Boom!
With a deafening explosion, the ground within a several-hundred-meter radius instantly transformed into mochi, churning violently as countless thick tentacles wrapped in dense black Armament Haki lashed out toward Xiano like a raging storm.
This technique was called "Falling Rain Mochi."
One of Katakuri's ultimate killing moves, executable only in his Awakened state, each tentacle carried terrifying penetrating force. Meanwhile, Xiano's figure flickered between the mochi tentacles and thunderbolts. Even with his full concentration in such extreme conditions, he still occasionally took hits.
Yes.
After realizing Xiano's physical resilience far exceeded expectations, Katakuri had revised the rules, drastically increasing the difficulty. Xiano now had to rely purely on Observation Haki to predict and evade both Katakuri's attacks and the ceaseless lightning strikes from above—all while his senses were impaired. A single misstep would disrupt his rhythm, leaving him vulnerable to dozens or even hundreds of consecutive strikes.
Each training session lasted an hour, followed by a two-minute break for Xiano to reflect before immediately diving into the next round. Under these brutal conditions, Xiano felt like a naked newbie in a video game, fresh out of the tutorial, suddenly facing a rabid endgame boss.
By dawn, he had endured at least a thousand hammering blows and over a hundred "Five Thunder Strikes." Restricted from using even a trace of Haki, even his body bore several bruises and gashes.
But...
His progress was equally staggering.
As time passed, his failure count per round steadily decreased. The initial rounds saw triple-digit failures, but soon it dropped to dozens, then teens... By sunrise, his latest round had only nine failures.
The immediate, frequent positive feedback invigorated Xiano, fueling his relentless drive. Meanwhile, Katakuri began sensing something amiss...
...
Time flew.
Seven days later, at dawn, Xiano stood calmly atop Thunder God Island's central black peak, eyes closed amidst the thunderstorm.
"Final round," Katakuri called out nearby, his voice frail, face pale with dark circles under his eyes—as if completely drained. "Are you ready, sir?"
Xiano didn't answer, merely nodding slightly.
Whoosh!
Katakuri activated his power instantly. The surrounding black rock terrain morphed into a Mochi Sea, countless Armament Haki-wrapped tentacles erupting from the ground. Simultaneously, the thunderclouds above churned violently, unleashing multiple lightning pillars.
The assault was even fiercer than seven days prior—a fully upgraded version. Yet Xiano's figure wove through the attacks like a phantom. His movements appeared unhurried, yet he dodged every strike with minimal effort, strolling through the chaos as if taking a leisurely walk.
Finally, the time was up.
Katakuri staggered, nearly falling backward, but managed to brace himself with his palms, kneeling halfway as he gasped for breath.
It had been pure torment!
Over these seven days, aside from eating and drinking, he had barely rested at all.
Not only did he have to maintain his Awakened state continuously, but he also had to constantly adjust his attack rhythm, ensuring each round of training precisely challenged Lord Xiano's limits.
By now, he was utterly drained—more exhausted than if he had fought ten battles against opponents of his own caliber.
As the instructor, he should have been the one at ease. How could it be this agonizing?
Meanwhile, Lord Xiano?
Still full of energy, glowing with vitality. Throughout these seven days, he had mostly been in this state. Even when he occasionally showed slight fatigue, a hearty meal would immediately restore him to peak condition.
Now, Katakuri finally understood why the crew of the Curtain Closer had looked at him with those expressions. He couldn't help but wonder…
With this man's physique and recovery ability, if he ever clashed with Big Mom in the future, how long would it take for her to subdue him?
Five days and nights?
Probably not even enough…
Before the battle could be decided, Big Mom would likely… starve to death first.
"Compared to the first day, I doubled my attack speed at full power, constantly varied my rhythm, and mixed in numerous feints," Katakuri said, watching Lord Xiano approach with a bitter smile and a shake of his head.
"Yet, you achieved zero mistakes five times in a row under these conditions. Such progress is terrifying… My lord, I'm afraid I no longer qualify to instruct you in Observation Haki."
