Gunko's heels touched down lightly against the cracked stone, her eyes settling on Tenjin as if everything else around them was beneath notice.
"Come," she said simply, her voice carrying that same cold, celestial authority. "You will return to the Holy Land."
Tenjin didn't move.
Around him, chaos roared.
Explosions of Haki split the sky where Garp, Big Mom, and Shamrock clashed. Shockwaves rolled across the battlefield like storms, rattling ships, shattering trees, sending pirates and Marines alike scrambling just to stay standing.
Closer to the ground, another war brewed.
Bogard flicked his blade clean in one smooth motion before casually tossing something forward.
A head.
Sommers' severed head spun through the air before landing neatly back onto his own body. The flesh reattached with a grotesque, seamless motion, veins knitting together as if time itself reversed.
Sommers clicked his tongue, stretching his neck.
"You could've handed that back a bit more gently," he muttered, irritation clear in his tone.
Bogard didn't even look at him.
"Next time," he said calmly, "keep it attached."
Sommers' lips twitched.
Before he could respond—
A ripple.
Katakuri moved.
Fast.
The ground itself bent under his will, mochi erupting upward like a tidal wave as his massive arm shot forward, hardened with Armament Haki.
"ZAN GIRI MOCHI!"
The strike tore through the air, directly toward Gunko.
But—
A flash.
Steel met force.
Bogard stepped in.
No wasted motion.
Just a single, precise cut.
The mochi arm split cleanly down the middle, the Haki-infused strike dispersing harmlessly as Bogard's blade passed through it.
Katakuri's eyes narrowed.
Bogard stood between them now, posture relaxed, blade angled slightly downward.
"You're not going anywhere near her," he said.
Katakuri exhaled slowly, scarf fluttering in the wind.
"…I figured."
Behind him—
"Candy Maiden!"
Perospero struck.
A torrent of hardened candy surged forward, twisting and coiling like a living serpent aimed straight at Tenjin.
But it never reached him.
A blur cut across the battlefield.
Steel flashed.
Gion appeared.
Her blade carved through the candy construct in a single, fluid arc, slicing it apart as if it were nothing more than paper.
Fragments shattered across the ground.
Gion didn't stop moving.
She stepped forward, no, glided. Her feet barely touching the ground as she launched into the air with Geppo, the Moon Walk technique carrying her effortlessly upward.
Perospero's eyes widened slightly.
She was already above him.
Fast.
Too fast.
"Not so fast, candy man."
Her tone was light.
But her blade wasn't.
She descended in a flash—
"Falling Petal Strike!"
Perospero reacted instantly, candy forming into a thick shield.
"Candy Wall!"
The clash rang out.
Steel against hardened candy.
For a brief moment, they held.
Then—
Crack.
The wall shattered.
Perospero was forced backward, boots dragging across the ground as he skidded, eyes narrowing behind his glasses.
"…Candy isn't enough, huh," he muttered.
Gion landed lightly, blade steady, posture perfect.
"Try something stronger," she said.
Just fact.
Perospero's grin returned, wider this time.
"Oh, I will."
Behind them—
Gunko watched the exchange with mild disinterest.
"Pathetic," she muttered.
Her gaze shifted back to Tenjin.
"You are wasting time," she said. "Come with me."
Tenjin finally spoke.
"…Not happening."
Gunko's eyes narrowed slightly.
For the first time, just slightly her expression shifted.
Before she could respond—
A sharp voice cut in.
"Gunko!"
Sommers stepped forward, stretching his arms as thorny vines began to crawl along his sleeves, twisting and coiling like living weapons.
"Let's not waste time arguing," he said. "We take him and leave."
Tenjin smirked faintly.
"Try it."
The air tightened.
But before anything could escalate further—
BOOM.
Another Conqueror's clash exploded in the distance.
The sky split again.
All eyes flicked upward instinctively.
Garp.
Big Mom.
Shamrock.
Still going.
Still tearing the world apart.
Bogard didn't even glance up.
Instead, his voice cut through the battlefield—calm, unwavering.
"Tenjin."
Tenjin turned slightly.
Bogard met his eyes.
"Go."
Tenjin clicked his tongue.
"…Yeah."
Gunko stepped forward immediately—
But Katakuri moved again.
This time faster.
His future sight guiding him.
He aimed not for Bogard—
Not for Gion—
But straight for Tenjin.
"Buzz Cut Mochi!"
A massive, spinning mochi construct surged forward, hardened and deadly.
But—
"Not happening."
Bogard stepped in again.
Blade flashed.
The attack split apart mid-air.
At the same time—
"Candy Escalator!"
Perospero tried to bypass Gion, launching a structure of candy toward Tenjin from another angle.
Gion vanished.
Reappeared.
"Too slow."
Her blade carved through it instantly.
She didn't stop there.
She pressed forward.
Relentless.
Two rapid slashes, too fast to follow.
Perospero barely managed to block, candy forming just in time—
But the impact sent him skidding again.
Further this time.
Gion landed in front of him.
Closing the distance.
Dominating it.
"You're not getting past me," she said.
Perospero exhaled slowly, adjusting his stance.
"…This is troublesome," he admitted.
---
The battlefield of Nuts Island had descended into complete chaos.
Shockwaves from titanic clashes tore through the air. The ground remained split from earlier impacts, chunks of earth floating momentarily before crashing back down into the sea. Lightning crackled in the sky. Not natural lightning, but the violent residue of Conqueror's Haki clashing between monsters.
