The pirates sat and forgot, and they really believed the nine truths and one lie.

Barrett's physical pain paled in comparison to the intense shock he felt inside. Struggling to prop himself up on his arms, his bloodshot eyes were fixed on the unperturbed green figure in the distance.

A long-dormant emotion, like a dormant volcano, suddenly erupted in his heart. It was not fear, but a furious rage mixed with extreme excitement and burning fighting spirit.

He recalled the scene from many years ago when he first challenged Gol D. Roger. Back then, Barrett was just as disheveled, yet just as thrilled.

After Roger's death, Barrett lost his purpose and became paranoid and empty. But today, facing Bucky the Joker, that feeling of being a challenger, the desire to climb to the top, surged into his heart once again.

Barrett spat out the blood and foam in his mouth, and stood up unsteadily. The white spore membrane on his body began to darken and crack due to the severe energy consumption, but he didn't care.

Having been pushed into Chengguan Town for so long, his eyes had never been so clear and firm as they were now.

His voice was hoarse, but it carried a do-or-die determination: "I will defeat you, I must defeat you, I will prove to the world that I, Douglas Barrett, am the strongest man!"

A far more refined and profound Armament Haki than before, like a giant sea monster awakening, surged from every pore of Barrett's body.

This Armament Haki, like a highly concentrated living thing, clung tightly to the surface of his skin, forming an outer layer that emitted a dark blue metallic luster.

Barrett's Armament Haki density and intensity far surpass Wano Country's Ryuo technique, demonstrating that he has taken a different path to cultivate Armament Haki to its extreme, resulting in an Armament Haki state that enhances his body in all aspects.

Buggy, standing some distance away, raised an eyebrow, a genuine look of surprise flashing in his eyes. Barrett, despite being so severely injured and at such a disadvantage, had actually honed his Armament Haki to this level. His talent and will truly deserved the title of Descendant of the Devil.

"Clown, I'm going to kill you!" Barrett roared like a wild beast, slamming his right foot back.

Bang! The ground beneath his feet exploded, and the next moment his figure vanished from the spot like a blue lightning bolt tearing through space.

The speed was so fast that it even exceeded the limits of what the naked eye could perceive, as if it were teleporting over a short distance.

Almost simultaneously, Barrett appeared directly in front of Bucky, his fists, covered in dark blue Armament Haki, transformed into countless fierce fist shadows like a storm, bombarding Bucky from all directions.

Each punch contained terrifying power capable of shattering steel. The force of the punches compressed the air, creating ear-piercing sonic booms. This was no longer a test, but Barrett's all-out, deadly combo.

Faced with a punch that could annihilate a fleet in an instant, Bucky simply sighed softly, "Your talent is not bad..."

He didn't even move his feet, but slowly raised his seemingly slender and weak right hand, his five fingers slightly bent, and made a seemingly casual grabbing motion in the air in the direction Barrett was rushing towards.

A sharp crack, as if space itself was being torn apart, suddenly rang out between the two.

Starting from Bucky's fingertips, five clearly visible cracks silently spread forward, ignoring distance, Barrett's impenetrable fist shadows, and even the indestructible layer of dark blue Armament Haki on his body.

The crack easily pierced through Barrett's punch, landing precisely on his chest and limbs, which were covered in top-tier Armament Haki.

"impossible" ?!

Barrett's pupils shrank, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror. He felt that his top-level Armament Haki, which he was so proud of and which was enough to withstand the attack of an Admiral, was as fragile as paper in the face of these five strange splitting abilities.

It couldn't even put up a shred of resistance before being torn apart at its most basic level, *splat*...

Blood gushed out like a fountain from five deep, bone-revealing wounds, bringing Barrett's forward momentum to an abrupt halt, his strength receding like a tide.

He groaned, his knees buckled, and he collapsed to one knee in front of Bucky with a thud. His entire body was covered in horrific cracks, and he instantly became a blood-soaked figure.

Cough cough... Barrett gasped for breath, raising his face, which was covered in blood and dust, and looking at Bucky so close to him, his eyes filled with frustration.

"The Chop-Chop Fruit, you've actually developed it to this extent? Did the Heavenly Curtain not lie to you?!"

Bucky looked down coldly at Barrett, who was kneeling on the ground, his eyes devoid of any emotion, as if he had only done something insignificant.

He did indeed show mercy; the five cracks only tore Barrett's muscles and bones, without damaging his internal organs. Otherwise, Barrett would already be a corpse torn to pieces.

"Your Armament Haki is decent; reaching that level is genius-level..."

Buggy's voice was calm and even, with a tone of commenting on a junior, "But your Conqueror's Haki is too weak. If your Conqueror's Haki were strong enough, you might be able to resist my Devil Fruit ability to some extent."

To give an example, if Buggy the Clown were facing Kaido of the Beasts right now, with his body tempered by Conqueror's Haki for so many years, ordinary split attacks would probably be much less effective. Ultimate Conqueror's Haki can negate most Devil Fruit abilities, and Armament Haki adding two points of defense to the body is not enough.

Bucky's clown smile reappeared on his face, filled with the fervor and anticipation of someone seeing a new toy. He opened his arms as if to embrace the entire stage, his voice alluring: "Barrett, I remember you're a Devil Fruit user too, right?"

"Don't disappoint me! Stand up and let me see for myself just how far the legendary Fusion Fruit, which can fuse everything, can go. Let's see whose Paramecia-type is stronger!"

Provocation is also a final ultimatum!

Barrett knelt on the ground, covered in blood, but his eyes suddenly shone with an unprecedented light because of Buggy's words. Yes, I still have the Fusion Fruit!

Is defeat inevitable?

No! The battle has only just begun. Barrett is a very stubborn man. He would rather die than admit defeat. He needs someone to give him a way out, and provocation works best on him.

As a support staff member outside the battlefield, Nakime thoughtfully brought a lot of buildings to help Barrett fuse and become stronger. She was a woman who was good at reading people's expressions and wanted to make her boss's fight more comfortable.

Lord Buggy hasn't used his full power in a long time. Whether Barrett, as a talented challenger, can secure a leadership position depends on how well the Fusion Fruit performs this time.