At this moment, Luffy exuded an aura so intense that it was palpable, sending shivers down the spines of everyone around him. His serious expression, which was rarely seen, signaled the gravity of the situation.
Yes, just his presence alone emitted a dreadful pressure that made even the most seasoned pirates hesitate.
"What a terrifying guy!!!" one of the pirates whispered, his voice trembling.
"Hey, hey, hey! He looks like a kid, but why does his aura feel so oppressive?" another added, clutching his weapon tightly as beads of sweat formed on his brow.
"Don't worry!" a pirate next to him shouted, though even his voice wavered with uncertainty. "Master Katakuri is the strongest! He'll handle this!"
Despite the attempts at reassurance, the pirates couldn't hide their unease as they eyed Luffy, who stood confidently in the face of the formidable Sweet Commander. The air was thick with tension, as if the very atmosphere was responding to the clash of titanic wills.
Katakuri, calm and collected, turned his steely gaze toward Luffy, recognizing the undeniable strength that radiated from him. There was no room for error.
"A guy with impressive strength..." Katakuri muttered under his breath, his sharp eyes narrowing as he studied Luffy more closely. The aura of a warrior, a true rival, was unmistakable.
But his focus shifted momentarily to Logan. "Let my sister go first!" Katakuri demanded, his voice cold and commanding "Come to me if you have any grievances!"
"Ok." Logan didn't hesitate. Without a word of protest or any grand display, he released Charlotte Brûlée, who dropped to the ground unceremoniously.
Brûlée, disheveled and wide-eyed, scrambled to her feet before darting behind her brother, her usual arrogance now replaced by a mixture of fear and indignation. "Brother Katakuri, these people… they're here to cause trouble!" she stammered, her eyes darting back to Logan nervously.
"I know," Katakuri replied, his tone calm yet laced with a deadly edge. "You stay behind me. I'll deal with this."
With a single push of his hand, Katakuri gently moved Brûlée further away, his attention now fully on Luffy. His posture shifted subtly as he dropped the trident he had been holding.
"Hey~? Why are you dropping your weapons again?" Luffy questioned with genuine confusion, tilting his head to the side like a curious child, his wide eyes reflecting his bewilderment.
"Since you don't have a weapon, I won't take advantage of you," Katakuri declared, his lips forming a confident smile. "Prepare to die!!————"
Katakuri's figure blurred, his movement so swift it seemed like he had teleported in front of Luffy. His leg shot out in a kick that, at first, appeared normal, but just as it approached Luffy, the leg split into seven pieces, transforming into mochi tendrils that lashed toward the pirate captain like serpents.
The mochi was coated in the dark sheen of Armament Haki, the advanced kind that few warriors could master—Katakuri was not taking any chances.
"Yanagi Mochi!!——————" he bellowed, his voice reverberating.
The air itself seemed to warp as the seven mochi extensions, empowered by his Haki, rushed toward Luffy with the weight of a mountain behind them, crashing down in an arc of destruction.
Um!?
Luffy's playful demeanor vanished as his eyes sharpened with a warrior's instinct. In an instant, he gauged the danger and reacted.
His right leg shot forward.
But Luffy wasn't done.
As the leg extended, it too became coated in the deep black hue of high-level Armament Haki. His muscles tensed, his foot angled just right, and then—
"Gomu Gomu no Whip!!————————"
Boom!!--
Luffy's kick collided with Katakuri's Yanagi-mochi tendrils, and the resulting shockwave blasted through the entire port like a thunderclap from the heavens.
The sound alone was enough to rattle bones, and the force of their clash sent ripples of energy cascading outward, knocking nearby pirates off their feet. Some dropped their weapons, too stunned to react, while others clutched their heads, trying to protect their eardrums from the deafening impact.
For a brief moment, the world seemed to stand still.
"Um!?" Katakuri's eyes widened, his normally impassive face showing a flicker of disbelief. How was this even possible? His Yanagi Mochi, a technique he had perfected, was being pushed back. He had expected resistance, but not like this.
He could feel it—the overwhelming power in Luffy's kick. It wasn't just the physical force; there was something more. It was as if Luffy was tapping into a deeper well of strength, something that went beyond mere muscle.
Suddenly, the full force of Luffy's attack hit Katakuri like a tidal wave.
