Seeing Yuno release his sword and let thunder surge from his fist, Doflamingo was suddenly struck by an ominous premonition.
Danger! Danger! Danger!
His Observation Haki screamed warnings at him, making his expression change drastically.
But Yuno had no intention of giving Doflamingo time to escape.
"Fly… to the other side of the island!"
Yuno sneered, his overwhelming Conqueror's Haki crashing down and hindering Doflamingo's movements. In the same breath, he unleashed a punch that condensed the full extent of his abilities.
"Damn it!"
At such close range, with Yuno's explosive burst, Doflamingo had no time to react. He could only coat his chest in Armament Haki.
Thunder roared, and a violent wind howled.
The punch landed squarely against Doflamingo's chest.
Bang!
The sound reverberated across the island like a morning bell.
Even with his chest protected by Armament Haki, the sheer force crushed inward, and Doflamingo coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Then his body was hurled backward—so fast that he left nothing but an afterimage before vanishing into the distance.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A chain of crashes erupted. Massive trees splintered and toppled, and finally, a mountainside collapsed in a thunderous rumble.
Doflamingo disappeared beneath the rubble.
Diamante's eyes widened, now filled with raw fear. A chilling thought crept into his mind: Could their young master Doflamingo actually lose to this bounty hunter?
Meanwhile, Yuno—breathing heavily—closed the distance.
That single outburst had consumed a massive amount of stamina.
Although his body had grown stronger in recent times, channeling such a flood of energy at once still pushed him to the limit. The combination of his Shunko and the full-force Thunder Roar Cannon had nearly drained him dry.
Far away at Marine Headquarters, the marine version of Yuno was already thinking of an excuse to skip today's physical training.
His Observation Haki swept toward the pile of shattered stone just in time to see Doflamingo emerge, wiping blood from the corner of his mouth.
Tsk… he can still move? He's tougher than I thought.
Yuno's respect for the durability of pirates deepened.
If Doflamingo could withstand this much damage, then what about Big Mom and Kaido—both famed for their monstrous endurance? The thought was almost unimaginable.
Doflamingo looked disheveled. His pink feather coat was shredded, and his chest sagged from the blow—though it was already swelling and shifting as he used his Devil Fruit powers to stitch himself back together.
"I'll tear that mask off your face," Doflamingo snarled, his aura surging, "and then drag down everyone connected to you."
His gaze was colder than ten-thousand-year-old ice, his voice dripping with venom.
How long had it been since anyone had dared to treat him this way?
How long since he had suffered such wounds?
"If you can, then try!" Yuno shot back, lightning crackling in his wake as he stepped forward.
Boom!
They clashed again, the shockwave engulfing the island.
Elsewhere on the island, the few people who had not fainted turned toward the sound.
"What's going on over there? Is someone fighting?"
"Haha, impossible! How could a battle be loud enough to hear from this far away?"
Some attempted to get closer, but the moment they approached, they collapsed without warning.
To this day, none of them understood the true cause of their comas.
From the words of those who had collapsed, they themselves didn't even know why they had fallen unconscious!
Elsewhere—on the open sea—
A Marine warship steadily approached the island's harbor. On deck, rows of soldiers stood in perfect formation, the salty wind whipping against their uniforms.
Vice Admiral Onigumo stood at the bow, his gaze fixed on the island ahead. With a measured wave of his hand, he ordered,
"Everyone, prepare to land!"
"Yes, sir!" the Marines responded in unison, their postures rigid and disciplined.
…
Meanwhile, the two warriors clashing on the island had no idea the Navy was closing in. Their battle raged on, each strike shaking the ground beneath them.
"You haven't used your Devil Fruit awakening yet, have you?"
Yuno slid back, narrowly dodging a slash of razor-sharp threads. He didn't counterattack immediately, instead pausing to study his opponent.
Doflamingo stopped as well.
Both men were breathing heavily, yet their eyes still burned with the will to fight.
For Yuno, this was the first truly exhilarating battle since arriving in this world.
Every other fight so far had been almost one-sided—his opponents crumbling before he could even warm up. But here, facing Donquixote Doflamingo of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, he finally understood the weight of a true powerhouse in this world.
Even with his Shunko-like explosive strikes and mastery of the Kidō arts from the Soul Society, he still couldn't overwhelm Doflamingo completely.
"Hahahaha! This feels incredible! Since setting out to sea, no one has been able to push me this far! Doflamingo—Shichibukai! I acknowledge you!" Yuno inhaled deeply, then burst into wild laughter.
A cold gleam flickered in Doflamingo's eyes.
"Heh heh heh… You acknowledge me? Don't get ahead of yourself, kid."
Still grinning, Yuno suddenly spoke with deliberate weight,
"How about this—we make a deal! Your strength is worthy of recognition, Doflamingo. Join me, and together we'll turn the underworld upside down!"
"Fuffuffuffu… Bold words—but I refuse."
Though a dangerous glint danced in Doflamingo's gaze, inwardly he seethed. First this upstart had the gall to provoke him, and now he was being invited into an "alliance" as if he were some underling?
What did Yuno take him for—a man without pride?
Yuno's smile vanished, his voice sharpening like drawn steel.
"You really don't know what's good for you. Fine—then I'll knock you down first, and then we'll talk terms."
"Tch." Doflamingo merely snorted this time, saying nothing.
In truth, he was already nearing his limit.
Part of it was the stamina burned from keeping himself aloft in the air for so long. But far more serious was the damage from that one devastating punch earlier.
Somehow, Yuno's strike had pierced through his Armament Haki guard, the impact tearing straight into his body. And worse—the lingering surge of lightning and raw reiryoku still rampaged through his muscles, sapping his strength with every passing second.
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