Michael also got a close-up taste of the power of the legendary "Elbaf's Spear."
He had to admit, its power still fell far short of Whitebeard's casual swings infused with Conqueror's Haki...
But what it had going for it was being a wide-area AOE attack.
Even a lunatic like Charlotte Linlin knew enough to toss Michael into the sky before using this move, rather than firing it off directly.
If she had just unleashed it on the spot, half of Whole Cake Island would probably have been flattened.
"Hey, you crazy woman, you're the one who misunderstood, alright!?"
Michael's voice came from within the massive shockwave. A slash, wreathed in faint blue Holy Light of Judgment, cut across the sky, splitting the shockwave in half.
And there he was—Michael, with one large and one small pair of wings, suspended midair, his slender straight sword aimed directly at Charlotte Linlin.
"I'll say it again, you might be beautiful, but the size difference between us is really too much…"
Even as he said that, a thought crossed Michael's mind…
Didn't the Charlotte family… have kids from the Tontatta Tribe?
Hiss!
The more he thought about it, the more terrifying it seemed!
However, Charlotte Linlin seemed to regain some sanity.
The madness in her eyes was gradually suppressed by reason.
The way she looked at Michael shifted from hatred… to admiration.
"You really are strong… Even if you're not from the Lunarian race, you now have the qualifications to be my husband," Charlotte Linlin said, transforming the sword in her hand back into her double-horned pirate hat. "If you weren't a Marine, I would have definitely kept you by force… But now, I'm already starting to feel bored."
With that, she turned and walked back toward the castle.
The sudden change left the Charlotte family, who had just been ready to go all out, a little dumbfounded.
"Perospero… so, are we still fighting or not?" Charlotte Daifuku was a bit confused. He had just summoned his lamp genie, and now it was over?
"With Mama gone… do you think we stand a chance against that guy in the sky?" Perospero took a deep breath, then waved his hand, signaling everyone to cease fighting.
Michael watched Charlotte Linlin's departing back from midair…
His eyes were full of wariness.
At first, he had only thought Charlotte Linlin was a crazy, bottomless woman.
Even if someone like that was strong, dealing with her wouldn't be too much trouble.
But now he realized he was dead wrong…
He had subconsciously equated the "Big Mom" from the original story's timeline with the current Charlotte Linlin.
But clearly, he couldn't have been more mistaken.
This Charlotte Linlin might lose control emotionally at times, but she could quickly regain her composure.
Then again, thinking about it… ruling over such a vast territory as "Totto Land" in the New World was not something achieved by sheer power alone.
He had completely underestimated Charlotte Linlin—her wisdom as well as her willpower.
The Charlotte family's absolute loyalty to her wasn't just about blood ties either. From her every move, it was obvious: while she discarded her former husbands like old shoes, she poured all her motherly love into her children.
And that, in turn, showed just how terrifying the "eating disorder" really was.
It had twisted a woman who embodied both wisdom and strength into a mad creature who only knew how to eat and destroy.
Among the Yonko in the original story, except for Kaido, none were in their true prime.
A dying Whitebeard, a half-mad Charlotte Linlin, a one-armed Shanks…
Michael looked down at his own hand, a faint smile on his lips.
If they could all avoid those endings…
What kind of storm would engulf this sea?
...
When Michael flapped his wings and landed back on Whole Cake Island, he found the Charlotte family members hadn't left. Instead, they were all staring at him strangely.
"Uh… why are you all looking at me like that?" Michael instinctively touched his own face. "I know I'm handsome, but this doesn't warrant a whole crowd, does it?"
"To have Mama take a liking to you even after dropping her special-race filter… you're the first in history," Perospero said with a frown. "But too bad—you're a Marine… so no chance."
"Damn… is that supposed to be good news for me?" Michael's mouth twitched. "I mean, I don't mind if she's not a virgin, even think married women have their own charm… but not one with dozens of ex-husbands!"
He glanced at the tables and chairs on the ground, now completely reduced to rubble, and smacked his lips.
"Anyway, you're Perospero, right?" Michael lifted his chin toward him. "As a Marine with the power to appoint Shichibukai, I came to Totto Land to discuss this matter with you all, but your mother interrupted… So let's rearrange things and have a proper talk."
Perospero and Katakuri exchanged a glance. Seeing Katakuri give a slight nod, Perospero understood: in the short-term future, Katakuri had seen no danger.
Which meant this Marine really had come to negotiate?
They had heard about the Fishman Island neutral trade zone before, but hearing was one thing—seeing was another.
"Fine. Follow me."
Perospero nodded, then tapped his cane. Instantly, a torrent of blue syrup gushed out, forming a massive transparent syrup table and dozens of chairs.
Michael patted it experimentally, then pulled out a syrup chair and sat down.
"The Paramecia Lick-Lick Fruit… impressive. From its performance, it could almost be considered a pseudo-Logia."
In fact, "pseudo-Logia" seemed to be a common trait among the Charlotte family's top fighters.
Like Katakuri, for example.
"Michael… Vice Admiral, you said this was about Shichibukai appointments. Are you planning to recruit members from the Charlotte family?"
"Of course. Coming to Totto Land, naturally you were my target… specifically, the two of you."
He pointed at Perospero and Katakuri.
The brains and the fists of the Charlotte family.
"Targeting the two of us… then it's even less possible." Katakuri shook his head. "Becoming Shichibukai means turning against other pirates… sooner or later, the whole Charlotte family would be set against them."
"Mm, I've considered your concerns… but don't be so quick to refuse. Because I have a condition you absolutely can't refuse…"
Michael confidently placed two Shichibukai appointment documents on the table.
"For example, what if I cure Charlotte Linlin's eating disorder… and at the same time, make Totto Land fully legitimate?"
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