The fact that Diarmuid had become a dual-fruit user was a state secret of the highest order. Only those closest to him and a select few high-ranking Marine officers were in the know.
He had used this power once before in Alabasta, but the situation then had been absolute chaos. Even Crocodile's Pluton hadn't been fully exposed, let alone Diarmuid's Dark-Dark Fruit. While many people later wondered about the brilliant dark power that had dominated Alubarna, no one with a sane mind would link it to Diarmuid.
A dual-fruit ability user! Unless Diarmuid revealed it himself, people wouldn't even consider the possibility. After all, such a thing had never happened in recorded history.
Katakuri, as brilliant as he was, remained utterly baffled by the situation.
Currently, Sakazuki was in a state of total frenzy, going full throttle. Consequently, most of Hachinosu was a hellscape of magma and fire, a direct counter to Katakuri's abilities. Though his Mochi-Mochi power was strong and versatile, it fell under the "viscous" category. In this searing heat, any mochi he produced would be toasted into a biscuit instantly, rendering his original strength completely useless.
Thus, Katakuri found himself severely restricted. He managed to find a small patch of ground not yet covered by magma, but he was momentarily at a loss for what to do. As it stood, there were only two invaders on Hachinosu, but he couldn't beat either of them. Sakazuki's element suppressed him perfectly, and Diarmuid... Diarmuid had absolutely thrashed him in the past.
Diarmuid was now the symbol of peak power; even his mother, Big Mom, couldn't overcome him. Katakuri naturally lacked the confidence to win. He decided to prioritize organizing an evacuation and maintaining order to prevent a total rout.
Then, he looked up just in time to see the "Phoenix" Marco hand-delivering his life on a silver platter, getting instant-killed by Diarmuid in a single exchange.
Shocked to his core, Katakuri prepared to make a swift exit, wanting to get as far away from this "Demon King" as possible. Unfortunately, before he could even take a step, Diarmuid finished sealing Marco. Using gravity, Diarmuid sent the sealed sphere floating into the sky, then turned his head to see the shell-shocked Katakuri.
"Another one!" Diarmuid laughed loudly.
Katakuri's Devil Fruit was top-tier too! This battlefield was turning into a harvest ground!
Truthfully, Diarmuid held some respect for Katakuri. Like Newgate, Katakuri was a man with his own code and bottom line, and he wasn't a mindless psychopath. But a pirate was a pirate. Diarmuid's admiration didn't change the fact that when it was time to take him down, he would do so without hesitation.
Diarmuid didn't even need to move closer. A dark light flashed in his eyes. Even under the night sky, Katakuri felt a chilling, eerie darkness. The surrounding fires reflected off Diarmuid, giving him a mysterious and overwhelming presence.
In that split second, the moment Katakuri met Diarmuid's gaze, his heart hammered against his ribs. Cold sweat poured down his face. Ignoring any pretense of dignity, he lunged toward an empty patch of ground like a cornered beast, performing a desperate roll to put distance between himself and his previous position.
His movements were fluid, ending just as he reached a safe distance, looking quite disheveled. Sure enough, the spot where he had just been standing was swallowed by a sudden eruption of dark energy from the ground. Debris and stone followed, forming another miniature Planetary Devastation.
However, Katakuri's reaction had been too fast; this time, it failed to catch him.
Indeed, the moment Diarmuid looked at him, Katakuri's Future Sight Observation Haki had kicked in. In that flash of foresight, Katakuri had seen his own "death." He saw himself getting instant-killed without any power to strike back, finished by a mere look. It was even more pathetic than Marco; at least Marco had managed to get a kick off!
So, Katakuri fled without hesitation! What was the point of fighting?
He was brave, yes, but he wasn't suicidal. Diarmuid had reached a level of power he couldn't even fathom. If a gaze could end him, there was no point in staying to be a sacrifice!
Scrambling to his feet, Katakuri didn't even look back. He didn't dare utter a single threat; he just turned and bolted!
Diarmuid paused, slightly surprised. Am I really that terrifying now?
Katakuri might not be on the level of Whitebeard, but he was certainly one of the top powerhouses on the sea. Yet, seeing him, the man didn't even dare to speak, he just ran!?
While surprised, Diarmuid had to admire Katakuri's decisiveness. He had truly made the correct choice. But once "the boss" has spotted you, do you really think you can just run away?
"Hahaha! Katakuri, come back and fight!" Diarmuid roared with laughter.
With a Geppo and a shift in gravity, his speed reached a terrifying peak. He streaked through the fiery night like a black shadow, closing in on Katakuri.
Katakuri didn't need to look back to feel the sheer terror closing in on him. He cursed inwardly. Why the hell are you chasing me? Kaido is over there going berserk! Go deal with him! Why are you coming after a "minor character" like me?!
Katakuri felt deeply wronged. But before he could process his frustration, the ground beneath him shattered. Massive chunks of rock rose into the air, and he felt himself being pulled by an invisible, irresistible force.
Gravity! There was no doubt!
"Diarmuid, you—" Katakuri turned, wanting to shout a retort.
