Doflamingo has returned to the North Blue!
While this wasn't entirely unprecedented, the Heavenly Demon had made periodic returns to his old territory in the past, the circumstances surrounding this particular visit carried special significance that rippled through every corner of the region's political landscape.
All the major powers operating throughout the North Blue couldn't help but watch with keen anticipation, understanding exactly what his presence meant for the current crisis.
Everyone knew the Donquixote Family had returned for one purpose alone: to eliminate the Hell Pirates once and for all.
Within the opulent dining hall of a wealthy kingdom's royal palace, three figures sat around a luxurious table laden with the finest cuisine money could acquire. The spread before them represented the desperate hospitality of a monarch seeking to appease guests whose continued presence guaranteed both protection and profound unease.
Dom reclined casually in his chair, one boot resting on the prostrate king's head while he tore into a piece of roasted meat with obvious satisfaction. The casual humiliation spoke to the complete reversal of power dynamics that had occurred since the Hell Pirates' arrival.
Across from him, Yurivich maintained his characteristic silence, methodically consuming the elaborate dishes with mechanical efficiency. Food was fuel to be processed rather than enjoyed, each bite calculated to maintain his enhanced physiology's extraordinary demands.
In stark contrast to his subordinates' casual brutality, Oboro embodied refined elegance as he sipped vintage wine from a crystal goblet. His gentleman's hat sat at the perfect angle, his black suit remained immaculate despite their recent activities, and his entire bearing radiated the kind of sophisticated authority that made the surrounding luxury seem almost modest by comparison.
"Hey... make sure it's spotless," Dom commented coldly, glancing down at the trembling monarch who knelt beside his chair like a trained animal.
"Yes, sir! Immediately, sir!" the king stammered, his voice cracking with barely contained terror as he frantically polished Dom's boots with an ornate silk handkerchief.
The degrading spectacle sent visible shivers through the palace staff who had witnessed their sovereign's complete capitulation to these notorious criminals. This was their king, a man who had commanded armies and negotiated with world powers, reduced to performing the most menial tasks for the entertainment of pirates whose reputation for casual violence preceded them wherever they traveled.
The monarch had spent considerable wealth to hire the Hell Pirates for assistance with his kingdom's civil unrest, and their intervention had indeed restored order within days. But now came the complicated matter of managing these dangerous benefactors until circumstances allowed them to depart. As the old saying warned: it was easier to invite demons than to dismiss them.
For someone whose power commanded such respect throughout the North Blue, humbling himself through shoe-polishing represented a small price for survival. The alternative, testing their patience or displaying even minor disrespect, might result in his kingdom joining the growing list of territories that had simply vanished from navigational charts after crossing the Hell Pirates.
Those in positions of ultimate authority often harbored the deepest capacity for absolute submission when facing forces beyond their control.
"King," Dom's voice carried casual satisfaction as he gestured toward the newspaper lying beside his plate, "that bastard has arrived."
"Indeed," Oboro replied with understated acknowledgment, taking another measured sip of his wine.
"Are we going to fight him?" Dom asked, though his tone suggested he already suspected the answer.
"No," Oboro stated with clinical finality. "One encounter, and you'll die."
The blunt assessment hung in the air like a death sentence.
"Is the gap really that enormous?" Dom pressed, his enhanced pride struggling against the cold reality of power scaling that governed their world.
Yurivich also paused in his methodical eating, his attention drawn to a conversation that directly concerned his own capabilities and survival prospects.
"Whether we're discussing the Seven Warlords of the Sea or the Four Emperors, these individuals achieved their legendary status through comprehensive, overwhelming superiority in every aspect of combat," Oboro explained with the detached tone of a professor delivering a lecture on theoretical mathematics. "This includes their Devil Fruit abilities, which have been developed to their absolute limits through decades of constant refinement. Doflamingo's Ito Ito no Mi is particularly dangerous among Paramecia-type fruits, unique even within that classification. Most importantly, he has achieved Awakening."
He paused to swirl the blood-red wine in his crystal goblet, studying its color with apparent fascination. "There exists a fundamental, qualitative difference between awakened and unawakened Devil Fruit users. The gap transcends simple power scaling into something approaching a different category of existence entirely. Yurivich might manage to survive a few exchanges through raw durability, but prolonged combat would be impossible."
"Not even Yurivich?" Dom's voice carried genuine disbelief.
