The two massive mochi palms crashed together with Finn trapped between them.
Hardened by Armament Haki, the mochi felt like solid steel. Finn's arms shot outward, one left and one right, both coated in pitch-black Haki. He strained against the crushing force, muscles screaming as he held the palms apart.
His raw physical strength was enough to prevent being flattened outright. But his situation remained precarious. He was trapped, restrained, and running out of options.
Gravitational repulsion exploded from his arms, trying to force the palms apart. But even that struggled against Katakuri's awakened Devil Fruit power. The mochi absorbed and dispersed the force, maintaining its grip.
At that moment, Finn finally understood Instructor Zephyr's constant warnings. Why the old Admiral always insisted that ability alone wasn't enough. That physical strength, technique, and fundamentals mattered just as much.
Not long ago, he'd thought at Borsalino and thought maybe raw Devil Fruit power was enough.
Now he was paying for that arrogance.
Fortunately, he'd listened. He'd followed Zephyr's training regimen step by step, never cutting corners, never relying solely on gravity. His body was strong enough to withstand this assault.
Katakuri seized the opportunity. While maintaining the mochi prison, he closed the distance at blinding speed. His enormous fist, wrapped in dark Haki, transformed its knuckles into spiked protrusions like tiger claws.
Madness flashed in Finn's eyes. Devil Fruit power erupted from his core, forming a powerful repulsive barrier directly in front of him.
But the barrier only slowed Katakuri's punch. Didn't stop it.
The fist broke through.
Blood exploded from Finn's mouth, mixed with fragments of torn flesh. The impact launched him backward like a cannonball, finally freeing him from the mochi trap.
He crashed into the ground with devastating force. The earth collapsed beneath him, forming a crater. His chest caved slightly inward. Ribs cracked audibly.
Even with repulsive force reducing the impact, even with Armament Haki providing defense, the attack had been catastrophic.
"Buzz Cut Mochi!" Katakuri roared.
He was already in pursuit. The instant Finn landed, another punch drove downward, refusing to give him even a moment's respite. Katakuri intended to finish this in one overwhelming assault.
But despite the grievous injuries, despite the broken ribs and internal damage, Finn moved.
His Iron Will ability rendered the pain meaningless. In his mind, it was as though he wasn't injured at all. He rolled aside at inhuman speed, evading the killing blow.
Katakuri's fist cratered the already broken ground, pulverizing stone into powder. The moment his feet touched down, the collapsed earth began transforming into mochi.
The assault was relentless. Wave after wave of attacks, each building on the last. Since activating his awakening, Finn had been completely on the defensive.
After dodging the punch, Finn wiped blood from his lips. His gaze hardened as he assessed his opponent.
"You're worthy of your reputation as the 'perfect man,'" Finn said quietly. "But it seems your stamina is draining rather quickly."
It was true. While preparing to defend and counterattack, Finn had noticed something crucial. Katakuri, so aggressive mere moments ago, hadn't pursued after that last exchange.
A closer look revealed the truth. Katakuri's chest heaved rapidly, his breathing irregular and labored. Sweat poured from his body in rivulets. His stamina was dropping like a stone.
"You're right." Katakuri's voice remained steady despite his condition. "There's nothing to hide. I'm not yet proficient with this new power. I'm wasting stamina in many places I shouldn't be."
Finn glanced at the massive expanse of converted mochi behind Katakuri. The Sweet Commander probably wasn't intentionally assimilating that much terrain. It was happening unconsciously, bleeding away his energy with every passing second.
"But before my strength runs out," Katakuri continued, his expression fierce, "I'll have more than enough to defeat you. After all, your injuries aren't light either."
"Who knows?" Finn shook Sōzai, splattering blood from the blade. "I'm used to fatal injuries. Yours isn't even close."
Katakuri's eyes narrowed. "From the beginning, I've been wondering. You don't feel pain?"
"I do," Finn replied openly. "But I can completely suppress it during battle."
"Impressive." Katakuri's praise carried genuine respect. "I've tried to achieve the same thing. So far, I haven't succeeded. You truly are a formidable opponent."
"Just talent," Finn said.
Then both warriors moved simultaneously.
Finn's slash came wrapped in gravitational force. Katakuri pulled up the mochi-converted ground, using its flexible properties to absorb and deflect the Gravity Blade.
Then he emerged from the mochi mass, closing distance again, and threw a punch. This time, notably, without using his Devil Fruit ability.
