The shocking sight froze Doflamingo and his officers in disbelief.
"Diamante!" Torrepol and Pica shouted in anguish.
Doflamingo clenched his fists, his sunglasses hiding eyes burning with fury. "Fufufufu… You're the first person in years to make me this angry," he growled, his voice dripping with murderous intent. The air around him vibrated from the sheer killing will radiating off him.
"You two," he ordered coldly, "take the family and leave. I'll handle this myself."
"Understood, Dover! Be careful!" Trebol and Pica obeyed instantly, using their abilities to carry the unconscious officers away.
Moments later, only Kaito and Doflamingo remained atop King's Plateau.
As soon as he felt his men retreat, Doflamingo's fury erupted. He lunged forward like a cheetah, his legs flashing with Armament Haki as he spun, kicking toward Kaito's abdomen with enough force to shatter stone.
"Trying to match me in close combat?" Kaito sneered. His expression didn't waver as he met Doflamingo's kick head-on.
Both men's legs collided midair with a metallic clang! that echoed like thunder.
Doflamingo's face twisted. A monster's strength! he realized as pain shot up his leg.
The force of Kaito's strike sent him flying backward, crashing through the air before landing several meters away. He barely managed to steady himself, wincing at the numbing pain in his legs.
Before he could react, Kaito vanished.
Doflamingo's Observation Haki screamed a warning — behind!
He spun around instantly, coating his arms in jet-black Haki just in time to block a heavy punch.
Clang!
The impact exploded like a cannon blast. The shockwave rattled his bones, and before Doflamingo could regain balance, his body was sent plummeting from the plateau.
Boom!
He hit the ground like a meteor, shattering the earth. Dust and rock erupted into the air as a massive crater formed beneath him, shaking all of Dressrosa.
The sound reached even the bullfighting arena.
King Riku rose from his seat, his expression filled with hope and disbelief. "What's happening out there…?"
The crowd of gladiators stirred in confusion and excitement.
"Is someone fighting Doflamingo?"
"Who's powerful enough to shake the island like that?"
Even Vice Admiral Maynard, undercover among them, looked on in shock.
Far away on a quiet street, a one-legged toy soldier turned toward the towering dust cloud, eyes burning with determination. "Whoever you are," he whispered, "please… defeat Doflamingo. Give Dressrosa peace."
As the dust began to settle, a lone figure emerged at the edge of the crater.
Standing tall amidst the swirling smoke, Kaito looked down with cold indifference.
At the bottom of the pit, Doflamingo staggered to his feet, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.
"You… bastard!" he spat, his expression dark and twisted.
Jumping out of the crater, Doflamingo's arms bore deep red marks — clear signs of Kaito's strikes. His hands trembled, partially numb from the earlier impact.
Ignoring the pain, he crossed his arms and began to weave new threads. Thin white lines covered his forearms, stitching his wounds closed.
Kaito raised an eyebrow. "Healing yourself in front of me? Bold move."
With a casual wave of his hand, chakra surged from within him. The air trembled as heat exploded outward — and from it, a colossal fire dragon roared into existence.
It coiled and twisted, eyes glowing like molten gold as it dove toward Doflamingo. The sheer heat warped the air, distorting the very space around it.
Doflamingo's eyes widened. "A Logia ability? No… your powers weren't gravitational before! What are you really?"
His hands blurred, and countless threads shot out, weaving together into a dense white barrier.
"Spider's Web!" he shouted.
The fiery dragon collided with it head-on.
ROAR!
The dragon's flames burned hotter than magma, consuming everything in its path. Within seconds, the Spider's Web began to melt and ignite, curling into ash.
Doflamingo's face twisted in disbelief. "Impossible!"
Before he could retreat, the fire dragon exploded in a blazing inferno. The blast split the ground and sent shockwaves rolling across the plateau.
A column of flame rose into the sky, visible from every corner of Dressrosa.
Kaito stood amidst the chaos, his clothes rippling from the heat. His expression remained calm, almost bored.
High above, Doflamingo hovered in the air, panting heavily, his threads straining to keep him aloft. His thoughts raced as he stared down at Kaito.
He's overwhelming me completely — in strength, speed, Haki, even Devil Fruit ability… This monster..!
If regret could turn back time, he'd have never provoked Kaito. Never have let Gladius near that cursed village.
But it was too late.
"I'll have to use that move to buy time," he muttered. "I just hope Trebol managed to contact Jack."
Otherwise, he knew he wouldn't survive this day.
Far out on the open sea, a massive three-masted ship cut through the waves, scattering everything in its path.
Smaller vessels veered away in panic, their crews diving into the ocean rather than risk being crushed.
Its black sails bore a skull with two long horns — the mark of the Beasts Pirates, one of the Four Emperors of the New World.
On the deck stood a massive figure, towering and broad-shouldered, his skin glinting under the sun — Jack the Drought.
Behind him stood his trusted subordinates, Ginrummy and Sheepshead.
"How long until we reach the Joker?" Jack asked, his deep voice rumbling like thunder.
"Since Trebol's call, we've been moving full speed," Ginrummy replied. "At this pace, we'll reach Dressrosa in five minutes."
Jack grunted. "Five minutes, huh? If Joker can't even last that long, he doesn't deserve to work with us."
"Boss!" Sheepshead interjected. "Trebol said the one attacking Doflamingo has the Thunder Fruit!"
Jack's eyes narrowed, glinting with violent intent as the Beasts Pirates sailed straight toward the flames rising over Dressrosa.
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