The voice was cold. Unyielding. High handed.
Even though the young Charlotte Linlin was at this point still perfect in height, figure, looks, and strength and had once matched Ozz's ideal type, the truth was she had already given birth to several children.
A ruined old crush was not worth a single berry.
Especially when what she held now was an animal type Mythical Zoan, Azure Dragon form, a Devil Fruit whose value could not even be measured.
This was the fruit that should have belonged to Kaido in the original timeline. Now Ozz had laid eyes on it.
And since he had laid eyes on it, he would take it.
The moment she heard Ozz speak, Charlotte Linlin's eyes widened. Frost flashed there. She almost could not believe what she was hearing.
She turned back and saw Ozz standing there quietly, looking straight at her.
Facing those calm scarlet pupils, eyes like a still dead sea, the rage inside her was forced down a little.
But she did not want to compromise. She bit her silver teeth together and stared at Ozz angrily.
"Hey Ozz. I have already given you enough face."
"I was the one who found it first. One fruit each is fair. Or do you want to fight among ourselves now? Rocks is still on the island."
She talked about giving him face and at the same time tried to use Rocks's name to pressure him.
You had to admit, young Linlin had a good head on her shoulders. She knew that under Ozz's hands she probably would not get any advantage.
Ozz listened and fell silent for a moment. Then he followed her line of thought.
"You are right. You did give me a lot of face."
Hearing that, Linlin's pretty face finally showed a trace of a smile. She thought Ozz had come around. To be honest she really did not want to fight a troublesome monster like him right now.
But then Ozz's eyes stayed scarlet.
Right in front of Gick's surprised gaze, Ozz raised his head to look at Linlin.
"But this time is different, Linlin. I am not giving face to anyone. Not even to Rocks."
Ozz could not, for something as cheap as face, or for an old, once beautiful woman, give up the safety net he wanted to leave for the old man.
In his view the Azure Dragon fruit might be able to help the old man after he left. Might help him realize his dream of becoming a monster, at least once.
In the original line the old man was already far too old. No matter how strong a Devil Fruit Ozz had, he could not make that already worn out, already shrunken Gick burn with the heart of a monster again.
But this Gick was different. He was still young. Even though they would never see each other again after this, Ozz still chose to help him.
"You are going to betray the Rocks Pirates, Ozz."
By now even the dumbest person could hear what Ozz meant.
He wanted all of it.
"Napoleon. Prometheus."
"Yes Mama."
Charlotte Linlin instantly summoned Napoleon and Prometheus. They became a flaming greatsword. She stuffed the Azure Dragon fruit into her arms.
She clearly had no intention of yielding to Ozz's strength. She wanted to gamble.
But in front of her flames and slashes Ozz, who had already decided to leave the old man with an invincible figure and a spiritual pillar, did not dodge at all.
"Pointless."
He held out his hand. The slash wrapped in flames was crushed in his palm and vanished.
"Click."
"Ozz you bastard."
Realizing that a frontal clash was not the way, Charlotte Linlin turned to withdraw.
As long as she could get out, she could take the fruit with her and then…
"Teleport Baton."
Ozz could not be bothered with her little plan. He simply raised his hand and hooked a finger. The scaly greenish blue Devil Fruit flickered and appeared in his palm.
One hand held the Paw Paw Fruit. One hand held the Azure Dragon.
Ozz weighed the two fruits and looked at Gick.
"Think it over. Which one do you want to eat."
Two of the most precious Devil Fruits in the world were treated like snacks in Ozz's hand. His tone was relaxed.
It was just like back then when old Gick had taken out all his lifetime savings without a second thought to feed this little monster.
"This…"
Gick blinked at the two fruits with totally different looks. His mind went blank.
Before he could answer, Charlotte Linlin touched the dimensional pocket on her chest and realized it was really gone.
"Hey Ozz."
If she could still tolerate this, then she did not deserve to have Conqueror's Haki. The flaming giant sword in her hands cleaved down in an all out slash.
"Spear of Elbaf."
That was the giants' battle art. Its power could cleave seas and smash mountains.
"Divine Departure."
Before it even hit, the pressure was already blowing Ozz's hair wildly.
Ozz only placed his hand on his sword hilt.
After a beat a cold name rang out.
A red and black divine shadow flashed into being. In Charlotte Linlin's horrified eyes it pierced straight through her Ikoku, straight for her body.
Swoosh.
Boom.
A slash infused with Conqueror's Haki and spatial force tore through the iron balloon physique in an instant. Even her personified homies cried out in terror as they were cut down.
He did not kill the young Linlin. That was already the greatest mercy Ozz could give to his former ideal type.
Carrying Gick, Ozz walked past the heavily injured Charlotte Linlin.
As he was about to leave, he stopped.
He turned back to look at the hot figured, stunning young Charlotte Linlin. There was an odd look in his eyes.
That look was like he was thinking. Or like he was hesitating.
Leaning against the wall, face contorted from pain, Linlin saw that strange gaze and became confused.
Why.
Why look at me like that.
Could it be.
Charlotte Linlin suddenly thought of a possibility. Maybe it was because of her beauty that Ozz had other thoughts.
Once she thought so her heart became hot.
If that was the case, then losing the Azure Dragon fruit was not impossible. After all there was a chance to bear a child with absurd talent.
Not just her. Even Gick thought of that. Even the more precocious Ivankov.
Only little Kuma, scratching his bald round head, could not understand why everyone's faces were so weird.
"Hey. You brats. Come with me."
Gick instinctively tried to pull the two kids away.
Charlotte Linlin ignored the wound on her chest and started undressing.
Ozz was speechless.
He only wanted to leave his future self something fun to discover.
Just imagining his future self in this timeline finding out about this made him want to laugh.
He reached out to stop them and said something utterly baffling.
"Charlotte Linlin. If you are willing, keep your current figure and looks. Come find me again twenty years from now."
"I will give you a child."
"One whose talent surpasses even Rocks and me."
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