AN : There is a limited time discount running on my Patreon page. Check it out and enjoy the story further. Kaido has been clashing with Marco!!
CODE - 1E57A!!
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Seeing Oven safely pulled back, Katakuri finally let out a quiet breath. At the same time, his gaze sharpened as he turned his full attention to Ace.
This was no ordinary opponent.
To reach such a level of strength at such a young age—this alone was enough to earn Katakuri's respect.
"You truly live up to your reputation as the Pirate King's son," Katakuri said calmly. "This level of power is impressive."
He paused, his tone turning colder.
"If you were given more time, you might truly be able to stand on equal footing with me. But as you are now… you are not strong enough to challenge me."
Ace answered with action.
Flaming bullets streaked through the air as fire bullets tore toward Katakuri, each shot passing straight through his body as if he were made of mist.
Ace grinned.
"So it really is like a Logia. No—more like mochi-fication."
His eyes narrowed with focus.
"But that's Observation Haki, isn't it? Future sight."
"I've already heard about you from Marco," Ace continued confidently. "Sorry, but from now on, you're my opponent. I won't let you interfere with him."
Katakuri's expression darkened.
Blades and blunt force meant little to him, but flames were another matter. High temperatures were something even mochi couldn't ignore.
He spoke coldly, his voice edged with menace.
"What is it, Fire Fist? You survived Marineford, only to come rushing here to die by my hands?"
Ace smiled—not arrogantly, but resolutely.
"I thought I was going to die at Marineford too. But since I survived… I'm going to live properly."
"And I won't be killed by you."
"Flame Realm—!"
In an instant, a sea of fire erupted outward, forming a blazing domain that swallowed both Ace and Katakuri within its inferno.
Katakuri's pupils contracted.
Ace's voice rang through the flames.
"Your power is mochi, right? Then to me, you're just an ingredient."
"Let me char you—Mirror Fire Flame!"
Seeing Ace open with such a large-scale attack, Katakuri didn't dare take it lightly.
"Mochi Wall!"
A massive wall of mochi, hardened with Armament Haki, rose to block the flames.
Boom!
The fire crashed into it violently. Even with Haki reinforcement, the mochi surface began to blacken and scorch.
Katakuri's eyes turned icy.
His arms morphed, hardening into Gatling-gun-like forms aimed straight at Ace.
"Peerless Mochi Blade Bullets."
Bang! Bang! Bang!
A storm of mochi bullets, each reinforced with Armament Haki, tore through the air.
"Flame Realm!"
Ace raised a blazing barrier, but this time the bullets didn't melt.
They punched straight through the flames.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Several shots struck Ace. Even in his elemental state, pain flared as wounds formed across his body.
Ace's expression hardened.
Facing an unending barrage of Armament-Haki-coated bullets, he could no longer afford to be careless.
"Fire Pillars!"
Columns of flame erupted, intercepting and melting many of the incoming projectiles—but several still slipped through, forcing Ace to dodge rapidly.
"Tch…" Ace muttered, eyes sharp.
"So it's not just Observation Haki."
"I didn't expect your Armament Haki to be this strong too."
The air crackled with heat and tension as the clash between fire and mochi escalated—neither side willing to give an inch.
At first, Ace had believed Katakuri's threat lay solely in his terrifying Observation Haki—but now he understood the truth. Katakuri's Armament Haki was also superior to his own.
'Looks like I really need to push my Haki training harder,' Ace admitted inwardly. 'Otherwise, even with an ability advantage, I'll eventually lose.'
The memory of Marineford surfaced unbidden—his arm frozen and shattered by Aokiji in a single exchange. Back then, his Armament Haki simply hadn't been strong enough.
Since returning to the New World, Ace had thrown himself into Haki training, but barely a month had passed. Compared to Katakuri, the gap was still painfully obvious.
Katakuri regarded him with cold, unwavering eyes and spoke evenly, "Your Devil Fruit is indeed powerful."
"Logia types are acknowledged as the strongest among Devil Fruits—and also the rarest. In the Four Seas, or the first half of the Grand Line, a Logia alone can make someone nearly invincible."
His gaze sharpened.
"But this is the New World."
"If you believe a Logia makes you untouchable here, you will pay a very heavy price."
Ace listened calmly. A faint smile tugged at his lips.
"Thanks for the advice."
"I already knew that."
He straightened, flames flickering around him.
"My Haki still isn't perfect. But I'll say it again—I won't let you out of my sight. I'll keep you right here."
Katakuri frowned slightly.
He had intended those words as psychological pressure—an old habit formed through countless battles and years of honing Observation Haki. Yet Ace showed no hesitation, no wavering at all.
'Fire Fist Ace…' Katakuri thought. 'So he's not easily shaken.'
His gaze shifted briefly across the battlefield.
Smoothie was being held back by Fifteenth Division Commander Fossa.
Cracker was locked down by Eighth Division Commander Namur.
And Marco…
When Katakuri saw Marco deliberately engaging Snack, unease crept into his chest.
He understood their tactics completely—and that was precisely the problem. Even knowing it, he had no way to intervene.
All he could do now was defeat Ace as quickly as possible.
On the other side of the battlefield, Marco faced Snack, one of the Sweet Commanders. A relaxed smile curved his lips.
"So you've decided to take me on," Marco said lightly.
"That's some confidence you've got."
"Hmph." Snack snorted.
He hadn't retreated. As one of the Sweet Commanders, a pillar of the Big Mom Pirates, backing down was never an option.
His siblings were all tied down by enemy commanders. That left only him to face Marco.
"Come on, Marco!" Snack roared. "I won't lose to you!"
He kicked off the ground, charging forward. A translucent layer of sizzling oil spread over his greatsword as he swung.
"Fried-Pan Slash!"
Marco didn't dodge.
Blue flames erupted around him as Armament Haki gathered around his fist. He met the descending blade head-on with a single punch.
Boom!
Scalding oil splashed violently in all directions, some of it striking Marco's body. A sharp burning pain flared across his skin.
Snack grinned—until Marco reached out and gripped the blade barehanded.
Marco sneered, blue flames surging brighter.
"In this world, the most terrifying enemies are the ones who aren't afraid to die."
His grip tightened.
"And I just happen to be one of them."
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