Gloriosa, who had just watched Charlotte Linlin crush three foes of her own rank, felt a tsunami of shock:
So strong! Are all the officers of the Rocks Pirates monsters of this caliber?
The Kuja Pirates, unable to gauge the true gap in strength, were completely smitten by Linlin's overwhelming might; hearts floated in their eyes and their cheeks flushed scarlet.
"S-so cool!"
"If only I could marry someone that strong and beautiful…"
"Lady Linlin just saved us!"
Nine Snake Island, also called Amazon Lily, breeds a fierce people who worship strength; tribal law freely permits marriage within the island.
At the sight of Charlotte Linlin, many warrior maidens secretly pledged their hearts.
Listening to her crew's unabashed longing, Gloriosa felt black lines slide down her forehead. "…These fools switch sides faster than a leaf in a whirlwind!"
Suppressing his fear, Barnett forced out a blustering shout:
"Charlotte Linlin! I admit you're strong—our intel was off and we concede!
All the treasure on this merchant ship, including our own savings, is yours!
And we renounce claim to these Kuja women. Take every prize and let us sail away—deal?"
When Linlin gave no answer, Barnett's eyes turned venomous, sweeping toward Gloriosa behind her, and he added with open threat:
"You'd best accept! Even if you win, a death-spiral from us isn't something you can shrug off!
We only held back to capture them alive—don't underestimate old pirates who've survived decades in the New World!
Push us far enough and I swear you won't save a single one of them, and you'll bleed for it!"
Warhammer materialized at Barnett's side, war-hammer gripped tight, every sense locked on Charlotte Linlin.
Warhammer again sprang to Barnett's flank, weapon clenched, body coiled in dread of the apex predator before them.
Gone was the greed of moments ago; only primal vigilance remained.
"You dare threaten me?" A sneer flickered through Charlotte Linlin's violet eyes.
"Still… I'd better finish this quickly."
En-route she had glimpsed the Kuja ship withdrawing, but its defenses were thin; if she delayed, the sea might claim them.
Since her goal was to subjugate Nine Snake Island, she had to keep these future subordinates alive.
"Arrogant wretch! When mercy's offered and spurned—don't blame me for cruelty!" Barnett roared, masking his dread.
He struck first, pushing his Devil Fruit to the limit, his figure flashing in front of her; his blade, unhindered and blindingly fast, cleaved straight down.
Charlotte Linlin whipped her sword up to block.
Clang—!
Steel shrieked against steel.
"Kenbun-null? No—he lacks Haoshoku; impossible."
This time her future sight had shown nothing; only long battle instinct let her react before the blow landed.
"His fruit… it can even sever Observation Haki? He's on the verge of awakening.
Anyone who reaches Shichibukai level hides a trump card.
I won't wait for him to evolve—finish this now."
"You refused parley—now watch your blade break!"
Barnett's grin turned savage and triumphant, already seeing the moment her steel snapped.
"I'm the man who can slice all creation—Barnett the Sea-Splitter!"
"Shring—!!!"
Sparks flew as his edge pierced the Armament Haki on Linlin's nodachi and bit deep into the scabbard.
"Got her!" Barnett exulted.
To him a swordsman without her sword was half-defanged; fight or flight would then be easy.
Yet the expected shatter of scabbard and snap of blade never came.
Instead, his sea-splitting strike felt like it had met an immemorial, unbreakable mountain of divine iron.
Shock rebounded through the weapon, splitting his palms, drenching the hilt in blood, numbing his entire arm.
He was hurled several metres; had Warhammer not steadied him, he would have cratered the deck.
His smirk froze, twisted into pure disbelief, eyes bulging as he screamed:
"Impossible—why didn't your sword break?!!"
He shook his head wildly, desperate for any explanation that made sense.
No! It must be because your blade is still sheathed! My power must have been cushioned by the scabbard! Your sword has to be broken—snapped inside there! Open it up and look! Open the damned thing and look!!
He raved like a madman, stabbing a finger at the nodachi in Charlotte Linlin's grip, his voice shrill with shock and a flicker of dread.
Charlotte Linlin slowly lifted her gaze, cold eyes sweeping over Barnett's blood-slick, trembling hand, then settling on his sword.
Where her scabbard had met his edge, a tiny nick curled the steel.
A mocking curve touched her lips.
'Sea-Splitter'? Fancy title. After today, I'm afraid you'll need a new one. And—
her voice dropped to a growl
you're not worth me drawing my blade.
The instant the words left her, Charlotte Linlin's aura snapped. The white dragon scales cloaking her body flushed to a deep, menacing crimson.
A brutal, crushing pressure exploded outward, tangible as a shock-wave.
The very air smothered them; Barnett and Warhammer were hurled back to the marrow-chilling terror they'd once felt facing an Admiral.
Barnett's face drained to paper-white. Madness and doubt were swallowed by fear. "Move!" he screamed. "Warhammer—grab a hostage—now!"
"Sorry—you're out of time."
Charlotte Linlin's icy voice came from behind them; she had crossed the distance faster than their senses could track.
Her nine-metre nodachi was now jet-black with Armament Haki, crackling with black-and-crimson lightning. Gathering apocalyptic force, the blade descended like divine punishment.
"Spare—"
Barnett shrieked in despair.
I'm dead—dead for sure!
Death pressed on him; his mind screamed but his body refused to answer.
Charlotte Linlin never slowed. Armament, Haoshoku, and black lightning thickened along the tachi.
Warhammer was first. He hadn't even time to block before the monstrous strike smashed into his spine.
Crack—!!
Bone shattered. His body folded at a right angle, eyes bulging, blood and viscrous gore spraying from his mouth.
His twisted frame—still lashed to the unstoppable nodachi—slammed into Barnett beside him.
"Gah—!"
A strangled cry was all Barnett managed; his protective Haki tore like paper, chest caving in, ribs snapping like twigs.
Together they shot away like a twin cannonball, crashing into the very waters where Mate had sunk.
Boom—!!
The deep sea detonated. A crater yawned, then a column of water dozens of metres across erupted skyward, spawning tsunamis that battered the broken merchant ship.
Amid the waves, Warhammer's rag-doll body sank, every bone powdered, consciousness gone.
Devil Fruit user Barnett, slightly luckier—only ribs broken and organs bruised—lost his power the instant seawater touched him; leaden limbs dragged him down.
Eyes wide with terror, he sank into the black abyss, unable even to struggle.
Charlotte Linlin stood on the pitching prow, watching the towering waves. "A family should stick together—nice and tidy."
"S-so strong!" Gloriosa's jaw dropped to the deck, disbelief blazing in her eyes.
The white-scaled form had seemed manageable; she might have found room to manoeuvre.
This crimson shape left only an abyss of hopelessness—she doubted she could last a single blow.
"Anyone hurt?" Charlotte Linlin dispersed her dragon form, turning to Gloriosa and the others.
"Ah! N-no, we're fine—*cough*!"
Gloriosa snapped from her daze, wiped drool—whether from shock or injury—from her lip, then coughed up a trickle of blood.
"We're okay too, Lady Linlin~"
The Kuja Pirates behind her chirped in chorus, cheeks flushed, eyes shining as they gazed at her.
"She spoke to me—Lady Linlin noticed me!"
One wounded warrior's nose spouted a crimson fountain; she fainted blissfully on the spot.
Gloriosa covered her face. "The Kuja's dignity… dashed to pieces by you useless lot."
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