Sakazuki watched the grains of sand slip through his fingertips and chuckled softly,
"It's her ridiculous dream..."
Cake Island's defenses were formidable. If it were normal times, it might have been troublesome, and a frontal assault was unnecessary.
But now, after days of chaotic battle, obtaining what he wanted was as easy as pie...
Carole also smiled,
"How wicked of you, Fleet Admiral Sakazuki."
Sakazuki looked at Carole and said with a faint voice,
"Watching them go mad and become helpless."
"Isn't it amusing?"
------------
Deep in the night, Cake Island.
This was already the fifth day of the defense of Cake Island, and the sixth was fast approaching.
Half of Cake Island was gone, and the remaining half, filled with green vegetation, was also being continuously destroyed.
The battlefield between Garp and Charlotte Linlin was gradually being compressed.
After five days and five nights of fighting, Garp was still locked in an intense struggle with Charlotte Linlin.
Garp was renowned for his potent Armament Haki, while Charlotte Linlin's dominance over the seas came from her impregnable defense.
It was a peculiar, yet ultimate, clash between the strongest spear and the strongest shield.
Meanwhile, Aramaki was being held back by Katakuri, who had returned, and the ministers from other islands, who had joined forces.
Crushing enemy forces had its limits. With too many people and too many abilities, even Borsalino or Kuzan wouldn't be able to simply bulldoze through.
Above the island, Sote concealed his aura, his Observation Haki sweeping over the area below repeatedly.
He had been flying here for some time, and the reason he hadn't exposed himself was that he was searching for that one thing...
That legendary item, which, upon gathering four pieces, would grant the location of...
Poneglyph!
However, after scanning for a long time, he couldn't pinpoint its location. The battle's aftermath was too severe, and the clash of abilities and Haki on the island interfered.
Sote couldn't discern anything clearly...
"If that's the case..."
Sote took a deep breath and activated his ability.
*Swish*
*Boom!!!!*
He crashed directly into the island, creating a crater.
This sudden development caused Aramaki and the Charlotte family's cadres and ministers to look on in confusion. Before they could investigate,
*Rumble, rumble*
The island began to shake violently, the ground cracking and splitting as if it were a sieve.
*Crack*
A colossal cracking sound echoed, and the upgraded half of Cake Island suddenly shot upwards, then, to everyone's astonished gaze, the island ascended directly into the clouds...
----
Over there, Charlotte Linlin and Garp, locked in their fierce battle, stood on the island, watching the scenery rise continuously before their eyes.
"What!!!"
Charlotte Linlin's Observation Haki erupted, and she instantly locked onto Sote's position, aiming Napoleon at him.
*Boom*
Garp, appearing as if he had teleported, punched her away,
"Hahahahaha!"
"It's that kid Sote!"
"Well done!!!"
*Sizzle, sizzle*
Charlotte Linlin, sent flying, crackled with electricity as her Conqueror's Haki pressed down overwhelmingly,
"Garp!!!!"
*Boom! Boom!!!*
Frenzied yet helpless, only the continuously erupting mushroom clouds testified to Charlotte Linlin's rage...
----
On the other side.
Among the Charlotte family cadres and ministers locked in battle with Aramaki.
Katakuri felt a chill run down his spine, and a vision of the island shattering suddenly flashed through his mind... It was that guy!!!
"Everyone!"
"Prepare for defense!!!"
As Katakuri's words fell, everyone acted without hesitation, their years of trust allowing them to unleash their strongest defensive techniques.
Aramaki blinked in surprise but understood the reason two seconds later.
*Rumble*
A thunderous explosion reverberated across the island.
Then, the entire island, like shattered earth, crumbled into countless small pieces, losing its buoyancy and plummeting downwards.
Everything on the island scattered everywhere as it fell.
And the conspicuous, square-shaped Poneglyph was instantly spotted by Sote, who activated his Paramecia-type devil fruit ability and streaked towards it like a flowing light.
Charlotte Linlin, falling with the island, instinctively glanced towards the location where the Poneglyph was hidden, her eyes widening in fury,
"Stop that!!!!"
