Gasps swept through the crowd as a single dark figure appeared before the execution platform.
Every soul in Dressrosa knew that face—
the face whispered about in every tavern and alleyway, the monster who devoured men alive.
"It's him! The man-eating monster!"
"Run for your lives!"
"Don't panic! The King will protect us! Doflamingo's still here!"
"Wait—he only eats Doflamingo's people, right? I'm just a citizen! He won't eat me… right?"
Fear rippled like a wave through the gathered masses.
"E–Enren!"
From within the crowd, Kyros froze in disbelief.
So he's the one… the man that woman refused to betray, no matter what?
For a moment, he almost laughed. He'd wondered what kind of man could inspire such blind devotion—
he never imagined it would be White Flame, the same man he called his savior.
On the execution platform, Baby 5's eyes widened, tears glimmering in the sun.
"You… you came to save me?"
For this man, she had been willing to die.
And now—he'd come for her.
Even if it meant exposing himself to the world.
But the man before her didn't even glance back.
"Don't flatter yourself," White Flame said coldly, his voice cutting through the crowd's murmurs.
"If you hadn't ruined my game, I'd never have shown up."
He exhaled a thin stream of smoke.
"You stupid woman… if I'd known how much trouble you'd cause, I would've killed you first."
Baby 5's smile trembled, unbothered by his words.
"You came anyway," she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks. "That's enough for me."
White Flame sighed under his breath.
"…Hopeless."
"So," Doflamingo finally spoke, his grin twisting beneath his sunglasses.
"You're the one. The man who made Baby 5 betray me."
His voice shook with fury barely restrained.
He didn't care how White Flame had done it—
he only knew this creature had devoured his subordinates, his "family," one after another.
And now even Baby 5 had turned against him.
Only one thought filled Doflamingo's mind:
"Die."
With a sharp flick of his hand, dozens of nearly invisible threads exploded outward, weaving together into a massive whip of shining filament.
"Overheat!"
The line screamed through the air, long enough to slice a tower in two.
Doflamingo swung it straight toward White Flame.
"One move and you're already killing intent, huh?"
White Flame's tone didn't waver. "Doflamingo, don't fool yourself."
"You're no longer the untouchable 'Heavenly Yaksha'—no longer Dressrosa's untouchable king."
"In front of me, you're nothing but another insect with a bit of strength."
He raised his right arm.
[Sword Style – Serpent Blade]
[Armament Haki – Enfold]
A black Western sword unfolded in his grip, its blade wrapped in obsidian Haki.
He slashed upward.
CLANG!
Steel and string collided, sparks bursting like fireworks.
Both strikes, coated in Armament Haki, rang with the sound of forged iron.
White Flame's body held firm—matching Doflamingo's raw power blow for blow.
"You troublesome woman—get out of my sight!"
With a flick of his sleeve, a razor edge of steel cut through the ropes binding Baby 5.
"Little Black! Take her away!"
An unseen force caught Baby 5 midair, lifting her off the platform and carrying her far into the distance.
"Traitors don't get to escape!"
Pica's booming voice echoed as his enormous body merged into the ground, the entire stone plaza rumbling as he chased after her.
White Flame clicked his tongue.
"You shrieking freak… don't get in my way."
[Ten-Ton Drop!]
He slammed a foot down, the impact cracking the earth beneath him.
His palm struck the ground.
[Explosive Terrain!]
A surge of compressed power pulsed outward—
the plaza began to swell like an inflating balloon, stone bulging and warping with violent energy.
"That power—! Those are the abilities of Diamante, Gladius, and Machvise!"
Senor Pink's jaw fell open, his pacifier nearly dropping from his mouth.
He recognized each technique perfectly.
Every one of them belonged to his dead comrades.
"Don't tell me… this monster really can devour people's bodies—and steal their Devil Fruit powers!?"
"Master! Look out!" Senor shouted.
But the ground beneath Doflamingo erupted.
BOOM!
The entire execution tower detonated in a thunderous blast.
Chunks of stone rained down as the platform collapsed, shrouding the square in dust.
Pica surged back to protect his master, walls of solid rock shielding Doflamingo from the explosion.
Below, panicked citizens fled in all directions, desperate to escape the wrath of gods and monsters above.
"So it's true…" Doflamingo's voice cut through the roar.
"You eat your victims—and take their powers for yourself."
A low, mad laugh bubbled from his throat.
"Fufufufu… what an interesting little monster."
"But if you think that's enough to kill me—then you're more foolish than she is."
"Let me show you what happens to those who defy me."
His sunglasses gleamed as his killing intent flared.
[Sky Path!]
Doflamingo leapt, threads anchoring him to the air itself.
He streaked through the sky like a hunting hawk, closing the distance in a heartbeat.
[Five-Color Strings!]
Five shining filaments burst from his fingers—each a different hue, each razor-sharp and armored in Haki—
and slashed toward White Flame like the claws of a beast.
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