The sky suddenly dimmed.
A dazzling light exploded without warning.
Blinding purple lightning filled Daren's vision, bursting from the heavens like a rampaging dragon and swallowing him whole.
"Mamamamama!! With this kind of power, I should be able to bring you down—"
Charlotte Linlin curled her red lips into a smile. But the next instant, her eyes widened in disbelief, and she blurted out in shock:
"Why doesn't the lightning work on you!?"
Whoosh!
Daren burst out of the storm like a wild tiger, completely unscathed!
"Because I've got guts!!"
The lightning summoned by one of Charlotte Linlin's strongest Homies, "Zeus the Thundercloud" was incredibly powerful. But Daren was a monster who had been baptized by Momonga's Goro Goro no Mi. Naturally, he had no fear of Zeus's lightning.
After all, Big Mom's Soru Soru no Mi merely grants objects souls, allowing her to control lightning indirectly... It's nothing compared to the sheer elemental might of a true Logia-type like the Goro Goro no Mi!
In a blur, he vanished and reappeared above Charlotte Linlin, his speed ghost-like. His right leg raised high over his head.
His eyes burned with indescribable fury. His military boots, wrapped in fierce Haki, came crashing down like thunderous war axes, aimed straight at Charlotte Linlin's head!
This crazy woman actually tried to take his body by force!?
Daren couldn't accept that!
That kind of move was something he, a so-called scumbag, would pull—how dare she flip the script!?
Swish!
His boot tore through the air, triggering bursts of white shockwaves.
Charlotte Linlin's pupils contracted slightly.
Daren's speed and explosive power were far beyond what she had expected.
No wonder Perospero and Daifuku were wiped out so easily!
"Mamamamama!! Good—bring it on!!"
Charlotte Linlin laughed and swung her massive battle blade.
Clang!!
A sharp metallic crash rang out.
Boom!!
A blast of force erupted from the clash of boot and blade, surging in all directions and kicking up sand and debris like a storm.
The two clashed and separated in an instant, both flying backward.
Daren flipped through the air, using the power of the Jiki Jiki no Mi to manipulate his metal belt and boots, stabilizing himself.
Charlotte Linlin slid back dozens of meters, her long legs in red leather boots carving deep grooves into the ground.
"Mamamamama... Your body really is strong—almost catching up to mine…"
She steadied herself, then glanced at the distant Commodore, licking her lips with possessive glee.
"What a perfect physique and genes... In that case, there's no need to hold back."
She grinned and raised her hand.
Suddenly, a blazing sun shot out from the gloomy sky.
"Prometheus!!"
Orange-red flames swirled into a massive fireball, orbiting Charlotte Linlin like a loyal pet before revealing a sinister, human-like smile.
Prometheus the "Sun"!
Just like Zeus the "Thundercloud", he was one of Big Mom's most powerful Homies!
"Mamamamama!! Daren, let's see how long you can last against me!!"
Charlotte Linlin grabbed Prometheus and hurled him at Daren with all her might!
What kind of cringey line was that!?
Daren cursed inwardly, but his body didn't slow. A coin suddenly appeared between his fingers.
He flicked it—cold metal spinning fast, reflecting Big Mom's stunning face.
The next instant—
"Heavenly Fire!"
"Railgun!"
Orange flames and blue electromagnetic beams blasted from their hands, tearing through the air and exploding into spiraling shockwaves that howled toward each other.
Everything in their path—stone, earth, vegetation—vaporized in an instant, leaving massive scorched trails across the battlefield.
They collided head-on!
BOOM!!
A thunderous explosion erupted, and searing heatwaves spread in all directions, whipping up towering waves across the sea. In the distant forest, countless trees were torn from their roots, lifted skyward by the storm.
"Mamamamama!! What a perfect body... I can't wait to taste you..."
Charlotte Linlin gazed at the towering explosion, her face flushed with excitement, body trembling slightly. Her red lips parted, releasing a breath of fragrant heat.
The stronger Daren became, the more thrilled and impatient she grew!
With genes and bloodlines like his—what kind of powerful offspring could they create!?
She could hardly imagine it…
"Give it up, Daren. If we keep fighting, I might lose control and accidentally kill you..."
Charlotte Linlin laughed loudly, her tone shifting—what was once "Marine brat" had now become the more intimate "Daren."
"I've got zero interest in being someone's plaything!"
Daren's furious roar burst from the flickering flames.
What kind of sick joke was this? Becoming Big Mom's husband meant being used up and tossed aside without a second thought.
This seductive lunatic had dozens of "husbands" throughout her life. There was no way Daren would accept that!
"Forget it, you crazy hag!"
The moment the words left his mouth—
"Shoot her down, Enma!!"
The surging sea of flames suddenly recoiled like a tide, sweeping away to both sides as if retreating from something terrifying.
Charlotte Linlin's pupils shrank.
Whoosh!!
A domineering black flash tore through the fire, screaming toward her heart at a speed faster than sound.
Spiraling purple-black waves of air coiled around the black light, leaving behind a trail of flickering energy as it ripped through the island's terrain.
"A cursed blade!?"
A chill ran down Charlotte Linlin's spine.
In the face of Daren's attack, she instinctively felt threatened.
This blade… could hurt her!
The moment that thought surfaced, Charlotte Linlin stopped laughing. She raised her arm and grabbed the massive sword with the wicked grin carved into its face.
One of the strongest Homies—Napoleon the Bicorne!
Charlotte Linlin drew a deep breath, both hands gripping Napoleon tightly, then unleashed a mighty slash with overwhelming force!
Boom!!
The slash landed squarely on the tip of Enma.
Purple-black and crimson-black shockwaves erupted wildly, unleashing a raging storm.
The earth beneath them crumbled layer by layer, and cracks spread across the landscape for nearly a kilometer in every direction.
"RAAAAAAAHHH!!"
Charlotte Linlin's eyes glowed red. Muscles suddenly bulged across her slender arms as she brought her sword crashing down!
Swish!!
Crackling black-and-red lightning burst from her body, sweeping across the entire island.
Conqueror's Haki surged forth!
"Spear of Elbaph: Ikoku!!"
BOOM!!
A massive wave of sword energy howled forward like a tsunami, tearing through everything in its path before crashing into the distant forest.
With a deafening crack, the ground split wide open, revealing a massive, bottomless chasm.
The entire island was split in two by Charlotte Linlin's full-powered strike!
Rumble...
Countless trees toppled, swallowed by the expanding rift.
The force of the blast shattered the clouds, sending plumes of smoke and debris into the sky.
In the next instant—
Charlotte Linlin, her eyes blazing with madness, burst out from the inferno like a giant. Her long pink hair was wrapped in flames, and under the howling winds and thick smoke, she looked more like a monster than a person.
She glared up at the sky, locking her gaze on the distant figure of the Marine Commodore as he disappeared into the clouds.
"DAREN!! I'm not giving up!!"
"Just you wait..."
Standing atop the crumbling island, Charlotte Linlin burst into wild laughter.
"One day, you'll be mine!!"
"Mamamamama!!"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / PinkSnake