As with most clashes between the strong, the final scene would usually end with both sides unleashing their ultimate moves—whoever couldn't endure would lose.
But Orin, who possessed advance previews, had already seen the outcome of the battle before the two ultimate attacks even collided.
"Not bad, Doffy. Giving the Seagull King a Mythical Zoan like this, isn't that a bit too much of a cheat code?"
"A fine match indeed."
In his calm eyes, scarlet light flared before the battle ended. What he saw was the Seagull King's body pierced by waves of thread, while Doffy fared no better—his abdomen was skewered clean through by the Seagull King's Armament-infused beak wrapped in wind armor.
In the end, neither remained conscious, both collapsing half-dead onto the ground.
Since the result was already known, there was no need to waste more time.
Placing his juice back on the table, Orin watched the two attacks about to collide. From his perspective, he slowly stretched out a hand, clenching a fist between them.
In that instant!!!
Time seemed to freeze. The giant bird cloaked in wind armor and Armament Haki, and Doflamingo, face twisted with madness as he unleashed eight surging waves of thread—both were locked in place.
Their bodies couldn't move an inch. Yet in Doffy's heart, a storm raged!!!
Impossible!!!
His full-powered ultimate move—how could it be completely immobilized???
He knew the gap between him and Orin was vast, but after years of growth, he thought he had at least closed it a little...
Yet what unfolded now utterly shattered his resolve.
If Orin willed it, he didn't even have the right to move!!!
So this was the difference between gods and ants!!!
As space itself halted, the wind armor surrounding the Seagull King and the awakened threads dissolved into powder and faded away.
The two little birds under Orin's command, once trapped, finally relaxed as their bodies regained freedom.
But the first thing Doffy did upon release was gasp for breath, for this feeling of life and death being entirely in another's hands was something he never wanted to experience again.
...
"Well done, Doffy."
Orin did not withhold his praise. Looking at the bedraggled flamingo before him, he gave a nod of recognition.
After all, forcing a cheat code onto the Seagull King's side had been meant to let the young Flamingo suffer some losses, to make him behave in the future.
He hadn't expected that Doffy, worthy of someone who awakened Conqueror's Haki as a child, would manage to awaken the String-String Fruit under such disadvantage.
Though the Seagull King's lack of experience played a part, the fact that the young Doffy could fight a "version answer" to a standstill was a surprise indeed.
Sitting by the untouched pool on the other side of the palace, Orin reclined on a lounge chair. He looked at the slightly shaken Doffy, patted his shoulder, and said,
"Though it was a draw, your progress and spirit deserve recognition. Half of the previous reward goes to you... As for the Hobby-Hobby Fruit debt, consider it settled."
It was a consolation prize. Though Doffy hadn't won, he hadn't lost either. His mood lightened a little, and the ever-smiling Doflamingo managed to tug a faint grin at the corners of his lips.
"As long as you're pleased, Orin-sama."
After all, the whole purpose of welcoming Orin was to erase the shadow of past incidents. Now that it was done, a few injuries were nothing.
Meanwhile, the Seagull King, who reaped the greatest gains from this, was beaming with joy.
Right now, it felt like the king of birds!!!
No bird in the world could possibly be stronger, and as for Morgans...
Who's that?
Irrelevant!!!
If the Seagull King was slow to learn anything else, forgetting its roots was the first skill it mastered.
Power surging, arrogance swelling, yet despite its pride, it still dared not disobey Orin's words.
Unlike the half-beast form it used against Doffy, the Seagull King now went into full beast form, spreading wings dozens of meters wide. Orin sat comfortably atop it.
After that, Orin enjoyed a leisurely tour among the people.
He especially mobilized the nation's resources to seek out the seafood restaurant where Sabo once ate,
It looked delicious.
And who would dare disobey Orin's orders?
Within minutes, that tiny restaurant was found.
During this time, a dark undercurrent in the underworld quieted down.
"Have you heard? Joker seems to have angered Orin-sama. Could we maybe..."
"Yeah, that market share is massive. Even a small slice would be enough to gorge ourselves!"
"...Idiots. That's old news already. Orin-sama was just in Dressrosa recently, and word is he was very pleased."
"Huh? How could that be... What luck, Joker."
...
On the sunny seas, a massive pirate ship shaped like a whale sailed forward.
The mood aboard wasn't pleasant—two overwhelming figures sat across from one another.
"So that's the great pirate who once stood equal with Pops and the Pirate King Roger... the Golden Lion, Shiki?!!!"
"Just looking at him leaks sheer dominance!!!"
The Whitebeard crew's apprentices whispered in awe.
Meanwhile, Shiki, cigar clamped between his teeth and a smile at his lips, chatted with Whitebeard.
...
"The seas these days are truly stormy..."
"With Roger gone, the wall that blocked us has vanished. Now it's become the era of brats. Have you grown old too, Newgate~?"
In his hand, he held a newspaper dated not long ago, its pages filled with the battle between Orin and Whitebeard.
Whitebeard's forehead bulged with veins at the mention.
Who knew why, but after that fight, the world spread word that Whitebeard wasn't the Black Emperor's equal, shaking his territories with unrest.
It took immense effort to remind the seas that the name Whitebeard wasn't something anyone could tarnish.
"Shiki, if you came here just to spout nonsense, I can sink you to the bottom of the sea right now."
Since his breakout, the Golden Lion Shiki had lain low for years. Now he appeared, only to open with such infuriating words. Whitebeard had no patience for idle banter with his old rival.
"Jihahahaha... you're still as fiery as ever. That puts me at ease."
Shiki laughed.
"I plan to vanish for a while... and show this era a true spectacle..."
Screech—!!!
Before he could finish, a piercing cry split the sky, drawing every gaze upward. A massive shadow blotted out the sun, casting all below in darkness.
And with it came a voice everyone knew all too well:
"You broke out of Impel Down, didn't you?"