One Piece: The Strongest Female Pirate Crews

Chapter 182: Chapter 182: Big Mom Bets Herself in a Last-Ditch Gamble



"I'll bet myself against you."

Backed into a corner, with her eyes bloodshot from repeated losses, Big Mom finally placed herself on the betting table—wagering her own future.

"Mom?!!"

Daifuku and the other children stared at her in shock, their eyes wide, their mouths agape, unable to believe what they had just heard.

"Mom, no, you can't, you can't!"

They pleaded desperately, all thirty of them kneeling before Big Mom, begging her to take back this reckless decision.

Bet herself?

What would happen if she lost?

They couldn't imagine the consequences. If Big Mom lost, the Big Mom Pirates would be finished, completely done for.

If things ended now, they would only have suffered a humiliating loss—they would still be one of the Four Emperors, like Kaido's Beasts Pirates. They would still be a dominant force on the sea.

But if Big Mom lost herself?

The crew would lose its backbone, its captain. How far could they go without her?

They would either disband and fade into history, or their influence would diminish dramatically.

"Out of my way. If you don't want to die, then move!"

Big Mom glared at her children, fury etched into her face, her presence terrifyingly murderous.

Within the family, her word was absolute.

Her will was not to be questioned—not even by Katakuri.

She would kill them.

She was more than capable, and willing to do so.

Perospero and the rest obediently stepped aside, forming a path for her. They dared not speak further.

Big Mom turned her intense gaze toward Kuke.

"The game isn't over yet. I'm a woman, fitting your crew requirements. I'm one of the Four Emperors. Is that enough of a stake?"

"More than enough."

Big Mom smiled. That's all she needed to hear.

Recognition was all that mattered.

"This round, I'll fight you myself. I'm betting my own future—I don't want the Road Poneglyph anymore. You bet your own future as well. Whoever loses… the winner gets to decide everything about the loser's future."

Driven to desperation, Big Mom wagered everything.

From the distance, those guests who had not yet left shuddered as they watched.

"This is madness—two Emperors of the Sea wagering everything? No such bet has ever happened in history."

"Of course not. Pirates have never played games like this—who would dare go this far?"

"This is insane, completely insane. This is the craziest thing I've ever seen in my life."

"Two Emperors betting everything—the winner takes all. Whoever wins will gain everything the other has."

"I don't think Kuke will bet. He's already the winner; he's won so much, so why would he risk it all in a final round against Big Mom? If he loses, everything he's won would be meaningless, and he'd become Big Mom's captive."

"I agree. Kuke has so many powerful subordinates, and Big Mom wouldn't dare go for an all-out war. If he wants to leave, she could do nothing but watch the Sun and Moon Pirates depart."

"Big Mom's lost her mind, but surely Kuke won't follow her into madness."

Although they wanted to see the spectacle of two Emperors gambling themselves away, reason told them that it was impossible.

The news mogul Morgans looked at them with scorn once again.

A bunch of fools.

They dared to guess the intentions of a true king.

"Of course he'll bet. It's an easy win—Mr. Kuke will definitely take it."

He clicked away with his camera, quickly sending a notification to headquarters.

He needed to get this unprecedented bet published as soon as possible.

...

...

Big Mom's gaze stayed fixed on Kuke.

She wasn't afraid of losing.

Or perhaps, by wagering herself, she refused to even consider the possibility of losing.

The only thing she feared was Kuke not accepting the bet.

Big Mom knew full well she had no choice but to go all-in, whereas Kuke had no real reason to oblige her. He had already gained so much, and if he walked away, she could do nothing about it.

"Will you bet or not?"

Big Mom asked, her voice growing desperate, her fear escalating.

"Are you afraid?"

"Why would I be?"

Kuke stood up. "I'll join you in this game."

Big Mom's lips slowly curved into a grin.

Excitement and thrill coursed through her—words could not describe it.

"Mama... I knew it. Someone like you wouldn't be scared. Don't worry, if I win, I won't do anything bad to you," Big Mom said, drooling slightly.

"Oh, Linlin, oh Linlin." Shakky looked at Big Mom, thoroughly speechless.

Before they had come to Whole Cake Island, Kuke had hinted that he wanted to recruit Big Mom as a crewmember. It had shocked her; she had thought it impossible.

Killing or defeating Big Mom was one thing.

But making her submit? That was pure fantasy, she thought.

A Sea Emperor could be defeated but never tamed—that was common belief.

Shakky had been curious how their captain, Kuke, would even attempt such a feat.

She couldn't come up with any method.

She thought that there simply was no way.

But now Big Mom herself had wagered her freedom—delivering herself to their doorstep.

"The captain is terrifying," Shakky murmured, watching Big Mom laugh with excitement, feeling a twinge of pity.

Big Mom actually believed she was getting the better end of the deal.

Shakky glanced at Kuke's back, her admiration deepening.

Perhaps from the moment they arrived at Whole Cake Island and started these gambling games, one match after another, the captain had been playing with Linlin's thoughts and soul.

He had led her, step by step, to this inescapable path.

A path she believed was one paved with glory.

"Big Mom joining the crew..." Gion frowned slightly.

She wasn't worried about Big Mom threatening her position.

She was more concerned about Big Mom disrupting the harmonious atmosphere within the Sun and Moon Pirates.

"If Kuke dares to take her, he must have a way to make Charlotte Linlin behave," Gion said, fully trusting Kuke.

She put her concerns to rest.

"I never thought that one day, Linlin and I would become allies." Stussy seemed incredulous.

The person she once spied on,

was now to be her crewmate.

"Life on the ship is going to be interesting."

"Huh? Mom's joining us?" Smoothie and the others blinked, struggling to comprehend.

Were they going from being family to crewmates?

"What do we do? She must have an enormous appetite." Makino looked troubled, staring at Big Mom's enormous frame.

This was going to be quite the undertaking.

"Don't worry, I'll help you," Lily said, patting Makino's shoulder reassuringly.

"With Big Mom as a crewmember, aren't we already the strongest crew in the seas? Even stronger than the Whitebeard Pirates?" Yamato, who had just woken up, said excitedly, punching the air.

Shakky glanced at her. "The Whitebeard Pirates? Not even close."

They had surpassed them long ago.

"Once Big Mom joins, we might even rival the old Rocks Pirates."

Shakky sighed deeply.

Two years ago,

she had worried about Kuke, thinking him alone, without allies.

She had been concerned for his future.

Two years later,

not only had she become part of his crew,

but he had also gathered so many powerful allies.

"Captain Rocks took decades to achieve this, and most of his subordinates were forced into submission through strength. There was no loyalty. One battle was all it took for the Rocks Pirates to fall apart. But us..."

Shakky lifted her head proudly.

The Sun and Moon Pirates were nothing like the Rocks Pirates.

Their bond with their captain was unbreakable.

"Flip through every history book, and you'll find nothing like this."

Nico Robin was excitedly scribbling in her journal.

Right now, more than uncovering the Void Century,

she was interested in recording everything about the Sun and Moon Pirates.

She had a feeling their journey would eclipse all history.

The crewmembers had many thoughts.

They pondered over much.

But none of them thought about losing.

All of them gazed at Kuke with admiration.

Victory was certain.

No other outcome was possible.

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DONT FORGET POWER STONE 

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