Streusen, the culprit behind it all, was getting pounded by Houka and Golden Lion Shiki, both looking thoroughly displeased.
This little runt had been egging Charlotte Linlin on to run away!
"Do you give up or not?!"
"Or do you want to play a game of Davy Back Fight?!"
Rocks kicked Charlotte Linlin away. His ferocious Conqueror's Haki Infusion made even the Steel Balloon spew blood.
Charlotte Linlin stared in shock. Since setting out to sea, this was the first time anyone had broken through her defenses.
But she still refused to yield!
Her goal was to find Mother Carmel. How could she possibly join someone else's pirate crew?
Charlotte Linlin used her soul power to quickly heal her injuries, then fought Rocks like a madwoman.
When Silver Axe Xiong saw Charlotte Linlin come back at full strength, he immediately stole Rocks's fight and launched into a fierce battle with her.
Rocks wasn't pleased that Silver Axe Xiong had stolen his opponent, but he let the two of them fight for a while.
Silver Axe had watched Rocks effortlessly crush Charlotte Linlin. But once he entered the fight himself, he discovered just how terrifying the Steel Balloon was.
Even his Armament Haki-coated giant axe couldn't break through Charlotte Linlin's defenses.
Now thoroughly enraged by Rocks, Charlotte Linlin entered her most berserk state.
Her terrifying voice, laced with Conqueror's Haki, dealt damage to Silver Axe's hearing and mind.
Even the tremendous strength Silver Axe took pride in was overwhelmed by Charlotte Linlin.
In less than half an hour, Silver Axe was gravely injured by the frenzied Charlotte Linlin.
On paper, there wasn't much difference between Charlotte Linlin, whose bounty was five hundred million, and Silver Axe Xiong, whose bounty was four hundred million.
But in terms of actual fighting strength, Charlotte Linlin was far stronger than Silver Axe Xiong.
Even Houka and Newgate, as they were now, probably couldn't keep Charlotte Linlin in check.
Charlotte Linlin's wanted poster hadn't been updated in over a year. Her bounty could probably have reached six or seven hundred million by now.
"What a disgrace!"
Seeing Silver Axe lose to Charlotte Linlin, a thirteen-year-old pirate, Rocks spat and drew his sword, taking over the fight himself.
With one slash, he sent the rampaging Charlotte Linlin flying.
"We surrender! We'll join!"
As Rocks continued to beat Charlotte Linlin mercilessly, Streusen, already battered and bruised from Houka and Shiki's beating, finally couldn't take any more of Houka's threats and torment. He screamed at the top of his lungs.
"Linlin! Stop!"
"I have information about the nun!"
Afraid of dying, Streusen hurriedly stopped the frenzied Charlotte Linlin.
He was even more terrified that Houka knew something about Mother Carmel.
He didn't want Charlotte Linlin killed by Rocks, and he wanted even less to be butchered by Houka.
For now, their only option was to join the Rocks Pirates and figure out how to leave later.
Sure enough, at Streusen's shout, the red-eyed Charlotte Linlin quickly calmed down.
Houka watched the scene, a meaningful glint in his eyes.
Streusen had been roaming the seas with Charlotte Linlin for six or seven years. Houka wanted to take his place as the person Charlotte Linlin trusted most.
That would be a little difficult!
But Houka had plenty of ways to do it!
The Seven-Star Sword couldn't control kings with Conqueror's Haki, but could it really not affect Streusen, a mere chef?
Besides, Houka had been developing a technique to transform his followers using his Vampire Ability.
"Don't try to play tricks on me!"
Houka's Seven-Star Sword was stuck in Streusen's shoulder as he wore an evil smile.
"We won't! We really won't! We sincerely want to join the Rocks Pirates!"
Streusen's face twisted in pain. A faint red gleam flickered in his terrified eyes, almost too subtle to notice.
Driven by fear, Streusen would now agree to anything they said.
"You really have news about the nun?"
Charlotte Linlin looked expectantly toward Streusen and Houka, so focused that she even forgot about the dangerous Rocks.
"What's going on now?!"
Rocks had wanted to beat Charlotte Linlin some more, but Houka had dealt with that little runt of a chef in a few moves, then easily won over the Steel Balloon too.
"Damn it!!!"
Silver Axe Xiong clutched his chest, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. Beneath his cracked sunglasses, his eyes were full of resentment.
How could there be so many monsters?!
Golden Lion Shiki had slowly surpassed him, and now he couldn't even beat a female pirate!
It wasn't fair!
Newgate, Shiki, Charlotte Linlin—every one of these monsters had not only monstrous talent but also the good fortune to obtain such powerful Devil Fruit abilities.
Why was it like this?!
Why did the goddess of fate favor these people so much?!
Charlotte Linlin quickly flew over to Streusen and Houka, then anxiously started asking questions.
"Linlin, trust me. If we stick with them, we'll find Mother Carmel faster!"
Streusen spoke with forced confidence. He still didn't dare tell the truth: Charlotte Linlin, that monster, had eaten Mother Carmel and all the orphans long ago.
"Really? But didn't you say before that we should avoid them, because they'd stop us from looking for Mother Carmel?"
Charlotte Linlin let something slip without meaning to.
In an instant, Rocks and Shiki looked at Streusen with murderous intent.
Those two had wasted so much of their time.
So they really had been deliberately avoiding them!
"Well, that was before we'd met them. Now I've realized that Vice Captain Houka has the ability to see the future."
Streusen quickly put on an ingratiating grin and looked at Houka, his eyes filled with a desperate desire to live.
Now he'd offended all those ruthless men. The only one who could save him was Houka, the mysterious vice captain who knew certain secrets.
And by instinct, he felt that Houka could save him, so he hurried closer.
"You can see the future?"
Charlotte Linlin's eyes lit up, and a trace of longing appeared in her gaze toward Houka.
That meant she'd soon get news about Mother Carmel and find the nun and her friends.
"I can indeed foresee some things!"
"The more you interact with me, the more I can tell you."
Houka looked at Charlotte Linlin's yearning gaze and gave a meaningful smile.
Streusen couldn't handle this powerhouse. Houka would take over from here.
"Then I'll follow you!"
Charlotte Linlin answered without hesitation. She and Streusen had been wandering around and plundering, but had learned nothing about Mother Carmel.
"Hwahahaha! You're not following Houka—you're joining the Rocks Pirates!"
Rocks raised an eyebrow. That little brat Houka really was securing his place as the Rocks Pirates' number two, becoming the vice captain in all but name.
Rocks was the only one insisting that the crew had no such position, but the other officers had all accepted Houka as vice captain.
Even Silver Axe, who was always declaring his refusal to accept it, was gradually changing his tune.
"Fine, I'll join!"
Charlotte Linlin replied nonchalantly. Once she found Mother Carmel, she'd find a way to leave the Rocks Pirates.
Her goal and dream, after all, was to find the nun and build a beautiful kingdom where all races could coexist.