Chapter 131 Big... Kaido?! No... Kaido... Mom...?! Wait... KaidoMom?!

RING RING!

As soon as Buggy launched himself into the air, the "Watch Den Den Mushi" on his wrist began to ring loudly.

He answered the call, and Morgans' voice crackled through the line, shock and disbelief evident in his tone.

"Hey! Buggy, I heard you killed Big Mom just now?! Is that for real, or are you pulling my leg? I've got a picture of her corpse from my news bird!"

Buggy smirked, slightly impressed by Morgans' speed. He had guessed the man's ability involved a mythical Zoan Devil Fruit power—after all, it would explain how he could control news coo all over the world. That kind of power was, in a word, overpowered.

"Yeah, it happened not too long ago. And now I'm after Kaido. It won't be long before I finish him off, too."

Buggy spoke casually, his tone unfazed. Around him, a platinum magic mask shimmered, protecting him from the harsh winds as he flew.

Morgans, his feathers ruffled and his usual bravado faltering, couldn't contain the mixture of awe and panic in his voice.

"Wait... w-wait a second! Should I be calling you... Emperor Buggy? Emperor Buggy, don't mess with me like this! If you take down two of the Four Emperors in one day, my newspaper's gonna have a meltdown! Are you serious?!"

Buggy gave a small nod.

"Yeah. I'm serious."

He paused for a moment, then added, "And… well, I'll think about whether or not I want to talk about Kaido's death, if I manage to finish him off."

With that, Buggy continued his pursuit, the connection to Morgans cut off with a click.

At News of the World headquarters, Morgans sat frozen, his hand still holding the Den Den Mushi. His body trembled with excitement as he processed the words Buggy had just said.

"This... this is huge news! No, scratch that, it's the biggest news ever! Not just taking down one Four Emperor—two?!"

His thoughts were spinning wildly as he grabbed at his pen. "Just the fact that Big Mom fell today? This alone will make headlines around the world!"

A wide grin spread across Morgans' face.

"Buggy... you're the man who's going to make me the king of the news!"

Without wasting a moment, Morgans sprang into action. "No time to waste—today's draft is going to be legendary!"

At the same time...

High above the realm of all nations, the sky was alight with chaos. With Buggy's current strength, his flying speed easily outpaced even Kaido, allowing him to close the distance with ease.

"Crushing Evil, Spreading the Truth: Empyrean!"

At just over 100 meters away from Kaido, Buggy bent his legs and activated Moonwalk combined with Shaving, propelling himself directly to Kaido in the blink of an eye.

The giant dragon's head, shocked by Buggy's sudden appearance, barely had time to react before Buggy's fist, wreathed in black and golden flames, slammed into Kaido's skull.

"ROAR!!!"

Kaido let out a pained cry as his enormous dragon body, spanning several kilometers, plummeted from the sky. The force of his fall sent members of the BIGMOM Pirates scrambling in panic. Some even dove into the sea to escape.

BANG!!!

The ground trembled violently from the impact, and towering waves surged across the sea, pushing more than ten meters high.

Buggy quickly descended from the sky, surveying the chaos below. He glanced at the scattered members of the BIGMOM Pirates and wasted no time. Without hesitation, he unleashed his Conqueror's Haki.

BUZZ!!!

A surge of purple-black lightning crackled through the air, overwhelming the entire area. Every member of the BIGMOM Pirates was struck by the terrifying wave of Haoshoku, foaming at the mouth and collapsing, their eyes rolling back in unconsciousness.

"Clown Buggy!!!"

From the distance, a furious roar echoed from Kaido, "Why won't you let me go?! I chose to run away! Do you have to force a fight to the death?!"

SWISH!

In the blink of an eye, Buggy flashed and appeared before Kaido. His eyes narrowed, lips curling into a smirk as he examined the massive dragon in front of him.

"Just as I thought… The Soul-Soul Fruit seems to be having a major impact on you. Didn't think you couldn't even use your hybrid dragon form anymore?"

Buggy's smirk deepened. "Now I'm even more curious—are you Kaido of the Beasts, or is this Charlotte Linlin controlling your body?"

