Kaizer opened his eyes. The first thing he felt was exhaustion.
It was as if he had run a full marathon and then had every last drop of strength drained from his body. Even lifting a finger felt difficult.
He lay in bed — or more accurately, beside Linlin. His body had already returned to its original two-meter height, nestled like a human-shaped doll in the crook of her massive arm.
[System Notification: Adaptive Adjustment ended] [Breeding completed] [Pregnancy detected — Success] [Calculating rewards…]
The cold mechanical voice echoed in his mind, followed by a flood of data:
[Base Reward: Lifespan +100 years (transferable)] [Skill Reward: Candy Art (Intermediate) — A weakened derivative of Charlotte Linlin's Soul-Soul Fruit. Grants basic life force and simple shape-shifting to candy creations.] [Bloodline Evolution: Demi-human Bloodline Fusion increased — Acquired "Pseudo Steel Balloon" trait. Physical resistance +15%] [Special Reward: Soul Affinity — Significantly increased resistance to soul-based attacks. Can now faintly perceive others' emotional fluctuations.] [System Function Unlocked: Bloodline Codex — Real-time monitoring of all direct offspring's life status, potential rating, and ability tendencies.] [Current Offspring Count: 1 (Unborn)] [Offspring Status: Gestating (Due in 5 months)] [Offspring Potential Rating: S (Projected)] [Confirmed Inherited Traits]:
Demi-human Bloodline (Undying Body – Beginner)
Steel Balloon Constitution (Physical Resistance – Beginner)
Soul Affinity (Soul-Soul Fruit Adaptation)
Ghost-Ghost Fruit Resonance (IBM Summoning Potential)
Kaizer pushed himself up into a sitting position. The weakness was slowly fading, replaced by a new surge of power flowing through his body.
He looked down at his arm. A faint metallic sheen covered his skin. When he pressed it, he felt remarkable toughness.
"Pseudo Steel Balloon…" he murmured.
He tried summoning IBM. Shadow and Phantom emerged from the shadows, but their forms were noticeably more solid. The edges of their bandages glowed faintly, and the flow of black particles moved with rhythmic breathing-like regularity.
"Master," Shadow spoke, its voice clearer than before. "Your soul fluctuation intensity has increased by 37%."
"I can feel it," Kaizer replied. He truly could — not just his own soul, but… another massive, warm presence in the room.
He turned to look at Linlin, who was still sound asleep.
Then he froze.
Through his newly acquired Soul Affinity, Linlin was no longer just a "person." What he "saw" was a blazing, constantly spinning soul vortex — powerful and chaotic, yet at its core lay something pure and desperately craving love.
And at the center of that vortex, a tiny, newly formed soul light flickered peacefully.
That was their child.
Kaizer unconsciously reached out, his fingertips hovering above Linlin's abdomen. He didn't need to touch her to sense it — the small life was growing at an astonishing rate, its soul outline becoming clearer with every second.
"Mmm…"
Linlin mumbled in her sleep. Her massive hand unconsciously patted her own belly — the motion nearly swept Kaizer off the bed.
He steadied himself and quietly watched her.
Thirty-year-old Charlotte Linlin looked almost childlike while sleeping. Her pink hair spilled across the pillow, and the corners of her mouth were slightly upturned, as if she were dreaming of sweets. Her hand rested protectively over her lower abdomen, instinctively guarding the life within.
This was the future Emperor Big Mom. But right now, she was simply a young pregnant woman — his wife.
Kaizer suddenly remembered last night — the moment he had grown larger and looked her in the eyes as equals. And her soft whisper at the end: "We're going to have the best children, right?"
He took a deep breath and opened the newly unlocked [Bloodline Codex].
The interface unfolded like a family tree. There was currently only one node labeled "Unnamed (Gestating)." When he tapped it, detailed data appeared:
[Offspring No. 001] [Mother: Charlotte Linlin] [Father: Kaizer] [Estimated Birth Date: Sea Calendar 1480, August (5 months from now)] [Potential Rating: S (Growing)] [Confirmed Inherited Traits]:
Demi-human Bloodline (Undying Body – Beginner)
Steel Balloon Constitution (Physical Resistance – Beginner)
Soul Affinity (Soul-Soul Fruit Adaptation)
Ghost-Ghost Fruit Resonance (IBM Summoning Potential) [Development Status: Healthy] [Mother's Status: Healthy (Soul energy abundant)]
Kaizer closed the interface and carefully climbed out of bed. He needed food — the system had warned that his stamina consumption had reached 85%. He urgently needed to replenish.
In the kitchen on the first floor, Longbread was already there.
The short chef stood on a custom high stool, vigorously flipping eggs with a massive spatula. A dozen eggs sizzled in the pan while whole loaves of bread baked nearby.
"Awake?" Longbread said without turning around. "Where's Linlin?"
"Still sleeping." Kaizer walked to the counter and bit into an apple. "Got anything to eat?"
Longbread glanced at him with a complicated look — vigilance, scrutiny, and a hint of resignation.
"There's meat soup over there. Help yourself." He pointed with the spatula toward a corner pot. "Linlin said yesterday she wanted sweet egg rolls. I'm making them."
Kaizer ladled a bowl of soup and leaned against the counter, drinking slowly. As the hot liquid went down, his strength began to return.
"You seem different," Longbread said suddenly.
Kaizer looked up. "What?"
"Your aura." Longbread turned off the heat and plated the eggs. "Yesterday you were just 'strong.' Today… there's something else."
He jumped down from the stool, walked over, and stared up at Kaizer for a few seconds.
