— — — — — — — —
"I'm Charlotte Joey!"
"I've never considered myself a good person. But I'm definitely not a monster either."
"Just because I'm a transmigrator, does that mean I have to kill indiscriminately? I've never believed that. Is there some unwritten rule demanding senseless violence, like those trash novels suggest? Come on—I could never do that."
"Of course... betrayal and harm are different stories."
" No matter what others think, to me it doesn't change who I am."
"My mother brought us into this world by fusing our souls with hers—a testament to her unique abilities. Even if she'd conceived in a conventional way, what difference would it make? She's my mother. Has she ever truly wronged me?"
"To many, Linlin might not seem like an ideal mother. But as her eldest son, I know she's exceptional. She spoils me endlessly—like a cherished treasure she never wants to lose."
"Who has the right to judge? Can anyone really understand the bond between a mother and her child?"
"That's just who I am. I can be ruthless when needed, but I will never lose my basic human decency."
"The path I've chosen is difficult, and I doubt anyone has found the perfect way. A life devoid of emotion or bonds is never the right one."
"No matter what kind of person I am, the sea keeps moving forward."
"Life, like the relentless sea, never stops its journey. As the old saying goes, 'A calm sea never made a skilled sailor.' No matter who I am, I must keep charting my course and moving forward."
— — —
New World
The news of the Sand-Sand Fruit...Has stirred up the entire ocean.
Many have set their sights on it.
The Whitebeard Pirates, the Flying Pirates, the Three-Body Pirates (Silver Axe, John and Wang Zhi), the Roger Pirates...
All these major pirate crews are coming. After all, a Logia-type Devil Fruit...Is always a top-tier prize.
But! Even if they don't manage to obtain it...Just being part of the chaos is worth it. Before long...Everyone begins to make their move.
Calmly, but decisively. For half a month, the waters around Totto Land become increasingly lively.
Of course...Many came looking for trouble in Totto Land. But soon...They all disappeared.
The sea roared and churned.
The Queen Mama Chanter...Sailed steadily across the ocean.
Moving closer to the island. According to intel...The Sand-Sand Fruit was there.
Normally... No one dares to challenge the Big Mom Pirates near Totto Land.
But this time...Someone did. Someone who had the power to do so.
Suddenly, another ship appeared in front of the Queen Chanter.
No! Not just any ship—A warship. Blocking Katakuri and his crew...Was the Navy.
No one could say the Marines were in the wrong.
After all, stopping pirates was their duty. Who could argue against that?
At this moment...The atmosphere became eerily silent.
Step. Step.
Katakuri stepped forward with sharp eyes, surveying the surroundings before speaking calmly:
"Admiral Black Arm... You came alone? Do you really think you can take down the Big Mom Pirates by yourself? That's impossible."
Clearly, The only one present was Zephyr. However, the original order had been for Sengoku, Garp, and Zephyr to move together.
Sometimes...If it were a proper mission, they wouldn't refuse.
All three of them weren't fools. They knew exactly what was going on. This was just another underhanded tactic against the Charlotte Family.
They didn't mind using such tactics. But the sheer scale of this operation...Was disgusting.
So...Upon arriving...Garp and Sengoku, seeing Roger's and Whitebeard's crews, immediately turned away.
If Zephyr could've, he would've chased after Shiki instead.
Honestly the World Government was putting too much pressure on the Navy. For those who pursued true justice...The Government's version of justice...Was just too dark.
And...This was still before Sengoku became completely obedient. At this point, he still had his own thoughts.
Unlike when he became Fleet Admiral and started following orders blindly.
"Hahaha!"
Zephyr laughed heartily. "I may be alone, but I'm more than enough!"
"Today!"
"In the name of absolute justice!"
"I will arrest the Big Mom Pirates!"
"Heh..."
Hearing this, Cracker sneered and mocked:
"What a disgusting concept! The Navy representing justice? Sure. But absolute justice? Give me a break! The corruption in the Navy and World Government is enough to make anyone sick."
Cracker's words weren't pleasant.
Ordinary pirates wouldn't think too deeply about these things.
But don't forget...Under Joey's teachings, every member of the Charlotte Family was a thinker.
Not just brainless brutes who only knew how to grunt and fight.
They knew...The greatest evil in this world...Was the World Government.
Zephyr shook his head and said calmly:
"There's no need for discussion. That's for others to debate later. My goal today is simple: to capture the Big Mom Pirates!"
"Mamamamama!"
A terrifying laugh echoed.
In a flash, Linlin charged forward, eyes filled with excitement.
"Zephyr! You bastard, you dare challenge me?! Let's see how strong you really are!"