SCOFF

Lightning flashed across the sky as Enel, sitting cross-legged above them, tilted his head, resting his chin on his left hand. His eyes gleamed with curiosity.

"We're curious too!"

SWISH SWISH SWISH

A moment later, Gabban, Bullet, and Doringo, Buggy's air support, joined the fray, surrounding Kaido.

Seeing this, the "Duo"—who had been trying to escape—was left in shame. The sight of his comrades' defeat and the realization that there was no escape from Buggy's grip made his dragon body tremble violently.

Seeing this, Buggy chuckled, his tone dripping with mockery.

"I told you, there's no way someone would just hand over a Devil Fruit of this caliber so easily. Is that really what happened? Maybe when you gave him the Ryu Ryu no Mi, Model: Azure Dragon, you slyly planted a slave mark on him. The moment I killed you, you must've snatched his soul right out of his body, huh?"

Buggy's eyes gleamed with a knowing smile.

"It's because you marked Kaido long ago that he couldn't resist your possession. You succeeded in overtaking him, but you never truly mastered his power. That's why your flying speed is slower than mine! Even the Dragonman form is out of your reach!"

He took a step closer, his voice cutting through the tension.

"Charlotte Linlin, you're too clever for your good, pulling all these strings... but today, you won't escape death."

Hearing Buggy's analysis, the members of the Buggy Pirates exchanged uneasy glances, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Gabban scratched his chin thoughtfully, his sharp eyes narrowing as he processed the information. "Kaido of the Beasts... possessed by Charlotte Linlin? That's a heavy idea."

Enel crossed his arms, a skeptical frown forming on his face. "Is that even possible? Possessing someone else's body after death... It sounds like some kind of twisted fairytale."

Doringo, always the calm and collected one, leaned forward with a serious look. "But didn't Captain Buggy strip the Soul-Soul Fruit from Big Mom? That's the real question here. How could she still pull this off after losing that ability?"

Blueno, his face tense, chimed in. "Maybe she made her move just before her death. I wouldn't put it past her to have something up her sleeve, even at the end. After all, she had decades of experience with the Soul-Soul Fruit."

"True," Gabban agreed, nodding slowly. "Captain Buggy's speed is insane, but she could've still pulled off the possession move just in time. She's no amateur when it comes to tricks like that."

Enel grinned wryly, a hint of amusement in his voice. "And if Captain Buggy hadn't been around? Everyone would've just seen her as that 'steel balloon'—someone to be tricked and underestimated. After Whitebeard's death, she could've easily become the next king of the seas."

The crew fell silent for a moment, the weight of the situation pressing down on them. Each member of the Buggy Pirates seemed lost in their thoughts, trying to make sense of the complex and dangerous web their captain had just unraveled.

At that moment, the figure lying silently on the ground—"Kaido"—finally spoke.

"Mamamama!!!"

A dark chuckle echoed through the air. "You're right, Godslayer—Buggy. I underestimated you. Truth is, I didn't want to take over Kaido, but when it's a last resort…"

A sadistic laugh followed as "Kaido" continued.

"If I wasn't about to die, who would bother stealing his body? Kaido, he's my dear brother! Mamamama—"

The members of the Buggy Pirates twitched in unison, clearly stunned by the absurdity of the situation.

Buggy laughed loudly, shaking his head in disbelief. "Hahaha! Who would've thought that Kaido would fall so easily to your fruit power? All this, in such a short time."

He paused, his expression growing somber. "If this news spreads, the world will be in shock. I was going to send it to Morgan of the World Newspaper, but then I remembered—Kaido taught Hancock Conqueror's Haki infusion. If that's the case, I'll give him a proper send-off. After all, dying at the hands of an old hag is such a bad end for a warrior like Kaido."

"Mamamama!!!"

Kaido—no, at this moment, it was more fitting to call her Beast-Mom—burst into laughter upon hearing Buggy's words. The massive dragon's tail slammed against the ground, shaking the air with its force. It was clear that something Buggy had said had struck a chord with her, triggering her uncontrollable laughter.

