Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
Explosions like muffled thunder echoed through the air, and the roaring shockwaves stirred massive turbulence.
Caught in Katakuri's relentless barrage, Daren's figure was completely swallowed by a flurry of fist shadows. From afar, he looked like a lone boat in a raging storm, tossed about and ready to be devoured at any moment.
Bang!
A mochi fist, coated in Armament Haki, slammed into the left side of Daren's face, drawing a smear of blood from the corner of his mouth.
Bang!!
Another struck him in the gut, making blood ooze from his mouth and nose.
...
Katakuri's greatest strengths were his twisted mastery of Observation Haki and the development of his Devil Fruit powers. In both areas, he had barely managed to squeeze into the ranks of the elite.
But due to his age, his raw physical power lagged far behind Daren's—and was nowhere near the peak strength he'd achieve in the future.
His body durability, strength, explosiveness, even the intensity of his Armament Haki, all remained stuck at a second or even third-tier "silver medalist" level.
This was why he didn't dare engage Daren in close combat.
Because the moment it came to close-quarters fighting, he'd be completely overpowered.
So all he could do was rely on his Observation Haki and the awakening of his Devil Fruit, wearing Daren down with high-frequency, long-range attacks.
Meanwhile, with his own Observation Haki suppressed, Daren couldn't fully deflect Katakuri's furious onslaught. He barely managed to keep his vital points safe, relying on his monstrous physical defense to tank whatever blows he couldn't avoid.
Blood continued to burst from his body, but the violet lightning in his eyes grew more frenzied, and the grin on his face twisted into something increasingly unhinged. His Observation Haki was rising—at a speed he'd never experienced before.
Yes, this was it!
This exhilarating sensation!!
He could feel it clearly—his body was quickly adjusting to Katakuri's attack rhythm.
His reflexes, physical responses, even his awareness of breath and energy—they were sharpening rapidly!
It was becoming clearer and clearer...
He could see it now!
Daren laughed wildly, throwing punch after punch.
Each blow, packed with force and Haki, crushed the incoming mochi fists with ease.
The sight made an ominous feeling creep into Katakuri's heart. His expression grew increasingly alarmed.
This guy... he's adapting to my attacks!
How is that possible!?
As the second strongest fighter in the Big Mom Pirates, second only to Charlotte Linlin herself, Katakuri had fought across the seas bearing her flag, cutting down countless powerful enemies.
But he had never seen a freak like this before!
Could there really be someone out there who could rival Mama?
Looking at the Vice Admiral—who seemed on the brink of collapse under his assault, yet stood unshaken like solid rock—Katakuri, for the first time, felt a deep sense of helplessness.
It was the same crushing pressure he felt when facing his mother.
At that moment, a crack appeared in his will.
And his offensive... began to slow.
"Hm?"
Is he wavering?
Of course Daren noticed the shift in Katakuri instantly, his brows furrowing slightly.
What, is this top-tier "lesson" ending already?
He could feel it clearly—as Katakuri's attacks slowed, his Observation Haki's growth was also grinding to a halt.
That won't do.
He couldn't let this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity end so easily...
So he burst into a bloodied, mocking laugh, baring his teeth as he sneered loudly:
"So this is all you've got, Katakuri... What a letdown!"
"With power like yours, you've got no right to talk big about avenging your brothers! Hahahaha!!"
Daren's words cut deep—Katakuri visibly flinched.
"Shut up!! I'll kill you today!!"
His bloodshot eyes pulsed with fury as he gritted his teeth, unleashing an even more powerful aura. His assault surged once more!
And with it, the intensity of his Observation Haki spiked again!
Just as expected!
Daren grinned wide, the mockery on his face deepening.
"Hahahaha! Not enough! Nowhere near enough!"
"The whole sea calls you the Charlotte family's greatest masterpiece. Your siblings praise you as the perfect older brother... Is this how a big brother's supposed to act?"
"You want to protect them? Don't make me laugh! Look at what you've managed to protect!"
"You can't protect anything!!"
Well, yeah—this kind of trash talk is usually reserved for villains. But hey, I'm the biggest scumbag in the Marines anyway.
Daren threw out those classic villain lines with ease, like it was second nature.
Sure enough...
Provoked into a fury, Katakuri's eyes bulged as his snarling jaws exposed his vicious teeth. His attacks became even more ferocious!
But to Daren's surprise, as time dragged on, he noticed that the growth of his Observation Haki had started to slow.
'Probably because Katakuri isn't strong enough... or maybe my Observation Haki has already advanced to the point where his pressure doesn't push me as hard anymore.'
'Yeah... or maybe, like any ability, once you hit a certain level, the progress naturally slows down. The stronger you get, the harder it is to keep growing.'
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, and Daren decided to throw on one last layer of fuel.
"Still not enough!!"
He laughed wildly, loud and arrogant.
"I get it now!! I finally understand why Linlin wants me to be her husband!!"
He stared at the furious Katakuri with a mocking, disdainful grin.
"She thinks you're too weak, Katakuri. That's why she wants to give birth to a stronger son with me—to replace you!!"
That one line cut like an invisible blade, shredding the last of Katakuri's composure.
"Impossible!!"
His eyes turned blood red in an instant, veins bulging as he howled in rage.
"Shut up!!"
"Mama trusts me!! She's always relied on me more than anyone!!"
"No one can change that!!"
Katakuri lunged forward, screaming with everything he had:
"I am the Charlotte family's greatest masterpiece!!"
He was losing it!!
Sensing Katakuri's surging aura, Daren's eyes lit up and he burst out laughing.
"Is that so?"
"But Linlin doesn't think so. To get her hands on me, she was willing to team up with Shiki and Kaidou to attack Marineford!"
"What did she ever do for you?"
"Hahahahaha! I killed several of her sons, and I bet she just smiled and said, 'It's fine'..."
"And if I'm right... she probably told you to call me 'Father,' didn't she?"