Chapter 74 : King Of Souls

The bullets laced with toxic energy occasionally sent sparks across Big Mom's body, while the scimitar in Gangplank's hand emitted a faint blue flame.

Every clash with Napoleon, the living sword in Big Mom's hands, made both Napoleon and Big Mom cry out in pain from time to time.

In an instant, Gangplank's body transformed into a ghostly blue form amidst the heavy artillery fire!

This was the first time Gangplank had fully unleashed the mysterious power granted by the ghostly skin of the Ghost Captain.

The power of the ghost and the abilities of the Soul-Soul Fruit clashed with each strike. With every clash, the souls of Big Mom and Napoleon began to fade like smoke.

Under the relentless force of Gangplank's scimitar, Big Mom was pushed back step by step. While the rain of cannonballs didn't cause much direct damage to her, they aggravated the wounds she had not fully healed from.

The continuous bombardment slowed down her attacks and footsteps.

Meanwhile, Gangplank, with his ghostly form, struck faster and harder, unaffected by the artillery fire. If this continued, Big Mom's defeat seemed inevitable.

Smoothie, Perospero, and others were desperate to rush in and help Big Mom, hoping to buy her time to recover. However, only Smoothie and Perospero managed to push forward amidst the intense cannon fire. Many of Big Mom's weaker children and ordinary crew members scattered in panic.

Big Mom's injuries worsened, and her expression twisted with rage as her soul continued to weaken under the assault of Gangplank's ghostly powers, which could directly attack the soul itself.

Yet, even as her sanity and lifespan drained away, Big Mom refused to surrender. Her wide eyes glowed red, and she let out a furious roar, her blood-red lips twisting as she shouted:

"Impossible!"

"There cannot be two Devil Fruits with the same power in this world!"

"I am the queen of souls!"

"Life or stay!"

Big Mom began to use her special move, the Soul Pocus, which forces anyone with fear in their hearts to give up their soul instantly.

"It's here! Big Mom's Soul Pocus forces souls to confront the fear of death. Anyone who fears her even a little will have their soul ripped away!"

But someone wondered, "Against someone like that… will it even work?"

At the battlefield's edge, Morgans continued snapping pictures with his camera, undeterred by the chaos. As the king of news, danger never scared him away.

"Are you joking?"

"Do you think I'd fear a failure?"

"I am Gangplank, the Ocean Calamity!"

Unfazed by Big Mom's Soul Pocus, Gangplank showed no fear. His powerful pistol and scimitar made his confidence clear to Big Mom.

The Soul Pocus failed. Big Mom's soul continued to weaken, and her bloodshot eyes grew more ferocious.

With each attack, Gangplank pushed her back further. She couldn't even use her own soul to heal her injuries, nor could she unleash Napoleon's power properly.

The power of the Soul-Soul Fruit requires a supply of souls to be effective, but Big Mom's soul was dwindling.

Finally, Smoothie, Perospero, Baron Tamago, and Snag—who, though not yet generals, possessed great strength—managed to withstand the relentless artillery barrage and reach the battlefield.

"Mom, we're here to help you!"

This was truly one of the most intense battles on the sea. Smoothie and the others, who had strength comparable to elite Vice Admirals, were just barely able to join the fight.

"Turn into a dried-up husk for me!"

Smoothie unleashed a sharp burst of sword energy toward Gangplank. Wherever the attack traveled, even the cannonballs falling from the sky were sliced apart. Molten metal was squeezed and shriveled by the force of her strike.

Smoothie truly lives up to her title as the Juicer. She can drain the life out of anything, be it lava, metal, or even people with ease.

Smoothie charged forward, with Perospero and the others right behind her.

A massive golden iron maiden loomed forward, aiming to crush Gangplank completely.

Snag swung his large sword, and Baron Tamago's legs spun like windmills, both aiming for Gangplank's head!

The four high-ranking members of the Big Mom Pirates attacked Gangplank together.

From a distance, Shadow Stream Lords Jie and Tai Lung watched the battle, gripping their sharp blades tightly, ready to step in if needed.

A transparent blue bird fluttered its wings, watching from the void, prepared to unleash a storm for the world to see.

But there was no need for help.

This was a clash between sea emperors. A battle that would determine a new ruler of the seas.

Gangplank didn't need Z or anyone else to interfere.

Smoothie's devastating sword strike came closer, having drained countless cannonballs.

Perospero's Candy Maiden, also carrying many cannonballs, opened its massive mouth lined with spikes.

Snag's broadsword glinted with deadly light, and Baron Tamago's legs moved with dark energy.

Just then, a massive shockwave burst from Gangplank's body.

Gangplank's Conqueror's Haki, nearly as powerful as that of a Yonko, erupted with force, instantly throwing off the coordinated attack of Smoothie and her allies.

Once a pirate king, Gangplank now possessed S-class combat power. Having mastered Conqueror's Haki, there was no reason for him not to awaken its true potential.

In fact, his Conqueror's Haki might one day surpass even that of the Four Emperors.

In the world of Valoran, he was the one true Pirate King.

As his Conqueror's Haki exploded outward, countless guests at the Cake Castle, who had fainted from Big Mom's terrifying screams, briefly regained consciousness due to the fierce fighting, only to collapse once more under Gangplank's pressure.

Some weaker guests perished outright, caught in the shockwaves of this hellish battle at Big Mom's tea party.

For ordinary guests, both Big Mom and Gangplank were a nightmare come to life.

Smoothie and the others hesitated momentarily from the blast of Conqueror's Haki. Gangplank seized this opening, sidestepping Smoothie's sword strike effortlessly.

He then slashed Perospero's Candy Maiden in half, leaving it to melt amidst fire and smoke!

As Snag's sword and Baron Tamago's kicks came at him, Gangplank didn't bother to evade. Shifting into his ghostly form, he ignored their attacks entirely.

With two quick shots, he left a bloody hole in Snag and sent Baron Tamago into his egg yolk form!

Smoothie, Perospero, Snag, and Baron Tamago—none of them were worthy opponents for Gangplank.

To Gangplank, there was only one true rival: the Four Emperors' Big Mom.

After easily dismantling the attack of Smoothie and the others, Gangplank took advantage of their temporary shock from his Conqueror's Haki.

He swung his scimitar, now blazing with ghostly fire and imbued with dark energy, aiming a powerful strike at Big Mom's head!

Though Big Mom was struggling under Gangplank's relentless assaults, the distraction caused by Smoothie and her allies gave her a brief moment to recover.

Her eyes glinted with a cold, sinister light. Opening her blood-red mouth, she unleashed her Soul Pocus once more.

"Life or stay!"

This time, Big Mom's target wasn't Gangplank—it was every living being in the entire Cake Castle.