The fighters, still glaring at each other, immediately turned their attention when they heard enemies were approaching. Without a second thought, Golden Lion Shiki grinned and shot off, soaring straight down from the ten-thousand-meter sky island.
Charlotte Linlin wasn't about to be outdone. She leapt onto the thundercloud Zeus and flew off as well. Powerhouses like them could easily ignore the thin air and freezing cold at high altitudes.
Redfield wanted to flash down like lightning too, but he had to get the Golden Ark ready to bring Brook and the others down. Reluctantly, he gave up chasing this fight.
It was clear now — Shiki had planned it this way. Otherwise, he could've just used the Golden Ark to take everyone down together. But no, he deliberately went solo and left Redfield to handle the transport!
Whitebeard, watching them go, grumbled to himself.
"So I'm the only one who can't fly?"
Thankfully, Brook couldn't fly either. Yeah, me and Brook — we're the same kind of folks!
Meanwhile, the Hell Pirates' crew boarded the Golden Ark, fired up the engines, and steered it down toward Elan Island below.
On the surface, Shiki and Linlin had already landed — and instantly started brawling right on the enemy pirate ship. Shockingly, the so-called "new" Edward Pirates still had a crewmember with a bounty over 500 million Belly.
This guy wasn't just anyone. He was the only officer still loyal after Teach Edward's death, the only one who supported Angelie as the new captain. The rest? Either killed in battle or defected to Vesper's crew!
"Sha-ha-ha! Edward Pirates' leftovers — just you mangy mutts think you can stir up trouble here?!"
Shiki roared with laughter as he smashed the martial artist aside with both swords, then patted the ship's deck. Instantly, the pirate ship lifted into the air, turning into an aerial battlefield!
His opponent — Bull, an Edward Pirates veteran with a 530 million Belly bounty, master of both Armament and Observation Haki. Loyal to the end, he'd watched Angelie grow up, followed Edward from the very beginning, and hailed from the same hometown.
"Sha-ha-ha!!"
With Shiki's power Edward's flagship twisted like a venomous serpent in midair. Most of the pirates aboard couldn't hang on and were flung screaming into the sea.
Only a few strong ones managed to cling to the rails or masts, faces pale with terror.
"Nooo!!!"
Angelie, struck by Linlin's thunder, clung desperately to a railing to avoid plunging into the sea. But when she saw her father's loyal crew tossed overboard one by one, her heart twisted in regret.
In that instant, she knew she'd made a terrible mistake.
The entire fleet Edward had once led was wiped out by the Hell Pirates. What was the point of bringing a single ship here now? Why had she acted on impulse, ignoring Bull-san's advice? All she'd done was drag more people to their deaths...
"Mahh~ What kinda Devil Fruit power is this? Even Zeus won't listen to me! Zeus, you idiot, snap out of it!!"
Linlin cursed, stomping Zeus with Armament Haki. The cloud yelped and finally shook free from the enemy's control — the earlier thunder attack had been weak because he'd hesitated.
"But... she was so pretty, I couldn't bring myself to strike!"
Zeus, with a huge bump swelling comically on his head, whimpered in protest.
"You dumb cloud!!"
Enraged, Linlin poured more soul power into Zeus and Prometheus, strengthening them against Angelie's Devil Fruit powers.
"Sha-ha-ha! Linlin, careful — her fruit's all about charm. Easy for men to fall for her tricks! Watch out, or she might steal away your precious Brook!"
Shiki's eyes gleamed as he goaded Linlin. A perfect taunt — and it hit home.
Linlin's eyes flared red with fury. Prometheus' flames roared even hotter, Zeus crackled with dark lightning, and both Homies reflected their mistress's rage. Angelie's charm had no effect now.
"Brook is mine — nobody's taking him from me!!!"
With a thunderous scream, Linlin hurled herself forward, riding Zeus with blazing speed. Her right fist, wreathed in fire, smashed down at Angelie — tearing through the ship with a single blow.
Again and again, Linlin wrecked the ship, while Angelie barely dodged each attack, helpless to stop the destruction.
"Damn... this is getting out of hand," Shiki muttered, a cold sweat trickling down his temple. "If anyone can calm Linlin when she snaps, it's only Brook. Even Redfield couldn't stop this once she goes berserk… defense like a fortress, and offense like a storm. There's no winning against that!"
As Shiki racked his brain on how to rein Linlin in, Bull made a desperate move — lunging to rescue Angelie by stabbing at Linlin's back with a Haki-coated longsword!
Clang!
Bull's eyes went wide in disbelief. His blackened blade — hardened with Armament Haki — shattered on impact. He turned to see Linlin slowly turning her head, eyes glowing blood-red. That look, so fierce it made this battle-hardened veteran of the New World freeze in terror.
His throat went dry. His limbs trembled as her killing intent smothered him like a tidal wave.
"Bull-san, get away!!!"
Angelie screamed, helplessly watching as Linlin's fiery fist slammed into Bull, sending him hurtling into the sea like a cannonball and blasting up a towering geyser.
Why… why was the gap this big? Their bounties weren't even a hundred million apart. So why was it like they were in different leagues entirely? Angelie's mind blanked as she stared at Linlin, dazed and broken.
"Aaaargh!!!"
Linlin's howl snapped both Angelie and Shiki back to reality.
"Linlin, that's enough! Nobody's stealing Brook from you, okay? Calm down!!!"
Shiki waved his arms frantically. If Linlin kept this up, once she flattened Angelie, she'd probably turn on him next!
And he wasn't about to get chased around by that monster.
As Angelie saw Linlin's blazing fist careening toward her, she shut her eyes in despair.
So this is it... nothing left but to die with my crew. I'm sorry, everyone… this is my fault.
"Linlin, snap out of it!!!"
Suddenly, a towering figure — a spirit-like grim reaper — loomed over the battlefield. The soothing notes of a requiem drifted through the air. Linlin's blood-red eyes slowly faded, replaced by clear whites and childlike black pupils.
Her fist stopped an inch from Angelie's face. The flames dwindled and vanished, leaving behind a pale, delicate fist.
"Brook~~~!"
Linlin squealed with delight, hopping back onto Zeus and zipping toward the Golden Ark, straight into Brook's waiting arms.
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+188 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg