The deafening explosion shook the entire island. For a moment, every pair of eyes turned toward the towering castle at the center, where thick plumes of smoke curled into the sky. Shock rippled across the territory of the Donquixote Family. Panic spread like wildfire.
Inside a nearby processing factory, Corazon, cloaked in a black feather mantle, froze mid-step. His instincts tingled the moment he heard the blast. He sprang upward, landing atop the tallest tower of the facility. His sharp gaze swept across the billowing smoke rising from the castle. His brows drew together.
He did not hesitate. He jumped down and sprinted toward the explosion.
At the same time, on the other side of the island, a tall man with a chiseled jawline and a white checkered suit lifted his head, staring silently at the castle disappearing under the haze. His expression remained cold as ice. Moments later, his body blurred, shooting toward the scene like a released arrow.
The ocean breeze rolled across the ruins, scattering the smoke enough to reveal the destruction beneath it.
Torrebol, covered in dirt and bleeding from the mouth, scrambled out from behind a collapsed stone pillar. His normally slicked-back hair was a tangled mess, and the sticky mucus coating his skin had smeared everywhere. Despite his pitiful condition, he ignored himself entirely. His wide, watery eyes searched frantically for one person.
He finally spotted him floating in midair.
Donquixote Doflamingo.
He exhaled in relief. "Young Master, are you alright?"
Doflamingo had avoided the strike at the last instant by manipulating his String-String Fruit abilities. Even so, debris had dirtied his signature pink coat. But his appearance was the least of his concerns.
Beneath his sunglasses, his eyes burned not with surprise, but with fury. His pupils narrowed into the predatory glare of a wild beast as he stared at the one who dared attack him.
That person stood calmly in the air.
Liam Ross, disguised through a basic transformation technique to resemble his alternate identity, Lofi. At his waist hung his blade, Falling Crimson. His combat uniform shimmered faintly in the sunlight, proof of its resistance to fire and water. The corners of his lips curved slightly, projecting a presence both unruly and cold.
A swordsman of his caliber, armed with a blade nearly reaching the rank of a Great Grade sword, had more than enough power to teach Doflamingo a lesson.
"I heard someone's been a little restless these past few days."
Liam's voice cut through the air with icy sharpness. His mocking gaze locked onto the Heavenly Demon below. "Looks like you forgot our agreement, Joker."
Doflamingo let out his iconic laugh. "Fufufufu. The man backing you is about to lose his life. Victory and defeat change everything. Surely you understand that."
Liam's smile deepened. "So you used that chance to swallow up the entire West Blue underworld?"
"Why not?" Doflamingo spread his arms casually. "We were partners once. Hearing my dear friend was… inconvenienced, I thought I should do him a favor. Fufufufu."
The implication was obvious. Since Liam's supposed backer had been captured, he no longer had the right to share the spoils.
But the real man, the true force behind everything, stood right in front of him.
Liam shook his head with quiet amusement. "Sometimes, when your claws reach too far, they get cut off."
Doflamingo scoffed. "Once a cake is in my stomach, I do not spit it out. If you want to chop off my hand, you better make sure your blade is sharp enough."
"That so? Then I guess I should help you remember what pain feels like."
Liam no longer bothered with words. His fingers wrapped around the hilt at his waist. His eyes sharpened, losing their previous indifference. They grew cold, razor-edged, and dangerous.
He drew a breath.
Then
He struck.
A brilliant arc erupted from Falling Crimson, slicing through the air like a predatory beast lunging toward its prey.
Doflamingo reacted instantly. "Overheat Whip!"
Dozens of strings burst from his hand, forming a massive whip. His muscles tensed as he swung it down with brute force.
"Boom!"
The two attacks collided violently in the sky, shockwaves tearing across the landscape as the slash and the whip dissipated at the same moment.
Doflamingo cracked his knuckles. His fingers curled into claw-shapes. He snapped his hand sideways.
"Five Colored Strings!"
Five razor-thin lines shot toward Liam with deadly precision.
Liam remained calm. He swiped his blade once, cleanly severing all five strings.
Doflamingo laughed. "Fufufu. Become my puppet!"
Countless fine threads swarmed toward Liam like snakes slithering through the air. Liam recognized the technique immediately.
Parasite Threads.
He narrowed his eyes. Then he moved.
The blade flickered like lightning. A whirlwind of swordlight surged outward, shredding every strand that approached him.
Doflamingo's smirk disappeared.
He raised his hand sharply.
From behind him, hundreds of threads formed a massive, rotating saw.
"Flap Thread Spikes!"
The enormous string saw barreled toward Liam with terrifying momentum.
This time, Liam's expression finally grew serious. He coated Falling Crimson with Armament Haki, its blade darkening as power surged along its edge. Then he stepped forward.
His strike carved a glowing Z-shaped path in the air.
A heartbeat later, the massive saw shattered.
Doflamingo's eyes twitched. He had underestimated him. His strongest technique had been erased with a single slash.
He chuckled, regaining composure. "You are stronger than I expected. Why not join me? I can offer you the position of top executive."
Liam snorted softly. "Catch this first. Then we'll talk."
And then, something changed.
He stopped moving. His breathing slowed. His blade lowered. He closed his eyes.
Corazon, Torrebol, and even Doflamingo stared, confused.
A moment later, a strange pressure spilled from Liam's body, expanding outward like a silent storm. The air around him twisted unnaturally. Doflamingo's expression tensed as he sensed it.
Something was wrong.
Everything around Liam seemed to still.
Then his eyes snapped open.
They gleamed like two unsheathed blades.
He drew.
The slash erupted like a bolt of lightning.
Doflamingo barely had time to raise his hands. His Observation Haki screamed danger, but his body could not respond fast enough.
"Boom!"
A violent impact tore through the castle walls.
A heartbeat later, a wet sound echoed.
Doflamingo's chest split open as a deep, crimson gash tore across it.
He was flung backward like a broken kite, smashing through three meters of reinforced stone. Dust and smoke exploded outward as the wall collapsed around him.
Silence fell over the battlefield.
Liam lowered his blade.
Blood dripped from its edge.
His expression remained cold.
The technique was simple.
Draw the blade.
Strike once.
Let blood answer the rest.
And no one watching doubted one thing.
This was only the beginning.
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