"Tenma!"
BIG MOM let out a shrill, ghost-like screech.
The greatsword Napoleon in her hands had long since transformed into a blade of light, bracing itself firmly against the slashing famed blade Shidarezura.
Violent sword intent tore a bone-deep gash across her body in an instant—but fueled by the frenzied consumption of her soul power, the wound healed at an astonishing speed.
Seizing the brief moment of stiffness after Tenma's strike, BIG MOM suddenly swung her massive fist and smashed it toward his shoulder.
Boom!
A dull, thunderous impact echoed through the air.
Tenma neither dodged nor retreated. He raised his fist and met the blow head-on.
In that instant, the air trembled violently, as if two mountains had collided—no less imposing than a giant's full-force strike.
Even with Charlotte Linlin at full power, this pure clash of strength only knocked Tenma back a short distance.
Perhaps in terms of innate physique, humans truly could not compare to such natural-born monsters.
But through hellish training after the fact, Tenma had already reduced this former weakness to something almost negligible.
Back then, when Charlotte Linlin had only burned one year of her lifespan to enhance herself, Tenma still needed to fully unleash his sword momentum and Haki just to barely contend with her.
Now, even without activating Shidarezura at full output or fully unfolding his sword momentum, relying solely on Haki and physical strength placed him at nothing more than a trivial disadvantage.
"Your strength… seems to be getting weaker and weaker."
A cold smile curled at the corners of Tenma's mouth as he stared straight at that bloated, ugly face.
Compared to nine years ago, BIG MOM now looked far more like the aged figure described in canon—twenty years down the line.
Especially after overextending her lifespan in this battle just to maintain combat power.
"You arrogant brat!"
Charlotte Linlin's hair was wild, her expression twisted like a demon clawing its way out of hell.
"Last time on Whole Cake Island, you escaped by sheer luck. This time, I won't give you any chance at all!"
Humm—!
As her words fell, the vast soul power within her body poured madly into the sword in her hands.
The famed blade Napoleon, reinforced by soul energy, burst forth with a dazzling purple radiance that was impossible to look at directly.
"Elbaf Spear—Ikoku Sovereignty!"
Accompanied by a deafening roar, an earth-shattering aura exploded outward.
An oppressive force that made breathing difficult surged along with the downward swing of the blade, transforming into a tangible shockwave that crushed straight toward Tenma.
This colossal sword strike, amplified by the burning of her lifespan and reinforced by soul power, was several times stronger than usual.
Where the blade aura passed, the surrounding air was pulverized, and even the clouds high above were instantly swept away.
"So-called swordsmanship isn't something you win with just physique and brute force!"
Shrrk—!
At the instant Tenma's low, steady voice rang out, Shidarezura instantly switched into attack form.
He swung from left to right, unleashing a terrifying surge of air.
That surge condensed mid-flight into a blinding white sword aura, illuminating the darkened sky like daylight in an instant.
Under the impact of this overwhelmingly violent sword aura, the fearsome Ikoku Sovereignty was snuffed out almost immediately.
And Napoleon, slashing down toward Tenma, was firmly blocked in midair by Shidarezura.
In its attack form, Shidarezura's destructive power multiplied after absorbing Haki.
It directly forced back the flames and lightning clinging to Napoleon's blade, causing its brilliance to rapidly fade.
"Mommy! It hurts!"
From within Napoleon's blade, the three souls cried out in agony at the same time—clearly, their soul cores had been severely damaged by that clash.
But at this life-and-death juncture, how could Charlotte Linlin care about the condition of her weapon?
Her face contorted as she once again forcefully poured in an enormous amount of soul power, brutally restoring the damaged Napoleon in an instant.
Then she violently shook Tenma back and roared as she slashed again.
Tenma retreated like lightning, then swung backhandedly.
The moisture suspended in the air was forcibly extracted and gathered by the power of the Float-Float Fruit.
In the blink of an eye, a massive sphere of water took shape and smashed heavily into Napoleon's blade.
In that instant, Charlotte Linlin clearly felt it—
The three fragments of her own soul that she had split off to create Homies suddenly fed back an intense sense of weakness.
