Using the invisible threads of his Sky Path,
Donquixote Doflamingo soared swiftly toward Dressrosa's coast.
Below him lay dozens of petrified figures — his men, his soldiers, his people —
their bodies now statues glimmering in the sunlight.
His brow furrowed into a deep crease. Rage, humiliation, and a touch of long-suppressed frustration twisted through him.
Perfect, he thought bitterly. The woman I despise most in the world just gave me the excuse I needed to vent what that damned Luo Xing did yesterday.
"Boa Hancock… you've got some nerve," he said coldly, hovering above the port.
"This is Dressrosa, not your Amazon Lily!"
Below, the Pirate Empress stood proudly upon her ship's deck, her crimson gown fluttering in the sea breeze.
Her voice was soft yet sharp enough to pierce iron.
"They offended me. Their fate is their own doing."
Her tone carried no fear.
Though she knew Doflamingo's strength had grown since consuming a Monster Cell,
Hancock was a woman who bowed to no one —
one of the few in the world blessed with the Conqueror's Haki.
Doflamingo's jaw clenched; a vein twitched beneath his shades.
He wanted to lash out, but he also knew reason was useless against this woman.
Her logic was simple:
She is right. The world is wrong.
He exhaled slowly, forcing his temper down.
Now was not the time.
The Senzu Bean auction was only days away; any large fight could jeopardize everything.
"You're here for the Senzu Beans too, aren't you, Pirate Empress?" he said through gritted teeth.
"Fine. Since we're both Warlords, I'll be generous — one bean, for you.
But don't cause trouble in my territory again."
In Doflamingo's mind, this was the height of diplomacy.
This was his island, his stage, his rules.
Any sane person would accept.
But Hancock only sneered.
"My affairs are none of your concern."
"You—!"
Doflamingo's sunglasses hid the veins bursting in his eyes.
For a moment, the infamous Heavenly Yaksha looked ready to explode.
High Above, Watching the Scene
On the rooftop of a tall building overlooking the port,
Luo Xing and Carrot watched quietly as tension crackled below.
Carrot clapped her hands excitedly.
"That Pirate Empress is so beautiful, Master! And she talks so cool! She made the bird-man really angry!"
"Bird-man?" Luo Xing repeated, half laughing.
The nickname was so unexpectedly fitting, he didn't correct her.
Carrot tilted her head, her white ears bouncing.
"I think the Empress would look good next to you, Master."
Luo Xing smiled faintly.
"Oh? And why's that?"
"Because she's the queen of all women! Strong, proud, elegant — she'd match you perfectly."
Luo Xing chuckled. This little one really knows how to flatter.
"But I already have a wife," he teased. "Wouldn't Lady Yamato be angry if she heard you say that?"
Carrot shook her head with innocent seriousness.
"Of course not! A man as great as you should have many wives!"
Luo Xing laughed aloud, ruffling her soft hair.
If only Yamato thought that way too, he mused with amusement and just a hint of regret.
Beside them, Fuz-Fu stood silently, wings folded, pretending not to hear a thing.
He knew better than to comment on his lord's personal affairs.
After all, his current strength — nearly rivaling the Three Calamities — was a gift from Luo Xing himself,
bestowed through the Ghost-Grade Monster Cell.
To him, Luo Xing was not merely a commander but a savior.
And since Luo Xing's return from training, his presence had changed —
a quiet, crushing aura that reminded Fuz-Fu of Kaido himself.
Luo Xing leaned against the railing, eyes on the horizon.
"It's about time," he murmured.
Carrot blinked.
"Time for what, Master?"
"For our guests to arrive," he said, lips curving into a knowing smile.
"The ones bringing us their money."
At the Harbor
Doflamingo could barely contain his irritation anymore.
Trying to reason with Hancock was like arguing with the wind.
No trade. No compromise.
Only that imperious stare that said: You're beneath me.
His patience snapped.
"Listen well, Pirate Empress. This isn't your island. Cause trouble again and—"
"And what?"
Her voice cut through his threat like a blade.
The pressure between them thickened.
The crowd around the port froze —
two Warlords of the Sea, locked in a silent duel of willpower.
It was like watching two storms collide.
If either unleashed their Haki fully, half the harbor would be gone.
"Otherwise—"
Doflamingo's words stopped abruptly.
A new voice interrupted, casual and out of place.
"Oi, oi, mind giving me a bit of room here?
I've been flying for days without food, and I'm starving!"
The interruption was so sudden that everyone — pirates, marines, even Hancock herself — turned toward the newcomer in confusion.
Doflamingo's first reaction was outrage.
Who dares cut me off?!
Killer intent burst from him like heat from a furnace.
He turned sharply, ready to shred whoever had spoken into ribbons.
But the moment he saw the figure descending from the sky,
his anger drained away like water through sand — replaced by shock.
The man landed gracefully on the stone pier, golden hair glinting in the sunlight, azure flames flickering faintly across his shoulders.
"No way…" Doflamingo muttered.
"Whitebeard's First Division Commander… the Phoenix Marco?!"
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