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"This… How is this possible?"
Law watched in astonishment as large sections of the deck and cabins were transformed into countless threads. "The ship… it's turning into strings…"
"Fufufufu..."
Doflamingo chuckled, his gaze still locked onto the red figure hovering above using Soru, but for once he deigned to address Law. "Don't be so surprised. Devil Fruits have a higher level known as 'Awakening.' It's only natural for someone like me to reach such heights!"
"Swish—"
Countless silvery threads shot skyward, forming waves of thread-like fury that surged toward Ichiji. Each strand shimmered with murderous intent. "I must admit, you're quite the monstrous opponent if you've forced me to use my 'Awakened' abilities."
"Devil Fruit Awakening, huh?"
Ichiji smirked coldly from above. "On this vast sea, confined to just this ship, how much of your 'Awakening' can you truly unleash?"
"Enough to kill an arrogant brat like you!"
Doflamingo sneered, his hands moving deftly as he manipulated the endless threads, wrapping them around Ichiji in a suffocating web. "Wild White Line Surge!"
"Shadow Razor!"
Wave after wave of thread-like attacks rushed toward him, but Ichiji moved like a ghost, dodging the "white tidal waves" at impossible angles while closing the distance to Doflamingo.
"Finger Gun Barrage!"
The air was torn apart as Ichiji's fingers hardened with Armament Haki, becoming a blur of motion. A barrage of blackened impacts streaked forward with terrifying speed and precision.
"Zzzt... Zzzt..."
One after another, the shadowy projectiles homed in on Doflamingo's vital points—his eyes, throat, heart—all delivered without mercy. The sheer force of the assault made even bystanders break out in cold sweat.
"Shield White Line!"
Doflamingo's pupils contracted sharply as he retreated hastily, his right hand yanking upward. Countless threads beneath his feet converged, forming a massive "shield" that solidified in front of him just in time.
"Boom... Boom..."
The enormous thread shield was brutally pierced, crumbling under the relentless barrage. Fist-sized holes riddled its surface, and countless threads fluttered wildly—but it had bought Doflamingo precious time to retreat.
It didn't take much imagination to picture what would happen if those punches landed directly on a human body.
If they were fighting on open land or an expansive island, the outcome might remain uncertain for some time. But here, trapped on this small merchant ship with the added constraint of not destroying it entirely, Doflamingo's Awakened powers were severely limited. His ability to manipulate threads couldn't reach its full potential in such cramped conditions.
Ichiji, on the other hand, faced no such limitations. Though continuously using Soru to hover mid-air consumed stamina, he could sustain it for now without issue. And unlike Doflamingo, he didn't need to worry about falling into the sea—a significant advantage for any non-Devil-Fruit user.
"To think you actually shattered my Shield White Line... That's quite the feat..."
Doflamingo's mind raced. Even with Busoshoku Haki reinforcement, taking one of those blows head-on would likely leave him injured. For a moment, he regarded the red-clad figure with wary caution, though his hands never stopped moving.
"Swish... Swish..."
Enormous waves of threads surged forth from all directions, crashing toward Ichiji like a tsunami intent on trapping him within. However, constrained by the size of the ship—and needing to ensure it didn't sink outright—Doflamingo couldn't generate enough threads to fully overwhelm his opponent. This limitation left him visibly frustrated.
"I must admit, developing a 'junk fruit' like the String-String Fruit to this extent is impressive..."
Ichiji weaved through the incoming thread waves, retreating and sidestepping with practiced ease. He had to acknowledge Doflamingo's talent; transforming the Paramecia-type String-String Fruit into such a versatile weapon, capable of both offense and defense, was no small achievement. Unfortunately for Doflamingo, the String-String Fruit's abilities were inherently "low-tier" compared to others.
"However, this battle ends here."
"Pop... Pop..."
To Doflamingo's alarm, Ichiji used Soru to propel himself over a hundred meters into the air. His fists clenched together, darkening ominously as veins bulged across his arms. Muscles rippled violently, exuding an aura of overwhelming menace.
"Brat, don't tell me you're planning to..."
Doflamingo's expression shifted dramatically, veins throbbing on his forehead as he stared up at the red figure above with shock and anger. Without hesitation, he began retreating rapidly, unleashing a flurry of razor-sharp thread pillars coated in Armament Haki that rocketed upward.
"Damn it!!!"
Each thread pillar screamed through the air, aimed squarely at Ichiji.
"I imagine it's been a long time since you last felt the taste of seawater..."
Unfazed, Ichiji flipped upside down, accelerating downward with terrifying speed. His pitch-black fists gathered close to his chest, radiating an aura of lethal danger.
"Whooosh—"
The sound of slicing air roared as he plummeted straight down.
"Six Powers Ultimate Technique: Maximum Wheel·Six King Gun!!!"