One Piece: Nobody knows Devil Fruits better than me.

Chapter 181 Laughter Amidst the Crowd
The sky over Totland was still pitch black.

Therefore, at this moment, everyone in Totto Land who was fighting or hiding could clearly see the dazzling light that erupted from the direction of Whole Cake Island.

The 'compression' begins from the very start of the battle.

Opportunities arising from tacit cooperation.

In that instant, a power erupted that caused the entire sea surface to surge violently.

Seawater is evaporating, the sea surface is sinking, and fire is burning on the sea.

The tattered nun's habit evaporated along with the flesh and blood.

Above the sky, tiny specks of light were twinkling.

They are not consumed by the flames, but gather together, like a winding river that encircles immortality.

Those were the souls of the 'Homies' devoured by the Pig in this attack—or rather, the 'lifespan' and 'souls' contributed by the people of Tottoland over the years.

The faint glow on their bodies signifies that they are about to be sent to the underworld, heading towards the Yellow Springs.

The radiance of the soul is the most dazzling—so at this moment, what appears on the sea is like a burst of fireworks.

The results are clear.

The outcome has been decided.

The 'Four Emperors' BIGMOM has already been defeated.

"The Queen actually..."

"Mother."

at this moment.

The people of Tottoland and the members of the Charlotte family were almost all stunned.

Their expressions and demeanor were also very complex.

Just as mentioned before.

Totland is a 'dreamland'—though the essence of this country may simply be an extension of the childhood fantasies of some immature child.

But in fact, Totland itself is indeed one of the few pristine places in the world.

Therefore, whether it's the common people or the members of the Charlotte family.

Their attitudes toward the Four Emperors 'BIGMOM' are actually quite complex.

They were all naturally afraid of their queen and their mother.

For ordinary people, this means sacrificing two months of their lifespan each year, which is equivalent to shortening their entire lifespan by one-sixth.

They cannot leave Totland, or they will be executed.

The elderly women's occasional food cravings and childlike willfulness can also lead to a large number of casualties.

However, they also received protection from Bigom while living in Totland.

They will not lack clothes, food, or worry about pirate attacks.

In the perilous 'new world,' such a life is itself a 'dream.'

The same applies to the members of the Charlotte family.

For them, their mother is the 'mother who raised them from childhood', and when they were young, their aunt did indeed give them attention and love—she always liked children very much.

But at the same time, the old lady is their captain and their queen.

They cannot disobey her, nor can they provoke her anger, or the price will be their lives.

BIGMOM is always two-sided.

So much so that at this moment.

When Bigmoon truly vanished amidst those dazzling fireworks, they didn't know whether they should rejoice or grieve.

But it is precisely at this moment
"IN ONE (become one with me)".

Everyone within Totland clearly heard the voice in their minds.

"OR (or.)"

That was an evil voice.

"DEAD (death)".

At that moment, everyone in Totland and all the Homies stared wide-eyed.

Their consciousness gradually blurred, and they could feel the 'mark' imprinted in their souls activating.

That's a 'soul spell'—the Queen of Tottoland is draining their souls and lives.

But here's the difference.

This time, she extracted the entire soul and lifespan.

This time, she wants the souls of everyone in Totland to become one with her!
【Fruit Awakening - Soul Sacrifice - Tottoland】

"Mom, how could you?"

At that moment, seeing Perospero and the other members of the Charlotte family instantly lose consciousness, Katakuri, who could still barely think, gritted his teeth.

Even he could feel his consciousness gradually detaching from his body.

He could almost feel the 'monster' on the sea off Totland, amidst the flames, calling to him.

"Of course I can."

In that instant, the connection of souls even allowed Katakuri and everyone in Totto Land to hear Big Mom's inner thoughts.

It was a combination of fear, resentment, ambition, evil, cruelty, and anger.

"I am Bigom, the Queen of Totland."

Her soul trembled, as if she were enduring immense pain.

And so it is.

At this moment, surrounded by the scattered 'Homie souls' being sent to the underworld.

The old woman's enormous, monstrous soul was disintegrating.

Yes.

The Boar, equipped with the Yomi Yomi no Mi (Feast of the Underworld) and even utilizing it at the awakened level, launched this attack not only at the physical body, but also at the dual attack of 'body and soul'.

Even a monstrous soul like that old lady is about to fall apart under such absolute power.

Therefore, Charlotte Carmelo made the obvious choice at that moment.

That was a choice made long ago, at that birthday party, as she was being swallowed.

She loathed death, she feared death—she still had so much to do, so many ambitions to fulfill.

She doesn't want to die.

Therefore, she chose to sacrifice and merge with all the souls she had imprinted with her 'soul mark' in exchange for the 'immortality' of her own soul.

The difference is that—at that birthday party, she only sacrificed the souls of all the children of the Lamb's House.

This time, however, she sacrificed everyone in the entire Totland.

Even though she knew that even sacrificing this many souls wouldn't guarantee her survival, and that the Twelve Constellations would face countless more attacks after this one.

Even though she knew that after such a large number of fusions and sacrifices, all the people of Tottoland would die as a result.

But it's okay.

The people of Totland, once they died, were simply gone—they were all slaves.

Charlotte's children, once they die, they're gone—they were just tools.

All she cares about is her own survival.

Even in her ugliest form, she would live—Carmelo was such a pure villain.

Just like the color of her soul, she was pure 'black,' no different from the night.

