Invisible Parasitic Threads shimmered faintly in the sunlight, drifting down from the sky like ghostly silk. As if alive, they slithered through the air toward the Going Merry, targeting the Straw Hat crew.
At that moment, neither Luffy, Zoro, nor Sanji could react. Compared to their strength two years later, they were still far too inexperienced to resist such a technique.
A low chuckle echoed above them.
"Heh... heh."
Just as the Threads were about to entangle his companions, Shirogai raised his head and smiled faintly. "Doflamingo," he said calmly, "it seems you Celestial Dragons never learned basic manners."
A cold glint flashed across Shirogai's hand as he lifted his arm. A sharp blade of invisible energy rippled through the air.
"What do you think you're doing to my crew?"
Swish!
The invisible strike cut through the descending threads in an instant. Every strand lost its vitality and dispersed into the wind like broken spider silk.
But the attack didn't end there. The blade of air continued its path upward, cleaving through the sky itself as it shot toward Doflamingo.
"Spider Web Wall!"
With a sharp motion, Doflamingo released hundreds of transparent threads, weaving them into a massive spider web that spread across the sky. The glimmering barrier caught the sunlight, gleaming like crystal armor.
"Fufufufufu!" Doflamingo cackled. "As expected of you!!! Your Observation Haki truly lives up to the rumors!"
He hadn't expected that harmless-looking air slash to be anything more than a show of force. But when the blade collided with his Spider Web Wall—
Swish!
—it sliced straight through without resistance.
"...What?"
The confident grin froze on Doflamingo's face.
"How troublesome."
He was forced to twist through the air, narrowly avoiding the razor-like aura. Behind him, the sea split open with a deafening boom, sending waves surging dozens of meters high.
"That attack... was casual?" Doflamingo's gaze hardened as he stared down at Shirogai. "Impressive. No wonder the World Government places you on the same level as the Four Emperors."
On deck, Luffy tilted his head. "Oi, who's that weird guy laughing all the time?"
Zoro exhaled. "That's Doflamingo. And you might want to take him seriously."
"Pink Birdman!" Luffy called out, grinning wide. "You're a pirate too? You look ridiculous!"
Robin's voice cut through the banter, calm but sharp. "Luffy, be careful. That man is Donquixote Doflamingo, the Heavenly Demon—one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
"Seven Warlords!?" Usopp shrieked, diving behind the mast with Chopper clinging to his back. "He's like Crocodile! Another one of the Government's monsters!"
Sanji lit a cigarette and smirked. "Tch. He looks like someone worth kicking."
Zoro's eyes narrowed. "Heh... I was just thinking the same thing. Shirogai, mind if I take this one?"
Luffy, ever oblivious, bounced excitedly. "Hey! Is he one of those Warlord guys you almost replaced, Shirogai? Pink Birdman! Is the Navy's food really that good?"
Doflamingo chuckled. "Interesting... Straw Hat Luffy, with a bounty of one hundred million berries." His gaze flicked briefly toward the Captain before returning to Shirogai. "Tell me, Shirogai Yamikuro—why would a man dubbed the Fifth Emperor serve under such a fool?"
Luffy blinked. "Wait, who's the fool?"
The entire crew sighed in unison.
"That would be you, Luffy," Nami muttered.
Zoro's expression hardened. "Tch. That bastard..." He unsheathed his blades. "Three-Sword Style: One Hundred and Eight Calamity Phoenix!"
Three crescent slashes spiraled through the sky toward Doflamingo.
"Fufufufufu... Not bad, Swordsman," Doflamingo sneered. He flicked his finger. "Bullet String!"
A single thread spun forward like a drill, colliding with the blue phoenix slash.
Clang!
Zoro's attack shattered into fragments of light. The spinning thread pierced through the air, still heading straight for the swordsman.
"Move, now!" Zoro shouted.
Sanji leaped forward, shielding Nami and Robin. "Usopp! Guard Chopper!"
Zoro's swords whirled like a storm. "Three-Sword Style Secret Technique: Three Thousand Worlds!"
The clash resounded across the deck. Sparks flew as steel met string, the friction shrieking through the air.
The impact forced Zoro back a half step before the attack dissipated.
"Oh?" Doflamingo smirked. "He blocked it. Impressive. You've got some real strength in that crew of yours, Shirogai."
Zoro gritted his teeth, his arms trembling slightly. "What a monster… as expected of a Warlord."
"He's strong, yeah," Shirogai replied calmly. "But don't worry, Zoro. Give it two years, and you'll surpass him easily."
"Fufufufufu!" Doflamingo threw his head back and laughed. "Two years? You think these rookies can ever reach me in two years?"
Shirogai's expression didn't waver. "I do. Because my crew isn't made of cowards who hide behind clones."
The laughter stopped. Doflamingo's grin twisted into a cold line. He hovered in silence for a long second before his eyes sharpened dangerously.
"...When did you find out?"
Shirogai smiled faintly, the reflection of the sea glinting in his dark eyes. "From the moment you started talking, Joker."
The waves roared beneath them, the wind howling through the rigging of the Going Merry.
____
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