"Soul-Soul Fruit aura," Longbread narrowed his eyes. "But not quite the same. Kid, just how many secrets do you have?"
Kaizer didn't answer. He finished the soup and set the bowl down. "Linlin is pregnant."
Longbread froze.
The kitchen fell silent for a few seconds.
"…How long?" Longbread's voice was quiet.
"It happened last night. The system says five months until birth."
"System?"
Kaizer realized he had slipped up, but it was too late. Longbread's gaze sharpened even more.
"So you really are hiding something strange," he muttered. "Coming back from the dead, growing bigger and smaller, and now you can even predict exactly when Linlin got pregnant…"
He paused, then suddenly gave a cold, knowing smile.
"Whatever. As long as you don't hurt Linlin or betray Totto Land, I don't care what secrets you have." Longbread turned back to plating. "But if I find even the slightest hint of ill intent—"
"I won't," Kaizer cut in. "The child is mine. Linlin is my wife. This is my home."
Longbread looked back at him. The ice in his eyes softened slightly.
"…It had better be."
He finished arranging the sweet egg rolls, added a few slices of ham to the tray, and handed it over.
"Go wake Linlin. Pregnant women need to eat more." Longbread paused. "And during this time, don't let her fight. If anything happens to the baby, I won't forgive you."
Kaizer nodded and picked up the tray.
Back in the bedroom, Linlin was already awake.
She sat on the bed, gently pressing her huge hand against her abdomen. Her face wore an expression of tenderness Kaizer had never seen before.
"Kaizer!" Her eyes lit up when she saw him enter. "Come here!"
Kaizer placed the tray beside the bed. Linlin ignored the food and instead grabbed his hand, pressing it against her belly.
"Can you feel it?" she said excitedly. "A tiny soul! Inside our child!"
Kaizer could indeed feel it. Through Soul Affinity, he clearly sensed the small life forming — warm, pure, like a newly ignited little sun.
"Yes," he nodded. "It's very strong."
"Mamama! Of course it's strong!" Linlin grinned. "My child is definitely going to be the strongest!"
She finally noticed the food, grabbed a sweet egg roll and swallowed it in one bite. While chewing, she said, "I calculated it — the baby will be born in five months! Then we'll have our first child! I already thought of names! If it's a boy, Perospero! If it's a girl, Compote! Mamama!"
Kaizer's heart skipped.
Perospero. The eldest son of the Charlotte family — the Minister of Candy in the original story.
So history… was still following its original path?
Not entirely. In the original timeline, Perospero was born when Linlin hadn't yet established Totto Land this early, and the father certainly wasn't him.
This child would inherit the demi-human bloodline and Steel Balloon constitution. He would be far stronger than in the original story.
"What do you think?" Linlin looked at him expectantly. "Are the names nice?"
"…They're nice," Kaizer said. "But whether it's a boy or girl, health is most important."
"Mamama! Of course!" Linlin swallowed another slice of ham. "But I'm sure it'll be a boy! My first child has to be a strong and smart boy!"
She finished all the food, patted her belly in satisfaction, then suddenly thought of something.
"Oh right!" She jumped off the bed — the motion nearly stopped Kaizer's heart. "Since we're having a child, we need to make Totto Land even better! We have to give our children the best environment!"
She began pacing around the room, her massive footsteps shaking the floor.
"A bigger castle! More candy factories! And schools! Mamama! All the children must study! Learn to fight! Learn to make sweets! Learn how to run a nation!"
Kaizer listened to her plans and suddenly realized something.
Linlin's concept of "family" was twisted, but her love for "children" might be the purest and most genuine part of her soul.
"Linlin," he said. "Before all that, you need to take care of yourself first."
"Hm?" Linlin stopped pacing.
"During pregnancy, you can't overexert yourself, can't fight, and must eat and sleep on time." Kaizer listed them one by one. "Longbread already reminded me. I'll supervise you."
Linlin pouted. "But I wanted to—"
"No buts." Kaizer stood up. Even at two meters tall, his tone left no room for argument. "If you want to give the child the best, you have to stay healthy first. This is for the child."
Linlin stared at him for a few seconds, then grinned.
"Mamama! Fine, fine! You're even naggier than my mom!"
She bent down and gently ruffled Kaizer's hair with her massive hand — the motion surprisingly soft, like petting a kitten.
"Then during this time, Totto Land is in your hands," she said. "Longbread handles the food, you handle everything else. I'll focus on growing our child!"
Kaizer nodded. "Alright."
Linlin stood up straight, satisfied, and walked to the window. She pushed it open.
Morning breeze flowed in, carrying the scent of sea salt and sugar frosting. Below the castle, the residents of Totto Land had already begun their day's work — long-armed craftsmen expanding the port, fish-men clearing the bay, human farmers tending the fields.
"Kaizer," Linlin said with her back to him, her voice unusually calm. "When the child is born, I want to show him the entire Totto Land. Tell him this is the country his mom and dad built together — the one that will one day belong to him."
She paused.
"Do you think he'll like it?"
Kaizer walked to her side and looked up at her profile illuminated by the morning light.
"He will," he said. "He'll be very proud."
Linlin smiled.
She reached out and pulled Kaizer close — the motion still large, but far gentler than before.
The two stood quietly by the window, looking out at the nation they had just begun to build.
Inside Linlin's abdomen, that tiny soul continued to grow quietly.
In the system interface, the data for [Offspring 001] updated in real time:
[Development Progress: 2%]
[Potential Rating: S (↑)]
[Soul Strength: Continuously increasing]
[Estimated Birth Countdown: 149 days, 7 hours, 32 minutes]
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