One Piece: I, the Strongest Intern of the Roger Pirates

After tossing the gourmet cake to Charlotte Linlin, Fang Yi carefully observed her reaction while slowly backing away. Seeing that she genuinely didn't seem inclined to stop him, he let out a silent sigh of relief.

He wasn't under any illusion that he could survive another of her attacks—the fact that his Evasion skill had triggered earlier was already a massive stroke of luck.

"Hey… That cake—got any more?"

Just as Fang Yi was about to slip away, Charlotte Linlin turned around with cake crumbs still on her lips, eyeing him intently.

"Nope. There's no way I'd have a bunch of something that rare!" Fang Yi shook his head.

"None?" Linlin's eyes narrowed.

"Then tell me where you got it. Tell me, and I'll let you go."

Fang Yi froze for a moment—how was he supposed to answer that?

"You don't want to say?"

Her eyes now tinged with red, Fang Yi immediately realized—she was falling into a hunger craze.

He reached instinctively for another gourmet cake in his inventory...

But then he suddenly paused.

Wait a minute—this might be an opportunity.

Putting on a conflicted expression, he replied:

"That kind of gourmet cake… It's from Gourmet Island. They've got tons of incredible food like that! But…"

"But what?" Linlin stared him down.

"But I don't know how to get there! I've heard only powerful pirate captains receive invitations. I was only able to go once because I followed my captain."

Fang Yi rubbed his head awkwardly.

"Still, your captain is the mighty Rocks, right? I bet he's been invited. Maybe he's even been there already—you should ask him!"

As expected, Linlin seemed half-convinced.

Normally, she wouldn't fall for such a weak attempt at misdirection. But her brain had essentially shut off—her body was calling the shots now, driven entirely by her obsession with food.

"If you don't believe me, I'll go with you to find your captain," Fang Yi offered.

"If I'm lying, you can kill me on the spot, can't you?"

"Very well."

Her bloodshot eyes and expression were terrifying, but Fang Yi knew—the key now was to show no fear.

"Of course," he replied with full confidence.

Linlin didn't give him a chance to resist. She grabbed him by the back of the neck and sprinted straight toward the battlefield.

Fang Yi struggled and complained the entire way, saying it was embarrassing, but Linlin ignored him completely.

Thankfully, the system notified him that he had successfully "checked in" Charlotte Linlin, which gave him a tiny bit of consolation.

BOOM!

With a single leap, Linlin carried him straight to the center of the battlefield.

Roger, Garp, and Rocks all paused mid-fight, shocked by the sudden arrival.

"Gahahaha! Linlin! Perfect timing—let's finish them off together!"

Rocks beamed at the sight of her—after all, she was one of his own.

Roger, however, looked grim. Not only had they gained another powerful enemy… Fang Yi had been captured.

"Hey! Let Fang Yi go—he's my crewmate!" Roger shouted.

Seeing that Roger looked ready to charge in, Fang Yi quickly shouted back:

"Wait, wait! Captain! Do you remember that gourmet cake we got on Gourmet Island—the one you said was insanely good?"

"Huh?" Roger blinked, not understanding why Fang Yi was bringing that up now.

Still, the thought of that cake made him unconsciously swallow.

"Didn't you say you ran out? Don't tell me you managed to make more?"

Crap! Fang Yi cursed inwardly.

To explain the cake's origins before, he'd told the crew he had made it, but that the ingredients were rare, so he couldn't make many.

He hadn't expected Roger to suddenly mention that now.

"So that cake was made by you…"

Charlotte Linlin's red eyes locked onto Fang Yi, sending chills down his spine.

Rocks and Garp were both completely confused at this point.

Fang Yi gave a bitter laugh.

He knew it—Roger was terrible at playing along.

If Rayleigh were here, he would've picked up on the plan instantly.

The original plan had been to stir conflict between Rocks and Linlin—maybe even plant a cake on Rocks and use Linlin's food obsession to turn her against him.

Then, while she attacked Rocks, Fang Yi could check in on him too.

But now, thanks to Roger's big mouth, the plan was ruined.