"Buggy, you're too strong... and too smart. It seems our era is going to be ruled by you," she sneered. "I didn't expect you to figure out my trick so quickly. At first, I thought you'd just save your little girlfriend and run off, but no... your first thought was to kill Kaido, wasn't it?"

She leaned forward, eyes gleaming with twisted amusement.

"Your ambition is bigger than I imagined! I'm sure the One Piece or whatever nonsense it is doesn't even interest you, does it? You're just in such a hurry to eliminate us, huh? That means the World Government's next on your list, right?"

She laughed again, her voice full of mocking understanding.

"Turns out you're the same as Captain Rocks. You want to be king of the world, Buggy!"

Her laughter filled the air.

The members of the Buggy Pirates exchanged thoughtful glances. While they had picked up on hints from their captain over time, it was clear now that Buggy's ambition reached far beyond what they had expected.

But then again, only the king of the world would be worthy of being their captain, right?

As this realization dawned, smiles spread across the faces of the Buggy Pirates.

Seeing their expressions, Aunt Kaido laughed even harder.

"Mamamama—Your men are just as crazy as you! But I guess it makes sense. You've already obtained Shiki's abilities, Kaido's power, and even the strongest logia Goro Goro no mi..."

She paused, a wicked grin on her face.

"Mamamama! I honestly can't think of anyone who could stop you now!"

Buggy sighed dramatically.

"I have to admit, old hag, you're too smart for your good. It's ridiculous how everyone outside just treats you as a 'steel balloon'." He leaned forward, his gaze hardening. "Tell me, before you die, can you fulfill one last wish of mine?" Whether you are Carmel or Charlotte Linlin?"

Swish!

The entire crew of the Buggy Pirates froze, their eyes wide with disbelief.

Wait—did Captain Buggy just say that?

How could he so easily uncover someone else's secrets like this? Gabban and the others were left speechless, utterly dumbfounded. And then, Beast-Mom's response threw them completely off guard. With a wide smile on her face, she simply said:

"Sure."

The crew stared in stunned silence.

Is... is she agreeing to this?

Everyone was speechless, their minds struggling to grasp the chaotic logic of the Four Emperors. This was beyond anything they could have anticipated.

Buggy smiled and raised his hand in a gesture of invitation.

Beast-Mom, tilting her head slightly, paused for a moment before speaking.

"I believe my current form should be called the fusion of Carmel and Linlin," she mused.

"Understood," Buggy responded, a flicker of realization crossing his face.

But the crew of the Buggy Pirates was confused.

Understood?

They hadn't figured it out yet! The members exchanged uncertain glances, the tension in the air palpable.

Buggy, sensing their confusion, continued with a thoughtful expression.

"I heard that when Charlotte Linlin was young and celebrating her birthday, she had an... incident. She accidentally swallowed one of her little friends, didn't she?"

He shook his head.

"But wait, that doesn't make sense." He furrowed his brow. "How could someone with the Soul Fruit ability, like a Carmel, be so easily consumed by a young Charlotte Linlin? Even if she were strong for her age, she was still just a child, vulnerable with little defense."

Buggy's eyes narrowed as he thought aloud.

"For someone who's mastered the Soul Fruit for decades, swallowing her shouldn't have been a challenge."

He paused, letting the words sink in, before leaning forward slightly, his voice dropping to a more serious tone.

"So the real question is, why did you let Charlotte Linlin eat you... and why implant such a memory in her mind?"

A silence fell over the crew as everyone waited for Beast-Mom's response.

After a long moment, she smirked, intrigued by Buggy's insight.

"I have a theory," Buggy added, his tone shifting to one of quiet certainty.

"Go ahead," Beast-Mom, now fully in her human form, spoke calmly, her eyes locked on him with rapt attention.

Her demeanor had shifted, clearly giving up any resistance. At this point, she was resigned to her fate—after all, even if she fought, there was no way she could defeat the combined might of the Buggy Pirates.

"Everyone must die someday," Buggy thought. But why not make it quick, and satisfy the last of your doubts?

With that, he began his explanation.

"The power of a Carmel who has mastered the Soul Fruit for decades reaches unimaginable heights. But back then, the Carmelite was nearing the end of her life. Weak, almost on the verge of death..."

