Chapter 206: Chapter 206: Giants’ Misremembered Loyalty
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!"
At several thousand meters high, a huge azure dragon soared swiftly through the sky, its massive tail whipping as it propelled forward. Three small figures clung to the flame clouds beside it: Shin, accompanied by Violet, Kyros, and Pudding, as they traveled onward.
Violet and Kyros handled the altitude better, but Pudding, who had seldom left Whole Cake Island, screamed loudly. Her voice was filled with a mix of excitement and fear as she experienced flying at such heights for the first time.
Shin soon noticed Pudding's astonishing affinity for genjutsu, possibly due to her Three-Eyed Tribe heritage combined with her Memory-Memory fruit. She had previously unlocked a two-tomoe Sharingan, but now, under the effects of these experiences, it had evolved to three tomoe.
'Perhaps leaving the Big Mom Pirates changed her outlook, pushing her past the bottleneck,' Shin thought, pleased by the progress he observed. He was confident that her unique powers would eventually lead to awakening a Mangekyō Sharingan, maybe surpassing an average Uchiha's capabilities.
Pudding's spiritual strength was naturally augmented thanks to her lineage, particularly after Shin's enhancement of her bloodline. Imitating Linlin's body structure, his current chakra balance was Yang-dominated, an 80/20 split. After incorporating the Three-Eyed tribe physique, the Yang's chakra domination decreased slightly as his spiritual power rose.
Although replicating her Three-Eyed abilities wasn't possible without a third eye, Shin reflected that her physique alone provided remarkable mental boosts and promising future growth.
Beyond Pudding's potential, Shin's enhancements from Big Mom's genes had also made his body unbelievably resilient. He estimated his strength surpassed even the strongest of the Four Emperors, even without chakra or devil fruit abilities. In terms of pure defense, he could withstand anti-tank sniper rounds, and ordinary naval guns posed no threat to him. Only missile-level weaponry could harm him in modern terms, and even that would be mitigated by using Haki. He proudly considered himself one of the most durable beings in the world.
Eventually, as the group traveled, Pudding grew quieter; the cold air and high winds in the sky took their toll. Her initial shouting diminished; by noon, everyone felt the effects of altitude. Spotting a convenient island below, Shin descended, allowing the group to land for a much-needed meal taken from his dark dimension reserves before continuing.
After lunch, they resumed their flight, Violet guiding them toward Kaido's last-known location.
By nightfall, they had reached an island occupied by the Beast Pirates. The sight of Shin's immense dragon form caused immediate alarm among those below, sparking chaos as they observed his unmistakable approach.
Shin transformed into his human form and descended gracefully. After just a few steps, he heard heavy, rumbling footsteps as several giants emerged to confront him.
"Who are you? Why are you here on the territory of the Beast Pirates?" one of the giants demanded.
Before Shin could answer, Pudding stepped forward with a sly grin. Her three-pair Sharingan eyes glowed red, fixing her gaze on the giants. "Have you forgotten, Dasha, Ersha, Sansha? We're part of the Beast Pirates!" she declared.
The giants paused, momentarily confused, as the Sharingan's influence took effect. They scratched their heads, mumbling, "Oh, right… that sounds right. We're serving Shin-sama."
"Yes, yes! Silly us, forgetting such an important thing," the giants agreed.
Violet and Kyros exchanged surprised glances, astonished at Pudding's power. Despite her quiet appearance, she had an impressive ability to influence others.
Pudding gave a smug smile. Thanks to her devil fruit's power combined with her Sharingan, she could easily manipulate memories of those weaker than her with just eye contact. She had even tweaked the giants' names to "Dasha," "Ersha," and "Sansha," purely for amusement.
Shin looked at Pudding with interest. Her powers were similar to his own Kotoamatsukami but less forceful. Despite this, with only her three-tomoe Sharingan, Pudding's memory alteration was already highly effective—a testament to her natural talent.
The giants led the group forward a few more steps when more footsteps approached. Kaido and his right-hand man, King, appeared, both looking wary.
"Ah, it's Boss Kaido! Boss Kaido, Shin-sama is here," the giants called out to their leader.
Kaido's face twisted in irritation while King, visibly annoyed, snapped at the giants. "What are you fools talking about? When did that devil become the boss of the Beast Pirates?!"
"Huh?" The giants looked at each other, bewildered. "But… Shin-sama has always been our leader, hasn't he?"
King clenched his fists and let out a string of muttered curses. Kaido, however, kept his composure and turned to Pudding, who was watching with an amused expression. "Calm down, King," Kaido said gruffly. "Their memories have been tampered with."
He glanced sharply at Pudding. "I know who you are," he continued, narrowing his eyes. "You're Charlotte Pudding, daughter of Big Mom and a member of the Three-Eyed Tribe. It must be you who tampered with their memories."