122 Chapter 122: Big Mom's Weakness

"Who?! Who unleashed Conqueror's Haki on my land!"

Just as the remaining conscious siblings discussed the situation, a terrifying roar erupted from the palace.

"N-No, it's Mama!"

Several sober people were taken aback by the roar. Facing their own mother, a shadow of fear lingered in their hearts – after all, they were all beholden to her.

"Mama's charging out!"

Soon, a few people spotted Big Mom stomping towards the source of the coercion, wielding Napoleon, her bicorne hat, like a blade.

Big Mom is now rushing towards the source of this overwhelming pressure. Unconcerned about the perpetrator's identity or the strength of the coercion, she demands retribution.

"Mama's passed us. We should find that guy! Let's move quickly with the formation and catch up! By the way, Smoothie, head to Brulee. Wake her up first. If you can't defeat him, then Brulee is our only escape card!"

After their discussion, everyone except Smoothie ran off with Big Mom. As for Smoothie, they were tasked with finding their last escape card. Of course, this was a futile effort.

Brulee, currently hiding within the mirror space and observing the outside world, naturally saw her siblings planning to find her. However, she didn't dare to leave, now solely focused on the outcome of this battle.

No longer concerned with these individuals, Brulee turned her attention to the port, now overflowing with people.

"Mama's here!"

Katakuri, with his extensive knowledge and powerful Observation Haki that grants him glimpses into the near future, quickly spotted Big Mom's arrival. Although his ability to predict a few seconds ahead is impressive, it proves useless against Luo Ning. If Katakuri's strength surpassed even the Four Emperors, those three seconds of foresight might offer him a fighting chance.

However, that's limited to combat situations. Now, Luo Ning's power far exceeds that category.

"Katakuri, have you ever considered defeating your own mother with your own strength?"

Luo Ning's sudden question left Katakuri momentarily stunned.

"Impossible. My strength falls far short of hers. I'm well aware of that. Even her bizarre screams, I can't withstand it!"

Katakuri wasn't lying. Big Mom's peculiar cry infused with Conqueror's Haki forced him to cover his ears in pain whenever she roared. With such a vast disparity in power, Katakuri was no match for her.

"No, you actually overestimate her. There are, in fact, many ways to kill her."

"I won't delve into methods like poisoning, seawater, or Seastone. Instead, I'll offer you a more helpful one."

"You simply need to mention the nun in front of Big Mom. The nun is the person most important to her. You're aware of this, but do you know where the nun went?"

Luo Ning asked with a sly smile.

"Nun? I don't know. Mother's contacts have been searching for the nun for years, relentlessly. But considering the nun's age, she's likely dead of old age."

Katakuri doubts the nun is still alive, despite Big Mom's ongoing search. It speaks volumes about Big Mom's regard for the nun.

"Actually, the nun is closer than you think. I can sense two conflicting souls within her!"

While Luo Ning isn't strictly a Shinigami or a Quincy Master – he just acquired The Holy Letter – his Reiatsu allows him to perceive the clashing emotions within Big Mom. Two souls reside in her body, constantly entangled and even beginning to fuse, though not yet fully merged.

"The nun wasn't a saint back then. In fact, she was a human trafficker who saw potential in Charlotte Linlin and followed her ever since."

"However, she grossly underestimated Linlin's eating disorder and ended up being devoured by her."

"There's more to it. You see, the Soul-Soul Fruit's power isn't inherently Big Mom's; it belonged to the nun. By consuming the nun, Big Mom directly acquired this power."

"The nun also separated her soul from her body. Lacking a physical form, her only option was to latch onto Charlotte Linlin, which in turn caused Charlotte Linlin's..."

Luo Ning's explanation built upon Katakuri's earlier guess. Sensing the distinctly foreign soul within Big Mom, he's nearly certain of his theory. There's another misconception – the notion that Big Mom's bicorne hat embodies the nun. This belief arose only after Big Mom obtained her ability.

Even at that time, if any remnant of the nun's soul remained, it wouldn't possess the fruit's ability. Devil Fruits are limited to one user at a time. That much is certain.

Therefore, the nun cannot be the bicorne hat itself. However, the hat was created using Big Mom's soul, which now contains a fragment of the nun's soul. You could say it's an extension of the nun's essence.

"You're saying... she ate people back then?!"

This revelation stunned Katakuri. Initially, it seemed unbelievable. But then he considered Big Mom's usual behavior, and suddenly it didn't seem so far-fetched. The woman once went berserk and attacked everyone indiscriminately, even her own children. Cannibalism, then, wasn't entirely out of the question for someone so unhinged.

"Because the nun's soul is fused with hers, Big Mom is highly sensitive to anything related to the nun. Targeting that vulnerability can cause her to lose control temporarily, rendering her powerless."

Luo Ning explained, but Katakuri remained unconvinced.

"Impossible. My mother is far stronger than me. Even with Haki, I wouldn't be able to overpower a defenseless mother, let alone defeat her!" Katakuri shook his head in disagreement.

"Indeed," Luo Ning conceded, "defeating her is a tall order. But killing isn't the only option, is it? The human body has many vital points. Of course, she's your mother, so a lethal attack is unthinkable. But incapacitating her is certainly possible."

Just then, Big Mom arrived at the coast.

"Katakuri, and you, Luo Ning, were you the ones who unleashed that pressure just now? What is the meaning of this?"

Big Mom stood before Luo Ning, momentarily stunned by his presence. She couldn't fathom his motives for unleashing such overwhelming coercion.