Buggy's eyes gleamed as he continued, locking onto Aunt Kaido's stunned expression.

"So, she chose another way. A new method of survival." He leaned forward, voice dripping with understanding. "She chose to occupy Charlotte Linlin's body, destroy Linlin's soul in the process, and use her body as a vessel. That was her path to immortality."

There was a heavy pause as Buggy let the words settle in, watching Aunt Kaido's reaction closely.

"But... it didn't go as planned. Linlin's physical strength and her soul turned out to be far stronger than anticipated. And you—your soul, without a body—was in a weakened state. So during that period, Linlin took control."

Buggy's gaze sharpened.

"Then, when you recovered, it was you who took full control over her body. That's why her personality is so erratic. With Linlin's intelligence, she would never have given Kaido the Devil Fruit or planted a slave mark on him unless it was a part of your plan. A third life... under your complete control."

The silence was thick as Buggy finished his explanation, the weight of his words hanging in the air.

Crack! Crack! Crack—

Beast-Mom—no, Big Mom—clapped her hands, clearly impressed.

"Godslayer—Buggy!" She laughed, her voice ringing with admiration. "I, Kaido, and Carmel lost to you. It's truly no shame. A man like you is not only powerful, but your wisdom is terrifying."

She smiled wickedly, her eyes glinting with respect.

"I can't even fathom how those idiotic Celestial Dragons could defeat you. As much as I would love to see that day, I know I won't."

Her gaze softened as she leaned back, her expression one of finality.

"So... Kill me, Godslayer—Buggy! Let me die at your hands, by your strongest move. This is my last request."

Upon hearing this, Buggy glanced at Aunt Kaido, who was sitting cross-legged, and a smile spread across his face. He nodded before speaking.

"Alright," Buggy said, his voice steady and confident. "If you grant me a wish, I'll grant you one in return."

He paused for a moment, then turned his attention to Gabban.

"Gabban, clear the island of any unnecessary witnesses."

"Understood!" Gabban responded without hesitation.

With a simple raise of his hand, Gabban controlled the unconscious figures scattered around the island—whether in the sea, on the shore, or inside nearby buildings—and levitated them up to a height of 100 meters.

Buggy watched the scene with satisfaction, then turned back to face Big Mom-Kaido, his smile widening.

"The next move I'm about to show you is one I've developed over the past year. I haven't tested its full potential yet, but I'm confident it's not weaker than my Nuclear Crush."

Whoosh!

As Buggy spoke, his body began to rise slowly into the air, with the rest of the Buggy Pirates following suit, levitating to a height of 100 meters. Curiosity lit up their faces as they wondered just how powerful Buggy's new move was.

High above, Buggy tilted his head back and stretched his arms wide as though he were embracing the entire world. In an instant, white-gold, black-gold, and purple-black energies began to swirl in the air, gathering in the center of his outstretched arms.

Electricity crackled and jumped through the energies, slowly condensing together—until they formed a massive black-golden sphere of energy, about two meters in diameter. The sphere shimmered with a faint layer of white mist that gave it a mysterious, otherworldly aura.

But despite the swirling chaos, there was no overwhelming energy emanating from it—at least, not yet.

Gabban and the others felt a creeping unease as they tried to sense any fluctuations. The lack of energy felt even more sinister as if something terrifying was lurking beneath the surface.

"Hey, are you serious? Can this level of energy even be fused by Humans?" Enel muttered, anxiety clear in their voice.

"I don't feel any energy fluctuations, but my instincts are telling me to run away!" Blueno exclaimed, eyes wide.

"This move looks frightening even without any signs of power!"

"Buggy, have you surpassed Roger?"

While his crew voiced their concerns, Big Mom—still in her Kaido form—broke into laughter.

"Mamamama!" she chuckled, her voice booming with confidence. "I didn't expect you to have an even stronger move than that one! Bring it on!"

Hearing her challenge, Buggy glanced down at her, a sly grin curling at the corners of his lips. Without a word, he ruthlessly swung his arms downward, launching the attack.

"Kaido-Carmel-Linlin," he called out. "Remember this. This is my strongest move, and it's called: Abyssal Collapse!"

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