Chapter 150: The Tyrant's Fall and the People's Hope
Ian's development of his power was utterly unorthodox!
"Shield White Line!"
In a blind panic, Doflamingo manipulated the white threads on the ground, weaving them into two massive, layered shields. Every instinct screamed that a direct confrontation with this attack would be his end. The shields, forged from his Awakened power, had withstood the blows of giants before.
But he had still underestimated Ian.
HISSSSS—
The air itself screamed and tore as Ian's colossal fist descended. It hadn't even made contact, yet the sheer pressure and radiating heat were already causing the white shields to melt and warp. The unstoppable force made Doflamingo grind his teeth in furious desperation.
This was the application of Advanced Conqueror's Haki for a ranged strike! How could it possibly be this powerful?!
Doflamingo, who had possessed and honed his Conqueror's Haki since youth, had always believed his talent placed him among the elite. He had never slackened in his training, pushing his abilities to their absolute limits. Yet, compared to this teenage Marine, his own mastery of Haki felt clumsy, amateurish, utterly worthless!
BOOM!
CRACK!
SHATTER!
Finally, the white shields, overwhelmed by the terrifying infusion of Haki and heat, disintegrated completely. The giant fist plowed through the remnants of the defense and slammed towards Doflamingo.
BOOM!
It wasn't that he didn't want to dodge. The very air around him had been compressed and solidified by the attack's pressure, pinning him in place. The ground quaked violently, and the scattered white threads ignited from the extreme temperatures, shooting pillars of fire into the sky.
THUMP... BOOM!
The giant fist halted a hair's breadth from crushing Doflamingo, but the transferred force was immense. He was launched through the air like a cannonball. With a desperate, last-ditch effort, he managed to create just enough space to avoid being pancaked into the ground, but he was utterly helpless against the momentum. He became a streak of light, blasting through his own tangled webs of string and the solid stone of the royal city's structures, not stopping until he smashed into the thick outer wall with a sickening crunch.
Cough! Hack!
Doflamingo collapsed to the ground, covered in blood, multiple ribs shattered. His eyes were wide with a mixture of sheer shock and bitter refusal to accept this reality. In terms of raw durability, he was far inferior to a monster like "Drought" Jack. His Awakening had enhanced his versatility and control, not his endurance. It was no wonder that despite his grand ambitions, he remained in the upper-middle tier of the Warlords, a far cry from the true top tiers, let alone an Emperor. His fear of Kaido was now painfully understandable.
As Doflamingo fell, the Birdcage's contraction stuttered to a halt, though the threads themselves did not vanish. Ian knew what this meant; his blow had been devastating, but not fatal.
Even from a hundred meters away, Ian's enhanced vision could see the white threads, now under Doflamingo's subconscious control, swarming over his body like surgical sutures. They wove through his flesh, knitting together broken bones and torn organs at an incredible rate. The String-String Fruit's utility was remarkable.
He's clever, Ian acknowledged. To develop a Paramecia to this level of versatility is impressive. But no matter how creatively one developed a mediocre fruit, it would always be limited by its inherent nature. It could never truly compete with the top-tier powers.
Unless, of course, one had a system.
Ian began to walk forward, his Awakened form still active. But now, with each step he took, a wave of intense cold radiated from him. The ground beneath his feet flash-froze, encased in thick, crystalline ice.
Awakening Form: Extreme Cold Mode.
The principle was the same as the heat mode, but in reverse—plunging his body's surface temperature far below any human's freezing point. The fiery-looking clouds wreathed around his body now burned with a chilling, pale, yellow-white light, like the frigid breath of the underworld. His skin took on a deathly, pale white hue.
"The lines! They've stopped!"
"Did Vice Admiral Ian win? Did he beat Doflamingo?"
"He must have! I saw his crew taking down the other officers!"
"Thank the seas! Lieutenant General Ian saved us!"
"Wait... no! They're moving again!"
"Don't panic! I believe he'll stop him for good this time!"
"He's right! We can't just wait to die! Let's find something to hold these strings back! Buy Lieutenant General Ian more time!"
"Yes! He's fighting for us! We have to fight too!"
The brief respite had been enough. The people, inspired by Ian's valor and King Riku's words, found their courage. They could not just be passive victims; they would actively fight for their own survival.
On the other side of the palace, the gaps torn in the walls by Nami's tornado provided the perfect entry point. Skylark, leading the Tontatta warriors, swiftly reunited with Nami and stormed into the palace.
[Ding!]
[Congratulations to the host for successfully defeating Lao G, "Donquixote Family Officer"!]
[Reward: 450 Enhancement Points!]
[Current Points: 7276!]
With most of the family's officers deployed outside, only Lao G and a handful of grunts were left to guard the elevator hall. Lao G, a master of physical martial arts but lacking a Devil Fruit, stood no chance against the combined might of the Tontatta and two of Ian's cadres. He fell within minutes.
Ever since Ian had enhanced his subordinates' senses, he had found he could also reap points from the enemies they defeated. It was an efficient way to power-level his crew, and the results were proving excellent.
"The toys in the underground world should have reverted," Skylark stated, her voice calm. "It will be chaos down there. All of you, please be careful."
"Don't worry," Nami added, her draconic voice resonating with newfound confidence. "If there's any trouble, leave it to the two of us. You focus on rescuing your princess and your people!"
She felt a profound sense of fulfillment. She was eternally grateful to Ian for granting her this Mythical Zoan power. With this strength, she could finally follow in her mother's footsteps and become a true Marine—one who protected the weak and upheld justice. This was the life she had always dreamed of, and Ian had made it possible.
"Skylark Lando, Nami Lando... thank you!" the Tontatta warriors chorused, their tiny voices filled with immense gratitude before they scurried off into the depths of the palace to begin their rescue mission.
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