140. Gion vs Karakuri

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The thunder coursing through Yamato's body crackled menacingly, radiating terrifying strength. With her Haki and determination, she launched a fierce counterattack.

"Raimei Hakke!"

The ground trembled as Yamato's thunderous swing unleashed an incredible burst of Conqueror's Haki.

Invisible waves of raw power rippled outward from her attack, crashing directly into her target with devastating force. Across the battlefield, Katakuri's eyes narrowed, his calm replaced by a determination as he responded with his own surge of Conqueror's Haki.

A thunderous roar echoed.

The opposing auras clashed violently, creating an explosive collision—one black, one red—each resembling a sphere of energy. The air around them rippled and groaned under the strain.

"Conqueror's Haki clash!"

The powerful waves of Haki swept across the battlefield, accompanied by a gale that sent onlookers away. The sea, already turbulent, erupted into chaos as the force of the collision churned the waters into massive, towering waves. The once-majestic ocean became a volatile, unpredictable storm.

Lightning crackled ominously across the darkened sky.

The hurricane-force winds tore through the area as if the world itself were unraveling. Though the spectacle lasted some moments only, it felt like an eternity as the forces vied for dominance.

Finally, the balance tipped.

With a deafening boom, Yamato's Haki overpowered Katakuri's. Her mace, infused with a terrifying mix of Conqueror's Haki and thunder, struck Katakuri mid-air with enough force to send him hurtling back toward the flagship of the Big Mom Pirates.

"Big brother Katakuri!"

Katakuri's body crashed into the ship with a force that shattered the deck, leaving a massive crater in his wake. The crew of the Charlotte Family gasped, stunned to see their most stalwart fighter brought low.

"Impossible!" Charlotte Oven shouted, his face twisted with disbelief. For the family, Katakuri was not just a brother but a symbol of unshakable strength. Seeing him defeated felt like watching their invincible foundation crumble.

Rage surged through Oven. Flames erupted from his body as his anger boiled over.

"Yamato! I'll burn you to ashes!" he roared, lunging forward with his naginata wreathed in flames.

"Oven, no! Stop!" Perospero yelled in vain, his warning drowned out by the fury of the battle.

Oven's attack roared toward Yamato, but she reacted with lightning precision. Her eyebrows furrowed as she leaped high into the air, electricity crackling around her body.

ZAP!

With a devastating strike, Yamato's thunder obliterated the flaming attack, scattering sparks and embers in every direction. Her blow shattered Oven's defense, and a violent shockwave rippled outward, clearing the battlefield in a conical blast.

Oven was sent flying, his body helpless against the surge of energy. Yamato didn't let up. She surged forward and swung her weapon with unrelenting force. The impact struck his chest with overwhelming precision, tearing through his defenses.

Electricity and raw power converged in her attack, shattering Oven's will. Blood sprayed from his mouth as his eyes rolled back, and he collapsed, unable to rise again.

"Oven!"

Katakuri, struggling to recover, immediately moved to support his fallen brother. Yet before he could act, his instincts flared. He swiftly turned to fluid Mochi form, dodging a barrage of slashing sword strikes aimed at him.

As he reformed, Katakuri's eyes locked onto his new opponent—another Royal Court elite.

From the rear of the Big Mom Pirates' fleet, Gion observed him with a composed smile. Her blade, Konpira , glinted ominously as she spoke.

"It's impressive—your ability to foresee the future for a brief moment. But tell me, can the body keep pace with the rapid changes in acceleration?"

Her words barely hung in the air before she vanished, leaving behind only a whisper of movement.

Swish!

A series of afterimages trailed her as she slashed toward Katakuri with a speed that blurred the line between reality and illusion. Her attack, deceptively simple, traveled across the distance in an instant, bypassing Katakuri's evasive maneuvers.

Despite foreseeing the strike and dispersing his Mochi body in advance, a searing pain shot through him. Gion's blade had sliced through his defenses, leaving a wound that stung.

'So fast!'

No—this wasn't just speed. It was acceleration. She altered her pace mid-attack, forcing Katakuri's preemptive evasion to lag behind her real movements. Her ability was more than raw swiftness; it was an manipulation of timing and momentum.

"This is her Devil Fruit power," Katakuri realized grimly, his mind racing. He couldn't allow her to retain the offensive.

Acting instantly, he transformed his arms into strips of hardened Mochi, coated them in Armament Haki, and unleashed a barrage of attacks. Countless glutinous whips surged outward like serpents, covering every possible escape route and predicted position. The air around them became a chaotic battlefield of blackened, Haki-infused projectiles.

But Gion was a master of the Six Powers, and with Shave, she exploded into motion, leaving only afterimages. Her blinding speed rendered Katakuri's predictions useless; the whips of Mochi struck only fading illusions, lagging a step behind her advance.

Slash!

In a flurry of strikes, Gion's blade cut through the rice cake whips like paper, leaving them in scattered pieces on the battlefield. Before Katakuri could fully react, she reappeared, her blade slicing through his Haki-coated arm with ease, leaving a deep, bleeding wound.

"Your Armament Haki is stronger than reported."

Katakuri gritted his teeth and retaliated.

"Flowing Mochi!"

Activating his awakened Devil Fruit powers, he transformed the ground and surrounding area into a vast expanse of Mochi, creating an domain of sticky mochi. The arena itself became his weapon, bolstering his defense and attack range to counter Gion's speed.

But even as the battlefield shifted in his favor, Katakuri found himself unable to turn the tide. Gion's relentless acceleration and unparalleled swordsmanship pierced through his defenses time and again, leaving him no room to regain control. 

Katakuri clenched his fists in frustration.

'This woman is even more dangerous than Yamato!'

Her mastery of speed and blade made her a nearly unstoppable force, even for him. He was pinned down, unable to assist his allies, let alone turn the tide of battle.

Cold sweat dripped down his forehead as the weight of their predicament pressed on him. Despite their numerical superiority, the Big Mom Pirates were suffering severe losses. The warriors of Wanokuni were proving far more formidable than anticipated, and the situation was spiraling out of control.

"If Kaido's reinforcements don't arrive soon," Katakuri thought grimly, "our forces might collapse before Mama and Alex's battle is decided!"