Chapter 267: My Body Is Stronger Than Yours!
SPLASH!
Seawater flooded violently into the fissure, creating a massive, turbulent wave. Through the spray, Big Mom could be seen half-submerged in the chasm, a massive fist-shaped crater dented into her chest.
That punch hurt.
It hurt a lot.
The mere aftershock was enough to split the entire island in two. For Big Mom, who had taken the full, direct impact, the damage was immense. Even with her "iron balloon" body, the pain was so intense that her wrinkled face contorted into a mask of agony.
"It broke four… no, five whole ribs?"
Gritting her teeth against the excruciating pain, Big Mom shakily extended a thick hand. As she opened her palm, a soul bubble floated out. It was half-pink and half-purple, about the size of a normal person's head.
"MAMAMAMA! That was one hell of a punch, brat! It's been a long, long time since I've been this badly injured!"
But then, a savage grin spread across her face. An injury of this level could be healed in an instant!
"I grant you life! Awaken and heal, my bones!!!" Big Mom bellowed. The soul bubble merged into her chest. A series of cracks echoed from within as her broken bones began to mend, and in the next moment, a cheerful, childish song rang out—
"Yes, Mama!"
"Don't worry, Mama!"
"We'll be all fixed up in no time!"
Amidst what sounded like the playful laughter of small children, the fractured ribs rapidly fused back together, and the caved-in chest swelled back to its original shape.
"MAMAMAMA! Good work, my precious children!" Big Mom laughed in satisfaction.
In the next instant, she pushed off the ground, launching herself out of the chasm. Her massive body flipped nimbly through the air before she landed perfectly on the top of a banana tree.
"Do you see, brat?!" Big Mom pounded her now-healed chest, producing a dull thump-thump sound. "This is what I'm capable of! Even if my heart were torn out, I could repair it! If you think an attack like that can beat me, you're a hundred years too early!"
Shane hovered in the air, casting a pitying glance at the poor banana tree before raising his eyes back to her. The Soul-Soul Fruit, developed to this extent, had a bizarre and countless array of abilities. To possess an "iron balloon" body and also have this strange, soul-based regeneration was just absurd. No wonder she could abuse her body day in and day out and still rule the seas for decades.
"It's impressive, I'll admit. But there is one thing I'm curious about." He eyed Big Mom's chest with interest. "How many times can a part of your body that you've given a soul to repair itself?"
There has to be a limit, he thought. And I want to see it.
SWOOSH!
Before the words had even faded, Shane's figure vanished.
Huh? So fast!
Big Mom's pupils instinctively contracted, but her composure returned just as quickly. She let out a low laugh. "Mamamama, I see. Even for monsters like us, there are drawbacks. Just like you, no matter how hard you try to hide it, your presence is as bright as a star in the night sky. It's so easy to lock onto you!!!"
I'll use that move. Even though Napoleon hadn't returned yet, it didn't matter. When she first learned this technique, she used her bare fists anyway!
"Spear of Elbaf…"
She spun around, a savage grin on her face as she clenched her fist!
"IKOKU!!!"
"IKOKU!!!"
Two deafening roars erupted at the same time. Big Mom and the reappeared Shane had, at that very moment, assumed the exact same stance! They both drew their right arms back, muscles bulging, and once the power was compressed to its absolute limit, they unleashed it with all their might!
The only difference was that Big Mom's attack was a pure, arc-shaped wave of purple energy. Shane, who seemed to have an endless supply of Conqueror's Haki, had wreathed his attack in crackling black-and-red lightning!
BOOOOM!!!!
The two world-destroying shockwaves collided head-on. Space itself seemed to tear as a violent blast wave radiated outwards, leveling nearly all the vegetation on the island.
How is this possible?!
Big Mom's face contorted as she watched her fist being pushed back inch by inch. Her signature move, a technique she was proud to have mastered as a child, was being overpowered by the same exact move! The fact that he was overusing Conqueror's Haki was one thing… but the more crucial point was—
"Hey, you bastard! You've never even been to Elbaf! How do you know this technique?!" she couldn't help but roar in frustration.
