The Time-Time Fruit Ability Is Entirely Under Control!

Kozuki Oden's miserable state shocked them all.

After all, they knew Kozuki Oden's strength all too well. Yet he had been beaten into such a state.

Looking at the blood covering him, with that much blood loss... could Lord Oden already be dead?

"I can still sense Lord Oden's presence, but it is very faint."

The Mink Inuarashi stared gravely at Kozuki Oden. After twitching his ears, he spoke.

"We have to save Lord Oden and treat him immediately!"

The other Mink, Nekomamushi, bared his teeth as he spoke.

"Kanjuro, get ready to save him. We'll hold this guy off!"

Kyoshiro suppressed the urge to cough up blood and spoke in a deep voice.

"Huh? Oh, right!"

Kanjuro had been staring at Kurozumi Orochi, who had been cut in two by Lin Ye, his eyes filled with horror. Hearing Kyoshiro's words, he hurriedly nodded.

The other seven stepped forward together, looking quite imposing.

But Lin Ye did not focus on them. Instead, his gaze passed over them and settled on the area behind them.

A tall woman with light green hair, dressed in a pale green patterned kimono, picked up several torn scraps of cloth from the ground in the distance.

Kozuki Toki.

At that moment, Kozuki Toki held the scraps of cloth in her trembling hands, her eyes filled with disbelief.

She had never expected that after parting only a short while ago, he would now be dead without even a complete corpse left behind.

Kozuki Toki's pupils trembled violently. Clearly, her emotions were in turmoil.

Lin Ye withdrew his gaze and looked once more at the seven people before him.

"Attack!"

Kyoshiro let out a roar and shot forward. The blade in his hand was carried by his speed, slashing toward Lin Ye's waist even faster.

The others were just as fast. In the blink of an eye, they surrounded Lin Ye, their weapons falling toward him in unison.

Boom!

Conqueror's Haki erupted, and the figures attacking him were sent flying.

Kanjuro, who had quietly approached Kozuki Oden, threw out the canvas in his hand. With a bang, white smoke spread out and enveloped Kozuki Oden's body.

But as Conqueror's Haki erupted from Lin Ye's body, the shockwave scattered the smoke. Terror appeared on Kanjuro's face as he staggered several steps back.

In the distance, Kozuki Toki, who had been holding the torn scraps, was jolted awake by Lin Ye's burst of Conqueror's Haki and abruptly turned to look this way.

Lin Ye moved. His figure flickered, blade light flashing as each of the figures sent flying was struck by another slash.

Just as he was about to strike again, the pale green-haired figure blocked his path.

Lin Ye sheathed his blade and stood still, looking at Kozuki Toki, who held a sword in both hands before him.

Kozuki Toki stood half a head taller than Lin Ye. She gripped her sword with both hands, her body trembling slightly, yet her expression remained resolute.

She bit her lip hard, tears still streaking her face.

The badly injured people who had landed on the ground stared wide-eyed at the sight.

"Lady Toki!"

"You all leave!"

Kozuki Toki kept her eyes fixed on Lin Ye and spoke without turning her head.

Their expressions changed.

"They can't leave!"

Lin Ye shook his head slightly, his tone indifferent.

He carried his sword and walked up to Kozuki Toki, whose body trembled faintly.

"Was that your son just now?"

Lin Ye stopped before Kozuki Toki, his eyes roaming over her before he spoke casually.

A streak of blood ran from the corner of Kozuki Toki's mouth. She had clearly bitten through her lip.

"Angry?"

Seeing Kozuki Toki's state, Lin Ye sent out a Flying Slash. A sword wound tore through Kikunojo's body, from his left shoulder to his right ribs.

The others' eyes nearly split with rage.

Kozuki Toki's hands trembled as she suddenly raised her sword and slashed down at Lin Ye. Lin Ye shifted his feet and dodged the strike.

Another Flying Slash followed.

"The world doesn't revolve around you people. Oh, no, actually, you haven't done anything wrong. Kozuki Oden brought all this upon you."

Lin Ye looked at Kozuki Toki, who had failed to pull back her sword in time and fallen forward onto the ground.

"I gave him a choice. The moment he chose to fight me, he, and all of you, became my enemies."

Lin Ye looked at Kozuki Toki sprawled on the ground, then turned, crouched down, and looked at her face.

"Originally, I only wanted to kill you. But since they want to die, I'll grant their wish as well."

Though Kozuki Toki was usually composed and calm, she could no longer remain calm now.

She turned her head and looked at the young man before her.

"Kill me? Do I have a grudge against you?"

Kozuki Toki seemed to hear something in Lin Ye's words and spoke with difficulty.

"You don't care about your son's death, but you care about that instead?"

Lin Ye raised an eyebrow at her words and asked.

As he spoke, Lin Ye looked into the distance. A figure was carrying Kurozumi Orochi's body away. Then Lin Ye sent out a Flying Slash.

Kanjuro's figure appeared, severed at the waist, while Kurozumi Orochi, whom he had been carrying, fell to the ground.

Kanjuro looked at the lower half of his body that had left him, then immediately began screaming and wailing.

"This man is a spy Kurozumi Orochi planted among you. No need to thank me."

Lin Ye sheathed his sword, turned back, and continued looking at Kozuki Toki.

But at a time like this, none of that was important anymore.

"If you want to kill me, let them go."

Kozuki Toki looked at Nekomamushi, Inuarashi, and the others who were still alive.

"No. I don't need to agree to that."

Lin Ye shook his head.

A trace of desolation flashed through Kozuki Toki's eyes.

She did not know why Lin Ye had said he wanted to kill her earlier, but she knew that if she had been able to stop Kozuki Oden from following Kurozumi Orochi's orders, none of this would have happened. Perhaps only one person would have died.

"If possible, I ask that you let me die with my husband."

Kozuki Toki looked at Kozuki Oden, who knelt on the ground with his head lowered, his presence now almost imperceptible, then spoke.

Without waiting for Lin Ye's answer, Kozuki Toki crawled over to Kozuki Oden's side.

Seeing a glimmer of light appear in Kozuki Toki's hand, Lin Ye suddenly spoke.

"It seems you have another daughter. Oh, she came along too."

The moment those words fell, Kozuki Toki's body shook as she activated her ability, and then she saw the little girl stumbling toward them.

"Take her away!"

Kozuki Toki suddenly shouted, no longer caring about activating her ability.

Inuarashi and the others who could still move hurriedly got to their feet, intending to rush toward Kozuki Hiyori.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

Several Flying Slashes swept over the people who had just risen.

"I said, no one is leaving!"

Lin Ye spoke calmly as several transparent bubbles drifted toward him.

Kozuki Hiyori, who had run over, stared wide-eyed at the scene, her eyes full of terror and confusion.

What had happened here?

Kozuki Toki raised her hand toward Kozuki Hiyori.

Lin Ye watched her movements with great interest.

A strange bubble instantly enveloped Kozuki Hiyori, who had fallen to the ground, along with the kappa beside her.

As the bubble burst, the two figures within it vanished.

"So this is the ability of your Time-Time Fruit?"

Lin Ye walked to Kozuki Toki's side. After using her ability, Kozuki Toki had clearly exhausted all her strength.

She panted heavily, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Is it because of my ability?"