As Crocodile and Smoothie clashed, Claudius took this as the signal to act. No one had caught on yet, but he knew it wouldn't take long for suspicions to arise. Especially with Doflamingo—a "Seven Warlords of the Sea" mber notorious for stirring trouble—present.
And Claudius himself? Coming along as Doflamingo's so-called "brother"? There was no way they'd escape suspicion for long.
"Split up. Don't linger here," Claudius ordered quietly.
Doflamingo nodded, his gaze shifting to the approaching army of cookie soldiers. A sinister smile curled on his lips. "Toy soldiers, huh? That's just my style. I can control them easily."
It was clear he intended to target Cracker, another of Linlin's Sweet Commanders. Claudius didn't concern himself with Doflamingo's plans; his own goal remained fixed.
This operation wasn't about killing Charlotte Linlin, it was about capturing her. That objective required careful timing. Claudius's eyes remained locked on her towering figure.
"Gion, you take the first move. I'll wait for the right mont to strike and see if I can take down this stubborn old hag in one blow," Claudius said calmly. As he spoke, his form shimred, becoming translucent before dispersing completely with the wind.
anwhile, the battle between Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Charlotte Linlin raged on.
Despite Linlin's imnse strength, her supporting forces—various powerful Homies—proved ineffective against the Admirals. Sakazuki and Borsalino easily smashed through these animated objects, which were reduced to little more than sacrifices, blocking attacks ant for Linlin.
At one point, a large tree Homie managed to block Sakazuki's magma fist, giving Linlin an opening. She took a deep breath, bracing against Borsalino's incoming kick, and unleashed a piercing scream.
"AAAAHHHHH!!!" Linlin roared, her voice reverberating like a shockwave.
The sound stunned both Sakazuki and Borsalino montarily, their movents faltering.
Seizing the opportunity, Linlin swung the massive Emperor's Sword in her hand.
"The Spear of Elbaf—Prestige!!!" she bellowed, slashing downward with terrifying force. A shockwave erupted from the blade, tearing through the ground and consuming everything in its path.
Sakazuki was caught in the onslaught, his figure battered and engulfed by the sheer force of the attack.
For the first ti in the battle, Linlin seed to gain the upper hand. With Sakazuki montarily taken out of the fight, Borsalino was left exposed.
A wicked grin spread across Linlin's face. She raised her arm, and lightning crackled ominously in the sky. With a deafening roar, a bolt of lightning struck down, targeting Borsalino with blinding speed.
Borsalino's eyes widened in alarm. Although he doubted Sakazuki was dead from a single attack, it would likely take him ti to recover. Now, with the thunder bearing down on him, Borsalino prepared to retreat.
But before the bolt could reach him, another streak of lightning struck from the side, intercepting it midair. The two bolts collided and dissipated into nothingness.
Floating above was none other than Enel, now clad in his iconic "God of Skypiea" attire. Holding a long golden staff, he grinned arrogantly.
"My speed isn't too shabby either, is it, Admiral Borsalino?" Enel remarked smugly.
Borsalino raised a brow, his voice calm but tinged with irritation. "Took you long enough. I've been stalling her for ages."
Despite his annoyance, Borsalino didn't push the issue. He knew better than to offend Enel, especially since the man was Claudius's subordinate. "Well, better late than never. Your timing is... appreciated," he added neutrally.
Charlotte Linlin, on the other hand, was montarily caught off guard. She didn't imdiately recognize Enel, whose reputation wasn't as widespread as Crocodile's.
Before she could react, a sharp slash flew toward her. With quick reflexes, Linlin blocked the strike using the Emperor's Sword. Her gaze shifted to the source of the attack, though the figure remained obscured for a mont.
But what she didn't anticipate was the sudden force that struck her chest.
A figure clad in a bunny-thed maid outfit appeared in front of her. With astonishing speed and precision, the figure delivered a powerful kick directly to Linlin's wound.
"Peach Blossom-Bunny Strike!" the figure shouted.
The impact bent Linlin's massive body forward, and the sheer force sent her sprawling backward.
It was Gion.
Her earlier slash had been a feint, allowing her to close the distance and strike Linlin with her Zoan-enhanced abilities. Gion's speed was extraordinary, her Devil Fruit power granting her the form of the mythical Moon Rabbit. In terms of speed, she was second only to Borsalino among the Marines.
As Linlin staggered from the blow, Gion's body began to transform further. Her shoulders tensed, as if a limiter had been released. Her eyes turned crimson, and the rabbit ears atop her head grew longer.
Wasting no ti, Gion launched herself forward with explosive force. The ground beneath her shattered, rocks and debris flying in all directions. Her speed was incredible, a blur that closed the distance between her and Linlin in an instant.
Sensing the imminent danger, Linlin slamd her hand into the ground, using the force to stabilize herself and hurl a massive rock upward. With the montum, she managed to stop her retreat and regain her footing.
But as she steadied herself, Gion was already closing in, her red eyes blazing with intensity.
"You're the Marine Admiral candidate, Momousagi Gion!" Linlin exclaid, a mix of anger and disbelief in her voice.
One Admiral was already troubleso enough, not to ntion Crocodile and Enel. But now, an Admiral candidate? Linlin knew Gion's reputation well—despite the "candidate" title, her strength was on par with a full-fledged Admiral.
Gion didn't respond. Her focus was absolute. Her fist, now covered in white fur resembling the Moon Rabbit's, shot forward. Though it looked soft and fluffy, the sonic boom that followed the punch was anything but gentle.
The strike was devastating, delivering a thunderous impact as it collided with Linlin's massive fist.
To the shock of onlookers, Gion's punch forced Linlin to stumble back, her footing briefly unstable. Though Linlin's retaliatory strike had been hasty, her monstrous strength was well-known across the seas. For Gion to push her back at all was an astonishing feat.
At the sa ti, both Borsalino and Enel launched their attacks.
A crackling dragon of lightning shot toward Linlin, striking her body and leaving her hair frizzed in an explosive ss. Before she could recover, Borsalino followed up with a laser beam. However, Linlin managed to cut the attack out of the air with her Emperor's Sword.
As the battle intensified, Gion moved in once more. Her next kick targeted Linlin's flank, but this ti, Linlin caught the attack with her hand.
Even so, fending off attacks from three high-speed, high-power combatants was taking its toll on Linlin. She had started to show openings, her defenses slipping.
And then, as if on cue, a familiar voice echoed through the battlefield.
"Shoot her, Shinsō!!!"
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