Cover Story: Momonosuke, Part 13 – "Sleep Talk"
Momonosuke had appeared in the village as mysteriously as he vanished.
Before long, people had completely forgotten the face of that annoying little brat.
The green-haired boy still trained relentlessly with his sword, hoping that one day, he'd defeat Kuina and redeem himself—but that day never came.
That night, Zoro lay down with unresolved frustration in his heart.
As Koshiro passed his room at midnight, he was surprised to hear sobbing from under the covers:
"I'll grow stronger… for both of us… strong enough that my name echoes in heaven!"
...
The battlefield was in chaos.
The towering mochi construct—hundreds of meters high—came crashing down, engulfing Nao completely in a tidal wave of sticky force. The impact struck from all sides… then exploded outward with a deafening roar.
But when the mochi receded, the Charlotte siblings all froze in disbelief.
Nao still stood—suspended above the waves, utterly unharmed.
Not a scratch. Not even a scuff mark.
Their grins froze on their faces. Mouths gaped. Eyes bulged. A wave of stunned disbelief swept across their ranks.
"Wh-What the hell?!"
"That attack could crush pirates with bounties over a hundred million berries in an instant!"
"What is that guy?! A monster?!"
At the center of it all—
Katakuri withdrew his mochi construct, eyes narrowing at the perfectly intact Nao.
Before he could react, Nao's figure vanished in a blur—Soru—appearing behind him, blades flashing downward in a double slash aimed at his neck!
Katakuri's pupils gleamed red with Kenbunshoku Haki. With barely a moment to spare, he twisted back and flung his massive trident, Mogura, into the perfect block.
Clang!
Blades met steel. Sparks flew.
"…For someone like you," Katakuri growled, staring into Nao's pitch-black eyes across their locked weapons, "Why are you still just a Rear Admiral?"
He leaned in, voice low and sharp.
"Why play the Celestial Dragons' lapdog? For a true warrior, that's a disgrace. You really find that acceptable?"
"But if you joined us… it would be a different story."
Marry into the Charlotte family, and you'd instantly become our second-in-command. Higher in status than me—even Streusen couldn't compare…
As he spoke, he pushed his trident harder, forcing Nao's swords down slightly.
"Natsuya Nao! I've laid it out clearly—don't tell me you still can't see which path to choose?!"
"Heh… Looks like Big Mom's really putting the pressure on this time, huh, Katakuri?"
"Or maybe you really do want me in your family that badly. I've never heard you talk this much nonsense before."
Nao's expression didn't change. He flicked Katakuri's trident aside, twisting his wrists, and slashed sideways toward his opponent's waist.
Laughing.
"But until you actually beat me, all your talk might as well be hot air, Katakuri!"
CLANG! CLANG CLANG!
Blades and trident clashed in a flurry of sparks.
Nao's attacks came faster and fiercer with each passing second. His two-sword style was relentless—swift, brutal, and unyielding. There was no opening, no room to breathe.
Even Katakuri, with his honed Kenbunshoku Haki, began showing cracks under the assault.
He quickly realized: defending against every one of Nao's strikes was growing harder by the minute.
Deciding to change tactics, Katakuri leapt back dozens of meters in an instant.
"If you're that stubborn…"
He landed lightly and sneered. "Then so be it. I'll beat you until you're begging to listen."
SPLASH!
Katakuri raised his hand—and dozens of mochi donuts burst from the sea, forming midair.
Some stretched into hardened mochi batter strips and formed a shield around him.
The rest extended arms infused with Armament Haki—each clenched into a massive fist.
"Peerless: Nine-Headed Mochi!"
In an instant, a storm of fists rained down toward Nao like a meteor shower of destruction.
Boom! Boom! BOOM!!
Each impact thundered across the ocean like rolling lightning.
And yet Nao barely reacted.
He tanked most of the strikes with his body, only dodging the few aimed at critical points. Even then, the evasions were casual—more out of politeness than necessity.
Yes, politeness.
Then—Katakuri paused for the briefest moment.
A crack in the rhythm.
Nao's eyes flashed. His blades crossed low, then slashed upward in a dazzling cross—
Two-Sword Style: Jade Slash!
A whirlwind exploded across the sea. Wind howled. The air seemed to vanish.
"…Ryuo?" Katakuri muttered, red gleam flickering in his eyes. "No… different technique. Less refined… but in terms of power…"
BOOM!
A massive cyclone—dozens of meters high—formed in an instant.
Mixed with a large amount of Armament Haki bursting forth, it swept towards Katakuri in mid-air with an unstoppable force!
FWOOSH!
Tidal waves erupted as the storm bore down.
Katakuri's face tightened. He raised his arms, pulling mochi into a thick wall before him.
The winds slammed into the wall.
BOOOOM!
The impact shook the sea. The mochi wall cracked—then began to melt, softening and thinning.
"…As I thought. Can't stop it."
His eyes darkened.
This was his strongest defense—one even Vice Admirals had failed to break.
