AN : There is a limited time discount running for TWO DAYS on my for Patreon page. Check it out and enjoy the story further. Kaido has been clashing with Marco!!
CODE - FA23B!!
-------------------------------
Seeing Cracker doubled over and defenseless, Marco didn't hesitate for even a heartbeat.
He drove his knee upward with brutal strength, slamming it into Cracker's chin. Blood sprayed from Cracker's mouth as his entire body was launched into the air.
"If you're afraid of pain," Marco barked, eyes blazing, "then why the hell did you become a pirate?!"
Twisting midair, Marco spun a full circle and unleashed another crushing kick, this time into Cracker's abdomen. The impact sent Cracker flying like a rag doll. Blue flames exploded from Marco's body as he immediately gave chase.
"Cough—cough—damn it!" Cracker's nose and mouth streamed with blood, his head spinning as pain robbed his brain of oxygen. He had always feared pain—that was why he hid inside biscuit soldiers, letting them fight in his stead. But now, there was nowhere to hide.
The moment he lifted his head, Marco was already there.
At point-blank range, Cracker's cheek slammed straight into Marco's descending foot.
"Phoenix Seal—"
BAM!
The kick crushed into Cracker's face, snapping his head back. Blood poured from his nose as his body was hurled away once again.
As he flew, Cracker felt his consciousness slipping. For the first time, fear of death eclipsed the agony wracking his body.
His feet scraped violently across the ground, carving trenches for dozens of meters before he finally stopped. When he looked up and saw Marco charging again, dread flooded his heart.
This monster didn't give his enemies a second to breathe.
There was no escape.
"Damn it!" Cracker roared, forcing himself upright. The biscuit blade in his hands began spinning wildly as he screamed, "I'll take you with me—Spinning Pretzel!"
"Iron Body—Fire Fist!"
Neither of them defended.
Cracker's spinning blade pierced straight through Marco's abdomen, impaling him. At the same time, Marco's fist smashed into Cracker's face.
For a split second, they were locked together.
Then—
BOOM!
A violent blue flame shockwave erupted from Marco's fist. Cracker was sent flying thousands of meters, crashing into a cliff with a deafening roar. Half his body embedded itself into the rock before he finally went limp, completely unconscious.
"Cracker…!"
The sight shattered what remained of the Big Mom Pirates' morale. Two Sweet Commanders had fallen in rapid succession. Despair crept into their ranks as they realized the truth—
None of the Sweet Commanders could stop Marco.
Marco grimaced slightly as he reached down and yanked the biscuit blade out of his abdomen. Blue flames surged instantly over the wound, sealing flesh and bone in seconds, leaving not even a scar behind.
"Are you alright, Marco?" Namur rushed over, worry written across his face.
Marco grinned, utterly at ease. "You know my ability, don't you? When it comes to recovery, if I say I'm second, no one dares claim first. Injuries like this heal in a blink."
True enough, the wound vanished completely.
"…Even Cracker has been defeated?"
Not far away, Smoothie's expression finally wavered. She still hadn't managed to break through Fossa—and now two of the four Sweet Commanders were already down.
Her turn… was coming fast.
Fossa, meanwhile, was gasping for breath, yet still managed a hoarse laugh.
"You really underestimated Marco… and you underestimated our Phoenix Pirates far too much," he said, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth. "As the saying goes, a wounded dragon is still a dragon. No matter what's happened, we're still a Yonko pirate crew!"
Smoothie's expression darkened at his words. Even without Whitebeard, the Phoenix Pirates were anything but weak. This time, the Big Mom Pirates had truly been careless.
On the other side of the battlefield, Ace and Katakuri stood facing each other, both battered. Ace's face was swollen and bruised, while Katakuri's body was scorched with burns.
Ace forced a grin, though the movement tugged painfully at his wounds. Even so, the joy in his eyes was unmistakable.
"Looks like there are only two Sweet Commanders left now," he said lightly. "You thought that without Pops around, you could push us around however you liked. That's where you went wrong."
Katakuri didn't respond. In his heart, he had already acknowledged the truth—he had underestimated them.
Ace continued, his voice steady despite his injuries.
"All these years, we foolish sons grew up under Pops' protection. Even though he's no longer here, what he left behind is our most precious treasure. And we'll never let anyone take it away so easily."
Seeing Ace's resolve, Katakuri slowly regained his composure. Earlier, he had abandoned his greatest advantage—future-sight Observation Haki—to clash head-on with Ace using sheer force and Armament Haki. It had been a gamble: endure some injuries, defeat Fire Fist Ace quickly, and then rush to support his siblings.
Now he realized he had still misjudged Ace.
As a Logia user, Ace's raw destructive power was terrifying. Katakuri calmed his breathing, reminding himself that his true strength lay in Observation Haki. He could not afford to lose control again. The moment his emotions spiraled, his future sight would fail. And without it, even if his Armament Haki surpassed Ace's, the overwhelming firepower of the Mera Mera no Mi would put him at a clear disadvantage in a direct clash.
"Oh?" Ace noticed the subtle change and chuckled. "Looks like you've finally calmed down. Marco told me about your ability a long time ago. Your future-sight only works when you're emotionally stable, right? Did seeing your brothers get beaten one after another make you lose control?"
Katakuri snorted softly, his gaze returning to its usual cold calm.
"Hmph. So all my information has already been exposed."
Though he desperately wanted to finish Ace off, the prolonged fight had made one thing clear—he couldn't defeat Fire Fist Ace quickly. The more impatient he became, the more impossible that goal felt, trapping him in a vicious loop.
Ace smiled with quiet confidence.
"You know, when I fought Akainu at Marineford, I even wondered if my Mera Mera no Mi was weak. But compared to you? I think my flames are doing just fine."
Katakuri's eyes darkened.
Ace went on, unabashed.
"Fighting you made me realize something. Your Haki and Devil Fruit mastery are both above mine. But it's a shame—the fruit you ate is just a bit lacking. Even awakened, the Mochi-Mochi Fruit doesn't quite measure up. Guess that's what they call a bad matchup."
He shrugged slightly.
"People like to say there are no useless Devil Fruits, only useless users. But let's be honest—some fruits are just stronger than others. My Mera Mera no Mi might not rival Akainu's magma, but it's still far superior to your mochi."
The air between them tightened once more as both men prepared for the next exchange.
--------------------------------
AN: Check out my P@treon For +40 extra chapters.
Thank You For your Support!!
[email protected]/noviceauthor777