"Cognac~!"
Gripping Napoleon...Linlin swung her massive blade.
BOOM!!!
A fiery slash shot toward Zephyr.
"Heh..."
Zephyr chuckled. "Crazy woman! You think such an attack will work on me? Are you joking?!"
"Tempest Kick!"
A simple Rokushiki technique...But in Zephyr's hands...It exploded with terrifying power.
BOOM!!!
Their attacks clashed, unleashing a deafening explosion.
In the original timeline...Zephyr was already on the decline. But in this timeline...Things were different.
Now, Zephyr was still an active Admiral. And also the Marine Headquarters' Chief Instructor. His wife and children...Were still alive.
One thing was certain. Zephyr was still a terrifying force.
"Hmph!"
Linlin curled her lips into a grin, excitement flashing in her eyes. "Now that's more like it! If things get too boring, I'd lose interest. Zephyr, you bastard, I never liked you back in the day. Let's see how I take you down today!"
Zephyr chuckled, unfazed. "Take me down? Give it a shot! I'm not afraid in the slightest."
There was no denying it—Zephyr's temper was even worse than Garp's. Otherwise, he wouldn't have left the Navy in rage and founded his own faction in the original timeline.
In an instant, the battlefield was drenched in bloodlust.
But when it came to pure aura, Linlin had the upper hand.
Crackle!
Dark purple lightning surged wildly around her.
Zephyr scoffed in boredom. "Who do you think you're trying to impress? Hey, crazy woman, do you really think your Conqueror's Haki, which is only good for scaring birds, can intimidate me?"
"Hah?!" Linlin's grin turned vicious. "I ain't trying to scare you—I'm trying to kill you!"
Boom!
Her sword, Napoleon, was instantly coated in Armament Haki. Standing on Zeus, she charged straight at Zephyr.
At the same time, her overwhelming Conqueror's Haki faded, now fully concentrated into her blade.
Clearly, she had mastered the art of infusing it into her attacks.
As for Zephyr, though he lacked Conqueror's Haki, no one in their right mind would dare call him weak.
"Hah!!!" With a powerful shout, he clenched his fist and met Linlin's blade head-on.
The moment their attacks clashed—
BOOM!
A massive explosion erupted, sending shockwaves tearing through the sea.
This was the power of an Admiral-level fighter.
Even without Conqueror's Haki, Zephyr's mastery of Armament Haki was more than enough to match her. The sheer impact of their blows sent waves of lightning crackling in every direction.
Their battle was nothing new.
Back when Linlin was a top officer in the Rocks Pirates and Zephyr was a Vice Admiral, they had clashed countless times.
"Thunder Bolt~!"
"Finger Pistol!"
"Happy Mother's Blaze~!"
"Tempest Kick!"
The two combatants exchanged rapid blows, each attack countered with the familiarity of old rivals.
There was no doubt—
Linlin had immense potential, but she had always been lazy. If she had trained seriously, she would have at least reached Silver Rank 5, putting her on par with Rocks D. Xebec himself. Not just Silver Rank 3 like now.
Oh, speaking of which—Katakuri had also broken through. He was now at Silver Rank 2.
Of course, the gap between Silver Rank 1 and 2 wasn't too big. The real difference was Silver Rank 3—that was the beginning of a true power leap.
BOOM!
A terrifying blast of energy erupted from the battlefield.
Katakuri immediately gave the order. "Turn the ship around! Get us out of this area!"
"Yes, sir!"
The crew moved swiftly, steering away from the raging battle.
The Big Mom Pirates were no small group. Currently, they had close to 500 members, all from different unique races, each chosen for their strength.
"Tch..." Cracker clicked his tongue in frustration. "Man, when will I reach that level?"
He sighed, shaking his head.
But just then—
SWISH!
Cracker barely dodged an incoming attack. Annoyed, he snapped, "Hey, crazy woman, can you behave yourself? Believe it or not, I might just drag you home and make you my big bro's little bride!"
He scowled at the attacker, a tall and elegant woman.
Despite her mature demeanor, she was still quite young—
She was Gion. A Vice Admiral of the Navy. Known as— "Momousagi".
She was practically raised by Tsuru, who treated her like a little sister. Her talent and strength were undeniable.
"Hmph!" Gion snorted. "If you can defeat me fair and square, I'll gladly become your big brother's bride!"
For a moment—The entire ship went silent.
Even Katakuri, known for his composed nature, couldn't help but crack a grin.
"Oh-ho!" Katakuri smirked.
Cracker's excitement skyrocketed. "Now that's the kind of woman I like! You're perfect! Today, I'll make sure you become my big bro's little bride!"
.
.
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