Katakuri rushed forward in a panic, hastily crouching down to help the kneeling Pudding.
"Pudding! Are you alright, Pudding?!"
"Brother... Katakuri... It hurts so much...!"
Pudding's lips trembled, her voice quivering as she weakly raised a hand to grip Katakuri's arm.
Not far away, Ideo and Charlotte Oven, who had been in the midst of battle, were also half-kneeling on the ground with weakened expressions.
However, they were faring slightly better. Having only half their lifespans extracted, their robust physiques kept them from collapsing completely.
But for someone with a frail constitution like Pudding, having half her soul extracted at once could easily be life-threatening—especially on a battlefield.
In a place like this, losing the ability to move was no different from embracing death.
"Damn it!"
Katakuri clenched his jaw, turning to look at Big Mom, who was still frantically absorbing souls. The hand gripping his trident trembled uncontrollably, his eyes filled with a mix of anger and hesitation.
"You can't... Brother Katakuri!"
Suddenly, Pudding gripped his arm tightly.
Katakuri looked down to see Pudding biting her lower lip, tears welling in her eyes as she pleaded,
"I'm fine. If you defy Mama, she won't let you off..."
"...!"
Katakuri hesitated to speak, his eyes brimming with reluctance and fury.
Right at that moment.
*Whoosh—!*
A figure dashed forward with blinding speed, streaking over their heads like a beam of golden light!
"What are you doing, you old hag?! Stop it right now, you bastard!"
Sanji roared furiously. His leg was simultaneously wreathed in scorching flames and violent lightning, the intertwining elements blooming into a blinding blue light!
"Ifrit Jambe: Boeuf Burst!!"
"It's you!!"
Big Mom's eyes widened in shock. Sanji, transformed into his Human-Beast dragon form, arrived in an instant, delivering a furious spinning flying kick right into her!
*Bang!!*
His long leg, coiled with flames and raging thunder, slammed into her abdomen. The terrifying physical strength combined with the surging energy erupted, sending Big Mom flying on the spot!
*Crash! Crash! Crash! Crash!*
Her massive body skidded backward at breakneck speed, snapping several giant trees before finally coming to a halt. Her feet plowed two deep trenches into the ground. Once she steadied herself, she looked up and glared furiously at Sanji.
"You damn brat! I don't know how you got this power, but don't think for a second you can compare to Kaido!"
"I don't care about comparing to anyone. I only know one thing: give my people's souls back right now, or don't blame me for not holding back, you damn old hag!"
Sanji growled at her, his brow heavily furrowed.
Not kicking women was a matter of chivalry, but kicking Big Mom didn't count as a violation. A monster who could ruthlessly attack her own flesh and blood didn't deserve to be treated as human anymore.
"Heh, you want their souls? It's too late for that, you fool! Come and take them back if you have the guts!"
Big Mom laughed with a ferocious expression. Curving her fingers into a claw, she pulled a cluster of souls from her own body and looked up at the dark clouds blanketing the sky.
"That mighty thundercloud! I hereby bestow my own soul upon you! Come! Eat it!"
Big Mom swung her arm, hurling the cluster of souls high into the air, where it instantly vanished into the dense, heavy clouds!
"Gyahahaha! That was absolutely delicious!"
A loud, excited voice boomed from within the clouds as lightning flashed.
"Could this be..."
Sanji frowned deeply, his gaze fixed upward. He watched as the dark clouds churned and rapidly converged toward the center, forming a brand-new thundercloud Homie that floated down.
"I see. So this is how Homies are made."
Sanji finally understood how all those Homies in Totto Land were born. They were entirely created by exploiting the souls of others.
"That kick of yours really hurt, you damn brat."
Big Mom's face twisted into a savage grin. She grabbed the newly created Homie with her right hand. Resonating with its soul, she commanded it to unleash its lightning and thrust it violently forward!
"Fulgora!!"
*Zzzzt!!*
The thundercloud unleashed its full power! A massive, thick beam of purple lightning, brimming with unfathomably violent energy, instantly pierced through space and swallowed Sanji whole!
*BOOM!!!*
This colossal bolt of lightning nearly blasted through the entire island. The overflowing electricity danced wildly like serpents, frantically ravaging the earth and trees, turning the surrounding forest into a sea of fire!
