Chapter 77: 77. Peak Collision, Blowing Charlotte Linlin!

Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari ---------- Alex had already deciphered Charlotte Linlin's soul-manipulation method. Even in seawater, Charlotte Linlin could still use her soul powers to control natural disasters like tsunamis. But she hadn't chosen to do so just now. It wasn't just a theory—Alex's mastery of Haki confirmed it. Linlin couldn't use her soul abilities to control the objects controlled by Alex. Whoosh! Alex curled a finger, and the enormous island instantly lost its buoyancy, plummeting toward Whole Cake Island below. Witnessing this, the citizens on the island fell to their knees, clutching their heads in despair, their cries echoing like the end of the world. "Don't you dare, Alex!!!" With an enraged shout, Charlotte Linlin pulled herself up, sacrificing fragments of her soul for a power boost. Wielding her crackling Sword, she unleashed a fierce swing, propelling herself to catch the falling island at terrifying speed. "Ikoku!" Using the Giants' devastating technique, Linlin's strength—amplified by her soul infusions—was enough to split the sea itself. The massive 10,000-meter island was cleaved in two. Fragments, large and small, scattered like meteorites and rained down toward Whole Cake Island. "Stop!" Under Linlin's furious roar, her Soul-Soul Fruit powers surged as she activated her awakened abilities. Souls poured out from the island—possessing teapots, flowers, Homies, even the residents themselves—all glowing as they rushed to her command. Her army of souls instantly formed a massive barrier. As long as it wasn't struck with overwhelming force, the strange soul energy deflected the avalanche of meteorites with relentless resistance. In Totto Land, where her soul power saturated everything, Linlin had no shortage of resources. To ordinary people, the fall of an island was an apocalyptic disaster, but to a Yonko like her, it was merely another large-scale target to be obliterated. If Alex's More-More Fruit were also awakened, he could turn these fragments into a multiplying storm of meteors, magnifying both their size and velocity. He could even amplify the impact to create a secondary disaster on an unprecedented scale. Perhaps, with the right precision, he could turn the entire archipelago into continent-level wreckage, its devastating descent unstoppable, powerful enough to flatten Whole Cake Island. But he knew that even Charlotte Linlin's soul powers couldn't hold back an impact on that scale. For now, though, as a great swordsman and with the awakened power of the Float-Float Fruit, Alex was pushing the limits of his Devil Fruit. Without More-More fruit's awakening, 10,000 meters was the current height ceiling he could reach with an island. Larger targets still required a breakthrough in awakening to transcend this limit. Alex knew that the key lay in awakening. Even without the More-More Fruit's awakening, he dared to face Charlotte Linlin alone, trusting in the power of his current abilities and the evolution of his strength. Linlin's souls blocked the incoming meteorites. Her pupils narrowed into fierce, dangerous slits as she strained to hold them back. But when she turned toward Alex, her expression shifted sharply. "I knew you monsters wouldn't be fazed by something like that," he remarked, a wry grin breaking across his face. "Do you think I'm not angry?" Linlin shot back. In that instant, Alex's Akazakura had transformed into a towering sword over a hundred meters long, enveloped in swirling Haki. The giant blade, empowered by the More-More Fruit, loomed above, poised to strike. The previous island drop had only been a distraction. Linlin's eyes widened with horror. With More-More Fruit's power, even when expanded to such a massive size, the blade swung with undiminished speed, cutting through the air as though propelled by sheer will. In an instant, the devastating slash was nearly upon her. "ALEX!!" Charlotte Linlin had no way to retreat. Her soul barrier couldn't withstand the incoming attack, and Whole Cake Island itself was at risk of being cleaved in two by the devastating Slash Wave—threatening to destroy decades of her efforts. With a fierce cry, she gripped her sword with both hands, infusing it with Haki, black lightning crackling as flames surged wildly around her blade. As Linlin raised her weapon, a menacing aura erupted from her, souls surrounding her body in a protective storm. These souls didn't just consume her own life force—they drew heavily