"Seawater?!"
Charlotte Linlin roared in shock and fury.
Tenma didn't bother responding to her nonsense. With the speed boost granted by his Devil Fruit, he seized the brief moment of sluggishness and slashed.
Clang!
A thunderous metallic crash shook the heavens as two overwhelmingly powerful forces ground against each other in midair.
Already weakened, Napoleon was at its limit—and facing a fully unleashed Shidarezura, this strike was on a completely different level from before.
Slash!
Before Charlotte Linlin's eyes could shift from rage to terror, Napoleon let out a scream like that of a dying human.
The next second, the blade that had accompanied her through countless battles shattered into innumerable soul fragments, disintegrating in midair.
"While it's true that Haki can grow strong enough to ignore Devil Fruit abilities…"
"But as long as you're still a Devil Fruit user, you can never ignore seawater—your natural enemy."
Tenma's lips curled into a mocking smile.
"In a one-on-one duel between top-tier fighters, unexpected applications of Devil Fruits often make for exquisite support…"
Before his words even finished, a sharp light exploded in his eyes.
He tapped the void with his foot, his body soaring abruptly upward.
At the same time, his right wrist flipped with incredible dexterity, the blade reversing its trajectory.
"Perfect. I'll use this move of yours to test my blade, Charlotte Linlin!"
"Elbaf Spear—Ikoku Sovereignty!"
With a fierce shout, a massive sword aura—white and lustrous like jade—formed in an instant.
Carrying an overwhelming might capable of leveling mountains and filling seas, it descended from the sky, cleaving toward BIG MOM below!
Compared to mere soul reinforcement, this strike was further stacked with the Momo Fruit's amplification and a supreme great swordsman's flawless control over "momentum."
Its sheer presence even surpassed the original version.
The terrifying slash screamed through the air, closing in on BIG MOM's face in an instant.
The violent energy fluctuations had already begun stabbing into her famed steel-like skin, sending waves of cutting pain.
Unbidden, Charlotte Linlin recalled the battle on Whole Cake Island—the moment when victory had been decided was eerily similar to now.
At last, panic appeared on her face.
She crossed her arms in front of her chest, frantically coating herself with her strongest Armament Haki.
Boom!!!
A colossal explosion resounded across the skies above the sea.
Countless violent air currents whipped up by the sword aura tore a massive crack across the firmament.
It was as if space itself had been shattered by this single blow.
Within the erupting torrent of sword energy, a bloated figure was flung away like a kite with its string cut, plummeting uncontrollably.
"It's Mom!"
"BIG MOM has been suppressed by the Flying Sky General!"
Below, countless people looked up and cried out in horror.
Several of the Charlotte Family children reacted instantly, charging madly toward the falling Charlotte Linlin in an attempt to catch her.
But the impact force of that high-speed fall was far beyond what they could handle.
BOOOOM—!
From hundreds of meters above, Charlotte Linlin's massive body smashed heavily onto a warship on the sea.
A gigantic shockwave erupted, blasting countless people flying.
The terrifying air blast swept across the deck like a gale, snapping flags and masts alike.
Immediately afterward, seawater surged in through the massive hole smashed open by the impact.
The sturdy deck made of top-grade timber was completely pierced through.
What was even more terrifying—
Charlotte Linlin, the Soul-Soul Fruit user and a complete non-swimmer, fell straight into the sea!
The clash of kings was undoubtedly the core and most dazzling focal point of this war.
Even though the fall lasted only an instant, it was enough for everyone to see clearly who had lost this ultimate confrontation.
Witnessing this scene, every member of the BIG MOM Pirates stood frozen, as if struck by lightning.
The closest, eldest son Perospero, after a brief moment of mental blankness, suddenly let out a piercing scream.
Then he charged like a madman toward the flagship, which had begun slowly sinking after its deck was smashed through.
"Looks like the outcome is decided. Without a doubt, our General has won."
A cane wrapped in immense Armament Haki slammed down, blasting the frantic Perospero away.