Napoleon in her hand crackled fiercely. Seeing Garp about to strike, she didn't care about charging her attack,
"Light Emperor!!!"
Like Borsalino's lasers, it shot straight at Sote.
Sote had already reached the Poneglyph and pressed his hand against it, activating his ability to fling it behind him.
The Poneglyph collided with Charlotte Linlin's "Light Emperor."
*Boom!*
The Poneglyph, returning at several times its flung speed, smashed into Sote, sending him flying backward. This was exactly what Sote intended.
"Retreat!!!"
Sote's voice instantly spread throughout the island. Garp grinned and retreated immediately, as did Aramaki.
Charlotte Linlin was so furious she was almost insane,
"Stop that kid!!!"
She was referring to Sote, who was holding the Poneglyph and flying away. If the Poneglyph was taken, she would likely never be able to reclaim it in her lifetime.
The legendary treasure, along with her dream of Whole Cake Island, would vanish...
Sote, on the verge of escaping, faced interception.
Through precognition with his Observation Haki, Katakuri, anticipating Sote's objective, appeared in Sote's path.
"Nuri Mochi!!!"
Using his Mochi-Mochi Fruit ability, his hands transformed into strips of mochi imbued with Armament Haki, and instantly, countless strips of mochi rained down, attacking Sote from all directions.
Sote frowned, shifted the Poneglyph to his side, and kicked it forcefully towards an empty spot, flying in the opposite direction himself.
Everyone's attention was drawn to the Poneglyph. Katakuri hesitated for a moment but still pursued the Poneglyph.
The situation was too sudden, and in their haste to react, everyone forgot that Sote was a Paramecia-type Devil Fruit user and instinctively chased after the Poneglyph.
Two seconds later, Katakuri, rushing towards the Poneglyph, abruptly turned his head to look behind him,
"Pudding!!!"
His anxious voice, accompanied by a roar, echoed through the heavens.
Sote, like a streak of light, appeared among the outer children with special abilities but weak combat power, capable only of interference.
He grabbed the girl with the wavy twin tails and shot towards the sky.
Simultaneously, he hooked the Poneglyph, which was falling backward, and together they formed a perfect arc, ascending into the clouds, leaving everyone too late to pursue...
"Pudding!!!!"
"Sakazuki!!!!"
The former was Katakuri's cry of regret, the latter was Charlotte Linlin's enraged roar...
----
Early morning.
New World, New Marineford.
Outside the Fleet Admiral's office.
The giant Poneglyph rested there quietly.
Beside it stood a young girl in shackles, Pudding. She seemed to have shed some of her fear; the Marines didn't seem so terrifying...
Carole was chatting with her nearby, while Sote had gone to rest.
*Tap, tap*
The crisp sound of leather shoes echoed, and Sakazuki's voice arrived,
"What are you two talking about."
Carole turned her head at the sound,
"Ah—"
"Nothing much, just encouraging a young child."
A girl who had been insecure since childhood, subjected to bullying, and used a facade of strength to bully others to protect herself...
Sakazuki gave a light snort and walked up to the girl.
Looking at the trembling Pudding.
Sakazuki raised his hand and lifted the bangs that covered her third eye.
"A Three-Eyed Tribe member who can read the Poneglyphs."
He nodded and said,
"A very beautiful eye."
His finger slowly moved towards that third eye...
Pudding was somewhat stunned, her trembling subsiding slightly. This was the third Marine she had met who called her eye beautiful.
This was also why her fear had diminished significantly, making her feel the Marines weren't so terrifying.
The thoughts she had overheard when Sote captured her, Carole's sincere praise during their chat, and Sakazuki's undeniable affirmation just now.
Everything was fundamentally different from her experiences since childhood; no one had ever called her an ugly monster...
Just as the young girl hadn't quite recovered her senses.
*Thud*
The sound of flesh being pierced echoed.
Sakazuki's hand, which had been on Pudding's forehead, had already withdrawn.
His perpetually worn black glove was stained with blood, dripping downwards.
Between the three fingers of his right hand, he held an eyeball whose pupil was still faintly twitching.
An eyeball that hadn't had time to react...