One Piece: King of the World

Chapter 211: Gion’s Power!!!

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" member 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 moment to strike and see if I can take down this stubborn old hag in one blow," Claudius said calmly. As he spoke, his form shimmered, becoming translucent before dispersing completely with the wind.

Meanwhile, the battle between Sakazuki, Borsalino, and Charlotte Linlin raged on.

Despite Linlin's immense 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 meant 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 momentarily, their movements 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.

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 time, 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 slammed her hand into the ground, using the force to stabilize herself and hurl a massive rock upward. With the momentum, 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 exclaimed, a mix of anger and disbelief in her voice.

One Admiral was already troublesome enough, not to mention 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 same time, 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 mess. 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 time, 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!!!"