"M-monster!"
"Is that a god?"
"I must be dreaming! I have to be dreaming!"
"No human could possibly do that!"
"..."
The surviving pirates and Marines on the coast of Minion Island couldn't believe what they were seeing. But the chasm-like fissure in the mountain still radiated a searing heat. The cliffs on both sides were scorched black and hot from the extremely high-temperature energy, with some areas still burning. This undeniable truth proved to these ordinary people that what they saw was terrifyingly real.
Far out on the vast sea, two battleships were rapidly advancing. On the deck of one, Tsuru held a monocular telescope, watching the situation on Minion Island. She had witnessed firsthand the moment Cross split the mountain peak and created the huge chasm. A fierce gale from the island hit the battleships, slowing them down significantly and making their massive sails flap loudly.
"What in the world is that brat doing?!" Although Tsuru was shocked by Cross's power, she couldn't help but yell. "Is he trying to destroy all of Minion Island?!"
She could tell that with a few more slashes of that power, he could tear Minion Island to pieces, completely wiping it from the map of the North Blue.
The Marines' original purpose for coming here was a secret operation to trade for the Ope Ope no Mi with Diez Barrels' crew, a matter that couldn't be made public.
The Ope Ope no Mi's abilities were too significant, and its exposure would cause a huge stir. Furthermore, if a transaction between the righteous Marines and evil pirates were exposed, it would severely damage the reputation of the Marines.
However, this highly classified mission was somehow leaked to Doflamingo. Now, with Cross and Doflamingo in a full-blown battle that had even changed the island's geography, what was there left to keep secret?
"Tsuru-nee, something must have happened on the island. I believe Cross wouldn't do this without a reason!" A tall, androgynous-looking female Marine appeared behind Tsuru. She wore an off-white baseball cap, had a bob haircut of golden short hair, and a long black trench coat over an off-white shirt, with brown straight-leg pants and dark red boots. Her hands were crossed over her chest, and her silver-gray eyes were fixed on Minion Island in the distance.
Tsuru sighed helplessly. "Ismaella, it's too late. Even if I wanted to assign blame, I can't undo what's already happened. I just hope that brat's spectacle didn't result in Doflamingo getting the Ope Ope no Mi!"
"Don't worry, Tsuru-nee. We'll be on Minion Island in half an hour. By then, we can wipe out the Donquixote Pirates for good!" Ismaella smiled confidently, her tone firm and sharp.
....
High in the air above Minion Island, Cross breathed heavily. The Shusui in his hand returned to its original state, having used up its terrifying lightning-fire energy. It was clear that the full-power attack had taken a lot out of him, causing him to pant audibly. But with his monstrous physique and stamina, he could endure a few more attacks like that.
Suddenly, Cross sensed something abnormal. His expanded Observation Haki 'heard' many familiar sounds. They were weak but undeniably alive.
"Something's wrong. Why are there so many sounds? Did I not kill a single one of them? You've got to be kidding me. With an attack like that, surviving even one or two would have been a miracle. How are they all alive?"
Cross flapped his giant bat wings and quickly flew toward the source of the familiar sounds.
Rumble—
Suddenly, a giant, sharp stone pillar, dozens of meters long, shot out from the top of the mountain cliff, startling Cross. After a narrow escape, he hovered in mid-air and realized what was happening. He muttered to himself, "That makes sense. Pica saved them all! It seems my initial slash didn't completely cripple Pica. He still has some mobility and fighting power."
Pica was one of the Donquixote Family's top executives, representing 'Spade,' and possessed the Paramecia-type Stone-Stone Fruit ability. This allowed him to assimilate with any rock he touched, taking on its appearance, hardness, and other properties. This meant Pica could hide inside Minion Island's mountains and save everyone at a critical moment.
"Cross, you can't kill me!" A giant face resembling Pica's appeared on the stone pillar sticking out of the cliff, its mouth opening to produce a high-pitched voice.
"It really is him... I should have finished him off with another slash. This is a problem!" Cross took a deep breath, his cold eyes fixed on the giant face Pica had created with his Stone-Stone Fruit ability, his mind racing.
