Is It Enough, Is It Not Enough For Another 1000 Years? (4/5)

"Really? That's all you've got?"

Finn smirked as Charlotte Linlin, one of the Four Emperors, loomed over him, her face a storm of rage so intense that it seemed to darken the very air around them. The tension was palpable. Her monstrous power, which could easily drain the soul from a body, was aimed directly at him. Yet, here he stood—unbothered.

The room was silent, save for the faint gasps from the onlookers, a mix of the Charlotte family and various New World guests. They were all giving Finn incredulous looks, some even mouthing silent praise for his nerve. No one, not even the highest-ranking members of Linlin's family, dared provoke her like this.

"Who the hell does this guy think he is?" someone muttered, their voice trembling with awe.

"Boy! You're the first to provoke me like this and still stand!" Charlotte's voice thundered, dripping with malice. Her huge frame tensed, anger swelling, ready to erupt.

"Oh? Truly an honor." Finn's lips curled into a mocking smile. His voice, laced with arrogance, was almost casual. "So, Empress of Souls, want to try again? I've got more lifespan than I know what to do with. Maybe you could help me lighten the load?" He winked, and the audacity of his words sent the room into chaos.

Around him, mouths dropped open. No one could believe what they were hearing.

"Did this guy just ask Big Mom to help him?!" one of the guests whispered, astonished.

"You've got a death wish!" another gasped.

Charlotte Linlin's expression twisted with fury. "You little worm! I'll drain every last bit of your life!" She was done playing games. With a guttural roar, she activated the full power of her Soul-Soul Fruit. In an instant, the air was thick with the force of her abilities. A gigantic hand of pure soul energy materialized, filling the room with a suffocating dread.

Everyone could feel the terror gnawing at their insides, their own lifespans threatened just by proximity. Some even fell to their knees, clutching their chests in panic as their lives were sapped away by fear itself.

"Please, no!"

"It's too much!"

The soul hand closed around Finn, squeezing tightly. But instead of screaming in agony or crumpling under its weight, Finn tilted his head, still smiling. "Hmm. Feels like... extinction?" He raised an eyebrow, almost amused. The sensation of his soul being touched was a distant hum, barely noticeable. His energy was vast, more expansive than anything Charlotte Linlin had encountered in her long, brutal reign.

It wasn't long before she realized something was wrong. Her hand was digging into the depths of Finn's soul, yet she hadn't even scratched the surface. It was like trying to scoop water out of an endless ocean.

"Impossible..." she muttered under her breath, her brows furrowed as beads of sweat began to form. She yanked with all her might, pulling a century's worth of life from Finn. But as she absorbed the soul energy, she felt no satisfaction—no weakening from her victim.

The spectators, previously confident in Linlin's success, now exchanged confused glances.

"Wait, didn't she just take 100 years from him? Why is he... fine?"

"I don't understand! Shouldn't he be withered? Dead?"

"Unless... his lifespan exceeds 100 years?"

The room buzzed with disbelief. Some began to laugh nervously, others tried to rationalize it away, but all eyes were glued to the unshaken figure of Finn.

Charlotte Linlin's face darkened further. "You dare mock me?" she spat, her massive hand still gripping Finn's soul. "Let's see how much longer you can last!"

Again, her soul hand surged, pulling another 100 years. Then another. And another. Each time, the hall grew eerily silent as they waited for Finn to collapse, but each time, he remained standing. After more than a dozen attempts, the once boisterous hall was now deathly quiet.

"Still waving at us...?" one of the onlookers whispered, incredulous.

"This... This can't be happening!"

Even Charlotte herself, normally composed in her terrifying might, was panting now, sweat streaming down her face. "How… how are you still standing? What are you?"

Finn dusted off his sleeve nonchalantly and met her gaze with a cool smile. "What's wrong? Out of stamina already?" He chuckled, a low, mocking sound that echoed through the room. "I thought you were the almighty Four Emperors. Is that all you've got?"

"Shut up!" she roared, her body trembling with fury. But for the first time, uncertainty flickered in her eyes. She had never encountered anyone with such a boundless lifespan—such limitless soul energy. The more she took, the more it seemed Finn had.

Finn took a step forward, closing the distance between them. His presence was calm, controlled. "You can keep trying if you want, but I've got enough soul to last you a thousand years." He leaned in slightly, his voice low and dripping with challenge. "How long can you keep up?"

Charlotte Linlin's eyes widened as if slapped with a sudden realization. This wasn't a battle she could win. Yet, the thought of backing down in front of her subordinates—of showing weakness—was unbearable.

"Keep going, Mom! You've almost got him!" one of the Charlotte family members shouted, desperate to maintain the illusion of their matriarch's invincibility.

But deep down, everyone knew. The indomitable Big Mom had finally met her match.

And as Finn stood there, his hands in his pockets, smiling as if none of this had been more than a game, it became clear to all:

This was no ordinary man. And the Four Emperors might not be as untouchable as they thought.