In the darkest hour of the night, Totland was plunged into despair.

But, in the next instant.

"Mother, you can't do that."

Through the connection of souls, everyone in Tottoland heard that voice.

It was an innocent, childlike voice. Accompanying this voice...

Everyone in Totland then discovered that the pull from the soul seemed to have weakened at that moment.

Their souls began to fall again, returning to their bodies.

But they could still hear Carmelo's angry and incredulous voice: "Lingling!?"

Therefore, they naturally understood the answer.

In fact, they can also see it through 'soul vision'.

On the sea in the center of Tottoland, on the 'Soul Monster' where countless souls have merged—as the soul disintegrated, the soul belonging to 'Charlotte Linlin' has begun to shine its last light once more.

She was clear and transparent, a naive pink.

Yes—in the final moments of her soul's shattering, the old woman's monstrous soul was finally about to separate.

Charlotte Linlin's soul also awakened from its slumber.

What she did was quite obvious.

"Lingling, you monster—how many more times are you going to ruin my plans?!"

At that moment, Sister Carmel's roar was filled with desperate resentment.

"nun."

But Lingling just smiled.

"Totland is home, and everyone here is 'family'."

That was her lifelong wish to live to 100.

"What a load of bull! You bastard!"

Sister Carmel was furious.

This girl is always like this, always like this—she's clearly a little girl, yet her soul and body are incredibly powerful, suppressing her for so many years.

The same thing happened at that birthday party back then—she had clearly planned to hand over the children of the Lamb's House to the government to be sold into slavery after the party, and even put enough drugs in the cakes.

But Lingling, with her monstrous physique, was completely unaffected by this and instead devoured her.

Now, at the most crucial moment, they've come out to ruin her plans again.

But at this moment.
"Oh no, what happened?!"

How did Lingling's birthday party go?

"I think I fell asleep?"

Deep within Carmelo's soul, a voice arose once more.

Those were the confused voices of children.

In the dim light, one could almost see the shadows of the old woman's fragmented soul.

Long-armed tribe, Long-legged tribe, Fish-man tribe, Flower tribe
Yes.

Those were the children from 'Lamb's House' back then.

As their souls crumbled and Sister Carmel's suppression of them gradually disappeared.

They woke up too.

"I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to hurt anyone."

At that moment, Lingling also apologized, saying, "I'm sorry, I'm a monster."

But obviously.

"What are you talking about?"

"What harm? We're comrades!"

Just as mentioned before.

At the birthday party that Lingling didn't remember exactly what happened, the children had actually already fallen asleep under the influence of the nun's sleeping pills.

Over the years, their weak souls have been unable to clearly understand everything that has happened in the outside world.

Therefore, of course they couldn't understand what Lingling was saying.

However, there was one thing they vaguely remembered.

"I don't know what happened, but I seem to remember today is my birthday?"

"Idiot, it's not today, it's tomorrow. I think it's tomorrow?"

"You're the idiot! Today is tomorrow—look, the sun has already risen!"

The words fell.

The souls of the people of Totland returned to their bodies.

"."

They looked up in surprise, and then they did see it.

At the edge of the sea.

The sun has already risen.

A new day has arrived.

And on this day...
It's Charlotte Linlin's birthday.

Everyone instinctively looked at the live stream again.

At this moment, on the sea in Totland.

"Lingling!" *N
The cheers were joyful and exhilarating; the children's voices were like the rising sun.

Happy Birthday! *N
And in the center of their jubilation, surrounded by countless 'soul stars' belonging to the Homies and the people of Totland.

Charlotte Linlin's soul is being surrounded.

Thank you everyone!

Then, Lingling let out a laugh filled with emotion and joy.

Meanwhile, Sister Carmelo might still be making sounds nearby.

But no one cared.

"."

The people of Totland exchanged glances.

then
Happy Birthday, Your Majesty!

"Thank you, Queen of Totland!"

I don't know who started it.

But such a sound, a moment later, resounded throughout the entire Totland!

The end of the year 1517 in the Haiyuan calendar.

Six-year-old Charlotte Linlin has finally turned seven.

As with every previous one, the birthday tea party was very lively.

This is only natural.

Tottoland is always a place of feasts and dances, a place of laughter and sweetness.

Totland is the 'dreamland'.

Totland is Charlotte Linlin's home.

　My heart was really uncomfortable last night, so I'm planning to go to the emergency room this afternoon for a 24-hour ECG to check.

　　So I'll only be updating two chapters today, consider it a short weekend break.

　　Regarding the time issue, that was my own mistake.

　　Because I had already decided on the ending from the very beginning of the "Auntie" chapter, it would be the content of this chapter: "The sun rises, her birthday arrives, and Lingling celebrates her 7th birthday surrounded by people." The reason I initially designed this tea party as a "birthday tea party" was for this purpose.

　　However, I was feeling unwell while writing the Wang Zhi section, and the renovations upstairs were also making me dizzy, so I forgot to write many details (including a main plot foreshadowing that I forgot to plant, which is still giving me a headache). Also, there was supposed to be a slice-of-life scene on Whole Cake Island after defeating Wang Zhi (preparing food for a tea party, and building up the atmosphere before the battle), but I cut it because the pacing was bad. As a result, the sunrise scene might feel a bit abrupt now [it feels like the battle lasted a long time, but my original plan was that the battle would officially start on the night before the tea party and end at sunrise].

　　It was my fault, I apologize.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)