Chapter 334: Severing Will! (8k)

Chapter 334: Severing Will! (8k)



Facing the true form of Cracker, Hawkins didn't question his belief; after all, his opponent indeed seemed powerful.

The Spiral Drill attack from earlier, though dodged with his ability, was undeniably formidable in speed and strength.

Against such a formidable opponent, whether it was Cracker or not no longer mattered—what mattered was stopping him.

Hawkins drew a few tarot cards and casually attached them to the straw protruding from his body. After a glance, he said, "Oh? I have a high chance of victory, 60%. But according to the card's implication, the battle will be challenging."

Cracker revealed a proud look, "60%? You're quite bold with your words. Against our Big Mom Pirates, your victory chance is zero, while ours is 100%!"

"There's no absolute victory chance," Hawkins replied calmly. "In any situation, no matter how vast the gap, there will always be an opening. Once you find that opening, you can reverse fate."

"However," he continued, "no matter the odds, challenging fate is always more thrilling than submitting to it."

His face began to be enveloped by straw, which extended from his body, forming a giant scarecrow whose shadow loomed over Cracker's figure.

"Demon-Subduing Visage!"

He held a straw-transformed sword in one hand, while the gaps between the straw fingers of his other hand produced coffin nails, giving the terrifying straw face an eerie appearance.

"Come, let me see what gives you the confidence to claim a 100% victory rate!"

Whoosh!

As he finished speaking, he swung his straw arm, and the coffin nails, like sharp claws, slashed through the air, creating several black streaks as they clawed downward.

Cracker took a step back, infusing his sword, 'Biscuit Soldier,' with Haki, and parried the attack. Sparks flew from the clash, and the sword blade scraped along the iron nails, severing the scarecrow's elbow and slicing off half of its arm.

Shhii!

Among the injured Big Mom Pirates lying on the ground, one of them burst open at the elbow, losing half of his arm as well.

As for the severed straw arm, it disintegrated into several straws that scattered in the air.

Hawkins retracted his hand, and from the stump of the broken arm, countless spiraling straws extended and intertwined, repairing the arm to its original state.

"Roll—Biscuit Soldier!"

As Hawkins retracted his arm, Cracker tightened his grip on his sword and lunged forward, unleashing another spiral sword energy.

Bang!

This time, a big hole was pierced in Hawkins's chest.

Simultaneously, one of the fallen pirates also exploded, with a gaping hole appearing in his chest.

Hawkins's straw body paused, and he opened his mouth, spewing out a stream of iron nails like a dark wind, blowing towards Cracker.

Cracker forcefully swung his sword, creating a shockwave that dispersed the nails while maintaining its momentum and surging forward.

"Straw Hand Saber—Whip Blade!"

Hawkins extended his straw sword, and the blade transformed into five straw whips, carrying a cold light as they lashed downward.

Boom!

The impact scattered, and the straw whips disintegrated into countless straws, swirling alongside the tempest within the duo's field of vision.

Cracker braced himself with Biscuit Soldier, his gaze fixed on the scarecrow whose chest was rapidly being filled with straw, and then he scanned the remaining pirates who were injured but not yet dead.

"So that's how it is. According to the intelligence, you're proficient in fortune-telling. It seems your ability is more than just that—a stand-in for fate, perhaps?"

"Indeed." Hawkins's voice deepened. "Killing me won't be that easy."

"You're just taking advantage of the rainy weather!" Cracker retorted. "If it weren't for the rain, my Biscuit Soldiers alone would be enough to take you down! Forget it."

Boom!

Cracker swung his sword, but instead of aiming at Hawkins, he slashed at the nearby fallen pirates, sending a sword energy toward them.

The energy sliced through the deck, carving a massive opening in the ship's side and sending the pirates lying there flying into the sea, silent and motionless.

A cruel smile appeared on Cracker's face as he said, "This stand-in ability of yours is related to the people on my ship, isn't it? You have the power to kill them, but you've spared many, keeping them as backups for your ability, right?"

"If I kill them, will your life be the only one left?"

The scarecrow paused, its terrifying body shrinking as the straw retracted, returning it to a human form.

Hawkins raised his longsword. "Do you think I'll give you that chance? Shave!"

