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Doflamingo clenched his teeth. "Don't get cocky just yet!"
His arms and legs instantly hardened with Haki as he charged straight at Luffy.
Luffy's rubber legs fired like rockets, launching him forward to meet Doflamingo head-on.
Their fists collided with an earth-shaking crash.
The sheer force behind Luffy's massive fist made Doflamingo stagger back, pain shooting through his hand like it was about to split apart.
Without letting up, Luffy raised that monstrous fist again and swung down at him.
Doflamingo twisted aside, his leg snapping out with razor-sharp threads flashing five different colors, aiming to slash Luffy in half.
But before the attack could even land, Gear Fourth Luffy's fist smashed it apart with ease.
Doflamingo sent another wave of threads at him, but Luffy backstepped, rubber jets blasting from his feet, and hurled himself straight into Doflamingo's body.
The Warlord was sent flying through the air. Luffy's legs fired again, propelling him forward in hot pursuit.
One enormous, red-and-black hand stretched toward the tumbling Doflamingo, while the other fist compressed, steam hissing off it like a cannon about to fire.
"Gomu Gomu no… Python!!!"
The massive punch exploded forward like a cannonball, streaking through the air at insane speed.
Doflamingo danced through the sky on his strings, switching directions in an instant to avoid the strike.
From the side, he lashed out with a brutal kick. "Foot Thread!"
His heel slammed into Luffy's ribs.
BOOM!
But instead of being blasted away, Luffy absorbed the hit and stood his ground.
Doflamingo's foot bounced right off his rubbery body, unable to push in even an inch.
"No matter how hard you kick—without Armament Haki, I'm still rubber."
"Your attacks won't work on me!"
Roaring, Luffy's counterattack sent Doflamingo skidding several meters back before he could steady himself.
The warlord's eyes widened in disbelief. "What the hell…?!"
Luffy's face was set, his fury burning hot. "You're not running from me, Doffy. I'm sending you flying!"
His fist twisted and snaked forward like a giant python, changing direction midair again and again until it struck Doflamingo hard.
Blood splattered.
"This one doesn't pull back!" Luffy shouted, his voice echoing through the ruined city.
"Keep chasing him, Python!"
His arm stretched again, endlessly pursuing Doflamingo no matter how he weaved on his strings.
The Warlord's expression grew darker. "No matter where I move, it just keeps coming…"
After being chased for hundreds of meters, he leapt upward and cracked an orange whip of threads.
"Enough of this! Get down here!"
"Fine! Gomu Gomu no… Python!!!"
Luffy's punch blasted forward, steam hissing as it smashed through the whip like paper and kept driving straight for Doflamingo.
The man's face finally showed true fear—
CRACK!
The fist slammed square into his jaw, sending blood spraying from his mouth.
"Doffy!!!"
"He's down!"
"That kid—what the hell is he?!"
"Who cares, just cheer him on!"
"Go Straw Hat, go!!!"
Doflamingo's body crashed into a row of buildings, rubble exploding everywhere.
Up on the royal palace platform, Cavendish's jaw nearly hit the floor. "What the hell is that form? Is that really the Straw Hat kid? He's… he's actually overpowering Doflamingo?!"
"He's crazy strong!"
Law's expression stayed grim. "But he's burning through his Haki way too fast."
Down below, Doflamingo groaned in the rubble, clutching his aching jaw. "He's… freely controlling the stretch of his rubber with Armament Haki? A fusion of Haki and rubber…"
Meanwhile, Luffy hovered in midair. "I don't have much time left. Gear Fourth's almost done!"
He rocketed forward again.
Doflamingo slowly stood, smirking despite his wounds. "Looks like you've gotten the hang of your power. But that kind of strength has to carry a heavy cost, doesn't it? You won't last much longer, Straw Hat. How many seconds do you think you've got left?"
Luffy's fists compressed at lightning speed. "Gomu Gomu no… Double Python!!!"
Doflamingo's eyes narrowed. "My strings are endless! White Thread Shield!"
Countless white threads surged from the ground like a waterfall, blocking Luffy's twin fists.
"What the—? Strings coming out of the ground?!" Luffy's eyes widened. "What the hell did you do to this city?!"
…
Back in the original One Piece world
Sanji's cigarette nearly fell out of his mouth. "No way… even at this level, Luffy can't take Doflamingo down?!"
Usopp trembled from head to toe. "He's a Warlord for a reason… that's terrifying…"
Zoro's grip tightened on his swords. "Doflamingo… if anything happens to Luffy, I'll cut you down myself."
Even the Luffy watching from afar clenched his fists. "Doffy's as tough as I thought… but I won't lose. Future me, hang in there!"
Kaido threw his head back and laughed. "Doflamingo, you pathetic weakling! Getting pushed this far by a brat? You're useless!"
…
Fairy Tail world
Natsu practically bounced with excitement. "He's a rubber man! His body changes shape like magic! That's awesome! I'm fired up now!"
Erza narrowed her eyes at Doflamingo's threads. "Thread magic… I wonder how it would fare against my swords?"
Weapons shimmered into existence all around her. "Requip!"
A massive blade of frost appeared in her hand, gleaming with cold light.
…
Inuyasha world
Sesshomaru watched the battle in silence, his golden eyes sharp. "So there are warriors this strong in other worlds…" He flexed his claws slightly. "Strange. They're human, but I sense no demon aura from them."
Jaken hobbled forward, waving his staff. "Lord Sesshomaru! Wait for me! Lady Rin, slow down!"
…
Back on the screen
Doflamingo grinned wickedly, his voice dripping with malice. "Listen up, brat. Devil Fruits have a higher stage beyond what you know… Awakening."
He pressed his palm to the ground, and instantly threads spread out in every direction like a living tide.
From above, Luffy's eyes widened as the city warped before his eyes. "The buildings… they're turning into strings?!"
"Awakening is rare," Doflamingo's voice echoed, "but once it happens, your power begins to affect the world around you."
The streets, the walls, everything twisted into endless threads that lashed toward Luffy.
He blasted himself around with rubber jets, dodging desperately. "Threads everywhere! This doesn't even feel like a Paramecia anymore!"
Wherever Doflamingo walked, the city itself unraveled into strings under his control.
"You'll never even get close to me like this!" he sneered.
White threads rained down in waves. Luffy panted hard, body burning with exhaustion as he darted away again and again.
Meanwhile, Doflamingo pulled the threads back to knit his wounds closed. "Once you're out of steam, Straw Hat, I'll be good as new. Then it's game over."
His laughter echoed through the city as buildings collapsed into threads at his command, the whole place turning into his weapon.
"Damn it, you're annoying!" Luffy growled, blasting backward to escape the onslaught.
"..."
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