"Damn! Another one! Another troublesome one."
Kaido roared as he watched Jack fall to the ground and lose consciousness. Another Admiral-level combatant had emerged from the Entei Pirates. It felt like Admiral-level combat power was as common as cabbage among them. It was really not fair. Those who had already appeared included the Pirate Empress, Gion, the Desert Princess, and the Fallen Doctor.
Little Thief Cat Nami had Conqueror's Haki and could actually stall him. In addition, there were 'Dark' Rayleigh, 'Dark Ranger' Fujitora, and Kuzan, who had yet to make an appearance. Even without counting Entei himself, there were eight known Admiral-level combatants in the Entei Pirates fleet! This level of combat power surpassed even that of the Rocks Pirates. These cadres alone were enough to suppress the combined forces of the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates' alliance.
Adding Ace himself to the equation, Kaido feared that even if the four Four Emperors' pirates joined forces, they might still not be able to defeat the Entei Pirates fleet. The situation was exacerbated by the troublesome Devil Fruit abilities within the Entei Pirates. The Fallen Doctor's healing fruit, once awakened, turned the entire battlefield into a healing field. Within this range, the Entei Pirates' members could infinitely recover from injuries and even regain their physical strength.
Coupled with the power boost from the vocal fruit, the Entei Pirates' combat power was elevated to an even higher level. The current battle situation was completely deadlocked, and Rayleigh, Kuzan, and Fujitora, the powerful forces that had yet to appear, still loomed as potential game-changers. Kaido felt his scalp tingling and even a bit powerless. Who would have thought that their original calculations of the Entei Pirates' combat power would be so wildly off?
Originally, Kaido had expected the battle to be a fifty-fifty win-lose scenario. At most, he thought the Entei Pirates might have a slight advantage due to the Flame Emperor's monstrous power. However, he believed the battlefields of Wanokuni and Onigashima, being their home ground, would be enough to offset this advantage. But who could have anticipated that Ace wouldn't even need to appear, and that the three top cadres of the Entei Pirates' Grand Fleet, who were seen as the biggest threats before the war—Rayleigh, Kuzan, and Fujitora—hadn't shown up yet either?
The battle situation was spiraling out of control. Now it seemed that the combined forces of the Beasts Pirates and the Big Mom Pirates were not evenly matched against the full strength of the Entei Pirates. It was clearly 100-20. They were not pirates of the same level at all.
"Ah la la, are you still struggling, Beasts Pirates?" Kuzan's nonchalant voice cut through the tension of the battlefield, sending chills down the spines of the Charlotte family members who had just escaped the influence of the Sand-Sand Fruit.
The sound of Kuzan's voice made their scalps tingle with fear. "You are!!!" Katakuri turned his head sharply, his pupils constricting in shock.
"Run!" Charlotte Cracker, one of the three Sweet Commanders and the "Cake Minister," a Cake-Cake Fruit user, shouted to his brothers and sisters as he drew his sword and charged at Kuzan.
But the next moment, "Swish! Snap! Snap!" the power of Kuzan's Frozen Fruit shattered Cracker's Haki and Devil Fruit abilities effortlessly. Cracker's swings were futile as his entire body was instantly encased in ice.
"Cracker!" Charlotte Smoothie, the "Juice Minister" and the last of the three Sweet Commanders, saw her brother frozen in an instant, her eyes filling with rage. She activated her Squeezing Fruit ability, making her body and weapon grow to enormous sizes, enabling her to wield power close to that of the giants.
"Go to hell!" Smoothie roared, her Armament Haki and Squeezing Fruit power fully activated as she swung her sword down fiercely.
"Pft!" A terrifying gravity suddenly descended, pinning Smoothie to the ground. Her Haki was instantly overpowered by the crushing force. No matter how she struggled, she couldn't escape the gravity field.
"Damn it! This ability is...!" Smoothie bit her lip in frustration, her face twisted with resentment.
"Sister Smoothie! Brother Cracker!" The remaining Charlotte family members screamed in fear, watching in horror as their strongest cadres fell so easily.
Katakuri, the "Minister of Flour" and the strongest masterpiece of the Charlotte family, began to tremble. The bounties of Smoothie and Cracker, both over 800 million berries, had done nothing to prevent their swift defeat.
"Don't struggle, Charlotte family." The ominous sound of approaching footsteps followed. "Tap! Tap!" A middle-aged man holding a cane knife and with his eyes closed slowly walked forward.