Shwoo!

His figure swiftly vanished, and a red dot appeared in Cracker's eyes as he gripped Biscuit Soldier with both hands and chopped downward with all his might.

Clang!

The longsword was swiftly swept under Biscuit Soldier, and before Cracker could exert any force, the longsword disappeared along with its owner, leaving Cracker's arm hanging in the air.

"Whip Claw!"

Hawkins reappeared at the side, his longsword slashing from below, sending four claw-like flying slashes upward, tearing through the deck as they flew.

"Blast—Biscuit Soldier!"

Cracker spun around and stabbed forward, the entire sword vibrating violently. As he thrust, the vibration stopped for a moment, creating an even more significant impact that ripped through the deck, forming an extremely deep trench.

On both sides of the trench, more pirates were hit by the shockwave, their injured bodies shaken, and blood sprayed as they fell into the sea.

"That's quite the power you have there."

A flat voice sounded from behind, and Cracker turned his head, his mouth twisting in disdain. "Did you block it?"

"Ah!"

Hawkins removed the Armament Haki from his sword and swung it to the side. "Armament Haki, of course, I can use it too."

The clash with this person was easier than he imagined.

Although his attacks were powerful, Hawkins might not be able to withstand them solely with defense. He could only rely on the speed brought by the Six Styles to dodge and block the aftermath.

But it was still relaxed.

The opponent seemed to be greatly discounted in ability due to the rainy day and did not release it.

Otherwise, the pressure would be greater, but at this level, Hawkins was still very confident!

Hawkins stalled Cracker, and in the sea area on the side of the fleet, two crimson shadows were fighting at close range.

Bang!

Jin danced with his hammer, turning it into a red whirlwind. He jumped into the air and vigorously smashed it down, causing the ship's wreckage to burn and melt with the scorching heat as it was smashed open.

Xiong!

Owen took two steps back, gripped the naginata in his hand, and the high temperature stained the blade, even igniting the flames. He swung it in a semicircle and chopped it on Jin's shoulder.

Bang!

The sound of metal clashing rang out, and Jin was hit by this blow and flew outwards. But he quickly stepped on the air and jumped a few times in the air before landing on a piece of wreckage.

He twisted his neck, and that body seemed to be permeated with crimson liquid, surging under the skin.

"It's useless. My whole body is made of steel."

Jin danced with his hammer and said in a deep voice, "You can't cut me!"

"It will work if you cut it a few more times!"

Owen held the burning naginata upside down, and his eyes burst into flames with anger.

Similar abilities, both are scorching hot, and neither can do anything to the other.

Even if it's molten iron, Owen can also use Armament Haki to harden it and then smash it with a punch.

As for close-quarters combat, although Jin knows the Six Styles, the other party's combat experience is not worse than his.

And in terms of Armament Haki strength, Jin is inferior to Owen, but this steel body has given him a unique defense.

Putting them together, the two are actually evenly matched, resulting in a temporary stalemate!

The battle in the sea of wreckage continued, and on a seated ship diagonally above, Marco had already broken through the ship she previously landed on.

Her black hair danced like a falling black snake, making a sound that broke through the air as it rushed towards Smudge below.

"Just squeeze it out!"

Smudge reached out and grabbed a strand of hair. The Armament Haki on his fingers broke through the Haki covering the hair, and he pinched the smooth and glossy hair with five fingers, turning it into dry hair and squeezing out a lump of black liquid.

Her hair was also squeezed for juice by Smudge.

This ability, as long as it comes into contact with an object, no matter if it has moisture or not, can be squeezed out of a unique flavor of liquid.

Even stones also have their unique juice.

Of course, hair does too.

"Lacking moisture and vitality, can hair still be used? Return to life?"

Smudge coldly snorted, and with one hand, she swung her sword outward, slicing through the hair that pierced through. At the same time, she pulled back the hand that was grabbing the hair, intending to pull her opponent towards her.

"That kind of technique won't work on me. Let me squeeze you dry!"

Hiss!

However, this pull only caused her to snap the hair, and her opponent didn't come towards her. Marco, who was still on another ship, pulled the ship's stern with both hands, and with a rumbling sound, the seawater surged, and the entire cake ship was lifted and smashed towards her.

