"Yeah, and what if I do!?"
Doflamingo's golden hair was nearly ripped from his scalp, but the pain only stoked the flas in his blood. His bloodshot eyes burned with vicious fury.
His right hand curled into a claw. With a flick from below, razor-sharp strings shot up with a shhkk!—slashing across the ground, aiming straight for Byrnndi World's groin.
But World's lips curled into a mocking grin. He didn't dodge. Instead, he dropped his weight and lifted a leg. His shin, wrapped in pitch-black Armant Haki, collided head-on with the nearly invisible threads.
CLASH!!
A shower of sparks burst forth. World didn't hesitate. Like an arrow loosed from a bow, he lunged forward—his massive, obsidian fist crashing into Doflamingo's throat.
"Guh—!"
The young warlord gagged, vomiting a mouthful of blood. Two broken teeth spun through the air.
"Damn you!! I'm Doflamingo!!"
His scream was hoarse, as if scorched by fire. His pride refused to crumble, his eyes ablaze with unyielding wrath.
Veins bulged along his fingers. He twisted his hand violently.
Forked strings shot out at point-blank range, aid at World's neck.
"Flap Thread!"
He's fast... damn fast!
World's pupils contracted, a faint crimson glint flashing deep in his eyes.
Instinctively, he tilted his head. The threads whistled past his cheek, slicing a shallow wound from jaw to neck.
Doflamingo froze.
By the ti he blinked, the hulking pirate was already gone.
"You're not bad, kid. You might just be worthy of calling yourself the king of the North Blue underworld."
World's wild laugh echoed in his ears as a blast of air ca hurtling toward him.
BOOM!!
CRACK! CRACK!
A punch, heavy as a teor, slamd into Doflamingo's chest. Bones cracked in sickening succession.
World roared.
BOOM!!
A second wave of Armant Haki surged from his body. The impact exploded against Doflamingo with such overwhelming force that blood erupted in clouds, dyeing his fine white shirt deep crimson.
The ground shattered for a hundred ters around them. The entire Donquixote stronghold crumbled under the force of that one punch.
Amid the swirling dust, Doflamingo collapsed to his knees. His pupils shook violently. His legs gave out beneath him.
He clutched his abdon with trembling hands, gasping like a suffocating fish.
A hopeless shadow consud his vision.
The gap between them—was crushing.
This man's power was despair incarnate.
"Alright, that's enough fun."
World glanced around at the wrecked estate, plucked an unbroken bottle of wine from a shattered table, and popped it open with his thumb.
He guzzled two mouthfuls, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, and grinned.
"Kid, you've heard of , haven't you? I'm here to talk business."
"Business? This is how you start a negotiation?"
Doflamingo, pale and trembling, wiped the blood from his lips and glared up at the towering pirate.
"Barorororo! What'd you expect!? I'm a pirate! I don't do tea parties with little brats like you!"
World laughed uproariously.
"What, you thought I'd knock politely, shake your hand, and exchange pleasantries?"
"Listen up, kid. Since your Donquixote Family runs all the underground arms trade in the North Blue, I'll get straight to the point."
He pressed a hand to the bloodstained bandages on his chest. A cruel grin twisted his face.
"I need weapons. Lots of them. And a cannon—a massive one. Bigger than anything ever built."
A giant cannon...?
Doflamingo's pupils shrank.
Information about the man before him flooded his mind.
Byrnndi World, the "World Destroyer." Bounty: 400 million berries. A legendary pirate. A user of the Moa Moa no Mi.
With his Devil Fruit power, he could multiply the size and speed of objects manyfold. Even a flintlock pistol in his hands could rival the firepower of a Marine battleship.
He'd flattened towns, obliterated ships, destroyed anything in his path without rcy.
And now—he wanted to build a cannon beyond any known scale?
Enhanced by the Moa Moa no Mi, such a weapon could probably wipe an entire island off the map in an instant.
"What are you planning? Blow up Marineford? Or Mary Geoise?"
Looking at World's twisted, crazed smile, Doflamingo felt a chill crawl down his spine.
"That's none of your concern, little Doffy."
World chuckled darkly.
"You just build what I want. Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong."
Doflamingo raised a brow, about to retort—
WHAM!
World raised his boot and stomped down hard on his head, slamming his face into the ground.
The floor shattered beneath him, cracks webbing outward.
Doflamingo's eyes went bloodshot. He clenched his teeth.
"Understand , little Doffy?"
World sneered, grinding his heel into Doflamingo's skull, the pressure splintering the stone beneath.
"Don't worry. I play fair. Business is business."
"Your life... that's your paynt."
He snorted.
"You have three days."
As his voice faded, the pressure on Doflamingo's skull vanished.
He raised his head.
World was gone. Only rubble and ruin remained.
Blood from his brow blurred his vision.
"Damn it...!!"
Doflamingo trembled. Then, like a wounded beast, he let out a roar.
He clawed at the shattered ground, his face twisted with rage.
Veins bulged on his forehead like writhing worms.
"Doffy..."
Trebol and the others approached cautiously, their bodies broken, their breaths shallow.
None dared to speak too loudly.
"Hehhahaha..."
Suddenly, Doflamingo burst into hysterical laughter.
His whole body shook. Tears stread down his cheeks.
"Interesting... interesting... this is getting good."
He slowly pulled out a transponder snail.
The glint in his sunglasses turned murderous.
A military-issue Den Den Mushi.
He'd never thought he'd dial this number.
He had been wrong.
Buru buru... buru buru...
The ring echoed through the ruins like a blade scraping glass.
Sunlight stread through the shattered roof. Dust circled the golden-haired boy born of the Celestial Dragons.
Click!
"It's ."
A deep voice answered.
Doflamingo knelt in silence for a long mont.
"Godfather... Byrnndi World ca to ."
His head bowed low.
---
To be continued...
Reviews
All reviews (0)