"Damn, what do you mean, 'strength like mine'? Doesn't my Devil Fruit ability count as my strength?"
However, upon sensing the threat of death, Kaido suddenly erupted with overwhelmingly powerful Haki. With a wild roar, a Thunder Bagua nearly sent the unprepared Doflamingo flying.
"Good grief, did he just power up?" Doflamingo grumbled, though there was no panic in his eyes.
Kaido might have seemed to have unleashed even greater combat power, but in truth, an outburst under these circumstances was practically a desperate gamble—it was literally trading his life for power every second.
And even now, he had yet to see the Illusion Fruit's true purpose. No matter how much he powered up, he could not hurt Doflamingo.
"But do I really need to kill Kaido?"
"There isn't actually any fundamental conflict of interest between Kaido and me. On the contrary, with him oppressing Wano Country, Joker should be able to gather even more fighting forces."
"Besides, blinding Big Mom in one eye last time already made my reputation soar. If I take Kaido's life this time too, then I, an Admiral Candidate, will be far too conspicuous."
As Doflamingo gradually calmed down, he glanced at Kaido, who radiated the aura of a demon god and watched him with full vigilance. A strange feeling faintly arose in his heart.
"I never thought that I would now be able to control the life and death of a Great Pirate as powerful as Kaido. Should I say that I've grown too quickly, or that the synergy between my cheat and the Illusion Fruit is simply too terrifying?"
"Fine. Consider yourself lucky. I'll spare your life."
Having made his decision, Doflamingo no longer hesitated. Nor did he want to tell Kaido outright that he had spared him, as that would reveal too