Chapter 19
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Chapter 19 5-Year Lifespan! BigMom Don't Die!
"Yes, Kaido, I've always underestimated you." BigMom's words were tinged with loneliness as she never imagined Kaido would outshine her in every aspect. His courage and his strength made BigMom feel ashamed. However, this did not mean she conceded. Having lost too much already, she knew they couldn't leave things unresolved. Today they had to establish who was superior.
"Though I'm not sure what you plan to do with the memory fruit, if you desire it, fight with all your life to seize it! That's what we pirates should do!" BigMom's burdens seemed to melt away as she let go of all her worries. Her children and her collection meant nothing to her in that moment. Her singular focus was to emerge victorious over Kaido.
"You think you need to teach me, old woman?" Kaido shot back with a hearty laugh. Seeing BigMom's unprecedented seriousness, his blood began to boil with anticipation for the battle to come.
BigMom summoned a soul from her hand and healed her broken arm. Then, she pulled out another soul, grimaced, and swallowed it whole. Instantly, she grew to an enormous size. Her stature, along with her clothes and the three Origin Homies, towered over Kaido, reaching a height of 15 meters—almost double his size. White smoke wafted from her eyes, back, and hair, signaling her soul's escape from her body. Kaido Tsurud his neck to gaze at her towering form, watching as her face contorted and her eyes glazed over with a lack of consciousness. Her subconscious rage, fury, and madness were fully unleashed, boosting her power exponentially.
"Interesting," Kaido mused. "Let's see how much more powerful you've become by sacrificing years of your lifespan."
She had used twice the amount of life force than what was consumed in Kid and Law's final battle on Onigashima.
"Suffer death, Kaido!" she bellowed.
"Shock Thunder!" With one hand pressed on Hera, she discharged a massive purple thunderbolt. It enveloped Kaido instantly, leaving him unable to react. The thunderbolt, carrying scorching heat and paralyzing force, didn't stop after piercing Kaido, but continued onward, streaking across the sky and plunging into the distant sea, crafting a long arrow of purple lightning.
The thunder shook the neighboring islands, leaving an indelible mark on their inhabitants. "This is Mom's power!" "Incredible, so strong!" "Can humans even do this?" "Only Mother could achieve such a feat!" "The BIGMOM Pirates will achieve victory!"
The people rejoiced, no longer fearing for Kaido's fate. As for Kaido, after absorbing the enormous impact, he let out a deep breath. He too was awestruck by the thunderbolt's might. This wasn't like the attack on Kid at Onigashima. It was far stronger, fueled by the two years of life BigMom had sacrificed.
Watching Kaido stagger under the assault, BigMom burst into laughter. "Mahahahaha!!! You're finally hurt too!"
"Injured means I'm able to be killed!" Kaido didn't sense much initially, but he glanced down at his chest and abdomen upon being reminded. Darkness had enveloped his skin, still tingling with the power of thunder and lightning. Without transforming into his dragon form, Kaido reckoned he might appear crisp on the outside. However, the regenerative abilities of a true dragon were quick to respond. The scorched skin began to flake off, carried away by the wind, and fresh, pink flesh sprouted swiftly beneath. Within a few breaths, the burns vanished, leaving skin even smoother than that of an average woman.
"It's so far from killing me, BIGMOM." Kaido's respect was apparent as he used her renowned title for the first time, acknowledging Big Mom's strength and her status as a true Emperor of the Sea. "Is it far from it..." Big Mom murmured. Her eyes revealed a flash of resolve.
Kaido eagerly waited for her to grow stronger, silently urging her to sacrifice more life, to toughen up. He wanted to savor this fight to the fullest. Their gazes met once again as their battle spirits soared, colliding in an unspoken clash. Living up to the expectations, Big Mom consumed another soul sphere, her body trembling as it expanded, reaching the towering height of a giant, surpassing even those of her kin.
"Three... Three years..." Big Mom gasped, speaking in a halting, staggered rhythm as pain wracked her form. Including the two years prior, she had sacrificed a full five years of her life. At age 68, her lifespan was precious, yet she generously paid the price for power.
The light from above was obscured by Kaido's head as he tilted it back, effort lining his face. His countenance was cast into shadow, with only his bright, blood-red eyes shining through. Enlarging his size wasn't his only strategy. Transforming midair, Kaido became a magnificent green dragon, rivaling Big Mom's stature.
He noticed his adversary still catching her breath on the thunderclouds. With a flick of his tail, Kaido unleashed a menacing tornado toward her. In response, a blazing orange flame roared from Big Mom, colliding with the whirlwind to create a beast of fire, altering the air currents and causing the tornado to disintegrate.
Kaido's eyes narrowed as dragon flame gathered in his mouth and erupted forward. "Heat!" The fiery column sped towards Big Mom, only to be intercepted by her oversized blade, Napoleon. It glowed red-hot under the assault but remained steadfast, protecting Big Mom as she recovered. "So hot!" Napoleon exclaimed, "Scalding!"
As Kaido expelled the final burst of dragon breath, smoke enveloped the blade. When it cleared, a large gap was revealed in Napoleon, molten iron dripping from its edges and solidifying amidst wafts of blue smoke on the ground.