"Captain!!"
"It's over... Taking such a terrifying attack head-on...!"
"Bro Sanji!"
The nearby pirates cried out in panic, gulping hard as they stared in horror at the spot where Sanji had been engulfed by the lightning.
If just the residual energy held such destructive power, the direct hit Sanji took was unimaginable.
The blinding light lasted for several seconds before gradually weakening and dissipating. The devastating energy had blasted a trench over a dozen meters wide into the earth, stretching all the way to the coast. Wisps of scorching white smoke rose from the scorched ground.
Amidst the permeating hot smoke, Sanji's figure slowly emerged. His entire body was burned a searing red, with a few stray arcs of electricity still flickering across his skin.
"He's still standing...!"
"Captain Sanji..."
"Are you okay, Bro Sanji?"
The pirates swallowed hard, their eyes wide as they observed Sanji's condition.
As the smoke gradually cleared, Sanji's figure finally came into full view.
The full-body Armament Haki slowly receded. The dragon scales covering his body were seeping with dried blood, and the ends of his blond hair had been scorched black and slightly curled.
Though he looked a bit battered, it was far from a severe injury. With a cold gaze, Sanji slowly lowered the arms he had crossed to protect his vitals.
"Mama~ Mama~ What astonishing defense."
Big Mom was somewhat surprised by this sight, but it only deepened her interest in Sanji's abilities.
"Your power really is exactly like Kaido's. I noticed it earlier, but there shouldn't be two identical Devil Fruits in this world."
"Looking closely, your color is completely different from Kaido's Azure Dragon. Could it be that the Mythical Zoan Fish-Fish Fruit also has a Red Dragon form?"
Big Mom asked with an intrigued look in her eyes. As she spoke, she reached out and pulled a broadsword that was embedded in a nearby tree trunk, weighing it in her hand.
Soul Bestowal.
A white light bloomed on the blade. Moments later, facial features resembling a human face grew on the steel, and the entire sword expanded to a size that matched her massive frame.
"From now on, I'll call you Hera and Magellan."
Big Mom smiled as she addressed the new thundercloud Homie and the broadsword Homie respectively, before turning her attention back to Sanji.
"Stop putting on a brave face, boy. Taking that attack head-on, not even Kaido would come out completely unscathed. Your weakened aura has already given you away."
"Why don't you come test it yourself and see if I'm putting on a brave face?"
Sanji replied, his eyes icy and his tone completely flat.
The corners of Big Mom's mouth curled into a cold smirk. A sharp glint flashed in her eyes as she gripped the broadsword with both hands and raised it high.
"Elbaf...!!"
A tremendous aura erupted from Big Mom, and Haki coiled around the blade. Just as she was about to swing it down...
Suddenly, a powerful presence hurtled toward her from behind!
Big Mom's expression changed drastically. She whipped her head around, only to see Allen flying low to the ground, rocketing straight at her!
"Black Arm: Flame Emperor!!"
Allen wore a ferocious expression. The violent flames and pitch-black Armament Haki combined on his fist as he threw a punch with the force of a thunderbolt!
Big Mom's face twisted in fury. She redirected her broadsword and slashed viciously at the incoming Allen!
"Ikoku Sovereignty!!"
*Clang!!*
The Haki-infused slash tore through the air! It collided heavily with Allen's explosive fire punch, the clash of their Haki erupting into an even more devastating shockwave!
*BOOM!!!*
Gale-force winds howled! Nearby giant trees were violently snapped and hurled into the sky as the chaotic Haki blasted outward in all directions!
"Francis!"
Big Mom sneered, a cluster of souls glowing with a white luminescence appearing in her palm once more.
"It's been decades since I've had to fight to this extent. At the very least, you've earned my acknowledgment in that regard."
"So now, I will sacrifice one year of my lifespan to enhance myself! If you want to take my life, come and try it! Francis!"
As her furious roar fell, Big Mom quickly opened her mouth. Under Allen's grave gaze, she decisively tossed the cluster of souls into her mouth and swallowed it whole!
The next instant.
*BOOM!!*
A terrifying aura suddenly erupted. Big Mom's eyes glowed with a fierce red light, her massive frame expanding even further as her presence skyrocketed!