Carl hovered in mid-air, frowning.
There was no Log Pose pointing toward his destination…
Even though he had chased and cut down enemies all the way, it was impossible to remember directions in the vast, ever-changing Grand Line.
The sea stretched endlessly in all directions.
Moreover, the Grand Line's unpredictable climate and shifting currents made navigation without a permanent pointer nearly impossible.
But then—
"Wait…! If Katakuri and the others reached Fish-Man Island, then their ship must've had a permanent Log Pose guiding them!"
Carl's eyes sharpened.
Taking a deep breath, he prepared to dive straight into the ocean in search of it.
Hopefully, his slashes hadn't destroyed it yet.
Hummm—
An invisible shockwave suddenly struck.
Carl's body froze in place. His instincts screamed—
Without hesitation, he unleashed the power of [Hell Road]!
BOOM!
There was no visible explosion.
Yet, the air itself trembled as two translucent shockwaves collided.
A vast hole was torn through the clouds above.
Carl's crimson right eye flickered.
The number "one" loomed faintly.
Then—
A roar, deep and primal, shook the entire sea!
"MY SNACKS!!!"
A monstrous shadow loomed in the distance.
A gigantic figure shot through the sky—feet planted on a raging thundercloud, a massive longsword in her hand.
Carl's expression darkened. His pupils narrowed.
The true monster of Totto Land had arrived.
The woman who could single-handedly reshape the balance of the seas.
The most monstrous female existence in the world.
Charlotte Linlin.
A woman whose sheer presence rivaled even Whitebeard.
Even though Edward Newgate's aura, in his prime, was far more devastating—
The old man had been wounded, weakened beyond recognition.
Carl's observation of 700-injury Whitebeard had told him all he needed to know:
The man was at the end of his rope.
But this monster?
This was a Yonko at her peak.
Her sheer pressure drowned the battlefield.
Fire and lightning raged behind her.
"My… snacks… my snacks…"
Charlotte Linlin knelt on Zeus, her massive form staring blankly at the remnants of her sinking flagship.
Then—
"I WANT TO EAT!!!"
With an earth-shaking roar, the Empress of Totto Land hurled herself toward the ocean.
"MOM!!!"
Zeus' panicked scream echoed.
Carl, still floating mid-air, looked on in disbelief.
The first thing this woman did upon arriving…
Was worry about snacks?!
Even with her son's fate uncertain, she didn't care.
She was a Devil Fruit user—yet she was willing to jump into the sea for food?!
On Cake Island, far in the distance—
The Charlotte Family's remaining children gathered anxiously, watching the chaos unfold.
"What the hell is going on over there?!"
"I don't know! But Mama looks furious!"
"Could it be Brother Katakuri and the others returning?"
"No… It must be an enemy attack!"
Their gazes turned toward the horizon, filled with concern.
Charlotte Linlin's Kenbunshoku Haki had evolved to the point of gaining special properties.
She could directly perceive events occurring in distant locations without physically being there.
Back on the sea—
BOOM!
At the last moment, Zeus barely managed to catch Big Mom before she hit the ocean's surface.
Carl's eyebrows twitched.
"Since you want to dive into the ocean so badly, let me help you."
The air around him shimmered.
Not far away, Prometheus, the flaming sun-like Homie, let out a startled cry.
"Marine! What do you think you're doing?!"
Carl's grip tightened on Shusui.
"Fulfilling your mother's wish."
A single, devastating slash ripped through the air.
"Sakura Ten – Black Gold Slash!"
The black-and-gold energy wave hurtled toward Zeus at blinding speed!
"MOTHER!!!"
Zeus' panicked shriek cut through the night.
As a Homie, he couldn't be directly slashed like a living being—
But if the attack severed him, Big Mom would fall into the sea!
Just as the slash was about to connect—
CLANG!
A massive longsword blocked the attack!
Charlotte Linlin's expression was grim.
Her hat, Napoleon, had transformed into its saber form, and she gripped it firmly in both hands.
The Yonko's gaze bore into Carl.
"Boy… are you that new Marine called Solomon Carl?!"
Her voice was thick with malice.
"How dare you throw my snacks into the sea!"
Carl sighed, unimpressed.
"Tsk… When did those snacks ever belong to you?"
Linlin's pupils shrank.
Carl's tone remained steady.
"By the way, old lady… Did you know Fish-Man Island is now a Marine base?"
He tilted his head.
"You sure you want to start a war?"
A wide, toothy grin spread across Big Mom's face.
"So what?!"
The air grew suffocating.
"Either way… you threw my precious snacks into the ocean. And for that—"
Her voice boomed like thunder.
"YOU'RE PAYING THE PRICE, BRAT!!!"
Killing intent surged, turning nearly tangible.
Carl sighed again.
"Looking at you… it's hard to believe you're anything but an old, crazy woman."
A brief silence.
Then—
Charlotte Linlin burst into laughter.
"Fufufufu… Solomon Carl… YOU'VE GOT GUTS!!!"
Her terrifying laughter echoed over the battlefield.
She leaned forward, eyes glinting.
"Aren't you afraid the old lady might just kill you?"
A dark, invisible force pressed down on Carl.
[Soul Pocus]!
A special technique developed through the Soul-Soul Fruit.
