Wings of Justice

Katakuri, observing the battle's flow, decided it was time to shift the terrain to his advantage. He slammed his hands into the ground, and the area around him began to transform. The mochi from his Devil Fruit spread across the battlefield, coating the ground in sticky, malleable material. Large, jagged spikes emerged from the mochi, forming a deadly landscape designed to restrict Shiro's movements and give Katakuri an edge.

Shiro leaped into the air with his wings, avoiding a series of sharp spikes that shot up toward him. The air around him hummed with tension as he darted left and right, weaving through the incoming projectiles. One spike grazed his shoulder, tearing through his coat and leaving a shallow wound.

"Impressive reaction speed," Katakuri acknowledged, his voice calm but sharp. "But how long can you keep dodging? Sooner or later, I'll trap you."

From the corner of his eye, Katakuri noticed something peculiar. Despite the graze wound, Shiro's movements hadn't slowed, and the injury seemed to close slightly as he continued fighting. A flicker of realization crossed Katakuri's face, and his piercing gaze locked onto Shiro.

"What exactly are your Devil Fruit powers?" Katakuri asked, his curiosity genuine but his tone wary.

Shiro hovered midair, taking a brief moment to catch his breath. His ice-blue eyes met Katakuri's unyielding gaze, and he decided there was no harm in answering. "It's called the Tori Tori no Mi, Model: Pegasus," Shiro said, his voice steady despite the intensity of the battle. "It enhances my speed, strength, and durability. It also give me the ability to transform into a pegasus, but that's not all."

Katakuri's brows furrowed slightly, intrigued. "Go on."

"It also grants me regenerative abilities," Shiro continued, gesturing toward the now-healed graze wound on his shoulder. "But it comes with a cost. The worse the injury, the longer it takes to heal. If I sustain something serious in the middle of a fight, it could still take me down."

Katakuri smirked under his scarf, a gleam of respect in his eyes. "Interesting. A regeneration ability, huh? That explains your resilience. But don't think that makes you invincible."

"I don't," Shiro said, his wings flaring as he landed on the mochi-covered ground. He felt his boots stick slightly, but he flexed his legs and pulled free with sheer force. "But it does mean I can outlast most opponents, including you, Katakuri."

Katakuri's smirk widened slightly. "We'll see about that."

Without another word, Katakuri lunged forward, using the mochi spikes as both a weapon and a distraction. He sent waves of sharpened mochi hurtling toward Shiro while closing the distance with rapid strides. Shiro countered by taking to the air again, weaving through the attacks with a combination of aerial agility and enhanced strength.

The spikes continued to rain down, one grazing Shiro's side and another catching his leg, causing a brief wince of pain. But true to his word, his wounds began to close slowly, the regenerative power of his Devil Fruit keeping him in the fight.

Katakuri, noticing this, changed tactics. Using his mochi to form massive arms, he swung them like clubs toward Shiro, aiming to crush him with overwhelming force. Shiro responded by diving straight toward Katakuri, spinning in the air to dodge one arm while slamming a powerful kick into the other. The collision created another shockwave, sending debris flying in all directions.

Despite the growing exhaustion, both combatants refused to yield, their attacks becoming faster and more precise. It was clear that the battle was far from over, and neither Shiro nor Katakuri was willing to back down until the other was completely defeated.

The battle raged on, with Katakuri and Shiro exchanging relentless blows. Katakuri's massive mochi arms struck with devastating precision, while Shiro's aerial maneuvers and swift counterattacks kept him in the fight. The ground beneath them shattered under the intensity of their clash, and the air was thick with tension as neither combatant showed any sign of backing down.

"You're strong for a Marine, I'll give you that," Katakuri said calmly, his eyes scanning Shiro's movements.

Shiro smirked, blood dripping from his lip. "And you're not bad for a pirate, but don't think you've won just yet."

Katakuri slammed his fists into the ground, transforming the surrounding area into a field of spiked mochi. Shiro leaped into the air, using his wings to dodge the deadly trap. However, Katakuri's Future Sight Haki gave him the upper hand. Anticipating Shiro's trajectory, he extended a mochi-covered arm and slammed it into Shiro mid-flight, sending him crashing into the ground.

Groaning, Shiro rolled to his feet and retaliated with a powerful kick, enhanced by his Devil Fruit's strength. The attack connected, sending Katakuri sliding backward, but it wasn't enough to slow the Sweet Commander for long.

Katakuri narrowed his eyes, his respect for Shiro growing. "You've got some fire in you, but it's time to end this."

He raised his arms, summoning an enormous hammer of hardened mochi infused with Armament Haki. The ground trembled as he swung it down with terrifying force. Shiro braced himself, wrapping his wings in Haki, and launched upward to meet the attack. The impact of their clash sent shockwaves rippling through the battlefield, knocking over trees and scattering debris.

