Kai was too strong.
Strong enough that even Doflamingo could no longer be certain of victory.
If they kept fighting, Doflamingo even felt that he might truly lose.
The outcome was fifty-fifty.
And if he really lost, Doflamingo did not dare imagine what would happen next.
With that concern pressing down on him, no matter how furious he was, he did not dare drag the fight into a life-or-death battle against Kai.
Even though one of the Donquixote Family's major sources of income had been destroyed by Kai.
Even though a luxurious casino had been reduced to ruins before his very eyes.
Doflamingo still did not dare tear all restraint away and fight Kai to the bitter end.
The reason was simple.
Kai was too powerful.
Powerful enough to put unprecedented pressure on him.
Powerful enough to make him hesitate.
"If this continues, I might not lose… but I might not win either."
"Even if I do win, the price will be unbearable."
"That result is not something I can accept."
"And it is not something the Donquixote Family can afford."
"If I am seriously injured here, the other pirates in these waters will be more than happy to replace the Donquixote Family."
Doflamingo's face darkened.
The more he thought about it, the more concerns filled his mind.
This battle had lasted nearly two hours.
It had destroyed one of the Donquixote Family's luxurious casinos.
It had ruined more than a thousand meters of the surrounding streets.
The bustling heart of Demon Town had been nearly wiped off the map.
All that remained was devastation.
Cracked ground.
Collapsed buildings.
Shattered stone.
A ruined battlefield full of dust and wreckage.
The once-prosperous street now looked like an abandoned relic worn away by time.
Broken.
Desolate.
Chilling to look at.
"Damn brat…"
"One day…"
"I'll take back everything I lost today."
"This time, I'll let you go for now."
Doflamingo clenched his teeth.
His heart burned with humiliation.
This fight had been stifling.
At first, he had been suppressed almost completely.
Later, after unleashing his Devil Fruit Awakening, he had only managed to pull the fight back to a draw.
Even then, he had still failed to truly shake Kai.
At most, they were evenly matched.
That was not the result Doflamingo wanted.
With his arrogant personality, how could he accept fighting a five-year-old child to a draw?
It was shameful.
More importantly, the Donquixote Family's casino had been destroyed, and as the family's young master, he could do nothing about it.
That helplessness nearly drove Doflamingo mad.
But there was no way around it.
Kai was too strong.
Strong enough that Doflamingo did not dare continue.
If they really fought until one of them fell, the result would be disastrous no matter who won.
Doflamingo could not be sure whether other pirates would move against the Donquixote Family once he was badly injured.
If that happened, he might not even have the strength left to resist.
And there was another issue.
Kai was the greatest genius in Marine history.
A monster known as the Fist Demon.
Was he truly alone in Demon Town?
Or were there other Marines behind him?
The more Doflamingo thought, the more wary he became.
Seeing Doflamingo remain silent, Kai asked again.
"If you still want to fight, I'll keep going."
Fight?
Kai did not fear it.
If they truly fought to the end, Kai believed his chances of winning were slightly higher.
Of course, he also had to consider the three Donquixote Family top officers watching from the side.
If he burned everything to defeat Doflamingo, he was not confident he could then deal with Trebol, Pica, and Diamante at the same time.
Those three were not weak.
At his peak, Kai could crush them easily.
But now, his strength had fallen to less than a tenth of its usual state.
If he kept fighting Doflamingo until both of them were spent, those three officers might surround and kill him.
Kai and Doflamingo stared at each other.
Neither looked away.
Both carried caution in their eyes.
Doflamingo finally exhaled heavily.
He suppressed the anger and frustration in his heart, staring coldly at Kai while forcing himself to adjust his condition.
This battle had left him badly injured.
He was not dying.
But his injuries were still serious.
Even with his powerful physique, he would need at least three to five days to fully recover.
"How pathetic…"
"I fought a five-year-old brat to a draw?"
"Fist Demon Kai really is a terrifying enemy."
Doflamingo's wariness rose even higher.
After a long silence, he finally replied.
"Fist Demon Kai, remember this. Sooner or later, I'll take back what I lost today."
"For now, this fight ends here."
Doflamingo agreed.
Even if he did not want to, he had no better choice.
Taking down Kai was unrealistic.
Kai's strength had exceeded his imagination.
After that brutal clash, Doflamingo understood one thing clearly.
With his current strength, he could not defeat Kai with certainty.
If they continued, the most likely result was mutual destruction.
And the Donquixote Family could not afford that.
Even after losing the casino, their business empire had not been completely severed.
The family's power was still rising.
At a time like this, they could not lose their young master.
Without him, the Donquixote Family would fracture.
Or worse, it would become prey for countless vultures across the sea.
That was why Doflamingo chose to stop.
"You want to take back your pride?"
"I'll be waiting."
Kai laughed.
Since Doflamingo did not want to continue, Kai was happy to stop as well.
As for Doflamingo's threat to reclaim his dignity in the future?
Kai was honestly looking forward to it.
Because by then…
Who knew how strong Kai would already be?
Would Doflamingo still be qualified to stand before him?
Maybe not.
"I do hope…"
Kai looked deeply at Doflamingo, his smile full of mockery.
"When that time comes, you'll still have the courage to say what you just said."
In another six months, Kai was confident he would completely surpass Doflamingo.
At that point, dealing with him would no longer be as difficult as today.
Perhaps it would not be an instant crush.
But Kai was certain he would be able to defeat Doflamingo head-on.
"Hmph!"
Doflamingo snorted coldly and did not attack again.
Kai withdrew the Armament Haki covering his arms.
His Observation Haki also faded.
Doflamingo likewise ended his Devil Fruit Awakening.
Maintaining Awakening for nearly an hour had drained most of his stamina and spirit.
Combined with the injuries Kai had inflicted, Doflamingo's condition was terrible.
Recovering from those wounds would take days.
Kai was also covered in wounds.
Doflamingo's threads had cut him many times, leaving his body streaked with blood.
In terms of visible injuries, Kai looked worse than Doflamingo.
But most of them were shallow flesh wounds.
Only a few had truly damaged him.
With Kai's terrifying physique, those injuries would likely heal in a day or two.
Compared with his battle against Edward Weevil, this fight had actually left him with lighter injuries.
"No one has ever made me look this pathetic before."
"Fist Demon Kai… I'll remember you."
"I have to admit it."
"You are a terrifying opponent."
"One of the most dangerous enemies I have ever faced."
"But one day, I'll take back the face I lost today."
Doflamingo left one final threat.
With his personality, if he had even a little more confidence, he would never have let Kai leave alive.
After all, the Donquixote Family had just lost one of its largest sources of income.
If Kai had been even slightly weaker…
Doflamingo would have killed him here no matter the cost.
In the end, it was Kai's terrifying strength that forced him to restrain himself.
"You want your dignity back?"
"I'll wait."
Kai smiled faintly.
Then, as if remembering something, he took out an envelope and casually tossed it toward Doflamingo.
"Oh, right. I almost forgot."
"This is an invitation from the Marines."
"Read it."
"And once you're done, give me your answer as soon as possible."
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