The blood-red setting sun, still carrying a touch of warmth, painted the sea's surface like a blushing maiden's face, a vibrant, beautiful red. It was impossible to tell whether it was the blood of men or the reflection of the sun. Seagulls high above hurried their flight, racing against the fading light to return to their nests.
On Commodore Barrels' warship, the third round of the battle between Doflamingo and Barrels officially commenced.
There were no flashy techniques, just plain, straightforward attacks, a brutal exchange of blows. Though lacking in elegance and flair, any keen observer could see the inherent danger.
Barrels' fist, imbued with killing intent, grazed past Doflamingo's face. Doflamingo remained remarkably calm, his hands crossed to protect his handsome face – the sunglasses were his essence; they couldn't be broken. The powerful impact, infused with Armament Haki's destructive force, made Doflamingo's arms tremble, forcing him to retreat more than ten steps.
"Can't handle it anymore, brat? If you don't surrender now, I'm going all out." If it weren't for the orders from above to capture Doflamingo alive, Barrels wouldn't have had the patience to exchange words with a pirate, though he did have a tiny bit of admiration for this kid.
Doflamingo, having retreated, shook his trembling arms. He didn't utter a word, instead focusing intently on the changes within his body. The powerful blow, while seemingly a major setback to outsiders, was actually Doflamingo using his opponent's force to temper his body, making the seemingly unified spirit and flesh even more closely integrated. But it wasn't enough. The change was still too small; he needed more, stronger stimulation.
Without hesitation, before his opponent could launch another attack, he clenched his trembling hands into fists, powerfully pushing off with his legs, launching himself like a cannonball.
"Soru!"
The equally swift pair met again. Barrels' face was now grim. He'd spoken all the kind words he could, yet the opponent remained stubbornly obtuse, deceiving himself. Did he truly believe he could defeat him? Perhaps this was the nature of pirates: knowing death was inevitable, yet still struggling with all their might.
Commodore Barrels, showing no mercy, unleashed a different level of power, surpassing his previous attacks. Without any wasted movement, a storm of fists rained down on Doflamingo's slender frame. Doflamingo was like a banana leaf in a downpour, battered and bruised, yet stubbornly resilient.
Pain. All he felt was pain. This was Doflamingo's primary sensation as he endured the relentless barrage. Blood flowed from his mouth, and injuries continued to accumulate on his body. Even he wondered if he could hold on, but the violent onslaught suddenly ceased, granting Doflamingo a moment's respite. He half-knelt on the ground, supporting his heavily injured body with his hands, gasping for breath.
Barrels looked at the battered Doflamingo, a flicker of recognition in his eyes, quickly suppressed by his sense of justice. Sympathy and recognition for a pirate were unacceptable. It was time to deliver the final blow.
"Rokushiki Secret Technique: Rokuogan!"
Doflamingo, still catching his breath, seemed oblivious to the impending danger. To outsiders, it appeared as if Doflamingo had accepted his fate, quietly awaiting his defeat.
But was that truly the case?
Absolutely not. Doflamingo, who had just barely managed to catch his breath, wasn't dejected or despairing, as others might have assumed. He hadn't given up. He hadn't wasted a single precious moment, instead silently experiencing the power within his body. The relentless barrage had solidified his body, the cells seemingly nourished, excited, and cheering. Because just now, his Armament Haki had finally awakened.
The reason he hadn't awakened it before wasn't that his physique wasn't up to par, but rather that his spiritual power had been too strong, while his body hadn't caught up, preventing a perfect union. It was like a soul seizing another's body in cultivation novels – spirit and flesh ultimately unable to merge perfectly. He'd absorbed too much spiritual power previously, and despite all the tempering, Doflamingo had mistakenly believed his spirit and flesh were perfectly integrated. The reality was far from it. It was only today that he'd finally achieved complete unification. Otherwise, he would have had a long way to go.
Feeling the warm current within his body, every cell seemed to be floating in a warm ocean. Doflamingo felt so comfortable he wanted to shout.
The pirate crew members, seeing the imminent danger to Doflamingo, showed a unified expression: no panic, no fear, only unwavering determination in their eyes – that was their trust in their King.
However, seeing this scene, Diamante couldn't help but shout, "Doffy!"
The powerful Rokushiki ultimate technique, Rokuogan, charged towards Doflamingo. Everyone watched, anticipating the outcome. The Marines' faces were filled with the excitement of victory, while the pirates, besides their unwavering faith, showed a mix of tension and anticipation.
"Armament: Hardening!" Doflamingo muttered, his head lowered, feeling the warm current gathering in his hands. He clenched his fists tightly, channeling all the power within his body towards the oncoming Barrels.
"Break for me!"
"BOOM!" A terrifying explosion erupted between the two, sending them both flying backward. They stood facing each other from a distance.
"How is this possible?" Barrels blurted out. "This brat actually blocked my Rokuogan?"
The Marines were also in disbelief, finding the outcome absurd. The pirate, who had been constantly suppressed, still possessed the power to resist. On the other side, the pirates, their hearts finally at ease, erupted in joyous cheers, celebrating amongst themselves.
Looking at Doflamingo, both fists encased in black Armament Haki, Barrels finally realized, "Brat, you were using me as a training dummy all along, making me help you awaken your Armament Haki for free?"
"Fuffuffuffu! I really have to thank you. Otherwise, I would have had to waste more time, avoiding that tedious, slow process, to master this power," Doflamingo said, showing no remorse, instead laughing arrogantly.
"What a terrifying talent. This makes it even more imperative that I don't let you escape. Otherwise, you'll become a menace to the entire world," Barrels' face darkened, a simmering volcano threatening to erupt.
"Fuffuffuffu! A menace to the world? Such a dangerous accusation. I don't think so. I think you're just afraid of my power. What has your self-proclaimed justice brought you? Besides, I've always been a peace-loving person."
"Cut the crap! Pirates are evil! Our Navy's justice is absolute! For justice, pirate Doflamingo, surrender!" The Marines, seeing their justice being slandered, couldn't help but shout in protest.
Hearing this, Doflamingo seemed to be provoked. His Conqueror's Haki, no longer concealed, burst forth, sweeping towards the Marines.
"Pirates are evil? The Navy is justice? Those notions have been rewritten countless times! The values of children who don't know peace and children who don't know war are different! Only those who stand at the top can define good and evil! Right now, this place is neutral ground! Justice will prevail? Of course it will! Only the victor is justice!"
Seeing the Marines gradually collapsing, Barrels' expression grew even more serious, the sense of crisis intensifying.
"I didn't expect you to possess the Haki that only one in a million people have – Conqueror's Haki. Indeed, you are a great threat."
Barrels didn't make a rash move. He now saw Doflamingo as a significant threat, and with so many Marines present, he couldn't abandon them. The atmosphere was heavy.
"The mountains remain, the waters flow on. Navy, we'll meet again. Lads, let's go!" Doflamingo had no intention of continuing the fight. He'd gotten what he wanted. His priority now was to return, heal his injuries, and familiarize himself with his newly acquired power. Although his opponent was alone, a desperate fight would still be costly.
Watching the pirate ship disappear into the distance, Barrels stood at the bow, still pondering Doflamingo's words. Facing the salty sea breeze, his back looked somewhat desolate and lonely.
Doflamingo, what kind of changes will you bring to this world? The mountains remain, the waters flow on. Let's wait and see.
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