Back on Punk Hazard, the Phoenix Pirates celebrated with a grand feast. Caesar and Monet were restrained with seastone handcuffs, kept under strict guard.
Marco knew Monet had been Doflamingo's spy, planted to keep tabs on Caesar. Now that she understood the Phoenix Pirates' plan to target Doflamingo, Marco could not risk her sending a warning. If Doflamingo escaped to Kaido, the trouble would multiply.
In a corner of the banquet, Trafalgar Law and his crew observed quietly. He had grown accustomed to the Phoenix Pirates' love of feasts. Over the past month, he had noticed that the crew celebrated almost daily—small feasts every three days, larger ones every five. Any reason, however minor, could spark a banquet, a testament to the crew's free-spirited, carpe diem philosophy.
While Law did not dislike the festive atmosphere, his reserved personality made it difficult to fully integrate. The Phoenix Pirates were enthusiastic, bold, and heavy drinkers, constantly challenging others to drinking games. Law had been dragged into several, each ending with him vomiting from overindulgence.
Now, Law and his crew had learned a simple rule: eat quietly in a corner and avoid the chaos.
Nearby, Marco sipped juice. Though most of the Phoenix Pirates enjoyed alcohol, Marco abstained. In his days with the Whitebeard Pirates, he had served as ship doctor, responsible for the crew's health. While others drank freely, he remained sober. Drinking was never his strength.
Suddenly, a red flash of Observation Haki sparked in Marco's eyes. He sensed an incredibly strong presence approaching. Instantly, he stood and shouted, "Stop drinking! Someone's coming!"
The Pirates, tipsy or asleep, snapped to attention. Even those sprawled on the ground sat up immediately. A pirate could indulge in drink, but must always retain the ability to respond when danger arrived.
Sak, flush from alcohol, blinked and asked, "Is it an enemy?"
Marco's gaze remained calm. "I don't know, but their presence is overwhelmingly strong."
As the figure drew closer, Marco saw the unmistakable pink silhouette approaching through the sky. He confirmed, "It's Doflamingo."
"What? Doflamingo?" the sniper exclaimed, raising his binoculars. "He's flying!"
Marco explained, "That's the String-String Fruit's power. He moves by attaching his strings to the clouds above."
Trafalgar Law's expression hardened as he watched Doflamingo.
Soon, Doflamingo appeared above the Phoenix Pirates, his eerie laugh echoing across the battlefield. "Fuffuffuffuffu, what a feast you have… and what terrible timing for me! Looks like I've stumbled into the wrong place."
Monet, restrained in seastone cuffs, suddenly shouted, "Young Master, be careful! Marco and the others want to kill you!"
The warning startled Doflamingo and surprised the Phoenix Pirates. They had felt guilty restraining such a beautiful woman, only to realize she had been waiting for the right moment to alert her target.
Frowning, Doflamingo said, "I see… I have no personal grudge against the Phoenix Pirates, yet you aim to kill me. This is Law's doing, isn't it?"
Law's lips curled into a sneer. Realizing he had been discovered, Doflamingo had no choice but to flee.
"You've come all this way, and you still intend to run?" Marco called, transforming into his Phoenix form and taking to the sky.
"Don't even think about escaping!" Sak also transformed into a pink giant dragon, soaring behind Doflamingo to test his powers.
"What… is that?" Doflamingo gawked. Phoenix Marco pursued him, and the massive pink dragon loomed behind. For a moment, he thought he faced Kaido, but the color and aura were different from the Azure Dragon.
"Where are you looking?" Marco's voice cut through the air. He shifted from Beast Form to Human-Beast Form and surged toward Doflamingo.
"Damn it…" Doflamingo's eyes hardened. "Don't get too cocky, Parasite String!"
A red flash of Observation Haki ignited in Marco's eyes. He read the trajectory of the strings instantly. His body radiated Armament Haki as he swung his arm, shredding the Parasite Strings like a spider web.
"What?" Doflamingo roared, condensing a massive amount of string in his palm. "Overheat!"
The attack was useless. Marco, predicting Doflamingo's moves with Observation Haki, closed the distance, his arm already prepared to strike. With precise timing, he delivered a devastating kick to Doflamingo's chest.
Sensing Doflamingo would try to block, Marco adjusted midair, redirecting his strike with pinpoint accuracy. His next blow smashed against Doflamingo's face.
"Phoenix Seal…"