But Nao, just a Rear Admiral, was shattering it like tissue paper.
As the tornado closed in, Katakuri kicked off the surface, retreating several hundred meters in a flash.
Still—he didn't escape unscathed.
The shockwave cut shallow lines into his arms. His pants tore. Even his scarf nearly flew off—he barely managed to grab it in time.
"…Damn. Almost lost it…"
He straightened his scarf and glared toward Nao.
No words. Just narrowed eyes.
He spun his trident once—then pointed it toward the sea.
"Sticky Rain Mochi!"
The ocean heaved.
Dozens of towering water pillars erupted, twisting and merging into massive mochi limbs that slammed toward Nao from all directions!
BOOM BOOM BOOM!
Like endless thunder.
Nao's eyes narrowed. Without hesitation, he raised his blades—
"Two-Sword Style: Lunar Eclipse!"
FWOOOSH!
Like dawn splitting the night sky, a cascade of glowing, silvery-white swordlight exploded across the twilight sea.
The sword aura formed a massive dome of radiance, each blade trail like a shooting star.
The barrage of mochi limbs met the light—and were cleanly sliced through, falling to the waves in pieces.
SPLASH!
Nao stood tall, hair whipping in the sea wind, twin swords gleaming in his hands.
He laughed loud and wild.
"That's it? That's all you've got, Katakuri?!"
"You want to lecture me?! You call this a full-power fight?!"
"You're the strongest of the Sweet Commanders, right?! Don't make me yawn!"
"…!!"
Katakuri's face darkened. But before he could respond—
"Enough!"
A sharp, angry shout cut through the chaos.
A tall girl with long legs and flowing white hair leapt from Zeus's back, landing behind Nao. Sword drawn, she pointed it at him with a scowl.
"Katakuri's been fighting non-stop for days! He didn't even get a break before being called in to chase you down! If he were at full strength, you wouldn't be so smug!"
"…."
Katakuri blinked, jaw tightening.
This girl...
In truth, after resting on the ship the past two days, his condition had mostly recovered. Her defense… was purely misguided.
"…Is that so?"
Nao raised an eyebrow and glanced at Katakuri.
Then, to everyone's shock, he sheathed his swords.
"Well, if that's the case, let's make it fair."
"I'll wait on the Marine ship deck. Rest up—once you're at full strength, we'll finish this properly."
He wasn't in a hurry.
Whole Cake Island was thousands of miles away. G1 Branch was closer. His subordinates had likely already called for reinforcements.
Drag it out, and he'd be eating breakfast while Akainu picked up the fight.
Rest? Wait?
Was this guy treating it like a formal duel?!
They were under Big Mom's direct orders. No time for fair fights.
If Katakuri couldn't finish the job, she would.
She was a Sweet Commander too, damn it!
"You're way too naive, Marine. This is the part where—"
Smoothie sneered, stepping forward—
But then Nao turned his face toward her.
Their eyes met at close range.
Thump.
Her heart skipped.
Her cheeks flushed red.
W-What the hell?!
She'd seen his photo in the newspaper before. Looked decent. Nothing special.
But in person… he was nothing like the photo.
"Sh-Should be…"
She turned away, voice shrinking, sword lowering.
"I… I should be the one to fight you…"
Her last words were barely above a whisper.
Katakuri and Nao both blinked in confusion. Then frowned.
"…Don't be ridiculous, Smoothie."
Katakuri spoke firmly.
"Back off. Your job is to watch the Marine ship. Make sure no one escapes."
"Taking this guy down is my responsibility."
"B-But…"
"No buts. This is a man's duel. You'd ruin my honor if you interfered."
His tone hardened.
"And look at yourself. In your current state, how much strength could you even use?"
"…"
Smoothie glanced down at the ocean—then turned away, flustered.
"F-Fine. Good luck, Brother Katakuri…"
She retreated to Zeus, curling up with her knees hugged, face buried in her legs. Whatever she was thinking, no one knew.
Oven watched, thoroughly baffled.
"Now…"
Katakuri turned back to Nao, voice cold.
"Don't mind her. My body's fine. Even if it weren't—you still wouldn't win."
"Good."
Nao grinned, thumb pushing his blade from the sheath.
"I'd hate for you to collapse halfway. That'd be boring."
Their eyes met—swords drawn—fighting spirit igniting.
SHOOM!
Both men launched forward at once, colliding midair with explosive force.
...
Sunset passed. Night fell. Then dawn.
Over ten hours later, the morning sun pierced the clouds.
The battle still raged on the wave-tossed sea.
BOOM! BOOM!
Swords gleamed. Mochi shattered. Waves sprayed.
A tall figure, bleeding and battered, was forced back hundreds of meters, finally coming to a halt.
Huff…
Katakuri clutched his trident, breathing heavily. He looked across at Nao with effort.
Still not done… this is bad…
His bloodshot eyes burned with fatigue.
"I've been forcing you on the backfoot the whole time… and still you show no sign of exhaustion…"
"Just how deep… does your stamina run…?"