Meanwhile, on Egghead Island, inside the infirmary of a Marine warship, Big Mom lay on a bed, her life force steadily fading.
Members of the Big Mom Pirates surrounded her, working urgently to bandage her wounds and treat her injuries. Despite their efforts, it was clear that their attempts were unlikely to succeed.
This time, she had suffered not only multiple fatal injuries but had also overdrawn her lifespan and mental energy.
Earlier, she had been gravely wounded by a single slash from Saint Nusjuro. Healing that injury had already consumed a significant portion of her lifespan. Later, she drained the lifespan of nearby Marines to compensate for her loss.
While the Soul-Soul Fruit allowed her to replenish lost lifespan quickly, the mental strain from repeated use could not be restored so easily.
After that, her arm was bitten off by Saint Peter. She forced it to regenerate using her ability, once again stealing lifespan from Marines to sustain herself.
By the third time, however, her luck ran out. Facing both Saint Peter and Saint Nusjuro together, she attempted to escape but failed. She was struck down instantly and left severely wounded.
Soon after, she was captured and brought aboard a Marine warship. There, Fujitora slit her throat and cast her into the sea.
Even with her so called steel balloon body, she could not endure such relentless damage. Both her body and spirit were nearing collapse.
"This is bad, Mama's heartbeat is getting weaker," one of the ship doctors shouted.
Another added anxiously, "She's in shock from excessive blood loss. We need to perform a transfusion, but the needles cannot pierce her skin."
Katakuri stood nearby, his expression dark. Medicine was not his field, so he could only rely on the doctors.
As her consciousness drifted, fragments of her life began to surface in Big Mom's mind. Though hazy, her memories felt unusually vivid.
She saw herself in her youth, standing among the legendary Rocks Pirates. She remembered the rise of her own crew, the Charlotte Family forming the core of her empire. She recalled the days when she ruled the seas as one of the Four Emperors, feared and revered across the world.
She had once believed without doubt that she would find the One Piece and become the first female Pirate King.
Her dream had always been to create a land where all races could live as equals. Though her methods were cruel and often monstrous, deep down she had always believed she was bringing sweetness and happiness to the world.
But now, that dream was slipping away.
During the Whole Cake Island war, she had already felt regret over her alliance with Kaido and Marco. That conflict had cost her crew dearly, wiping out a large portion of her forces.
Even so, their alliance had emerged victorious, and she chose to continue trusting it.
Now, she regretted it once again.
If she had not allied with them, she might still be ruling Totto Land peacefully. Her children would be safe, and she could enjoy her family by her side.
Instead, the battle on Egghead Island had forced her to confront a harsh truth. The gap between her and the World Government was far greater than she had believed. The Gorosei were monsters beyond her reach.
If she had avoided this alliance, she would never have faced such overwhelming enemies.
What did becoming Pirate King or ruling the world matter if she could not even survive?
At that moment, Marco arrived at the warship alongside Garrett.
When Katakuri saw him, his eyes lit up with urgency.
"Marco, quickly, save Mama."
He knew Marco was not only a powerful fighter but also a skilled doctor, far more capable than anyone in their crew.
Marco gave a small nod and entered the infirmary. His gaze fell on Big Mom's pale body. Her neck wound had been temporarily sealed with mochi by Katakuri.
"Lord Marco," one of the ship doctors said, relief evident in his voice.
Marco stepped closer, examining her condition. Aside from the deep wound at her neck, a massive slash stretched from her chest to her abdomen, emitting a chilling aura.
Using Observation Haki, he quickly assessed her state. Her heartbeat was faint, barely holding on. The monitor beside her confirmed his concern.
"What's her condition?" Marco asked.
The doctor replied immediately, "She is in shock due to severe blood loss, combined with prior injuries and extreme mental exhaustion. We attempted a transfusion, but no needle can pierce her skin."
"A steel balloon indeed," Marco said calmly.
A blue Regeneration Flame ignited in his palm and settled over her wounds. His expression turned serious.
"This flame will stabilize her condition for now."
He continued, "Once we restore her blood volume, she should recover from shock. After that, if she regains consciousness, she can use her own lifespan to heal."
Picking up a needle, Marco examined her arm, then muttered, "Finding a vein here will not be easy."
He focused, coating his fingers with Armament Haki. With precise control, he cut into the back of her hand, carefully navigating through layers of skin and fat until he located a vein.
He inserted the needle successfully.
"That solves the blood issue," Marco said. "With her resilience, waking up is only a matter of time."
Another surge of Regeneration Flame covered her wounds as he added, "This should keep her stable."
Katakuri looked at him, surprised. "That is all?"
Marco nodded. "Yes. The flames will gradually repair the damage. The neck wound is serious, but manageable."
His expression darkened slightly.
"However, the slash across her chest is a different matter."
He pointed to the frozen energy lingering around the wound.
"The blade used by Saint Nusjuro is the Shodai Kitetsu, a cursed sword. His swordsmanship is exceptional."
Marco continued, "The energy from that strike is still active, continuously damaging her from within. It could be the nature of his Devil Fruit, or the sword itself. Either way, the healing process is extremely slow."
He paused before adding, "Still, this should not be fatal for her. As long as she regains consciousness, she can trade lifespan to recover. For someone like her, as long as she does not exhaust everything at once, she can always replenish it over time."
◇ I'll drop one bonus chapter for every 10 reviews
(Leave a review/comment)
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100
Power Stones.
◇ Read 80 | 100 chapters ahead on [email protected]/_Zeph