Chapter 21

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Big Mom trembled as she rose from the ground, her appearance disheveled and her hair a wild mess. Her dress was blackened and ripped, and the heavy makeup that once adorned her face was mostly rubbed away, revealing smudges of dirt. Her expression was one of crazed, bloodthirsty rage, her eyes bloodshot. She lifted her left hand, attempting to summon what was left of Homiz's soul. However, only a few remnants responded, indicating that her ability to call upon the power of Homiz had been severely depleted. Despite the scarcity of this resource, she utilized it to mend her wounds. Pressing her large hand against her abdomen, the area began to swell as if being inflated.

Prometheus and Hera then used their power, channeling fire and electricity into their large blade. With the energy converging, the knife's power surged, overshadowing Big Mom's formidable presence. Kaido sensed the waning strength of his Big Mom. Although the decline wasn't obvious, the contrast between the weapon and its wielder made it clear that she was resorting to her final tactic.

Energy gathered at the sword's tip as his Big Mom, shouting at the top of her voice, launched her attack. "Mother Cannon · Three Thousand Miles," she bellowed. An elemental woman, composed of flames and enshrouded in thunder, burst forth. Boasting an evil presence and sinister laughter, she charged at Kaido, unencumbered by fear and driven by the sole intent of destruction.

The ground scorched in her wake, leaving dark furrows akin to the trail of a fire plough. The flaming aura of the woman ignited the very air, raising the temperature to scorching heights and causing surrounding debris to catch fire. Even a nearby river began to steam and evaporate.

As the fiery apparition neared Kaido, the intensity of the heat was undeniable. When the elemental woman approached Kaido, her aura of fire flared, almost singeing his dragon-like mane. Her face showed laughter and resolve, with an unmistakable glint of triumph as if to declare her impending victory. With hands poised to strike, she lunged at Kaido. However, he was quicker. 

Before her hands could clap together, Kaido jabbed forward with his iron rod, exclaiming, "Thunder Bagua!" An array of afterimages appeared, and within an instant, he landed dozens of blows, each striking her form with precision. His staff punctured through her fiery figure, even cleaving her head from her body. Her once formidable flame dissipated instantly, and the scorching temperature plummeted, returning the river and burning debris to their normal states.

Kaido sneered at the foe with no defense against his attack, dismissing her effort as mere posturing. He turned his attention back to his Big Mom, who now seemed powerless to resist. That she could perform this technique after withstanding Kaido's relentless force was impressive.

Without hesitation, Kaido lunged forward to deliver the decisive blow. "Hakai!" he announced, using his Big Mom's own renowned technique. With that motion, he unleashed a massive impact that not only struck his Big Mom but also hit Cake Island itself. The force of the strike penetrated the ground beneath her body.

Kaido punched the floor of Cake Island, creating a crater hundreds of meters across, with seawater rushing in from the island's bottom. An artificial lake formed from the impact. 

Big Mom collapsed, scarred and comatose at the pit's edge. Her dull eyes couldn't shut out the sky, and her breath was as frail as a candle's flame in the verge of being snuffed out. Kaido had utterly suppressed her once-immense strength. Her world-renowned steel skin now bore scars, revealing torn flesh beneath. The soul fruit she relied on appeared as fragile as a blank sheet of paper before Kaido. Defeated, she stood no chance against him.

Kaido, after conquering Big Mom, shed his dragon scales to return to human form, calming his battle-ravaged body and reflecting on the newfound potential he recognized during the fight. Realizing he almost forgot his true objective, he suddenly launched himself into the air. From high above, one could see an island strewn with giant nuts. He landed, stirring up clouds of dust.

"Kaido?!?!" Armand, assigned to guard the island, panicked, and his comrades shared his terror. "Isn't he battling his mother!? How did he get here?" "Could it mean that Mom has been defeated?!" Their eyes grew wide in disbelief, yet they understood only one possibility made sense.

"Bring me Charlotte Pudding! In just over an hour, I will erase entire nations from the map!" Kaido commanded, seated cross-legged, exuding an aura of severity that weighed heavily on everyone. "Huh? Yes! Right away!" They receded into fear again under Kaido's gaze, but their fear morphed into relief when given an excuse to retreat, escaping in a cloud of dust, too frazzled to notice the dampness in their pants.

"You stay," Kaido ordered as he noticed Armand's strong presence, a snake-headed woman donning a broad straw hat.

Armand's heart hammered with fear. Shortly after, the remaining members of the Charlotte family lined up before Kaido. This included Bree and Pudding, who emerged from a mirror, standing well behind the group. Their strongest, Snagg, had recently lost to Urouge of the Worst Generation, thus losing his star status. They held no interest for Kaido.

He approached Pudding directly. The officers drew their swords, their bodies tense with anticipation. "Don't you dare!" Cracker stepped up, gripping his quivering sword. Kaido merely laughed at the ragtag group, "I'm taking her with me today! Who among you can stop me?" His words, heavy with Haki, caused everyone to swallow hard. Those closest reeled back involuntarily, finding no comfort in their weapons.

Kaido tore through them like a wolf among sheep, parting the crowd with ease as no one dared to halt his advance. The group fell silent as they watched Pudding, helpless, being taken by Kaido.