"The opponents you've encountered thus far haven't represented genuine strength," Oboro continued with brutal honesty. "Yurivich's physical capabilities are indeed exceptional, but he requires additional development before challenging apex predators. Consider this: with Doflamingo's mastery of Observation and Armament Haki, you wouldn't even perceive his approach, much less react to it. His String-String Fruit can effortlessly slice you into multiple pieces, along with any obstacles in the vicinity. A few casual gestures could reduce entire skyscrapers to rubble."
His tone grew more contemplative as he continued the tactical analysis. "Even without employing Haki techniques, the disparity in raw physical conditioning remains enormous. You must understand that Doflamingo has been a legendary figure terrorizing these seas for longer than you've been alive. When facing such overwhelming experience and proven capability, respect for superior power becomes a survival necessity."
Dom released a nervous chuckle, recognizing the subtle mockery underlying his captain's educational discourse.
"What about compared to you, King?" he ventured.
"Compared to me?" Oboro raised an eyebrow with apparent amusement. "His Haki and physical conditioning are undoubtedly superior, there's no question about that fundamental assessment."
Dom waited expectantly for the continuation he knew was coming.
"However..." Oboro's smile carried predatory satisfaction, "my abilities remain unknown to him, and the unknown often proves more terrifying than any amount of raw power. Moreover, the methods I employ to manipulate energy operate according to principles he's never encountered. In other words, his extensive combat experience provides no applicable guidance for countering techniques that exist outside his frame of reference."
He paused deliberately before delivering his final assessment. "I won't claim certain victory without an actual confrontation to verify my theories... but I'm confident I won't lose."
Dom's expression brightened with understanding and renewed confidence. He had learned to read his captain's psychological patterns with considerable accuracy during their time together. The fact that they could enjoy this leisurely meal while discussing Doflamingo's approach with such analytical detachment meant the situation was under control. Behind Oboro's characteristic humility lay the kind of absolute certainty that had carried them through every impossible challenge they'd faced.
"What's our strategy?" Dom asked.
"First contact and evaluation," Oboro replied with anticipatory satisfaction. "I find myself genuinely curious about this meeting."
Several hours later, after completing their meal and formal departure courtesies, the three Hell Pirates slipped away from the palace under cover of darkness. Behind them, the king maintained his subservient farewell, bowing repeatedly as he escorted his dangerous guests to the main entrance.
The royal robes that symbolized his authority over millions of subjects bore numerous footprints from Dom's casual disrespect, visible reminders of how thoroughly conventional power structures meant nothing when facing individuals who operated beyond traditional limitations.
The Hell Pirates had once again emerged to assist an island nation with its internal security challenges.
As the most closely watched criminal organization currently operating in the North Blue, their every movement attracted attention from intelligence networks, rival pirates, government agents, and ambitious bounty hunters seeking to claim their substantial rewards. Maintaining operational secrecy had become virtually impossible given their explosive rise to regional prominence.
Therefore, when news of their latest contract reached the broader maritime community, it traveled with the speed that only the most sensational developments could achieve.
The Donquixote Family received confirmation of the Hell Pirates' location through their extensive surveillance networks, immediately redirecting their pursuit toward the reported coordinates. Speed was essential, these notorious fugitives had already demonstrated an unsettling talent for vanishing whenever organized opposition approached their vicinity.
However, when Doflamingo's forces reached the designated area and conducted thorough sweeps of the surrounding waters, they discovered only empty ocean stretching to the horizon. Their quarry had once again evaporated like morning mist, leaving behind no trace of their passage or destination.
By evening, tabloid publications were already reporting Hell Pirates activity in an entirely different maritime zone, hundreds of miles from where they should have been located.
"They move quickly," Doflamingo observed with grudging amusement, scanning the latest intelligence reports while his flagship maintained pursuit course.
The chase resumed with renewed determination.
Although the North Blue's vast expanse provided numerous hiding places for fugitive organizations, the Hell Pirates faced critical logistical limitations that would ultimately prove decisive. Their vessel configuration was inadequate for sustained high-speed operations, suggesting they lacked the kind of specialized flagship that serious pirate organizations required for extended campaigns. Moreover, their apparent reliance on appropriated ships rather than custom construction indicated mobility constraints that the Flamingo's superior engineering could exploit.
