145. The Sword Is Crushed, Bigmom Crashes Into The Sea

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On the deadlocked battlefield below, high above the chaos, Alex and Big Mom were locked in a fierce battle.

"Alex!"

Big Mom roared, her voice sharp and ghostly, as she parried Alex's sword Akizakura with her Napoleon. Despite her immense strength, a slash from Akizakura carved a deep mark across her body. But the wound quickly mended using her own soul power.

Taking advantage of an opening in Alex's movements, Big Mom suddenly swung her fist toward his shoulder.

Boom!

Alex didn't flinch. Instead, he met her attack head-on, his fist colliding with hers. The sheer force of their clash exploded in the air, creating a shockwave rivaling the full strength of a giant.

Despite Charlotte Linlin's immense power, Alex held his ground. Though his physique couldn't compare to natural monsters like her, his rigorous training and relentless drive had eroded his former weaknesses. The progress he had made over the years was undeniable.

Years ago, when faced with a Big Mom who had burned through only a year of her lifespan, Alex had needed to wield his full strength—his Haki, swordsmanship, and the power of Akazakura—just to survive. But now, with his mastery of Haki and physical power alone, the gap had narrowed to mere inches.

"Your strength is weakning." Alex taunted, a sneer on his face as he stared down Big Mom's twisted, feral expression.

Compared to nine years ago, she is looking a lot more like the figure from the future.

He was right—overuse of her lifespan to fuel her abilities had taken its toll.

"Mamamama!" Big Mom snarled, her hair wild and her face as demonic as a creature from the depths of hell. "You escaped from Whole Cake Island by luck. This time, I'll make sure you don't get away!"

Hum!

With a roar, Charlotte Linlin unleashed her soul's power, channeling it into Napoleon. The blade flared with dazzling purple energy, its brilliance so intense it seared the air.

"Ikoku!"

The mighty attack erupted in a deafening blast, a massive shockwave of sword energy exploding outward. Fueled by her own lifespan and soul power, its size and destructive force dwarfed her previous attacks, tearing apart the air and scattering the clouds.

"The way of the sword isn't just about strength—it's about precision!" Alex's deep voice cut through the chaos.

Screech!

Akizakura shifted instantly into its attack mode. Alex swung his blade in a sweeping arc, unleashing a tremendous wave of sword energy. The air split apart, and the brilliant flash of energy illuminated the entire sky.

The shockwave of Big Mom's attack collided with Alex's slash, but it was extinguished in an instant. Napoleon clashed directly with Akizakura, and the destructive force of Alex's blade enhanced by his Haki began to overwhelm its opponent. Flames and lightning that once enveloped Big Mom's sword started to dissipate under the pressure.

"Mama!"

The three souls inhabiting the saber screamed in agony, their essence suffering a severe blow in the clash.

But Charlotte Linlin didn't flinch. Ignoring their cries, she forcibly injected even more soul power into the blade, roughly repairing it. With a guttural roar, she swung again.

Alex moved with precision, countering the strike as he manipulated the moisture in the air using the power of the Float-Float Fruit. The water coalesced into glistening spheres, which he launched at Napoleon.

The moment the water touched the blade, Charlotte Linlin faltered. The three souls within the weapon recoiled, a wave of weakness washing over her.

"Seawater?!"

Alex didn't respond to Charlotte Linlin's enraged question. Instead, he surged forward with doubled speed, his blade slicing through the air toward his opponent, forcing her onto the defensive.

Clang!

The sound of clashing steel reverberated as their immense powers collided. The weakened state of Big Mom's saber left her vulnerable, especially against the force of Alex's sword. Under the influence of Alex's techniques, her defenses crumbled.

Charlotte Linlin's furious gaze faltered, shifting to one of fear as Napoleon, Prometheus and Zeus—already screaming under the strain—let out a final, pained wail. In an instant, the weapon shattered.

"No matter how strong your Haki is, you can't ignore the natural enemy of all Devil Fruit users: seawater."

A smirk tugged at his lips as he continued, "Using Haki is the best counter against Devil Fruits. But when combined with seawater? It's a perfect weapon."

With that, Alex's eyes burned with determination. He leaped into the air, his movements fluid and precise. His sword flashed as he twisted his wrist, slashing upward with the blade.

"Let's see how your technique fares against me this time, Charlotte Linlin!"

"Ikoku!"

Alex's voice thundered through the battlefield. In an instant, a devastating wave of sword energy formed—a brilliant, jade-like slash that descended from the sky with the force of a mountain crashing into the sea.

Unlike Linlin's soul-powered attacks, Alex's slash was boosted by the More-More Fruit, his mastery of Haki, and the skill of a swordsman. The sheer magnitude of the slash dwarfed her own, cutting through the air with terrifying force.

The sky seemed to howl as the attack descended. The oppressive power caused even Charlotte Linlin's durable "steel balloon" skin to prickle with the sensation of sharp blades.

Her mind flashed back to the events of Whole Cake Island—the loss, the humiliation. It was happening again.

With a desperate growl, she crossed her massive arms and coated them in Armament Haki, bracing herself against the overwhelming attack.

Boom!

The explosion shook the sky, sending shockwaves rippling across the battlefield. Countless streams of sword energy erupted outward, carving through the air and leaving jagged fissures that seemed to scar the very heavens.

Under the crushing force of Alex's attack, Charlotte Linlin's figure was blasted downward, spiraling uncontrollably toward the battlefield below.

"It's Mama!"

"Big Mom is overwhelmed by the Flying Admiral!"

Cries of astonishment erupted from all corners of the battlefield. Members of the Charlotte Family, witnessing their mother's fall, rushed toward her, desperation written across their faces.

But it was too late.

Boom!

Charlotte Linlin's massive body crashed into a ship with earth-shaking force, splintering the deck and scattering fighters in all directions. The sheer impact created a shockwave that tore through the battlefield, snapping masts, ripping flags, and tossing smaller vessels like leaves in a storm.

The resounding crash was followed by the sound of splashing seawater.

The battlefield fell silent as realization struck. Charlotte Linlin, wielder of the Soul-Soul Fruit, had been plunged into the sea.