On the devastated battlefield, Admiral Hark's pupils contracted sharply. His gaze was locked on the tall figure in the sky. He couldn't believe how effortlessly she blocked his carefully prepared attack, which he had been holding in reserve while keeping a close eye on the Fallen Angel, El.
Even Hark, a Navy Admiral, was stunned. He wasn't sure if the girl was from the Giant race, but based on her appearance and the way she referred to El, it was clear she was quite young. Yet, she possessed such overwhelming strength. It was hard to comprehend.
"Linlin is improving rapidly," El observed with a light smile, casually carrying his massive halberd. He had anticipated Hark's intent but chose not to intervene. El was confident that, under his guidance, Linlin would fully develop her vast potential as a born monster in just a few years. By then, even Navy Admirals would steer clear of her.
"Admiral Hark, don't underestimate Charlotte Linlin..." Tsuru, now free but drastically aged, clenched her fists, her eyes filled with resentment. She called out to Hark, warning him, "She not only has an invulnerable body but also possesses a Mythical Zoan fruit that lets her steal youth and lifespan!"
"Even Sengoku, in his full-power Buddha form, couldn't suppress her and was gravely injured when he let his guard down!"
"What!?"
Hark was shocked. He knew Sengoku's strength well, especially his Buddha form, which could unleash devastating shockwaves. But reflecting on how easily Linlin had deflected his prepared Storm Leg, Hark began to understand. His heart grew heavy with caution as he glanced toward El, who was smiling calmly, not even taking the opportunity to attack. "Another terrifying monster?" he thought.
He could only imagine what a threat the Fallen Angel Pirates would become if Linlin fully matured and continued to serve under El, who already possessed immense power. The mere thought made his skin crawl.
"Mamamama~ Admiral 'Iron Claw' Hark, is it?" Linlin stood casually atop the thundercloud Hera, resting her sword, Napoleon, on her shoulder. She gazed down at Hark with a grin and said, "Instead of worrying about stopping me, you should focus on surviving the upcoming battle! Otherwise, tomorrow's headline won't just be about the death or kidnapping of Celestial Dragons—it will be about an Admiral dying heroically in battle! Mamamama..."
Linlin was well aware of El's strength and was fully confident. She had no doubts about the outcome.
"Don't get cocky, brat!"
Hark's face darkened, his eyes blazing with anger. He ground his teeth, glaring at Linlin as she rode off on Hera. "You little punks shouldn't underestimate a Navy Admiral… I was fighting pirates long before you were born!"
'Whoosh...'
Meanwhile, seawater rushed in, filling the massive fissure El had carved with a single swing of his halberd.
"This monster..." Hark muttered as he stared at the smooth, terrifyingly deep trench that now resembled a massive canal. Even with his confidence in his own strength, Hark couldn't help but feel uneasy. He hadn't expected El to produce such a devastating slash so effortlessly. Intelligence reports claimed that El often used the Red Line as a training ground, punching massive holes into it. The reports suggested El excelled more in hand-to-hand combat, but it seemed his swordsmanship was just as terrifying.
The young Lunarian couldn't have been more than seventeen, right? What kind of monster was he?
"Enough talk… time to get warmed up."
El lifted his massive halberd, pointing it at Hark from his towering height. His eyes gleamed with murderous intent as he coldly remarked, "Linlin's right. You, Admiral Hark, will soon experience just how powerless the Navy's top forces truly are."
"Arrogant fool!" Hark roared as he charged forward. His entire body was shrouded in black flame-like tendrils, giving him a menacing, almost demonic appearance. His claws, sharp and covered in advanced Armament Haki, moved with lightning speed as he lunged at El, aiming to tear him apart.
"You only have one path before you—defeat," El declared with a fierce glint in his eyes. His presence was overwhelming, and the flames burning behind him only added to his terrifying aura. He swung the halberd with a single hand, meeting Hark's attack head-on.
'Clang! Clang!'
The sound of metal clashing rang out repeatedly as sparks flew from their furious exchange. Both moved with incredible speed, their strikes hitting with deadly precision from every angle. Within moments, they had already covered tens, if not hundreds, of meters, their swift movements too fast for the average person to follow.
'Boom! Boom!'
Even the shockwaves from their battle sent tremors across the land, making it impossible for anyone nearby to feel safe. Powerful waves of energy sliced through the air, leaving deep scars and gashes in the ground. Trees were felled one after another as the destructive force of their battle continued unabated.
'Swish, swish, swish...'
Suddenly, several razor-sharp energy slashes flew out from Hark's claws.
'Boom!'
Boulders exploded as the once grand auction house was reduced to rubble, collapsing like a house of cards. The unconscious pirates, nobles, and merchants who had been caught up in the earlier Conqueror's Haki wave were now buried beneath the debris, their fates unknown.
'Whoosh!'
In the blink of an eye, a blinding flash of light illuminated the area. Tsuru, still under the control of the Pet-Pet Fruit's powers, watched in horror as an enormous, unstoppable slash tore through the atmosphere.
'Boom! Boom!'
The slash ripped through trees, cutting them cleanly in half before continuing its path toward the second and third islands, where it slammed into the ground with a deafening crash. The sheer scale of the destruction left everyone trembling in fear, drenched in cold sweat.
As the trees on the first island groaned and toppled one by one, the scene of perfectly severed trunks stretched out before them, creating a sight so vast and terrifying that it left them speechless.