That energy...
It's exactly Shano and BIGMOM who are relentlessly fighting with all their might!
A boundary of empty space extending thousands of meters had been forced into existence at the shore, towards the sea!
"Why haven't you died yet, brat!"
BIGMOM's giant sword was enveloped in thunder and fire as she slashed down, Shano dodged to the side and countered with a heavy punch entwined with black-red lightning, fiercely striking her ribs.
Ten cuts, a hundred cuts, a thousand cuts!
Ten punches, a hundred punches, a thousand punches!
Their bodies kept getting new wounds, blood rained continuously.
But no one cared!
Between heaven and earth, above the sea, in each other's eyes there was only the other, with minds left to one primal beast-like instinct.
Utterly obliterate the opponent!!!
Growing increasingly fierce!
Growing increasingly brutal!
The two rolled and fought, moves no longer beautiful, only raw and savage brawling, every attack with deadly intent, every injury inciting a rampaging retaliation!
There wasn't even time to breathe anymore!
...
Time swiftly passed.
Unnoticed, the night gradually faded, and when daylight finally broke, the sun rising...
Bang!
It sounded like a balloon popping.
BIGMOM's body, swollen to twenty meters, trembled violently, and her muscular surface began to visibly shrink and collapse.
The white flames of her soul rapidly receded from her pupils.
"Ugh!"
She spat out a mouthful of blood, stumbling to kneel on one knee.
Napoleon's giant sword clanked into a rocky crevice, while Prometheus and Hera deflated like balloons, wilting on her shoulders.
"Hey, hey, hey, what's up, time... has it come already?"
She stared in dismay at her rapidly withering hands, touching the wrinkles multiplying on her face, the weakness of burning ten years of lifespan surged like tidewater.
Laboriously lifting her head.
Shano, just sent flying, now tottered to stand, gasping heavily.
Compared to last night.
His condition looked far more dreadful than BIGMOM's.
A large chunk of flesh was gouged from his right shoulder, exposing white bone, a massive swelling closed his left eye, sword wounds deep enough to see bone on his abdomen and legs continually bled.
BIGMOM's muscle power, betting all remaining lifespan, reached world-leading heights.
Indeed, he was badly suppressed.
But, so what?
Ultimately, she couldn't take him down, right!
This life-and-death struggle—
Victory was inevitably his!
"Mwah, mwah, mwah..."
BIGMOM suddenly let out a low laugh, she stumbled to stand with Napoleon, pink hair wildly fluttering in the morning breeze.
"Didn't expect you at all, brat..."
She glanced at Shano, then at the distant ice over ten kilometers away, the shouts and fighting sounds already died down.
The comprehensive war beneath the two seemed to end before their battle did.
As for who won or lost...
No longer mattered, BIGMOM closed her eyes, taking a deep breath.
"Given up?"
Shano's voice came, "You should see, I still have some strength left, while you are nearly exhausted, in this state, you can't possibly withstand my blows."
Indeed.
BIGMOM kept her eyes closed.
The brat's words are harsh but undeniable, she truly couldn't claim victory.
However, looking to survive, two paths lay before her.
Concede.
Or escape.
Though ready to collapse, with Hera, few could catch her on the sea, the Yellow Monkey from the Navy could, Kaido as a Cyan Dragon could.
Aside from them, no one could, least of all facing this brat.
As for conceding?
This couldn't be refused, after all, who wouldn't desire taking a decades-renowned Sea Emperor as a subordinate?
Yet...
But!
Like Moriah, already crushed by Kaido, she'd become as broken in spirit!
No longer would there be a Soul Queen on the sea!
Left only a lifeless shell wearing Charlotte Lingling's skin!!!
"Giving up?"
BIGMOM suddenly opened her eyes, laughing wildly, with a hint of madness:
"Stop babbling about giving up, brat! What a joke!"
"I am Charlotte Lingling! The Lord of Ten Thousand Nations, the King of Totto Land! Who do you think I am! Even if I die, I will never bow to anyone!!"
Her bloodshot scarlet eyes collided with Shano's gaze.
All the chaos dissipated at this moment, as if time itself had come to a halt.
Ka!
She suddenly drew Napoleon, the remaining Power of the Soul erupted, the blade's flame and lightning had dimmed like a candle in the wind, but at this moment it surged again like a fleeting illumination.