Lafitte appeared like a specter, wearing his usual eerie smile.
Seeing this, Perospero didn't dare be careless. His body instantly liquefied into syrup, barely dispersing the force of the attack.
He absolutely didn't dare take Lafitte's strikes head-on.
Not only because of Lafitte's powerful Armament Haki, but because of the terrifying effect attached to his attacks.
The moment there was even the slightest gap in one's Haki defense, that bizarre hypnotic ability would take control immediately.
Just look at the "allies" trapped in syrup around them—not only pirate soldiers, but also several younger siblings who had already fallen under control.
Then, with Lafitte lightly clapping his hands—
Countless soldiers who had once belonged to Totto Land suddenly turned their lifeless eyes and opened fire on Perospero.
Grinding his candy to pieces in rage, Perospero could only watch helplessly as Lafitte blocked his path, anxiety tearing at his heart.
But just then—
From the corner of his eye, he caught sight of countless blurry white light clusters slowly drifting up into the sky, dispersing into the wind.
"Those are… the Homies' souls…"
Perospero instantly realized what this meant. His lips trembled uncontrollably as he turned to look around in terror.
Sure enough, within the Totto Land army, the Homie soldiers created by the Soul-Soul Fruit were vanishing in droves, turning into ash.
Completely dissipating between heaven and earth.
These Homies hadn't been created using Mother's core soul, but were soldiers produced through bestowed fragments.
For this to happen, there was only one despairing truth—
Mother had not only fallen into the sea, but very likely, due to severe injuries, had fallen into a deep coma!
"Linlin… was defeated?!"
Kaido, who had also sensed the anomaly, saw his aura surge to an even greater peak.
The terrifying pressure pouring out of him solidified like a wall, blasting Yamato and Hancock backward in an instant.
His dragon eyes were wide with fury, disbelief written plainly within them.
His original plan had been to deal with these two brats who could use Conqueror's coating first, then go support Linlin.
But he never imagined that the old hag would lose so cleanly.
True, her strength had declined severely due to years of constant childbirth.
But with her monstrous natural physique and the explosive methods of sacrificing soul power, even if she lost, she should have been able to drag the fight out for days and nights.
Kaido subconsciously compared himself to her.
The conclusion made his heart sink—
Had Tenma already surpassed him, reaching an even higher realm?!
Tenma slowly descended from the high-altitude battlefield, his expression calm.
Then, relying on Observation Haki, he locked onto the presence in the sea below and made a fierce grasping motion with his right hand.
RUMBLE—!
The once-calm sea erupted violently.
The terrifying power of the Float-Float Fruit activated, forcibly yanking up the very thing Devil Fruit users feared most—seawater—without any regard for reason.
Layer upon layer of massive waves were dragged upward, forming enormous curtains of water that slammed away Totto Land and Beasts Pirates soldiers trying to dive in to rescue her.
At the center of that colossal sphere of water suspended in midair, the unconscious Charlotte Linlin floated quietly.
Through the clear seawater, her miserable state was plainly visible.
Her iconic pink dress had been shredded to tatters by sword aura.
A massive, horrifying gash ran across her body, flesh torn open.
Blood continued to seep out, dyeing the surrounding water a glaring crimson.
Her once-over-ten-meter-tall giant body had already shrunk back to normal size.
Her signature pink hair had turned gray and withered.
Excessive soul consumption, combined with Tenma's devastating Ikoku Sovereignty, had forced this once-invincible Emperor into a state of senescence.
Seeing this, Kaido's emotions fluctuated violently.
Without hesitation, he entered his awakened state, instantly transforming into a terrifying hybrid form.
Haki surged wildly over his body like black lightning, the surrounding decks cracking and shattering under the unconscious pressure he emitted.
"Great Might—Thunder Bagua!"
Kaido moved.
His enormous body vanished from its spot, moving at a speed utterly mismatched to his size!
The purple lightning coiling around his kanabo was compressed in an instant into an extremely condensed violet line, shooting straight toward Tenma.
