On the arena floor.
The temperature kept climbing, warping the air.
Under the crushing gravity, even raising an arm felt like dragging an entire mountain.
Two blood-soaked figures fought savagely across the crimson ground.
"Fufufufu!!!"
Doflamingo laughed wildly and slammed a heavy, thread-wrapped kick into Shanks's shoulder.
Crack!
Bone shattered.
At the same instant, Shanks's blade slashed across his abdomen.
Flesh split open.
"Shanks!!!"
Doflamingo panted, then rasped out a laugh.
"Does fighting this hard mean anything?"
"You're risking everything, even your life."
"And in the end, you're doomed to fail anyway."
"Everything you've done is just entertainment for us over tea!"
"You're nothing but a line in his script!"
"Fufufufufu!!"
"Hmph!"
Shanks gritted his teeth and brought his blade down!
Slash!
"I'll die!"
"Luffy will die too!"
Doflamingo drove a fist into his chest!
"Pfft!"
Shanks spat blood but remained standing.
"Any one of us could die."
"But!"
He raised the arm wreathed in fading lightning and swung again.
"We don't care!"
Boom!!!
The blade tore through the thread barrier Doflamingo had hastily formed, carving another wound deep enough to expose bone across his chest.
"Because we're fighting to pursue our own dreams!"
"Even if the ending is set, even if the road ahead ends at a cliff!"
"Taking those steps, one by one—that journey is what we want!"
Shanks snapped his head up. His eyes burned like torches as he stared Doflamingo down.
"But what about you?"
"What are you living for now?"
Doflamingo's laughter faltered for an instant.
Only an instant.
"Fufufufu! For my—"
"For your power?"
Shanks cut him off and swung!
Doflamingo barely twisted aside. The blade skimmed his cheek and severed a few strands of blond hair.
"Then answer me!"
Shanks spoke quietly, but every word struck like a nail.
"Why are you standing