Before the terrified citizens of Dressrosa, three colossal giants suddenly appeared, towering into the heavens and blotting out the sun.
Their immense shadows swallowed the kingdom in darkness, as if the end of days had come.
Despair spread through Dressrosa like wildfire.
Even Pica—transformed into his mighty Stone Giant form—stared in shock. Across from him stood not one, but two enormous figures: an Island Giant and Barrett's Fusion Titan.
His heart sank. The massive form he had always prided himself on suddenly felt insignificant.
"Let's see what you're made of!" Barrett bellowed, laughter echoing through the sky.
"Titan Cannon!"
The Fusion Titan's colossal fist swung downward like a meteor, colliding with the Stone Giant before everyone's stunned eyes.
The impact shook the land.
But in the very next instant—something no one could've predicted happened.
Pica's Stone Giant shattered like brittle tofu. The Fusion Titan's punch obliterated its arm—and then its entire head exploded into rubble.
From a distance, Avalo Pizarro, the Island King, narrowed his eyes and immediately backed away from Barrett.
That madman had wrapped his entire gargantuan body in Armament Haki—something Pizarro himself couldn't do even if he tried. His own Haki was far weaker in comparison.
Shards of stone rained down upon Dressrosa, forcing the panicked citizens to scatter in terror.
"Gravity Blade: Uplift Wave!"
One of Souta's Seraphim constructs—the Heavenly Path—unsheathed the black blade Shusui and unleashed a sweeping purple aura that enveloped the falling debris. In an instant, the massive stones froze midair, suspended above the city.
"Too weak!" Barrett roared in frustration. "Not even worth my time!"
"Nyahaha! That's because you're too damn strong!" Pizarro laughed, channeling his Island-Island Fruit power as he fought Pica for control over the island's very body.
Pica's Stone-Stone Fruit allowed him to merge with and control the rock of Dressrosa itself, but Pizarro's Island-Island Fruit gave him dominion over everything the island contained.
Now, it was a contest of strength and endurance—whose Devil Fruit mastery would prevail?
If Barrett wanted, he could join the struggle too. His Fusion-Fusion Fruit allowed him to merge with any inorganic matter—making him a natural rival to both.
Three Paramecia-type powers, all capable of dominating the environment itself.
Yet Barrett had already lost interest in this so-called opponent.
He shed his Fusion Titan form, looking elsewhere. "Let's see what this Doflamingo's really worth."
The Warlord who wielded all three types of Haki and an awakened String-String Fruit might at least provide a challenge.
After all, anyone capable of awakening both Conqueror's Haki and a Devil Fruit was no ordinary man.
Meanwhile, at the colosseum—Diamante, the top officer of the Spade Army—watched in horror as Pica's Stone Giant was smashed apart. His eyes widened, tears and snot running down his face.
Among the four top executives of the Donquixote Family, Pica had always been considered the strongest. Even Vergo, the original Heart officer and undercover Marine, had never managed to defeat him.
Pica's Armament Haki could coat his entire body, rivaling Vergo's mastery of close combat. And with his Stone-Stone Fruit, it was almost impossible to locate his true body. Most opponents were worn down long before they ever reached him.
But all of that strength—gone in a single blow.
"Die, Diamante!"
As the commander stood frozen in disbelief, a toy soldier with a broken leg lunged forward, stabbing at Diamante's heart with a toy rifle. Beside him, a pink-haired girl swung a gleaming sword down at his head.
"Who the hell—?!"
"Steel Cloak!"
Diamante snapped his red cape in front of him, transforming it into solid steel. Sparks flew as the toy soldier's blade and the girl's sword clashed against it.
"Ah… remnants of the Riku royal bloodline," Diamante sneered coldly.
"Half-Moon Burial!"
He swung his sword, releasing a crescent wave of cutting energy that tore through the ground like paper.
Aside from being a Paramecia user of the Flag-Flag Fruit, Diamante was also a skilled swordsman. In his prime, he had even trained Trafalgar Law in the basics of swordsmanship.
"Give back Scarlet's life!!"
Cyrus and Rebecca dodged the slash, their faces twisted with rage.
Years ago, Diamante had killed Scarlet—Cyrus's wife, Rebecca's mother, and Violet's sister—the beloved princess of the Riku line.
That day, she had simply gone out to buy food… and never returned.
"Hmph. A broken toy and a royal brat," Diamante spat. "If the Kiryuu Pirates weren't here, I'd crush you both where you stand!"
"Army Flag!"
He activated his fruit again, turning the entire battlefield into a rolling sea of cloth. The ground waved beneath Cyrus and Rebecca's feet, throwing them off balance.
"But before I make my escape," he sneered, "I can at least clean up the trash."
"Death Starfall!"
He launched several cannon-like fireworks into the sky. They burst into a storm of glittering confetti—then hardened into razor-sharp iron thorns that rained down like deadly meteors.
As the metallic storm engulfed the arena, Diamante turned and ran without hesitation.
Pica was down. Doflamingo hadn't shown himself. It wasn't hard to guess his captain's plan.
If he didn't flee now, he'd never get another chance.
But then—
"ROOM: Transfer!"
A cold, calm voice cut through the chaos. Cyrus and Rebecca vanished from the battlefield, reappearing safely beyond the deadly storm.
"You traitorous brat!" Diamante snarled.
He recognized that voice instantly—Trafalgar Law.
They had once taken him in: a dying child with Amber Lead Syndrome. Fed him, trained him, gave him a home. And this was how he repaid them—by betraying the Family after being swayed by Corazon's lies.
If Diamante had known it would come to this, he would've let the boy die from his illness back then.
"Where is Doflamingo hiding?" Law demanded coldly, his amber eyes filled with murderous intent.
The Donquixote Family had taken in hundreds of children over the years. Only Baby 5, Buffalo, and Law had survived. The rest—killed by the Family's cruel, parasitic training.
The blood of those innocent children was on their hands.
"You join the Kiryuu Pirates and think you can shout Doflamingo's name like that?" Diamante growled. "You're nothing but an arrogant lapdog."
"Army Flag!"
"Death Starfall!"
"Snake Blade!"
He unleashed a furious combo of techniques.
From the raining steel thorns, a massive whip-like sword—dozens of meters long—snapped and twisted through the air like a serpent, lunging toward Law's chest.
The battle for vengeance had truly begun.