Though shaken by Aus's Conqueror's Haki, what Doflamingo truly feared wasn't Aus himself—who was actually three years younger—but the possible Roger Pirates remnants still backing him.
Sure, Pirate King Gol D. Roger got arrested, but his terrifyingly powerful crew? Not a single report of them going down.
The Donquixote Family's current strength? Nowhere near enough to tangle with monsters like that.
But this was just some fifteen-year-old punk. No way in hell he'd lose to this brat. Kill all the witnesses and who'd know he did it?
That kind of inflated thinking wasn't entirely on Doflamingo. Spending all his time in the Four Blues, he had zero clue how fucking terrifying New World powerhouses really were.
"Don't get too cocky, you bastard!!!"
An equally heart-stopping aura exploded outward. Black-red lightning from clashing Conqueror's Haki spread in web patterns everywhere.
But compared to Aus's Conqueror's Haki, Doflamingo's felt immature and wild.
Unlike Aus's domineering contempt for everything, his Conqueror's Haki leaked pure evil and brutality—like he was harboring every ounce of hatred for the world's injustices.
Just a slight finger curl.
Clusters of razor-thin threads materialized from his fingertips.
Fine as hair. To everyone watching, the threads were basically invisible—only cold light reflections gave them away.
The String-String Fruit—originally complete garbage—developed into a weapon sharp enough to slice through steel.
Killing move right off the bat. That vicious attack aimed straight for Aus's throat while Aus just stood there like he didn't have a care in the world, calmly watching Doflamingo's assault.
Die!!!
You're nothing but some lucky bastard who caught a ride! What right do you have to stand before me!!!
Bloodthirsty gleam flashed through Doflamingo's eyes as invisible threads cut through air.
Faint black coating added even more bite.
No matter how worthless he used to be, current Doflamingo with his Haki skills was absolutely elite-tier in Paradise!
Upstairs
The women watching went white with terror.
"Lord Aus!!!"
"No!!!"
To them, facing Doflamingo's brutal attack, Aus seemed completely oblivious—just standing there like a deer in headlights, ready for slaughter.
Some of the more timid ones already had their eyes squeezed shut, hands trembling as they covered their faces, terrified of seeing their hero get butchered.
No. 6 and No. 7 nearly lost it, wanting to charge down immediately. Only Sami's quick grab stopped them.
But her pupils were shaking too, glued to the scene below.
She knew once Aus fell, an enraged Doflamingo wouldn't spare a single soul. Everyone would die to feed his fury.
Just as onlookers tensely watched the center stage, already seeing blood in their minds, nobody caught the uncontrollable confusion spreading across Doflamingo's face.
What the hell?!
Why wasn't there that usual sensation of cutting through flesh and blood?
The tall man in front of him had seemed—for just one instant—like he didn't exist in this world at all, completely ignoring his killing move.
His vicious expression froze as he stared in disbelief at the man who hadn't budged an inch.
Then he spotted it—terrifying crimson light flashing through those pupils.
That slight upward curve of Aus's lips made everything that just happened look like toying with some clown.
Aus casually extended one hand toward the black threads that had just passed through his body, then grabbed them.
A little pressure—
Crack crack crack crack...
Like crushing uncooked noodles between his fingers.
Against Aus's flowing Ryuo, Doflamingo's shallow Armament Haki that created steel-cutting threads shattered piece by piece.
A pitch-black hand surging with red caught Doflamingo's throat while his mind went blank, lifting him clean off the ground with incomprehensible strength that couldn't be shaken.
This scene rocked Doflamingo's arrogant heart to its core!
The offense-to-defense reversal happened way too fast. Hundreds of red light district women watching from the sides stared with dropped jaws at Aus making his move.
No. 6, No. 7, everyone—stunned speechless. Even Lady Sami's cigarette fell from her mouth without her noticing.
Because now Aus was finally getting serious. His black hair moved without any wind.
"BOOM CRACK CRACK CRACK!!!"
Even thicker black-red lightning than his entrance suddenly exploded across the entire scene. Thunder like heaven's wrath crossed and scraped against itself, striking surrounding buildings and kicking up dust clouds.
Materialized Conqueror's Haki coating—Aus was using this technique purely for overwhelming presence. The effect was insane.
Already losing in the Conqueror's Haki clash, Doflamingo's entire aura got crushed flat, his whole body bearing unimaginable pressure.
Under this pressure, he couldn't even think about fighting back.
His worldview was getting rewritten.
"What kind of sick joke is this!!! How can the gap be this huge!!!"
Blood streamed from his mouth, dripping down his chin to the ground.
Rather than submit to this Haki, Doflamingo would bite his teeth to pieces before admitting the fear in his heart.
This power was so intense that even though Aus consciously avoided the red light district girls, leaked traces of residual might still dropped these people to their knees, delicate bodies shaking uncontrollably.
In the center of this overwhelming black-red thunder, only one proud figure stood tall—like some demon god emerging from the abyss.
First time he'd unleashed his full-power Haki without any restraint.
Even Aus felt like maybe his Conqueror's Haki was a bit too ridiculously strong for his age.
With Haki like this, he'd probably give people withdrawal symptoms later.
While feeling troubled about being too powerful, the force in Aus's hand didn't let up one bit.
Conqueror's Haki coating plus monster strength—even using less than one-tenth power, he still made Doflamingo's Armament Haki-coated neck creak and groan.
Under the double whammy of suffocation and mental pressure, after holding out for just a few seconds, the rookie who'd dominated North Blue—"Heavenly Yaksha" Doflamingo—finally went limp and passed out cold.
And so, (One Piece narrator voice)
At Sabaody Archipelago
In the Lawless Zone
The Donquixote Family, led by pirate "Heavenly Yaksha" Doflamingo with a 340 million berry bounty,
Encountered "Black Gun" Aus
And suffered complete defeat.
~~~~❃❃~~~~~~~~❃❃~~~~
The story isn't over...
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