brush...
A wisp of pale blue light flashed past Chocolate Town and headed towards the surrounding towns.
" Phil, put me down. You can run away yourself. Big Mom's target is me. If we stay with each other, neither of us will escape!!"
Luo Chen grabbed Phil's shoulder and whispered in his ear.
"Don't talk nonsense, Captain. We've already found a comrade we can rely on, how could I possibly abandon you?"
Although Luo Chen tried his best to persuade Phil to put him down and face Big Mom's wrath alone, Phil, as his companion, could not agree and refused outright.
call out...
A figure in black and yellow Extreme Speed up behind them, startling a trail of clouds as it drew ever closer.
"Don't even think about escaping, you two little insects. After causing such a ruckus in my Totto Land, you think you can leave here unscathed?"
Big Mom, riding Zeus, chased after the two, raising the Emperor Sword Napoleon.
"Damn old woman, how did she catch up so quickly? I've already used my abilities to go at maximum speed, but I still couldn't shake her off!"
Upon hearing the sound coming from behind Big Mom, Phil gritted his teeth and said...
"No, this is just thanks to her Observation Haki. She's perfectly conscious right now, and her Observation Haki range is probably no less than mine. Put me down quickly and go back to meet up with Catherine and the others. I'll handle things here..."
"Hey, Captain, what nonsense are you spouting? You couldn't even withstand two of her attacks. Letting you down would just be suicide. Why would I do that?"
As Luo Chen struggled desperately to get down, Phil tightened his grip, making it impossible for the wounded man to break free. To dispel this unrealistic idea in his captain's mind, Phil couldn't help but contradict him.
"Shut up! Is this the time to say such things? What kind of time is this to be saying this? You still can't resist putting down your captain. Get me down here right now..."
Hearing the crew member's dissenting voice, although he knew that the other party was doing it for his own good and wanted to persuade him to give up the idea, Luo Chen still glared at him fiercely.
"Uh... I'm only doing this for your own good, Captain. No matter what you say, I won't abandon you. Hmm... I see, it's the Isel! Hey~ we're here!!"
As they spoke, the two had already reached the seaside. Seeing the Isel sailing around them in the distance to meet them, Phil couldn't help but shout.
"Oh no, this is really bad. What if she sees us...?"
Unlike Phil's reaction, when Luo Chen saw his companions arrive to pick them up in the Isel, his first reaction was not joy, but worry. With the monster relentlessly pursuing them, he couldn't be sure that his companions would all be safe and sound.
"Huh?? So you had some accomplices after all. Perfect, I'll wipe you all out in one fell swoop! Elbaph Spear... Sovereignty!!"
Sure enough, at the same time that Luo Chen and his companion discovered the Isel, its whereabouts were also noticed by BIGMOM, who was chasing after them. She raised the Emperor Sword and swung it at the Isel in the distance.
Clang!!!
A bright sword aura, seemingly capable of cleaving the entire sky, roared and instantly swept away into the distance.
"Not good!!"
Luo Chen turned around and happened to see BIGMOM swinging his sword. Ignoring his wounded body, he resolutely broke free from Phil's shoulder and, before Phil could react, drew his sword to meet the Flying Slash.
"Um, Captain, what are you doing? Your injuries are still..."
Before Phil could finish speaking, Luo Chen, who was hovering in the air using Geppo, drew his sword.
"No matter what happens to my life, I will not let you harm my comrades, BIGMOM!!"
Sword technique... Sky Severance!!
With that, his eyes narrowed, and the recently Awakening Conqueror's Haki erupted as his aura coalesced, unleashing a blood-red Flying Slash with unparalleled power that swept across the sky.
Clang!!
The enormous, silvery-white Flying Slash, like a shooting star, blocked BIGMOM's Flying Slash from afar.
boom...
Although Luo Chen's attack could block it, it still couldn't completely negate it. The remaining small slash exploded on the sea surface, and a wave about ten meters in diameter surged, wetting the two people on the shore.
Huff... huff... huff...
Although Luo Chen's Flying Slash blocked BIGMOM's casual attack, he was not without injury. The attack made his already severely injured condition even worse, and he was panting heavily. His strength was completely exhausted, and he looked as weak and frail as an old man on his deathbed.
"Captain, are you alright?!"
Phil ran over quickly, took his hand, and said anxiously.
"I... I'm fine. Phil, you go back and get them out of this area immediately. I'll hold her off here!!"
Luo Chen brushed his hand away, braced himself against the sword's jaw with both hands to steady himself, and then gave him instructions.
"No, Captain, let me face her with you. You alone..."
"Stop spouting nonsense and get out of here. As crew members, obeying the captain's orders is our primary duty. If you keep talking, we're all going to get ourselves killed..."
Seeing that Phil wasn't planning to go back and wanted to stay and fight off Big Mom's attack with him, Luo Chen couldn't help but loudly rebuke him.
"Alright then, you must come back. We'll all be waiting for you on Isel..."
Seeing Luo Chen's firm attitude and his tone that brooked no refusal, Phil had no choice but to obey his orders. He resolutely turned around and headed towards the Isel. After taking a few steps, he stopped, turned back, and solemnly said to him.
Although the two said this, BIGMOM, who was rushing up behind them, was not so easy to talk to. He grinned and said in a chilling tone.
"Mmm, mmm, mmm~ A bunch of little ants, trying to slip away under my nose? Leave them all here, Elbaph Spear... Sovereignty!!"
Having said that, she once again raised her sword and slashed at Phil was speeding across the sea, his body Swift Dash in a ghostly blue light.
Clang!!!
Another sword aura, comparable to a great swordsman's strike, swept out, and the sea surface cracked open like a waterfall with its Current Severance. Wherever it passed, it cut through everything in its path, and the chilling sword aura rushed straight toward Phil, who was accelerating toward the Isel.
"Your opponent is me, Big Mom! Your swordsmanship... Startled Swan!!"
Amidst the flashing silver-white sword light, a poignant beauty and a deadly aura accompanied each other, like a fleeting meteor, dazzlingly striking the sword energy that was directly attacking Phil.
Clang!!
boom...
At the very first clash, the sword energy roared, waves surged, and spray flew up, blocking the sword energy in front of Luo Chen.
puff...
This attack exhausted him greatly, causing him to cough up a mouthful of blood and spit it onto the ground, his breath weakening once again.
"Come on, Big Mom, let me see your true skills again!!"
As if sensing something amiss, Luo Chen wiped the bloodstains from the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand and challenged her to a duel with boundless pride.
"Mmm, mmm, mmm~ Interesting. You still have the strength to stand in front of me after taking several of my attacks. I'm really starting to admire you more and more. If you hadn't refused, you might be fighting for Charlotte right now as a Admiral my Charlotte Family!!"
"How about this? I can give you another chance. If you agree, I can still give you my daughter in marriage, making her my son-in-law. Join Charlotte and fight for me!!"
Despite their adversarial relationship, and despite Luo Chen's actions that severely damaged her authority, Bigom still admired him and even extended another invitation to him.