Conqueror's Haki!
A kingly quality possessed by only one in a million!
A power even he himself had never possessed—this inexplicably annoying brat actually had it?
Barret's eyes widened, filled with disbelief!
This was the same power Lord Roa possessed!
This brat? This weakling who was no different from a stray dog by the roadside?!
You've got to be kidding!
What gave him the right?
What gave him the right to awaken a power even he himself had never possessed?
Could it be... could it be that he was inferior to this brat? Would he have to remain beneath him from now on?
Could this brat become Lord Roa's chief follower in the future?
That was absolutely unacceptable!!
Intense jealousy and fury bloomed in Barret's heart at that moment.
He was a soldier loyal only to Lord Roa, but at the same time, he considered himself the strongest person beneath Lord Roa!
And now, this guy seemed to be climbing over his head!
Because of Roa's intervention, Barret, who had never suffered a major setback, sank into emotions more extreme than anything he had ever experienced.
"Hm?"
Roa turned around in surprise.
What was going on?
Why did Barret seem to be carrying anger on par with Doflamingo's? And why was there even an indescribable jealousy mixed in?
Then—
"Bzzzt!!"
A terrifying aura surged outward like a tsunami.
Huh?
Roa was a little confused.
What was going on?
Could the awakening of Conqueror's Haki resonate with someone else's?
With Barret's strength, his awakening of Conqueror's Haki was not going to be some minor display like Doflamingo's. Pedestrians in the distance began foaming at the mouth and collapsing unconscious, while the residents inside the buildings on both sides of the street were suddenly caught in the disaster.
Even Doflamingo, who had been excited by the powerful strength he had just gained, felt his head go blank. It was as if someone had smashed him in the head with a heavy blow, and he staggered backward.
"All right, Barret. That's handsome enough already."
Roa spoke up. "Tone it down a little. Can't you see our new colleague is about to reach his limit?"
Only then did Barret realize that he had awakened Conqueror's Haki as well.
The anger and jealousy in his heart vanished in an instant.
"Sorry, Lord Roa. I got a little too excited!"
Barret's face was indeed overflowing with uncontrollable excitement as he clumsily reined in his Conqueror's Haki.
That was only natural!
Of course he would also be a holder of Conqueror's Haki!
Doflamingo's released Conqueror's Haki had completely dissipated. After all, he was truly too weak, and his Conqueror's Haki was impoverished in both quality and quantity.
He stared at Barret in horror.
He did not know what Conqueror's Haki was, but he understood that this man was incredibly strong!
"So, Dof—"
Roa said earnestly, "Now that you've gained power, what should you do next?"
Doflamingo froze, then the corners of his mouth curled upward. "Fufufufu! That's right! That's right! Now I can finally properly repay those bastards!!"
A crazed smile spread across the little child's face.
Roa could only shake his head at the sight.
Ah, a dysfunctional family.
"Dof, your ability is called the Paramecia Combination Fruit. It gives you the power to combine all nonliving things. Make good use of it, and don't disappoint me."
Roa's words carried a profound meaning.
"Combine things?"
Doflamingo gave a slight nod. "Fufufufu! I understand!"
He looked up at Roa. "I know where this city's armory is. Take me there!"
Roa nodded in satisfaction. That was a good idea.
"Jensen, go with him."
Roa ordered, "Protect him and don't let him die. But if he doesn't intend to honor the agreement and tries to run away, cut off his head."
Jensen had no consciousness and acted solely on instinct. Roa's commands were instincts engraved at the deepest level of his genes.
Doflamingo subconsciously glanced at Jensen.
When he met those eyes, as devoid of light as black holes, he could not help shivering.
What kind of monster was this?
But it did not matter. No matter what kind of monster he was, as long as he could help him, that was all that mattered!
Doflamingo dashed away, and Jensen leaped across the rooftops in pursuit.
"What do you think of this kid, Barret?"
Roa looked at Doflamingo's back and asked casually.
Barret froze for a moment, falling into hesitation.
Should he tell the truth?
Would Lord Roa get angry?
But as Lord Roa's loyal hound, he could never deceive him.
Barret said solemnly, "Although he awakened Conqueror's Haki, there's still nothing remarkable about him."
"Hahahaha! That's an accurate assessment, Barret!"
Roa burst out laughing. "Dof is just someone who's fierce on the outside but weak on the inside."
A second-rate Dof paired with a second-rate Combination Fruit—they were quite a good match.
It was still better than the String-String Fruit, right?
At least the Combination Fruit could genuinely increase his strength by a considerable amount.
"Let's go. We'll look around a little longer."
Roa said.
He had been in this world for thirteen years, but he had rarely strolled through an ordinary city like this.
It was either a vacation resort like Beehive Island or a paradise on earth like the Land of Endless War. The everyday bustle of ordinary people had truly been far from him for a long time.
However, this leisurely stroll did not last very long.
Boom!
An explosion suddenly came from the distance.
Then terrified screams rose and fell like waves, gradually drawing closer from afar.
Roa took a deep breath. "Hm, not bad, Dof!"
In the center of the small city—
A steel monster was wantonly spitting flames.
The monster stood over two meters tall and was made entirely of steel. Its body was covered with countless gun barrels and cannon muzzles.
At that moment, bullets spewed from the guns while shells flew from the cannons, recklessly bringing destruction and death to the area.
The city's soldiers had not failed to attempt a counterattack, but the monster's steel body was simply beyond their ability to shake.
"Fufufufu! Die, all of you! Scum!"
Doflamingo's maniacal laughter rang out from inside the steel monster.
This was power!
The power to wantonly trample others instead of being trampled by them!
This was what he had wanted! This was the scene he had wanted!
He would take revenge on these scum who had caused Mother's death and subjected him to endless torment!!
"Repent for your crimes in hell, you bastards!!"
Large beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead, and his stamina was being consumed at an enormous rate, but Doflamingo still refused to stop.
His anger and hatred were still far from fully vented!
However, it was at that moment—
"Dof!!"
A hoarse roar came from behind.
Doflamingo froze for a moment, then immediately turned around.
In the distance, a gaunt and haggard middle-aged man cried out in supplication. "Enough! That's enough revenge, isn't it? Don't continue! Don't let the chain of hatred continue any further!"
"Father?"
Doflamingo's body stiffened. Then his entire body began to tremble. "That's right! That's right!! I almost forgot!"
The mechanical monster abruptly turned around and strode toward the back.
"I almost forgot the source of all this hatred!!"
The man froze, then revealed an expression of faint relief.
"This is all your fault!!"
With a roar, all of Doflamingo's fury finally erupted like a volcano.
Farewell, Father—and farewell to my weakness!
Before you continue