Despite his best efforts, Shiro began to falter under the overwhelming strength of Katakuri. With a final, devastating swing, Katakuri's hammer struck Shiro squarely, sending him hurtling into the ground. The impact created a massive crater, and Shiro lay motionless at its center, his body battered and his wings splayed out at awkward angles.

Katakuri approached the edge of the crater, his trident in hand. He looked down at Shiro's unconscious form, his expression a mix of respect and resolve. "You've got potential, Marine," he muttered. "But you're not ready to face someone like me."

As Katakuri turned away, the battlefield fell silent, save for the faint rustling of the wind. Shiro's battered form remained in the crater, his determination evident even in unconsciousness.

As Shiro lay motionless in the crater, the pain coursing through his body was nothing compared to the storm raging in his mind. This was the first time he had ever felt so overwhelmed in battle. Katakuri's overwhelming strength, mastery of his Devil Fruit, and advanced Haki had pushed Shiro to his absolute limits.

His thoughts drifted to his training with Garp—specifically one memory that stood out among the rest. It was a quiet night after a grueling day of training. They had set up camp under the stars, the smell of roasted meat wafting through the air as they sat around a crackling campfire. Garp, as always, was boisterously recounting tales of his youth, regaling Shiro and the rest of the crew with stories of his battles against the likes of Gol D. Roger and Whitebeard.

Garp leaned back, taking a large bite of meat before grinning at Shiro, who had been listening intently. "You've got that look in your eye, kid. Got a question, don't ya?"

Shiro hesitated for a moment before asking, "How did you and Roger manage to fight Devil Fruit users like Kaido, Whitebeard, and Big Mom with just Haki? Weren't their powers overwhelming?"

At that, Garp burst into laughter, his booming voice echoing through the camp. "You still don't know the pinnacle of Haki, do you? Let me teach you something, kid. Maybe one day, you'll be able to use it yourself."

Shiro's eyes widened, eager to learn. "What do you mean by the pinnacle of Haki?"

Garp smirked, setting down his food. "Take my strongest attack, Galaxy Impact. Most people think it's just advanced Armament Haki, but that's not the full truth. It's actually Conqueror's Haki."

Shiro gasped in shock. "You can use Conqueror's Haki like Armament Haki? How is that even possible?"

Garp chuckled, clearly enjoying Shiro's reaction. "It's not easy, kid. It's one of the hardest things to master, but it's doable if your will is strong enough. You need absolute control over your Conqueror's Haki. Once you do, you can coat your body or your attacks with it. The result? Devastating power that can take down even the strongest foes."

He grinned, leaning closer. "Only a handful of people in history have mastered it. Me, Roger, Whitebeard, Kaido, Big Mom, and that red-haired brat Shanks are some of the few who can. It's the mark of a true king."

Shiro's heart raced at the thought. The idea of achieving such power both excited and terrified him. "Do you think I could master it someday?"

Garp ruffled Shiro's hair, laughing. "That depends on you, kid. Train hard, push past your limits, and maybe—just maybe—you'll stand among the greats one day."

As Shiro's thoughts returned to the present, his battered body lying still in the crater, he clenched his fists weakly. Garp's words echoed in his mind. "Train hard, push past your limits." He knew he wasn't there yet, but this loss wasn't the end. It was a lesson—a brutal reminder of the path he still needed to walk.

For now, though, his body refused to move, and the world around him began to blur as unconsciousness took hold.

Then suddenly, Shiro's eyes snapped open, burning with defiance. His body screamed in pain, but his mind screamed louder. "I can't give up. Not now. Not like this!"

His fists clenched against the broken ground of the crater as his thoughts raced. "Katakuri isn't the strongest pirate out there. If I lose to him, how can I ever hope to stand against the likes of Kaido or Big Mom? How can I face the truly legendary forces that rule the seas? If I give up here, my dream will be over before it even begins."

With a guttural roar, Shiro forced himself to his feet. His legs wobbled, his chest heaved with effort, but his resolve was unshaken. His piercing ice-blue eyes locked onto Katakuri, who stood at the edge of the crater, his arms crossed, watching him intently.

Katakuri raised an eyebrow, his voice calm yet curious. "Still standing, huh? Most would've stayed down after a blow like that. But you… you're different."

Shiro smirked, blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "You'll find I'm not like most. Giving up? Not in my vocabulary."

Katakuri's expression shifted slightly, the faintest hint of respect flickering in his eyes. "Interesting. Show me if that resolve of yours is enough to keep up with me."

Shiro grinned, the wings on his back unfurling once more, their radiant glow cutting through the tension in the air. Despite the pain, despite the odds, he was ready. "If I can't win here, I'll never make it to the top."

And with that, the fight reignited, two warriors clashing with everything they had, their ambitions fueling every strike, every step, and every moment of the battle.