"This is Charlotte Linlin... she is so terrifying!" The moment Nami and Chopper laid eyes on Charlotte Linlin, who appeared like an ancient demon god, their pupils constricted in fear, and their bodies began to tremble.
An angry roar suddenly erupted. "Charlotte Linlin! Give Usopp's lifespan back to me!"
Everyone turned to see Luffy biting his arm, instantly shifting into his strongest Gear Fourth state.
"Wait!" Law attempted to stop him, but it was already too late. Luffy transformed into a blur of motion, rushing past his crewmates toward Charlotte Linlin.
Law's expression was grim as he spoke to Zoro and Sanji. "He's being so reckless!"
"There's nothing we can do," Sanji replied, his face a mix of seriousness and doting concern. "He's our captain."
Zoro clenched his Wado Ichimonji tightly and roared, "Let's go!"
In a flash, all four of them charged at Charlotte Linlin. At the castle gate, the Emperor watched the youngsters approach with icy indifference. She did not even move to intercept their initial charge.
"Gear Fourth: King Kong Gun!"
"King of Hell: Three-Sword Style: Purgatory Onigiri!"
"Diable Jambe: Hell Memories!"
"Gamma Knife!"
The four unleashed their strongest techniques simultaneously, their combined attacks striking Linlin's massive, titan-like body. However, the feedback from the impact caused their expressions to shift from confidence to shock. They felt as if they hadn't struck flesh and blood, but rather a solid mountain. This was especially jarring for Luffy, whose Gear Fourth had previously been enough to defeat Donquixote Doflamingo.
The scene that followed left them even more terrified.
"Mamamamama!"
Under their combined assault, Linlin seemed entirely unaffected. She kept her head lowered, her bloodshot pupils gleaming with a crimson light. "Is that all you've got? That's not even enough to scratch an itch for this old hag!"
"What!" all four gasped.
Luffy roared, attempting to push his attack further, but he was met with Linlin's enraged right fist.
"If this is all you have, then you can all die now," she growled.
Her fist, coated in powerful Armament Haki, smashed toward Luffy. The speed and raw force carried an aura that made it feel impossible to evade. Luffy could only raise his haki-imbued arms to block.
"Boom!"
Ripples distorted the air around them. Within a second, Luffy's Armament Haki was shattered by her single punch. Luffy was knocked clean out of his Gear Fourth form, his body flying erratically through the air like a deflated balloon.
"How is this possible?" the crew whispered, stunned. This was Luffy's peak state, yet he couldn't withstand a single blow?
There was no time to dwell on it. "Swirly-brows..." Zoro began.
"I know," Sanji replied immediately, leaping into the air to catch the falling captain.
Zoro and Law stood their ground, shielding the others. Linlin's gaze turned a deeper crimson, and she raised Napoleon high. "So you two were the ones who blocked my Ikoku Sovereignty, were you? Then, try this again!"
Both men felt the familiar, crushing sense of dread. Law prepared to activate his Devil Fruit ability, but a sudden, terrifying realization surged in his heart.
I can't escape... there's no way to escape! It felt as though, no matter where he teleported, the attack would find him.
"Elbaf's Spear: Ikoku Sovereignty!"
A blinding light once again illuminated the island.
In mid-air, Sanji descended while carrying the unconscious Luffy. "Sanji-kun, is Luffy-kun alright?"
Sanji turned to see Hana no Hyogoro, the samurai from Wano. In Sanji's arms, Luffy stirred and spoke weakly, "Ten minutes... I only need ten minutes, and I'll recover my Haki."
Sanji frowned, his brow furrowed. "Luffy, it's no use. That woman is a monster. We can't even break through her defenses."
"No..." Luffy insisted. "For Usopp, I must defeat this guy."
Hyogoro watched them for a moment before speaking up. "It's not impossible to break Charlotte Linlin's defense."
Luffy and Sanji both looked at him with surprise.
"In our Wano Country, there is a technique called Ryou," Hyogoro explained. "It is a power that utilizes Armament Haki to cause internal destruction within the enemy. However, it is likely too late now."
A spark of hope ignited in Luffy's eyes. "Samurai old man, please teach me! I must defeat Charlotte Linlin."
Seeing Luffy's resolute gaze, Hyogoro felt moved. "Understood. I will tell you everything I know about Ryou, but whether you can master this power depends entirely on you."
Just then, a terrifying roar echoed from the direction of the castle. A giant, monster-like reindeer appeared.
"Boom!"
On the grounds of Cake Island, Linlin looked at the giant monster with a mix of curiosity and greed. "Mamamamama, what an interesting pet. It can even transform into this form? You have value for me to collect!"
Chopper, currently in his massive Monster Point form, looked down at Zoro and Law. "Zoro, I can only hold her off for three minutes!"
"I understand, Chopper," Zoro nodded. "I'll leave the rest to you!"
"Mm!"
"Mamamamama, what big talk," Linlin laughed. "Let me see how strong this little guy's power is."
As she spoke, Linlin leaped high, and Napoleon slashed down from above. Chopper, showing no fear, raised his hooves to intercept.
"Boom!"
Feeling the force from below, Linlin's eyes grew even more fervent. "Mamamamama, you actually blocked it? Then, how about this—Prometheus!"
"Coming, Mom!"
Behind Linlin, the sun-homie awakened, transforming entirely into flames before flying into her hand. The fire instantly coated Napoleon.
"Ah!" Chopper shrieked in pain; for a reindeer covered in fur, the flames were his natural enemy.
"Mamamamama, is that all you've got?"
"Of course not! There's also me, Super Franky Shogun!"
Linlin turned to see a giant robot to her left, its mechanical arm swinging. "Franky Shogun Cannon!"
A powerful shockwave struck Linlin. The blast extinguished the flames on Chopper and sent the Emperor flying, crashing deep into the castle walls.
"Nice job, Franky!" everyone cheered.
It seemed even one of the Four Emperors wasn't invincible! Chopper shouted in excitement, but from the cloud of dust and debris, an excited voice cut through their celebration, and the mood shifted instantly.
"Mamamamama, interesting—truly, too interesting! Pets, robots... Straw Hat, your pirate crew truly fascinates me. Is there anything else interesting? Let this old hag see it now, because otherwise, you won't get another chance."
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