Steel trident clashed against a blade of pure flame.
The scorching heat traveled through the weapon, searing Katakuri's hands until smoke rose from his palms.
Yet, he did not let go. To drop his weapon now was to invite death.
"Willow Mochi!"
As their weapons locked, Katakuri launched another technique. Multiple donuts appeared in the air, sprouting legs like axe-kicks, raining down Haki-infused spikes.
If Diluc dodged, Katakuri would pursue. If he didn't, he would be impaled.
What will you do?
Katakuri stared at the man burning like a volcano before him.
Diluc's Observation Haki caught the falling spikes instantly. He chose to retreat, creating distance.
Katakuri grinned savagely, ignoring his burnt hands, and chased after him. The spikes rained down on Diluc's position.
But then, Katakuri stopped. His eye twitched.
"What... is that technique?"
He saw the future.
A future where he was defeated.
But the opponent's state... it was bizarre.
At this moment, the flames surging around Diluc began to compress. They retracted into his body, turning his skin pitch black, like armor forged from obsidian and magma. The Wolf's Gravestone disappeared, leaving only a small, terrifyingly bright flame burning in his palm.
"Everyone has their own unique ultimate move. That man once told me: after seeing the vastness of the world, discover your own potential."
"Fortunately, I can cultivate the Fire Phase."
"I have also mastered the third stage of the Sword Kinesis Art."
"This move is something I imagined myself. Against a strong enemy, it can achieve a one-hit kill... Of course, it is not yet fully perfected... but the power should be astonishing!"
"I name it: Twilight."
WOOSH.
The flame in his palm pulsed.
The spikes in the sky melted instantly. Thousands of Haki-infused mochi spikes, strong enough to pierce steel, vaporized into steam.
Flash.
Diluc vanished.
He was running, leaving a trail of scorched earth that turned the ground into a river of magma.
Katakuri was slammed by a wall of fire.
In mid-air, he felt as if he had fallen into the sun. He watched his mochi armor crumble, saw the man whose arm was also bleeding from the exertion, and felt a strange sense of relief.
So he really used everything he had.
BOOM!
A crimson shockwave annihilated the ground.
Thousands of meters of forest were reduced to ash in a single second. The earth burned.
Diluc's "Twilight" was the last light of the day, a technique that burned away all his power in one glorious, final strike.
...
In the Multiverse Mission Group.
Kaedehara Kazuha:This... is this Mr. Diluc's power? I didn't expect him to reach this level... I can't slack off either.
Yae Miko:Never be arrogant... Mondstadt is truly full of talents. Diluc's last mission was a joke, but now... he's a hundred times stronger.
Su Han:I heard from Jean that the Knights now train spontaneously every night. It seems Diluc was stimulated.
Everyone has their pride. Especially someone as arrogant as Diluc. Since Jean and Lisa had proven themselves, he felt he couldn't fall behind. Today was the day the phoenix spread its wings.
Xiangling:Everyone has their own wish. And Mr. Diluc wants to prove that he is the Guardian of Mondstadt!
...
Back on Whole Cake Island.
With the explosion of sky-high flames, Katakuri was defeated.
Diluc didn't kill him. How could he kill such a man?
"I hope you live a good life after the Big Mom Pirates are destroyed," Diluc whispered.
The Wolf's Gravestone slowly reappeared in his hand. He turned and walked away, picking up his coat.
In the shadows, "Big News" Morgans stared in shock. "A Sweet Commander defeated? This is big news! Just like that man from the Summit War... these people aren't normal! No Devil Fruit, yet so strong... I must spread this news to the whole world!"
...
To the East of Whole Cake Island.
Hearing the explosion, Charlotte Smoothie's Transponder Snail rang.
"What is it?"
"Lord Katakuri has been defeated! His life is uncertain..."
Crack.
Smoothie crushed the snail.
In battle, she didn't want distractions. Defeating the enemy in front of her was the only thing that mattered.
Eula shook her head. "Such a precious thing, crushed just like that. What a waste... But I didn't expect Diluc to be so fast. I have to hurry up too."
"Oh?" Smoothie chuckled. "You think you can defeat me? I chose this place on purpose."
Smoothie thrust her hand into a nearby tree. This was a "Juice Tree." By cutting the bark, one could get a large amount of juice.
She was a Wring-Wring Fruit (Shibo Shibo no Mi) user. By absorbing liquid, she could grow larger.
She absorbed the tree, then jumped into the nearby lake.
As the water level dropped drastically, a hundred-meter-tall giantess appeared before Eula.
The massive body gave Smoothie infinite confidence. She gripped her greatsword and sneered at the ant-like Eula below.
"Hey... how about this form? It's enough to crush you, little ant..."
Hum.
The giant sword fell with infinite pressure.
Eula dodged quickly. The ground was sliced open, leaving a trench thousands of meters long.
Smoothie hadn't wanted to use this move on her own island, but with Mama in danger, she had to finish this quickly. She could feel the battle aura in the city growing more intense. Beidou was still fighting Big Mom, and she hadn't lost yet. That was terrifying.
While Smoothie was thinking, Eula smiled.
"The powers of your world are interesting. But someone told me... every Devil Fruit has a fatal weakness."
"Even if you can absorb seawater... relying on water to grow large, what you fear most is ice!"
Smoothie's eyes widened in panic.
Her fruit relied on filling her body with liquid. If that liquid froze... she was finished.
"Did you know? I chose you on purpose... because I knew my power completely counters you! I'm sorry... but please perish, you sinful pirate."
Eula's body erupted with terrifying Cryo energy.
"Glacial Illumination!"
A blizzard engulfed the forest. The frost froze the earth, the stream, and the giant woman standing in it.
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