Chapter 81: The Secret of Longevity – A Tongue as Sharp as Ever

Words : 1143 Updated : Sep 21st, 2025

A person surfaced in Roy's mind. His medical teacher. Doctor Kureha. Kureha was an ordinary human. Despite being nearly 140 years old, her physical condition was on par with someone in their thirties or forties. Roy had studied her physical functions, and there really wasn't much difference compared to a middle-aged person. Even while smoking, drinking, and occasionally perming her hair, her cells remained remarkably active, something completely defying conventional understanding. There were two possibilities: either she wasn't really over a hundred and was actually in her seventies or eighties, well-maintained to the point of staving off any signs of aging... Or, if she really was 139 years old, based on the last time Roy examined her, then medicine alone couldn't explain it. Which meant one thing: She had a method, a theoretical system she followed. After all, no matter how powerful medicine is, no drug could sustain cellular vitality for so long. And even if it could, your body would've deteriorated by then. There's no way you'd still be lively, let alone capable of fighting. There was only one likely explanation: A way to harness energy, Haki, to preserve her body. It wasn't just New World warriors who wielded Haki. Kureha, having traveled the world in her youth, might have already known about Haki, including its more specialized and deeper applications. And just now, Roy had tested a theory. Haki was life energy. And it could be circulated internally, much like the ancient medical principles he once studied. In his past life, he had attempted similar practices but failed; he could never sense life energy. But now, with Haki as a tangible force, he could guide it through his body like a living current. The effect was immediate. His cells rejuvenated, humming with vitality. His body felt lighter, stronger. Haki had always been used externally—for offense, for defense. Nobody had ever thought to use it internally to enhance the body from within. That single palm strike had confirmed it. By compressing Haki inside Big Mom, he'd triggered an internal detonation. No wonder they say the human body is a universe in itself. We might even exist inside the body of a larger being, invisible specks in the grand biological cosmos. The vastness of the universe, the mystery of the human body, and Roy suddenly had a new pursuit. Charlotte Linlin was slowly coming back to her senses. A monster is still a monster. The moment she snapped back to reality, she didn't check her injuries; she attacked Roy. Boom! She threw a punch. The explosive force sent Roy flying. Landing steadily on a rock, Roy realized he'd never felt this light before. Previously, thanks to Haki, he could move incredibly fast, on par with Red-Haired Shanks' rapid short-distance movement akin to teleportation. But now, his control was precise. His body moved like water, every motion optimized. "DAMN IT, DAMN IT, I'LL KILL YOU!!"" Charlotte Linlin roared, swinging her arm. Countless Homies collapsed, and she grabbed their souls into her hand. Not just the Homies, some unlucky others too. A mass of souls was caught by her, and she opened her mouth. Gulp! Roy could hear their wailing. With his Observation Haki, he felt their emotional turmoil. Charlotte Linlin devoured the souls. If Marco the flames heals by burning life force, then Big Mom's Soul-Soul Fruit heals by consuming other people's souls, using their life essence to patch her body. No wonder her body was still so indestructible. Just look at Whitebeard and Red-Hair, both severely wounded. But her eye couldn't be repaired. Roy had completely obliterated it, and with the power of Conqueror's Haki, it became a wound that couldn't be healed. Charlotte Linlin's body began to regenerate. He could feel it; the souls were being absorbed, unable to return to their original hosts. Those souls were gone. The people they came from were already dead. She had completely digested those souls. There were so many secrets to her. How did she even become the Soul-Soul Fruit user? What happened to that nun? What were the hidden truths from back then? Maybe only Luffy and his crew would uncover the answers in Elbaf. After all, the kind-hearted Elbaf Giants had witnessed what happened all those years ago. They surely knew the secrets. "Mama mamama... your attacks stung quite a bit," Charlotte Linlin licked her lips. "I was just verifying something. Now I've got my answer," Roy said calmly. "You're saying... You used me as your lab rat?" Her gaze turned vicious, her rage rising. "Exactly." Roy nodded. Charlotte Linlin's aura became more terrifying. The souls she had just devoured not only repaired her body but also temporarily boosted her power. Her methods were not unlike Gecko Moria's. Moria increased his strength by absorbing shadows. Linlin gained power by absorbing souls. Her figure, now slimmed down from digestion, looked just like she did thirty-six years ago when Roy had first seen her. "You look just like when we met 36 years ago," Roy said. "Mama mamama... is that so? Then I'll make you remember the fear I once gave you." Charlotte Linlin rushed him. Roy did one thing only: dodge. With his light and agile body, the two played a game of cat and mouse across the island. No matter how many times she attacked, she couldn't land a hit. But she never stopped chasing him. "That's it? Not so impressive. Charlotte Linlin, are you sure you're full? Want me to grab you a snack? Don't want you to go crazy from hunger again," Roy mocked. Linlin clenched her teeth, continuing her assault. "Is running all you can do? Has the Whitebeard Pirates been reduced to nothing but cowards?" she mocked while swinging her sword. "Running? That one eye you have left, does it see me running? Wasn't it YOU who ran away from Egghead?" Roy taunted. Her rage surged. It was like rubbing salt on an open wound. This guy's mouth is insufferable. "Too scared for a real fight, huh? Without Whitebeard, you're nothing but a bunch of clowns!" she roared. "Without Newgate, they still have me. But what about you? When you croak, can Katakuri protect the Big Mom Pirates? I don't think so. And you? You're already old, not many years left. Charlotte Linlin... I might not even need to kill you. I'll just watch you slowly die. And when you finally drop dead, I'll hire a clown to dance on your grave." "AAAAAAAHHHH!!" Charlotte Linlin let out a soul-shattering scream, continuing her pursuit. She had become Roy's whetstone. ... If you enjoy the story, my p@treon is 30 chapters ahead. [email protected]/DaoistJinzu

Chapter 81: The Secret of Longevity – A Tongue as Sharp as Ever

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