridar knew things had gone south. His ’teleportation’ couldn’t transport someone as weak as Pudding over long distances; her body wouldn’t be able to withstand the atmospheric pressure and the sheer G-force of the high-speed transit.

If he tried to fly away, Cracker only needed to stall him for a moment to draw in a swarm of reinforcements, or worse, Big Mom herself.

"You bastard! Do you take me for an idiot?!"

Furious at Aeridar’s half-hearted excuse, Cracker erupted. A terrifying, oppressive aura exploded from him, creating a gust of wind so strong it bent the grass on the lawn.

In an instant, the six Chess Soldiers collapsed as if their souls had been snuffed out by an invisible strike, falling silently to the ground.

Given Aeridar’s getup and the way he was clutching Pudding as if ready to bolt, Cracker didn’t need a genius to figure out the plan: Aeridar was here to kidnap the bride. Seeing Pudding’s lack of resistance, Cracker realized she had likely acted as his guide to slip past the castle’s defenses.

"Pudding! Tell me... are you planning to betray Mama?" Cracker barked, his eyes locked onto her.

"I... I..."

Under the weight of Cracker’s overwhelming pressure, Pudding felt as though a massive boulder were crushing her chest. Her breath hitched, and the words died in her throat.

Tap.

Aeridar stepped forward, positioning himself firmly in front of Pudding. His presence acted as a shield, neutralizing Cracker’s aura and allowing Pudding to breathe again.

"Golden Ring Aeridar, if you turn around and leave right now, I’ll pretend this never happened!" Cracker growled, his anger tempered by a sliver of caution.

He knew Aeridar was a powerhouse on par with Mama herself, backed by an organization no less formidable than the Big Mom Pirates. If they truly came to blows here, there would be no turning back.

"Sigh..."

Aeridar pulled the mask from his face and exhaled a long breath. He shook his head, his voice turning grave. "Sorry, but there is no way I’m letting Pudding marry into the Germa. Besides... aren’t you lot already eyeing my technology?"

"Aeridar-sama!" Pudding whispered, her eyes welling up with tears of gratitude as she gazed at his back.

Cracker’s heart sank at the realization that Aeridar knew about Mama’s plan. His face soured; clearly, Pudding had leaked the secret.

The plan to use Pudding to steal the Chris Pirates’ biotechnology and then use Germa’s scientific resources to digest it was a top-tier secret. In the entire Big Mom Pirates, fewer than five people were privy to it.

Ordinarily, Pudding’s status wouldn’t grant her access to such intel, but she was the linchpin – the plan required her involvement to succeed. Now, before it had even begun, the core of the operation had turned traitor.

"Pudding, you’ve really done it now. Betraying Mama... do you truly think this guy can protect you?" Cracker’s face twisted into a snarl. "No one betrays Mama and lives to tell the tale!"

Sensing the sharp killing intent radiating from his opponent, Aeridar’s eyes narrowed. A vision flashed through his mind, a glimpse into the immediate future.

"Go!"

Aeridar gripped Pudding’s arm and leaped into the sky.

"Don’t you dare run! Pretzel Slash!!"

Cracker’s eyes bulged as he grabbed his massive broadsword and swung with all his might.

SHING—!

A titanic wave of sword aura tore through the air, aimed squarely at Aeridar and Pudding.

"Useless!"

As if he had predicted the move, Aeridar pulled Pudding to the side in a mid-air shift. The massive blade of energy hissed past them, soaring harmlessly into the clouds.

"Dammit! Future Sight?!"

Cracker’s face paled. He recognized the ability, as it was the same power possessed by his elder brother, Katakuri.

Having evaded the strike, Aeridar soared dozens of meters into the air within seconds. At this rate, he would be out of reach even if the entire crew, Charlotte Linlin included, tried to block him.

Suddenly, from the top of Whole Cake Chateau, a colossal wave of violet-red syrup surged upward. It quickly solidified and took shape, forming a massive, jagged torture device: an Iron Maiden shaped like a fanged beast. It loomed over them like a giant mouth, ready to chew Aeridar and Pudding into pulp.

"Perospero-nii!" Cracker shouted, his face lighting up with relief.

Aeridar looked up at the gargantuan candy trap, his jaw tightening. Beside him, Pudding had gone white as a sheet.

"I knew it..." Aeridar muttered. "It’s Perospero."

He knew Cracker’s outburst would alert the castle, but he hadn’t expected Perospero to be the first one to cut off his escape.

Aeridar pulled back his fist and slammed it into the air in front of him like a sledgehammer.

CRACK—!

The air shattered. Spider-web fractures rippled through the sky as a devastating vibration surged forward.

CRACK! BOOM!

The massive violet-red candy Iron Maiden was riddled with cracks in an instant. A heartbeat later, it exploded into a hail of candy shards that scattered in every direction.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!