"It seems Kaido… still wasn't able to survive Michael's hands, huh?"
Lowering his head as he watched the blast expand in midair, its shockwave ripping violently outward in all directions, Bullet let out a sigh.
This outcome… was something they had somewhat anticipated.
But they never expected it to come this fast.
"When Golden Lion fought Michael, the battle was extremely short. That's because once he tore off his ship's rudder, Golden Lion's life had already reached its end… he had less than ten minutes to live."
"But Kaido had Conqueror's Haki no weaker than Golden Lion, a far stronger and healthier body, and he's in his prime… I thought at the very least he'd be able to fight that bastard Michael for a full day and night."
"Never thought that in just two hours… he'd already meet his end?"
"But it's fine… if that's the case, then Wano and Michael's life—will be ours to take!"
Bullet's low, rumbling voice echoed on.
And Red the Aloof, seated at the protruding platform near the waist of Bullet's current thirty-thousand-meter-tall combined robot—precisely where Bullet's true body was—spoke lightly.
"Do you still have confidence in defeating Michael now?"
"With the combination of the Clank-Clank Fruit and the More-More Fruit, this thirty-thousand-meter giant robot—speaking purely in terms of physical power—has already surpassed every living creature in the world."
"But you must know… strength alone doesn't always decide victory."
"Then that only means… the strength isn't strong enough!"
"That's what you think?" Red the Aloof raised an eyebrow, then sighed. "Anyway, I'm already very old… I've always been alone, drifting through this sea."
"Now, though I've run into you two rather unpleasant fellows… you're still companions I never had before."
"So I'll accompany the two of you until the final moment."
Bullet snorted coldly at his words.
"Old man, what are you getting sentimental for? When disaster comes, everyone runs for themselves."
"Though… I definitely won't be able to run."
And from the base platform below, the voice of Byrnndi World drifted up.
"You two… could you be any more pessimistic…"
"With my fruit right now, while maintaining the hundredfold enhancement of the combined robot, I can still give you one more boost of speed… probably close to thirty times."
"Whether we succeed or not… depends on this strike."
...
"Fufufufufu, no matter who wins on that side, the one who will profit in the end—will definitely be me!" Doflamingo flicked out a technique, then rapidly retreated.
From each of his five fingers, he created an almost transparent, ultra-thin thread, swinging them like beast claws—sharp and durable—sending slicing strikes forward.
Hancock frowned slightly, coating her leg with Armament Haki, neutralizing the attack.
Doflamingo's fruit ability, when facing opponents who didn't use weapons, indeed gave him a certain advantage.
After all, most techniques of the String-String Fruit involved "cutting" or "sharpness."
Fortunately, Armament Haki was something Hancock lacked none of.
And as a disciple under Garp, she possessed her own unique understanding of Armament Haki. She had no fear of running dry.
However…
Hancock looked coldly at the suddenly laughing Doflamingo…
Was this guy getting a bit too arrogant? He was being crushed just moments ago…
"Boa Hancock, are you wondering why I'm laughing?"
"A little curious, but not remotely interested." Hancock made a "stop talking" gesture. "After all, I only need to beat you until even thinking makes your whole body hurt and collapse."
"Tch, you really do sound like Garp's disciple!"
Doflamingo casually glanced around—members of the Donquixote Family lay scattered everywhere.
To be precise… they had been instantly wiped out in just Hancock's first exchange.
However…
He never said these "executives" were the real ones.
Doflamingo bent a finger, and the bodies of the Donquixote Family members on the ground instantly revealed their true forms.
Not people at all—just masses of thread bundled into…
Fake puppets.
Those threads shot upward, then scattered down like falling snow.
"What are you… doing?"
"No harm in telling you… as a Vice Admiral, you should know what Dyna Stones are, right?"
"Dyna Stones… wait, how did you get those!?"
"I can only say—some people want you Marines to suffer even more than we pirates do." Doflamingo hooked his right index finger, and a strange light flickered atop an empty hill in the distance.
The next moment, it was leveled by a violent explosion.
Hancock turned toward the blast site, her expression darkening.
"My subordinates have already buried Dyna Stones throughout all of Wano… especially around the Flower Capital. There are plenty there." Doflamingo licked his lips. "And only I have my threads anchored to every location—and only I can trigger them. Meaning, if you want to kill me… I'll blow all of Wano sky-high."
Hancock's brows tightened instantly.
This… is truly troublesome!
Defeating Doflamingo himself wasn't hard…
But protecting the civilians while doing so—was too difficult.
Even if there was a chance he was bluffing…
Hancock couldn't gamble.
Right now, she did not have the psychological readiness to bear the lives of an entire nation.
...
"What was that explosion?" Kozuki Toki wiped the blood from Oto and Kogarashi, but her attention was drawn to the blasts outside the castle. "Momonosuke, Hiyori, did you hear it?"
"Mother, it came from due south…" Momonosuke frowned. "I'll gather the guards stationed in the Flower Capital immediately and go investigate."
"Be careful."
"Yes, Mother."
After Momonosuke and Hiyori left, Toki continued carefully wiping Oto and Kogarashi.
Not far away, where once stood two people… now lay four and a half.
Diamante, the Flag-Flag Fruit user, was completely dead.
"Demon Bamboo" Vergo, benefiting from far stronger Armament Haki and physical toughness, barely clung to a final breath.
In his dying moments, Vergo gave Toki a strained, eerie smile.
"Haha… hahaha… the explosions you just heard… will soon be echoing through every corner of Wano."
"This country… will either belong to Doffy…"
"Or it'll be blasted into the sky!"
Toki stepped before him and, without hesitation, thrust Oto straight into Vergo's brow.
"So noisy…"
"Tch, now I have to wipe them again."
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Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg