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"Logia Air Devil Fruit?"
Standing on the fractured ice, Katakuri positioned himself beside Charlotte Linlin, creating an imposing presence impossible to dismiss.
Kizaru spoke with his characteristic tilted smile, though his expression held unprecedented gravity. "Fufufu~, how frightening... BIG MOM Pirates... Each one as formidable as a monster!"
Though uncertain of the full situation, the ability Katakuri had just displayed was undeniably real. He could completely ignore air resistance and move at superhuman speed—almost as instantaneous as teleportation. With the enhanced capabilities of the Logia-type Air Devil Fruit, his attack power was devastatingly potent.
"Whoosh!"
A silver-white figure flashed suddenly, sweeping over Kizaru's head. The magnificent red and black blade gleamed with an otherworldly luster as it carved a dazzling arc, slashing downward from top to bottom.
Kizaru's eyes widened as he violently retreated.
"Heaven Piercing Sword!" Countless brilliant photons materialized amid shimmering golden light. A blindingly sharp light saber formed at a speed visible to the naked eye.
Facing the sibling duo of Linlin and Katakuri, Kizaru abandoned all contempt and prepared to fight at full capacity.
"Clang!!"
Sparks erupted as the mesmerizing Heaven Piercing Sword and the radiant blade collided forcefully.
At that moment, Kizaru felt disoriented and staggered.
Katakuri's blazing fist connected squarely with him, distorting his entire face as blood erupted from his mouth. The impact sent him flying backward.
"Flying Dragon!" Linlin's eyes narrowed with focus.
The blade in her hand became entwined with flowing Armament Haki and crackling electricity as she swung it powerfully. The intensely burning slash transformed into a brilliant flying dragon that struck Kizaru directly.
In an instant, the dragon-shaped attack radiated golden light, passing completely through Kizaru's body and continuing unimpeded to bombard the ice behind him.
"Boom..." Ice fragments exploded outward as air currents raged. A massive gash appeared on the ice surface, chilling to behold.
Katakuri maintained his assault, condensing one Haki-infused air fist after another and attacking with relentless fury. Without exception, each attack passed through Kizaru's body, avoided by his Logia-type elemental transformation.
"Boom! Boom!"
"Yata Mirror!"
With crossed hands, eye-catching light formed a mirror-like surface. Following the constructed photon pathway, Kizaru retreated hundreds of meters in an instant, escaping the immediate battlefield.
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he regarded Katakuri with newfound respect, solemnity flashing in his eyes.
He had inexplicably felt dizzy moments before, leaving him vulnerable to Katakuri's lightning-fast strike that proved difficult to avoid.
"It seems you've discovered it..." Katakuri remarked calmly, watching Kizaru.
"So it was just... gas? You used your Air Devil Fruit ability to quietly mix gas into the surrounding atmosphere?" Holding his Ama no Murakumo sword, Kizaru wiped blood from his mouth and spoke gravely.
"Unfortunately, I couldn't sense it in time!"
Silver light flashed as Linlin, wreathed in lightning, appeared with thunderous speed directly before Kizaru. Her exceptionally sharp blade tore through the atmosphere with a ferocious slash.
"Clang!!"
The deafening sound of metal collision rang out as Heaven Piercing Sword clashed once more with Kizaru's blade.
"No, it's truly impressive..." Kizaru shook his head.
He looked directly at Linlin before him while his Observation Haki remained vigilant against Katakuri's potential surprise attack. "However you look at it, I am among the Admiral candidates for the esteemed Navy Headquarters. In a sense, I represent the highest combat capability of the Navy!"
The words had barely left his mouth when Kizaru's eyes hardened.
"Swish..." His right leg, condensed with blazing brilliance, lashed out like lightning. Formidable Armament Haki encased his limb as he struck Katakuri, who moved with matching speed. "No matter how much you underestimate the Marines, there must be a limit!"
"Boom!!"
"Air Blades!"
Katakuri responded without hesitation.
His ten fingers, covered with Haki, transformed into dazzling points of light. Energy burst from his palms like rockets, exploding outward with violent force.
"Boom... Boom..."
Brilliant light penetrated Kizaru's body, leaving shocking holes throughout his form. Golden light overflowed from these wounds, indescribably radiant.
"Swish, swish..."
In an instant, cold light flashed.
Linlin's expression hardened as she swung her blade repeatedly, scoring Kizaru's body and breaking it into eight pieces. Before activating the "Ten Rings" ability of the Door-Door Fruit to try locking part of his body in that strange space, Kizaru's entire form dissolved into countless light particles and vanished.
"Boom!!"
"Clang!!"
Amid flashes of lightning and sparks, the future Marine Admiral demonstrated superhuman neural response.
Kizaru, having just reformed his body, kicked out without hesitation.
"Hah!"
"Boom!!"
His flashing right foot tore through the atmosphere, striking at light speed toward Katakuri, who countered with a powerful punch.
Meanwhile, Kizaru's Ama no Murakumo sword slashed fiercely, engaging with Linlin who appeared above him in an instant.
"Clang!!"
"Tch..."
Kizaru's empty left hand extended, his index finger glowing so brilliantly it was difficult to look at directly. Accompanied by the piercing sound of air being ripped apart, a dazzling laser beam shot toward Linlin.
"Boom..." However, Linlin's figure flashed in mid-air.
While evading the laser attack, a silver-white shape appeared beside Kizaru like a ghost, slashing with a blade wrapped in swirling electricity and Haki.
"Clang!!"
Kizaru gripped the Ama no Murakumo sword with both hands, meeting the powerful slash head-on.
"Whoosh..." Powerful winds swept across the battlefield, causing the ice to tremble violently. Crushed ice particles were blown away by the astonishing fury of the air currents.
"Boom..."
Almost simultaneously, scarlet flashed in Kizaru's eyes as he transformed into his elemental state without hesitation. His entire being converted into endless photons, narrowly dodging Katakuri's continuous barrage of air fists that would make anyone break into a cold sweat.
The confrontation was breathtaking, raising goosebumps on any observer.
It's complex to describe, but the entire exchange occurred in the blink of an eye.
The three-way battle moved at lightning speed, murderous intent saturating the air. It was dazzling, completely overwhelming, and extremely dangerous.
Yet Admiral candidate Kizaru found his reaction time and speed slightly outmatched. What awaited him was the seamless, uninterrupted terrifying offensive coordination between Linlin and Katakuri.
If not death, then serious injury would be the outcome.
"Linlin, stop playing around and get serious!" At this point, Katakuri's expression was solemn.
Linlin nodded gravely as she dashed toward her opponent.
She understood clearly that Katakuri recognized her strength wasn't yet at its limit. The sooner they ended this battle, the sooner they could assist the Charlotte family fleet in eliminating the Marine troops that had landed.
The Charlotte family cadres were all siblings related by blood. Although casualties in war were inevitable, Katakuri didn't want anything to happen to them. At the very least, he hoped to protect these family members as much as possible.
"Don't worry!"
Linlin shrugged with determination.
In Kizaru's narrowed eyes, accompanied by shocking electrical crackles, her entire body began to radiate more intense lightning as her battle presence continued to rise.
"Mamamama!"
The whites of her eyes were completely replaced by scarlet. A beast-like roar erupted from her mouth as her aura became extraordinarily ferocious. Her body expanded visibly, amazing transformations occurring at a speed plain to see.
"So... the warm-up is over!"