"Sister!"

The fat and thin twin girls by her side cried out in surprise.

They were her twin sisters, Charlotte Stroon and Charlotte Snack.

Smudge's expression changed, and she tightly gripped the giant sword with both hands. A trail of light like water appeared on the sword blade again, and she swiftly slashed downward.

"Juice Slash!"

The vertical slash cut through the charging cake ship, splitting it in half and also causing the shadow cast by the ship to break apart, revealing the sky above.

Boom!

The two halves of the wreckage fell on both sides of Smudge's ship, splashing huge waves that mixed with the raging storm, blowing her silvery wavy hair.

It was at this moment that Smudge took a big step forward. As a mixed-race member of the Longleg Tribe, her sturdy thighs gave her burst speed, and like a mother panther, she pounced forward and slashed with her sword.

Marco had just landed when she saw the sword light slashing towards her. Her hair danced, wrapping around her wrists and turning into armguards, and she raised her hands to block.

"Iron Block, Hairguard!"

Bang!!

Under the Armament Haki hardening, coupled with the iron block defense, she withstood this gravity-enhanced slash, and at the same time, the continuously dancing hair once again twisted into sharp spikes, attacking Smudge.

"Useless!"

Smudge swung one hand forward, and as she grabbed the hair, she balled her hand, drilling out black liquid, and the fruit was even absorbed into her body through her hand, further enhancing her strength.

She slashed downward with the giant sword in one hand, intending to continue applying force. However, the tremendous force transmitted along her arm caused even the enhanced Smudge to feel overwhelmed. As Marco's hands were knocked away, the giant sword was also knocked upward.

Marco punched with one hand, aiming at Smudge. The latter took a step back, immediately stood her ground, and as she let go of the hair she was holding, she forcefully pulled downward, grabbing Marco's arm.

Bang!

As she grabbed her arm, Marco shifted her body to the side, changing her punch into a kick, and kicked Smudge's chest, sending her flying backward with her tremendous strength and plowing a furrow in the deck.

"Truly monstrous strength. Not even my enhancements can suppress it?"

Smudge patted his chest and grinned. "But it's still not enough. This sheer might alone won't stop me."

"Ah!"

Maric opened her smiling eyes, noticing the obvious dent on her right arm, now dry and withered.

"Dehydrated... No, my overall strength and nutrition have been extracted, rendering me powerless."

As she spoke, her hair danced again, and white mist rose from her eyes, as if inflating and refilling the withered area.

Life Restoration.

She couldn't regenerate severe injuries like Sugar, but she could restore her normal energy levels.

Maric flexed her arm, smiling at Smudge. "As long as you don't touch me, that ability won't work, right?"

"Then you'd better stay alert."

Smudge brandished his greatsword, his smile widening. "I'm really strong!"

On another front, a high-ranking member of the Heavenly Disaster Pirates engaged a Supernova, while on the flagship, Renetia wielded her mechanical hammer in a fierce battle against Perospero.

Renia's supply of bullets and shells was limited, but she could generate air cannons using kinetic energy, which were equally formidable.

Perospero continuously unleashed candy waves, attempting to surround the Heavenly Disaster Pirates, only to have them blasted apart by Renetia's air cannons each time.

Even if he wanted to engage in close combat, he couldn't find an opportunity, as the pink-haired boy's relentless offense left him no room to approach.

Moreover, Perospero suspected that getting closer might not be effective against that ability.

He chose to face off against Renetia from a distance, knowing he excelled at strategy and that this position allowed him to observe the overall battle.

Most importantly, he wasn't in a hurry.

The main forces of the Heavenly Disaster Pirates seemed to be clashing with his younger siblings, and it wouldn't be long before they emerged victorious.

He was well aware of the combat capabilities of his younger siblings, especially Katakuri, an exceptionally strong fighter.

Although the Heavenly Disaster Pirates were battling Mom, they couldn't hold out for long. Once Mom returned, their fight would likely conclude.

After all, there were only a few notable fighters among their opponents, whereas the Big Mom Pirates had brought along many powerful allies.

"Hmm?"

