Top of Whole Cake Castle

There was lots of noise ranging from Homies' chanting to people preparing for the tea party. The four sisters were overseeing their own works to impress Big Mom. They attended the tea party before, but this was the first time they participated in managing the party.

"Hmm~ jasmine tea is good to go. Remember. If tea is in water too long, taste will be bitter," Vert instructed cooks to be careful about brewing tea.

"Yes, ma'am! Understood."

"With the final touch, this should be good. Alright this one is good to go," Noire finished arranging food design and smiled.

"Aye aye!"

Noire watched Homies and henchmen carefully delivering snacks and treats that she carefully decorated. Her motto 'visual is very important in cooking' showed very clearly through the food.

"How are my special puddings?" Neptune asked one of henchmen.

"They are all in good shape. Cool and soft. They look fantastic and delicious just from smell and look! I am sure mama will be very impressed."

"Oh yeah~ you have good sense of judgement. You have bright future ahead."

"Oh… Thank you for compliment, my lady! I just can't wait to taste your masterpiece!"

"There are plenty of my special puddings, so don't worry."

Large plates carrying her special banana puddings were carried to the party. Behind them, there were booty that members of Big Mom pirates gathered through pirating. There were also snacks that were paid as royalty fees for using name of Big Mom pirate.

"As expected from our family, that's tons of snacks. Gotta love mama's way of blowing big. We, pirates better enjoy as much as we want while life lasts," Neptune recited what she learned from Big Mom: pirate philosophy.

"I won't lose to you. You are not the only one who came prepared," Blanc leered at Neptune and looked back at her own batch of hard work. They were color manjus of various kinds. From traditional red bean flavor, there was also orange paste.

"Uh, Blanc. You know that we are not competing each other, right? We have different goals. Besides, your manjus look very colorful and delicious. I'm sure mama will love all of our works," Neptune got close to Blanc and put her arm around Blanc's shoulders.

"You think so?"

"Yeah. It's not like we made bitter snacks or something, is it?"

"No…"

"Then, just relax. Everything will turn out fine," Neptune lightly shook Blanc and grinned.

"It looks like you guys made wonderful snacks. I am sure our debut will be great," Vert came in and commented on their works.

"Yeah, Vert. Even from here, I could smell your tea even before it's in water."

"So that's it for us. While we wait, why don't we check on our guests? It's good chance to introduce ourselves. Plus, we can work as door guards," Noire also approached and suggested them to go to front gate.

"Good idea, Noire. Reputation outside of the family is also important," Blanc nodded. "More reputation means more connection and influence. That will possibly lead to our bond getting stronger."

"But aren't there already door guards checking on our guests?" Neptune asked.

"More the merrier. It wouldn't hurt to do double check. And we are pretty much done here anyway," Vert added.

"Well, that settles. Let's get out."

At the front gate

Like usual, Katakuri was sitting on top of wall, overseeing every guest to the tea party. He kept his sharp sense.

"As expected from our perfect brother. As long as he lives, our family will persevere," Vert looked at Katakuri and smiled.

"Why are you guys here?" He asked.

"Oh. We want to see our guests. You wouldn't mind we work as door guards, would you?" Noire answered and asked for permission.

"*Sigh* I don't mind, but you better be on guard all the time."

"Roger!" Neptune winked and thumbed up.

There was a line of guests waiting for checkup. Life of pirate was harsh. It was usually accompanied by bloodthirst and revenge. Big Mom was no exception. Actually, she would be on higher list as she had much more blood on her hand than most pirates. Despite her fearsome reputation and power, there still came reckless individuals seeking revenge on her. Of course, some people sought head of Big Mom for bounty or fame. With that in mind, guards made sure no weaponry would make into the party.

"Everything checked. You are good to go, sir," a henchman politely said and let the guest pass.

"Sorry, but it's our safe policy. No weaponry is allowed. Don't worry our family's security is all tight," another subordinate explained how things were handled to other guests.

"Tch… it can't be helped I guess… here," one of the guests gave up and handed his weapon. It was a pistol.

Everything seemed fine so far. The four sisters stood there, watching the whole process. They also got involved in checking the guests.

"Oh, Ms. Stussy. Welcome," Noire greeted one of the regulars for Big Mom's party.

