After a brief clash, the two were evenly matched, each retreating a few steps.
But in these few exchanges, Galmo, with her larger size and greater strength, clearly held the advantage; just as Gloriosa stabilized herself after landing, Galmo's new attack was already falling.
The giant blade slashed down again, accompanied by fierce winds. Gloriosa, possessing Observation Haki, had sensed it long ago; her figure was as light as a butterfly, and with an elegant leap backward, she avoided this blow that could split mountains and shatter rocks. The ground where she had stood instantly cracked, sending rubble flying.
"Can you only dodge? Little bug!"
Galmo let out a piercing laugh, her offensive becoming increasingly violent.
Her strength was terrifying, each strike shaking the earth, but her massive body and slightly stiff movements meant her speed was indeed a beat slower.
Gloriosa wove through the flying rubble and slashes, her phoenix eyes observing carefully. After several thrilling dodges, a confident and proud curve lifted the corners of her mouth.
"I see... you have the strength of a giant, but your movements are very clumsy."
She no longer retreated, but instead shot forward like an arrow from a bow, her feet stepping off the air as she suddenly closed in on Galmo!
The petite figure instantly entered Galmo's blind spot, her long legs, wrapped in pitch-black Armament Haki, sliced through the air and kicked hard against Galmo's wrist holding the blade!
"Ugh!"
Galmo groaned in pain, the giant tachi trembling violently, nearly slipping from her hand. She tried to swat Gloriosa away with her other giant palm, but only caught a rapidly dissipating afterimage.
Gloriosa had already used the force to leap onto her thick arm, sprinting up it as if on level ground, heading straight for her face!
"Damn it!"
Galmo roared and shook her body, trying to shake off the figure that was like a maggot on a bone, but she simply couldn't keep up with Gloriosa's agile speed.
Gloriosa's attacks fell like raindrops on her joints, neck, and other relatively vulnerable areas. Although her powerful Giant Race physique wasn't enough to cause fatal wounds immediately, every precise strike greatly hampered her movements, bringing waves of aching pain that made her incredibly irritable.
"Get away!" Unable to land a hit for a long time, Galmo flew into a complete rage.
She shrieked, her voice a mix of an old woman's huskiness and a little girl's shrillness:
"Children! Wake up!"
Sensing something was wrong, Gloriosa quickly backed away, using Moonwalk to step through the air and move to a distance from Galmo.
With Galmo's call, three strange and powerful auras suddenly awakened from her body. A pair of large eyes opened on the hilt of the giant sword in her hand; a thundercloud and a small fireball appeared cheerfully out of thin air, dancing around her.
"Mama!"
The three Homies called out in unison, their voices youthful and filled with the joy of being newly born. However, their attention was instantly captured by Gloriosa's stunning figure.
"So beautiful..." Zeus the thundercloud sighed in a soft, sweet voice, his cloud body drifting slightly toward Gloriosa.
"So pretty..." Prometheus the fireball's flames flickered and jumped happily a few times.
Even Napoleon the great sword trembled slightly, the eyes on the blade staring unblinkingly at Gloriosa: "Such a beautiful person..."
Galmo didn't notice her children's abnormality and laughed triumphantly:
"Ma! Ma! Ma! Ma! Do you see? This is my ability! Children, catch her for me!!"
"Okay, Mama!"
The three Homies flew out in response, attacking Gloriosa.
Thunder crashed down, flames swept through, and the giant blade slashed! The momentum was grand, yet Gloriosa, at the center of the attack, slightly furrowed her beautiful brows.
These attacks seemed fierce, but their landing points were always slightly off; even without relying on Observation Haki, she could dodge them.
Moreover, these three strange creatures kept making almost helpful, pleasing sounds while attacking, such as "Watch out on the left," and "The fire is coming."
"What's going on?" Doubts filled Gloriosa's heart, but her movements didn't slow down at all.
In the distance, Charlotte Linlin, who had been ready to intervene, stopped. Her Observation Haki clearly sensed the joy and... infatuation coming from the three Homies, which completely contradicted their intent to attack, and that emotion was directed precisely at Gloriosa in the field.
A flash of surprise and realization crossed her eyes as she whispered to herself:
"The power of the Soul-Soul Fruit?... However, these Homies seem to have been created not long ago; their souls are pure and stable, making them more easily attracted by the most primal emotions—such as the yearning and infatuation for ultimate 'beauty'."
Unable to win for a long time, and even feeling like she was being toyed with by her own children, Galmo completely lost her patience and shrieked an order:
"Zeus! Use the thundercloud to completely trap her!"
"Yes! Mama!"
Zeus expanded rapidly, turning into a massive black thundercloud with electrical snakes slithering through it, instantly enveloping Gloriosa's figure. The thick cloud layers blocked all sight from inside and out.
"Mamamamama!" Galmo, thinking victory was in her grasp, laughed loudly,
"This is the consequence of provoking me! My children, be careful, don't damage her face! That is my important collection!"
"Okay, Mama!"
From within the thundercloud came the responses of the three Homies, sounding incredibly well-behaved.
The gray thundercloud tumbled violently, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling within, making the pirate lackeys watching from the periphery tremble with fear, feeling as if they could smell something burning at any moment.
However, the interior of the dark cloud was a completely different scene.
The expected violent attack did not come.
Gloriosa warily struck a defensive pose, Haki flowing around her, only to see the three dangerous creatures huddling around her, their mimicked faces filled with an almost fawning expression, as if expecting to be petted.
"beautiful big sister, are you playing a battle game with Mama?"
Zeus asked softly, his soft cloud body curiously nudging a bit closer, showing none of the ferocity he had displayed to the outside world.
"beautiful big sister, do you want to win this game?"
Prometheus's flames flickered warmly, like a puppy trying to please its master.
"beautiful big sister, we can help you beat Mama,"
Napoleon also spoke, the blade swaying slightly,
"But could you promise us one condition?"
Its voice even took on a bit of a coquettish tone.
Gloriosa's face remained cold, but her inner vigilance had reached its peak. She asked coldly, "What condition?"
"Let us stay by your side from now on!"
The three Homies said in a scramble, their tone pure and enthusiastic, filled with unquestionable sincerity.
Gloriosa's phoenix eyes widened slightly; she could hardly believe her ears. For creations to betray their creator so easily was simply unheard of:
"Why are you doing this? Isn't Galmo the 'Mama' who created you?"
"Because beautiful big sister is beautiful!"
The three Homies spoke in unison again, their answer so simple and direct it was speechless, even carrying a sort of "isn't this obvious?" righteousness.
Looking at these three strange lifeforms that had instantly defected simply because they were beauty-obsessed, Gloriosa was silent for a moment.
Although the situation was weird beyond imagination, this was undoubtedly the key to breaking the deadlock. She tilted her chin slightly, reclaiming her arrogant posture of looking down upon the world, as if everything happening was only natural.
"Good, I agree."
Her voice carried a hint of helplessness, but more so a calm acceptance born of absolute confidence in her own charm.
Feeling the unfeigned ecstasy coming from the three Homies because of her agreement, Gloriosa subconsciously stroked her own flawless cheek, understanding in her heart, yet with a somewhat natural sigh:
"As expected... is it because I am too beautiful? To think that creations derived from another's soul would willingly rebel against their master."
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