By posing a simple question, Charlotte Linlin could judge a person's very life force.
If the target felt even the slightest fear—
Their soul would be ripped from their body instantly!
A true instant-death ability.
As long as the conditions were met, the victim's soul would be hers to take.
Carl grinned.
This was getting interesting.
The Power of Life and Death—Charlotte Linlin!
Charlotte Linlin, the Yonko known as Big Mom, stood with terrifying dominance, her mere presence suffocating.
With the power of the Soul-Soul Fruit, she literally held life and death in her hands.
Yet—
Carl remained completely unfazed, floating mid-air.
His expression didn't change in the slightest.
Instead, he calmly reached into his coat, pulled out a cigar, and placed it between his lips.
With a casual flick, he struck a match, lighting it.
Huuuh—
He exhaled a slow ring of smoke.
Charlotte Linlin's face stiffened.
"You brat…"
Her voice, usually thunderous, held a hint of surprise.
"Are you not afraid of me?!"
This was a woman who single-handedly upheld the entire Big Mom Pirates.
She was a Yonko, a force that made even Admirals hesitate to act rashly.
Yet this young Marine showed no fear at all.
Carl glanced at her lazily.
"Afraid?"
His gaze turned sharp for a brief moment.
'Why should I be afraid?'
Carl smirked slightly, recalling what Jinbe had once said—
"I'm done being scared of you, Big Mom!"
He knew he couldn't defeat this crazy old woman in a direct confrontation.
But if he wanted to leave…
Could she really stop him?
At their level of power—
If a true powerhouse wished to escape, it was almost impossible to stop them.
Still, Carl wasn't backing down.
He lifted Sakura Ten, its blade gleaming ominously.
"But before we get to that… let's see just how strong you really are."
A burst of Haki surged.
"Slash Wave—Change!"
A black-gold energy slash shot forward!
Charlotte Linlin's pupils contracted.
"Napoleon!"
She roared.
Her hat, Napoleon, instantly shifted forms, transforming into a massive longsword.
"Yes, Mama!"
The sentient blade stretched forward, crackling with raw power.
Then—
She gripped it with both hands and swung down.
"Weiguo!"
A gigantic shockwave erupted from her blade!
BOOOM!
The Weiguo Slash collided with Carl's black-gold slash midair!
A deafening explosion ripped through the sky!
The sheer force of their clash sent shockwaves tearing across the battlefield, distorting the air itself.
Even the sea below erupted, massive waves rising toward the sky!
—
On Cake Island, far in the distance—
The Charlotte Family's children stood frozen, watching in disbelief.
"Who the hell is this Solomon Carl?!"
"He actually blocked Mama's Weiguo?!"
That technique—
Elbaf's Spear: Weiguo!
A sword technique inherited from the Giant warriors of Elbaf, amplified by Big Mom's monstrous power.
It was strong enough to slice entire fortresses in half.
And yet—
This young Marine stood his ground.
—
Above the sea—
A strange sound echoed.
"Hssss—"
On Carl's black-gold Slash Wave, a black serpent materialized, coiling menacingly around the attack.
It slithered, attempting to pierce through Big Mom's defenses.
Charlotte Linlin's eyes widened.
"This level of Armament Haki…?"
Her grip on Napoleon tightened.
This boy—
"How the hell have you reached this level?!"
For the first time, she felt a strange sense of familiarity.
This Haki—
The sheer depth and darkness of it—
It reminded her of the monsters from the past.
From the Rocks Pirates.
The black serpent coiling around Carl's slash finally dissipated, leaving only crackling black lightning in its wake.
But—
Carl's eyes gleamed.
"Old woman…"
A new aura erupted from his body.
The air twisted.
A cold, murderous intent blanketed the battlefield.
HUMMM—!
[Killing Field—Expanded!]
Suddenly, the sky itself turned blood-red.
The entire battlefield became distorted as an invisible pressure fell over the area.
Even the air smelled of blood.
Charlotte Linlin's expression changed slightly.
She glanced around.
The battlefield had shifted.
This wasn't just an illusion—
The sheer intent behind this ability made the world feel different.
"Hooooh…"
A wide grin spread across her face.
"Well, well, well…"
She raised Napoleon.
"You're an interesting brat."
Her laughter boomed.
"Prometheus!"
"Yes, Mama!"
The giant sun-like fireball hovering beside her burst to life, slamming against her blade.
Flames engulfed Napoleon.
Carl's crimson eyes darkened.
The black serpents climbing up Sakura Ten coiled tighter.
"Lion Thousand Slice Valley—Change!"
A series of blinding slashes erupted from his sword—
Each one aimed directly at Big Mom!
Each black-gold Slash Wave carried a coiling black serpent, filled with destructive Armament Haki.
But—
Charlotte Linlin didn't even flinch.
She grinned, her massive hands gripping Napoleon tightly.
And then—
She swung down.
"The Emperor's Sword!"
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
Carl's slashes shattered mid-air!
The sheer force of Big Mom's counterattack disintegrated them.
And then—
BOOOOM!!!
The void itself seemed to crack apart!
A monstrous shockwave exploded outward—
The sheer clash of power sent black lightning bolts arcing across the battlefield!
Even the sea below was blown skyward, rising in massive water pillars.
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