Bucky once again reminded everyone to stay alert, giving a brief rundown of Doflamingo's key subordinates — Pica, Trebol, and Diamante — along with their abilities. He especially warned them to be cautious of Doflamingo's String-String Fruit powers, and in particular, his Parasite Strings. One careless moment, and they could easily fall into his trap.
"Got it, Captain."
"Understood, Captain."
…
Hearing Bucky's explanation, the crew realized this was no easy opponent. Doflamingo's underlings were formidable in their own right, and facing such a group meant they needed to tread carefully.
The approaching ship was indeed Doflamingo's. This time, he had brought most of the Donquixote Family's main force and had made elaborate preparations. His goal was simple: make Bucky pay for what he had done.
"Boss, that's Bucky's crew up ahead."
"Fufufufufufu… Everything's ready, right? Once you get my signal, we will withdraw immediately. Don't let them pin us down."
A sly, scheming smile crept across Doflamingo's face.
"Boss, everything's in place. We've already passed information on Bucky to Sakazuki, who's pursuing him. He's not far from here — if a battle breaks out, he'll arrive in no time.
We did lose a few men delivering that message, though. That Marine is a complete madman — attacked our people on sight. Luckily, the message still reached him."
Hearing Sakazuki's name, a flicker of wariness flashed in Doflamingo's eyes. This was a man even he preferred not to provoke. If they didn't get out quickly, they could easily become targets of his indiscriminate assaults.
"Make sure everyone remembers — the moment you see my signal, you leave immediately. Don't let them tie you down."
It was rare for Doflamingo to repeat orders, but when Sakazuki was involved, caution was necessary.
"Yes, Boss!"
…
Soon, the two ships drew close and stopped at a certain distance from each other.
"Well, if it isn't the underground king of the North Blue — Heavenly Yaksha, Donquixote Doflamingo. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
Bucky spoke first, aiming to set the tone.
Doflamingo's brows knitted slightly. He couldn't figure out how Bucky knew who he was, let alone his origins.
"Fufufufufufu… I'm honored. Didn't expect someone like you to know my name."
The smile vanished in an instant, replaced by a cold, stern look. "Two of my possessions ended up in your hands. I came here today to take them back."
Bucky instantly understood — this was about the two Devil Fruits. So there would be no peaceful resolution.
"Oh? You mean those two Devil Fruits? Unfortunately, you're a bit late. My crew members already ate them. There's nothing I can give you now — but I'll remember this. If I come across others in the future, I'll return them."
No point in hiding it now — the outcome was obvious from the start.
"That's going to be a problem… Those two fruits are very important to us."
Doflamingo's expression hardened. He knew the fruits were gone for good, and a cruel glint flashed in his eyes.
At that moment, an overwhelming wave of pressure surged from his body, crashing down on Bucky's crew.
Bucky recognized it immediately — Conqueror's Haki. For someone of his swordsman caliber, it wasn't much of a threat. But for those behind him, the pressure was immense. Hogback collapsed on the deck, unconscious. Weibull, Shiryu, and Lafitte held up better, but Daddy Masterson and Kuro were bent over from the weight.
Bucky was pleased with how his crew was holding up, but fury burned in his chest. His people were not to be harmed so casually.
And under this crushing wave of Conqueror's Haki, Bucky felt a power within him stirring — slowly awakening. As Doflamingo's pressure mounted and Bucky's anger flared, the power broke through its shackles and burst forth from within him.
In an instant, Bucky's own Conqueror's Haki erupted, clashing violently with Doflamingo's. The air between them roared as if the pressure had become tangible. The collision created an invisible storm in the void above, and neither side could gain the upper hand.
Doflamingo's eyes widened in surprise. Bucky had Conqueror's Haki — and had only just awakened it. Even more shocking, his freshly awakened Haki could stand toe-to-toe with Doflamingo's decades-honed mastery.
Bucky's heart leapt with excitement. He hadn't expected to have Conqueror's Haki at all, let alone awaken it under pressure. But he quickly calmed himself.
Looking at Doflamingo's dark, murderous expression, Bucky grinned. "Hahaha… Thanks for the help — you've done me a huge favor. Your Conqueror's Haki won't work on us anymore. Whatever tricks you've got, bring them out."
"Hmph… You lucky brat. Let's see what kind of strength makes you so cocky."
Strings shot from Doflamingo's hands, attaching to the clouds above, pulling him into the air.
Bucky used Soru to leap up after him.
Fighting in the air was the best choice — with their level of power, a battle on the ships could cause catastrophic damage. In the middle of the ocean, a destroyed ship spelled disaster for both sides.
The moment the two leaders left the deck, their crews clashed.
Pica faced off against Weibull. Shiryu engaged Trebol. Diamante went for Lafitte. Daddy Masterson and Kuro moved to intercept Lao G, Gladius, and the other Donquixote members.
In terms of top-tier combatants, Weibull and Shiryu quickly gained the upper hand.
Even with his Stone-Stone Fruit, Pica was being crushed by Weibull's overwhelming strength, swordsmanship at the "cutting steel" level, and solid Armament Haki. The open sea offered little terrain for Pica's abilities, putting him at a disadvantage.
Shiryu dominated Trebol. Though Trebol's abilities were troublesome, Shiryu's near-swordsman-level mastery, Invisible Fruit powers, and decent Armament Haki forced Trebol onto the defensive. Trebol's semi-logia-like powers were the only thing preventing a swift defeat.
Lafitte and Diamante were evenly matched. Their sword skills were similar, but Diamante's ability gave him versatile tactics. Lafitte, having eaten the Golden Eagle Fruit, could fly, keeping the fight in a stalemate.
Daddy Masterson, Kuro, and a newly awakened Hogback (roused by Kuro and others) engaged Lao G, Gladius, and lesser Donquixote members.
Hogback focused on weaker enemies. In the past six months, he'd picked up basic martial arts, enough to hold his own against minor foes.
The ship's chef, Jessica, had hidden away before the fight — at Bucky's instruction. At her age and with her physical condition, joining the battle was impossible; staying safe was her greatest contribution.
Kuro was locked in a duel with Lao G. Despite Lao G's superior martial arts and experience, Kuro's blistering speed allowed him to hold his ground.
Daddy Masterson's sniping completely suppressed Gladius. His twin pistols forced Gladius into constant danger, and he occasionally picked off other enemies, keeping Hogback from being overwhelmed.