Sakazuki glanced over the nautical chart and immediately understood why Charlotte Linlin wanted these specific islands.
These islands were located perfectly within the Charlotte Family's sphere of control, currently representing vulnerable gaps in their defensive perimeter.
If the Navy ever intended to launch a full-scale assault on Totto Land, these islands would serve as the ideal staging grounds for a fleet.
However, before coming to this negotiation, Sakazuki had spoken with Raleigh via a secure Den Den Mushi.
Knowing Raleigh's grand strategic layout for the New World, Sakazuki had carefully considered the proposal and decided to adopt it.
Although losing these specific islands would allow Big Mom to complete her defensive chain, she would likewise need to offer sufficient compensation—such as ceding several heavily fortified islands closer to the entrance of the New World.
Ever since the Rocks Pirates dominated the New World decades ago, the Navy had largely withdrawn their primary forces from the second half of the Grand Line.
From top to bottom, every ambitious, insightful member of the Navy held their breath, swearing to one day return to the New World in full force.
Restoring the Navy's dominant, absolute position across the globe was precisely why even hardliners like Raleigh and Sakazuki—who typically looked down on pirates as scum—decided to engage in a calculated territorial transaction with an Emperor.
There was no other choice right now.
While the Navy's combat power appeared incredibly strong on the surface, the World Government was currently busy politically suppressing Raleigh.
Since his standout brutal performance in Loguetown, Raleigh hadn't been assigned any major combat missions by Navy Headquarters.
Of course, this suited Raleigh's plans perfectly.
Charlotte Linlin was naturally unaware of the Navy's long-term infiltration plans, but she knew nothing in the underworld came for free.
The Navy's audacious demands for territory actually put her paranoid mind at ease.
"Mamamama! Sakazuki, it's not that i dont want to give them to you, but these islands are crucial sources of tribute income for our family," Big Mom grinned, her massive shadow looming over the magma user.
"The islands you are offering, while important to the Charlotte Family's defense, aren't of equivalent value."
Sakazuki's gaze grew colder than the sea.
He stared expressionlessly at the towering Emperor and said, "This wasn't something I wanted to do in the first place."
"As a Marine, I would much rather pay with blood to reclaim these islands from pirates. But a colleague of mine convinced me with his strategic reasoning." Sakazuki's right arm began to bubble with intense heat.
"Charlotte Linlin, let me make this perfectly clear—this is the maximum sincerity the Navy can offer today. If you still refuse, tomorrow morning, the Navy will formally begin a Buster Call on these islands."
Upon hearing this, the jovial smile vanished from Charlotte Linlin's face, replaced by a dark demonic expression.
"You dare threaten me? It seems the Navy has grown quite bold indeed!"
The tension between them thickened noticeably, the air growing heavy with suffocating Haki.
Just as the situation reached its breaking point, Charlotte Linlin suddenly shattered the silence.
Her previously cruel face once again broke into a wide, terrifying smile.
"Mamamama! Though the values of these islands don't exactly match... who says i can't be generous?" Big Mom laughed.
"Sakazuki, I've decided to make the exchange."
She turned to her towering son. "Katakuri, tomorrow, evacuate the tribute-payers from these islands and take over the new islands we are acquiring."
Charlotte Linlin's uncharacteristic, swift concession left the Charlotte Family members—who had already prepared their weapons for battle—completely bewildered.
Katakuri reacted the fastest.
Collecting himself, he bowed slightly and addressed his mother. "As you command, Mama. I will contact the fleets immediately."
Charlotte Linlin nodded in deep satisfaction, then extended her massive right hand toward the Marine.
"Sakazuki! A pleasure doing business with you."
Sakazuki's brow furrowed slightly before he calmly extended his right hand to shake the Emperor's.
The exact moment their hands met, both monsters simultaneously launched swift attacks.
Dense, pitch-black Armament Haki rapidly enveloped their arms.
Charlotte Linlin's pupils shone with psychotic excitement, while Sakazuki's eyes showed absolutely no surprise at the betrayal.
BOOM!
The sudden clash of their erupting energies collided.
The immense pressure instantly cracked the bedrock beneath their feet, sending shockwaves across the deserted island.
Charlotte Linlin raised her left hand to summon her homie weapon, Napoleon.
Gripping the massive broadsword—now coated in thick, red-and-black Conqueror's Haki—she slashed viciously toward Sakazuki's chest.
Meanwhile, Sakazuki's left fist had already morphed entirely into a massive, roaring dog's head constructed of boiling magma.
"Magma Hound: Crimson Lotus!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Charlotte Linlin wielding Napoleon clashed repeatedly with Sakazuki's molten iron fist, neither side retreating even half a step.
Charlotte Linlin relied entirely on her anomalous, indestructible physique, completely unafraid of the blistering heat of Sakazuki's magma.
Meanwhile, Sakazuki, driven by the absolute pride of a Marine Vice-Admiral, furiously refused to retreat before a pirate.
After several more blindingly fast exchanges, Napoleon, coated in Conqueror's Haki, managed to slash a shallow bleeding line across Sakazuki's chest.
Simultaneously, Sakazuki's iron fist imbued with advanced Armament Haki, struck Charlotte Linlin heavily on her right cheek.
CRACK!
Following the tremendous bone-rattling impact, their figures quickly separated, skidding backward across the cracked earth.
Sakazuki glanced down at his torn suit and the several-centimeter-deep wound bleeding beneath it.
Charlotte Linlin spat out a mouthful of blood-streaked saliva, staring coldly at the Marine.
"Prometheus! Burn him to ash for Mama!"
Heeding Big Mom's screeching command, the miniature sun homie, Prometheus, flew high above Sakazuki.
He took a deep, expanding breath and fiercely spewed a massive torrent of deadly, concentrated flames downward.
Sakazuki snorted coldly, looking up at the inferno.
"Playing with fire before a Magma human... I don't know whether to call you ignorant or just stupid."
Sakazuki's entire body transformed into bubbling molten rock, completely unfazed by Prometheus's flames.
After all, the Magu Magu no Mi was essentially the vastly superior version of fire-based abilities.
Prometheus's flame temperature fell far short compared to the suffocating heat of volcanic magma.
Sakazuki clasped his hands together, instantly forming a three-meter-long, glowing greatsword of magma.
"Come on, pirate!"
BOOM!
Their battle officially escalated to white-hot, island-destroying intensity from this moment.
As Sakazuki and Charlotte Linlin clashed again and again, violent energy surged wildly around them.
Searing magma dripping from Sakazuki's body began transforming the island's rocky surface into a molten, bubbling hellscape.
Meanwhile, stray, massive sword slashes from Napoleon forced Katakuri and Miles to dodge frantically toward the shore.
They had no chance to assist the combatants, knowing only that if they didn't leave the epicenter immediately, they would undoubtedly be killed by the crossfire.
Both sides called their respective crews back to their ships, then accelerated full throttle to escape into the distance, leaving the two monsters to fight.
After another earth-shattering collision, Charlotte Linlin and Sakazuki each landed on opposite sides of the massive, burning crater they had created.
"Mamamama! Not bad for a Marine dog," Charlotte Linlin laughed maliciously, making no mention of the fact that she had been the one to provoke the fight during the handshake.
Sakazuki had no desire to waste words with the Emperor.
He merely tossed out a cold threat.
"You are the first pirate who dares to make a move against me during a formal transaction. I will make sure you understand the consequences."
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