Rolan stood facing the roaring Big Mom as her command echoed across the battlefield.
"BIG MOM Pirates, leave Rolan and his crew on this island and show them the price of challenging me!" Charlotte Linlin bellowed.
The Big Mom Pirates immediately sprang into action at their captain's command. This was no ordinary skirmish. It was a full-scale strike on Rolan's crew. In years, no such massive deployment had taken place.
From the advancing ranks, a tall woman with silver hair and pale violet lips approached. She wore a yellow scarf and her piercing blue eyes seemed like gemstones. Most striking of all were her impossibly long legs. It was none other than the Juicer, Charlotte Smoothie.
Rolan watched her approach coolly, evaluating her stance and reach. Those legs had to be nearly three meters long. No wonder her bounty was immense, he thought, though he kept his expression flat.
Smoothie stopped about ten meters from Zoro and the rest and murmured with mild interest, "Hmm, you are bold."
"Since Mama has spoken, you will remain on Cake Island," she said dismissively, as if discussing the weather.
Franky's eyes widened as he looked up at her, his fists clanking together in excitement.
"What long legs!"
Zoro stepped forward, placing his left hand on the hilt of Wado Ichimonji.
"A swordsman of skill?" he asked.
Smoothie glanced down at him, voice cool. "Roronoa Zoro, hmm? I wonder how much juice you can squeeze out."
She lifted her great sword and struck down.
Zoro arched an eyebrow and grinned. "Let's see about that."
Drawing Wado Ichimonji, he met her blow head-on.
Meanwhile Nami, noticing Rolan's glance at Smoothie earlier, formed into a white cloud and propelled herself toward Smoothie's waist with a mischievous grin. Mid-flight, a swift diagonal slash forced her to tilt her head and evade.
Before her stood a stout man with a long nose, his black hair tied in a gourd shape, wearing a wool coat and a red-and-white striped scarf. It was Snack, one of the Sweet Commanders.
"I can't let you interfere with Mama's fight," he growled.
Nami frowned at him.
"Who are you?" she asked with a raised brow.
"You don't know me?!" Snack demanded.
Nami crossed her arms, unimpressed. "Should I? That's ridiculous."
She condensed her cloud into a long iron blade and coated it with Armament Haki. She swung at Snack without hesitation.
Rolan felt a chill gaze on him earlier; turning, he saw Nami engaging Snack not far away and couldn't help but smile wryly. Really? All that just from one glance at Smoothie? he thought.
Franky watched as each crew member found a match. He felt that familiar itch—the urge to test his super-memory alloy body in real combat and gauge how much stronger he'd become.
A man with a yellow buzz cut, handlebar mustache, earrings, and a belt buckle shaped like a magic lamp approached him. He walked with his head down and looked fierce.
"To complete this quickly, we'll have to defeat you first," the stranger said, rubbing his belly.
Franky looked him up and down. "You aren't a pervert, right?"
That set the man off. "You may insult my looks, but don't call me a pervert!"
From his belt appeared a genie-like figure wielding a massive cleaver. It swung at Franky with force.
Franky dodged and the blade cracked the ground. He tilted his head. "Isn't 'pervert' a compliment? You actually don't like that?"
Rolan, watching, could only shake his head at Franky's antics.
His attention shifted as Big Mom drew closer. Her defense was astonishing. If he didn't attack from within, she would indeed seem invincible.
With a calm motion, Rolan formed his Electromagnetic Blade in his hand, its purple glow sparking.
In the next moment he vanished and reappeared by Big Mom, slashing toward her neck.
"Napoleon!" Linlin called, pulling her sword back to block.
Their swords met with a sharp ring as the ground cracked around them.
Big Mom's pupils narrowed in surprise. She had not expected this small man to match her strength. After all, she was a giant among pirates. Could an ordinary human truly contend with her?
Rolan smirked and increased his power. Big Mom staggered back several steps under the force.
"Impossible! How can your strength rival mine?" she spat.
Rolan's eyes were cold. "A woman who stays rooted and never grows can't grasp how vast this world truly is."
"I am Charlotte Linlin, a Four Emperors who has reigned over this world for decades! I've faced countless challengers like you!" she roared.
She called for her companions.
"Prometheus! Zeus!"
With a roar, flame and lightning coiled around her blade. Clutching it in both hands she swung.
"Meido."
Rolan vanished with an instant transmission, but the blade cleaved through buildings behind its trajectory.
He appeared behind her and imbued his right foot with Conqueror's Haki. With a spinning kick he struck Linlin's ankle, the bone twisting audibly. He followed with a second kick to her other ankle.
With a thunderous crash she fell to her knees, the ground trembling from her impact.
Rolan stepped aside, recognizing brute strength and Haki alone wouldn't win this fight. Linlin's massive size made her powerful but slow.
"Linlin!" A stout man wearing a large red hat sprinted toward the fallen Charlotte Linlin. White whiskers bounced as he ran. It was Long Mianbao, her former consort and Eat-Eat Fruit user.
"Get away from her!" Bafflingly, Law appeared between them.
Long Mianbao didn't care who stood in his way. He slashed toward Law.
Clang. Law blocked with Kikoku, feeling the strength behind it. Long Mianbao's clouded mind began to clear.
He took in the battlefield. The Big Mom Pirates were in disarray, struggling. This small crew had thrown them into chaos with only a handful of fighters.
Even more alarming to him, Robin had yet to act.
His heart sank. This fight would not end well for Big Mom's forces if Rolan and Linlin continued at this pace.
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