In the New World, within the Totto Land territory, the battle between the Straw Hat Grand Fleet and the Big Mom Pirates had reached a fever pitch. As one of the Four Emperors, Big Mom possessed formidable power, but at this moment, the strength of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet was not inferior. The Nine Red Scabbards were a significant force, capable of shifting the momentum of the battlefield. Aside from Kiku no Chiyo, Raizo, Kanjuro, and Kawamatsu, each member possessed strength approaching that of a Shichibukai. There was no need to speak of the incredibly resilient Kin'emon, while Denjiro and Ashura Doji had proven their worth by holding their own against Jack two years prior. Inuarashi and Nekomamushi, as the leaders of the Mink Tribe and former members of the Roger Pirates, were even more powerful. Furthermore, Shimotsuki Yasuie, a former Daimyo, and the master swordsman Hana no Hyogoro added immense pressure to the front lines.
As for the Sun Pirates and the rest of the Fishman forces, Jinbe alone possessed combat capabilities nearly on par with a First Mate, complemented by the strength of Aladdin. These key individuals were sufficient to hold off the majority of Big Mom's children. Consequently, the frontline matchups were fierce: Jinbe clashed with Katakuri, the Nine Red Scabbards faced off against Perospero and the Sweet Commanders, and the remaining forces of the Straw Hat Grand Fleet, Heart Pirates, Sun Pirates, and Fishman Pirates engaged the other children led by Oven and Daifuku, all while battling countless Homies. This strategic distribution allowed the Straw Hat Trio and the Heart Pirates the opportunity to storm Cake Island and confront Charlotte Linlin directly.
With the assistance of the Thousand Sunny, the Straw Hat Pirates and Law broke through the defensive obstacles and landed on Cake Island. The anger burning in Luffy's heart drove him to charge toward the massive castle, shouting at the top of his lungs, "Linlin! Give Usopp's lifespan back to me!"
Just as the group reached the castle entrance, preparing to force their way inside, a powerful, scarlet wave of Conqueror's Haki erupted from within the structure. The air seemed to freeze. This immense Haki swept across the entire sea area of Totto Land like a violent gale. Black and red lightning surged from the castle, engulfing both the sky and the land. The heavens darkened, and the sea began to churn with monstrous, chaotic waves. Everyone on the battlefield caught in the radius of this Haki felt their expressions twist in terror. The weaker combatants immediately fainted, while even the hardened warriors were forced to their knees, struggling to maintain their composure.
Even the veteran Nine Red Scabbards felt a deep sense of dread. This potent Haki reminded them of the person they feared above all others: Kaido of the Beasts. Jinbe, dripping with cold sweat, trembled at the sensation. "This kind of Conqueror's Haki—is this the power of a Four Emperors, the born destroyer, Linlin? It feels even more oppressive than Whitebeard's." He could not bring himself to finish the thought. Despite his history as a former Shichibukai, his travels in the New World with Fisher Tiger, and his proximity to the Whitebeard Pirates, he could clearly feel that the Haki Linlin was projecting was uniquely terrifying.
Far off, on the edge of the Totto Land sea, the Red Hair Pirates and the Giant Race had arrived. However, they held back from entering the fray. Shanks had been anxious to gather the warriors of the Giant Race to assist Luffy, fearing that the young pirate had not yet grown strong enough to contend with one of the Four Emperors. Upon arrival, however, Shanks realized his miscalculation. He had not anticipated that Luffy would recruit so many trustworthy and capable companions. From what he could observe, they were actually managing to pressure the Big Mom Pirates. Furthermore, the retreat of the Marines and Kaido's unexpected actions had temporarily eased his concerns. Shanks had not imagined that Kaido would attack the Holy Land of Mary Geoise and initiate a direct war with the World Government—a feat even Gol D. Roger had not accomplished. He believed Kaido was no fool; such a bold decision implied a hidden confidence, especially after reports surfaced that Kaido had destroyed the Red Line with a single blow. This news filled Shanks with deep worry. Had Kaido's power truly reached such a height? With his current strength, even an alliance with the Giant Race might not be enough to stop that level of destruction. He looked toward the distance, muttering, "Luffy, grow up quickly!"
Back at the entrance of the Cake Island castle, the challengers were stalled by the sheer weight of Linlin's Haki. Even Nami was on the verge of collapsing. At that instant, Luffy released his own Conqueror's Haki, creating a shield to protect his crew. Despite this, their faces remained etched with fear and grim seriousness. The pressure was overwhelming, as if a massive mountain were pinning them down. For the first time, Luffy's Conqueror's Haki, which had rarely faced such intense resistance, felt crushed under the immense sea of Haki radiating from Charlotte Linlin.
"Mamamamama..." A chilling voice echoed from the depths of the castle. "Straw Hat, I really didn't expect you to make it here. Mamamamama, it doesn't matter. I will personally verify whether you are truly the Sun God or not!"
The gathered pirates were stunned. Having been entirely focused on the rescue mission over the last few days, they had been unaware of the events unfolding elsewhere on the sea. But the time for questions had passed.
"Elbaf Spear: Ikoku!"
A massive aura flared from the castle. "Be careful, Luffy!" Roronoa Zoro felt a jolt of pure dread in his heart. It was already too late. Without the ability to foresee the future, they were ill-equipped to defend against such an attack. The sword energy transformed into a massive, focused shockwave, tearing toward the Straw Hat Pirates.
"There's no time!" Zoro, the only one fast enough to react, did what he could. "King of Hell: Three-Sword Style: Purgatory Onigiri!"
Three devastating slashes flew from his blades to intercept the shockwave, but they shattered almost instantly upon impact. That brief second of resistance, however, was enough for Law to act. "ROOM!"
"Boom!"
The shockwave passed through the castle, striking the sea beyond. After a second of silence, the surface of the ocean erupted, and a blinding light surged as the water rose and detonated. A torrential downpour began, soaking everyone present. The spectators were paralyzed with terror. "Is this... is this the true power of one of the Four Emperors?"
On the edge of Cake Island, Luffy and his crew looked back at the churning sea, the heavy rain stinging their faces. Then, the rhythmic, heavy sound of footsteps approached, accompanied by an excited, menacing voice.
"Mamamamama, an interesting ability—to actually dodge my attack. Is this the power of the Op-Op Fruit?"
Everyone's hearts tightened. They looked up to see a hulking figure, towering like an ancient demon, emerging from the shadows of the castle. She held a massive sword, with three homie clouds floating ominously behind her.
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