Chapter 88: Kuma vs Lucia
On the second day, the crowd watching the match had grown even larger than before. Reporters had also joined the audience, eager to witness how much the three **natural ability users**—who had garnered significant attention since joining the Marines—had developed over their three years of training.
The **final** battle between two supernovas, **Lucia and Kuma**, was the main attraction.
A cold, beautiful woman facing off against a burly man nearly seven meters tall—their mere presence created a striking contrast.
Kuma was not much of a talker, and Lucia rarely spoke to anyone except Carl. When they stepped onto the field, the atmosphere became heavy with tension. Even after the referee announced the start, neither moved, both waiting for the other to strike first.
The silence dragged on until—
Carl's voice echoed from the high platform.
**"Lucia, you go first."**
At his command, Lucia **unsheathed her sword** and slashed forward.
A wave of **sword energy** surged toward Kuma as she charged like a streak of black light.
**Boom!**
Kuma, who had been standing like a statue, finally moved. He raised his hand and casually **swiped the air**, deflecting the attack with his **paw.**
As the energy dissipated, Lucia was already upon him, swinging her sword in a fierce arc.
Kuma **calmly raised his palm**—blocking the strike with his **paw pad.**
Lucia's blade **stopped mid-swing**, unable to cut through.
Her **golden eyes narrowed.**
**"His ability is a hassle..."**
The **Paw-Paw Fruit** was troublesome. His paws could **repel anything**, rendering her sword ineffective if it struck them directly.
Lucia **pivoted**, seeking an opening. But Kuma countered immediately—raising his other hand to **slam down on her.**
Watching from the sidelines, **Dalmatian** felt a chill down his spine, recalling how that very move had almost **beaten him to death.**
But Lucia was on **another level.**
With a mere **tap of her toes**, she vanished—
Then reappeared in midair, her wings spreading **wide.**
**"Eyes of Depravity."**
Purple flames flickered in her pupils as she **locked eyes** with Kuma.
Kuma **paused.**
A flicker of **emotion** passed through him—but it was gone in an instant.
Lucia's **expression darkened.**
**"Did he just... ignore my ability?"**
She had **stirred his inner desires**—and yet, he remained **largely unaffected.**
**"Is his Haki that strong...?"**
From the high platform, Carl smirked.
**"No... Kuma just has abnormally low desires."**
Carl knew that Kuma's **Haki** was formidable, but it wasn't what had negated Lucia's power.
Deep inside, Kuma had no **lust, no greed, no hunger for battle.**
At that moment, in Kuma's mind, he envisioned something entirely different—
A peaceful life.
A quiet **church** in the Sorbet Kingdom.
Carl, Ginny, and himself, living in **serenity.**
Lucia, unaware of this, assumed it was Kuma's **Haki resistance.**
The **purple flames** around her intensified, crackling with heat.
Her long hair **whipped wildly** in the air as she **raised her pendant high.**
**"Judgment Day!"**
A **column of purple fire** **descended from the sky**, engulfing Kuma in a raging inferno.
The Marines watching the match **gasped.**
Even **Vice Admiral Tsuru**, the strongest female officer in the Marines, sighed.
**"Achieving that level of power as a woman... It's no small feat."**
Gion, watching silently, clenched her fists.
**"Lucia's strength surpasses mine... by far."**
A thought crossed her mind—
**"If I had eaten a Devil Fruit... could I close the gap?"**
Nearby, Ginny's voice wavered.
**"Lucia is strong, but... is Kuma okay?"**
Lucia hovered above the battlefield, eyes fixed below.
Suddenly—
**Boom!**
A **massive transparent paw** appeared within the flames.
**A shockwave exploded outward—scattering the fire instantly.**
As the smoke cleared, Kuma's **crouching form** came into view.
A **paw print** marked the ground beneath him.
His **clothes were singed,** his **skin charred**—but he stood **unshaken.**
He had endured the full force of Lucia's **Judgment Day**, yet he **showed no pain.**
Kuma could have **expelled** the damage and transferred it to her—but he refused to harm his **own comrades.**
Instead, he **rubbed his palms together.**
**The air around him condensed—forming a massive bear paw bubble.**
Then, slowly, he compressed it down into a **miniature sphere.**
The moment his classmates saw it, they **instinctively backed away.**
Lucia's **eyes darkened.**
She remembered **this attack**—
The same technique Kuma had used against the **Whitebeard Pirates.**
Her grip on her **sword tightened.**
With a flash of purple flames, she **descended like a meteor.**
**"Fallen Hammer!"**
At the same moment—
Kuma unleashed his technique.
**"Bear Paw Impact."**
**Boom!!!**
The collision triggered a **devastating shockwave.**
**Black feathers rained down.**
Lucia **landed hard**, gripping her **bleeding arm.**
She exhaled softly.
**"I lost."**
She turned away from the battlefield, accepting the outcome.
But as Kuma straightened, he noticed something—
A **deep sword mark** on his body, stretching from his **shoulder to his waist.**
Lucia had landed a **clean hit.**
Both were **injured**, but neither had gone **all out.**
Lucia had conceded, knowing that Kuma's **resilience and ability to eject pain** would make victory nearly **impossible.**
Up on the platform—
Carl's seat was **empty.**
Lucia, walking with her **head lowered**, suddenly stopped.
Before her, a **dark vortex** twisted ominously in the air.
Her **golden eyes widened.**
**"Cousin..."** she murmured.
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