Crushing the Flamingo

"Fuffuffuffu...!!"

Doflamingo's maniacal laughter echoed through the wind and snow. His face was twisted, and his pink feather coat had long since been soaked through with blood. Thick blood dripped from his chin, but it did nothing to conceal the madness flashing in his eyes.

He threw his arms wide, and the earth beneath him suddenly rose and surged like ocean waves. The awakened power of the String-String Fruit instantly transformed the ruins for hundreds of meters around into a domain of white threads!

"Roy!!"

The roar erupted like a volcano. Conqueror's Haki burst forth, and red-black lightning split the night sky, pouring out in every direction with an aura of destruction. Snow was blasted into the air, and the air itself seemed to burn!

"You think... I'd lose to someone like you?!"

Doflamingo's eyes were bloodshot, and veins bulged at his temples like coiling dragons.

Roy watched him coldly, not a ripple in his eyes, though his lips slowly curled into a sneer. "Conqueror's Haki?"

The next second—

"Boom!!!"

Conqueror's Haki even more violent than Doflamingo's erupted from Roy. Black-red lightning, like a dragon that devoured everything, instantly crushed Doflamingo's Haki domain!

That overwhelming presence was like the descent of a god!

The curtain of snow was blasted into the air like a surging tide, and the dark clouds overhead were torn apart, revealing the pitch-black night sky!

Doflamingo's pupils contracted, his face turned deathly pale, and his knees buckled beyond his control. "You've got to be kidding... How is this possible...?"

But before the fear in his heart could fully erupt, he slammed his hands together and roared in fury, "Thousand Arrows: Piercing Heart: Feather Thread!!"

The earth exploded, and countless threads coated in Armament Haki poured forth like a torrential downpour, threatening to swallow Roy in a white sea of death!

Roy's gaze turned cold. He slowly drew back his right arm, Armament Haki winding wildly around his fist like black flames, turning it into a meteor of destruction!

"Fist Bone: Meteor!"

"Boom!!!"

A terrifying shock wave erupted with a thunderous crash. The air shattered like glass, and every thread crumbled to dust the instant it touched the force of his punch!

Doflamingo was hurled backward through the violent aftermath like a kite with a snapped string, crashing through three buildings and sending bricks and stone flying. Amid billowing dust, he spat out a mouthful of blood before finally managing to stop!

"Shigan: Madara!!"

A sudden whistle sliced through the air from the shadows!

Vergo shot forward like a sword, his entire body clad in black Armament Haki. His fingers gleamed with a chilling light as he thrust them straight at Roy's back, aiming for his heart!

"You're asking for death."

Roy raised his eyelids slightly. Without looking back, he swung his left fist behind him, bringing down a Fist Bone like a thunderbolt!

"Clang!!"

The instant Vergo's Armament Haki collided with Roy's fist, it rang out like clashing steel! Sparks flew, and the air shook violently!

"It's no use!!"

Vergo grinned viciously, a trace of smugness flashing in his eyes. "My Armament Haki is—"

"Crack!!"

A sharp cracking sound rang out. Vergo's eyes widened, filled with disbelief!

His seemingly thick layer of Armament Haki had cracked like glass!

"What?!"

"Bang!!"

The next instant, the punch slammed squarely into Vergo's chest! His chest caved in, and blood mixed with bone fragments gushed from his mouth!

Vergo flew backward dozens of meters like a rag doll with its strings cut, crashing deep into the ruins, where rubble swallowed him whole.

Blood seeped through the gaps between the broken stones, staining the snow red.

Just then—

"Eight Holy Bullets: God Thread!!!"

Doflamingo's roar rang across the snowy plain. Eight great waves of white thread, coated in Armament Haki, shot up from the ground like spears of judgment, tearing through the blizzard and stabbing straight at Roy!

Roy finally turned, his gaze colder than ice. "Each and every one of you—I've really been too lenient with you, haven't I?"

Space suddenly rippled in his palm—

"Whoosh!!!"

All eight God Threads vanished at once, only to appear before the gravely wounded Vergo the next second!

"Doffy... save..."

The flash of death reflected in Vergo's eyes. He struggled to get up, but it was already too late.

"Boom, boom, boom, boom!!!"

The eight streams of white thread swallowed him whole, splattering flesh and shattered bone across the snow in a grisly pattern. Even his screams were drowned out by the thunderous blasts.

"Ver... go...?"

Doflamingo stood frozen, his sunglasses slipping down to reveal bloodshot eyes.

