Chapter 1343: Copying, Everyone's Doing It
Chapter 1343: Copying, Everyone’s Doing It
While the rest of their companions engaged in combat, Kuro pointed at Luffy, holding the gesture for a long moment before Luffy finally chuckled, “No way!”
“Hmm?”
“I won’t do it! No matter how much you talk, I’m coming to save Red-Haired Shanks! It doesn’t matter how strong you are!”
“Ah.”
Kuro lowered his hand, clenching it into a fist, and said coolly, “So many people on the Grand Line failed to teach you? Then I’ll re-educate you—respect for the Grand Line is non-negotiable!”
Bang!
A thunderous boom erupted from beneath their feet simultaneously. Two afterimages shot forward, colliding head-on.
Boom!!
The explosion roared louder, erupting from the central impact zone in a massive shockwave radiating black-and-red lightning-like aura.
Kuro and Luffy remained in their charging stances, fists locked in midair collision. At the center, their clashing Killing Intent and Haki manifested as crackling black-and-red lightning, surging outward.
The already shattered ground trembled violently under this oppressive aura.
“Graaah!!”
Luffy roared, his Haki-enshrouded fist straining forward. But Kuro’s fist remained immovable, unyielding to Luffy’s force. Only the frenzied aura whipped the tips of his hair.
“You fought Kaido, didn’t you? Then…”
Boom!
The intervening Haki shattered. Kuro’s fist slammed into Luffy’s, unleashing an explosive boom that forced Luffy’s arm backward.
“My strength is about equal now too!”
Kuro roared, lifting his leg to drive a knee into Luffy’s abdomen. The impact sent him flying, accompanied by a thunderous boom like striking steel.
“Gomu Gomu·Pistol!”
Mid-flight, Luffy’s arm shot forward at blinding speed, striking Kuro’s face with bone-rattling force. Kuro’s head snapped back—but only slightly. He immediately countered, driving his fist forward to smash an elbow into Luffy’s ribs. The sheer power slammed Luffy downward, his knee extending to kick him away with a resounding bang.
“Shock Dragon Thunder!”
Crackling!
Boom!!
Kuro thrust his arm forward, unleashing a horizontal lightning streak that slammed into the retreating Luffy. The thunderous explosion engulfed him in lightning, carving an enormous crater into the ground.
“Mother’s Flame!”
Immediately after, Kuro swung his other arm, hurling a massive pillar of flame into the crater. The firestorm spread outward, surrounding the crater in a blazing inferno.
Following the punch, Kuro lashed out with a kick. His foot spun, generating a vortex of destructive wind that twisted the flames into a fiery tornado. Within the swirling inferno lurked a sharp, cutting aura.
Lightning, fire, wind—the abilities of the Azure Dragon Devil Fruit, mimicked using Big Mom’s techniques in a relentless barrage. The raw power of nature itself surged through Kuro’s hands.
But—
Boom!!
The flame-enshrouded tornado exploded like a balloon, ejecting Luffy who landed hard and shouted, “It’s useless!!”
His upper body’s clothing was torn to shreds, but not a single wound marred his skin. Faint metallic glints shimmered across his body.
“All those attacks did nothing? How are you even taking that? I’m sure you’re not rubber anymore!” Kuro narrowed his eyes.
“By willpower!” Luffy bellowed.
Rubber?
Does your rubber really withstand lightning that blasts craters into the earth?
Fine, even if Devil Fruit users on the Grand Line embody miracles and defy logic.
Why didn’t the wind blades cut through? Can’t slice rubber?
Alright, maybe it’s solidified now—a gel or alloy, hard as hell. Wind blades can’t cut that.
But how about fire? Why doesn’t that burn it?
Rubber?
Bullshit.
“Gomu Gomu…”
Luffy charged forward, shouting the familiar name. But this time, his arm didn’t stretch. Instead, he accelerated suddenly, appearing before Kuro in an instant. His arm flowed like liquid, pumping energy into his fist. Smoke rose as the fist ignited into flames.
“Karma Fire Fist Gun!!”
Like a mechanical pump, no stretching needed—Luffy’s fist erupted with afterimages, blasting toward Kuro’s chest.
But then, a crimson ribbon materialized before Kuro.
Boom!!
The punch struck the crimson ribbon. Wu Sheng Kong Sha’s inherent lethality blocked Luffy’s force, twisting his fist into jagged dents upon contact.
As he blocked, Kuro’s five fingers splayed. A blood-colored ribbon coiled around his arm.
Hissing!
The ribbon dyed crimson, Kuro’s left hand ignited a violent black-and-red wind vortex. The swirling tempest reshaped into a chopping hand strike, lunging toward Luffy’s chest.
Sensing danger, Luffy tried to retreat—but his speed paled against Kuro’s. Before Luffy could react, the chopping strike struck his heart’s position.
Tsch!
A wisp of blood sprayed from the impact point, flying past Kuro’s face.
Kuro squinted, watching the retreating Luffy, eyes flickering with surprise.
Luffy touched his bloody chest, shouting, “That was close! Incense Burner!”
No wounds marred his chest—only bloodstains.
No, not exactly.
In that instant, Luffy’s chest had deformed, caving inward to narrowly evade Kuro’s wind slash enhanced by Wu Sheng Kong Sha. The attack had grazed him, but…
Kuro glanced at his fist, mangled from blocking Wu Sheng Kong Sha. Yet, as liquid surged through it, the fist regenerated, unscathed—only wisps of smoke rising from his fist and chest.
“Fluid? No, it’s a damn sol!”
Kuro gritted his teeth. “You’re really something. Turned into Katakuri now?”
Even Katakuri couldn’t regenerate after injury, but this kid could.
Come to think of it, Kuro now combined Kaido’s strength with Big Mom’s abilities.
But Luffy wasn’t far behind.
Earlier Fourth Gear Bouncy Man, besides ability usage, seemed to incorporate spring-like mechanics.
Kuro recalled encountering a spring man at Shabondy.
Now, adding Katakuri’s adaptability and Luffy’s innate durability and Life Release strength.
Copying? Everyone’s doing it. Let’s see who copies better and more comprehensively.
“At least he’s bleeding.”
Kuro shook his arm. Six blood-colored ribbons erupted, encircling his shoulders, waist, and thighs.
“If he can bleed, things get easier.”
(End of Chapter)
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