Still, he had no other choice. He had to go for it anyway.

Clenching his teeth, Fang Yi reached into his cloak, pulled out one last gourmet cake, and hurled it toward Rocks.

"Captain Rocks! This is the last gourmet cake I have—I'm giving it to you!" he shouted.

As expected, everyone's attention turned toward the flying cake.

Charlotte Linlin's eyes lit up instantly. She stared at the cake, drooling… then charged forward.

Rocks, however, was suspicious.

He saw Fang Yi toss something and then immediately run, so he assumed it was a bomb or a trap.

Without hesitation, he sliced the cake into pieces with one swift strike.

"The cake… MY CAKE!!"

Seeing her beloved dessert destroyed, Linlin—already in a frenzy—completely snapped.

She glared at Rocks, foam at the corners of her mouth.

"Linlin! Don't fall for that brat's tricks! Once the battle is over, I'll get you all the cake you want!"

Rocks tried to calm her down.

"Captain! I'm leaving this to you!"

Fang Yi shouted as he ran toward Roger.

"That was the last one! You know how hard the ingredients are to find—I can't make any more! And if she doesn't get what she wants, she goes berserk! Good luck!"

Then, he disappeared into the chaos.

"Eh?"

Roger was dumbfounded.

Charlotte Linlin looked like she was about to attack Rocks.

He and Garp exchanged a look and silently agreed to step back for now.

Linlin's mental state was unstable. If they intervened and she turned her rage on them, it'd be a disaster.

"Cake… gourmet cake…"

Linlin muttered over and over, her eyes still glued to the spot where the cake had been.

Rocks' slash destroying the cake replayed in her mind on a loop, driving her mad.

"Linlin…"

Rocks' smile faded.

"Cut the jokes. Now's not the time."

Linlin froze.

For a brief moment, fear flashed across her face.

If Fang Yi had seen that, he would've been shocked.

One of the future Four Emperors, a top-tier force in the seas, showing fear just from being scolded?

Unbelievable.

But soon, the scent of the ruined cake and her growing madness pushed her past the limit.

Ashamed of her hesitation, Linlin let out a scream and swung her massive blade toward Rocks.

BOOM!!

Rocks raised his sword and blocked it, but his face darkened.

"So… you've made your choice, Linlin. In that case… don't blame me."

With that, he kicked her weapon away and unleashed a devastating slash across her chest.

BOOM!!!

Charlotte Linlin was sent flying, landing hard and lying motionless on the ground.

Even if she was in a crazed, unstable state… the fact that Rocks defeated her in one blow was proof of how terrifyingly strong he truly was.

"Tsk tsk tsk… So this is the legendary Captain Rocks. One of the future Four Emperors taken down like a child…"

Fang Yi had already climbed to a nearby rooftop, watching the center of the battlefield from afar.

"Though to be fair… Linlin's not in her prime yet. But still, that's scary power."

The whole city was in chaos now.

The Pirate Alliance and Marines clashed violently, but when they encountered members of the Rocks Pirates, they momentarily united to fight back.

The Roger Pirates had the fewest numbers, so they focused on high-value targets like Rocks' officers and lieutenants.

Rayleigh was fighting Wang Zhi, and they seemed evenly matched.

But Fang Yi could tell—Rayleigh wasn't going all out.

Jabba and Yamon—Fang Yi's mentors—were teaming up against Captain John.

Despite their usual bickering, their coordination was flawless, and they had the upper hand.

Looking down at the ruined luxury district, Fang Yi sighed.

"If this keeps going, this Celestial Dragon resort's gonna be reduced to rubble."

BOOM BOOM BOOM!

In the center, Roger and Garp were once again teaming up to take on Rocks.

The shockwaves were growing more intense—they were getting serious.

"Nope… I can't stay here. Too dangerous."

Fang Yi prepared to withdraw.

But then he realized—

Charlotte Linlin's body was gone.

She'd vanished from where Rocks had sent her flying.

Fang Yi's face paled.

If she comes after me again… I'm done for.

And with that thought, he got the hell out of there.