His lips trembled, and a discordant roar forced its way from his throat.

Vergo, his top officer, his family, his right-hand man... had died just like that?

"Roy!!!"

Roy's cape snapped in the blizzard as he walked slowly toward the shattered Doflamingo, Haki winding around his fist once more. "Time to end this, little turkey."

Doflamingo jerked his head up, his eyes webbed with blood, but he had already lost the will to fight.

His body trembled slightly, whether from anger or fear he did not know.

"Young Master!!"

In the distance, Trebol, Pica, Diamante, and the other Donquixote Family officers finally arrived.

But when they saw the battlefield clearly, everyone felt as though they had plunged into an ice cellar, their faces turning deathly pale.

Vergo's broken remains were pinned to the ruins, blood staining the entire snowfield red like a bloody flag of disgrace.

And Roy had one hand on Doflamingo's head, pressing him firmly against the shattered ground.

His fist, coated in Armament Haki like black flames, was raised high, as though it would crush that proud head the next second!

"Rear Admiral! Please spare him!!"

Trebol rushed forward, wailing, snot and tears smeared across his fat cheeks. He was a complete mess.

Roy turned his head slightly and swept him with an indifferent glance, as though looking at an ant. "What right does a pirate have to bargain with me?"

Trebol fell to his knees in the snow with a thud, his voice trembling. "We... we're willing to pay! As long as you spare the young master, we'll give you anything!"

"Treasure? Wealth?"

Roy sneered, the Armament Haki on his fist flickering slightly. "What could you possibly have that's worth sparing him for?"

Trebol hurriedly knocked his head against the ground, his voice shaking. "Devil Fruits! And intelligence! Just say the word, and we'll offer them up with both hands!"

Diamante hurriedly added, "Rear Admiral, we recently acquired a Logia Devil Fruit... It's definitely enough to buy the young master's life!"

The moment he said that, Doflamingo's pupils contracted, and his face darkened as he lay pinned to the ground.

Clearly, he was extremely unwilling to trade the fruit for his life. His face twitched, and he wanted to say something, but under the pressure of Roy's mountain-like hand, he ultimately could not speak.

Roy raised an eyebrow, a meaningful glint flashing in his eyes.

"A Logia, huh..."

He glanced over the officers kneeling on the ground, then looked down at the subdued Doflamingo, his gaze as impassive as an abyss.

As things stand, the Marines still can't openly defy the World Government... It's time to find suitable Devil Fruits for Ace and the others.

Besides, I've completed my mission here. Sparing these small fries won't affect the bigger picture. As for Dressrosa... Hmph, I'm afraid they won't get the chance...

He looked away, his voice cold and calm. "Fine. All your Devil Fruits and intelligence in exchange for Doflamingo's life, including that Logia Devil Fruit. Deliver them to the designated location within a week."

"Don't even think about trying to fool me. If I want to find you, you won't escape."

As though granted a pardon, Trebol repeatedly knocked his head against the ground. "Yes! Yes! We'll make the preparations immediately!"

Roy slowly released his hand. Doflamingo staggered to his feet, his expression twisting for an instant. The humiliation and anger in his eyes nearly burst forth, but in the end, he chose silence.

"Get lost."

Roy spoke indifferently, his gaze icy. "There won't be a next time, little turkey."

The Donquixote Family officers hurriedly supported Doflamingo and retreated in a sorry state.

Amid the wind and snow, Doflamingo looked back at Roy. His gaze was as venomous as a snake's, as though he meant to carve the humiliation of this moment into the depths of his soul.

He would never forget this disgrace.

Roy stood amid the wind and snow, watching the Donquixote Family leave.

After a long while, he slowly turned and walked toward Rosinante and Law's hiding place.

"Phew..."

Just then, tiny particles of light slowly gathered beside him, forming a blurry figure. Kizaru's lazy figure gradually appeared, his hands in his pockets and a hint of a smile on his lips.

"Oh my, how extraordinary, Rear Admiral Roy. You actually made a deal with them."

Kizaru gave Roy a meaningful look. Clearly, he had noticed everything long ago but had not intended to interfere.

"But, well... I can more or less guess who that fruit you wanted is for."

He narrowed his eyes, the smile on his lips seeming to deepen. "Well, as long as the mission's complete, that's fine. Let's head back to the warship."

The night wind was slightly chilly, and snow continued to fall.

Roy nodded slightly, his gaze deep as an abyss. He turned and strode into the snowy night.

The mission was complete; it was time to go back.