Kuro was aware of Katakuri's arrival, but unlike before, he was now quite indifferent to who became a Shichibukai and didn't care as much, which is why he had the mind to joke with Katakuri.

Katakuri, right? Katakuri the Second? Katakuri the Second? If only one of his heads came over, then that last sentence would be quite fitting.

Seeing Katakuri's bewildered expression, Kuro laughed and said, "Don't mind it. I was just trying to ease the tension after I killed your mother. After all, if you're going to become a Shichibukai, you'll be working together in the future. Look, as soon as you arrived, I had an inspiration. Here's a couplet for you."

He held the brush and wrote on two long sheets of white paper in one smooth motion, as if drawing. He quickly completed two pieces of calligraphy. Then, he snapped his fingers, and the two sheets of paper flew to Katakuri's side.

Kuro read aloud, "Look, the first line reads: 'On Whole Cake Island, Katakuri turned the tide.' The second line reads: 'Inheriting her legacy, Linlin died with her eyes wide open.' The horizontal scroll... there isn't one yet, let me write one."

Lida: "..."

Kro: "..."

Is saying such things really an attempt to ease tension?

And were those really words?

I can't understand any of them.

Katakuri's pupils contracted, and his body trembled slightly for no apparent reason, but he seemed to have thought of something and managed to suppress it, simply saying, "I will take it back. Thank you, General Kinni."

"No, I'll write another one. By the way, your mother's body is still unclaimed. Do you want to take it back? Leaving the body exposed there will attract flies. Oh, and we don't know where her head is. You can take the headless body back with you."

boom!

The surrounding air seemed suffocating. The servant in charge of serving in the hall rolled his eyes and collapsed.

Katakuri's eyes were wide open, his pupils almost shrinking to pinpoints, and the scarf around his mouth fluttered upwards without wind, making his ferocious mouth appear and disappear.

"Don't go too far, Kuro!"

Katakuri said in a deep voice, "I'm not afraid of you. The path of a pirate is death. My mother can die, and so can I. If you're not here to negotiate, then let's fight! Perfect timing, I'll avenge my mother too!"

Kro's eyes turned cold, and his body began to swell. Lida also narrowed her eyes slightly and tensed up.

"That's more like it..."

At this moment, Kuro's teasing face calmed down. He leaned back in his recliner, picked up a cigar from the table, lit it, and exhaled a puff of smoke. He said, "It would be really boring if you didn't get angry, right, Katakuri? Don't worry, I did call you here to discuss the Seven Warlords of the Sea with you. However, I don't want you to be the kind of person who comes here to compromise. That could cause problems."

"What do you mean?" Katakuri's eyes narrowed.

"If you're going to be a Shichibukai, then do your job properly. You're coming here with that aggrieved attitude, as if I've done something to you."

Kuro said calmly, "That's just how the sea is; life and death are not in your own hands. Charlotte Linlin lost, I won—that's the truth. I just want to tell you that you still have a chance for revenge. Once you become a Shichibukai, I hope you'll focus on that and stop thinking about things that aren't your business. I can ignore your anger now, but if you become a Shichibukai and still get angry at me like this..."

boom!

A crimson killing intent emanated from his body, causing the overwhelming aura of the Conqueror to retreat.

“I will kill you, Katakuri,” Kurokon said coldly.

The murderous aura gradually moved forward, seemingly gaining the upper hand, but it was quickly overtaken and leveled off by the domineering aura.

Katakuri took a deep breath and said, "You're right, I am indeed unwilling. It's not because I can't have the same power as when Mom was alive, but simply because you killed Mom, and I'm very unhappy about it. So let's have a fight, Kuro. Let's fight, and no matter who wins or loses, after the fight, I will never mention Mom's death again!"

Kuro smiled and ordered Kro, "Clear a space."

“Mr. Kuro, there’s no need for you to handle this personally. Let me do it…”

"You're no match for him, and it would go on forever if you kept fighting."

Kuro stood up and picked up Shusui, which was resting on the sword rack. "I'll do it myself."

Kuro's strength is not yet at Katakuri's level. Although he is very close, if they were to actually fight, he would still be the one to lose in the end.

Lida is qualified, but what's the point of making her a high-ranking official? Katakuri is only looking for himself.

Soon, Kuro cleared out a space behind the castle tower. Kuro gave Katakuri a thumbs-up and said, "Come on, I'll beat you up in the back."

"Even if it's you, there's no need to make such boastful claims!"

Katakuri had already gripped his trident and followed Kuro to the open space behind him. He reached out and ripped off his scarf, throwing it out to reveal a mouth that was almost like that of the Slit-Mouthed Woman, along with a mouthful of sharp teeth.

"Come on, Kuro! Let me see if you can kill your mother!"

"Then you won't be able to see it."

Kuro glanced up at the sky and said, "That sword isn't with me right now, but... Shusui is enough."

laugh!!

Without saying a word, Katakuri plunged his trident straight into the ground, and a stream of soft mud surged from the shaft to the ground, making the ground completely soft.

"Awakening - Nuonuo!!"

The ground surged like soft mud, slightly sticky. Katakuri drew his trident and said, "I am a mochi person who ate the Mochi Mochi Fruit, and I have awakened my powers, allowing me to assimilate the things around me!"

White glutinous rice balls began to spread from his arm, spiraling out of shape and covering the trident. The spiraling glutinous rice balls were covered with a layer of dark and domineering aura.

Katakuri moved his feet, leaped into the air, and thrust directly at Kuro with his huge spiral.

"Glutinous Rice Ball Thrust!!"

Kuro raised an eyebrow and swung the black sword in his hand. "Awaken..."

brush!

The black blade emanated a domineering aura, directly piercing through the soft, sticky rice ball, and slashed straight at Katakuri's body, cutting open his shoulder. However, after Katakuri landed, he retreated, and the wound on his shoulder turned back into a rice ball, gradually healing.

"Oh? You dodged it beforehand? You're clearly a Paramecia type."

Kuro brandished his sword, puffed on his cigar, and exhaled a puff of smoke. "But this property is comparable to a Logia-type."

That extremely sticky ability can actually help you dodge his attacks in advance, rendering them ineffective.

With this skill alone, this guy is more than qualified to be a Shichibukai.

but...

"After all, he's a Paramecia type, he doesn't have that kind of world-destroying destructive power. I heard you fought the Straw Hat? When you fought him, you didn't encounter any large-scale attacks, did you?"

Hiss...

Golden sparks of electricity appeared on the blade.

Kuro raised his blade and said, "Then, show me how you deal with attacks you can't dodge."