And above it all—
A strange construct soared into the sky.
A platform of arrows, layered and interwoven like a divine chariot.
Gunko stood at the front, one hand extended, her fingers subtly shifting as more arrows formed and reinforced the structure beneath them. The construct hummed faintly, stable and unnaturally fast.
Behind her stood Sommers. Now fully regenerated, rolling his shoulders as if nothing had happened earlier. And at the center—
Tenjin.
Wind tore at his coat as they ascended.
Below them, the battlefield shrank.
Ahead, escape.
Gunko didn't turn as she spoke.
"Remain still."
Her tone carried that same detached authority, as if speaking to someone far beneath her station.
Tenjin didn't respond immediately.
His eyes were still fixed downward.
Watching.
Garp… locked in battle with Big Mom.
Gion… clashing against Perospero.
Bogard… stepping forward to intercept Katakuri.
His jaw tightened slightly.
"…This is annoying."
Gunko's eyes flickered briefly.
"Annoying?"
Tenjin exhaled slowly.
"I don't like leaving fights unfinished."
Sommers chuckled beside him.
"Fights? You were about to get yourself killed, Marine."
Tenjin glanced sideways, expression flat.
"You've died more times than me today."
Sommers froze for half a second, then burst out laughing.
"Gahahaha! Fair enough!"
Gunko remained silent.
But her gaze sharpened just slightly.
This boy…
Even now, no fear.
No hesitation.
No reverence.
Below—
"Candy Maiden!"
A massive wave of hardened candy surged forward like a living wall, coated in sharp spikes, aiming to crush Gion completely.
Gion didn't even flinch.
Her blade moved.
Clean.
Precise.
A flash—
And the entire structure split cleanly in half.
Perospero's eyes widened slightly.
"…Fast."
Gion stepped forward, heels barely touching the ground as she moved with Geppo, her form gliding unnaturally between steps.
"You're distracted."
Her blade was already at his throat.
Perospero reacted just in time—
"Candy Wall!"
A thick barrier formed instantly, blocking the strike, but the impact still forced him sliding backward across the ground.
Gion's eyes narrowed.
"Stay focused."
Elsewhere—
Katakuri exhaled slowly.
His scarf had already been lowered.
His expression—
Serious.
Completely focused.
Across from him stood Bogard.
Calm.
Composed.
Hand resting lightly on the hilt of his blade.
Katakuri spoke first.
"You're not like the others."
Bogard adjusted slightly.
"…And you're exactly as expected."
A brief silence.
Wind passed between them.
Then—
Both moved.
Katakuri's arm transformed instantly—
"Mochi Thrust!"
A massive, hardened fist shot forward, coated in Armament Haki, stretching at incredible speed.
Bogard drew.
A single motion.
Clean.
Sharp.
The blade flashed—
Katakuri was already gone.
Behind him.
He had seen it.
A kick aimed directly at Bogard's head—
Bogard tilted slightly—
just enough for the attack to pass.
Katakuri's eyes narrowed.
"He can read me…"
Bogard stepped forward.
Now it was his turn.
A flurry of sword strikes erupted, each one precise, controlled, and impossibly fast.
Katakuri blocked, morphing his body, reshaping, hardening—
But even then—
A cut.
Shallow.
Across his side.
Katakuri slid back.
"…Impressive."
Bogard didn't respond.
But his stance shifted slightly.
More intent now.
Above—
Tenjin watched.
Carefully.
Katakuri…
He's strong.
Really strong.
His eyes narrowed slightly.
That ability…
Seeing ahead.
It was annoying.
Gunko's voice cut through his thoughts.
"Do not concern yourself with them."
Tenjin didn't look at her.
"I'm not."
Pause.
"…But that guy Katakuri. He's interesting."
Sommers smirked.
"Planning to fight him someday?"
Tenjin's lips curled slightly.
"…Obviously."
Gunko's expression remained unchanged.
But internally—
She noted it.
This boy…
He doesn't hesitate to place himself against monsters.
Not arrogance.
Just certainty.
Below—
Katakuri raised both arms.
"Mochi Ginchaku!"
The ground itself transformed into a massive mochi trap, rising and closing around Bogard from all directions.
Bogard stepped forward—
Calm.
One breath.
Then—
His blade moved.
A circular slash—
Katakuri appeared again, this time above.
"Mochi Zanmai!"
A barrage of massive, hardened fists rained down from all directions.
Bogard moved.
Not fast—
Just enough.
Each strike avoided by the smallest margin.
Each movement efficient.
Minimal.
Perfect.
Until—
One landed.
A glancing blow to his shoulder.
The ground cracked beneath him as he slid back.
Silence.
Katakuri exhaled slowly.
"…You're holding back."
Bogard adjusted his stance.
"…You as well."
Katakuri's eyes sharpened.
Above—
Gunko's arrow construct surged forward, gaining speed.
The battlefield was growing distant now.
The chaos—
Fading.
Sommers stretched lazily.
"Well, that was fun while it lasted."
Tenjin remained silent.
Still watching.
Even as distance grew—
He could still feel it.
That pressure.
That level.
Garp.
Big Mom.
His fists clenched slightly.
"…I'm still too weak."
Gunko finally turned her head slightly.
"…Correct."
Tenjin didn't react.
"…But not for long."
Sommers grinned.
"I like him."
Gunko didn't respond.
But her gaze lingered on Tenjin for a moment longer.
---
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