Chapter 52: El vs Linlin

"Caramel puff tower..."

"Where is my caramel puff tower?!"

Heavy footsteps echoed across the dreamlike island as a tall, slender figure, about seven meters high, emerged through the blood-red mist. It was a stunning girl with a giant-like stature, but her eyes glowed blood-red with bloodlust, and her fierce aura sent shivers through everyone present. "Hand over the caramel puff tower now!"

Suddenly, she raised her head, gritting her teeth as she struggled to maintain control. "No... Everyone, get out of here, quickly!"

Eight years had passed since the once chubby little girl had transformed into a slender, beautiful young woman. Through El's strict training, the now thirteen-year-old Linlin had undergone a complete transformation from the girl she once was.

"Please calm down, Linlin-sama!"

Above her, a floating cloud, Hera—a gift from Gerd—descended, attempting to soothe her.

"Did you hide the caramel puff tower?"

Linlin's blood-red eyes fixated on Hera, sending chills through the cloud-like creature.

"No, no, I haven't seen any caramel puff tower..." Hera quickly denied, retreating in fear, knowing that in her madness, Linlin wouldn't hesitate to devour it. The vampire form's powers inflicted excruciating pain on Hera, and any injuries caused were slow to heal. The last time Linlin lost control, Hera was torn to pieces and almost consumed like cotton candy.

"Raaahhh—"

Linlin suddenly let out a furious roar, her body rapidly transforming. Her human form shifted into a beastly one, covered in purple-black fur. Her face contorted with sharp fangs, and her blood-red eyes gleamed like gems. A pair of devilish wings sprouted from her back, and her limbs turned into deadly claws, making her appear like a terrifying demon.

"Whoosh…"

A powerful figure descended, wings flapping. El landed in front of Linlin, placing a hand on her shoulder and staring into her blood-red eyes with a calm expression. "Linlin, calm down..."

"El-oniichan..."

At the sound of El's voice, Linlin trembled. A brief moment of clarity flashed in her eyes as she struggled, her face twisted with anguish. "I can't control it... It's so painful... I'm about to lose control..."

She gritted her teeth, her body trembling as she clenched her fists. Tears of frustration welled up in her red eyes. "I don't want this... I don't want to hurt anyone!"

Before she could finish speaking, her expression changed. With a vicious glare, she broke free from El's grip, her face contorted in fury as she threw a punch at him. "Give me the caramel puff tower... now!"

"Boom!"

A violent force swept through the air as El caught her punch with one hand, his expression calm and unreadable. He looked at the frenzied Linlin and spoke coldly, "There is no caramel puff tower. I ate it. If you want it, you'll have to cut me open to find it."

"Then I'll cut you open..."

Linlin, her eyes glowing red and her expression crazed, grinned maniacally. "A caramel puff tower mixed with blood would be delicious!"

Despite El easily catching her punch, Linlin fiercely kicked at him, her eyes filled with killing intent.

"Sorry, Linlin..."

"If your willpower still can't overcome this hunger, this destructive urge, then I'll have to use more forceful means."

El's eyes turned cold as he unleashed an overwhelming strength that far surpassed Linlin's. In a flash, before Linlin's kick could land, El grabbed her like a ragdoll and slammed her into the ground.

"Boom... Boom..."

The ground cracked and shattered as El repeatedly smashed Linlin into the earth, showing no hesitation. He wasn't concerned about killing her, knowing she, like him, was a monstrous force of nature.

"Linlin—"

"El, what are you doing—"

"Big Sis Linlin!!!"

"Is he trying to kill her?"

"Of course not, idiot... Linlin is immortal!"

The brutal scene left the onlookers—members of the Fallen Angel Pirates and the stronger, older members of Dreamland who hadn't passed out from the earlier Conqueror's Haki—speechless. Even though they knew Linlin couldn't die easily, the sight of her being slammed repeatedly by El left them trembling.

Suddenly, Linlin's body burst into a swarm of bats, swarming toward El.

"It's useless. Even though we're both monsters, my strength and defense far exceed yours, Linlin."

El's eyes remained indifferent. Even among monsters, there were levels of superiority, just as there were differences in power among Devil Fruits. Though all Logia fruits were immensely strong and seemingly invincible, there was no comparing lower-tier fruits to top-tier ones like the Ice-Ice Fruit or the Rumble-Rumble Fruit.

In terms of innate talent—whether physical strength or mental acuity—El was not inferior to Linlin. In fact, he surpassed her. His relentless training had honed his natural gifts into overwhelming power, while Linlin, still only thirteen, had much growing left to do.

"Whoosh…"

Flames erupted around El, engulfing his entire body in blazing fire.

"Crackle..." The intense heat distorted the air, and the ground around him began to melt. Even though Linlin's bats were resistant to most physical attacks and unaffected by normal fire, the searing heat still caused her discomfort.

"Whoosh..." The bats reformed, and Linlin's monstrous form appeared behind El, her eyes gleaming.

"Clang... Clang…"

Blood-red spears materialized and shot toward El with terrifying power. But El, without even using Haki, didn't bother to dodge. The spears, imbued with Haki, struck his skin but failed to pierce his steel-like body.

"Not bad. Your control over your powers and Haki has improved," El said calmly, stepping back slightly from the impact. "But it's not enough."

"Damn you!"

Completely losing her mind, Linlin screamed furiously, her Conqueror's Haki surging as she roared, "Caramel puff tower—hand it over!!! Ahhh!!!"

"Boom... Boom…"