The Donquixote Family's advantage lay not just in their flagship's speed, but in their comprehensive intelligence infrastructure throughout the region. Decades of careful network development had positioned informants, sympathizers, and corrupted officials throughout every significant port, trading post, and maritime facility. This web of cooperation would prove invaluable for tracking targets who might evade conventional pursuit methods.
The Hell Pirates couldn't escape indefinitely, they simply lacked the resources and territorial knowledge that extended evasion required.
Over the following weeks, the entire North Blue's attention focused on the deadly game of pursuit unfolding across their waters.
The dynamic appeared deceptively simple on the surface: the Donquixote Family's overwhelming forces systematically hunting the Hell Pirates through coordinated fleet movements, while their targets employed hit-and-run tactics to avoid direct confrontation with superior numbers.
Because the Hell Pirates showed no apparent interest in engaging Doflamingo's organization directly, preferring to maintain distance through careful positioning and rapid movement, outside observers began characterizing their behavior as strategic retreat rather than tactical maneuvering.
Eventually, when the Donquixote Family mobilized additional resources to form a massive encirclement operation designed to eliminate all possible escape routes, the prolonged chase finally reached its climax.
After nearly two weeks of intensive coordination between multiple fleets, reconnaissance aircraft, and intelligence assets, scouts reported the Hell Pirates' distinctive vessel anchored near the shore of a remote, uninhabited island less than thirty kilometers from Doflamingo's current position.
Upon receiving this intelligence, the Heavenly Demon's characteristic grin widened with predatory satisfaction. Without hesitation, he abandoned his flagship and launched himself skyward using his String-String Fruit's aerial transportation capabilities.
Sora no Michi, the Sky Path technique that allowed him to attach strings to clouds for rapid movement through the air. His individual travel speed far exceeded what any conventional vessel could achieve, making personal pursuit the most efficient method for ensuring their targets couldn't escape before his main force arrived.
After enduring weeks of systematic humiliation as these upstart rookies evaded his carefully orchestrated manhunt, Doflamingo's patience had been thoroughly exhausted. The time for elaborate strategies and coordinated operations had passed, now came the moment for direct, personal violence that would restore his reputation throughout the North Blue.
He intended to make their deaths both educational and entertaining.
"Fufufufufu..."
Within fifteen minutes of his aerial departure, Doflamingo's enhanced vision detected a dark speck anchored along the shoreline of an isolated island in the azure waters below. His feathered cloak fluttered dramatically in the wind as he adjusted his descent trajectory, strings connecting to cloud formations with supernatural precision.
"Fufufufufu!" His laughter grew colder and more menacing as anticipation built toward its inevitable release.
The pink feather cloak streaming behind him resembled enormous wings as he "flew" toward his target like a predatory bird diving toward helpless prey.
Finally... caught!
The hunt was about to reach its bloody conclusion, and Doflamingo intended to savor every moment of the retribution that would follow. The Hell Pirates had exhausted their luck, depleted their options, and run out of places to hide.
Now they would learn exactly why challenging the Heavenly Demon's authority had been the last mistake they would ever make.
404
Whoosh!
A shadow descended from the sky with the distinctive sound of wind being torn asunder, carrying with it an aura of menace that seemed to compress the very air around the Hell Pirates' vessel.
Doflamingo, his signature red sunglasses gleaming in the afternoon light, landed with predatory grace upon the deck. His pink feathered cloak billowed dramatically behind him as he straightened to his full height, every movement radiating the arrogant confidence of someone who had never encountered a force he couldn't dominate.
The Heavenly Demon took his characteristic swaggering steps forward, his posture embodying the kind of supreme authority that acknowledged no equals. One hand emerged from his pocket with theatrical flair, fingers flexing in subtle motions that produced sounds like distant firecrackers, barely audible hints of the devastating power waiting to be unleashed.
"Fufufufu..."
His laughter erupted with dark amusement, the sound carrying undertones of sadistic anticipation that would have sent chills through anyone with genuine survival instincts.
Directly before him, atop several stacked cargo boxes arranged like an improvised throne, sat a figure whose calm composure formed a stark contrast to the predatory energy radiating from his uninvited guest. The man wore an immaculate black suit and gentleman's hat, his legs crossed with casual elegance while he regarded Doflamingo with an expression of amused interest rather than fear.
His relaxed demeanor suggested that this confrontation had been not only anticipated but welcomed.
