Linlin's expression turned angry, her voice brimming with dissatisfaction,
"Serious business? What could be more serious than having children?"
Roger felt truly helpless in that moment. One man devoted to adopting sons everywhere, and another obsessed with having children constantly — this was not the situation he had expected. Was the ultimate goal of pirates simply domestic life?
He exhaled and said,
"Linlin, the Navy's momentum right now is too strong. If this continues, there may soon be no place left for us on the seas."
Linlin frowned lightly, straightened her posture slowly, and said in a deeper tone,
"Roger, is there truly a day when a man like you would lose heart after defeat?"
Roger was silent for a moment before responding,
"No, I am simply worried about the future of this world."
Linlin rolled her eyes and sneered,
"Here you go again. I remember back then you helped the Navy defeat Rocks for that very reason. You were getting along extremely well with the Navy, especially with that man Garp."
"Garp has been assigned to a prison post, and I do not know whether we will see him again."
"From the sound of it, you feel some regret."
"That is true, Garp was a great adversary. If all in the Navy were like him, the world might not be the way it is now."
"Mamama… yes, that would be a paradise belonging to us pirates!"
Roger's expression stiffened. He did not truly mean that. To be fair, he understood the virtues of most of his peers. If the world became the so‑called "paradise" that Linlin spoke of, then the world would truly be ruined.
Still, he chose to placate her for now.
"Linlin, we need to take action. At least let the Celestial Dragons know that these seas do not belong to them."
"Oh?" Linlin looked down at Roger with genuine curiosity, asking,
"So what do you intend to do?"
Roger took a deep breath and said in a gravely serious voice,
"You once belonged to the Rocks Pirates, so you must have heard of the end point, haven't you?"
The moment those words left Roger's mouth, Linlin's expression changed drastically. A terrifying aura erupted from her entire being, and she focused her gaze on Roger.
"That place… does it truly exist?"
Roger nodded slowly,
"Actually, you believe it exists too, right? Otherwise, you would not have kept that red stone."
Boom!
Linlin reacted instantly. She removed her hat, and from its top a blade extended — Napoleon, the powerful Homie she formed using her Soul‑Soul Fruit.
She gripped Napoleon with both hands and drove it downward fiercely toward Roger.
Roger's Observation Haki was extremely refined, and his reflexes were razor‑sharp. Within an instant, he drew his sword and met her strike with a precise block.
Crimson and ebony sparks lit up from their clashing weapons. The castle behind Linlin shook violently as though it might collapse at any moment.
Linlin shrieked with ferocity,
"Zeus! Prometheus!"
"Present! Mom!"
From within the castle, a white cloud and a blazing fireball burst outward, floating beside her.
Immediately after, one took form as a pitch‑black thundercloud, and the other as a burning sun, together enveloping the Roger Pirate crew in overwhelming intensity.
Roger gritted his teeth as he blocked Linlin's attack and said,
"Linlin, calm yourself, I do not wish to fight you!"
Linlin snapped back angrily,
"Silence! That thing belongs to me! I will not let you have it!"
"I am not taking it from you, I only wish to see it!"
"Not happening!"
At this moment, Linlin's children gathered around with unfriendly expressions directed at the Roger Pirates.
Seeing this, Rayleigh, Bullet, and the others dropped their restraint and shifted into combat mode, preparing to face the Big Mom Pirates.
…
Meanwhile, on Oven‑Baked Island,
Charlotte Owen, stationed there, saw the flashing red lightning over Cake Island and barked orders to prepare ships. He intended to sail to Cake Island to support his mother.
Just as he was about to board, a distant roar echoed from the sea.
Owen squinted toward the horizon and saw a small boat rapidly approaching shore.
That vessel moved with astonishing speed, heading straight for the island.
Seeing an unexpected guest arrive unannounced, Owen snorted coldly,
"Who dares to come here? Do they think they are Roger?"
As he spoke, two flames ignited in his eyes. His body turned a deep crimson, radiating terrifying heat. The ground beneath him began to melt from the intensity.
His subordinates scattered in panic, unwilling to approach him.
Owen was a Heat‑Heat Fruit user. Once his power was active, nearly no living creature could withstand the blistering temperatures he emitted.
He pressed his hands into the nearby seawater, and it boiled instantly, churning violently. He intended to melt the approaching boat and its passengers together.
But even after a long moment, the small vessel remained intact, and instead it adjusted its course to come directly toward him.
Owen stood tall and said with cold disdain,
"Heat‑resistant materials, huh? So you came specifically to challenge me? Foolish…"
He planted his feet firmly and extended his arms forcefully, shouting,
"Come on! Try to reach shore!"
The small boat then crashed onto the beach with immense force.
Owen roared,
"Show yourself!"
Crack!
Under the stunned gaze of his minions, the small boat stopped precisely in place.
A tall, young man stood aboard it, speaking with utter indifference,
"Are human speed bumps popular these days?"
Someone in the ranks appeared to recognize him. Fear filled their voice as they exclaimed,
"Black Dragon! That is Admiral Black Dragon!!!"
The man before them was Lloyd. He had grown sleepy while flying, so he summoned his personal sea vehicle and rested on it for a while.
Unfortunately for Owen, his restful moment ended abruptly with a very unwelcome wake‑up call.
Lloyd scanned the surroundings and the minions already crowding about. Then he raised his right hand, extending his index and middle fingers.
Pfft, pfft, pfft!
A series of sharp explosions broke out, forming a circle of blood‑spattered fireworks along the shore, the thick crimson mist spreading in every direction.
Lloyd stepped off his sea vehicle, stretched his neck slightly, and then slid the ship back into his dark bible. His gaze dropped onto Owen, who was still pinned to the ground.
Owen was not unconscious. He struggled to push the speedboat off his chest, but could not budge it. Once Lloyd withdrew the sea vehicle, Owen tumbled out of the shallow crater and hit the ground with a loud crash.
____
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