Chapter 72: Linlin vs "The Buddha" Sengoku

"Damn it..."

"What kind of monster is this?"

"We can't harm her at all!"

"Where's the reinforcement from Marine Headquarters?"

"This is hopeless; we can't fight these guys!"

"Everyone, hold on! We cannot let these criminals escape!"

'Bang... Bang...'

'Crack... Crack...'

'Sizzle... Boom...'

'Screams...'

Amid the smoke and chaos on Island 1, the sounds of gunfire and screams echoed continuously. The Marines, facing Linlin, Rock, Nef, and the others wreaking havoc, were horrified. Even more terrifying was the devilish thundercloud striking down their comrades, causing Marine personnel to fall one by one. Nearly half their forces had been wiped out in the blink of an eye.

The remaining Marines, filled with fear, instinctively began retreating.

"Haha, there are some strong presences approaching," Linlin grinned as she looked toward the forest. "Finally, some opponents with a bit of strength are coming."

Her mastery of Observation Haki, honed under El's relentless training, allowed her to easily sense the approaching figures. Three significant auras were moving rapidly toward them, two stronger than the third, which was still more powerful than Rear Admiral Mace.

"Let's clear the field first," Linlin sneered at the terrified and retreating Marines.

'Flap, flap...' In an instant, Linlin's body exploded into thousands of bats, shooting toward the Marines like a storm.

"Bats?"

"What kind of ability is this?"

"Never mind, just shoot them! Kill them!"

'Bang... Bang...'

'Swoosh... Clang...'

The Marines fired their guns and swung their swords at the bats. But to their shock, bullets compressed and bounced off the bats' tough skin, and swords shattered upon impact, unable to cut through.

"What?!"

"Damn it, these things..."

"They're invincible?!"

"These monsters are tougher than steel, just like that woman!"

"Run for your lives!"

Panic surged through the Marines. Watching the bats with their razor-sharp fangs approaching, they shuddered and turned to flee.

'Flap, flap...'

'Slash... Bang...'

'Screams...'

The bats shot through the Marines like black lightning. Some were disemboweled by the sharp wings, while others were sent flying, heads bleeding. Several Marines were pounced on, their blood drained by the ravenous creatures.

In mere moments, the battlefield was filled with screams as the bats sucked the blood from the Marines, draining them until their muscular bodies shriveled into pale, unconscious shells.

"Ma-ma-ma-ma~! Now it's your turn!" Linlin reappeared, her tall figure brandishing her large sword, Napoleon, and gestured toward Hera, the thundercloud.

The bats hadn't completely drained the Marines' blood, leaving them barely alive so Gerd's soul fragment could extract their souls.

'Sizzle...'

Hera, resembling a devil, grinned evilly as she rushed toward the fallen Marines. "Alright, then! I won't hold back!"

With a crackling sound, large spectral hands emerged from the thundercloud, passing through the Marines' bodies and pulling out their souls.

The sight was horrifying.

"Wow... That's such a terrifying ability!" Rock, Nef, and the Fish-men Jien all commented, visibly unsettled by the scene.

Little Oars, sitting atop Jien's head in his miniaturized form, watched in awe.

"The two brightest stars of the new generation of the Marines, huh?" Linlin muttered, rubbing her chin as she stared toward the forest, her battle spirit rising. She lifted Napoleon and grinned wickedly. "Let's see if they're really as good as their reputations claim!"

"Elbaf Spear—!"

Her entire demeanor shifted from playful to deadly serious as she activated her Conqueror's Haki, locking onto the approaching figures.

"What the...?"

Marine Rear Admiral Sengoku, who had been rushing toward the scene alongside Tsuru and a reluctant Garp, froze when he saw the carnage—the bodies of fallen Marines and the towering figure of Linlin staring at him, her sword raised.

Sensing the imminent danger, Sengoku immediately activated his Devil Fruit ability without hesitation.

'Humm...'

Golden light illuminated the battlefield, and a massive golden Buddha appeared.

"Ma-ma-ma-ma~! A Buddha? So you're a Devil Fruit user, huh?" Linlin's eyes lit up with excitement. With a ferocious grin, she slashed down with Napoleon. "Mighty Nation!"

'Crack!'

The atmosphere cracked and tore apart as an enormous column of sword energy surged toward Sengoku's giant Buddha form.

"Buddha Impact Wave!!!"

In an instant, Sengoku's golden Buddha stood tall, raising a massive hand surrounded by radiant light. He released a powerful shockwave to meet Linlin's devastating attack head-on.

'Boom!!!'