Could it be… that the world's strongest nation, the one she had coveted for years but had failed to ally with after Lola ran away, had somehow teamed up with the Curtain Call Adventurers?!
"You guess."
A calm voice came from behind her.
Dammit!
Big Mom snapped back to reality. She had been so fixated on the giants that she'd lost focus and hadn't even noticed Shane had moved again. She spun to counter, but it was a step too late. The moment she turned, she was met with Shane's leg, wreathed in Conqueror's Haki, swinging at her like a whip!
BANG!
The kick landed squarely on Big Mom's chest. Her massive body spun through the air before crashing into and collapsing half a mountain.
"UWAAA!"
From within the rubble, she spat out a mouthful of blood and pushed herself up. The bones that had been singing so cheerfully moments ago were now crying out in anguish.
"It hurts, Mama!"
"We're gonna break again!"
"Waaah, why does that meanie keep hitting the same spot!"
"Shut up!" Big Mom roared in a fury. "Is this any time to complain?! Hurry up and fix yourselves!"
"Y-yes, Mama!" the bones whimpered. Under the power of her soul, the fractured sternum began to heal once more. But this time, the process was noticeably slower.
"So, it isn't endless after all," Shane said, hovering in the air. He watched the bones in Big Mom's chest struggle to mend, a grin spreading across his face. "If there's a limit, then this is easy."
At this rate, one more hit and those bones wouldn't be able to regenerate before the fight was over. The same logic applied to the rest of her body. In comparison, his own healing ability, as long as he had stamina, was limitless. His was superior to hers!
Then there was nothing left to consider! It was time to take the fight to the next level. A brutal, all-out brawl, trading blow for blow, to completely tear this 'iron balloon' to shreds! This would decide not just the winner, but who lived and who died!
"MAMAMAMA! 'Easy'?" Big Mom's expression grew even more savage. "You've got a lot of nerve, brat!"
"Mama!"
Just then, Prometheus, Hera, and Napoleon finally arrived, returning to Big Mom's side.
"Oh, you're back," Big Mom bared her teeth. "Just in time. Hey, you three, get back in the fight!"
Yes, Mama!
A young, powerful body… it's truly enviable. Even she, who was supremely confident in her own natural gifts, had to admit it. This brat's close-combat ability, not just his swordsmanship, was in no way inferior to her own! In fact, he might even be slightly stronger! After being pushed back for so long, she had to face facts: she couldn't beat him with her fists alone. She needed the power of her three great Homies!
"MAMAMAMA! Back to what I know best! I let you have your fun, but now it's my turn to counterattack, Shane!"
She looked up, gripping her sword once more. Their deadly gazes locked, and then they both vanished, rocketing towards each other!
BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!
The sky above the entire island erupted in a continuous series of sonic booms. The tremendous noise was clearly audible even from the distant glacial battlefield…
"Mama!"
Katakuri's expression shifted. He spun around, looking towards the island that had been split in two. The commotion coming from that direction was too immense to ignore.
The sun had set, and night was falling, shrouding the battlefield in darkness. He couldn't see anything with his naked eye. But in the blurred images his Observation Haki provided, Mama's aura was noticeably more chaotic. Had she been on the losing end of their exchange?
Katakuri's eyes narrowed, a shadow falling over his face. But after a moment, he calmed himself. It didn't really matter. Fights between Emperors often lasted for days and nights. Gaining the upper hand was one thing, but deciding a true winner was nearly impossible, let alone a matter of life and death. None of the Four Emperors were easy to kill.
Therefore, he was more concerned with the state of his brothers and sisters on the battlefield.
