Jack's expression was unreadable, his voice a low growl. "Then it depends on his attitude. If he submits, fine… but if not—" He stopped mid-sentence, though the murderous intent in his eyes said the rest.
Doflamingo's laughter echoed through the scorched ruins of Dressrosa as the flames faded. Falling from the air, he landed hard but didn't waste a breath. With a wave of his hand, an invisible force rippled outward from his body, sweeping across half the island in an instant.
At a speed visible to the naked eye, houses, stones, and debris twisted violently, transforming into countless white threads. Within moments, much of Dressrosa had turned into a churning ocean of silk.
"Fufufufu! This is the next stage of Devil Fruit development—awakening!" Doflamingo's grin widened, confidence returning as he stood over the white sea of strings behind him.
Across from him, Ayanami Kaito stood amidst the chaos. "Do you really think you can defeat me just because your fruit has awakened?" he said flatly.
"Fufufufu! I admit you're strong. Your Thunder Fruit is one of the most powerful among the Logias. But the higher the fruit's potential, the harder it is to awaken." Doflamingo spread his arms wide, a twisted smile stretching beneath his sunglasses. "So now, enjoy the banquet I've prepared for you!"
The ocean of threads surged violently. The sky dimmed as countless white filaments shot upward, weaving together into massive waves that blotted out the light.
Every surviving citizen of Dressrosa looked up in horror.
"What… what is that!?"
"Is this still our country!?"
In the bullfighting arena, panic spread among the onlookers. Vice Admiral Maynard, hidden in the crowd, broke into a cold sweat. "Devil Fruit awakening… I never imagined it could reach this level. Even Doflamingo's power… it's monstrous!"
The threads crashed down like serpents of silk, writhing toward Kaito with terrifying speed.
Lightning sparked around Kaito's hand. With a calm swing, he traced an elegant arc in the air. A surge of gray-black thunder expanded outward, growing longer and sharper until it became a ten-meter blade of lightning.
Crack—!
The sound was sharp, deafening. With a single sweeping motion, the massive lightning arc cleaved through the incoming white serpents like tofu, cutting them cleanly in two. The remaining force carried on, carving a deep scar through the white ocean behind them.
Doflamingo's pupils shrank. "How far has this guy developed his fruit…?"
Kaito looked up at him, eyes calm. "You rely too much on tricks."
Doflamingo's expression hardened. "Let's see how you handle this, then!"
He pressed both hands downward. The ocean of threads surged again, twisting and coiling toward Kaito like a tidal wave.
"Pointless," Kaito muttered. Lightning armor crackled to life across his body as he kicked off the ground, shattering the threads beneath his feet. Flames of electricity burst from his hands as a colossal thunder dragon materialized—ten meters long, scales flickering with gray lightning. With a roar, it launched toward Doflamingo.
Sensing the danger, Doflamingo's instincts screamed. The ocean of threads recoiled instantly, converging in front of him to form a massive cross-shaped shield. In seconds, he created dozens more—his ultimate defense, White Shield Threads. Each layer could withstand Marine bombardments, but the oppressive aura from the dragon told him it wouldn't be enough.
"Not enough! Not enough!" Doflamingo shouted, panic creeping into his voice. His shields turned jet-black as he coated them in Armament Haki, barely steadying his breath.
Then—
Crack!
The thunder dragon struck. The impact was catastrophic. One by one, Doflamingo's defenses shattered under the dragon's claws. Explosions of light and dust erupted as the sound of rending silk filled the air.
Within moments, the mighty shields were reduced to fragments. The dragon continued forward, though its glow dimmed, its form flickering like a fading storm.
"Damn it!" Doflamingo roared. With another sweep of his arm, the white sea surged once more. Countless threads gathered and fused into sixteen massive pillars, each coated in hardened Haki.
"Sixteen Holy Bullets: God Slayer!"
The silk pillars shot downward like divine punishment, colliding with the fading thunder dragon. The resulting explosion illuminated the sky. The dragon shattered, scattering into fragments of gray lightning. But the pillars didn't stop—they continued to fall toward Kaito.
"Your last dance?" Kaito's tone was almost disappointed. "Too weak."
He raised his hand, and a blade of gray-black lightning formed in his grasp. Leaping high into the air, Kaito swung the blade with effortless precision. A thunderous arc burst forth, cleaving through the descending pillars.
The ground quaked violently as the shattered pillars slammed into the earth, leaving behind a field of destruction.
Kaito's gaze sharpened. The world shifted before him, gray nodes filling his vision as he vanished from sight. In an instant, he reappeared beside another falling pillar and swung his blade once more.
From the sword's edge erupted a crescent slash of thunder, massive and radiant—growing larger as it cut through the air. In a single sweep, it bisected the remaining pillars, reducing them to dust.
______
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