Challenge

With the final move, Outer Heaven Flying Fairy, Narikitsune—shaped like an Eight-Sided Han Sword—finally pierced through his opponent's heart. Doflamingo let out a long breath as well.

This was also thanks to Doflamingo being a Great Swordsman. His attack power ranked among the best of those at his level. If he had been a martial arts expert instead, this battle might have dragged on for a full day and night without a winner.

"Finally took them down." Doflamingo pulled out Narikitsune, cut off Snow's head, then collected Kojiro's head as well before using Geppo to return to the Tiny Little Hummingbird.

He tossed the heads at the Marines who had come to greet him. Then Doflamingo lay flat on his back on the deck and immediately fell into a deep sleep.

By the time he woke up, his subordinates had already carried him back to the Captain's room. After yawning, he opened his refrigerator, took out some prepared cakes and desserts, and wolfed them down.

Once he was half full, Doflamingo headed straight for the kitchen, made himself a lavish meal, and ate another feast.

"Ugh! I'm finally alive again." Stretching lazily, Doflamingo lightly rubbed his skin. Fine blood scabs immediately flaked off, revealing healthy skin beneath.

A meal and a nap were enough to completely heal his injuries. That was the result of training Life Return to a certain level.

"Wow, Captain, you're eating alone again!" A fussing voice rang out. The moment Doflamingo heard it, he knew his little Navigator was throwing a tantrum again.

Picking his teeth, Doflamingo lazily waved a hand. "There's still some Guo Bao Rou left in the pot. I also saved a bowl of Seafood Fried Rice. If you want some, hurry up!"

"Hehehehehe! As expected of the Captain, you really get me!" Without the slightest hesitation, Kikyo scooped out the fried rice and Guo Bao Rou from the pot, then immediately buried her head in the food.

"How many days until we get back?" Doflamingo finally asked after Kikyo had eaten and drunk her fill, clutching her stomach.

Taking a sip of orange juice, Kikyo struck the same pose as Doflamingo and replied lazily, "Based on the wind and currents, we can return to G1 Base tonight."

Doflamingo gave a hum, closed his eyes, and entered the Illusion Space once more.

As usual, he claimed the Skill Pearls from Snow and Kojiro, whom he had defeated.

In truth, the stronger the pirate, the less likely Doflamingo was to hold back. The ones he genuinely captured were all weak, ordinary pirates.

The reason was that Doflamingo wanted to collect the souls of the strong, so his attacks were so ruthless.

Snow's Haki and martial arts were quite impressive, adding a little more experience to Doflamingo's Armament Haki and martial arts training.

Kojiro's combat system mainly centered around Observation Haki and long-range sniping, while his Armament Haki leaned more toward coating bullets for attacks.

Of those three, Doflamingo's Observation Haki was practically maxed out from birth. As long as his physique improved, it would naturally develop on its own.

The remaining long-range sniping and external Haki emission through coating were almost meaningless to Doflamingo.

However, Kojiro's clone ability benefited Doflamingo greatly.

"Clone techniques, in a sense, seem like they can also be considered a kind of illusion!"

Before Doflamingo could gain any results from training in the Illusion Space, he sensed a disturbance outside.

When he opened his eyes, he found that night had already fallen, and they had returned to the Marine base.

"Hahahahaha, junior, you've really solved a huge problem for me. The new generation of Marines really is monstrously strong."

In the restaurant, Borsalino wore a lecherous grin as he held a celebratory feast for Doflamingo.

Doflamingo looked utterly unconcerned. "I believe that if Vice Admiral Borsalino had gotten serious, the results would have been even better than mine."

That was certainly true. With Kizaru's strength and the godlike speed of the Glint-Glint Fruit, if he truly made up his mind to clear out the nearby pirates, he could guarantee completion within a month without letting even a single pirate escape.

Unlike Doflamingo, who had no good way to deal with the fleeing Modock. If it were Kizaru, so what if you could fly? Could you fly faster than light?

I'll let you fly a few kilometers ahead. If you can still escape, I lose!

Unfortunately, expecting Kizaru, that eternal slacker, to work earnestly was as unrealistic as expecting Zoro to stop getting lost or Luffy to suddenly become intelligent.

Doflamingo had not placed much hope in Kizaru either. Such an old hand was the hardest kind of person to deal with.

Among the Three Admirals, Akainu and Aokiji might both completely fall out with the World Government, perhaps even lead the Marines against it. But there was absolutely no chance of that happening with Kizaru, that old fox.

So-called ambiguous justice was not justice at all. It was opportunism. Or rather, whoever paid more and was stronger was the one Kizaru would work for.

Of course, he would only work for you. Don't expect him to risk his life for you.

Of course, it was also possible that Kizaru was an undercover agent for the Revolutionary Army. Laugh.

After eating and drinking his fill, Kizaru was preparing to resume slacking off when Doflamingo firmly stopped him.

"Senior Borsalino, ever since my first day at the base, I've had a request I've been reluctant to make."

Kizaru's lecherous old face twisted bitterly. Oh, right—he was not actually that old yet. He merely looked old.

Since it was a request he was reluctant to make, then he should simply not say it.

Borsalino really wanted to reply so bluntly. Unfortunately, Doflamingo had worked himself to the bone over the past few months, helping him wipe out all the pirates near G1 Base. Even with Kizaru's personality, he could not bring himself to refuse.

"Hehe..." Borsalino forced out a couple of dry laughs. "Don't worry. Your senior still has a little influence. As long as it isn't too troublesome, I can help you."

"Really? Then I want to challenge you, Senior. I want to see the gap between myself and an Admiral Candidate." Doflamingo spoke without hesitation.

Borsalino rolled his eyes inwardly. I knew this would be the outcome!

"Fine~" Borsalino agreed slowly and listlessly. "Let's go have a fight at the Training Grounds."

The moment the words left his mouth, Borsalino turned into photons and vanished before Doflamingo. He actually looked even more anxious than Doflamingo.

Of course, in reality, he was probably just thinking of finishing early so he could rest sooner.

Doflamingo smiled indifferently. Borsalino's agreement had been within his expectations.

After all, he had worked hard as labor for G1 Base for so long. If Borsalino still refused such a small request, it would have been rather indefensible.