"It's lovely girl, Noire along with her cute sisters," Stussy complimented them in return.

"Hey, Stussy! You will be surprised how much we prepared for this party," Neptune bragged about their preparation.

"So this must be you, girls' first time setting up the party, correct?"

"Partially yes. This is all to impress mama," Blanc answered.

"Very well. I am looking forward to your work. See you at the party," Stussy waved at them and went through the door.

Time passed as they counted and checked each guest. They could hear noise back there growing louder.

"So far so good. It's too convenient and peaceful," Neptune yawned and stretched her arms.

"Boring is the best. Let's hope this pace keeps up," Blanc said while reading a book about manju crafting.

"Well, seeing both old and new faces isn't boring at all," Noire looked around with arms crossed. "Besides, this could be a way to speed up our progress."

"Only if Blanc can finally put pieces together…" Neptune pouted.

"Do you want me to smack you? How many times do I have to tell you that I can't just…" before Blanc could finish her line.

"Hands off! I refuse body check!" A certain individual shouted and refused the safety procedure. He looked pretty bulky and tall. Probably as big as Katakuri.

"Sir, you can't do that or you can't go into the party."

As the man tried to barge in, several subordinates began to restrain him. Despite number advantage, they were the one being pushed back.

"Ugh, what's up with this guy?"

"What enormous strength!"

"We can't stop him!"

With simple flex, they were all thrown back like ragdolls. Most of them hit the wall so hard that they got knocked out.

"Gaaah!"

"Urk!"

"Brother! You…" before Vert could even start saying her line.

"You step aside, so we can handle him, right?" Katakuri immediately synched her line before she could finish.

"…step aside, so we can handle him… Yes. You are right."

"I already saw that coming. That's why I decided to sit back and watch instead of stopping that guy from the start."

"Thank for understanding. We won't disappoint. Just trust us," Vert looked back at the assailant and brought her weapon, Gungnir. "Alright, girls. You heard him. Let's not disappoint our brother."

"Copy that!" Neptune saluted at Vert and took out Yamato. Blanc and Noire followed suit.

"We won't let you jeopardize mama's party," Noire shouted as she sharpened her eyes.

"You chose wrong time to piss us off," Blanc clenched her teeth.

"Ha! You puny girls think you can stop me!? What a joke!" The man yelled and kept marching.

"Haaaa!" Vert firmly gripped her spear and charged at the enemy.

"Hah!" he caught the spear on its neck and swung it to other side. Vert hit the wall.

"Ugh!"

"Vert!" Noire screamed and rushed to Vert.

"Why you!" Neptune got angry and charged.

"You will pay for that!" Blanc dashed at the same time.

Both of them ran straight at him with their weapons on their hands. After getting close enough, they started swinging their weapons.

"He will block your attack with spiked gauntlets," Katakuri shouted. "And roundhouse kick, so you better put your guard up."

What Katakuri predicted came true. The man quickly equipped the spiked gauntlets and blocked their attacks with each one. Then, he countered by roundhouse kick. Neptune and Blanc quickly put guard up like Katakuri instructed. They were sent all the way back, but they landed nicely.

"Phew! If it weren't for our brother, we would've been toast!" Neptune breathed deeply.

"But we can't always rely on him," Blanc composed herself and raised her hammer again. "Look at his legs."

"Shinguards?" Neptune glared at the man's legs. He was definitely wearing metal shin guards. They were also spiked like the gauntlets. "That's why he wasn't injured by my blade."

"There are monsters that can destroy sharp edge of sword with bare flesh, so don't underestimate him."

"Yeah, there is Haki which we will learn eventually… BTW, he wasn't wearing that initially. It must be some sort of hidden device. That's why he refused body check."

"Is this the best Big Mom can send against me? I am pretty disappointed," he flexed his muscle and shook his shoulders. "After Big Mom pirates obliterated my whole crews, I trained again and again and waited for this day. I have nothing else to lose now. Let me show you a man with nothing but revenge and desperation!"

"Haaa!" Noire struck down from behind. This time, Katakuri decided not to lecture. He felt that letting them solve this issue on their own would facilitate their growth. That was based on his future observation. He knew that the enemy would simply block her attack.

