Charlotte Linlin and Wang Zhi's fierce battle far exceeded everyone's imagination.
Even "Golden Lion" Shiki was startled by this big fatty's savagery.
This was already island-destroying carnage.
Their clash reduced the Wang Zhi Pirates' stronghold to rubble.
By now, Wang Zhi was furious; he had already steeled himself to join the Rocks Pirates.
So why were they still fighting to this extent?
Was this supposed to end only when one of them died?
Could it be that Rocks had no intention of recruiting him?
The longer they fought, the more panicked Wang Zhi became; he wondered whether to swallow his pride and take the chance to join the Rocks Pirates.
He no longer wanted to face Rocks head-on just to raise his status.
"If I beat you, Fang Huo will be my good friend!"
Charlotte Linlin treated crushing Wang Zhi as a prerequisite for obtaining intel from Streusen.
"Damn it! Fatso! Get lost!!"
Wang Zhi's Armament-clad fist met Charlotte's, only for his own knuckles to twist in agony.
So hard!
Wang Zhi never imagined Charlotte Linlin's skin could be tougher than his Armament Haki.
What kind of monster is this!
How did Rocks recruit so many freakish monsters!
"Don't call me fat!"
Charlotte Linlin was angry; Fang Huo had already irked her by saying she needed to slim down.
She kind of wanted to change her figure—she'd grown sensitive to the word "fat."
Boom!! Boom!!!
Every punch from Charlotte Linlin carried monstrous force, gouging huge craters and sending cracks webbing across the ground.
The lightning-fire energy from her Homies battered Wang Zhi until he scrambled to dodge.
No one expected the "Iron Balloon," Charlotte Linlin, with a bounty of 500 million Berries, to pummel the "Pirate Patriarch," Wang Zhi, with a bounty of 757 million Berries, so badly.
Although Wang Zhi had endured a tag-team battle from "Gangster Killer" Kyo, "Abyssal Titan" Babel, and "Silver Axe" Fierce,
he still shouldn't be this miserable.
Remember—Charlotte Linlin was only a thirteen-year-old pirate.
"Unimaginable!! The 'Iron Balloon' is already this strong!"
"Then how strong are 'Golden Lion,' 'Whitebeard,' and the 'Great Demon Venerable'!"
"I'm obsessed with the Rocks Pirates' Executives!"
"Lord Fang Huo looks so cool riding his flying sword!"
"Lord Shiki's Float-Float powers and blond hair are so domineering!"
With Wang Zhi's "Pirate Patriarch" aura shattered, strength-worshipping pirates began flocking to the Rocks Pirates' powerhouses.
"Black Flag" Black was also shocked by the overall might of the Rocks Pirates.
He had assumed that with Wang Zhi's power, the man would surely secure the second-in-command spot once he joined.
With Wang Zhi as the traitorous First Mate and himself as a senior officer, they'd wipe out the Rocks Pirates in one fell swoop once the moment came.
But now he realized careful planning was essential!
"Linlin, my turn!!"
"Golden Lion" Shiki couldn't wait to take over the fight; he too wanted to rise by stepping on the "Pirate Patriarch's" name.
If Charlotte Linlin crushed Wang Zhi, they'd lose their chance to shine.
"Fang Huo said I have to beat him!"
Charlotte Linlin ignored "Golden Lion" Shiki; she wouldn't even heed Rocks's orders, let alone Shiki's.
"Fang Huo!!"
"Aren't you going to do something??"
"Golden Lion" Shiki glared at Fang Huo; by now, nobody would believe Fang Huo wasn't the First Mate.
"Linlin, that's enough! You're amazing."
Seeing Shiki's resentful gaze, Fang Huo shrugged but still called Charlotte Linlin off.
After all, he wanted to squeeze every last drop of fame from the "Pirate Patriarch" title.
"So, are we good friends now?"
Charlotte Linlin happily rushed toward Fang Huo like a little girl asking for candy.
Without the scheming pirate Streusen to guide her, Charlotte Linlin remained a rather simple big fatty.
Later on, as Charlotte Linlin grew crueler and more evil, it might owe as much to Streusen's influence as to the Soul-Soul Fruit's previous owner, Mother Carmel.
Fang Huo would change this big fatty's future.
"We're already good friends!"
Fang Huo smiled faintly, flew over to pat the big fatty's head, and conjured a huge cake as a reward.
"Thank you!"
Charlotte Linlin happily accepted the cake, her eyes curving into crescents, her face full of contentment—an easy-to-please little girl.
"Golden Lion" Shiki immediately took up the fight, twin long blades slashing at Wang Zhi.
"Rocks!! I give in! I'm willing to join the Rocks Pirates!"
Seeing yet another attacker, Wang Zhi lost all fight.
"Like hell!"
"Fight first, talk later!"
Shiki wouldn't miss this golden chance to make a name for himself.
This "Pirate Patriarch" was the stepping stone Prophet Fang Huo had hand-picked for them!
If they didn't milk the fame for all it was worth, they'd waste Fang Huo's foresight.
"Damn it!!"
Wang Zhi was close to a breakdown; he finally saw the Rocks Pirates' true aim—to climb over his face to fame.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
"Golden Lion" Shiki's golden slashes rained on Wang Zhi.
"Another damn flying pest!"
Wang Zhi cursed; although Shiki's raw power didn't match Charlotte Linlin's, this sky lion's swordsmanship and agility far surpassed hers.
The two erupted into another chaotic melee.
Kyo and Shiki weren't this strong before; their power shot up only after joining the Rocks Pirates.
Could Rocks have incredible teaching abilities as well?
"Black Flag" Black watched Shiki fight Wang Zhi to a standstill—his growth was absurd.
And "Whitebeard" Newgate had been just an ordinary fighter back in the Whale Pirates.
Fang Huo himself had once been a lowly slave with mediocre strength.
Yet after meeting Rocks, their strength skyrocketed.
Did Rocks possess some special method to unlock potential?
The threat level of Rocks would have to be reassessed.
The duel between "Golden Lion" Shiki and Wang Zhi was far less savage and destructive than Charlotte Linlin's brawl.
But it was elegant and dazzling—a showcase of speed and swordplay.
Moreover, Shiki could manipulate the earth itself, surpassing everyone's imagination of the Float-Float Fruit.
Shiki seemed exceptionally gifted in developing his Float-Float powers.
In truth, besides Rocks's brutal training, Fang Huo's guidance shaved at least ten years off Shiki's learning curve.
The longer Wang Zhi fought, the angrier he grew; knowing "Whitebeard" and the "Great Demon Venerable" still awaited, he burned with hatred for Rocks.
He swore that, given any chance, he would destroy the Rocks Pirates!