Boom! Boom! Boom!
Two majestic attacks clashed in mid-air, creating a suffocatingly terrifying ripple in the sky. The sheer energy emitted by both attacks made it seem as though they were locked in a stalemate in the air when viewed from a distance.
However, this standoff was merely an illusion. With a tremendous roar, the radius of a thousand meters around the two colliding attacks seemed to tremble.
Even the people on Cake Island, both in the midst of battle and observing from afar, were affected by the shock. Almost everyone had to stop their actions and stabilize themselves to avoid falling.
The powerful shockwave even sent some of the weaker civilians on Cake Island tumbling, unable to stand up for a while.
At this moment...
If the events unfolding across Cake Island were compared to a grand performance, then all the people on the island were nothing more than supporting roles with varying degrees of importance.
The true protagonists, all along, were the two figures colliding in the center of Cake Island!
Finally...
After who knows how long, the violent phenomenon caused by the collision between the imbued Conqueror's Haki wielded by Charlotte Linlin and the Thunder Spear from Nicholas gradually subsided. The battle in the sky also became clearer.
On the ground, many people, after stabilizing themselves, looked towards the direction of the Cake Castle, only to see that both Big Mom and Nicholas were not in great shape.
Big Mom's Zeus could be clearly seen to have shrunk by half compared to before, and she was now gasping for air, her hair disheveled as she knelt half on Zeus.
As for Nicholas, he had dispelled his Thunder God form, and it was evident that the previous clash had taken its toll on him as well.
Clearly, both parties had expended considerable energy during the terrifying exchange.
"To think that even Mom's Conqueror's Haki could be resisted..."
Looking at the direction where Nicholas and Big Mom were, Oven, who was pinned down, felt even more fortunate that he had been restrained by Katakuri.
The thought of facing Nicholas's terrifying strike made him shudder.
"This is trouble. Mom probably won't be able to take down that guy for some time. Daifuku, take Oven and find a safe place."
Katakuri spoke to Daifuku, who had returned from somewhere at some point.
"No way!"
Daifuku and Oven both exclaimed simultaneously, indicating that they couldn't abandon Katakuri and the others. In fact, after escorting Brulee to safety, Daifuku immediately returned to the battlefield here.
Looking around, Katakuri glanced at the heavily damaged Cake Island and the two ominous figures emitting terrifying auras at the Cake Castle. He made a decision: "You staying here will only distract us. I'll try to capture that little girl as quickly as possible, then use her as a hostage to help Mom end the battle swiftly!"
In Katakuri's view, this was the easiest way to help Big Mom achieve victory. In crucial moments of battles between powerhouses, even the slightest distraction could determine the outcome.
Although such behavior was despicable, not doing so would mean that even if the battle between Nicholas and Big Mom ended with Big Mom's victory, Cake Island would likely have been completely devastated by then. After all, the destructive power of battles between top-tier powerhouses was quite astonishing.
During the intense exchange between the two, Prometheus intermittently spat flames to disrupt Nicholas, while Nicholas sent out various thunderbolt weapons from behind to counter the flames or shoot towards Big Mom.
Clang!
Two weapons clashed together, and both parties poured all their strength into their arms, resulting in a continuous stalemate between the two weapons.
"Very impressive, little brat. You managed to hold your ground without even having to unleash Conqueror's Haki."
Big Mom's eyes turned bloodshot as she glared at Nicholas, her once graceful face now twisted with ferocity and savagery.
But Nicholas, biting down hard on his teeth, suddenly exerted force with his arms, forcing back Napoleon held by Charlotte Linlin. Then, changing the sword's momentum into a stab, he thrust the electrified blade directly at Big Mom's chest!
"Ahh!"
Nicholas's sudden attack was too fast. Although Big Mom reacted, it was too late to defend. Her steel-like skin was pierced almost instantaneously, and blood flowed along the blade. The pain made her scream in agony, her face contorted.
"You little rascal!"
Grasping the blade tightly with her arm covered in Armament Haki, Big Mom's other hand, holding Napoleon, swung down directly towards Nicholas.
In a critical moment, Nicholas leaped up, his entire body exerting force on Charlotte Linlin, using the recoil to withdraw his weapon and evade the incoming strike.
"Nicholas, you bastard!!!"
Charlotte Linlin, clutching her chest, glared at Nicholas with crimson eyes.
Nicholas looked at Charlotte Linlin, her hand clutching her chest, with regret. If it wasn't for that massive bun in the way, the lightning-enhanced blade from earlier might have pierced Charlotte Linlin's heart.
And as the battle on Cake Island became more intense...
In the sea hundreds of miles away from Cake Island, a colossal figure was skimming across the waves, heading towards Cake Island at full speed.