NOVEL NEXT Chapter 111: Eat Big Mom's Cake! (5/5)
"The power of this battleship..." Robin's hands, which had been resting on Finn's shoulders, suddenly froze, stunned by the sheer magnitude of destruction she had just witnessed. A battle that could have taken hours was over in mere moments, leaving her little time to even consider engaging.
Nami, on the other hand, was overjoyed, clinging to Finn's arm and jumping with excitement. "Master, our battleship is unstoppable!" she exclaimed, her eyes gleaming with excitement.
Tashigi, always more composed, nodded in agreement. "It makes sense why Marshal Sengoku was so adamant about trying to take this warship away from you, Master. He knew its potential."
Before Finn could respond, a voice echoed in his mind: "Ding! Please choose."
1: Present Charlotte Linlin with a grand feast she'll never forget. Reward: 100 soul chains. 2: Knock over her prized cake and humiliate her. Reward: 10,000 soul chains. 3: Eat Charlotte Linlin's favorite cake in front of her. Reward: 1 million soul chains.
Soul chains? Finn had never heard of them before. His curiosity piqued, he immediately checked the system for details.
Soul Chain: A mystical bond that allows the host to share life energy with another person. Once connected, the host can siphon the target's life force at will, ensuring immortality for both. However, this bond requires complete trust, and once severed, the connection cannot be reestablished without using a new soul chain.
Finn was astonished. Not only did he possess immortality himself, but now he had the means to extend it to those he trusted. The power to wield life and death was almost unimaginable.
"Perospero mentioned we're near the Big Mom Pirates' territory," Finn mused aloud, his fingers brushing the surface of his smart snail communicator, searching for signals in the area. Suddenly, something caught his attention.
"Manatees?" His brow furrowed as he noticed that the sea was teeming with territorial manatees — guardians of the Big Mom Pirates' waters. These creatures were tasked with detecting intruders and reporting their presence to the pirates.
"Of course... the territorial manatees." Finn recalled their role from the stories about Big Mom's reign. They were supposed to alert the pirates, but something unusual happened. His smart snail communicator displayed the manatees, showing that they could be controlled. A sly smile tugged at his lips.
"I can control the manatees?" Finn whispered to himself, intrigued. Testing it, he gave a mental command, and the manatees suddenly turned a blind eye to his battleship, allowing it to pass through undetected. It was almost too easy.
Without hesitation, Finn ordered the super battleship into dive mode, submerging it beneath the waves as they approached Cake Island, the heart of Big Mom's empire. As the ship glided through the depths, Tashigi turned to him, her expression serious.
"Master, are we really going after the Big Mom Pirates?" she asked, concern evident in her voice.
Finn, ever confident, patted her back. "Don't worry. Charlotte Linlin might be one of the Four Emperors, but she's not invincible. We have the advantage here." His tone was reassuring, but there was a glint of calculation in his eyes.
Robin, however, wasn't convinced. "Finn, you need to be careful," she warned, tightening her grip on his shoulders. "Big Mom's powers are unlike anything you've encountered before. Her ability to steal lifespans is dangerous. Even your Haki won't fully protect you from that."
Before Finn could respond, a sweet voice interrupted them from behind. "Brother Finn~"
They turned to see Shirahoshi, the mermaid princess, her large, curious eyes fixed on him. Finn smiled warmly and used his growth technique, his size increasing until he towered over everyone. He gently lifted Shirahoshi, placing her on the fence next to him.
"Shirahoshi, my little mermaid, are you interested in hearing about Big Mom?" he asked, stroking her head tenderly.
Shirahoshi pouted, her expression troubled. "Brother Finn, Charlotte Linlin is a bad person! She once threatened our island, demanding sea cakes every month. If we didn't comply, she said she would take the lives of all the fish-men on the island!"
Finn pretended to be outraged, clenching his fists in mock fury. "That's terrible! She's gone too far!"
In the back of his mind, he recalled that in the original story, Big Mom had indeed extorted Fish-Man Island for desserts. However, something was off. Whitebeard, who should have protected the island, was still alive. Shirahoshi confirmed his suspicion.
"It was because of Whitebeard, Brother Finn! He intervened, and Charlotte Linlin hasn't dared to bother us since," she explained, her voice filled with admiration for the legendary pirate.
Finn chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Whitebeard is indeed powerful, but don't worry, little Shirahoshi. I'll take care of Charlotte Linlin for you. She won't trouble Fish-Man Island ever again."
Shirahoshi's face lit up with joy, her tail swishing in excitement. "Brother Finn, you're the best!"
Nami and Robin shared a glance, both smiling at the mermaid's innocence, while Tashigi gazed at Shirahoshi with admiration. "Princess Shirahoshi truly is a beacon of purity," Tashigi murmured.
"She's like a shining gem," Nami added, her voice full of affection.
Robin smirked, nudging Finn playfully. "Looks like our 'stinky brother' has found another responsibility to take on."
As the battleship neared Cake Island, Finn's expression turned serious. His eyes gleamed with anticipation, a smile tugging at his lips.
"Let's see what Big Mom thinks of me crashing her party."