Perospero's thoughts reached this point when he suddenly looked around, wondering about the whereabouts of the rest of his crew.

On the ship to the left, he spotted a bouncy individual leaping from ship to ship, defeating their underlings and clashing with Charlotte Nozet.

On the ship in the lower right, a man wearing a tortoise shell was locked in combat with Charlotte Saint-Marc.

Their other notable fighters were leading the rest of the crew, engaging in battles with the Heavenly Disaster Pirates, as well as his younger siblings.

However, something was amiss.

Their numbers should have been superior to those of the Heavenly Disaster Pirates.

"Moria!"

Perospero exclaimed in surprise, his eyes widening. "That guy!"

Since the battle began, he hadn't laid eyes on Moria, and now...

"Hehehehehe!"

On a customized flagship located at a distance from the Queen Mother's song, separate from the cake ships, Moria cackled.

At his feet lay several fallen children of the Big Mom family, including a recent addition—a cream-headed figure.

"Charlotte Opera?"

Moria retracted his shadow claw, his eyes gleaming with amusement. "If it were usual, I'd take your shadows, but lately, I haven't been in the mood for shadow-snipping. Hehehehehe."

As he spoke, he suddenly paused, then casually raised his hand.

Clang!

A lamp spirit with a lower body made of smoke and a pitch-black body like a genie blocked Moria's shadow claw with a sickle.

At the end of the smoke was another ship, where a flat-headed, yellow-haired man with an eight-character beard glared at him with hostility.

"Hehehehe, I know you, Daifu."

Moria chuckled. "Is it your turn now?"

"Don't go too far, Moria!"

Charlotte Daifu's eyes blazed with anger. "I'm not one of those weaklings!"

Unlike the other high-ranking members who were engaged in intense battles, either fighting alongside their underlings or facing off against their counterparts, Moria was exceptionally powerful.

As a former Shichibukai, his combat capabilities were far from ordinary.

Even in his recovery phase, he was a force to be reckoned with, effortlessly defeating several opponents with his abilities.

For these individuals, facing Moria was a true test of their mettle.

"Weakling or not... I wonder how much of a difference you can make with that ability of yours."

Moria's arms vibrated, repelling the lamp spirit's attack, and his body transformed into countless shadow bats that swarmed past the massive spirit, rushing towards Daifu.

The sheer number of bats made it impossible for Daifu to identify a clear target, leaving him no choice but to watch as they approached.

"Don't underestimate me!"

Armed Color adorned Doflamingo's fist as he glared at the incoming bats, ready to strike.

"I am Big Mom's third son, so I..."

Swoosh!

Before Doflamingo's attack could land, the bats swiftly coalesced into Moria's form. Moria dropped from the sky, his shadow-transformed claw aiming downward.

"Shadow Claw!"

The black shadow claw grazed Doflamingo's body, causing him to falter. Immediately, a geyser of blood erupted from his chest, and the lamp spirit attached to his waist dissipated, leaving him sprawled on the deck.

"You, on the other hand..."

Moria glanced at Doflamingo, who had lost consciousness due to the injury, and cackled. "Don't underestimate me."

The Seven Warlords of the Sea were not to be trifled with.

If they couldn't defeat even some of the Four Emperors' executives, they would have failed long ago and wouldn't have held their positions for so long.

Take, for example, the former Shichibukai who was defeated by 'Fire Fist' Ace.

Such a crushing defeat would result in their removal from the position.

"The plan is sound."

Moria looked at the radiance emanating from the sea, his voice deepening.

"But it's hard to say if we can hold on. Since we're following your plan, we need to see it through without easily succumbing to failure, Lily."

As he spoke, he continued toward the other ships.

Leaving these unattended enemies with combat capabilities to Moria was perfectly fine.

Now, it was up to them...

...

"Bird Fly, Raid!"

Amidst the wreckage on the sea's surface, something akin to thunder rumbled as Lily manifested in mid-air, her sword sweeping downward in a powerful semicircular slash.

Her speed was so incredible that the naked eye couldn't keep track.

However, there was no need to rely on eyesight alone. As Lily moved, Katakuri had already leaped to the side, landing on another piece of wreckage. He raised a fist high, from which a mochi-like substance extended, and unleashed his attack.