"Come on! The final strike! Let everyone who's watching see who will fall first!"
"Just what I wanted!"
Shano also laughed ferociously, raising his right arm, almost condensing all his Haki into the palm, transforming it into a spinning disc.
Thud! Both stepped on the ground at the same time, charging towards each other!
"Emperor's Sword: Blade of the End!"
"Divine Split!!!"
BOOM------!!!
Amidst the earth-shattering explosion, black and red lightning rolled towards all directions.
The island, which had endured devastation all night, finally reached its limit, completely turning into countless dust, wiped from the sea.
Crash...
As the smoke and dust dispersed, and the waves gradually returned to calm.
The sky suddenly began to drizzle.
BIGMOM's massive body lay facing up on the sea, her abdomen nearly cut open, her eyes gazing blankly at the sky.
Napoleon, split in two, lay by her side, sinking into the sea, Prometheus and Hera also faded into specks of light, dissipating in the air.
The raindrops are really annoying, pounding on the face like this, making it impossible to quietly lie down.
"Mamamama..."
She murmured in a voice almost only she could hear: "Well, it's been... so many years I haven't fought such an exhilarating battle..."
Not far away.
Shano kneeled there, below the elbow, most of his arm was blown apart, almost a bloodied figure.
But he managed to stand up.
He walked slowly to BIGMOM's side, remained silent for a while, then lowered his head to look at this pirate who was destined to be legendary in the past, present, and future.
"Hey, Lingling."
He slowly opened his mouth and asked: "It's all over, do you have any last words?"
BIGMOM turned her eyeballs with difficulty, looking towards him: "Last words huh..."
"Mamamama."
She forced a smile: "Rather than last words, I want to ask you clearly, brat... In the Shampodi broadcast you promised, to completely end this era, to change this world... Mamama, arrogant to the point that I still want to laugh hearing it now, hey, Rocks didn't achieve it back then, but you, you can do it, right?"
"If you can do it."
Not waiting for Shano to respond, she continued speaking, "Add my dream too, if you really realize your dream, adding mine should also be effortless..."
BIGMOM's voice grew weaker, but the light in her eyes became more intense:
"Let all races, coexist peacefully on the same sea..."
"Elbaf, Giant Race, Fishman... and those long arms and legs people, those tiny folks not even the size of my finger, should... can... hey, you, you understand what I mean, right, can you do it?"
Her pupils began to scatter, but her obsession made her stare at Shano's face stubbornly, waiting for an answer, or rather a promise.
It's truly unwilling.
Even as a so-called Sea Emperor, her abilities were ultimately limited, the places where she could realize her dreams were ultimately confined to this small Ten Thousand Nations.
Compared to the vast sea, compared to the towering Red Earth Continent...
Not worth mentioning at all.
As a more outstanding, excellent junior, this kid, can do it, right?
Go and climb over the mountain, cross more seas!
Shano silently watched her, rain dripping down from his hair.
Even he didn't expect, just now a face of vicious malice BIGMOM, her final words, would turn out to be this.
Looking at this face full of wrinkles, he slowly nodded: "Ah, I promise you."
"Mamamama... That's good..."
BIGMOM finally showed a satisfying smile.
That's good.
Her gaze passed Shano, looking towards the distant sky.
The rain fell heavier and heavier, in the grey sky, she seemed to see herself running as a child in Elbaf, saw the gentle smile of the nun, saw those unruly monsters on the Rocks Ship...
Finally.
It froze on the scene of a pink-haired little girl happily holding a cake, foolishly smiling at her.
"Bonney..."
She softly murmured, her eyes dazed for a moment.
For a moment she was a bit lost, no wonder, no wonder she had an indelible obsession with that little girl, it turns out it was not only because of the Age-Age Fruit...
But also because she saw herself back then on the other's body?
That little girl who lost her biological parents, gluttonous, innocent, longing to be loved.
Finally remembered, such a long time ago...
Her breathing slowed more and more, her eyelids grew heavier and heavier.
The rain washed her face, gradually washing away the blood, also gradually taking away the last trace of life from this Emperor who reigned over the sea for decades.
"Rest in peace, old woman."
Shano reached out, helping her close her eyes.
And then.
In the sobbing sea breeze, after a long silence, he straightened up, gazing towards the white eastern horizon.