Just as Nino was about to be defeated, Chika pulled the kanabo from her back. Blue-white lightning crackled along its surface.
She prepared to unleash her Rumble-Rumble Fruit's power to help.
Just then, a figure charged in from behind.
Incredibly fast… so fast that even Katakuri's Observation Haki could only catch a blur.
Clang—!
A black sword blocked Katakuri's mochi fist just before it would have struck Nino.
Dark red Conqueror's Haki lightning coiled around the blade, colliding with the Armament Haki on the mochi fist, producing a screeching metallic clash and flying sparks.
Ace.
He wielded his newly acquired Supreme Grade Blade, Ace. The blade gleamed darkly in the sunlight.
"Hey~ You okay?"
Ace asked without looking back.
Nino caught her breath.
"Thanks."
Ace said nothing more, his gaze fixed on Katakuri.
Katakuri also recognized him, speaking his name.
"Portgas D. Ace."
"I'll be your opponent, Charlotte Katakuri."
Ace replied.
He had once considered changing his name to [Nishikawa Ace], but Makoto didn't agree.
After all, Makoto had no interest in adopting a son.
Moreover, in terms of nurturing, Rouge, who had carried him for ten months, had worked harder.
Ace told the Nakano quintuplets to keep moving forward... he would hold off the opponent.
Nino and Chika exchanged a glance, nodded, and led the others toward Whole Cake Island.
Katakuri tried to stop them, but Ace's blade was already across his path.
"Your opponent is me."
Katakuri was silent for a moment, then withdrew his gaze and refocused his attention on Ace.
The battle officially began.
Neither spoke a word of excess.
Ace held his sword with both hands, wrapping it in Armament Haki that turned the entire blade pure black.
His still-unrefined Conqueror's Haki also coiled around it, dark red lightning flickering across the blade with a crackling sound.
Katakuri's arms transformed into mochi again, but this time, instead of forming fists, the mochi produced a giant trident.
It was his signature weapon, Mogura.
The trident was also coated in thick Armament Haki, its black sheen echoing the gleam of Ace's blade.
Both moved simultaneously.
Clang—!
Blade and trident clashed, producing a deafening shockwave that expanded outward, tearing rocks and dust into the sky.
The ground beneath them cracked like a spiderweb, fissures spreading in all directions.
Ace was forced back a step but steadied himself immediately, swinging his blade in a reverse slash.
Katakuri twisted to evade, sweeping his trident toward Ace's waist.
Ace flipped through the air, avoiding the trident's reach, then raised his blade with both hands for a descending slash.
Katakuri raised his trident to block.
Clang— Clang— Clang—!
Katakuri's pupils contracted slightly.
He could predict Ace's attack paths, but Ace was so fast that his body sometimes couldn't keep up with the predictions.
No wonder he could serve as a main fighter under a man like Yu.
"Divine Departure."
Ace whispered the name.
A dark red blade beam erupted from the sword, like a roaring crimson dragon lunging at Katakuri.
Katakuri's Observation Haki screamed a warning in that instant… this attack could not be taken head-on.
He twisted aside, but the blade beam's range was too wide... it still grazed his shoulder.
Pwah—!
Blood sprayed.
A deep wound appeared on Katakuri's shoulder, blood dripping down his arm onto the ground.
He didn't cry out in pain nor frown, simply using mochi to seal the wound and stop the bleeding.
"How do you know the Pirate King's technique?"
He had only heard of this move from his mother.
Ace remained silent.
Katakuri didn't press further after a moment of silence... he wasn't particularly talkative either.
Katakuri placed one hand on the ground, fully activating his Devil Fruit's power.
"Awakening!"
The ground began to writhe.
No, not just the ground… walls, air, even falling dust, all began to turn into sticky mochi.
The mochi surged out like a swamp, covering hundreds of meters in all directions.
Ace's feet sank into the mochi. Every step required tremendous effort.
"So this is... Devil Fruit Awakening..."
Ace gritted his teeth.
Katakuri stood at the center of the mochi swamp, like a lord in his own domain.
His body began to expand. Starting from his arms, the surrounding mochi in the air condensed into rings and spawned countless enormous Armament-covered iron fists.
"Peerless Donuts!"
Each fist struck with tremendous force, raining down on Ace like a storm.
Ace gritted his teeth, gripping his sword with both hands, pushing his Armament Haki to its limit.
He slashed continuously, each strike accompanied by Conqueror's Haki coating.
Dark red blade beams collided with the black mochi fists, exploding in the air like brilliant fireworks.
Ace's breathing grew quicker, sweat dripping from his forehead into the mochi swamp, but his hands gripping the blade were steady as a rock.
Katakuri's fists also grew faster.
His mochi fists in the awakened state were nearly endless. Severed fists would instantly regrow, sliced arms would immediately heal.
The battle leveled everything around them. Buildings collapsed, the ground cracked, and the air was thick with the smell of scorched mochi and the aftereffects of Conqueror's Haki.
In the rear, members of the Big Mom Pirates watching from afar had pale faces.
"Katakuri-sama... has been unable to defeat his opponent for so long..."
Finally—
Ace found an opening.
Katakuri's Observation Haki had predicted Ace's attack, but his own attack was still slightly too slow.
That momentary lapse was all Ace needed.
Ace's body turned into a streak of black lightning, weaving through the gaps between the mochi giant's fists, his blade aimed directly at Katakuri's core.
Katakuri's pupils contracted sharply.
His Observation Haki predicted the strike, but his body couldn't dodge in time.
Squelch—!
The Supreme blade Ace pierced Katakuri's abdomen.
Blood gushed.
Katakuri fell to his knees, hands on the ground, gasping heavily.
Ace sheathed his sword, breathing raggedly as he turned his head to look at Katakuri.
"You really are very strong."
Katakuri closed his eyes and lay down weakly on the ground.