At this moment, the battlefield fell silent.
Even the officers from both sides, who had been fighting fiercely in the distance, could not help stopping. With strange tacit understanding, none of them continued attacking.
Everyone's eyes turned toward the ice fog that covered the sky. Within it, they could faintly see the enormous shadow of Susanoo, as massive as a mountain.
"What kind of Emperors did you two say you wanted to become again?"
When that calm question spread across the battlefield, the members of the Valthior Pirates all showed confident smiles.
"It is over!" Shanks said while sitting on Buggy's head, holding Ame no Habakiri. "Big Bro Valthior won!"
Just as Valthior had said—
Kaido, at this stage, could only be counted as a silver-tier fighter. He had not even reached the threshold of a true top powerhouse.
Charlotte Linlin was strong, yes—but she was only barely standing at that threshold.
Only on Cake Island, inside her own territory, where she could absorb the souls of a massive number of Homies, could she erupt with strength no weaker than people like Shiki.
Here, she was simply not qualified.
On the other hand, half a year ago, Valthior had already been able to fight Garp, a true peak-level powerhouse, for three days and two nights.
And over the past half year, he had mostly digested the gains from that battle. As for Conqueror's Haki, a power that grew with one's experiences, it had been tempered even further through that fight and had become even more outstanding.
Half a year ago, after fighting for three days and two nights, he had ultimately been slightly inferior to Garp.
But now, whether Garp could truly beat him…
Well, considering that bastard's strength was still growing and had not yet reached its limit, it was really hard to say.
After all, Garp had also gained quite a lot from his fierce battle with Valthior.
In truth, at this point in time, Garp, Roger, Whitebeard, Shiki, and the others had not yet reached their absolute peak. They still had some room to grow.
Naturally, Valthior was the same.
Within the ice fog, Valthior looked down at Charlotte Linlin and Kaido amid the shattered ice. After a moment, he released Susanoo and returned to his original form, standing before the two of them.
At this moment, Charlotte Linlin's left arm was broken. Her forearm hung from her body at a strange angle, with bone spikes exposed through the skin. It seemed that an iron body was not invincible after all.
She raised her hand and poured soul power into the broken arm. The injury quickly healed, though her aura also weakened somewhat.
At this moment, Charlotte Linlin first looked at Valthior with a complicated gaze. After that fierce battle, he was almost completely uninjured.
Then she looked at Kaido, and her expression became even more complicated.
Because—
Kaido had gone down again.
A moment ago, he had still been in his Azure Dragon form. Now, he had returned to human form once more.
He lay half-dead in the broken ice pit. There were scorched marks on his chest from Spear of Elbaf: Cursed Spirit, and his whole aura was weak and sluggish.
After a moment of silence, Charlotte Linlin did not wake Kaido like she had the previous two times. Instead, she grabbed him from the ground and hoisted him over her shoulder, then sighed softly.
Seeing this, Valthior naturally understood what it meant.
Charlotte Linlin admitted defeat.
"So? Is my strength enough for me to stand equal with Whitebeard and Golden Lion?" Valthior raised a brow and asked with a smile.
The tense atmosphere from earlier also faded considerably.
"If we are talking only about Conqueror's Haki, I am willing to call you the strongest," Charlotte Linlin said seriously, a sharp light flashing in her eyes.
After a slight pause, she continued, "But Whitebeard's power is strong enough to destroy the world. If you underestimate his attack power, your Majestic Attire will suffer badly… As for Shiki, his swordsmanship is no worse than Roger's. Countless strong fighters have been buried beneath those two blades. And with his mobility alone, he can practically stand undefeated from the start… So if you truly face those two one day, do not be careless and lose your life."
Charlotte Linlin's meaning was very clear.
In terms of Haki alone, she believed Valthior's Conqueror's Haki had already surpassed Whitebeard and Shiki.
But Shiki and Whitebeard each had their own terrifying strengths. Anyone who underestimated them was simply courting death.
"What? Are you worried about me? Hahahahaha." Valthior laughed loudly.
"I am reminding you to keep your life safe. One day, I will personally come and take it!" Charlotte Linlin said through gritted teeth as she looked at Valthior.
"Is that so? I see. I will remember your words. I will wait on this sea for you—and for Kaido. Time is on my side, Linlin. Whitebeard will grow old eventually. Shiki will be the same. Twenty years from now, they may not be able to compete with me anymore. And by then, I will be in the strongest period of my life. Among the younger generation, the two of you are especially promising. So I look forward to seeing you both at your peak… I hope you will not disappoint me then," Valthior said to Charlotte Linlin with a tone of expectation.
"Our peak forms?" Charlotte Linlin looked at the unconscious Kaido on her shoulder. After a long while, she smiled. "Then wait for it, Pirate Emperor Jaygarcia Valthior… We will not disappoint you."