Boom!!—
The collision intensified, and the ground beneath them cracked under the pressure. The mochi tendrils that had split from Katakuri's kick recoiled, slamming back into him with a force that nearly knocked him off his feet.
The mochi tendrils hit Katakuri square in the face, and he stumbled backward, momentarily disoriented. Behind him, several of the pirates who had been watching the fight unfold were caught in the aftermath. They screamed as they were launched into the air like ragdolls, their bodies hurtling back toward the ships.
Katakuri, despite his strength, was thrown back. His mind raced, trying to comprehend how this young pirate captain had managed to repel him so effectively.
When he finally regained his footing, Katakuri stared at Luffy, his expression unreadable but his heart pounding in his chest. This boy—this Straw Hat—was no ordinary pirate.
After a moment of silence, Katakuri wiped the blood from his nose with the back of his hand and locked eyes with Luffy. His voice was low, dangerous. "I admit it... I underestimated you. But now... let me see what you're truly capable of!!!"
His hands slammed into the ground with a force that sent ripples through the mochi-covered surface.
"Flowing Mochi!!————"
Boom!!!
As Katakuri's powers awakened to their full potential, everything around them began to morph. The earth itself, the buildings, the very air seemed to dissolve into the sticky, elastic substance. Mochi swirled and coalesced, forming waves and columns, towering structures of pure mochi, all controlled by Katakuri's will.
The ground lost its hardness and became a rolling sea of mochi, every step squelching underfoot.
"What a smell! It smells so good!!!" Luffy, unfazed by the transformation, sniffed the air like a dog on the hunt for food. His eyes sparkled with delight as he scooped up a handful of the mochi from the ground and stuffed it into his mouth.
"Luffy! Why did you eat it!!!" Usopp cried out, his eyes wide with horror.
"Idiot! How dare you eat something the enemy conjured up!!!" Nami was furious, slapping her forehead in frustration at her captain's antics.
Katakuri, still focused on the battle, couldn't help but feel a twinge of confusion at Luffy's behavior.
"This boy... What in the world is he thinking?"
But he had no time to dwell on Luffy's quirks. The battlefield was set, and his powers were fully awakened.
Huluhu~~~
The mochi began to surge like waves on a stormy sea, creating enormous ridges that twisted and grew, rising higher and higher into the sky until they resembled giant mochi serpents. The sheer scale of the mochi pillars was staggering, each one capable of crushing a mountain.
Katakuri manipulated them with precision, his arms directing the flow like a conductor leading an orchestra.
"Raindrop Mochi!!"
The pillars lunged downward with terrifying speed, aiming to crush Luffy beneath their massive weight. The ground shook as the mochi rained down with the force of a hurricane, and a thick cloud of dust and debris billowed into the air, obscuring everything.
Cracks splintered through the earth, the sheer destructive force enough to break apart the mochi-covered ground.
For a moment, everything was chaos.
"Hiss! What a terrifying attack... Is this the strength of Katakuri, the leader of the Sweet Commander!?" one of the pirates gasped, his face pale as he watched the carnage unfold.
"It's so scary!! The whole ground is cracked!!"
"Fortunately, the ground was turned into mochi by Katakuri-sama, or Whole Cake Island might have been destroyed!"
"That guy's done for, right?"
"Of course...!! Who could possibly survive that!?"
The pirates were in awe, their eyes wide with admiration for Katakuri's devastating power.
But while the enemy pirates celebrated prematurely, the Straw Hat crew remained calm. Their expressions were as steady as the ocean after a storm.
Charlotte Brûlée noticed this, her smug smile widening. "You're all putting on a brave face now, but I'm sure you're quaking in your boots inside!" she sneered, satisfied with what she thought was her inevitable victory.
"Yohohoho~~~" Brook chuckled softly, pulling out his violin. As he began to play, a melody filled the air—one that was both haunting and invigorating. He looked at Charlotte Brûlée and smiled mischievously, "Your brother may have awakened his devil fruit, but he's not the only one who knows the power of awakening~~~"
Suddenly, a new sound joined Brook's violin—a rhythmic beat, like the pounding of war drums, deep and resonant.
Boom... Boom...
It echoed through the battlefield like the steady heartbeat of a giant.
As the sound reverberated, a strange energy surged through the air, stirring something primal within everyone present.
