After allocating the stat points, Marco immediately felt his mental strength recover significantly.
He opened his status panel again and reviewed his current attributes.
Name: Marco
Age: 43
Attribute Points: 23,000
Devil Fruit: Zoan Type, Phoenix Form (Awakened)
Devil Fruit Awakening Ability: Flames of Destruction
Haki: Armament Haki (Top Tier), Observation Haki (Top Tier), Conqueror's Haki (Legendary)
Body Techniques: Soru (Top Tier), Rankyaku (Advanced), Moonwalk (Advanced), Tekkai (Top Tier), Shigan (Advanced), Kami-e (Advanced)
Strength: 42,054
Speed: 24,900
Defense: 23,800
Recovery: 60,000
Stamina: 25,100
Mental Power: 31,300
System Combat Power Evaluation: King Level
"So it's still only King Level strength?"
Marco stared at the unchanged evaluation with slight frustration.
After reaching King Level, his growth had slowed dramatically. His basic attributes had already reached extremely high values, yet his overall power refused to rise further.
It seemed that if he wanted to break past this bottleneck, improving his Haki was the only path forward.
Closing the system panel, Marco lifted his gaze toward Saint Nusjuro standing before him. His expression became serious.
Just then, a piercing scream echoed across the battlefield.
"Ahhhhh!!!"
The voice was loud and unmistakable.
It was Big Mom.
"Ma Mama..." Charlotte Katakuri, already half kneeling on the ground, looked toward the sound in shock.
In the distance, Big Mom's right arm had been completely bitten off. The monstrous sandworm form of Saint Peter was chewing on the severed limb as if it were nothing.
King hovered in the air with a grim expression.
"These monsters..."
The Five Elders possessed terrifying physical defense. Breaking through it was already extremely difficult. Even when they managed to inflict damage, the wounds regenerated almost instantly.
It was abnormal.
"Linlin, what the hell are you doing?!" Kaido roared as he continued fighting Saint V. Nusjuro.
As the battle dragged on, even Kaido felt troubled by the opponent's terrifying regeneration.
Although Kaido had discovered a method to bypass their immortality, Saint Nusjuro's defense and recovery were simply overwhelming. Even Kaido's full power attacks could only cause limited damage. It was nowhere near enough to finish the opponent in a single blow.
The battle had turned into a stalemate.
Meanwhile, the Marines who had been losing morale suddenly erupted into cheers when they saw Big Mom injured.
"Saint Peter did it!"
"Once Saint Peter finishes Big Mom, victory will be ours!"
Elsewhere on the battlefield, Portgas D. Ace and Yamato were both breathing heavily as they fought Admiral Aramaki.
Aramaki no longer dared to underestimate the two young fighters.
Whether it was an illusion or not, these two seemed almost impossible to kill. Every time they were pushed back, they returned even stronger, especially Ace.
Not only was Ace powerful, but his flames were extremely effective against Aramaki's forest based abilities.
Yamato glanced toward Big Mom's direction and clicked her tongue.
"What is that old hag doing? Trouble always starts with her."
Ace wiped sweat from his forehead and spoke seriously.
"We can't worry about that right now. What matters is defeating Aramaki as quickly as possible."
Aramaki's expression darkened. His body was covered with burn marks, making him look extremely irritated.
"Arrogant brats!"
As a Marine Admiral, being pushed this far by two younger fighters filled him with anger.
"Just wait," he growled. "Big Mom will never defeat Saint Peter. Once Saint Peter finishes her, Kaido and Marco will be next."
"None of you are leaving this battlefield alive."
Ace's body erupted with blazing flames as he clenched his fists.
"Before that happens, we'll defeat you first. Then we'll go help Marco and the others!"
Not far away, Saint Nusjuro slightly turned his head. A cold smile appeared on his face.
"It seems Saint Peter's battle will be decided soon."
Marco's expression grew darker.
Big Mom was proving to be extremely unreliable.
How could she be pushed to the brink of defeat again after only a few minutes?
Marco focused his gaze back on Saint Nusjuro.
He could no longer afford a prolonged battle.
Although Marco's Phoenix abilities made him extremely suited for endurance fights, Saint Nusjuro clearly possessed a powerful Zoan ability as well, combined with a form of immortality.
Marco's Conqueror's Haki could now bypass that immortality, but even so, fighting a long battle here would be dangerous.
On this battlefield, Big Mom had clearly become the weak link.
Time was running out.
Marco inhaled slowly as blue flames flickered across his body.
If necessary, he would exchange direct blows.
Saint Nusjuro's swordsmanship was terrifying, but Marco had no choice. He needed to end this fight as quickly as possible.
If Big Mom were defeated, the morale of their entire side would collapse.
At that moment, Big Mom clutched the bleeding stump of her right arm while staring at Saint Peter.
The massive sandworm had just finished swallowing her severed limb.
For the first time, the anger in her eyes faded, replaced by fear.
She now understood something clearly.
The Five Elders in their current forms were completely different from the ones she had encountered on Whole Cake Island.
After using the Four Soul Divine Blood, their strength had surpassed that of the Four Emperors.
She was no match for them.
Whether it was Saint Nusjuro or Saint Peter, their power was far beyond her own.
Regret began to creep into Big Mom's mind.
She should never have come to Egghead Island.
These monsters were beyond her ability to deal with.
Even her famous Steel Balloon defense meant nothing in front of them.
Soon, Saint Peter finished swallowing the arm and sneered.
"Among the Four Emperors, you are the weakest."
"What did you say?!"
Big Mom roared in fury.
Since childhood she had been known as a natural born destroyer, a monster feared wherever she went.
Now she was being called weak.
Saint Peter continued calmly.
"All of you are insects. However, Kaido of the Beasts can stall Saint V. Nusjuro. Phoenix Marco has even slain a god."
"Compared to them, you are far too weak."
"For eight hundred years we have seen countless insects like you. If you had quietly ruled your corner of the sea, we would not care."
"But you chose to follow Kaido and Phoenix Marco to challenge the World Government."
"To challenge gods."
"You were merely a tool from the beginning."
"To die here without understanding anything is your most fitting end."
With those words, Saint Peter lunged forward again.
At this moment, Big Mom was panicking.
She could regenerate her arm by sacrificing lifespan, but the entire limb had been devoured.
Restoring it would cost at least ten years of her life.
She was currently sixty seven years old.
Earlier, when fighting Saint Nusjuro, she had already spent three years of lifespan to heal her wounds. In reality, her body was now functioning like that of a seventy year old.
If she sacrificed another ten years, her strength would drop significantly.
After realizing this, Big Mom made a decision without hesitation.
She turned and ran.
Saint Peter watched her fleeing figure with cold eyes.
Over the centuries, he had seen countless people like her.
He snorted.
"As expected of an insect. Running away?"
Despite his lofty position among the Five Elders, Saint Peter understood the importance of morale on the battlefield.
Eliminating a Yonko here would completely break the enemy's spirit.
Without hesitation, he began pursuing Big Mom.
^_________^
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