The receding wall of seawater quickly filled the divided area, submerging half of Charlotte Linlin's body.
After a moment of stalemate, she suddenly sighed, turned her head to look at the black cloud Sage was riding and the gloomy sky above it. In a daze, she seemed to glimpse a bright star in her vision.
"At this point, what are you still hiding? What, am I not worthy of you using your full strength?" Charlotte Linlin shouted unhappily.
Just a moment ago, Sage broke through her attack, accelerated in that instant, and landed hits all over her body in that split second—something he couldn't do before.
Sage rose above the sea surface, ensuring the seawater wouldn't flood him before saying, "Would you believe me if I said it was a breakthrough in the heat of the moment?"
"Mwahahaha, nothing unbelievable about that. It seems your growth period is still on the rise..."
She chuckled for a moment, then asked, "Is that the Death Star?"
Poof!
Chi chi chi!
As soon as she finished speaking, her bloated body rapidly returned to its original state, as if her soul had burned out. The state described as a 'Steel Balloon' deflated like a leaking balloon, with blood spouting from the surface like a fountain.
This also caused her swollen body to become smaller quickly.
Sage glanced at her and then lifted his head to look at the sky.
"Yes, your Death Star is already shining."
The Death Star, apart from him as the practitioner, could only be seen by those on the brink of death whom he targeted.
"Mwahahaha, with these injuries and my burnt-out lifespan, I'm indeed not far from death."
Charlotte Linlin chuckled softly, having reached this point, she felt rather unresigned.
Sage wouldn't even bother asking her such questions.
If you lose, you lose!
If you're going to die, then die!
Nothing shameful to admit!
"The era..."
She sighed reflectively, inexplicably thinking of Roger, who was always smiling...
Back when she, Kaido, and Whitebeard were on the same ship, Roger often opposed them.
The Rocks Pirates weren't team-oriented; they didn't even obey orders. Everyone was on guard against each other, fighting separately. In the end, in the battle at Divine Valley, they were defeated by the combined forces of Garp, Roger, and the Heavenly Celestial Dragons, leading to the disbandment of the Pirates and a new development for themselves.
Later, Roger became the Pirate King, but he also uttered that famous last words, ushering the Great Pirate Era.
"Why did he say that? It's because of those words that every year we have brats like you ceaselessly challenging us. The tide of the times won't stagnate, I know that, so I understand... Sooner or later, brats like you will defeat us."
"I just didn't expect it to be someone already an Emperor... You became an Emperor; isn't that enough?" Charlotte Linlin asked.
"Are you satisfied?" Sage retorted.
Charlotte Linlin was taken aback, then laughed again, "No, I wouldn't be satisfied. If it weren't for Lola, I should've allied with the Giant Race. If I got the Vinsmoke Family's technology this time, I would have wiped you out and ruled the seas."
Sage also laughed, "Three Emperors, Four Emperors, Five Emperors... these titles are just the world's nomenclature because they couldn't do anything about them, so the titles exist. But I found a way, so they shouldn't exist."
"Mwahahaha, indeed, that's the case. Too bad, I want to know Roger's treasure, what's there in Laugh Tale. Roger...no longer exists. He won't tell me. You are from O'hara, do you know?"
"How would I know that much? Laugh Tale is either a massive joke of the world filled with meaningless wisdom and courage. Or..."
Sage said solemnly: "The key to seizing the entire world."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "You're dying; why care so much?"
"That's not certain."
Charlotte Linlin bared her teeth, "What defines death anyway?"
"Is it the disappearance of life? Or dissipating from people's memories? Or is it existing in history until one's will isn't inherited and thus vanishes from the world?"
"Roger has been dead for over twenty years, yet I always felt he was still alive because he's in my memories, and some interesting fellows on the sea have inherited his will as well!"
"If this is also a form of 'living,' then I am immortal!"
Charlotte Linlin laughed for a while, then suddenly pointed at Sage in the sky, shouting, "Norton Sage, if it's you...with your stature, what you're capable of, I hear when you hold banquets, do your subordinates sit together? That's indiscriminate of race, right!"
"Only those who catch my eye qualify to sit with me, the rest... need to work harder."
Sage said, "However, I don't mind them showing their self-initiative, nor am I stingy with rewards."
"After conquering here, then what?"
"It's the same, those willing to serve me, I'm equally generous with rewards for them."
"Mwahahaha, you've already obtained the Giant Race..."
Charlotte Linlin laughed, "There are two more races, Lunaria and Bakania. With your greed, if you can get them, you wouldn't refuse!"
Sage merely lifted his head, not even bothering to respond to Charlotte Linlin.
They were all Four Emperors; there was nothing he couldn't do!
"Here you go! All to you! No matter what, my Homiez are with you, so..."
Pointing at Sage's palm, she clenched tightly, "My dreams, whether you're greedily devouring or passively inheriting, they're all yours!"
Soulful white flames scattered from her hand and then extinguished themselves. At that moment, Sage suddenly sensed something, glancing down at the black cloud beneath his feet.
The feeling of being pulled... disappeared.
After all, these were creations of Charlotte Linlin's ability. Even if Sage struck these entities until they dissolved their consciousness, the connection from ability creation was not so easily severed.
And these things, though currently undetectable, could still be completed if Charlotte Linlin intended.
Now it was different...
After that move, Sage could sense a deeper connection between him and the three Homiez, not only the Thunder Cloud, but also the Sword Homiez and the Flame Homiez, establishing a spiritual connection with him.
What was this?
A change of ownership?
"The transformation of eras, the will passed down through generations, people's dreams..."
Charlotte Linlin murmured softly and then suddenly widened her eyes, shouting:
"I place these on you!"
Roger...
Newgate...
Shiki...
Rocks...
And...
Kaido.
The figures of the old generation will ultimately be eliminated. My dream cannot be completed.
There's no resentment, just loss, but... the dream will be fulfilled by someone else.
Therefore...
Splash!
The seawater poured down, submerging Charlotte Linlin up to her neck, even mixed with some blood, as she let out her final roar:
"Norton Sage! Go accomplish what you want, and then..."
"Seize the seas!!!"
The surging seawater drowned Charlotte Linlin's head, causing her flickering figure to disappear completely, consumed by the sea. The divided sea became flat again, then quickly turned into a massive whirlpool, devouring everything around it.
Sage watched the whirlpool for a moment, then looked up at the sky, clicked his tongue, and said:
"Don't make it seem like I inherited you... I won, I seized it all!"