'Boom... Boom...'

  'Huff... Huff...'

  Deafening explosions roared through the battlefield, and the blinding light was so intehat no one could look directly at it. Powerful shockwaves rolled across the nd, sweeping away everything in their path. The golden Buddha, t and majestic, exuded an aura of solemnity as it stared down at the tall, youthful figure standing fiercely before him.

  "This guy…"

  "He actually blocked Linlin's 'Mighty Nation'!"

  "Impressive... The Mythical Zoan, 'Human-Human Fruit, Model: Buddha', right?"

  Roef, Little Oars, and the Fish-Man Jien looked in surprise at the glowing golden Buddha. Even though Linlin hadn't used her full Devil Fruit power and remained in her human form, this was the first time—other thahat they had seen anyone block the 'Elbaf Spear', one of Charlotte Linlin's most devastating attacks.

  One of the brightest stars of the new geion of Marines had proven to be as powerful as the rumors cimed.

  "Ma-ma-ma-ma, iing…"

  Linlin's eyes gleamed with excitement, her battle spirit ignited as she focused on Sengoku's transformed, Buddha-like form.

  "Damn it—!"

  Sengoku gnced around the battlefield, his face darkening as he saw the mangled bodies of fallen Mariheir expressions frozen in terror. The sight of the age, bined with the t figure of the ughing Linlin, filled him with rage.

  "You scum!" Sengoku roared, his voice thick with fury as he gred at the group before him—figures he had never seen before, now attag with devastating force. "Do you have any idea of the severity of your crimes?!" he demanded, fists ched ah grinding as his gre fixed on Linlin.

  Linlin grinned wickedly, pointing her massive sword at Sengoku. "Most of those guys were killed by me... What? You want revenge for them?"

  Sengoku, sing the battlefield, failed to spot any sign of the Celestial Dragons. His suspis deepened as he turned his gaze toward the well-guarded au house behind them.

  Fag the t, seveer-tall Linlin, Sengoku asked coldly, "Who are you, and what's your purpose in attag the Celestial Dragons?"

  "I'm Charlotte Linlin... Make sure you remember that name, Marine!" Linlin stared directly into Sengoku's eyes with a mischievous glint, her words filled with amusement—whether from a long-id pn or perhaps just whimsy.

  "You...!" Sengoku's expression darkened as he g the rest of Linlin's crew—Rock, Fish-Man Jian, and the others. "No matter yoal, attag and killing the world's nobles is an unfivable crime! Your journey ends here!"

  "Let's see if you stop me," Linlin replied, her eyes narrowing with a pyful smile as she readied herself for the fight.

  'Swish! Swish!'

  In the instant, they both charged at each other.

  'Screech!'

  Linlin's bright sword, coated in Haki, cshed violently with Sengoku's golden fists.

  'g!'

  Sparks flew as metal met flesh, and the sound of the impact rang out through the battlefield. The tremendous force of their battle unleashed a whirlwind, sending rocks and debris flying in all dires.

  'Crackle... Boom...'

  Both warriors' 'queror's Haki' erupted, fiercely g. Bd red lightning crackled in the air as their auras iwined and expanded, creating an intense pressure that swept across the battlefield.

  "queror's Haki?!"

  "That woman has it too?"

  "Even the Wover's ckey has that power?"

  Roef, and Jian were all forced to retreat from the overwhelming shockwaves. They stared in disbelief at Sengoku, who was matg Linlin's terrifying strength blow for blow.

  Sengoku, along with the retly arrived Garp and Tsuru, could hardly believe their eyes. They stared at Linlin in shock.

  "Ma-ma-ma-ma, you're a worthy oppo after all…" Linlin said, her eyes bzing as her sword cshed with Sengoku's golden palm. "Oh, by the way, that fat pig of a Celestial Dragon, Hanic... I crushed him to death just for fun."

  "What!?"

  Sengoku's face twisted in shock, and even Garp and Tsuru's eyes wide her bold admission.

  "You...!" Sengoku's eyes bzed with murderous i as his golden Buddha palm began to radiate an intense light. But before he could unleash his shockwave, Linlin swiftly retreated, ughing gleefully.

  "Ma-ma-ma-ma~! Getting angry?"

  'Swish...' In the moment, Linlin's body transformed rapidly. She took on a fearsome hybrid form—half-human, half-beast—with sharp fangs, long cws, thick bck fur, and massive wings sprouting from her back.

  "She's a Zoan user?!"

  Sengoku, Garp, and Tsuru all te the sight of Linlin's new form. The ominous aura she radiated sent a chill down their spines, indig this was no ordinary Zoan transformation.

  "Ma-ma-ma-ma, you're not the only oh a special Devil Fruit ability!" Linlin, now in a terrifying demon-like frinned wickedly as she raised her sword, Napoleon, and sshed it toward Sengoku.

  'Ssh!' A massive, crest-shaped bde of energy tore through the air, heading straight for Sengoku.

  "Buddha's Impact Wave!"

  The golden Buddha palm glowed brightly as it released a powerful shockwave to intercept Linlin's attack.

  'Boom!!!'

  The resulting explosio shockwaves ripping through the battlefield as the massive crest ssh was deflected by the golden shockwave.

  Sengoku's voice echoed across the battlefield, resolute and full of authority. "Garp, don't let these criminals escape!"

  "Tsuru, check the au house! The Celestial Dragons must be inside!"

  In a matter of seds, Sengoku had assigned his allies their tasks. Without looking back, he charged toward Linlin, his golden Buddha form g once again with her relentless strikes.

  'Boom... Boom…'

  Bleam