Boom!
The mast broke, crashing onto the deck and piercing into the sea at an angle.
With a broad swing of Samehada, the flying threads were blocked and forcefully rebounded by Kisame's overwhelming strength.
Doflamingo smirked coldly at the sight. He soared into the air, dodging his own rebounded threads, and in the next moment, he lunged at Kisame with a fist enveloped in pitch-black (advanced armanent) Haki.
The immense power disturbed the air, sending shockwaves rippling outward.
Bang!
Kisame raised Samehada, intercepting the blackened fist.
The fierce clash stirred up a cloud of dust, casting silence over the pirate ship.
"Who the hell is this guy? He's actually going toe-to-toe with the young master?"
"When did such a strong person appear on the Grand Line?"
"Yeah, and he's an unknown figure!"
Hiding in the shadows, the Donquixote Family members whispered in shock as they observed the back-and-forth battle.
Doflamingo, frustrated by the stalemate, withdrew from the attack, sneering as he sized up Kisame.
"Fufufufu... I never expected someone with your strength to be an obscure fish-man."
Kisame hoisted Samehada onto his shoulder, gazing intently at his opponent. He now had a deeper understanding of the pirate with a bounty of over three hundred million.
His power wasn't overwhelmingly strong, nor was it weak.
Aside from that strange transparent thread ability, his physical combat skills were formidable.
What intrigued Kisame the most was the black energy coating Doflamingo's body—it appeared to have immense defensive and destructive capabilities.
Especially in terms of defense, it allowed the human body to rival steel in hardness.
"Heh, you're strong, but still lacking."
"If I weren't concerned about the supplies on this ship, I'd be using more powerful techniques."
Though he had found an enjoyable fight, Kisame knew his goal wasn't just to brawl.
Hearing this, Doflamingo's rage flared. He stared at Kisame for a long moment before bursting into maniacal laughter, his voice dripping with malice.
"Fufufufu... You damn fish-man, you've successfully pissed me off. Today, you die!"
"Five-Color String!"
Five translucent threads suddenly appeared, slashing toward Kisame's face in an instant.
Snap! Creak...
Samehada intercepted the razor-sharp strings, producing a tensioned sound like taut violin strings.
Doflamingo didn't hesitate; he leaped and kicked ferociously.
Kisame's goal was to seize the supplies, not destroy the pirate ship.
Since he couldn't use his large-scale Water Release techniques, he had no choice but to pull out a shuriken from behind and hurl it at Doflamingo.
Doflamingo's instincts screamed danger. He flickered sideways, using his strings to propel himself away from the incoming shuriken.
"Damn it, throwing projectiles like a coward?!"
Furious, Doflamingo covered his foot in Armament Haki, propelled himself forward, and clenched his fists, launching a direct punch at Kisame's abdomen.
After landing a hit, he didn't let up. His leg, coated in jet-black Haki, swung forward with a force that stirred a mini-storm.
Bang!
The hit connected again, but Doflamingo's expression twisted in pain.
So hard! And spiky!
Even with his foot reinforced by Haki, the instant he struck Kisame's enormous weapon, the pain surged through his nerves like an explosion.
What the hell is this thing?!
Even a famed sword wouldn't hurt me like this.
Bang!
While Doflamingo was stunned, Kisame raised his arm and unleashed a punch with explosive power, landing squarely on Doflamingo's face.
Kisame's taijutsu was formidable, ranking among the strongest in the ninja world.
His fists moved like lightning; before Doflamingo could even react, he delivered two more punches.
One to the eye.
One to the cheek.
Boom!
Doflamingo crashed into the ship's cabin, looking utterly disheveled. Since becoming a pirate, he had never suffered such humiliation.
"Overheat!"
Boom!
From within the dusty wreckage, a massive white wave of energy surged out, tearing through everything in its path as it charged toward Kisame.
The deck cracked apart, leaving deep fissures. The entire pirate ship trembled as its deck and railings were ripped to shreds.
Wherever the white energy passed, devastation followed.
As the wave rolled forth, Doflamingo shot out from the cabin, manipulating it with both hands to attack Kisame from both sides.
Kisame dodged, watching Doflamingo's frenzied assault with amusement. He casually swatted away one of the energy waves with Samehada before chuckling.
"What an interesting ability... It's just like a Kekkei Genkai."
Amid the chaotic barrage, Kisame moved like a fish in water, dodging effortlessly and using Samehada to block incoming attacks.
Though he appeared to be on the defensive, he had already gauged Doflamingo's strength—it was at the level of an elite Jōnin.
Hearing Kisame's comment, Doflamingo flew into a full-blown rage, his bruised and swollen face twisting into a monstrous expression.
"I'LL KILL YOU!"
With his furious roar, a massive quantity of threads burst from his palms, merging with his previous strands to form an overwhelming tidal wave of silk.
The relentless assault shredded the entire pirate ship apart.
The gigantic white string tsunami engulfed Kisame in an instant.
"Damn bastard! This is what happens when you cross me, Donquixote Doflamingo! Fufufufu..."
Seeing Kisame swallowed by the ocean of strings, Doflamingo let out a manic, nerve-wracking laugh.
Though he was badly wounded, this battle had also deepened his understanding of his Devil Fruit powers.
That white wave attack had been an improvised move he thought of on the spot.
With refinement, it could become a perfected technique...
"Don't you think you're a bit too confident?"
"Water Release: Water Prison Jutsu!"
Suddenly, a hoarse, sinister voice echoed.
Doflamingo's heart sank in alarm. Just as he was about to react, seawater surged up around him.
The moment his body touched the water, his strength drained away. He opened his mouth in shock, only to expel a flurry of bubbles before hurriedly clamping it shut.
"Heh, looks like Zeff was right. Seawater truly is the bane of Devil Fruit users."
Kisame smirked coldly, resting a hand on the floating water sphere containing Doflamingo.
When Zeff first explained Devil Fruits to him, he mentioned that those who ate them would be rejected by the sea, forever cursed to be unable to swim.
Now, it seemed that explanation wasn't entirely accurate. Seawater must contain some special energy that suppressed Devil Fruit powers.
"Damn it... glub, glub..."
Inside the water prison, Doflamingo struggled furiously.
"Let go of the young master!"
Seeing Doflamingo trapped in the massive water sphere, the snot-nosed man hiding nearby leaped out.
Eyes glinting, he shouted to his comrades, "Everyone, attack him and save the young master! He can't move while maintaining that water sphere!"
"Heh, nice idea, but wrong conclusion."
"Water Release: Water Clone Jutsu!"
Without even forming seals, Kisame casually executed the technique, creating multiple clones...
(End of Chapter)