"Fufufufu! Isn't this my adorable little brother?" As soon as Rosinante stepped into Loguetown, he ran into Doflamingo and his crew.
"As expected… There's no way you'd miss an event this big, Doffy," Rosinante replied coolly.
Running into Doflamingo in Loguetown was entirely within Rosinante's expectations. In the original story, Doflamingo was already present during the Pirate King's execution. Even in this altered life, Rosinante knew his brother well enough to anticipate his presence—Doflamingo would never skip out on a spectacle like this.
"Hehehe… You're so cold now. Weren't you the cutest little thing when you were young? Always calling out 'big brother' so sweetly." Doflamingo grinned.
"The family's already broken, so what's the point of reminiscing? The one who pulled the trigger that shattered it all… wasn't that you?" Rosinante's voice was calm but carried a sharp edge.
"Oi, oi! Is this really Rosinante? Haven't seen him for a few years and now he's all full of himself! Doffy, want me to teach him a lesson?" Trebol sneered, stepping forward.
"Fufufu… You've got every right to hate me, but there's something you're wrong about." Doflamingo's eyes gleamed as he spoke. "It wasn't me who shattered the family. It was our father. The moment he chose to abandon the Celestial Dragons… the moment our mother died… our home was already broken. I never had that man as a father. But I still hoped—still do—that my little brother would come back home. There's always a place for you beside me."
"Let's not kid ourselves. I have no interest in living alongside someone who could murder his own father. No matter how you spin it, you can't erase the fact that you pulled the trigger on your own kin. If I stayed by your side, I'd be constantly wondering when you'd come up with a reason to aim at me too," Rosinante replied flatly.
"Fufufu… That's harsh. But you're still my little brother, after all," Doflamingo said with a forced smile.
"You think I'm still that same Rosinante you could bend to your will?" Rosinante shot Doflamingo a disdainful glance.
"Looks like Trebol was right. You really have become arrogant these past few years. As your older brother, I have a duty to bring you back to reality!" As he spoke, the veins on Doflamingo's forehead bulged. In an instant, he lashed out with a powerful kick.
"And I'm not the only one who's changed!" Rosinante countered with a punch of his own.
Fist met foot, and a shockwave burst out from the clash, sending a gust of wind rippling through the street.
"Armament Haki!" Diamante shouted, eyes wide. Both Rosinante and Doflamingo's limbs were cloaked in a layer of black—clearly imbued with Armament Haki.
"It's no surprise Doffy has mastered Armament Haki at his age. After all, he has the potential of a king—he even has Conqueror's Haki. But Rosinante… to think he's also awakened it at this age!" Trebol exclaimed in disbelief.
"You've definitely grown stronger over the years. Your bounty poster already hinted at it. But I suppose it makes sense—you are, after all, a Donquixote. One of the twenty royal bloodlines that founded the World Government. If you can survive long enough, power like this is only natural. However…" Doflamingo's tone suddenly darkened as a tremendous pressure burst from him, washing over the area like a tidal wave.
Weaker onlookers dropped unconscious without even knowing what hit them.
"…you're destined to kneel to me. Because there can only be one head of the family," Doflamingo declared, face full of arrogance.
"It's just Conqueror's Haki. Nothing to brag about. Only someone like you would cling to it like a trophy," Rosinante said as he lifted his head calmly. A moment later, an equally fearsome wave of pressure surged from his body, colliding with Doflamingo's aura. The air between them twisted and sparked—dark lightning crackled where their wills clashed.
"Conqueror's Haki?!"
"He has the same royal spirit as Captain!"
"Impossible! Besides Doffy… Rosinante has it too?!"
"Fufufu… I really did underestimate you." Doflamingo's expression turned serious for the first time. "You sure you don't want to return to the family?"
"You already know my answer," Rosinante said, his voice like cold steel.
"Every user of Conqueror's Haki has an unshakable will. Fine then—I'll just beat you into submission. What a shame, though… such a waste of talent. Five Color Strings!"
As he unleashed his signature move, razor-sharp strings of five vibrant colors shot from Doflamingo's hands.
Clang! Rosinante drew the sword at his waist just in time, intercepting the attack. His Armament Haki was newly awakened and not yet refined enough to withstand Doflamingo's piercing threads for long.
The battlefield became a whirlwind of flashing swords and deadly strings. Their Conqueror's Haki surged through the air, sparking black lightning with every clash. Blades sliced, threads slashed, and the surrounding area was torn to shreds—anything caught between them was instantly cut apart.
"Amazing… Rosinante is holding his own against the Lord Doflamingo!" Gladius gasped.
"No… Doffy hasn't even used his full strength yet," Trebol said grimly.
"What's that?!" Citizens in the distance stared, eyes wide, as the shockwaves and crackling energy lit up the sky.
"Someone's fighting over there!"
"Conqueror's Haki?! That's the clash of two Conqueror's Haki users!" A few knowledgeable onlookers recognized the fearsome aura immediately.
"Two wielders of kingly will appearing just like that… Loguetown really is a gathering place for storms," someone murmured thoughtfully.
"Whoa, whoa, this is scary! Two kings just showing up at once… How terrifying!" A beam of light suddenly shot down from the sky and transformed into a man. His beady eyes and twisted smile formed a grotesque grin. Though he spoke of fear, not a single trace of it could be found on his face—only scorn and mockery.
"Borsalino?!" The moment he appeared, both Doflamingo and Rosinante turned their heads toward him, their expressions instantly tensing with wariness.
Borsalino—future Admiral Kizaru—was still just a Vice Admiral at this point, but his strength was already monstrous.
Seeing him appear, the members of the Donquixote Family grew visibly anxious.
"So scary, so scary," Borsalino drawled mockingly. "Donquixote Doflamingo, the Sea Thug. And the rest of the Donquixote crew… not to mention…"
"Rosinante the Silent Blade. What do you think? Should I just arrest all of you right here?" His eyes gleamed as he stared directly at Rosinante, his voice dripping with faux innocence.
"A monster Vice Admiral from the Marines, huh? Fufufu… You here to catch us?" Doflamingo asked, smirking.
"It's not exactly the right time to hunt pirates…" Borsalino replied lazily. "But since you've all decided to cause trouble in Loguetown, don't blame me if I haul you in."