"Baked Mochi!"

The fist detached from Katakuri's wrist, leaving behind strands of mochi as it shot forward. The fist was enveloped in flames, and within those flames, it was further hardened by Armament Haki.

The mere force of its launch caused the air to explode with a series of bangs, and its speed was no slower than Lily's movements.

By the time Lily had finished her attack, it was already upon her.

This move couldn't be blocked directly! It was too powerful!

But there was no time to dodge now!

Lily gritted her teeth and swiftly sheathed her White Thunder, only to draw it out again in a fluid motion. In the air, she formed a black thunderbolt and cleaved downward.

"Extreme Thunder, Slash!"

Boom!!

The flaming mochi fist collided with the thunderous slash, causing a momentary pause before breaking through the thunder and crashing upward into the sky.

Bang! A figure tumbled downward from the air, plunging into the seawater and creating a massive splash.

Within the spray of water, several thunderbolts burst forth, slicing through the water and propelling a figure onto a piece of wreckage.

"Ha, ha..."

Lily's lustrous wavy golden hair was now damp and slightly disheveled, with a few strands hanging in front of her exquisite face.

That face was pale, and her chest heaved as she panted, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth. Below her waist, where her battle armor covered her ribs, there were also signs of blood.

That move had been incredibly powerful. Only by first striking with a slash, causing a delay, and then sidestepping was she barely able to evade some of the damage, preventing a direct hit.

Even so, the might of that attack was not to be underestimated.

Was that Katakuri?

"I told you, I can see your attacks."

Katakuri's eyes gleamed with a red light that flickered like lightning. "All your techniques are useless against me."

Throughout their battle, Lily had employed various techniques—from high-speed thrusts to dense, rapid-fire slashes—but he had flawlessly dodged them all.

With the ability to foresee the future, all attacks left traces that could be avoided, even large-scale offensives. It also allowed him to counter-attack.

"Your tactics are good, but some things are destined to fail."

Katakuri paused in thought before continuing, "You want Moria to deal with the others, but you never considered that you're not my match. Once I defeat you, I can still go up against Moria, which means you've essentially lost one fighting force."

Now that he was fighting someone other than Moria, he understood the situation.

The tactic was sound; if it were him, facing multiple enemies, he would do the same.

However, it required matching strength.

This woman was impressive, but she wasn't enough to take him on.

No matter how fast she was, could she outpace the future that had already occurred?

"Don't underestimate people!"

Lily tightened her grip on White Thunder, her face resolute. "I have my reasons for choosing to hold you back, so don't prematurely declare victory!"

"Is that so?"

Katakuri's arms generated a large amount of mochi, which enveloped his trident as it began to spin rapidly. The tips of the trident took on a black hue that bordered on a crimson sheen.

"Then I'll have to kill you first!"

Bang!

He stomped his foot and soared into the air, his spinning trident aimed at Lily.

"There's nowhere for you to hide!"

In the future Katakuri saw, the woman didn't even move, opting to counter with her sword instead.

Good, courageous!

Now, let the battle truly begin!

Lily took a deep breath, and just as Katakuri had foreseen, she sheathed White Thunder and drew it out in a swift iai posture, her eyes fixed on him.

"Retreat? Yield?"

The reason she chose to face off against Katakuri was not only to maximize their battle gains but also to push this guy to his limits!

After all, there was a limit to how much one could improve through cultivation. Without fighting a formidable foe, one's growth would be limited.

Take Saga, for example; he had become increasingly powerful after his battle with Kaido.

In comparison, despite their relentless efforts, they were still a step behind.

No matter how hard they cultivated, it was the same story.

It wasn't that they were afraid or resentful; it was just that they were being left far behind, just like back in the Paradise when Saga faced off against a fleet admiral, and they could only watch helplessly as he was sent to Impel Down.

Lily didn't want to relive that feeling.

Since fighting a formidable foe could enhance one's strength, why not find a mortal enemy?

The battle against Big Mom presented the perfect opportunity for Lily to set her sights on Katakuri.

She wouldn't back down from this attack.