Finn noted it immediately. He's conserving energy. Only using awakening when absolutely necessary.
Crossing his arms, Finn positioned Sōzai defensively and took the punch head-on. Even as he blocked, his mind worked, analyzing the awakening's properties.
The force behind the blow told him something important. When using awakened powers, physical abilities seemed enhanced as well. This punch carried noticeably more weight than Katakuri's earlier strikes.
"Those with powerful Devil Fruit abilities," Katakuri said as he launched another punch, "often unconsciously prioritize developing their powers, leading to weaknesses in other areas. Finn, your swordsmanship proves this. I can sense that while your Gravity Blade is devastating, your actual sword technique is merely adequate. So... how about close combat?"
Finn recognized the tactic immediately. This wasn't idle conversation. It was psychological warfare. Trash talk designed to undermine confidence and create mental openings.
A common technique in high-level fights. Every word from a master's mouth carried purpose.
But Finn's Iron Will extended beyond physical pain. His mental fortitude was equally unshakable.
As Katakuri's punch descended, Finn twisted his waist, contorting his body into an impossible angle to evade. Then, using the momentum, he coiled like a spring and exploded forward with a devastating elbow strike.
Katakuri couldn't dodge in time. A hole appeared in his chest as he actively transformed the targeted area. The elbow seemed to sink harmlessly into mochi.
But Finn didn't hesitate. As his elbow disappeared into Katakuri's chest, he pressed his entire body forward. His left foot stepped back, his waist compressed, then suddenly lifted. His shoulder drove into Katakuri's torso with brutal force.
The impact nearly folded Katakuri in half. His tall frame was physically launched backward.
"I'm afraid," Finn said, rolling his shoulders and settling into a proper fighting stance, "my teacher warned me about exactly that principle several years ago. By the way, I'm the top graduate of the Sixth Marine Officer Training Camp. I studied directly under Marine Admiral Black Arm Zephyr. Perhaps I am indeed a mediocre swordsman, but what do you think of my close combat?"
Katakuri's feet touched down, mochi erupting around his landing. He took several steps back, clutching his chest to dissipate the force. His crimson eyes fixed on Finn with newfound gravity.
"So that's it. You're Black Arm Zephyr's disciple? That explains everything."
Marine Admiral Black Arm Zephyr. Despite lacking a Devil Fruit, he stood among the world's apex fighters purely through mastery of Haki and close-quarters combat. He carried the banner of the World Government's highest military power at the rank of Admiral.
His skill in hand-to-hand combat was legendary. In that specific domain, he was comparable even to the monster Garp himself.
Perhaps he couldn't match Garp's raw physical strength or monstrous durability. But in pure technique, Zephyr was arguably superior.
Finn flexed his arms, fully committing to close-quarters combat. He took a step forward, initiating the assault. In a heartbeat, he closed the distance.
Katakuri reacted with impressive speed, throwing a punch. But Finn's wrist flicked, his hand shooting past the fist to grip Katakuri's elbow with perfect precision. He squeezed, using the leverage to pull himself upward, eliminating the height disadvantage. Then he spun mid-air, his leg whipping out like a chain to strike Katakuri's neck.
Surprise flickered in Katakuri's eyes, but his body moved on instinct. His free arm rose, folding defensively beside his ear.
Finn's kick connected with the blocking arm, staggering the Sweet Commander. But Finn wasn't done. His leg hooked downward, catching on Katakuri's arm. With extraordinary flexibility, he lifted his waist, his body coiling around Katakuri's upper torso. His hands locked around the Sweet Commander's neck from behind.
The sequence happened in the span of two breaths. Finn's position had shifted from in front of Katakuri to completely behind him. His hands tightened, forcing Katakuri's body backward.
Finn's feet found the ground. Power surged from his legs through his core. With a roar, he executed a perfect shoulder throw, launching Katakuri's massive frame through the air.
Katakuri crashed into the distance. Fortunately, he landed in a mochi-converted area, cushioning the impact. The damage wasn't severe.
But the realization was damning.
A pirate who'd honed close combat through raw experience couldn't match a Marine trained by professionals. Systematically. Scientifically.
"If you're going to be stingy with your stamina," Finn said, settling back into his fighting stance, fists raised in proper form, "if you won't use your awakened ability with the same intensity as before... Katakuri, you will lose."