Those words struck Katakuri like a thunderclap, piercing straight through his sensitive heart and soul.
Daren's earlier taunts had already wounded his pride and shaken the core of his self-worth.
Because of Big Mom's personality, she had always been an absent figure within the massive Charlotte family. She never truly fulfilled her role as a mother or took responsibility for raising her children.
So from a young age, Katakuri had carried the weight of expectations. As the eldest brother, he bore the duty of protecting his younger siblings in his own way.
To them, he was the perfect big brother—the invincible warrior who never fell, the Charlotte family's greatest masterpiece.
In many ways, Charlotte Katakuri was not just a brother. Within the Big Mom Pirates, he filled in the gaps left by Big Mom herself, even stepping into a paternal role.
But that burden had taken its toll.
On one hand, he revered and admired his mother, longing for her trust and recognition.
On the other, surrounded by siblings who worshiped him, he had to maintain his image—strong, unwavering, perfect—year after year.
These two conflicting roles made Katakuri's entire existence a knot of contradictions.
Now, Charlotte Linlin's obsession with Daren—so deep she was willing to "sacrifice" some of her own sons—filled Katakuri with bitter disappointment. It pierced deeper than any wound and triggered a crisis he had never felt before.
He was seen as the perfect brother, the masterpiece, because of his power and natural talent.
But what if... Linlin really did have a child with Daren?
What kind of terrifying potential would a child with both of their "monster" genes possess?
Would Linlin then pour all her attention into that child?
And if—no, not if, but when—that child surpassed him?
Would his brothers and sisters shift their trust and admiration to someone else?
Daren's child would steal everything that mattered most.
His mother's love. His siblings' trust. Even the title of "greatest masterpiece."
That thought alone was enough to make Katakuri lose control of both his body and emotions.
A paralyzing fear began to take root in his heart.
And then... that damn Vice Admiral delivered the final blow.
All the rage, resentment, pain, hatred, and fear inside him erupted like a long-dormant volcano, finally set off.
"Shut up!!"
"You'll never be my father!!"
"No matter what... never!!"
Katakuri screamed, his bloodshot eyes bulging, crimson leaking from his mouth and staining his sharp teeth, making him look like a beast driven mad.
The moment that roar tore from his throat, a new, fiercer aura surged from his body—wilder than anything he'd unleashed before. It whipped the air into a violent, lightning-charged storm.
Daren was momentarily stunned.
What the...?
His Conqueror's Haki just got stronger!?
From their first clash, Daren had estimated that Katakuri's Conqueror's Haki sat well below his own—probably around 30 points to his own 59.
But now, the pressure radiating off him had jumped to at least 40!
What, is this guy a main character too?
Or was my villainous monologue just that effective?
Did I seriously just push him into a breakthrough?
Maybe I really do have a knack for teaching…
Man, playing the villain is kinda fun!
The thought made Daren want to laugh, but his eyes only burned brighter with fighting spirit—blazing like wildfire.
By the pattern he'd figured out, the stronger Katakuri became, the more pressure he'd feel.
And the greater the pressure in battle, the better the "lesson."
Which meant the faster he'd grow.
Daren laughed and charged in head-on.
Their fists crashed together like shooting stars.
Boom!!
Shockwaves exploded in all directions, sending chunks of earth and massive boulders flying through the air. Building debris was shredded into dust mid-flight.
In the collision of their Conqueror's Haki, the sky split with streaks of red and purple lightning, crackling in and out of existence, tearing the battlefield apart.
Feeling the stagnation of his Observation Haki—and even noticing a fresh surge in his Armament Haki, strength, and speed—Daren grew even more exhilarated. He kept pressing on mercilessly with his taunts.
"Hahaha! Now this is starting to get fun, Katakuri!"
"I never would've guessed... so this is your greatest fear!"
"What? Are you really that reluctant to call me 'Father'?"
With a single punch, he shattered the massive mochi fist conjured by the donut, smashing it into a splatter of liquified mochi that sprayed in all directions.
The recoil sent Daren sliding backward, but he steadied himself instantly. Looking at Katakuri—whose eyes now glared like those of a demon—he made a move.
Towering above the panting Katakuri, he extended his right hand. A smile appeared on his face—one he believed to be "kind," "gentle," and yet "overbearingly dominant."
It was Whitebeard's smile.
Then, with perfect theatrical flair, he delivered the iconic line:
"Be my son, Katakuri."
Katakuri was thunderstruck.
His face went ghostly pale, his eyes bursting with furious bloodshot veins.
"You want to die!!!"
Boom!!
An even darker, more ferocious aura exploded from Katakuri's body, surging out like a storm with weight and force.
Daren: ...
In that instant, he could feel it—Katakuri's Conqueror's Haki had just spiked again!
40... 42... 44...
It didn't stop until it hit 45!
Staring at Katakuri's unhinged state—blood seeping from his eyes and nostrils, veins writhing across his forehead like angry worms—Daren couldn't help but pause.
If this were a game, he could practically hear the system notifications ringing in his ears:
"Your 'taunt' dealt massive true damage to the enemy."
"It was super effective!"
"Critical hit!"
Whoa, whoa, whoa—he's not actually gonna burst a blood vessel from this, is he?
No wonder that line from Whitebeard is so legendary... the real damage is insane! Daren thought, a little stunned.
While Daren's thoughts wandered in amusement, Katakuri had already lost it, roaring with rage as he launched himself forward.
Gone was the composed, battle-hardened warrior from before.
In his place was a beast driven mad—wild, reckless, and desperate!