"Planetary Devastation!" Diarmuid bellowed, slamming his hands together.
With Katakuri as the center, everything within a fifty-meter radius was consumed by the force of the technique. It wasn't massive, but it was more than enough to entomb a person. This time, Diarmuid didn't rely on a mere "look"; he used his full focus, and Katakuri had nowhere to run.
Before he could finish his sentence, a rock slammed into Katakuri's face, literally stuffing the words back down his throat. In the next instant, a mountain of earth and stone cocooned him. Dark energy began to seep from the cracks in the rock, beginning the process of sealing Katakuri completely.
At that moment, while Diarmuid was still in the air, a massive figure erupted from the sea of magma below. Diarmuid didn't even have to look closely, one glance was enough to recognize the intruder.
It was Charlotte Linlin, her body wreathed in flames. She had apparently used Prometheus's power to temporarily shield herself with solar fire, hiding within the magma and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Seeing Diarmuid focused on sealing her favorite son, and seeing his hands pressed together as if he were going all-out, she seized her opening.
The moment she cleared the magma, her Cognac blade swung upward toward Diarmuid. A devastating aura was held in check on the blade, only to be unleashed the moment she lined him up.
"Ikoku!!!" she roared.
The power of Ikoku Sovereignty was undeniable, a force of pure destruction. The timing was perfect; everything had gone according to her plan. A glint of joy even flickered in Big Mom's eyes, as if she could already see Diarmuid being gravely wounded.
Yes, "gravely wounded." Even now, Big Mom was so wary of Diarmuid that she didn't believe she could kill him outright with a surprise attack. Her highest hope was simply to deal a heavy blow!
Ikoku was indeed formidable. The moment the destructive shockwave left her blade, it was as if a mountain were collapsing toward him. But was the timing really that perfect?
Not necessarily.
Diarmuid simply turned his head. His pitch-black eyes, devoid of any white, locked onto Charlotte Linlin.
As their eyes met, Big Mom felt a jolt of terror. What happened to this guy? He doesn't even look human anymore!
A shimmer passed through those void-like eyes, and a burst of dark energy exploded in the air, intercepting the Ikoku just like it had swallowed Kaido's Boro Breath. The moment the darkness touched the shockwave, it spread with lightning speed. Within a blink, the entire Ikoku was stained black. Then, the space warped, the darkness collapsed, and the powerful strike that should have wounded Diarmuid simply vanished into nothingness!
At the same time, Katakuri's sealing was complete. He had become a pitch-black sphere, floating up into the sky to keep the unfortunate Marco company.
"You old hag, you still dare to ambush me!?" Having dealt with Katakuri, Diarmuid turned his full attention to Charlotte Linlin.
Big Mom was stunned. What the hell just happened? She was less than thirty meters from Diarmuid. A massive, high-power move like Ikoku should have completely engulfed him at that range. The distance of thirty meters is covered in a literal heartbeat; she had been certain it was a guaranteed hit.
Yet, halfway there, the Ikoku just... disappeared!?
Before she could recover, Diarmuid reached out and made a grasping motion in the empty air. Though his hand caught nothing, black smoke began to roll between his fingers.
Big Mom suddenly felt a supreme force of attraction erupting from Diarmuid's hand. Her massive body was pulled into the air, flying toward him against her will. She was startled, but not initially panicked. However, after trying to fight the force, her expression twisted into one of disbelief and horror.
She had assumed this was Diarmuid's gravity pulling her. But after resisting, she realized it was nothing of the sort! This had nothing to do with gravity; it was a power akin to an absolute "law" of the world. It was esoteric and irresistible!
Indeed, this was the power of the Dark-Dark Fruit. When it came to "attracting" ability users, it completely ignored the target's strength! If you are an ability user, I can pull you! It was that tyrannical!
Unable to resist the pull, Big Mom didn't lose her head. A powerhouse of her caliber still had incredible reflexes. Armament Haki instantly coated her body, flowing like liquid, effectively wrapping her in a "tortoise shell" of defense.
She slammed into Diarmuid's hand, but he couldn't actually "grab" her, simply because she was too massive to get a proper grip on. Diarmuid didn't hesitate for a second. His other hand gathered a tremendous surge of Haki, and he threw a punch straight at Big Mom's head.
Breaking through a surface by concentrating on a single point! Big Mom's Haki covered her entire body, while Diarmuid's was condensed entirely into his fist. There was no question which was stronger.
The punch landed, shattering the Haki defense on Big Mom's head. His massive fist then slammed brutally into her protruding bridge of her nose.
A surge of intense gravity flashed. With a ruthless glint in his eyes, Diarmuid roared, "BEGONE!"
There was a momentary pause, and then, as if a dam had burst, the "Iron Balloon," the woman with supposedly invincible defense, had her nose bridge collapsed by Diarmuid's fist. Then, top-heavy and reeling, she was sent spinning through the air. The power of the punch tore through her body, slamming Charlotte Linlin from the sky directly back into the sea of magma.
The impact sent up a massive "splash" of molten rock and gouged a crater into the actual ground beneath. Then, the magma flowed back in, burying Charlotte Linlin completely!