Cat Fist

Xiluo said, "I was planning to keep a little secret until my final battle with Brother Louis, Meow. You understand, right? A man with secrets is the most charming. But against you, Mr. Stuart, I can't win without putting in a little effort. I don't want to lose to Brother Louis in terms of winning odds before I've even fought him, Meow. Sigh, tell me, Mr. Stuart, why can't you just behave, Meow?"

"I'm a little angry, Meow, so don't cry next."

Xiluo was smiling—a gentle, warm smile, completely different from his usual stiff grin.

"Crack!!"

Veins bulged on his forehead, and Stuart clenched his fists tightly, yet he laughed instead. "Interesting, interesting! Truly interesting!! Xiluo, you really are an interesting man."

"But don't worry, your troubles are unnecessary. You'll lose here, and—"

Stuart bared his teeth. His white teeth looked almost manic within that unrestrained grin. His eyes were wide, his brows raised high. There was nothing joyful about that smile. "I'll help you defeat that brat Louis."

"Hm? What did you say?"

Xiluo froze. "What did you just say?"

"I said, you'll lose to me!"

Stuart repeated, "You're finished, Xiluo!"

"If the nonsense is over,"

Instructor interjected from the side, "then let's begin."

"Xiluo versus Stuart, begin!"

"You said you were going to defeat Brother Louis, Meow."

Xiluo raised his head and smiled. "Seriously, out of everything you said today, nothing has made me angrier than that, Meow."

"What nonsense!"

Stuart sneered. Soru!

His body suddenly shot forward, his right leg rising high. Tekkai!

"Guillotine!"

"Boom!"

The arena, already shattered by Louis and Yerika's earlier fight, cracked apart even further. A huge crater appeared beneath Stuart's leg.

"What?"

Stuart froze. Xiluo's plump figure had vanished from his sight.

"You're pretty good at Soru, huh?"

Xiluo's voice came from behind him. "Then let's see who's faster, Meow!"

"You're clearly a fat bastard,"

Stuart turned around with a sneer. "Yet Soru is what you're best at?"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Xiluo scratched his neck. "Soru is what I'm best at, Meow."

"Whoosh!!"

Stuart's body vanished in an instant.

"Hehe."

Xiluo chuckled, and his body vanished as well.

"Swish swish swish swish swish swish!!"

The two of them flickered continuously across the arena, the sounds of fists and kicks colliding ringing out without pause.

"N-No way, right? Xiluo can fight Boss Stuart to this extent?"

"So fast! They're both so fast! My eyes can't keep up at all!!"

"Can their legs even handle using Soru continuously like that?"

"What stupid question is that? They're both superhumans with Doriki Values over a thousand!"

Louis remained silent. Stuart was most likely no match for Xiluo now. Just how strong was that fat man?

"Damn it!!"

The two figures collided in midair before immediately springing apart. Stuart's legs carved two deep trails into the ground. His clothes were in tatters, and a trace of blood hung from the corner of his mouth.

"My, you don't seem as fast as I imagined, Meow."

Xiluo landed calmly on the ground. His clothes were also somewhat torn, but he was completely uninjured. "Brother Louis was right, Meow. Doriki doesn't mean everything, Meow."

"I'll kill you!!"

Stuart unleashed his full strength. "Soru!!"

"Shigan Gatling!!!"

Both hands had become a blur. Countless arm afterimages emerged from either side of his shoulders, and Gatling-like attacks blanketed Xiluo.

"Hey, Mr. Stuart,"

Xiluo opened his eyes. His pupils were golden and narrow. "Tell me, in terms of agility, are humans better, or are cats better, Meow?"

Fine fur began growing across his face.

"Smack smack!!"

With two soft sounds, Stuart's Finger Pistol storm vanished instantly. His hands had been caught by two other hands.

"What!!!"

Stuart cried out in shock.

"Looks like cats are better after all, Meow."