"What is that sound?" one of the pirates muttered, feeling a strange tingling sensation in his chest.
"Hey, hey, hey!!! I feel like my blood is boiling!!!" another cried, his face flush with sudden excitement.
"Yes! I've never felt so alive!!!" someone else shouted, raising their arms to the sky in euphoria.
"Everything, everything... I feel like nothing can hold me back!!!" one of the pirates began to dance in place, his feet moving to the beat of the drums.
"Damn it! Why do I suddenly want to dance!?"
"Wait, you too?!"
"I thought I was the only one! This sound... it's making me want to move!!!"
=========================
[More Chapter Available at p@treon.com/goldengaruda]
=========================
"What is this sound?"
When the war drums echoed through the air, Katakuri froze for a moment. His Observation Haki, honed to near-perfection, quickly pinpointed the origin of the sound—it was coming from Luffy. However, the sound wasn't just ordinary drumming. There was something primal about it, something infectious. Like everyone else, Katakuri felt his blood stirring, as if a fire had been lit deep within him.
The feeling was strange yet exhilarating—a pure, unbridled sense of freedom. For a fleeting moment, Katakuri could almost taste it. Freedom... The word resonated in his mind, a luxury he had long since abandoned. As the leader of the Sweet Commanders and a vital pillar of the Charlotte family, Katakuri had been shackled by the weight of duty and expectations for as long as he could remember. Though feared and respected, he was never free.
in the One Piece series, when Luffy defeated Katakuri, he had let himself fall, not because he lacked the strength to continue, but because he was exhausted—tired of the weight on his shoulders, the constant need to be perfect. Lying on his back, touching the ground for the first time, he had felt a strange kind of peace. For once, he had let go.
And now, hearing the drumbeat of freedom from Luffy, it stirred something deep inside him. Katakuri felt an overwhelming resonance. This boy, this reckless pirate captain, had what Katakuri longed for but could never grasp—true freedom. It was a tantalizing concept, always within reach but never his to claim.
Suddenly, laughter filled the air, breaking his thoughts.
"Ahahahaha~~~"
The mochi that had swallowed Luffy transformed, its pliable texture shifting into something rubbery, like a thick elastic band stretched to its limits. With a loud duang!, the mochi peeled away, and Luffy emerged, his laughter infectious and carefree.
"Wow, Ahahaha!!! It's the same heartbeat sound again! So funny~~~" Luffy exclaimed, his hands on his head, laughing like a child discovering a new game.
Katakuri's eyes narrowed, his usually stoic demeanor cracking with surprise. "What's happening with his hair?" he murmured, noting the strange, almost ethereal white ribbon-like substance floating around Luffy's body.
"And what's with that white ribbon? Is this a new form?" Katakuri's voice betrayed his confusion as he stared at Luffy, now fully transformed.
Luffy's grin widened, his eyes gleaming with excitement. "Wow, Ahahaha!!! Come on, let's have a good fight now!"
Without warning, Luffy launched himself at Katakuri, his arms stretching into rocket-like punches that tore through the air with raw power.
"Is he trying to aim for my chin?" Katakuri thought, instinctively activating his advanced Observation Haki. He could see it clearly—the trajectory of Luffy's attacks, the exact moment his fists would connect. With his devil fruit ability, Katakuri morphed into mochi, effortlessly dodging Luffy's punches, each strike missing by mere inches as he predicted the boy's every move.
The rubber fists grazed Katakuri's body, leaving indentations in the mochi form, but nothing that couldn't be repaired. He smiled grimly as his body reformed from the battering. "Boy, no matter what your abilities are, my Observation Haki has been honed to predict the future. No matter how much you want to attack me, I will see it coming."
Katakuri's body shifted as he regenerated, replenishing his form with more mochi until he looked as fresh and imposing as ever. His stance was firm, his expression one of confidence. You cannot hit what you cannot catch.
"Awesome..." Logan, watching the battle unfold from the sidelines, couldn't help but admire Katakuri's skill. This was a man who had pushed his Observation Haki to the absolute limit, capable of seeing moments into the future. Katakuri wasn't just relying on talent—he had trained, refined, and perfected his abilities through sheer force of will and relentless perseverance.
In a world filled with pirates and warriors, many had talent, but few had the discipline to push themselves to their ultimate potential. Katakuri was one of those rare individuals who had earned his place at the top through both natural ability and unyielding effort. He truly deserved to be called strong.
