'Boom—'

  A t figure was bsted back by an intense icy breath, hurtling through the air before being engulfed in frost, solidifying into a massive ice sculpture. Linlin was pletely frozen inside, immobilized and trapped in an unbreakable yer of ice.

  'Crack… crack...'

  The pierg sound of shattering ice echoed, sending shockwaves through the air as visible soundwaves rippled outward, threatening to rupture eardrums. The icy mountain fractured and shattered violently.

  Amid a storm of icy shards, a swarm of screeg vampire bats emerged, swirling into a humanoid shape—Linlin in her half-beast hunting form, looking fierd imposing.

  "Mamamama, it seems yettier," Linlin chuckled. "I had to start using my Devil Fruit powers."

  Only someone as resilient as her could survive that attascathed. For most, a direct hit would mean severe frostbite. The Okuo-Makami form, though powerful in terms of attack, articurly well-suited for defense, cloaking its user in an unyielding armor of frost.

  "She's ing—"

  A fsh of red from her third eye alerted Tsuru, who, now in the form of a massive Three-Eyed giant, gripped her sword with a solemn expression and turo strike at her blind spot.

  "Soru!"

  In a blur, Linlin's figure shifted, almost standing still, leaving behind an afterimage. Moving with ghostly speed, she appeared directly behind Tsuru, her massive sword Napoleon gleaming coldly as it swung down.

  'g!'

  Sparks flew, and the immense force left Tsuru’s expression strained as her hand trembled, nearly losing her grip. Even bined with the strength of Lily, the giantess, aransformed Okuo-Makami state, Tsuru was still blown back.

  In the same moment, Linlin’s afterimage dissolved into mist.

  "Even with future sight, if our strength gap is too wide, you still won’t escape."

  With a fierce smile, Linlin locked onto Tsuru with her Observation Haki, wielding Napoleon to unleash a devastating attack.

  "Mighty Nation!"

  'Whoosh—'

  A terrifying, drical shockwave of sword energy tore through the air, slig toward Tsuru with unstoppable force.

  "Gcial Fang!"

  Thanks to her fht, Tsuru, ready for the strike, opened her mouth wide, releasing a tightly pressed bst id air to ter it.

  'Boom!'

  The two forces cshed, but Linlin's Mighty Nation attack overpowered the icy bst, plowing through with uing momentum. Though weakehe attack crashed into Tsuru, ung her like a missile. She crashed into the rubble-strewn ground, embedding into the stoh a web of cracks radiating outward.

  "Hey, Linlin, that was a bit much, don’t you think?" Watg from afar, Gerd’s eyebrow twitched as she shouted in mock irritation.

  "Mamamama~! Gerd, that’s not on me…” Linlin chuckled, lifting her sword casually. "With her future sight and her quick reflexes, she could've dodged if she wao. But no, she just had to try and face me head-on."

  "She's probably still bitter about how you and Nef messed with her back then. Tsuru’s been itg for payback." Gerd ughed lightly, seeing El calmly in the distance. If he’d sensed any real danger, he would have intervened by now.

  "Tch, how’s that our fault?"

  Reverting to her human form, Linlin sched her h a huff. "She was our enemy back then... Shouldn’t she just be grateful she’s still alive?"

  Though they had certainly teased the “Navy’s Flower,” Tsuru, in the past, Linlihat the fact Tsuru had survived should’ve been enough. Had it been at the Sabaody Archipego, she could have draisuru’s life pletely rather than just taking a bit for fun.

  "Alright, let’s leave the past behind," El stepped forward, pg a reassuring hand on Linlin's head with a smile. "Maybe one day, this will all be a fond memory and the beginning of your friendship. From now o’s all get along."

  "Si’s from onii, I’ll let it go!"

  Linlin beamed, closing her crest-moon eyes in delight as she savored the affeate gesture.

  'Cough, cough...'

  "I almost got hurt there!"

  "Hehe, Tsuru, you really went all out!"

  From the distant rubble, a figure climbed out in disarray, covered in cracks and scratches, the damage visible all over. With a series of loud crag sounds, shards of ice began to fall away, revealing Tsuru within, unharmed. Her voice, strangely mixed with those of Lily and Lillian, echoed in pyful pint.

  A fsh of light, and the fused Three-Eyed giant vanished, repced by three distinct figures: Tsuru, Lily, and Lillian. Although they looked a bit rough around the edges, they were all retively unscathed except for a few minor bruises.

  "Sorry, Lily, Lillian…" Tsuru said with an apologetic smile, scratg her head. "I guess I got a bit too caught up in the fight!"

  After all, seeing Linlin's arrogant grin had reminded her of the humiliation back at Sabaody Archipego, and she couldn't resist goio-head with her.

  "Hehe, it’s fine…” Lily and Lillian ughed. "We’re not actually hurt, anyway!"

  "Heh, that ‘Ice Mirror’ defense of yours really is incredible," Gerd chimed in, impressed. Even though Linlin had held back for the sparring match, the fact that Tsuru could withstand Linlin’s atta beast form showed just how tough the Okuo-Makami’s defenses were.

  "Phew, still couldn’t beat a monster like you, Linlin!" Tsuru sighed as she rejoined Linlin, El, Gerd, and the others. Fag someoh such immense defenses, her fruit’s powers had their limits.

  "Mamamama, if you want to challenge me, you’ll have to keep training!" Linlin said with a pyful grin. Having fought alongside them a few times, she held bay sharp remarks, now seeing them as part of her crew.

  "Don’t worry, your progress is already amazing," El added with an encing smile. Though Tsuru had leaned on Lily and Lillian’s powers, her growth in just a few days was remarkable. Given her young age—still a few years junior to even Sengoku and Garp—her potential was only beginning to unfold. At this rate, she could quickly achieve a level parable to Sengoku, and would likely do so even faster with the current trainihod. This was the very approach that had helped Linlin reach such astonishing power at such a young age.

  Suteraining, while especially effective in the early stages, would yield diminishiurns as her prew. For someone like Linlin, who had already reached an impressive strength level, this style of training would provide only minaiually, Tsuru would have to rely on her own talent, dedication, and insights to tinue progressing. Still, this method had undeniably accelerated her early development, allowing her and the others to unlock their potential and grow at an impressive pace.

  "Alright... my turn nht?" Lillian chimed in, running up to El excitedly. "El, how about we fuse together this time?"

  Fusion with El was always Lillian’s favorite, as his overwhelming strength allowed her to experiehe thrilling power that seemed limitless, making her feel invincible. She’d also picked up invaluable skills and teiques from El, a true sword master, each session leaving her with new insights.

  The feeling was simply exhirating.