Under Fang Huo's gravity ability, Newgate likewise soared through the air, flying alongside Fang Huo and Charlotte Linlin toward an unknown destination.
"Your powers are as handy as Shiki's."
Newgate, full of enthusiasm, tried to copy Fang Huo's "Sword-Riding Flight"—only he attempted it with his own blade.
He stood on Murakumogiri's hilt, struggling to keep his balance.
He even asked Fang Huo not to apply anti-gravity to him, but only to the sword.
The young Whitebeard of today was far from the steady man he would become; he was still brimming with youthful vigor.
"Fang Huo, Fang Huo, when will you be able to predict where Mother Carmel is?"
Charlotte Linlin stood atop the thunder cloud, Zeus, trailing beside Fang Huo like a bodyguard.
Right now, these two future "Four Emperors" were like little-giant guards at Fang Huo's side.
"You'll know when you grow up."
Fang Huo had no intention of telling this simple-minded, oversized girl the cruel truth just yet.
Besides, it remained uncertain whether Mother Carmel had used the Soul-Soul Fruit to steal Charlotte Linlin's body.
Everything was still unknown!
In any case, the future Charlotte Linlin would grow to resemble Carmel more and more, both in appearance and cruelty.
Yet, once Charlotte Linlin lost her memories, she would revert to her innocent self.
Before Charlotte Linlin, no one had ever directly inherited another person's Devil Fruit power.
Had Charlotte Linlin really devoured Carmel during a food-craving rampage?
Or had Carmel used a secret Soul-Soul technique to replace the gifted "Iron Balloon" bit by bit?
Fang Huo had to find out.
For the moment, however, he possessed no soul-related abilities.
Thus, he couldn't tell whether Carmel's soul was hiding inside Linlin's.
Fang Huo had already questioned Streusen, who had witnessed everything on the spot.
Streusen said that the frenzied Linlin had indeed swallowed everyone and everything present, leaving a horrific mess.
Only Carmel had been "eaten" voluntarily, leaving behind her complete nun's habit.
According to Streusen, Carmel seemed to shed her clothes and fly naked into Charlotte Linlin's mouth.
That was why Streusen feared the six-year-old Charlotte Linlin and dared not go near her.
Fang Huo suspected Carmel had used the Soul-Soul Fruit to enter Linlin's body.
Mother Carmel might not be dead at all!
After all, the sun homie, Prometheus—created by Carmel—had never vanished and willingly stayed with Linlin.
Prometheus's personality was exactly like Carmel's: sly and cunning.
By contrast, the thunder cloud, Zeus—Linlin's own creation—was inherently kind.
Streusen had his own theory: Carmel had underestimated the monstrously gifted Linlin.
Something had gone wrong; Carmel still couldn't fully replace her.
Yet, Linlin's character was already shifting toward Carmel's.
Carmel's soul might be merging with Linlin's until the two became indistinguishable.
Streusen had even considered allying with Carmel rather than the simple-minded Linlin.
Fang Huo hadn't expected Streusen to be that shrewd.
He seemed to see through the true natures of both Carmel and Charlotte Linlin.
He could cooperate with the wily Carmel or coax the naive Linlin—whichever held the body, he could exploit.
No matter who dominated that gifted iron frame, Streusen stood to profit.
For now, Linlin's soul remained dominant, though Carmel was slowly eroding it and vying for control.
—
"Grown up? But I have grown up!"
Charlotte Linlin looked down at the pint-sized Fang Huo; even Newgate couldn't match her height.
"When you can endure the pain of losing everything, you'll understand."
Fang Huo racked his brain for a way to solve the Carmel problem once and for all.
If he erased Carmel's soul entirely, would Linlin lose her Soul-Soul Fruit power?
The two souls already seemed tangled together.
A real headache.
"The pain of losing everything? Could it... could it mean..."
Charlotte Linlin's eyes brimmed with tears as a thought struck her.
Could Mother and the others already be dead?
She couldn't accept it; her aura began to spiral out of control.
Affected by her emotions, Prometheus flared from a yellow orb into a blazing fireball.
Zeus likewise darkened into an angry storm cloud.
"Calm down, Linlin! Mother Carmel isn't dead!!"
Fang Huo hastily shouted to stop the impending rampage.
Sure enough, the simple-minded Charlotte Linlin quieted at once, breaking into a delighted smile.
Prometheus and Zeus reverted to normal.
"Really, Fang Huo? Wonderful! I knew Mother was okay."
Charlotte Linlin beamed, while Fang Huo resolved to defuse this ticking time bomb.
He would take Carmel's place in her heart!
He refused to believe that, after only a year, Carmel's false affection couldn't be supplanted.
"She's fine—look, Prometheus is still here, right?"
Fang Huo continued soothing Charlotte Linlin.
Beside them, Newgate caught a telling clue amidst Linlin's outburst and Fang Huo's reassurances.
The flame beside Linlin was a creation of the previous user?
Impossible.
Could the Soul-Soul Fruit be so advanced that its creations could be inherited?
Or...
"Right! If Prometheus is fine, then Mother must be fine."
Charlotte Linlin clung to that belief, certain she would find Carmel again.
"Then what did Fang Huo mean by 'enduring the pain of losing everything'?"
Charlotte Linlin pressed on.
"Before adopting you, Mother Carmel had raised many orphans; she can't abandon the rest just for you."
"Linlin, you're already a capable, good kid; you don't need her care anymore."
"She has to travel the world looking after other orphans; she isn't yours alone."
"You must accept that she's gone so she can care for the others in peace."
"That might mean 'losing' her—do you understand?"
Fang Huo spun a kindly lie to pacify the volatile, oversized girl.
"So Mother is busy with other orphans—that's why she hasn't come back."
"I can take care of myself; I'm a good kid... but I still want to see her..."
Learning Carmel was alive, Charlotte Linlin brightened, then slowly grew downcast again.
Mother belonged to everyone, not just her.