The man simply raised his right hand and blocked her sword. However, she didn't just stop there. She relentlessly swung Durandal II multiple times at his back. The man blocked each attack with just one hand without looking at her.

"Noire! Fall back!" Vert shouted and threw her spear at him. He kicked the spear upward. The spear rotated several times in the air until Vert rushed and retrieved it in midair. Then, she continued her combo attack.

"Rainy Ratnapura!"

She thrusted her spear several times and swung as the last attack. This time, the enemy simply used one leg to block them all while arms crossed. She fell back to come up with next attack.

"It looks like he is making fun of us," Vert sweated.

"He is making fun of us! Just look at how he only used one arm and leg to block attack from each of us!" Noire shouted angrily.

"Hey man! We can't just let our ladies do all the fighting! Charge!" One of the henchmen encouraged others to attack.

"Halt!" Katakuri shouted. "Let them handle him."

"B-but Lord Katakuri, I don't think they can…"

"Do you not trust my Observation Haki?"

"N-no, sir…"

"Then, just watch. I just witnessed their new forms. He will be the stepping stones for my sisters. I already saw you guys getting defeated helplessly and being told to stay back by them," Katakuri stared at the subordinates with serious and sharp eyes. "All of us will witness amazing transformation. Just have faith in them and cheer them."

"If you say so… o-okay guys! Let's cheer our ladies!"

"Yeah, Lord Katakuri can't be wrong about this! Lady Neptune! Lady Blanc!"

"Lady Vert! Lady Noire! Do your best!"

"We believe in you!"

"Kick his ass!"

Cheerful shout filled the place. The sisters smiled and readied themselves. Then, something sparked in Blanc's mind.

(Can this be the same sensation I felt like the last time? …No mistake! It's the same! I better tell others!)

Blanc inhaled and exhaled deeply. Then, she looked around to see other three. She opened her mouth.

"Guys. I finally remember how I accessed the transformation. Remember what that stranger told us?"

"Imagining like being reborn or whatever gibberish?" Neptune answered with puzzled look.

"Can't you feel something in your heart? Like warm and strong sensation?"

"Now that you mention it, I feel what you just described, Blanc," Vert slowly touched her chest as if she felt something.

"You are right… it feels like something is growing inside of me…" Noire mumbled.

"I guess we fight with this, huh? I bet it will unlock while we fight, so let's just charge!" Neptune carelessly charged.

"Neptune wait!" Blanc tried to stop her, but she was too late.

"Only one way to find out," Vert followed.

"So much for advice and teamwork… I guess both of them got carried away, so we better help them instead of sitting back and waiting," Noire suggested.

"Sadly, I can't argue with that… Okay, let's go!"

One by one, they attacked the enemy with tenacity. Neptune slammed Yamato against him, but he simply sidestepped to avoid the attack. Then, he countered hard by punching her belly.

"Kuk!" Neptune moaned in agony. She was sent all the way passed other three charging in.

"Neptune!" Noire looked back and shouted.

"Don't look back. Just continue," Vert clenched her teeth. "Don't let her sacrifice in vain."

"Ugh, I'm still alive you know?" Neptune said while gently stroking her bloody belly. Fortunately, wounds weren't deep.

"Tornado Sword!"

Noire greatly swung her rapier horizontally… only to be blocked by his shin guard. Next, he immediately kicked her chin, sending her away.

"Argh!" Noire barely managed to land safely on feet. When she touched her face, she drew blood on her hand.

"Tanzerin Trombe!"

"Rainy Ratnapura!"

Blanc and Vert simultaneously performed their signature move against him. He blocked both with blurry speed. As soon as he parried the last parts of each skill, he quickly grabbed their clothes and smashed them against each other.

"Kyaa!"

"Ugh!"

They hit each other's head so hard that their sight became shaking and blurry. After forcing them to head-butt each other, he let go of them and punched them. Was it luck or instinct? Both of them narrowly managed to block his punch with their weapons. Vert stopped being pushed further with scratch on her knee. Her knee must've scratched the surface. Blanc's training paid off as she landed on feet.

"Vert, you are bleeding," Blanc looked at Vert's bleeding forehead.

"So are you, Blanc," Vert replied back, looking at Blanc bleeding from the same spot.