"Are you the only one?" Doflamingo released a murderous aura so intense it seemed to make the air itself heavier, his razor-sharp gaze piercing toward his target like a blade seeking flesh.
"Isn't one enough? After all, weren't you here to see me specifically?" Oboro spread his hands with theatrical innocence, his voice carrying no trace of concern despite the overwhelming pressure being directed at him.
"To be honest, I'm quite surprised," he continued conversationally, adjusting his hat with one finger. "I thought that according to your personality, you would have tried to kill me instantly upon landing."
"How could I let you die so easily?" Doflamingo's grin widened with predatory satisfaction. "Thanks to you, our family's business in the North Blue has lost considerable money. So I intend to let you die in the most... entertaining way possible."
"Isn't it supposed to be the most painful or cruel?" Oboro tilted his head with apparent curiosity, pressing the brim of his hat until shadows obscured most of his face, leaving only one eye visible. His tone remained light despite the implications of his words. "You are... quite interesting."
"Don't you want to broadcast the scene of my execution to the entire North Blue?"
"Hey hey hey... Your suggestion isn't bad at all," Doflamingo responded with genuine enthusiasm, light flashing off his sunglasses as surging murderous intent exploded outward, accompanied by waves of Conqueror's Haki.
The atmospheric pressure aboard the ship dropped instantly, while crimson arcs of spiritual energy began crackling through the air like visible manifestations of his overwhelming will.
"Hmm?"
The Heavenly Demon's fingers twitched with practiced precision, but his forward movement suddenly halted as his expression shifted to surprise.
Near the cargo boxes where Oboro sat, invisible threads had materialized from every conceivable angle, razor-sharp strings that should have been closing in like a web of death. These nearly transparent wires gleamed with barely perceptible light as they sought to ensnare their target.
However, something was fundamentally wrong with the technique's execution.
The strings appeared to be frozen by some unseen force, completely unresponsive to Doflamingo's finger manipulations despite his increasing effort to control them. No matter how he flexed his abilities, the threads remained as motionless as if they'd been embedded in solid steel.
Finally, with a series of sharp snaps, multiple strings simply broke apart entirely.
"You're too anxious, Senior," Oboro observed with mock disappointment, slowly raising his face to reveal a knowing smile.
His own aura erupted to match Doflamingo's display, black electrical currents dancing around his form as they collided with the crimson energy of his opponent's Haki. The opposing forces created a spectacular light show while the deck beneath them groaned under supernatural pressure, spider-web cracks spreading outward from their positions.
The entire hull began shaking from the conflicting energies.
"Fufufu!"
Oboro's teasing, arrogant tone ignited Doflamingo's already volatile temper. With a snarl of rage, the Warlord swept his other hand forward like a predator's claw, launching his signature Five Color Strings technique with enhanced lethality.
The threads that shot from his fingertips carried twice their normal destructive potential, carving through the air toward Oboro with enough force to slice through steel and stone alike.
Yet the result proved identical to his previous attempt.
An invisible barrier seemed to surround Oboro's position, causing every string to strike empty air with loud impacts while leaving their intended target completely unharmed.
"Fufufu... Devil Fruit ability?" Doflamingo's expression shifted to analytical interest as his tactical mind began processing what he was witnessing.
The realization was both unwelcome and undeniable, this upstart rookie might prove considerably more challenging than expected.
However, rather than dampening his enthusiasm, the prospect of genuine resistance only fed his growing excitement.
"Fufufufufu! Hahahaha!"
His laughter grew progressively louder and more unhinged until he covered his face with one hand, throwing his head back in a display of manic amusement that echoed across the water.
When the sound finally died away, Doflamingo's hands fell naturally to his sides while his head lowered. For several heartbeats, an oppressive silence settled over the ship like a suffocating blanket.
"I guessed correctly!" he declared with savage satisfaction, his entire demeanor transforming as he looked up once more. "It's you, the bastard who killed the Celestial Dragons! The God Slayer!"
Blood vessels bulged across his forehead and cheeks as rage and anticipation warred for dominance in his expression. His aura intensified exponentially, becoming something truly monstrous.
New hatred layered atop old grievances, creating a cocktail of fury that bordered on psychotic.
The Sabaody Archipelago incident had shaken the entire world, but few understood how close the Donquixote Family had come to complete annihilation as collateral damage. The political maneuvering and personal costs required to extract themselves from that crisis had been staggering, and the debt remained unpaid.
