90. Gear 5, Sun God Nika
"You want to interrupt a duel between men, Chopper," Zoro stated firmly, his gaze fixed on the battlefield ahead. Despite their usual disagreements, Zoro acknowledged the mutual respect between him and Sanji as men of the sea. The pride and honour inherent in such a duel were deeply ingrained in his heart.
"But what about Sanji?" Chopper asked, voicing his concern. Being relatively young, Chopper struggled to comprehend Zoro's words fully. All he knew was that Sanji had taken a heavy blow and could be seriously injured.
"Have faith in him. He's not one to easily fall," Zoro reassured Chopper and Nami, his expression calm amidst the chaos of battle.
As the dust settled, a figure emerged from the haze—it was Katakuri.
"Is Sanji defeated?" Chopper and Nami exclaimed incredulously while Zoro, Jinbei, and the others maintained their composed demeanour. They understood Sanji's strength and determination; he wouldn't be easily bested in a duel.
Indeed, Sanji emerged from the smoke, coughing and clutching his injured waist. Despite his slender frame compared to Katakuri's, Sanji stood firm and more stable than his adversary.
"I lost, Katakuri. You foresaw a future farther than I did," Sanji admitted, his voice strained. "I owe my standing here to my comrades behind me. Without them, I would have been the one to fall in this battle."
"Blackfoot Sanji, you're quite the intriguing individual," Katakuri remarked with a smile, though he spoke with difficulty. "Excuses have no place in true battles. The future is merely preparation for such clashes."
"In this battle, there's no denying my defeat. You're formidable, but I won't lose to you next time we meet," Katakuri vowed.
With that, Katakuri fell to the ground, his undefeated streak broken. In this test of true strength, he relinquished all pride and accepted defeat gracefully.
As the smoke cleared, Sanji approached Katakuri, acknowledging his opponent's strength despite his own victory. The two warriors, battered and bruised, shared a moment of mutual respect.
"You are truly formidable," Sanji conceded, acknowledging Katakuri's superior foresight and skill in battle. Despite their differences, they had both learned from the encounter, honing their abilities to new heights.
In the end, they both gained a deeper understanding of themselves and each other, having traversed the crucible of combat together.
Sanji's understanding and mastery of his abilities had reached a pinnacle, just as Katakuri's control over Conqueror's Haki had reached a critical point. Despite Katakuri's age of forty-six, his combat prowess, physical strength, and courage were at their peak, lacking only a battle to break through his own limitations.
As Sanji prepared to depart, he noticed Katakuri's stitched mouth and fangs, reminiscent of the man who always concealed half his face with a long scarf. Despite being adversaries, Sanji couldn't help but feel a sense of respect for Katakuri. He staggered over, retrieved the fallen scarf, and gently covered Katakuri's face.
Zoro's verbal jabs at Sanji, even in such moments, were a testament to their unique dynamic. Though they often clashed, they shared an unspoken understanding that ran deeper than their conflicts. This mutual trust allowed them to rely on each other when it mattered most.
Sanji's acknowledgement of Katakuri's strength was evident. If Katakuri had fully mastered Conqueror's Coil earlier, the outcome of their battle would have been uncertain. Katakuri's abilities were on par with those of an Admiral, with only a slight gap separating them. However, crossing that threshold would mark a significant leap in strength.
As Chopper tended to Sanji's injuries, the focus shifted to Luffy's battle with BIGMOM. Despite Luffy's exhaustion from utilizing Gear Fifth, Zoro expressed confidence in his victory. Meanwhile, BIGMOM, although scarred and fatigued, continued to pose a formidable threat.
The intense battle between Luffy and BIGMOM pushed both combatants to their limits, with neither relenting in their pursuit of victory. Despite BIGMOM's endurance as one of the Four Emperors, even she began to feel the strain of their prolonged engagement. However, Luffy's determination and the formidable power he wielded in his unique state posed a significant challenge to BIGMOM's dominance.
As Luffy faced off against BIGMOM, he utilized his superior speed, Conqueror's Haki, and strategic attacks to gain the upper hand. However, his sudden physical exhaustion allowed BIGMOM to counter, demonstrating her resilience and formidable abilities.
Yet, Luffy's determination surged within him, revitalizing his depleted energy and returning him to peak condition in an instant. With renewed vigour, he unleashed a devastating attack, propelling BIGMOM hundreds of meters away with a barrage of high-temperature flames and overwhelming force.
Undeterred, BIGMOM retaliated with her Napoleon Sword, unleashing a powerful strike that threatened to overwhelm Luffy. Despite the ferocity of her assault, Luffy evaded the attack with swift reflexes, narrowly escaping harm.
Throughout their intense exchange, Luffy recognized BIGMOM's formidable defence, which seemed impervious to his most powerful blows. Despite his relentless assault, BIGMOM's resilience remained unyielding, frustrating Luffy's attempts to incapacitate her.
Realizing the necessity of a decisive strike, Luffy resolved to unleash his ultimate strength, aiming to incapacitate BIGMOM with a single devastating blow. With unwavering determination, he focused on maximizing his abilities, seeking to harness the full potential of his fifth gear.
As Luffy's battle strategy evolved, he tapped into the boundless potential of his fifth gear, envisioning new possibilities for enhancing his flexibility, power, and destructive capabilities. With his Observation, Haki sharpened to its fullest extent. He dodged BIGMOM's attacks while strategizing his next move, determined to push his abilities to their ultimate limits.
As Luffy faced off against BIGMOM, he realized the need for a decisive strike to overcome her formidable defences. Recalling his experiences during the Summit War, he understood the potential of his fourth gear to deliver devastating impacts by harnessing the elasticity of his rubber body.
With determination in his eyes, Luffy unleashed his fourth gear, transforming into a giant with immense size and power. Although smaller than his previous giant form, this size was optimal for the current battle.
BIGMOM, far from intimidated, eagerly embraced the opportunity for a head-on collision with Luffy. She brandished her Napoleon's Sword, preparing to unleash a powerful attack to defeat the Straw Hat Boy once and for all.
Meanwhile, Luffy's body surged with energy as he prepared to confront BIGMOM head-on. His immense size, combined with the interplay of Conqueror's Haki and Armament Haki, signalled the unleashing of his most powerful technique.
With a mighty yell, Luffy's right fist began to swell in size, pulsating with energy as it expanded to an enormous diameter. This massive fist, charged with the blazing flames of his Gear 5, the Sun God Nika, symbolized the culmination of his strength and determination.
As BIGMOM unleashed her devastating attack, Luffy's colossal fist collided with Napoleon's Sword, creating a cataclysmic explosion that reverberated throughout the battlefield. The sheer force of their clash sent shockwaves rippling across the landscape, shaking the very foundations of their surroundings.
In that moment of intense confrontation, Luffy's resolve remained unshaken. With his fifth gear pushed to its absolute limit, he stood ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead, determined to emerge victorious against the formidable opponent before him.
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