"Then I will not see you off," Valthior said with a smile, stepping aside.
Charlotte Linlin nodded to him and walked past Valthior with Kaido over her shoulder.
In truth, if they continued fighting, they could still fight.
Charlotte Linlin had not lost her combat power yet. As for Kaido, if she really pushed him, he could probably get back up again.
However, after that so-called "playtime," Valthior had shown overwhelming strength. Charlotte Linlin had already recognized reality.
Continuing to fight would only be useless struggle. It would only make her and Kaido look even worse.
Today's battle had once again shown Charlotte Linlin the gap between her, Kaido, and the world's top powerhouses.
And she believed that once she returned to Cake Island and properly digested the gains from this battle, she would officially step into the ranks of the top powerhouses.
When that time came, perhaps she would not need to fight Valthior for the title of one of the Three Emperors.
The New World was vast enough to hold a fourth emperor.
So today's battle had never been a personal grudge, nor was it a fight to the death.
If they kept fighting, it would be not knowing when to stop.
Wouldn't that be forcing Valthior to kill them?
There was no need for that.
After walking a few steps, Charlotte Linlin stopped and turned back to look at Valthior.
"Speaking of which…"
"What is it?" Valthior also turned around and asked in confusion.
"Did you really never care about my beauty? I am not bragging, but on this sea, I can be counted as one of the greatest beauties, right? I have strength, I have looks, and I have a figure, don't I? Are you sure you will not consider having a child with me? With my talent, if the child also inherited your eyes, our child would become the king of the next era, Valthior!" Charlotte Linlin could not help saying as she looked at him.
Valthior froze for a moment.
It was indeed as she said. At this time, Charlotte Linlin was still a rare beauty on the sea.
But after a moment, Valthior laughed.
"If I had met you twenty years earlier, I would definitely have taken you home. As for now, forget it. I have no intention of becoming father to that many children."
"Mamamama! As a pirate, you still care about that? You really are not a decisive man," Charlotte Linlin laughed mockingly, clearly understanding what he meant.
"Do not always keep your eyes on me. The guy on your shoulder is also exceptionally talented, isn't he? I am actually looking forward to whether the two of you might have some unbelievable monster one day," Valthior teased.
"Hmph. This brat made me lose all face today. If he wants to have children with me, he can wait until he is able to stand equal with me!" Charlotte Linlin glared fiercely at the unconscious Kaido.
But soon, her gaze softened slightly.
"After all, I am his big sister, aren't I?"
With that, Charlotte Linlin no longer lingered and turned to leave.
A moment later, following her order, the members of the Beasts Pirates under Totto Land quickly gathered. Dragging their wounded with them, they boarded the Queen Mama Chanter, which had already lost its soul.
After Charlotte Linlin poured soul power into it again, the ship broke through the solid ice, moved its body, and slowly left the battlefield.
Before long, Valthior also returned to the area where Shanks and the others were.
Looking around, Bullet was in the best condition, still completely unharmed. Bartholomew Kuma seemed about the same.
As for Rengar and Tofu, their battles seemed to have been the most intense, and both carried quite a few injuries.
Shanks and Buggy, those two brats, had somehow not run into any especially powerful opponents.
"Children, your emperor has returned!" Valthior spread his arms, grinned, and laughed loudly.
Spencer sat on a bloodstained block of ice in an extremely flashy posture. He lit a cigarette and said with a smile, "You crushed Linlin and Kaido with overwhelming advantage. After today, no one should question your strength again."
"The rumors that you had a fake match with Garp are finally over," Sunbell said with a smile, gripping his harpoon.
"Pirate Emperor sounds so cool. I want to become a Pirate Emperor too one day!" Shanks said excitedly.
"Idiot. Then you have to beat Big Brother Valthior first!" Buggy knocked Shanks's straw hat and reminded him.
"What kind of logic is that? Would it not work if I beat Whitebeard or Shiki instead? Who made a rule that one pirate crew can only have one emperor?" Shanks said, unconvinced.
"If I had been given a little more time just now, I could have crushed that fire bird!" Bullet said with slight regret, as if he had not fought enough.
The "fire bird" he mentioned was naturally Alber of the Lunarian race.
"It is not only Captain Valthior who proved himself," Sphinx said proudly, raising a brow. "After this battle, who would still dare call us the Baby Pirates?"
Indeed, this arranged battle had not only been between Valthior, Kaido, and Charlotte Linlin.
Both sides had gathered their forces and brought their officers into battle.
So the victory did not belong to Valthior alone.
It belonged to the entire Valthior Pirates.
After today, if anyone dared call the Valthior Pirates the Baby Pirates again, Charlotte Linlin, Kaido, and the members of Totto Land would probably be the first to refuse.
Otherwise, where would their dignity go?
Anyone who dared belittle the Valthior Pirates in front of Totto Land would probably get beaten half to death.