"'Kuzan! 'Dark Ranger' Fujitora!" Katakuri recognized them immediately, his fear escalating. The combined fighting power of these two was incomparable to that of Vivi and Kaya. When Kuzan and Fujitora worked together, not even Big Mom could withstand them. Without Big Mom, these two alone could annihilate the Charlotte family.
They were facing opponents of an entirely different league, and the realization hit Katakuri with a paralyzing sense of dread.
But Katakuri, with a fierce determination, swung his weapon and charged at Kuzan and Fujitora.
"Bang!"
The clash was brief but intense. Facing two Admirals, Katakuri, who had not even reached the threshold of Admiral level, couldn't hold his ground for more than a second.
"Crack! Crack!"
As the power of the Frozen Fruit activated, ice crept up Katakuri's body, immobilizing him completely.
"Why are you rushing up? Katakuri, you shouldn't be such a reckless man," Kuzan remarked lightly, observing the frozen figure of Katakuri. "Facing the combination of Fujitora and me, you were simply seeking death. The moment we arrived, the battle here was over."
Katakuri's scarf fluttered in the wind, revealing his hidden fangs and the exaggerated mouth he had always concealed.
"At any time, I must protect my younger brothers and sisters. Even if I can't protect them, at least I must die before them!" Katakuri's grotesque smile, which would normally instill fear, now reflected his unyielding resolve.
"Brother!" Brulee burst into tears upon hearing Katakuri's words.
"Brother Katakuri!" Other members of the Charlotte family, who had never seen Katakuri's true face and were initially scared, also began to cry, moved by his sacrifice.
Kuzan looked at Katakuri with a calm, almost respectful expression. "So that's it. A man who earns admiration, but it's a pity."
The next moment, amid Katakuri's loud, defiant laughter, the power of the Frozen Fruit completely overwhelmed him.
"Katakuri!!!" The cries of his family members echoed.
"Boom!!!" The sound of Katakuri's frozen body hitting the ground reverberated through the battlefield, symbolizing the end of his valiant stand.
"KATAKURI!!!"
A piercing cry of extreme anger suddenly resounded throughout the battlefield, sending shivers down the spines of all who heard it. A terrifying aura began to spread, casting a dark shadow over the landscape. The members of the Entei Pirates turned their eyes towards the source of the cry, their expressions growing increasingly solemn.
The source was none other than one of the Four Emperors, Charlotte Linlin, also known as Big Mom.
At this moment, Linlin was in a state of utter fury, her aura exuding an ominous presence. Her terrifying eyes, devoid of any human emotion, glared at the battlefield.
"Ah, a natural monster, Charlotte Linlin," Kuzan muttered, his face grave. Half of his body turned to ice, exhaling a chilling frost. He was surrounded by a pitch-black aura, the full might of his Frozen Fruit ability and Armament Haki on display.
Beside him, Fujitora's expression mirrored Kuzan's solemnity. His staff-sword was at the ready, Armament Haki and the Gravity Fruit's power primed for battle.
"How dare you!!!" Linlin roared, her voice shaking the very ground.
Charlotte Linlin's feelings towards her numerous children were notoriously unstable. She sometimes displayed extreme maternal love towards children under ten, but as they grew older, that love often vanished. Disobedience was met with brutal punishment, sometimes even death by Linlin's own hand.
But despite her harshness, Linlin viewed her children as crucial to her grand vision: the creation of Totto Land, a utopian kingdom where all races could live in harmony. Her children were the materials for this dream. Each child, born from a different race, was a building block for her vision of a diverse and inclusive empire.
Now, watching her precious "materials" being struck down by the Entei Pirates filled her with a rage beyond reason. She had invested years and immense effort to birth and nurture children from various races, all to achieve her dream. The loss of these children meant the potential collapse of her grand vision.
This realization pushed Linlin to the brink of madness. Her children were not just offspring; they were essential components of her plan. The Entei Pirates were not just enemies—they were threats to the very foundation of her dream.
As her fury grew, so did her power. The ground beneath her feet cracked, and the air seemed to tremble with her wrath. The battlefield was now dominated by her presence, and even the most stalwart warriors felt a twinge of fear facing this enraged Emperor.
Charlotte Linlin's madness was a force of nature, and she was ready to unleash it upon anyone who stood in her way.
Then, Charlotte Linlin let out a piercing scream.
"!!!"
Unlike a human scream, it instantly spread throughout the battlefield, creating an overwhelming and eerie resonance.
