The voice was cold, merciless, and domineering.
Although the young Charlotte Linlin had once been Orin's ideal type in terms of figure, height, beauty, and strength, she was now a woman who had already borne several children.
Not to mention, the one thing now at stake was an invaluable Zoan-type Mythical Beast Devil Fruit—the Azure Dragon form.
This fruit, which should have belonged to Kaido, had now caught Orin's eye.
And because he wanted it, he intended to take it.
When Charlotte Linlin heard Orin's words, her eyes instantly widened, flashing with a chilling, deadly gleam. She could hardly believe her ears.
She turned her head and saw Orin standing there quietly, staring straight at her.
Meeting those scarlet-glowing eyes, as calm and lifeless as a stagnant pond, her raging fury was suppressed slightly.
But she had no intention of yielding. Clenching her silver-white teeth, her beautiful eyes glared angrily at Orin.
"Hey!!! Orin, I've already given you enough respect, haven't I!!! It was me who found it first! One fruit each, that's fair, right? Or are you planning to start infighting now, when Rocks is still on the island!!!"
As she claimed to have "given respect," she also invoked Rocks' name, trying to put pressure on Orin.
It had to be said, even in her youth, Linlin was shrewd enough to know she would likely gain nothing against Orin.
Orin fell silent for a moment after hearing her words, then responded along her line of reasoning.
"You're right. That really was giving plenty of respect…"
Hearing this, Linlin's delicate face finally relaxed into a smile. She thought Orin had come to his senses. Truth be told, she did not want to fight such a troublesome man.
But the scarlet light in Orin's eyes did not fade.
To Keek's shock, Orin raised his head and looked at Linlin.
"But this time it's different, Linlin. I won't give respect to anyone. Not even Rocks!!!"
There was no way Orin would abandon the arrangement he had made before leaving the old man behind—for the sake of "respect" or because this woman.
In his view, the Azure Dragon Fruit could help the old man after he was gone, giving him a chance to realize his dream of becoming a monster.
In the original timeline, the old man was far too aged. No matter how powerful a Devil Fruit Orin gave him, he could not reignite the monster's heart in that exhausted, shrunken body.
But now the old man was different. And though they would not meet again, Orin still decided to give him this chance.
"You mean to betray the Rocks Pirates, Orin!!!"
By now, even the dullest person could understand Orin's intent.
He wanted everything!
"Napoleon!!! Prometheus!!!"
"Here, Mama!!"
In an instant, Charlotte Linlin summoned Napoleon and Prometheus. They transformed into a blazing greatsword while she tucked the Azure Dragon Fruit close to her chest.
Clearly, she had no intention of yielding to Orin's strength. Instead, she intended to fight it out.
But faced with the flames and slashes before him, Orin—who had resolved to give the old man an invincible image and spiritual pillar—did not flinch or dodge.
"Useless…"
Stretching out his hand, Orin grasped the flame-wreathed slash directly. It vanished into nothingness in his palm.
"Tch…"
"Orin, you bastard!!!"
Realizing that brute force wouldn't work, Charlotte Linlin turned to retreat.
As long as she still held the fruit, if she could escape, she would carry it away and then…
"Teleportation!!!"
Ignoring Big Mom's schemes, Orin raised his palm, fingers gently hooking. In an instant, the scaly Azure Dragon Fruit appeared in his hand.
Holding the Paw Fruit in one hand and the Azure Dragon Fruit in the other, Orin studied them both before looking at Keek.
"Think carefully—which one do you want to eat?"
Two of the most precious Devil Fruits in the world, yet Orin spoke of them as if they were trivial, his tone utterly casual.
It was like the time old Keek had spent his life savings without hesitation to feed the little monster Orin.
"This…"
Keek blinked, staring at the two fruits of completely different forms, stunned into speechlessness.
Before he could answer, Linlin discovered the truth. She hurriedly reached into the four-dimensional space at her chest—only to find the fruit was truly gone!
"Hey!!! Orin!!!"
If she could swallow this, then Charlotte Linlin was unworthy of Conqueror's Haki.
Her flaming greatsword swung down, unleashing a full-powered slash.
"Spear of Elbaf…"
It was a combat technique of the giants, devastating enough to split mountains and seas.
"Ikoku Sovereignty!!!"
Even before the strike landed, the crushing pressure made Orin's hair whip wildly.
He looked on calmly at the oncoming slash, his hand resting lightly on his sword's sheath.
After a moment of stillness, a cold voice rang out.
"Divine Departure!!!"
A vague red-black divine phantom appeared. Under Linlin's horrified gaze, it pierced straight through Ikoku Sovereignty and cut directly toward her body.
Whoosh—
Boom—!!!
That slash, infused with Conqueror's Haki Infusion and spatial power, shattered the "steel" defense in an instant. Even the anthropomorphic Homies were cleaved apart, terror on their faces.
...
Not killing the young Linlin was already the greatest mercy Orin could show his former ideal type.
Taking Keek with him, Orin strode past the heavily wounded Charlotte Linlin. But just as he was leaving, his steps suddenly halted.
He turned his head, looking at Charlotte Linlin—her voluptuous figure, her dazzling, beautiful face. His eyes carried a meaning that could not be put into words.
That gaze seemed to hold both contemplation and hesitation.
Leaning painfully against the wall, Linlin caught Orin's inexplicable expression, and doubt rose in her heart.
Why…
Why look at me like that?
Could it be…!!!
Charlotte Linlin thought of one possibility. Could it be that her beauty had stirred Orin's desire…?
The thought made her heart burn with heat.
If that were the case, then losing the Azure Dragon Fruit might not be so bad. After all, a child born with such twisted, monstrous talent might be possible.
Not just her—even Keek thought along those lines. So did the precocious Ivankov.
Only the naive little Kuma scratched his bald head, confused by everyone's expressions.
"Hey!!! You brats, get out of here with me!!!"
Instinctively, Keek tried to pull the kids away.
But Charlotte Linlin, ignoring her wounds, began to loosen her clothes.
That left Orin speechless. He had only wanted to give his future self some amusement.
Just thinking of how his future self in this timeline would laugh upon hearing this, Orin couldn't help but smirk.
Stopping them with a wave of his hand, Orin spoke a bizarre line.
"Charlotte Linlin, if you wish… then keep your figure and beauty as they are now, and come find me twenty years from now. I promise you this. A child whose talent will surpass even Rocks and myself!"