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BOOOOOOOOM!
BOOOOOOOOM!
Explosions rocked the sky above Jaya—a maelstrom of light and lightning.
The sound was deafening, the flashes of light so brilliant they eclipsed the setting sun.
Theoretically, Borsalino's Glint-Glint Fruit could reach the speed of light. But that was just it—a theory. The moment he attacked, he had to drop out of his light-speed state. Otherwise, his own physical form couldn't withstand the sheer force of the impact.
If he could attack at the speed of light, this would be a very different world.
He would be its one and only king.
No one could touch him. No one could stop him. At that speed, he could circle the planet several times in a single second. Give him a target, and he could be on any island in an instant, delivering thousands of punches before his opponent even realized they'd been turned to dust.
But Devil Fruit abilities require energy. They are limited by the user's stamina. Borsalino was still human; he couldn't generate that kind of power. Not unless he was willing to burn his own life force for a single, final attack.
Because of this, even though the natural speed of lightning is slower than light, there was no real gap between them in this clash.
And they weren't just clashing with their fruit abilities.
They were clashing with their Observation Haki.
Each one was precisely predicting the other's every move, locking on, and countering. That was how they were able to create the unending barrage of light bullets and lightning bolts colliding in mid-air.
This wasn't a contest of who could land a hit. It was a contest of who would be the first to miss.
Jin glanced at his own position.
Okay, right side. The winning side.
He was good.
The power the carrier derived from a Devil Fruit was directly related to its previous user. The more developed the fruit was, the more powerful the carrier's version would be.
The Hell's Red Serpent had been in an awakened state, and so the carrier had inherited its awakened power. Foxy, on the other hand, had a weak mastery of the Slow-Slow Fruit, and so the carrier's version was also weak.
And for fruits that were acquired directly, he had to develop their powers from scratch.
Enel's mastery of the Rumble-Rumble Fruit was on par with an Admiral's. Jin had inherited almost all of his techniques. And with his own superior physical stats, he could use them even more effectively than Enel had.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!
Borsalino and Jin were locked in a stalemate, a relentless, five-minute-long barrage of attacks with no end in sight.
Buru buru buru...
Right in the middle of their clash, a Den Den Mushi on Kizaru's person began to ring.
Kizaru was distracted.
It was only for an instant.
But an instant was all Jin needed. A single arc of lightning slipped through the dense barrage of light and struck Kizaru.
A faint crackle of static.
Kizaru froze, looking down. He wasn't hurt—just a small, blackened scorch mark on the collar of his suit.
He ceased his attack. His body dissolved into light, the remaining lightning bolts passing harmlessly through him before he materialized on the ground below.
Jin, in a silent understanding, stopped as well.
"Ooooh, how terrifying," Kizaru drawled, his tone as nonchalant as ever. "These young people today..."
Jin shrugged. "In battle, accidents happen. Countless powerful warriors have fallen because of a single, unexpected moment. Luck is a part of strength, after all."
Kizaru just sighed and pulled out the Den Den Mushi. "Moshi moshi."
The snail's face morphed into the stern visage of Sengoku. "Admiral Kizaru! Have you reached Mock Town? What is the situation?"
"I arrived a little while ago," Kizaru replied.
"And?" Sengoku pressed. "What's the situation?"
"Doflamingo?" Kizaru said lazily. "Oh, he's taking a little nap."
'A nap?' Sengoku was stunned for a moment, then the implication hit him. He was defeated, too?
"I had a little chat with the King," Kizaru continued. "He wants two Devil Fruits for the release. I suggested we forward the call to the Donquixote Family. They have a big operation. I'm sure they can spare two Devil Fruits."
Sengoku's brow furrowed.
"And a hundred million Berries in cash," Jin added, "as compensation for the reconstruction of Mock Town."
"I will contact the Donquixote Family," Sengoku said. "Until we receive their reply, you are to ensure Doflamingo's safety."
"Of course," Jin replied cheerfully. "He's not going to die. But if they take too long... well, I can't guarantee he'll still have all his arms and legs."
—————————
After hanging up, Sengoku's face was a mask of disbelief.
He thought of Garp's assessment of Jin.
A monster.
"Tsuru," he said, turning to the Vice Admiral, "the Donquixote Family is based in Dressrosa. Have the nearest base inform them."
—————————
Dressrosa.
The "Kingdom of Love, Passion, and Toys."
Fiery women.
Passionate tropical romances.
And "living" toys everywhere...
In the royal palace, Trebol, Diamante, and the other executives were enjoying a leisurely afternoon tea, waiting for news.
Machvise's death had enraged them, but with Doflamingo himself on the scene, victory was assured.
They were certain of it.
Until the call from the G-14 Marine base came in.
"WHAT??" Trebol shrieked, his eyes bulging. "Doffy was defeated?? They want a ransom??"
He was furious. "Hey! Doffy is the king of Dressrosa! You Marines are obligated to protect him!"
The G-14 branch base, located in the New World, was responsible for the waters around Punk Hazard and Dressrosa. Its commander was Vice Admiral Doll.
"Ah, my apologies," she replied calmly, unfazed by Trebol's outburst. "But the other party is also the king of a member nation. A conflict of this nature is outside the jurisdiction of the Marines. Furthermore, Admiral Kizaru is already on the scene, negotiating with the king. He has agreed to guarantee Doflamingo's safety until you have responded. After that... we cannot say. I suggest you come to a decision quickly. The last Warlord who crossed that king ended up with a shattered arm."
The subtle threat hung in the air as she disconnected.
In the palace, the leisurely atmosphere had vanished. The executives were in a panic.
Doflamingo was the heart of the Family. He was the one they had all pinned their hopes on, the man who would be "King."
"It must have been a trick!" Diamante declared. "Doffy would never lose!"
He was a man of great authority within the family's inner circle, fiercely loyal to Doflamingo. He would not allow the slightest hint of doubt or hesitation.
His words rallied the others. Doflamingo's strength... they had all seen it. How could he lose to some unknown king from Paradise?
But for now, the priority was to get him back.
"The hundred million Berries is easy," Trebol said, his voice regaining some composure. "But two Devil Fruits..."
"Doffy bought one from the black market for the Corrida Colosseum finals," Diamante said. "A Paramecia: the Swim-Swim Fruit."
"That still leaves one..." Trebol said.
"Contact Monet at the Sabaody Archipelago auction house," Diamante ordered. "See if she has anything in stock."
The reply came quickly. "There's one. A Zoan, Cat-Cat Fruit model. But it's been reserved by Cipher Pol."
"We don't have a choice," Diamante said. "We'll 'borrow' it and get Doffy back. We still have some pull with Spandam of CP9."
The Donquixote Family's influence in the underworld was vast. They dealt in weapons, slaves, and drugs. It was only natural that they would have dealings with Cipher Pol.
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