Whitebeard had practically no vigilance toward his own sons. On top of that, he was already old, nowhere near as sharp as he had been several years ago, when he could evade Ace's sneak attacks even in his sleep.
Faced with Squard's sudden slash, he failed to react at all!
"Shhk!"
At the critical moment, a jelly bean coated in Armament Haki struck Squard directly on the wrist, causing the enormous blade in his hand to fall to the ground.
"Phew... I made it in time!"
Katakuri quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
His Observation Haki and Future Sight had shown him this scene moments earlier, allowing him to fire the jelly bean at the decisive instant.
Marco, who had urgently flown over, had already subdued Squard. Katakuri therefore stopped paying attention to them and instead turned his gaze toward Luffy, who was fighting the Marines.
"Gum-Gum Gatling!"
"Gum-Gum Hawk Gatling!"
"Gum-Gum Hawk Stamp!"
"Gum-Gum Gigant Axe!"
Katakuri watched Luffy unleash one technique after another with the power of the Gum-Gum Fruit. After comparing them with his own abilities, he fell into thought.
A moment later, he used the Mochi-Mochi Fruit to create numerous solid arms from his back. Every arm was coated in Armament Haki, and they launched a rapid barrage against the Marines in front of him.
"Not a bad technique."
Katakuri nodded and gave his assessment.
He then enlarged two of the arms with the Mochi-Mochi Fruit before pouring Armament Haki into the enormous hands and hardening them. The gigantic fists immediately struck at two Giant Marine warriors.
"Hm?!"
Faced with the massive arms, which were several times larger than Luffy's Gigant Pistol, the two Giant Marines raised their weapons, leaped into the air, and attacked the incoming fists.
"Bang!"
Their weapons shattered.
The giants were sent flying.
In a single exchange, Katakuri defeated both Giant Marines!
"These really are excellent techniques...!"
A faint light flashed through Katakuri's eyes. Without the slightest hesitation, he began copying the techniques one after another!
"Mochi Hawk Gatling!"
"Mochi Hawk Stamp!"
"Mochi Gigant Axe!"
Katakuri's display immediately inflicted tremendous losses upon the Marines!
However, in the next instant, a red gleam flashed through his eyes, and he abruptly stepped back twice.
A masked figure wearing spiked knuckles and a white fur-lined cloak suddenly appeared in the spot where Katakuri had just been standing.
"CP0, the World Government's direct intelligence agency?"
Katakuri clenched his fists.
He could sense an extraordinarily powerful presence coming from the other party.
Even within CP0, this person was probably a high-ranking figure.
The CP0 agent said nothing.
In the next instant, his left hand transformed into bitterly cold ice, while his right hand transformed into scorching magma!
"A Paramecia-type Temperature-Temperature Fruit?"
Katakuri narrowed his eyes.
"It is the superior version of both Oven's Heat-Heat Fruit and the Thunder Emperor's Ice-Ice Fruit. Judging by its appearance, you've developed it to an extremely advanced level. Your body can already withstand the contrast between two extreme temperatures."
"The upper limits of the temperatures you can produce are no weaker than those of Logia-type Devil Fruits."
With only a few sentences, Katakuri completely explained his opponent's ability.
"As expected of the former second-in-command of the Big Mom Pirates."
The Temperature-Temperature Fruit user finally spoke. His voice was hoarse and dry.
"High temperatures are the most suitable power for countering mochi."
"Among the Marines, only Sakazuki possesses an appropriate ability. However, he must deal with Whitebeard, so this old man has no choice but to handle you personally."
"I was one of the captains of CP0's previous-generation guard unit."
"Be careful!"
"Whoosh!"
The two instantly clashed.
Elsewhere—
The army of biscuit soldiers created by Cracker was intercepted by a CP0 agent wielding a greatsword.
Strange waves surged from the agent's entire body.
Drawn in by those waves, the biscuit soldiers Cracker had created all crumbled into powder and drifted toward the CP0 agent.
"Tch. A Special Paramecia-type Absorb-Absorb Fruit?"
Cracker immediately analyzed the ability.
"It gives you a body capable of absorbing both energy and physical matter. You can also use that absorption ability to control matter."
"So it combines the abilities of both the Superpower and Manipulation categories?"
Paramecia-type Devil Fruits could roughly be divided into five categories:
Superhuman Body, Superpower, Localized Ability, Creation, and Manipulation.
Luffy's Gum-Gum Fruit belonged to the Superhuman Body category.
Shiryu's Slow-Slow Fruit belonged to the Superpower category.
Cracker's Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit belonged to the Creation category.
Kuma's Paw-Paw Fruit belonged to the Localized Ability category.
Jinbe's Stone-Stone Fruit and Tesoro's Gold-Gold Fruit belonged to the Manipulation category.
Some Paramecia-type Devil Fruits were classified as Special Paramecia because they simultaneously possessed the characteristics of two or even several categories.
Katakuri's Mochi-Mochi Fruit, for example, possessed the characteristics of both the Superhuman Body and Creation categories.
"You have indeed developed your Biscuit-Biscuit Fruit to an impressive level."
The Absorb-Absorb Fruit user tucked both hands into the sleeves of his robe.
"Without my ability to absorb your biscuits, you might truly have been able to create an endless number of biscuit soldiers."
"That is precisely why you are destined to lose against me!"
While Cracker and Katakuri fought the elderly CP0 agents, Marco also encountered some trouble.
After subduing Squard, he flew high into the sky once more.
He had originally intended to fly directly toward the execution platform, but several red bands coated in Armament Haki suddenly appeared and restrained him.
"Marco the Phoenix, First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates!"
A muscular, masked man wearing a black coat spoke.
"This old man will be your opponent!"
"I am the former Head Jailer of Impel Down!"
"Blood Chains!"
"Whoosh!"
Several more blood-red chains shot out from the ground surrounding the former Head Jailer.
Marco's phoenix flames instantly erupted, spreading around his body and breaking apart the restraints as he evaded the incoming attack.
"A Special Paramecia-type Blood-Blood Fruit?"
Marco stared at the blood that had been spilled across the battlefield.
All of it was now gathering around the former Head Jailer, causing Marco's expression to become grave.
"It gives you a fluid Superhuman Body similar to Logia elementalization, as well as..."
"Manipulation abilities?"
"What a troublesome opponent."
The battles in the other areas had not changed very much.
Aokiji was still facing Jozu.
(End of Chapter)
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