"It... It's appeared!"
"Quiniel Vito's ultimate ability! An Ancient Zoan? No, even rarer than a Logia, it's the Mythical Zoan: Lizard-Lizard Fruit, Model: Thunder Basilisk!"
Seeing the grotesque beast manifest in the ring, Gatz became instantly electrified, his voice booming three times louder than before.
It wasn't just Gatz; the audience was whipped into a frenzy. Witnessing such a rare ability was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, something they would boast about for years to come.
"So that's the power of a legendary Mythical Zoan... it looks incredible!"
"I've seen Fleet Admiral Sakazuki's Magma-Magma Fruit before, but this is the first time I've ever seen a Mythical Zoan!"
"It looks terrifying, but if you look closely, it's actually quite majestic!"
"Go for it! Vito-sama!"
The stadium shook with the roar of the crowd, their cheers echoing far beyond the arena walls.
"Whoa... what a monstrous guy."
On the stage, Eden, who had just finished off Fran, staggered back in shock. This was his first time seeing Vito's true form. A chilling murderous aura and an invisible, crushing pressure spread across the ring, turning the faces of the remaining contestants white as they began to tremble uncontrollably.
"Old man, I'm going to tear you to pieces!"
The snarling beast let out a low, guttural growl at Haunger. His massive frame was wreathed in lightning, the blue-white arcs crackling with a violence far surpassing his previous state.
"If you can do it, then try!" Haunger raised his estoc, his expression eerily calm. "As for the chatter... save your breath!"
"ROAR—!"
As if provoked by the old man's indifference, Vito let out a deafening howl. His massive body turned into a literal bolt of lightning, crossing the distance to Haunger in a heartbeat.
"So fast!"
Haunger's brow twitched. He thrust his estoc forward with blinding speed, meeting an ink-blue claw crackling with high-voltage electricity.
CLANG—!
The sound of metal meeting metal rang out with ear-piercing clarity. The air itself shuddered, and a visible shockwave exploded outward.
Rumble... Rumble...
In the next second, a howling gale swept through the heavens and the earth. A thunderous roar filled the stadium, and the entire Corrida Colosseum began to sway. Spectators struggled to keep their footing against the hurricane-like pressure, while in the surrounding moat, dozens of Fighting Fish were nearly knocked unconscious by the violent vibrations.
"Wh-What kind of god-like power is this?!"
Gatz's eyes nearly popped out of his head in sheer disbelief.
A moment later, the wind died down. The previously crowded stage now looked desolate. More than half of the contestants had been blown clean off the ring by the shockwave, leaving only a dozen or so still standing.
A shield of countless black hairs unraveled, revealing Eden at the center. He scanned the empty stage, his face darkening.
"Tch... as expected, the weak have no place on a stage like this." Eden's voice was a mix of disdain and gravity. "But to have this much power in a single exchange... are those two monsters?"
…
Inside the Preparation Room, at the end of a deserted, dark corridor.
"Long time no see, Luffy!"
A man draped in a brown cloak looked up and grinned. He shrugged off the cloak and removed his top hat, which was fitted with a pair of aviator goggles, revealing a handsome face wearing a confident smile.
"You are..."
Luffy, still disguised as the old man "Lucy," stared with wide, disbelieving eyes.
The man had wavy short blond hair and a prominent scar over his left eye that wasn't there before. Lucy stared at that familiar face as it merged perfectly with the memory in his mind.
"Eh—?!"
Luffy's mouth fell open. Tears began to well up as he looked at the man in front of him with an expression of pure, unadulterated shock.
In an instant, snot began to run, and giant tears fell in a steady stream. His eyes bugged out as he screamed the name he hadn't uttered in so many years.
"SABO!!!"
…
The Forest of Green Bit.
"Overheat!!!"
Mid-air, Doflamingo roared, pointing his fingers forward. Over a dozen near-invisible strings twisted together into a single cord, forming a glowing, superheated whip that shot out with blistering speed.
In the middle of his dash, Law sensed the movement behind him. He glanced back just in time to see the searing whip closing in.
"Crap!"
Law's face paled. He spun around, raising his blade to parry.
CLANG—!
The white-hot whip slammed into the blade of the cursed sword, Kikoku, instantly sending a violent shockwave through the air.
Law felt as though he had been hit by a high-speed Sea Train. His palms vibrated violently, his skin nearly splitting from the force. He was sent flying backward, slamming into a massive, centuries-old tree with a dull thud. The trunk caved in from the impact.
Seeing this, Doflamingo grinned. With a flick of his wrist, ten strings flew out, pinning the falling Law directly against the tree.
"Fuffuffuffuffu... I believe we've stalled long enough, Law!"
Doflamingo descended slowly from the air, his low laughter echoing through the trees.
"Dammit!"
Blood trickled from the corner of Law's mouth. He struggled against his bonds, but the ten strings pinning him were as unbreakable as reinforced steel.
"How long do you think that Pirate Hunter, Roronoa Zoro, can hold out against a Marine Admiral?" Doflamingo asked, ignoring Law's struggles. "Hand over Caesar. Losing him would be a devastating blow to me. Surely you wouldn't want your former 'Boss' to be hounded to death by a certain terrifying individual, would you, Law?"
"Hmph... stop lying!" Law spat coldly. "You're only acting tough because of your alliance with that man. You want me to hand over Caesar? In your dreams!"
Upon hearing Law's taunt, Doflamingo's expression soured. However, he regained his composure in an instant.
He was no longer in the mood for pleasantries. He said icily, "You brat. Once I have the Doctors of the Chris Pirates strip that Op-Op Fruit from your body, we'll see how long you keep that tough act up!"
This time, it was Law's turn to turn pale.
The fact that the Chris Pirates possessed the means to extract Devil Fruits from users had become an open secret. While no one on the outside knew the exact method, no one was willing to find out firsthand.
"Doflamingo, aren't you worried something might go wrong with the Flame-Flame Fruit?" Law shouted through gritted teeth. "Straw Hat-ya isn't that easy to deal with!"
Hearing this, Doflamingo laughed as if he'd heard a joke. "Fuffuffuffuffu... I'm well aware that the Straw Hat brat is a wild card. That's why I specifically arranged for the entire Diamante Army to wait for him on the final stage!"
"Furthermore... with Myles Dimitri, Quiniel Vito, and Cavendish there, he'll find that I have more than just 'Family' in that ring!"
BOOM—!
Suddenly, the earth shook. A pillar of dust erupted from the forest in the distance.
In that direction, the Pirate Hunter Zoro and Admiral Fujitora Ishho were locked in battle.