Xiluo had completely changed. Black fur covered his face, his nose protruded further, and his large ears ended in sharp points. White fur covered everything below his face. His plump body had slimmed down, while his frame had stretched taller in an eerie way. His lower body had become reverse-jointed, and both hands tightly gripped Stuart's arms.

He had become a Big Cat.

"A Devil Fruit user!!!"

Stuart was horrified.

He was not the only one shocked. Everyone present was stunned. Louis knew very well that Devil Fruit users were rare in this world. Among several billion people, perhaps only a few thousand possessed Devil Fruit Powers—possibly as rare as those with Conqueror's Haki.

"Crack!"

The instant he grabbed Stuart's arms, Xiluo bared a mouthful of sharp teeth and bit down on Stuart's shoulder.

"Arghhh!!!"

Stuart screamed, then a vicious expression flashed across his face. His right knee smashed toward Xiluo's abdomen.

"Whoosh!"

Xiluo vanished instantly, his agile body lightly appearing on the ground some distance away.

"So slow, Meow."

Xiluo spoke lazily. "With strength like that, you want to defeat Brother Louis, Meow?"

"A Zoan?"

Stuart gritted his teeth. "A Cat-Cat Fruit?"

Below the arena, Louis's heart tightened as well. Zoan abilities offered the greatest enhancement to martial arts experts. If Xiluo's Doriki Value was just over a thousand without using his ability, then now it was probably two thousand—or even higher.

Not to mention the boosts in other areas. Xiluo was probably a monster capable of entering CP0 just like Wade.

"I'll show you what real speed looks like, Meow!"

Xiluo smiled, and his body disappeared completely.

"What?"

Stuart looked down at the wound that had suddenly appeared on his chest. He had not noticed when it happened at all.

He still hadn't appeared. Xiluo still hadn't appeared!!

"Using Soru continuously!"

There was only one thought in Stuart's mind. Are you kidding me? Just how far does his reaction speed go!!

Could his eyes really keep up while continuously using Soru at high speed? Could his body truly react in time?

"Puff puff puff puff puff!!"

In an instant, wounds suddenly appeared across Stuart's body, and blood immediately dyed him red.

"I told you, I'm really good at Soru, Meow!"

That drifting voice came from all directions. In the blink of an eye, the wounds on Stuart's body continued increasing.

"Tekkai!!"

Unable to keep up with Xiluo's movements at all, Stuart could only choose passive defense.

"Rip!!"

Sparks burst brightly across Stuart's body, dazzling for a moment.

"Wow! Tekkai is so hard! This is troublesome, Meow! Then there's only one option—"

"Shigan Cat Claw!"

"Slash!!"

A huge wound appeared across Stuart's back. He could no longer suppress his scream. Tekkai had been broken! The overwhelming gap in Doriki had allowed Finger Pistol to overpower Stuart's Tekkai.

"Bang!!"

Xiluo finally appeared, his right hand pressing against Stuart's head. He lifted the man's body directly and slammed him into the ground, creating another huge crater.

"Urgh!"

Stuart could only scream. He could not move at all.

"What do you think you are, Meow?"

Xiluo grinned. "You think you're worthy of being compared to Brother Louis? You're nothing but a rat. Did you think you could escape from a cat's claws, Meow?"

"Whoosh!"

He grabbed Stuart's body and hurled him away with all his strength. Stuart flew straight into the wall at the edge of the training ground with a heavy crash, then fell silent.

"Next."

Xiluo straightened up and looked beyond the arena. Everyone had fallen silent. No one had expected Stuart, on whom they had placed such high hopes, to be defeated so easily by Xiluo. This man was the strongest trainee of this class. Under everyone's gaze, he raised his right hand and pointed his index finger at Louis, his smile wild and manic.

"Brother Louis, it's you, Meow!"

"Next, it's you!"

Xiluo pointed at every reader who neither recommended nor bookmarked the story.