What shocked Charlotte Katakuri the most was that, despite having clearly predicted Marco's attack landing point with his sharp insight and Observation Haki, it had still been slightly off.
This slight deviation nearly killed him!
"His Observation Haki is also at the top level... but it's just not on par with mine."
When it came to Observation Haki, Charlotte Katakuri was the expert.
He roughly divided Haki into three levels: ordinary, excellent, and top. Higher levels could crush lower ones, even if the power was the same. Only those with the highest level of Haki could evolve it to the point of "foreseeing the future."
The clash a moment ago confirmed one thing for Charlotte Katakuri: Marco's Observation Haki was at the top level!
"I heard Drought Jack was worn down alive by him... I need to end this quickly!"
Before arriving here, Charlotte Katakuri had studied Marco's previous battles, especially the one against Drought Jack, where Marco displayed incredible stamina and endurance.
As he rapidly retreated, Charlotte Katakuri grabbed onto a building component, suddenly lowering his body to avoid a blazing attack from Marco's horizontal slash.
He didn't even look back at the roaring flames. With both hands pressed on the building, he suddenly transformed the towering structure into wriggling sticky tentacles!
Whoosh~!
The sticky mochi tentacles appeared, immediately enveloped by Armament Haki, as black tendrils shot toward Marco at lightning speed.
Almost instantly, these countless tentacles wrapped around Marco like a black mummy, trying to strangle him to death!
Many pirates in the distance hadn't even had time to gasp.
Suddenly, the tentacles binding Marco exploded in an instant,
Marco burst free, scattering sticky mochi everywhere.
At that moment, an enormous black fist made of mochi and covered in powerful Armament Haki smashed down on Marco with terrifying force.
As it struck,
The giant fist of mochi exploded like a cannonball!
Boom~!
An earth-shattering sound echoed over the entire island.
The fiery explosion sent flames into the sky, and the resulting shockwave swept through, reducing the buildings below to rubble.
Everyone was left speechless by the sight.
"Charlotte Katakuri's mochi can even explode!"
"The power is terrifying!"
Countless pirates were in awe, but then someone shouted, "Oh my God! Look!"
In the very next moment, from within the explosion,
Marco, surrounded by blue flames, emerged. His flame-covered wings shielded him, and he walked out, unharmed.
Blue flames danced across his body, and as he spread his enormous wings, a powerful wind swept down, extinguishing the flames caused by the explosion.
Marco had blocked the entire attack with his wings!
Though it took time to describe, it all happened in an instant.
As soon as Marco spread his wings, he transformed into a bolt of blue lightning and shot toward Charlotte Katakuri.
Katakuri leaped, trying to dodge, but was shocked to find that Marco's attack wasn't a punch or a single strike, but...
Those enormous flaming wings, now coated in powerful Armament Haki, were descending like two massive blades from the sky!
The attack covered such a vast area that there was no way to escape!
Boom~~!
Without exception, Charlotte Katakuri was struck down. Like a kite with a broken string, he plummeted toward the ground, his body ravaged by the destructive force!
The towering buildings around him fell as well.
Thick clouds of dust rolled down, and every structure was reduced to rubble under the impact, as if they were made of paper!
"Oh my God!"
The pirates were dumbfounded by the breathtaking scene.
"This level of destruction is way too terrifying!"
At that moment, many pirates felt the entire island tremble and began to panic.
"Lord Marco is truly powerful! He took a few hits from Charlotte Katakuri earlier, but now he's returned them all!"
Around the world, pirates watching through the projection of the Transponder Snail, including many of Marco's fans, cheered at the sight.
"This kind of fighting style is truly liberating!"
Marco's supporters were ecstatic.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Katakuri's fans stared at the thick smoke, hoping for a miracle.
Crash~!
When the billowing smoke cleared, Charlotte Katakuri, with his signature scarf around his mouth, emerged from the rubble below.
His shoulder was injured.
Blood was trickling down.
Marco's large-scale attack had been impossible to completely avoid, even with Katakuri's mastery of Haki.
Step, step~~!
On the other side of the ruins, Marco, having folded his wings, landed and began walking toward Charlotte Katakuri. He gazed at him intently. "Since neither of us can gain the upper hand with Haki alone, let's settle this in a real fight... Let's go, life or death!"
As Marco stepped across the ruins, each footprint he left behind smoldered into black charcoal, and with each step, the ruins beneath him silently crumbled into powder, leaving deep holes in the ground.
Swish!
Charlotte Katakuri summoned a trident, its blade gleaming as it was coated with top-level Armament Haki. He too began walking toward Marco.
"Hand-to-hand combat? Just what I wanted. I'll use it to finish you off completely!"
Buzz!
In Marco's hand, a halberd made of blue flames appeared, its body engulfed in fire and radiating a destructive aura. The raw power emanating from it was overwhelming. Marco continued walking step by step toward Katakuri. "This halberd is formed from my 'Immortal Phoenix' power… You'll be the first to fall to it!"
The battle was on the verge of erupting, and everyone around held their breath, watching the scene unfold with intense anticipation.
This time...
Who is stronger, and who is weaker?
And who will... fall?