His mastery of the sword-cane in combat also made Issho's Armament Haki astonishingly powerful.
Doflamingo had once had a subordinate who was an expert in Armament Haki, but compared to Issho, it seemed as though only Issho truly understood the proper way to wield it.
Even among those skilled in Haki, there are clear differences in strength. Those who train Armament Haki may invest the same effort, yet the results and level of mastery can vary drastically.
Vergo, known as "Demon Bamboo," was once a top Armament Haki user in the Donquixote Family. Even across the New World, his skill was considered first-rate. But standing next to Issho, he was still far outmatched.
Doflamingo knew the full extent of his subordinates' abilities, and after fighting Issho for some time, he could feel it clearly: this blind man before him was likely the strongest user of Armament Haki he had ever encountered—second only to Lord El himself.
Armament Haki already had strict tiers of proficiency. That was nothing compared to Conqueror's Haki, which far fewer could awaken, requiring the innate quality of a true king.
Seeing Issho wield Armament Haki with such sublime skill surprised Doflamingo, but it did not fill him with fear. For one simple reason: Donquixote Doflamingo also possessed the spirit of a king and had awakened Conqueror's Haki.
Conqueror's Haki was not just impressive in name. Ordinary pirates and Marines could not even maintain their consciousness in the presence of someone with strong Conqueror's Haki.
The saying "strength lies in numbers" meant almost nothing against such masters. No matter how many gathered, if their individual strength was insufficient, they would collapse instantly before the pressure of Conqueror's Haki.
Issho's Armament Haki was indeed formidable, and Doflamingo had no easy way to counter it at the moment. But Conqueror's Haki was a rare gift not everyone could attain.
If all else failed, Doflamingo still had this trump card to rely on. Even if Issho's Armament Haki was strong enough to resist its full effects, the shockwave would still leave him momentarily disoriented—and that split second would be Doflamingo's chance to strike.
The only regret… Doflamingo sighed inwardly. He could not yet use Conqueror's Haki the way Captain El did—infusing it into his body and weapons during battle just as he would with Armament Haki.
If he could reach that level, this blind swordsman would not be nearly as difficult to handle.
"Oh?"
Sensing the shift in Doflamingo's aura, Issho slid his sword-cane back into its sheath. He gripped the hilt with one hand and the scabbard with the other, holding the blade diagonally before him.
"Conqueror's Haki… is it?"
Doflamingo frowned slightly. "So you do recognize it. Let's see how you plan to defend against it!"
Bzzz!
A ripple almost invisible to the naked eye exploded outward from Doflamingo in an instant.
This was the terrifying power of Conqueror's Haki—something only those born with the qualities of a ruler could awaken and gradually master.
At this stage, however, Doflamingo could not yet control it with perfect precision.
True masters like Silvers Rayleigh could unleash it over a hundred people and target only a select few, knocking them unconscious while leaving everyone else completely unharmed.
Of course, even bringing ordinary Haki to a high level was no small feat. It stood to reason that Conqueror's Haki—far rarer and harder to awaken—would be even more difficult to refine.
At present, Doflamingo had little to show for his training in this area. Compared to El, he was still leagues behind.
Even so, he remained confident that Conqueror's Haki would give him the edge he needed against Issho. At least, that was what he told himself before he unleashed it.
But the result was not what he expected. Issho did feel the impact of the Conqueror's pressure, yet it did not create the large opening Doflamingo had counted on.
The brief lapse in focus was far too short to allow a follow-up attack.
"So you are also a wielder of Conqueror's Haki… in that case, I must not be hasty."
Hearing Issho say this, Doflamingo's frown deepened and a sense of unease crept into his chest. What did he mean by that? Did he still hold back even more power?
Doflamingo could not help but wonder. Ever since their fight began, Issho had repeatedly exceeded his expectations—whether it was his overwhelming command of the Gravity Fruit, his unmatched defensive power, or his strangely impenetrable Armament Haki.
All in all, this blind swordsman was easily the most troublesome opponent Doflamingo had faced in a long time.
"Gravity Blade… Fierce Tiger!"
Issho drew his sword and swung it horizontally forward with immense force.
"What—!"
"Ugh!"
Doflamingo barely had time to react before a sudden, sideways surge of gravity slammed him flying backward.
Worse, the entire space around him was now being manipulated by the strange power of the Gravity Fruit.
The gravitational pull became completely irregular, tugging his body in every direction at once.
Crack!
Even the sunglasses perched on Doflamingo's face strained under the overwhelming pressure, threatening to shatter.
"Argh!"
Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he was hurled sideways. At first, he managed to brace himself using Armament Haki, but only for a single moment. Any longer, and his defense would give way.
BOOM!
Skidding across the ground, Doflamingo crashed straight into the outer wall of the auction house, his body embedding itself deep into the stone.
CRASH!
The wall collapsed, sending bricks and debris raining down over him. Yet this damage was nothing compared to the force of Issho's Devil Fruit.
No wonder Lord El had warned him this man was not to be underestimated… No wonder El had not placed much confidence in his chances.
Had Lord El already sensed this hidden strength long before?
Doflamingo dared not let resentment toward El creep into his thoughts, but he could see clearly now: he was completely outmatched. He had no strength left to stand against such a formidable foe.
If only… he had not underestimated his opponent from the very start. He had only himself to blame for ending up in this state.
Had he taken Issho seriously from the beginning, even if he could not win, he would never have been defeated so utterly.
"Ugh!"
Doflamingo struggled to push away the rubble pinning him down, straining to pull himself upright.
"I would advise you not to waste your strength…"
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