It's not good. Not good at all…
Snack was holding the advantage, but that was it. Perospero, with his vast experience, was also having a tough time against Shane's sister. He didn't need to worry about those two; given a little more time, they would likely win. But the others… Especially Smoothie. Not long ago, he'd felt a wave of Conqueror's Haki from her direction—sharp as a sword, piercing the heavens. There was no way that belonged to his sister.
"Hey, hey! This is no time to get distracted!" Jack's furious voice boomed as his twin sickles, wreathed in dense, savage Haki, came slashing down. "What's the matter, did you forget? I'm your opponent, Katakuri!"
CLANG!
The sound of metal on metal rang out. Katakuri hastily blocked, but the ferocious force sent him staggering back several steps. He glanced down at the blood seeping from his hand and let out a cold snort.
"Ohoho! Finally drew blood!" Jack grinned triumphantly, revealing blood-stained fangs. "You're finally paying the price for your arrogance, you bastard!"
This is so damn hard! Katakuri had just drawn first blood, but Jack was already covered in it. How is this human-skinned monster so strong?! He hadn't felt this much pressure even when he fought Admiral Aokiji or Kaido himself!
"Don't get cocky!" A cold light flashed in Katakuri's eyes. The situation was worse than he'd imagined. He'd been tied down for too long. He needed to step it up and end this quickly!
CRACK!
He thrust his trident, Mogura, downwards. The upper layer of the ice, the parts not in contact with the seawater, was instantly assimilated by his awakened ability, turning into flowing mochi. He could control it as if it were an extension of his own body!
"Down!" Katakuri roared, pressing his trident down again. The mochi-fied ice responded, applying immense pressure downwards. The entire ice sheet, hundreds of meters in diameter, collapsed with a great crash.
It was a total, instantaneous collapse. It happened so fast there was no time to react. Jack was stunned for a moment, and then his massive body lost its footing, plummeting into the frigid sea.
"Glub glub glub—"
Seawater instantly flooded Jack's mouth and nose. He panicked, his limbs instinctively flailing as he tried to swim up. As a fish-man, even as a Devil Fruit user, he could still breathe and remain conscious underwater. But he was still a dead weight. That inescapable feeling of weakness washed over him, and his twelve-meter-tall body began to sink like a stone.
"It's over." Katakuri stood at the edge of the hole in the ice, looking down coldly at the gradually blurring figure below. He wasn't an idiot. Halfway through the fight, he had realized this Ancient Zoan mammoth user was too tough, too hard to break through. A little thought made it obvious: this guy was specifically assigned by the Curtain Call Adventurers to tie him down.
Could he beat him? One hundred percent, no question. But with normal methods, it would take an entire night of fighting. By the time the sun rose, his brothers and sisters might be half dead! What was the point of a man's victory and honor in that case? His family, his siblings, were what mattered most!
Scanning the area with his Observation Haki, Katakuri decided to go and support Smoothie first. The Curtain Call's first mate, Kuina, was supposed to be his opponent anyway! Besides, Smoothie's aura was growing weaker; she clearly couldn't last much longer.
Katakuri gripped his trident and was about to leave when something unexpected happened!
BOOM!
A bolt of silver lightning burst from the sea. Gin, with Jack's scruff in his jaws, shot into the sky amidst a shower of water. The giant wolf landed nimbly on the ice far away and casually dropped the colossal man.
"Thanks!" Jack scrambled to his feet, gasping for air. He was soaking wet, but the fighting spirit in his eyes hadn't diminished in the slightest. He patted Gin's head and grinned. "Nice work, Gin-senpai!"
Gin dodged his large hand with a look of disdain and, without another word, transformed back into a silver blur, racing off into the distance. His incredible mobility and experience as a lifeguard made him the most versatile support unit on the battlefield.
Jack scratched his head awkwardly as he watched Gin go, then turned his gaze back to Katakuri.
"I'm not letting you get away that easily! If you do, my crewmates will be in big trouble!" he roared, wiping the seawater from his face. "I'll bet my life on keeping you here! Getting knocked into the sea was my mistake, but once is enough! It won't happen a second time!"
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