"Damn, he is no joke," Noire commented on him.

"This is embarrassing. They are counting on us. We can't disappoint people who believe in us!" Neptune looked at her sisters and shouted with passion.

"Lord Katakuri… we better help…"

"I said wait and watch. Just trust me," Katakuri sharply answered back.

"Sending these fragile girls against me? Does Big Mom have no shame?" The man kept taunting. "And you there! I know who you are! You are one of the Sweet Commanders. Are you scared to fight me, so you sent these weaklings?"

"No, I simply made my decision based on my future observation. Your fate is sealed. Someone like you don't need my intervention," Katakuri stared at the guy. "The fight isn't over yet."

The man looked at the fallen sisters again. All of them recovered and stood up.

"Not bad for shrimps. I give you that," he mocked them even more. "But tenacity won't make it far."

"Oh! Our ladies stood back!"

"We believe in you! You can do this!"

"Do your best! Do your best!"

"Well… although we are beaten to pulp and bloody, I rather feel my blood boiling…" Neptune grinned while her legs were shaking. "Is this fighting spirit?"

"It's more than that… you guys have this burning feeling building up, right?" Blanc asked.

"Yes, that's what keeps me going right now," Vert replied back.

"I think I can explain better now. When that stranger meant 'embrace it and feel like being reborn,' he meant that we should use our mind and heart to embrace this energy! Then, we should imagine our stronger form!" Blanc vividly explained the process.

"I think I am starting to get the idea…" Noire nodded.

"So what are we waiting for? Let's do it then!"

"You just charged in without listening to me, Neptune! Anyway, just do what I just said!"

"Got it!" Neptune, Noire and Vert answered at the same time.

"Alright. Playtime is over. I am finishing this right now!" The man slowly walked toward the sisters.

"Don't underestimate us! This is our true power!" as soon as Neptune shouted, pillars of light surrounded all four of them.

"T-this is it! It's the same light that showed when Lady Blanc transformed for the first time!"

"Are they really transforming all at the same time?"

"Oh dear! I can't wait to see their new forms!"

As light dispersed, the four sisters showed their new forms. Blanc was like the last time: tight white suit totally revealing her body shape and sky color hair. Noire was wearing black tight suit with white hair. Vert's attire was the most revealing of the four: underboob dress. Her hair turned green with ponytail. But the most drastic change happened to Neptune. Her hair color turned purple with twintail braids. She grew in height. They still had something common: change in eye colors and power mark on their eyes.

"So you girls finally made it. Well done," Katakuri complimented them.

"Woohoo! They did it! All of them finally transformed!"

"Aha! You are so screwed now!"

"Oh wow… they look so mature… and sexy… especially, that green haired lady…"

"Yeah… she must be Lady Vert based on where she transformed… she is quite revealing…"

"So this is our power… I feel totally new," Noire commented as she looked at her hand. They were covered with spiky gloves.

"Wow! This costume definitely matches my beauty," Vert expressed her feeling on her costume as she jiggled her boobs.

"Neptune… why are you the only one with such drastic change?" Blanc looked at Neptune after checking on Vert and Noire.

"Don't ask me! This is my first time transforming," Neptune checked herself. "Oh! My voice also changed! Hey, it looks like all of our weapons changed too!"

"Yeah, you are right. Weapon and master are like one in this case," Noire confirmed what she said.

"Woo… why does Neptune's boobs grow larger when she transforms? How come I am the only one with tiny breasts?" Blanc lamented at her chest size after witnessing Neptune's drastic change.

"How many times do I have to tell you not to get so hung up on size?" Vert came in and grabbed Blanc's shoulder. "We are sisters. There is no need to cause discord among us for such trivial matter. Besides, there is our common foe up ahead. Let's hurry and finish him, so we can enjoy the party, okay?"

"Okay… let's kick his ass!" Blanc shouted with her signature wrathful red eyes.

"There you go. Vent your anger on him."

"Don't think we were same as before! Prepare yourself!" Neptune pointed her blade at him.

"Bring it on! I won't lose to you! You girls don't have what it takes to be strong!" The guy yelled as he expanded his muscle.

All four of them held their weapons tightly. Next, they kicked the ground and charged at him all at once.