Chapter 123: Aftermath of the Sparring

'Boom—'

A towering figure was blasted back by an intense icy breath, hurtling through the air before becoming engulfed in frost, solidifying into a massive ice sculpture. Linlin was completely frozen inside, immobilized and trapped in an unbreakable layer of ice.

'Crack… crack...'

The piercing sound of shattering ice echoed, sending shockwaves through the air as visible soundwaves rippled outward, threatening to rupture eardrums. The icy mountain fractured and shattered violently.

Amid a storm of icy shards, a swarm of screeching vampire bats emerged, swirling into a humanoid shape—Linlin in her half-beast hunting form, looking fierce and imposing.

"Mamamama, it seems you're getting better," Linlin chuckled. "I had to start using my Devil Fruit powers."

Only someone as resilient as her could survive that attack unscathed. For most, a direct hit would mean severe frostbite. The Okuchi-no-Makami form, though powerful in terms of attack, was particularly well-suited for defense, cloaking its user in an unyielding armor of frost.

"She's coming—"

A flash of red from her third eye alerted Tsuru, who, now in the form of a massive Three-Eyed giant, gripped her sword with a solemn expression and turned to strike at her blind spot.

"Soru!"

In a blur, Linlin's figure shifted, almost standing still, leaving behind an afterimage. Moving with ghostly speed, she appeared directly behind Tsuru, her massive sword Napoleon gleaming coldly as it swung down.

'Clang!'

Sparks flew, and the immense force left Tsuru's expression strained as her hand trembled, nearly losing her grip. Even combined with the strength of Lily, the giantess, and her transformed Okuchi-no-Makami state, Tsuru was still blown back.

In the same moment, Linlin's afterimage dissolved into mist.

"Even with future sight, if our strength gap is too wide, you still won't escape."

With a fierce smile, Linlin locked onto Tsuru with her Observation Haki, wielding Napoleon to unleash a devastating attack.

"Mighty Nation!"

'Whoosh—'

A terrifying, cylindrical shockwave of sword energy tore through the air, slicing toward Tsuru with unstoppable force.

"Glacial Fang!"

Thanks to her foresight, Tsuru, ready for the strike, opened her mouth wide, releasing a tightly compressed blast of frigid air to counter it.

'Boom!'

The two forces clashed, but Linlin's Mighty Nation attack overpowered the icy blast, plowing through with unrelenting momentum. Though weakened, the attack crashed into Tsuru, launching her like a missile. She crashed into the rubble-strewn ground, embedding into the stone with a web of cracks radiating outward.

"Hey, Linlin, that was a bit much, don't you think?" Watching from afar, Gerd's eyebrow twitched as she shouted in mock irritation.

"Mamamama~! Gerd, that's not on me…" Linlin chuckled, lifting her sword casually. "With her future sight and her quick reflexes, she could've dodged if she wanted to. But no, she just had to try and face me head-on."

"She's probably still bitter about how you and Nef messed with her back then. Tsuru's been itching for payback." Gerd laughed lightly, seeing El observing calmly in the distance. If he'd sensed any real danger, he would have intervened by now.

"Tch, how's that our fault?"

Reverting to her human form, Linlin scrunched her nose with a huff. "She was our enemy back then... Shouldn't she just be grateful she's still alive?"

Though they had certainly teased the "Navy's Flower," Tsuru, in the past, Linlin felt that the fact Tsuru had survived should've been enough. Had it been at the Sabaody Archipelago, she could have drained Tsuru's life completely rather than just taking a bit for fun.

"Alright, let's leave the past behind," El stepped forward, placing a reassuring hand on Linlin's head with a smile. "Maybe one day, this will all be a fond memory and the beginning of your friendship. From now on, let's all get along."

"Since it's from oniichan, I'll let it go!"

Linlin beamed, closing her crescent-moon eyes in delight as she savored the affectionate gesture.

'Cough, cough...'

"I almost got hurt there!"

"Hehe, Tsuru, you really went all out!"

From the distant rubble, a figure climbed out in disarray, covered in cracks and scratches, the damage visible all over. With a series of loud cracking sounds, shards of ice began to fall away, revealing Tsuru within, unharmed. Her voice, strangely mixed with those of Lily and Lillian, echoed in playful complaint.

A flash of light, and the fused Three-Eyed giant vanished, replaced by three distinct figures: Tsuru, Lily, and Lillian. Although they looked a bit rough around the edges, they were all relatively unscathed except for a few minor bruises.

"Sorry, Lily, Lillian…" Tsuru said with an apologetic smile, scratching her head. "I guess I got a bit too caught up in the fight!"

After all, seeing Linlin's arrogant grin had reminded her of the humiliation back at Sabaody Archipelago, and she couldn't resist going head-to-head with her.

"Hehe, it's fine…" Lily and Lillian laughed. "We're not actually hurt, anyway!"

"Heh, that 'Ice Mirror' defense of yours really is incredible," Gerd chimed in, impressed. Even though Linlin had held back for the sparring match, the fact that Tsuru could withstand Linlin's attack in beast form showed just how tough the Okuchi-no-Makami's defenses were.

"Phew, still couldn't beat a monster like you, Linlin!" Tsuru sighed as she rejoined Linlin, El, Gerd, and the others. Facing someone with such immense defenses, her fruit's powers had their limits.

"Mamamama, if you want to challenge me, you'll have to keep training!" Linlin said with a playful grin. Having fought alongside them a few times, she held back any sharp remarks, now seeing them as part of her crew.

"Don't worry, your progress is already amazing," El added with an encouraging smile. Though Tsuru had leaned on Lily and Lillian's powers, her growth in just a few days was remarkable. Given her young age—still a few years junior to even Sengoku and Garp—her potential was only beginning to unfold. At this rate, she could quickly achieve a level comparable to Sengoku, and would likely do so even faster with the current training method. This was the very approach that had helped Linlin reach such astonishing power at such a young age.

Such intense training, while especially effective in the early stages, would yield diminishing returns as her power grew. For someone like Linlin, who had already reached an impressive strength level, this style of training would provide only minor gains. Eventually, Tsuru would have to rely on her own talent, dedication, and insights to continue progressing. Still, this method had undeniably accelerated her early development, allowing her and the others to unlock their potential and grow at an impressive pace.

"Alright... my turn now, right?" Lillian chimed in, running up to El excitedly. "El, how about we fuse together this time?"

Fusion with El was always Lillian's favorite, as his overwhelming strength allowed her to experience the thrilling power that seemed limitless, making her feel invincible. She'd also picked up invaluable skills and techniques from El, a true sword master, each session leaving her with new insights.

The feeling was simply exhilarating.