As Luffy continued to laugh, his footsteps seemed to sink deeper into the mochi beneath him. His weight seemed to increase with each step, yet he moved as lightly as ever.
Duang!
The rubberized ground beneath Luffy's feet bounced, launching him high into the air. His body twirled like a spinning top, his arms winding back as he prepared his next move. "Dawn Gatling!!————"
Luffy's fists multiplied, raining down from the sky like a barrage of missiles, each one aimed directly at Katakuri. The sheer volume of attacks was overwhelming, and the speed at which they flew made it seem as though hundreds of fists were coming at once.
Katakuri remained calm, his body shifting into mochi once again as he used his Observation Haki to predict each strike. "I've already told you," he said, his voice steady. "No matter where you attack from, I can predict your moves."
Once again, he dodged effortlessly, his body twisting and morphing to avoid Luffy's Gatling assault. But as he prepared to launch his counterattack, a sudden sensation gripped him—a sharp, dangerous feeling.
Something's wrong.
Katakuri's eyes widened as his heartbeat quickened, his Observation Haki screaming at him that something had changed. Despite avoiding the direct strikes, he realized that Luffy's punches were bouncing off the rubberized mochi ground and redirecting back at him.
Luffy's fists, having sunk into the rubber ground, were bouncing back unpredictably with even more force. Hundreds of fists, each rebounding at different angles, ricocheted toward Katakuri from all directions, faster than he could predict.
"What!?" Katakuri gasped as the flurry of punches, now unpredictable and wild, rained down on him. His Observation Haki, usually flawless, faltered under the chaos of Luffy's rebounding attack.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Several of Luffy's Haki-infused punches landed solidly on Katakuri's body, sending waves of pain crashing through him. His mochi form, though resilient, couldn't stop the onslaught of Haki-coated blows.
Katakuri's body trembled, and his knees buckled as he fell to the ground, blood dripping from his mouth. He knelt, using his hands for support, his face covered in bruises and scars from the relentless assault.
"What... what just happened?" Katakuri muttered, his voice shaky. He coughed, spitting more blood onto the rubberized ground, his confusion evident. "Why... why couldn't I predict your attacks...?"
Before Luffy could respond, Logan stepped forward with a smile. "It's simple, Katakuri. Luffy wasn't aiming at you directly. His punches were meant to hit the ground, to use the rubber's rebound force to strike you in unpredictable ways. Your Observation Haki is strong, but it can't predict something that's not initially aimed at you."
Katakuri's eyes widened in realization. "He... wasn't attacking me directly? He used the environment..." His body trembled as he tried to rise to his feet, but his injuries were too severe. The damage was far greater than he had anticipated.
"Cough..." A violent cough wracked his body, and another mouthful of blood spilled from his lips. "How... how could this happen? When did I become so fragile?"
Luffy, standing before him with his signature grin, scratched his head sheepishly. "Ah~ Sorry! That last punch was a serious punch, Shishishi."
Katakuri stared at Luffy, processing his words. Serious punch? he thought. Is there even such a thing as a 'serious punch'? Aren't all punches supposed to be serious? He tried to smile but felt an unsettling sense of defeat. How could he have been so thoroughly beaten?
Little did Katakuri know, this was the first time Luffy had thrown a serious punch in his Nika form—the result of training in the world of One Punch Man. It was a punch of pure strength, backed by his enhanced abilities.
Katakuri took a deep breath, forcing himself to stand, his willpower stronger than his body's current state. He may have been beaten physically, but his spirit remained unbroken.
"Boy," he said, his voice regaining some of its former strength, "I want to know your name."
Katakuri's eyes blazed with newfound determination as he looked at Luffy. This boy, this force of nature, was now his target. No matter how strong Luffy was, Katakuri's ambition burned brighter than ever. I, Katakuri, will never admit defeat.
=========================
[More Chapter Available at p@treon.com/goldengaruda]
=========================
Você também pode gostar
Comentário de parágrafo
O comentário de parágrafo agora está disponível na Web! Passe o mouse sobre qualquer parágrafo e clique no ícone para adicionar seu comentário.
Além disso, você sempre pode desativá-lo/ativá-lo em Configurações.
Entendi