Then—
A terrifying lightning qilin and Haki-wreathed flying Rankyaku slashed in from the sides, attempting to intercept that rage-filled strike.
Forces from different directions collided head-on in midair.
Yet in front of Kaido's fury, Yamato and Hancock's attacks still seemed somewhat thin.
With brute force, he swept his kanabo and violently knocked their attacks aside.
However, after this layer of weakening, when the strike reached Tenma, its power had dropped significantly.
Tenma merely raised his blade and casually blocked it.
The resulting shockwave exploded outward, shattering the surrounding air into countless visible crack.
Boom!
After the attack was blocked, accompanied by a deafening airburst—
Kaido's arm muscles bulged violently as he poured his full strength into the kanabo, trying to crush his opponent like a baseball.
Yet Tenma was like an immovable mountain.
Unaffected by the impact force, he slid back only a short distance before forcibly knocking the heavy kanabo aside.
"So what now? Your alliance is already doomed, Charlotte Linlin is a prisoner—are you still going to continue this meaningless fight?"
"Shut up! I owe that old hag a massive debt!"
At this point, Kaido had completely cast aside considerations of profit and loss.
Though the Beasts Pirates had unilaterally torn up their cooperation chain, after decades of roaming the seas, Charlotte Linlin still held a special place in his heart.
Even after ambition and rivalry had tainted that bond—
Since he had already made his choice, even gambling away the forces he had built over years, how could he watch Linlin fall so humiliatingly!
The so-called Dual Emperor Alliance wasn't just a simple addition of two forces.
Tenma understood this perfectly.
Before the war, he had even envisioned the extreme scenario of fighting two Emperors at once.
But reality was unpredictable—not everything followed the script.
Even he hadn't expected Kaido's reinforcements to arrive so quickly, nor that they'd be pinned down immediately by his two trump cards.
That alone was one of the greatest surprises he'd gained from this war.
The only regret was that he hadn't personally experienced the legendary combo move Ocean Sovereignty.
Of course, compared to honing skills at the brink of death, Tenma preferred a steady, decisive victory.
With a casual lift of his hand, the seawater-wrapped Charlotte Linlin was separated out.
"Mommy!"
The remaining Totto Land forces cried out in despair.
The next moment, from the airborne vessels, seastone coffins that had long been prepared were rapidly dropped onto the flagship deck.
Without any ability to resist, Charlotte Linlin was stuffed inside like a corpse and swiftly transported into the depths of the ship for confinement.
Captured alive?
A trace of doubt flashed through Kaido's mind, but he didn't dwell on it.
Whatever Tenma was planning, at least for now, Linlin wasn't dead.
Still, the overall situation of the war was already decided.
With the Homies army gone, the allied forces instantly lost more than half their strength—there was no longer any way to rely on numbers to stall the fight.
Kaido glanced down at the battlefield. King was still barely holding on, while Queen's aura had grown extremely faint.
Drawing back his gaze, Kaido looked again at Tenma, his eyes turning incomparably deep.
He hadn't expected this man to truly raise a broken, ruined Wano to the point where it could directly confront two Emperor-level forces head-on.
Unbidden, Kaido recalled the scene years ago—when Tenma, still an unknown on the seas, had stormed Onigashima alone to negotiate with him.
Perhaps from that very moment, the so-called future had already taken on a clear direction and design in this man's eyes.
Thinking this, Kaido's lips curled into a wild grin, his vertical pupils fixing intently on Tenma.
"You really make me think of that terrifying man… just don't know whether your future is becoming the next him—or surpassing him."
At this moment, Tenma didn't bother using any mind-reading to peer into Kaido's inner monologue.
But he could roughly guess who Kaido meant by "that man."
Originally, Tenma didn't harbor particularly strong killing intent toward Kaido or his forces.
Although the collapse of the artificial Devil Fruit trade chain had greatly reduced Kaido's value to the World Government—
These people were still, at their core, complete war maniacs.
Compared to child's-play outfits like the Whitebeard Pirates or Totto Land, such a force was far more capable of stirring up monstrous waves in this chaotic era—and creating real trouble for the World Government.
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