"Conqueror's Haki," Oboro acknowledged with academic interest, immediately releasing his own spiritual pressure to match the threat.
The massive hull tilted precariously as opposing forces clashed, while the previously calm shallow waters surrounding them erupted into chaotic white-capped waves.
"Congratulations," Oboro said with a theatrical snap of his fingers, rising gracefully from his improvised throne. "You guessed correctly, it's me!"
His smile never wavered despite the overwhelming menace radiating from his opponent.
But that calm confidence seemed to infuriate Doflamingo even further!
Without warning, the Warlord vanished from sight entirely.
Oboro's enhanced perception tracked the movement just as a black shadow exploded toward his flank like an avenging demon. The attacking hand was wrapped in silvery strings and coated with Armament Haki, its force sufficient to tear through his defensive air barrier as it aimed directly for his temple.
Oboro raised his left arm to intercept, his own Haki flaring to reinforce the block.
CRASH!
The collision produced a thunderclap that shattered the entire bow section, wooden planks exploding outward in a shower of splinters. The sleeves of Oboro's suit disintegrated into floating ribbons of fabric while the impact sent him flying backward through the air.
Even while airborne and apparently helpless, Doflamingo had already positioned himself above his trajectory. The Warlord's terrifying grin promised swift and brutal conclusion as he crossed his arms, both limbs gleaming with metallic Haki enhancement.
Like a massive hammer falling from heaven, the double-armed strike descended toward Oboro's vulnerable form with accumulated force. The protective air shield that had frustrated his earlier attacks lasted barely half a second before dissipating completely.
SPLASH!
Oboro struck the ocean surface like a black meteorite, raising towering waves that crashed across the devastated deck.
Doflamingo employed his Kumo no Ito, Sky Path technique, to suspend himself in mid-air, strings connected to distant clouds supporting his weight while he gazed down at the impact site with vindictive satisfaction.
Injured!
The Heavenly Demon felt absolute confidence in his assault. He had held nothing back, committing his full power to eliminate the God Slayer in the most decisive manner possible. Once he retrieved the corpse, delivering it to the Celestial Dragons would finally close this painful chapter in his organization's history.
He acknowledged that the God Slayer possessed impressive capabilities, certainly enough to justify his string of impossible achievements. Killing Celestial Dragons, repeatedly escaping from Marine and World Government pursuit, and creating chaos throughout the North Blue all required genuine strength and tactical brilliance.
Conqueror's Haki alone marked him as exceptional. Even across the vast oceans, individuals qualified to wield such power remained vanishingly rare. Those who possessed it almost inevitably rose to dominate their chosen fields, assuming they survived long enough to reach their potential.
Doflamingo himself belonged to that elite category, making him uniquely qualified to assess such threats.
The God Slayer's youth made him particularly dangerous, his Haki and physical conditioning had obvious room for growth, suggesting that today represented the optimal window for elimination.
Moreover, he was clearly a Devil Fruit user, which meant falling into the sea should have...
"..."
Doflamingo's entire body tensed as impossible reality unfolded before his eyes.
The ocean surface at the impact site suddenly began dropping, seawater parting in both directions to reveal the sandy seabed below. What should have been nearly ten meters of water became a completely dry 'vacuum zone' that defied every law of nature he understood.
Most shocking of all was the figure standing calmly in the exposed sand, his clothing completely dry despite having just crashed into the ocean.
"Did he wrap himself in compressed air the moment he hit the water, thus isolating himself from the sea's power?" Doflamingo analyzed with growing unease.
But even accepting that explanation, the fact remained that his devastating attack had connected cleanly. Why wasn't there any visible injury?
"That hurt," Oboro commented conversationally, flexing the arm whose sleeve had been destroyed. He looked up at Doflamingo's aerial position with an expression of mild reproach. "Do you really want to kill me that badly?"
His tone shifted subtly, carrying new undertones that made the very air seem heavier.
"Since you're being so serious... I suppose I should get serious too."
Watching Oboro's demeanor transform from casual amusement to focused intent, Doflamingo's laughter died completely. Instead, the murderous intensity burning in his heart reached new heights as tactical alarm bells began screaming warnings throughout his experienced mind.
This God Slayer was far more dangerous than intelligence reports had suggested.
The real battle was about to begin.