Chapter 553: Charlotte Linlin's Answer!
Big froze at Ryuunosuke's question.
He looked left, then right, as if hoping one of his warriors would magically produce a better plan.
But the truth was simple.
They had sailed here with a full crew of giant warriors, found the person they came for, and then realized they could not actually do anything by force.
That feeling was… frustrating.
"Captain Ryuunosuke," Big said seriously, forcing his voice to stay steady, "we still want to confront Charlotte Linlin."
"Even if you say Adam's energy has already dissipated, we still need an explanation, right?"
"Otherwise, leaving like this just doesn't feel right."
They had not come only to recover what Charlotte Linlin had swallowed from Adam.
They also needed to know why she did it.
When Charlotte Linlin first arrived on the island, the giants treated her as a friend.
Now Ryuunosuke was acting as her guarantor, but Big could not forget that he had been tricked once already.
Because of that, he could not help but doubt Ryuunosuke's words at first.
"I see," Ryuunosuke said with a small smile. "That's fine. No problem."
"Honestly, I want to know the reason too."
With a casual wave of his hand, he signaled.
In the next instant, Gaino appeared on the giant ship, bringing Charlotte Linlin with him.
The moment Charlotte Linlin came into view, Big's anger flared again.
They had trusted her.
They had even been ready to sail the seas with her.
But she used their preparations and their trust to strike at Adam.
This was no longer just hostility.
It was betrayal.
"Charlotte Linlin," Big demanded, his voice rumbling like thunder, "what did the giant race ever do to offend you?"
"When you were a child in Elbaf, you attacked the soldiers we left behind. That made our relationship tense for a long time."
"Fine. Put that aside."
"Why did you take advantage of our trust again and do something like this?"
As Big spoke, he also sensed it clearly.
Adam's presence was not inside Charlotte Linlin's body anymore.
Not even a trace.
So Ryuunosuke had not lied.
In an instant, Ryuunosuke's credibility in the giants' hearts rose sharply.
They really were a lovely bunch.
Powerful bodies, terrifying strength.
But when it came to reading people, most of them were basically walking muscles.
Charlotte Linlin exhaled, her face full of bitter helplessness.
"Because someone told me," she said.
"They said Adam controls the giants."
"They said if I took Adam's power, then I could obtain the giants too."
"That's why I did it."
Her voice stayed steady, but her eyes were grim.
"The goal was simple."
"Yes. To gain the giants' friendship."
Now Charlotte Linlin understood she had been played.
And worse, she had been played in the dumbest way possible.
She was naturally suspicious to begin with.
And after the problems between her and the giants in the past, those suspicions had only grown deeper.
In that state, when she heard someone whisper a shortcut into her ear, she believed it.
Because deep down, she had reached a conclusion.
No relationship was as stable as control.
So even after she gained the giants' trust, she still chose to harm Adam.
And then everything that followed happened exactly as it did.
"Who?" Big asked sharply.
If someone was truly behind this, then that person could bear the wrath of the giants.
Ryuunosuke, standing to the side, also looked at Charlotte Linlin.
Anyone who could persuade her was not ordinary.
And telling her to devour Adam's power was not a casual suggestion.
With the current situation, the consequences were enormous.
"Roy," Charlotte Linlin said directly.
Ryuunosuke raised a hand to his face.
She had no reason to lie now.
This incident had nearly gotten her killed.
"Chief Big," Ryuunosuke said slowly, forcing himself to keep his tone calm, "that Roy was once the supreme ruler of the World Government."
"He also has another identity. He is a member of the Guardian team."
"And now the Guardians and the Evictors have all been mixed together."
"You understand what that means, right?"
Big paused, his brow furrowing so hard it looked like it might crack.
Then he reached a conclusion that he clearly believed was brilliant.
"Captain Ryuunosuke," Big asked carefully, "are you telling me… I should go kill all those people?"
Ryuunosuke stiffened.
"…You can't beat them," he said, embarrassed despite himself.
"Forget them teaming up. Even if you fought a single Guardian or a single Evictor one on one, you wouldn't stand a chance."
Where did this man's confidence come from?
"I see!" Big suddenly slapped his forehead, as if that had knocked the correct idea into place. "Then you want us to cooperate with you?"
"An alliance?"
He asked it so quickly that it felt like he was afraid the thought might escape.
Ryuunosuke stared at him for a second.
Who would willingly use their own hand to deal critical damage to their own head?
Giants really were built different, in every sense.
"That's one way to put it," Ryuunosuke said.
"Also, your ship is really not suitable for sailing."
"I'll have some of my people help you fix it up."
"Free of charge."
"Consider it the first gift to our allies."
"At the same time, it will take a while, so everyone should rest during the process."
After speaking, Ryuunosuke snapped his fingers.
Mario appeared instantly.
"Mario," Ryuunosuke ordered, "give their ships a proper overhaul."
"Make them seaworthy."
"Then bring them over here."
As soon as he finished, Ryuunosuke vanished together with Charlotte Linlin, leaving Mario behind on the giant ship.
Mario's eyes lit up the moment he touched the wood.
"These materials are incredible," he murmured, running his hand over the massive planks with delight.
"Next… we turn this mess into real ships, right?"
If the materials were not top tier, this crude binding and rope work would never have carried the giants this far.
"Since Captain Ryuunosuke said so, we'll leave it to you, Mister Mario," Big said honestly.
"Should we go back to the other ships first and wait while you modify them one by one?"
It was a serious question.
He needed clarity.
"Mm… anything's fine," Mario replied without looking up.
"Stay or leave, it won't affect me much."
"Don't worry. I've got this."
"I'm a professional."
With that, he pulled out his tools and started working immediately.
At the same time, Ryuunosuke and his group arrived at the battlefield near the Fourth Division.
King was locked in a fierce fight with Krul Busurud.
And it was obvious.
Neither side was holding back.
They were fighting with everything they had.
King looked even more pressured.
Because Krul Busurud was not pulling a single punch.
Every strike was reckless.
Desperate.
All in.
Ryuunosuke stared, stunned.
This fighting style did not match Krul Busurud at all.
What could have happened to twist his personality this hard?
Based on the information Meliodas sent earlier, Krul Busurud's change was probably tied to Keshia on the other side.
But the way those two had acted before did not look like something that could push Krul Busurud into this kind of madness.
So what, exactly, had he learned?
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