"Don't be so modest, Katakuri!"
Lord Xiano laughed heartily, reaching out to help him up. "You've worked hard," he said sincerely.
Regardless of whether Katakuri had stayed purely to safeguard the Charlotte Family's interests, to forge goodwill with him, or to secretly probe the strength of his crew—
These seven days of training, from planning to execution, had undoubtedly been a genuine, wholehearted effort.
The results were outstanding, far surpassing those of a certain mediocre teacher and rivaling even Teacher Kai's three strikes.
Now, Lord Xiano's Observation Haki had improved dramatically. While it still couldn't compare to Katakuri's, it was no longer inferior to most opponents of his level, finally filling the gap in his abilities.
"No need for formalities."
Katakuri steadied himself, his face still pale, but his eyes gleamed as he smiled faintly.
"Assisting Lord Xiano has been my honor. If you remember this bond and attend the Tea Party on time, that would mean more than anything."
After these days and nights together, his estimation of Lord Xiano had only risen.
This young man, younger than himself, was not only immensely powerful but clearly still had untapped potential for further growth.
A monster like this, entering the New World, would inevitably stir up storms in the seemingly stable balance of the Four Emperors. Peace wouldn't last long.
Of course, if he were sailing alone, with his temperament, there'd be no need to humble himself like this.
But the Charlotte Family was vast, with many young siblings relying on his protection.
For the sake of the nation their siblings and mother had worked tirelessly to build over the years—Totto Land—so that it could endure for generations.
Such a person could only be befriended, never provoked...
...
That evening, the specialized Observation Haki training officially came to an end.
Katakuri also prepared to take his leave, setting off on his journey back to Totto Land.
For such an occasion, a feast was absolutely essential.
To express their gratitude, Xiano specifically asked Zeff to unleash his culinary skills, preparing a lavish table of delicious dishes. Dozens of desserts were laid out, with over ten different flavors of donuts alone.
Hazelnut chocolate, strawberry cream, caramel sea salt... the variety was dazzling, covering more than half the table.
To think it could cater so perfectly to his tastes?
Katakuri held back, restraining himself again and again.
But in the end, he couldn't resist. His face lit up with joy as he grabbed two handfuls of donuts, stuffing them into his mouth with abandon.
In the blink of an eye, he devoured every last donut, transforming himself into a plump, round ball.
The crew members, who had initially regarded him as a cold and aloof powerhouse, now watched in stunned silence as his image crumbled before their eyes.
As dusk deepened, everyone watched as the round ball, clutching his stomach, made a loud "Duang" sound leaping off the ship. With a cheerful wave to those on board, he turned and departed.
Yes, just like that...
Without even using a boat.
His method of travel somewhat resembled Aokiji's—utilizing his Awakened powers to turn the sea beneath his feet into Mochi, then wobbling forward like jelly, propelling himself further and further away—
"Devil Fruits truly are miraculous things."
Witnessing this scene, Xiano couldn't help but marvel once more.
Even the most seemingly useless fruit could flourish in the hands of someone exceptionally gifted.
Of course, there were also the opposite cases—wasteful fools who squandered powerful fruits...
"Master, master~!"
Just then, a voice called out from behind.
"Hm?" He responded absentmindedly.
"Come with me for a bit! I think I found that thing Katakuri mentioned—something about Rocks' treasure!"
"Huh?"
Xiano turned his head, staring in astonishment. "There's really treasure?"
The next second, he suddenly realized something was off. "Who's speaking? Who called me master?"
The voice was unfamiliar—though it sounded like a youthful, charming girl, it didn't match Nami or Nojiko's voices at all...
"Over here, look here~"
The girl's voice came again. Xiano followed the sound to an empty dining table nearby.
There, a white catgirl with pointed ears knelt on one knee, her right paw placed over her chest as she bowed respectfully. Raising her head, she blinked playfully with a smile:
"It was me calling you, master~"
(End of Chapter)