Chapter 784: Chapter 475: Stepping Stones to the Heavenly Stair

In a world where possessing power means possessing everything, the battles of the strong never take others’ lives into consideration, much like humans ignore the life or death of ants beneath them.

For the small figures living on Cake Island, this is their current situation.

Not only has Sage, one of the Four Emperors, invaded here, but their queen fights the same way.

The aftermath of their attacks not only shatters the buildings they live in but also shatters their lives. Even if they luck out and escape to the outskirts, they still can’t escape as Cake Island is fragmented into scattered smaller islands due to the aftermath.

Cracker waves his long sword and summons the Cookie Soldiers. The aftermath from the thrust of the sword blows away the surrounding people, sending them into the raging seas. The lucky ones who fall to the ground are immediately trampled by the charging Cookie Soldiers.

Even if they evade those, they’ll be swept away by the impact of the Strange Monk’s swinging lead pillar, or due to the terror caused by the giant Scarecrow transformed by the Magician, they’ll run frantically, either falling into the raging sea outside or being caught up in an even greater attack aftermath.

Their invincible Katakuri turns the ground into mochi, creating countless mochi balls, targeting the ’Sword Princess’ who constantly flickers in the low sky, slicing the mochi balls continuously, also not caring about the people’s lives.

The emergence of the mochi balls causes them all to be trapped inside. Although the Sword Princess targets only Katakuri, the thunder-like slashes send shockwaves that cut through the mochi balls on the ground, causing those trapped in the quagmire to burst with wounds.

What?

Taking advantage of the chance to escape?

You’re thinking too much; they are the epitome of powerlessness to escape!

At the very center, someone barely alive reaches out, murmuring towards the sky: "Queen..."

Bang!

A violent impact crashes downward, shattering the remaining bit of land like a swimming ring.

The person is swept into the seawater, and amidst the swirling, in the blazing flames above, sees the raging thunderbolt...

But no one cares about any of this.

Pirates always fight for their own desires.

Boom!!

Another shockwave erupts in the sky, with the Supreme King’s tangible thunderbolts scattering everywhere; the black and red thunderbolts and the almost purple flames dart downward, enlarging the whirlpool beneath and making the steaming seawater churn around the whirlpool.

Sage intercepts the blade swung by Charlotte Linlin with a kick; as he blocks the blade’s advance, a fist also swings onto the blade, causing the flame-wrapped scimitar to tremble. Taking advantage of this tremor, he shakes his body, shifts his leg kicking the blade sideways, narrowly passing by the slashing scimitar, kicking up a smoke ring beneath his feet before charging towards Charlotte Linlin’s face.

Bam!

Charlotte Linlin releases one hand from holding the hilt and punches at the charging Sage, colliding fists once more. The intertwining Haki causes another shockwave to spread, uniting both bodies into the air.

One halts after a burst of flames ejected from beneath, applying counterforce to halt the body.

The other rapidly rotates mid-air, dissipating power, landing with black clouds materializing beneath the feet.

Sage sneers, his entire body trembling, scattering the blood shocked out of his body due to the impact.

Charlotte Linlin wipes the bleeding corner of her mouth, baring her mouth wide in a fierce grin.

In a fight to the death, getting injured is inevitable.

Especially in close-range grappling, concentrating all Haki on attacks causes shockwaves that not only destroy islands but also affect their bodies.

Except one is the Steel Balloon, unconcerned about these injuries.

The other... has already recovered!

"Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma!"

Charlotte Linlin laughs: "Sage brat, what are you thinking? Coming all the way here to ruin my tea party just to die together with me?"

Even strong as she is, she must admit that Sage now possesses the strength to die alongside her compared to last year.

Back then, although they fought to the death and she got injured, Sage wasn’t even close to being capable of killing her.

In the end, she would surely win, but such a battle was unnecessary. For a small island, injuring the entire Big Mom Pirates is not worthwhile as a Pirate.

But now it’s different; this guy’s current state and intent can bring death to her.

His body techniques are even more powerful than before!

Sage glances at Charlotte Linlin, saying: "You old hag, still pretty confident. When did you get the illusion that I would die alongside you?"

"Oh? Do you think you can defeat me? Sage, becoming one of the Four Emperors doesn’t mean you’re invincible. I admit you’re one of the Four Emperors, but being conceited for that is fatal!"

Charlotte Linlin sticks out her tongue as the fire on the blade expands further, igniting a purple radiance.

That’s Supreme King’s Entanglement with a soul aura, combining ability and Haki, not exclusive to any one person...

Since earlier, they’re going all out without holding back, not only with the will impact from Supreme King’s Entanglement but also with this soul frenzy entwined within. Getting hit weakens one’s will.

If Sage’s Haki weren’t so strong, he wouldn’t have been so at ease.

"In this state, it seems like I can’t deal with you. But don’t think I’m like you, satisfied with just dining together, unwilling to progress, right?"

Sage takes a deep breath, his muscles pulsating for a moment, the black and red thunderbolts on his body growing denser, and even his flame-like hair seems to grow larger.

Aside from that, not much changes, yet Charlotte Linlin’s pupils instinctively contract.

Externally not changing much, but the internal strength... seems to increase by a magnitude.

"Forty times."

Sage clenches his fist hard, "My desire far surpasses yours, strong one stagnating..."

Improvement is merely enhancing basics and further developing abilities. After this lengthy cultivation, he can endure and develop even stronger enhancements from originally thirty times.

Yet such changes aren’t enough to induce greater transformation, but...

Thunk!!

The smoke ring explodes, Sage appears before Charlotte Linlin’s face like Instant Teleportation, large hand stretching out first to consolidate a black light.

"Become a stepping stone on my path to greater heights!!"