"What is this?!" Nami exclaimed, wrapping herself in Conqueror's Haki. Despite her efforts, she could barely mitigate the effects of the piercing sound.
The Entei Pirates, the remaining cadres of the Charlotte family, the Beasts Pirates, Kurozumi Orochi, and his subordinates all showed signs of distress. The weaker ones, unable to withstand the strange sound, had their eardrums rupture instantly and fainted in agony.
"Old Hag, are you running wild?" Kaido muttered, cold sweat trickling down his forehead.
This was neither the roar of Conqueror's Haki nor the ability of a Devil Fruit. It was the manifestation of Linlin's unique physiology. When she was extremely angry and lost her mind, she emitted a terrifying, otherworldly scream.
Kaido, having once been a "companion" on the Rocks Pirates' ship, knew better than anyone how terrifying Charlotte Linlin was. Her natural talent was unparalleled, second only to the extraordinary Ace.
Charlotte Linlin was a natural-born monster. Her physique was inherently stronger than any other creature. Even at the age of five, she rampaged through Elbaf, killing one of their heroes. Her monstrous physique surpassed even the fantastical beast species, and Kaido's Azure Dragon form couldn't compare.
Kaido was often referred to as the strongest creature, but this was primarily because Linlin had later focused on having children, building her utopia, and holding tea parties. Despite squandering her immense talent on these pursuits, Charlotte Linlin still rose to the rank of a Four Emperors. Her innate power was beyond terrifying.
In her normal state, Linlin's strength was considered the weakest among the Four Emperors. However, when enraged and on the brink of losing her mind, her destructive power reached its zenith. She became a natural destroyer. In this state, even Kaido had to tread carefully around her.
"Ah!!!" Another piercing scream echoed across the battlefield.
Charlotte Linlin discarded her homie, Napoleon, and began to wave her fists, smashing everything in her path.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The terrifying sound of sonic booms exploded continuously as Linlin's fists connected with the air, creating shockwaves of devastating energy.
"Don't get hit! Gion," Hancock warned, her face stern as she infused her attacks with Conqueror's Haki to fend off Linlin.
The sheer destructive power was staggering. This was the true strength of Charlotte Linlin, a Four Emperor, when she went berserk.
Linlin's fists created shockwaves that blasted through the atmosphere, each blow sending tremors across the battlefield. The ground cracked and splintered under her onslaught, and the air seemed to vibrate with her fury.
In the midst of the chaos, Gion and Hancock fought valiantly, their combined strength barely holding back the enraged Empress. They moved with precision, their haki-infused strikes clashing against Linlin's monstrous blows.
Despite their efforts, the sheer power of Linlin's rampage was overwhelming. Her relentless assault pushed them to their limits, forcing them to summon every ounce of their strength and skill.
"Is this the strength of a Four Emperor, Charlotte Linlin, after going berserk?" Hancock thought, her eyes wide with a mixture of awe and determination.
The battlefield was a maelstrom of destruction, and at its center, Charlotte Linlin was a force of nature, a living embodiment of chaos and fury.
"Just focus on Evading her attacks, We cant take her head-on." Gion replied, her expression solemn.
Gion's attack power, enhanced by the Cat-Cat Fruit's Mythical Beast—White Tiger Form, was unparalleled among all Mythical Beasts. Although her overall strength was just above the threshold of Admiral level, her pure attack power rivaled that of Kuzan and other top fighters. However, her defense and physical stamina were her weaknesses. Her Zoan fruit had not yet reached its awakened state. A direct hit from the now rampaging Charlotte Linlin would likely result in severe injury or worse.
Fortunately, Gion's speed was her saving grace.
With the White Tiger Gale enveloping her, she moved with incredible swiftness. This gale not only enhanced her attacks but also significantly boosted her speed, granting her the agility and formidable offensive power characteristic of the most powerful fantasy beast species. This combination made the Cat-Cat Fruit—Mythical Beast—White Tiger Form renowned for its unparalleled attack capabilities.
However, even with these advantages, Gion and Hancock found themselves in a difficult battle against the berserk Charlotte Linlin. Their attacks failed to penetrate Linlin's formidable defenses, while Linlin's counterattacks posed a lethal threat. Forced into a defensive stance, they could only evade her powerful blows.
"Damn it!" Nami exclaimed, seeing Gion and Hancock struggling. Her expression turned resolute as she transformed her body into pure thunder.
"Thunder Bagua!!!"
