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Burgess grinned wide."Just you wait! I'll kill you right here and take that Gum-Gum Fruit for myself!"
Luffy tried to push himself up, but his body gave out again and he crashed back onto the ground.
Suddenly, a terrifying tremor shook the cliffside. Rocks rained down in all directions.
From the rubble, Doflamingo slowly raised his bloodied head.
The crowd panicked the moment he moved. Screams echoed as people fled in every direction.
Doflamingo's lips twisted into a chilling grin. He pressed his hand to his torn-up stomach, threads creeping out to stitch his ruined organs back together.
Meanwhile, Luffy dragged himself across the street, gasping for air, barely able to move. He tried again to stand, but his body failed him. That's when a strong hand caught him before he could fall.
It was Gatz, the colosseum announcer."Hang in there! Can you still fight?"
Luffy weakly lifted his head, eyes locking onto Doflamingo charging toward them.
"What can I do?" Gatz asked urgently. "He's almost here!"
"Ten minutes…" Luffy croaked.
"If I go Gear Fourth, I can't use Haki for ten minutes. But one more hit… just one more… and he's done!"
Doflamingo sneered, his voice carrying across the battlefield."Can you still bounce around like a rubber ball, Straw Hat?" He flexed his fists. "I'm back from the grave!"
"Ten minutes, huh?" Gatz muttered. "If we hold him off that long, his reign ends. And we'll finally break free of this damned birdcage."
Doflamingo soared toward them, closing the distance fast.
Luffy forced a grin despite his exhaustion. "Then it's settled."
Gatz bellowed to the fighters still standing. "Ten minutes! That's all we need! Hold him back!"
The warriors of the colosseum rallied with renewed spirit."Ten minutes? That's nothing!""Recover fast and finish that bastard, Straw Hat!""We'll stall him for you!"
"These guys are all tournament champions," Gatz explained, as the fighters moved to block Doflamingo's path.
Doflamingo's grin fell into a dark scowl.
One after another, the warriors stepped forward."You gave us a fight, Joker…""Now it's our turn. Play with us for a while."
As Gatz carried Luffy away, Luffy suddenly warned, "Careful… he's here!"
Gatz's eyes widened. "Burgess!"
Sure enough, Burgess lunged out of nowhere, blade aimed straight at Luffy's chest.
But before the strike landed, a familiar figure burst from the crowd and kicked Burgess away with bone-crushing force.
Luffy's face lit up. "Sabo!!!"
The crowd gasped as they recognized him."That's the three-star prisoner!""No… that's the Revolutionary Army's chief of staff!"
Sabo stepped forward."I'm Sabo of the Revolutionary Army. Straw Hat Luffy is my little brother. So tell me, Burgess—what business do you have with him?"
Burgess staggered to his feet, eyes wide."Your brother?! I've heard this before… Ace said the same thing!"
Sabo's expression hardened."That's right. We're brothers—Ace, Luffy, and me. Three sworn brothers."
Realization dawned on Burgess. "Ace… so that's how it is."
Sabo's voice sharpened."On Banaro Island, your Blackbeard Pirates captured Ace. That led to the war at Marineford. That was Ace's fate, not yours to decide. But from now on, know this—if you come for Luffy, you'll answer to me."
Burgess barked out a harsh laugh."I couldn't care less about your little family drama. Stay out of my way! This has nothing to do with your Revolutionaries. The one I'm after is—"
Flames suddenly roared to life around Sabo's hand."If it's 'nothing to do with me,' then let's call it a personal grudge."
Burgess froze. His eyes widened as he realized."The Flame-Flame Fruit… you were the one who took it?!"
Sabo stepped back to shield Luffy."You're badly hurt, Luffy. And Doflamingo's closing in. If I take on Burgess, it'll take time."
Luffy coughed out his answer, still smiling faintly."Don't worry. Gatz and the others will buy me what I need. I'll beat Doflamingo. No matter what."
Sabo's lips curved into a proud smile."You've gotten more reliable, Luffy. Then I'll leave him to you."
"Wait," Luffy gasped, "you ate Ace's fruit?"
Sabo chuckled softly."This power isn't something I'd ever give away. It's Ace's legacy. His will lives in me now."
Luffy's eyes filled with joy. "That's perfect. I'm so glad."
Burgess roared furiously. "That ability is mine!"
Sabo tightened into a battle stance."Gatz, take care of Luffy. He's in your hands now."
Burgess charged like a bull, arm cocked back."Unsinkable Fleet—Elbow Strike!"
The devastating blow ripped through the air, smashing the buildings behind Sabo into rubble. For a moment, it seemed as if Sabo had been obliterated.
But his body flickered and burst into fire.
He was untouched.
Outside the story — real-world reactions
In the "real" One Piece world, Usopp's jaw dropped."That Doflamingo's a monster! He took that hit from Luffy and he's still standing!"
Sanji nodded grimly. "Yeah. Luffy's power is destructive enough to level anything, but Doflamingo shrugged it off. No wonder the Warlords are terrifying."
Luffy's face shone with joy."Sabo! To finally see you again… I'm so happy!"
Meanwhile, aboard the Whitebeard Pirates' ship, Ace's spirit trembled with emotion as he watched."Sabo… you made it. You're alive. And you inherited my flame."
His expression darkened, a pang of sorrow in his chest."In the future, only you and Luffy remain… my brothers."
Then his eyes lit with determination."Sabo… take care of him. Protect Luffy for me."
...
In the world of Naruto, Naruto stared at the screen, touched."Brothers, huh?" He glanced at Sasuke beside him.
Sasuke immediately scowled."Don't get the wrong idea. You're not my brother. You're not even close."
Naruto just grinned."Someday, you'll admit it."
...
Back to the fight
Flames whirled as Sabo reformed, eyes burning with determination.
He struck in an instant—two rapid kicks hammered into Burgess, sending him spitting blood.
Then Sabo's hand curled into a blazing claw."Dragon Claw Fist—Burning Talons!"
The fiery claw slammed into Burgess, detonating into a storm of flames that engulfed him completely.
The fire twisted into a spiraling vortex and launched Burgess skyward.
BOOM!
He crashed through a massive building, which collapsed in an explosion of fire and debris.
"Flame Dragon King!!!"
The flames roared skyward, burying Burgess beneath a mountain of rubble.
Gasps and cheers erupted from the onlookers."Incredible! He flattened one of a Yonko's crew in a single strike!""No wonder he's the Revolutionary Army's number two!"
Sabo gazed into the smoking ruins."The moment I used Ace's power, he locked onto me instead. Just as I thought… Burgess really is hunting down Devil Fruit users."
Without hesitation, his body ignited in fire again. He dove straight into the smoke.
The battlefield was a nightmare. Corpses of fallen fighters littered the ground. Blood splattered every surface. And within that blood-red haze, countless razor-thin threads lashed and writhed like living things.
Out of the carnage, Doflamingo emerged—slowly, smiling like a demon crawling out of hell.
"..."
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