"If I die here, it means my capabilities end here, and my dreams will amount to nothing!"

As the attack drew closer, Lily's eyes became increasingly ethereal, her spirit focusing intensely on the present moment.

As Saga had mentioned before, Observational Haki manifested in various forms.

Lily, from an early age, had a unique sense of this 'All-Encompassing Breath,' constantly honing her spirit, which, in turn, refined her 'Iron-Cutting' technique to an even more delicate level.

Back then, she had a vague feeling that her Observational Haki wasn't the type that could predict the future, but she couldn't quite pinpoint what type it was.

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn't manifest it.

Look! Observe with all your might!

Listen! Listen with every fiber of your being!

Everything has a breath—the wind, the rain, the thunder, the rocks, the wood, the steel, the earth... everything!

As the attack drew closer, Lily's eyes seemed to lose focus for a moment, and her surroundings slowed to a crawl.

The rapidly spinning trident, Katakuri's ferocious expression...

On the Death Prophecy, Renetia's angry shouts and Perospero's rage...

On another piece of wreckage in the sea, Jin and Owen, locked in a fierce battle...

On the ship, Maric and Smudge...

And, dominating the battlefield, Moria...

Their voices, their auras, the swaying of the seawater, the howling wind, and the pouring rain—all of these sensations intertwined and flooded Lily's senses.

Anything that could be cut...

Listen for the 'breath' within, observe the weaknesses...

Then, strike!

Clang!

Lily's thumb flicked the sword hilt, and her eyes shone with an otherworldly light.

At that moment, Katakuri's pupils constricted, and his expression turned to one of shock.

The future...

He couldn't see where this woman was!

No! It's not that he couldn't see!

It's that the future had been severed!

Observational Haki...

Had been severed!

Lightning crackled along the sword blade as it slid along the underside of the trident, all the way to Katakuri's hand, creating a crisp sound as it cleaved through the trident's midsection.

Following the slash, lightning raced along the spinning mochi mass, straight toward Katakuri's chest, erupting in a burst of lightning.

"Cut!" Lily's red lips parted slightly, her voice carrying an air of terror.

Szz!

The sky, at that moment, seemed to clear, as if it, too, had been sliced open.

Katakuri's body jerked backward, and a deep gash appeared on his chest, his eyes widening in disbelief.

Severed?

His weapon... and...

His body?!

"Who do you think I am?!"

Lily's eyes shone with an otherworldly light as she glared at the retreating Katakuri, her body softening, and she fell to one knee, her eyes losing their luster as her willpower depleted.

Her will had been exhausted.

Bang!

Katakuri crashed into the nearby wreckage, pushing aside the mast that fell on him, his hand clutching his chest as he stood up, his expression complex as he looked at the woman whose willpower had been drained, on the verge of losing consciousness.

This sword strike...

Was no minor injury.

"Can you even sever willpower? What a terrifying power. Although your Haki couldn't withstand this move, it's still impressive!"

Katakuri said solemnly, "Sword Princess, Vender Lily, a formidable opponent. I'll remember you!"

As he spoke, he raised one hand, transforming it into a Mochi Machine Gun, ready to fire.

Boom!!!

Just then, the sky brightened once more, like a thunderclap.

The wind and rain ceased.

Hmm?

When did it stop raining?

Oh, it stopped briefly earlier, didn't it?

Wait...

Katakuri furrowed his brows, his gaze shifting toward the island. The sky, which had suddenly brightened, quickly darkened again.

Boom!

Another thunderclap exploded in the sky, making the sky incredibly gloomy, as if something had intensified the storm.

Moreover, thunderclouds continued to brew in the sky, turning purple and dark red, as if clashing and intertwining within the cloud layer.

It was as if they were opposing forces.

Thunder...

Since when did thunderclouds oppose each other? They're a natural phenomenon!

Furthermore, this wind and rain...

Katakuri even felt his body being pressed downward, although he was entirely unfazed by it. Still, he felt as if the wind and rain were trying to suppress them.

Just then, he narrowed his eyes, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Two figures, one large and one small, suddenly flew from the island, crashing into two of the main ships and creating massive holes in them!

"Mama!" Katakuri exclaimed in surprise.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end