A roar echoed across the battlefield. Kaido, stimulated by the thunder element, appeared instantly before Nami. His mace, infused with thunder elements and Conqueror's Haki, descended with immense force. Nami quickly ceased her elemental form, unleashing the full power of her Thunder Fruit ability and Conqueror's Haki to counter the attack.
"Boom!!!"
The impact created a massive shockwave, splitting the earth and sending tremors across the battlefield. A flash of lightning accompanied by a thunderous boom appeared near Kaido, morphing into Nami's figure.
"Fighting with me, and you still want to be distracted?" Kaido laughed wantonly.
Blood trickled from the corner of Nami's mouth as she faced Kaido with grim determination. Despite the advantages of Logia-type abilities, such as elementalization to evade attacks, large-scale Conqueror's Haki-infused assaults still posed a significant threat. Logia powers didn't provide the same physical resilience and recovery as Mythical Zoan types.
"Buzz!"
Fortunately, Kaya's healing field enveloped the battlefield. Countless yellow dots merged into Nami, accelerating her recovery.
"Don't even think about it!" Kaido roared.
With his vast combat experience, Kaido wouldn't allow Nami to heal unchallenged. Her injuries had slowed her down, and while Kaido's speed slightly lagged behind the Thunder Fruit's capabilities, Nami's compromised speed narrowed the gap. In close combat, she stood no chance against Kaido's monstrous strength, formidable martial prowess, and superior Conqueror's Haki.
The battle raged on, with Kaido's relentless assaults pushing Nami to her limits. Though she could hold her own against the Four Emperors due to the Thunder Fruit's long-range capabilities, she struggled in direct confrontation, especially against the mightiest of the Four Emperors—Kaido himself.
"Ah la la, I can't let you beat up our crew-mates so recklessly."
"Four Emperors? I'll teach you a lesson."
"Swish!"
With a smile, Kuzan abandoned the remaining members of the Charlotte family and the cadres of the Beasts Pirates, appearing in front of Kaido and Charlotte Linlin. The battle there was enough for Vivi and the others to handle for now.
The two Four Emperors had gone completely berserk. If they were not stopped, it was uncertain what chaos would ensue.
"Ah!!!"
Charlotte Linlin let out a piercing scream, launching herself at Kuzan who stood in her way.
"Ice Gloves!"
Kuzan's expression turned icy. The full force of his Frozen Fruit ability, Armament Haki, and the iron fist technique inherited from Garp gathered in his fists. This combination gave Kuzan the confidence to face Sakazuki's Lava-Lava Fruit head-on, despite the Frozen Fruit's relatively weak offensive capability.
"Boom!!!"
The two clashed fiercely. Charlotte Linlin's relentless screams and punches battered Kuzan. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth. Fighting the crazed Linlin head-on, Kuzan found his strength insufficient.
"Perfume Femur!"
Seeing Kuzan struggle, Hancock joined the fray, wrapping her legs with Conqueror's Haki and the power of the Sweet Fruit.
"White Tiger Wind - Slash!"
Gion shouted, controlling the White Tiger Winds and her Haki, wrapping them around her sword. She swung violently, sending a special White Tiger Wind Slash towards Linlin.
"Roar!!!"
Facing the combined assault of the three, Charlotte Linlin did not retreat. "Boom! Sizzle!" A blood mark appeared on Linlin's steel balloon-like skin.
"What a monster. Such an attack can't completely break her defense?" Gion remarked, her eyes twitching slightly at the sight of the mere blood mark left on Linlin's body. Despite their combined efforts, they had only managed a superficial wound.
"Ah, this is the Four Emperors, Charlotte Linlin. Haven't you read the information back in the navy?" Kuzan remained calm.
"I'm not an Admiral; I can't access all the information about the Four Emperors," Gion replied.
Facing the Four Emperors was primarily the responsibility of the Admirals of Headquarters, who alone had access to the top-secret details. Even Admiral candidates couldn't withstand the full-strength attack of a Four Emperor, making such information largely irrelevant to them.
However, the trio's attack did manage to restore some of Big Mom's sanity.
Charlotte Linlin's terrifying power was evident. Her destructive force was unmatched, but the combined might of Kuzan, Hancock, and Gion began to create a glimmer of hope. They needed to exploit any opportunity, any slight restoration of her sanity, to turn the tide of battle. The Entei Pirates were formidable, but against the full might of two berserk Four Emperors, every ounce of strategy and strength was crucial until Ace arrives.