from the vast reserve she'd amassed across Totto Land. "Supremacy Sea!" With a thunderous roar, Linlin unleashed the true combat technique of the giants. Far surpassing Ikoku in both range and power, her slash cut through the air with devastating force. BOOM! In mid-air, the two colossal attacks collided. In an instant, a hurricane-like shockwave exploded outward, forcing the sea below to retreat under the pressure. Even from a distance, Whole Cake Island felt the impact; towns and homes crumbled as gusts tore through them, the air filled with sharp, unrelenting whistling. Alex's blood-hued blade clashed fiercely with Linlin's flame-wreathed sword, and for a moment, it was as if the world itself was shattering—the earth split, the sky howled, and the ocean shrank back as if in terror. Alex gripped his sword tightly, feeling the strain as his Haki clashed against Linlin's Supremacy Sea. Although Linlin had the advantage in sheer strength, Alex's skill as a great swordsman held the balance. Empowered by the More-More Fruit, he matched her blow for blow, undaunted by her monstrous strength. Gradually, Linlin began to bend backward, her Thundercloud Homie shrinking beneath her feet as she diverted more of her soul power to resist the attack and manage the floating seawater below. Charlotte Linlin's hands trembled as she struggled, her sword beginning to quake under the force of Alex's attack. Finally, Akazakura overpowered her blade, unleashing a tremendous shockwave that exploded through the air. Alex was thrown back by the impact, his hands straining, veins bulging as blood trickled from his grip. He flew backward, only stabilizing himself mid-air with his devil fruit powers. The larger force crashed down on Linlin, whose Haki shield deflected some of the blow, but she was blasted back to the ground, colliding with Whole Cake Island in an eruption of dust and debris, collapsing a vast section of land beneath her. "It seems... I'll have to get my doctor earlier," Alex muttered, catching his breath. This fight had drained him more than his clash with Kaido. Despite having the upper hand, he'd needed all his effort to contend with Linlin's monstrous endurance. As he retracted Akazakura to its regular size, he focused his Observation Haki to locate her. Sure enough, within the ruins, Charlotte Linlin was still standing, battered but unbroken. Smoke and dust settled, revealing her form, blood streaming from her mouth. The giant form she'd sustained with soul power had dissipated, leaving her using the remaining reserves to patch her injuries. Her body mended itself as souls gathered around her wounds, healing them with the relentless vitality of an awakened Zoan. This recovery came at a cost—years of souls collected across Totto Land, depleted in mere moments, and now, her very lifespan was dwindling, sacrificing years of life to stay in the fight. "ALEX!!!" Her enraged scream shook the air, resonating over the battered island. "What's this, Charlotte Linlin? Looking for more?" Alex challenged, standing confidently in the sky. At his words, Linlin's children rushed forward, brandishing their weapons protectively around her, forming a human barrier. His voice rang out, his aura intensifying to show he was still ready to fight despite his exhaustion. Linlin's will was no less tenacious. As long as she could avoid a fatal blow or prepare for a prolonged confrontation, she could tap into her soul power to keep going. As expected of a Yonko, their monstrous physiques allowed them to fight with power that seemed inexhaustible. Alex remembered the original tale: if not for Linlin's fall into the explosives vault and her soul reserves' depletion, even Kid and Law would've struggled to defeat her. Though confident, Alex was prepared to end the fight. The balance of power had tipped in his favor, achieving what he needed most. His goal was simply to challenge Charlotte Linlin, to carve out an opening in the New World. As for Linlin, he didn't lack the resolve to kill her. He admired the influence she wielded over Totto Land, and the potential power he could gain. But it wasn't yet his time to completely topple her. To pursue victory now could compromise his own plans. At present, his allies were still consolidating power, and the Marines and the World Government had their eyes on Totto Land as well. For now, even the smallest risk would be unwise. After all, this was Totto Land, a fortress protected not only by Linlin's power but by the unique strengths and abilities of the entire Charlotte family.