This world possesses a large number of Devil Fruits. Some individuals, though not inherently strong, obtained very powerful Devil Fruits, allowing them to dominate a region.
However, more common are those who were originally potential powerhouses, but whose development was limited because they ate a Devil Fruit that was unsuitable for them or had a low ceiling.
The members of the BIG MOM Pirates are prime examples of the latter group.
Charlotte Linlin's thoughts were unknown; during God Valley, she acquired the Azure Dragon Devil Fruit and even planned to give it to Katakuri. Yet, decades later, most of the Devil Fruits used by the Charlotte family members were related to food, and their combat abilities were not outstanding.
Katakuri, in fact, relied on his own talent to develop a Devil Fruit, which was originally not well-suited for combat, to an extremely high level.
But Cracker clearly lacked this ability. His swordsmanship could not be fully integrated with his Devil Fruit, making his overall style seem somewhat incongruous.
Bogard dodged one of the duo's combined attacks and blocked the other.
Although the hurried defense caused him some internal injuries, it did not affect his combat effectiveness. Clearly, it would take some time before a victor could be determined.
Meanwhile, the battle between Garp and Charlotte Linlin grew increasingly fierce.
Strictly speaking, Garp's strength is slightly superior to Charlotte Linlin's.
However, they are both powerhouses of the same caliber, and unless others intervene, it is not easy to determine a winner.
"Fist Bone: Meteor!"
Garp's roar overpowered the gale. His massive fist was wrapped in nearly tangible Armament Haki and Haoshoku, crackling with lightning. It slammed down fiercely, resembling a genuine meteor from outer space.
Charlotte Linlin's eyes were filled with madness and excitement. Her Emperor Sword, Napoleon, erupted in towering flames, merging with her monstrous strength, as she met Garp's iron fist.
"Emperor Sword: Broken Blade!"
At the epicenter where the two destructive energies collided, the ground collapsed instantly, forming a massive crater.
The shockwave swept out in a ring. Where it passed, the already crumbling remnants of buildings were crushed as if by an invisible giant hand. Walls shattered piece by piece, then collapsed with a deafening groan, kicking up clouds of dust.
Every clash between the fist and the sword caused the entire island to tremble, and massive waves to rise along the nearby coast.
The battlefield beneath their feet had transformed from scorched earth into a wreckage filled with deep pits and fissures; not a single inch of intact ground remained.
Facing the temptation of the Ope-Ope no Mi, Charlotte Linlin's state was even more terrifying than during a bout of her eating disorder. She not only possessed peak power but also maintained complete sanity, making it impossible for Garp to subdue her immediately.
Just as fierce fighting raged on this side of Minion Island, on the other side of the island, Blake slowly descended to the ground while holding Stella. His wings retracted and finally disappeared.
"They've already started fighting, judging by these auras..."
Blake carefully sensed the area:
"Is it Garp and Charlotte Linlin, those two elderly people?"
He then instructed Stella:
"Alright, let's not watch from here. Open the alternate dimension first, lest they notice us at some point."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Stella's face was flushed, and her breathing was heavy.
This was certainly not because Blake had done anything strange to her during the flight, but because the brief rest had not allowed her stamina to fully recover.
Nevertheless, Stella responded by opening an air door, and the two entered the alternate dimension together.
Following the direction from which the battle's residual energy emanated, Blake brought Stella closer to the center of the battlefield.
The Door-Door Fruit is one of the world's rare spatial Devil Fruits. Hiding inside it, unless someone uses Conqueror's Haki on the level of Imu to forcibly destroy the alternate dimension created by the fruit's power, they cannot be discovered no matter what. Blake was very confident in this.
Upon arriving at the battlefield, the first ones he noticed were Garp and Charlotte Linlin.
The battle between the two had reached a fever pitch, and the entire island was trembling because it could not withstand the residual energy.
Blake casually glanced at them twice before withdrawing his gaze.
If there was no external interference, it wouldn't be surprising if they fought for half a month.
Directing his attention elsewhere, Blake chuckled.
He saw Katakuri and Cracker standing shoulder to shoulder, giving him a sense of déjà vu, like when Golden Lion rampaged at Marineford and Garp and Sengoku teamed up.
Across from them, Bogard was poised in a charging stance, one hand resting on his sword hilt.
"As expected of the King of Sheathed Blades! They're fighting tooth and nail over there, yet you still haven't drawn your sword here!"
Blake muttered a comment.
It should be known that Bogard did not appear frequently in the original work, but he did have a few scenes.
As Garp's adjutant, he had followed Garp through countless campaigns over decades.
However, Bogard was always drawing his sword, yet never actually drew it, making one suspect he was attempting to pad his reputation.
God Valley, the Battle of Edd War, Enies Lobby, Hachinosu... he was present at every major battle.
Whether Garp was injured by Ax-Hand Morgan or stabbed clean through by Shiliew of the Rain, Bogard was always drawing his sword.
It makes people wonder if his sword is fake, or if the sheath and the blade are actually one piece, making it impossible to draw.
It is also possible that someone used super glue to stick his sword in place.
I will attend all battles, but the glue is too sticky, so the sword stays sealed first.
This! This is the deputy of the Marine Hero—Bogard!
Suddenly, Blake's gaze fell underground, far from the center of the battlefield, where there was a hidden cave entrance.
He couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Inside the cave, Guerrilla and Drake were clinging tightly to each other, giving off the vibe of the Cowardly Trio from the original work.
They were terrified!
In their current location, they wouldn't be affected by the residual energy of the battle.
However, Garp and Charlotte Linlin were constantly moving, and they might start fighting right above the two at any moment.
If that happened, they would truly have nowhere to run.
Leaving now was also impossible. They were members of the Barrels Pirates, and if they ran out at this moment, neither the Marine nor the BIG MOM Pirates would spare them. They could only hide in the cave and tremble.
Blake hesitated for a moment but decided to stay put.
Although the fighting on the two battlefields was quite intense, it hadn't reached the level of constant combat seen previously at Mary Geoise.
Given the current battlefield, Observation Haki sensing would not be significantly affected.
Forget being silent, the Door-Door Fruit even makes a creaking sound when the door opens.
If Blake wanted to bring them into the alternate dimension, he would definitely be noticed by the people currently fighting.
Blake would not risk exposing himself just for two insignificant minor characters.
He planned to wait until more powerhouses arrived and the fighting became more chaotic.
Of course, the prerequisite was that these two had enough luck to survive until then.
Just then, an unusual roar echoed from the sky.
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