Pica's power was immense; he could freely travel anywhere on the island. If he wanted to hide, even Cross's Observation Haki couldn't pinpoint his exact location unless he destroyed the entire island.
Moreover, Cross noticed that the 'Birdcage' had not disappeared, which meant Doflamingo was also still alive.
Just as he thought of Doflamingo, a figure in a pink feathered coat shot up from below. Doflamingo appeared in front of Cross, his face pale with rage. His voice was low and hoarse. "You've truly opened my eyes, Amphitrite Cross! If that last attack had hit me, I have no doubt I would have died!"
"I told you, you won't get the Ope Ope no Mi, you won't get Trafalgar Law, and you won't kill Rosinante! On the contrary, your Donquixote Family will be destroyed today!" Cross sneered, lightly shaking the Shusui in his hand.
In the next moment, Surtur, the fiery crown on Cross's head, made an enraged expression and created another fiery ribbon, once again imbuing Shusui with fire.
"I admit defeat today. I'll leave Law and Corazon to you Marines... But tell Corazon for me, he won't be so lucky next time!" Doflamingo said with a venomous tone.
"Huh?! You're... giving up?" Cross smirked, sounding surprised. "Wait, you don't think I'll just let you go because you 'give up,' do you?"
"I know you Marines have forces waiting in ambush to eliminate or capture me. But I don't want to engage in an all-out war with the Marines right now. If you insist on fighting to the death, you'd better be prepared to pay the price!" Doflamingo said coldly.
"The Marines' resolve is stronger than you think. Besides, guess who's the Commander of this mission? Your old rival, Tsuru!" Cross mocked.
"Nani— Tsuru?!" Upon hearing this, Doflamingo's face changed. He turned to look at the sea and saw two battleships rapidly approaching Minion Island in the distance. Although they were too far away for him to make out their flags, he didn't doubt Cross's words.
Since the Marines were informed by Corazon that he was coming to steal the Ope Ope no Mi, it was only natural for them to send his old rival to deal with him. Tsuru's abilities and intelligence were a perfect counter to Doflamingo's, which was why Doflamingo always fled whenever he encountered her.
"So, you shouldn't even think about escaping from Minion Island!" Cross's eyes were cold. He raised the Shusui in his hand and pointed the tip at Doflamingo, shouting sharply, "Surrender peacefully, Heavenly Yaksha Donquixote Doflamingo!"
Doflamingo's face darkened as he growled, "Don't think I'm scared of you, Cross! You don't honestly believe you can defeat all of us by yourself, do you?"
"There's only one way to find out!" Cross sneered and stopped talking. His giant bat wings flapped, creating a fierce gale that propelled him forward like an arrow.
"One Sword Style: Divine Cremation!!!"
In an instant, Cross held his sword with both hands. The scorching flames on Shusui suddenly multiplied several times over with a whoosh. The blazing inferno radiated an extremely high temperature. He swung it and thrust it straight at Doflamingo.
"This is bad!" Doflamingo's face changed drastically. His pink feathered coat began to curl and scorch from dozens of meters away. Without thinking, he turned and fled.
BOOM!!!
In the next moment, the extremely hot, blazing inferno erupted, turning into a massive, sword-shaped flame that swallowed Doflamingo's figure.
The light of the fire painted half the sky red. Without any resistance, the giant, sword-shaped flame pierced through the mountain cliff below as if it were a divine sword of fire. Even the thick snow on the mountain was melted into water by the terrifying heat, creating a powerful torrent that flowed down the mountain.
After a while, the giant sword-shaped flame disappeared, leaving behind a massive, rectangular tunnel in the mountain wall. The tunnel was filled with melted rock, like a lava field, and was infused with scorching heat.
A terrifying, scorching sword mark lingered in the air, leaving Doflamingo, who had barely managed to escape, dumbfounded and filled with dread.
Rumble—
Suddenly, the mountain cliff of Minion Island shook violently. A rock giant, hundreds of meters tall, emerged from the mountain. It held a giant rock with a diameter of over a hundred meters in its hands. Its body almost blocked out the sun, and it looked like a god reborn, filled with an overwhelming sense of pressure.
"Die, Cross!" Pica, who had transformed into the rock giant, shrieked. He forcefully hurled the massive rock at Cross in mid-air.
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