Talon was somewhat at a loss in this enemy-less situation, but Katakuri stepped forward. "Since the enemies are all cowering in the royal city, I'll issue the challenge!"
The moment he finished speaking, an incomparably powerful aura soared into the sky, sweeping across all of Dressrosa!
Even though it was not aimed at him, the aura still made Minos stiffen slightly. This was Conqueror's Haki, possessed by only one person in a million in the world of the Pirate King!
The talent for Conqueror's Haki... I wonder if I can find an ability in the Golden Scales that can be converted into Conqueror's Haki...
Minos glanced at Katakuri and thought to himself.
As for awakening Conqueror's Haki himself? Sorry, Minos knew exactly what kind of person he was. In his view, even that big fool Talon had a far higher chance of awakening Conqueror's Haki than he did.
Those who awakened Conqueror's Haki, regardless of whether they were strong or weak, at least had strikingly distinct personalities. It was not something a guy like him, who put safety first, could ever hope to attain.
Katakuri's Conqueror's Haki swept past. In Dressrosa's Imperial Palace, Doflamingo, who had been sitting in a chair and looking at Violet with an amused expression, immediately rose to his feet upon sensing it.
Although the Conqueror's Haki had been reduced to mere lingering waves after sweeping across half of Dressrosa, no longer enough to knock out even ordinary people, the powerful will contained within it immediately told Doflamingo that he had encountered a true expert.
"Of all times... damn it, who the hell is it?"
"The Marines? Pirates? The World Government?"
Doflamingo shot Violet a dark look as his original plans gradually faded away. The Riku Royal Family could not be allowed to remain! Turn them into toys!
As long as no one retained any memory of the Riku Royal Family, it would be difficult for anyone else to overthrow Doflamingo's rule over Dressrosa!
With that thought, Doflamingo knocked Violet unconscious without hesitation and turned his gaze to Sugar. "Turn this one into a toy. And that old king in the prison too."
"Fufufufufu, what a pity. I really had wanted to take her in. After all, her ability is indeed quite useful!"
"Hehehe, leave it to me!"
Behind Doflamingo, Sugar, who had been eating grapes, spoke with a giggle.
Sugar looked like a little girl of around ten, wearing a cloak. Judging by her appearance alone, she was rather cute.
In truth, however, this little girl's Hobby-Hobby Fruit ability could almost be called the most overpowered Devil Fruit ability in the entire world of the Pirate King.
Turning people into toys and commanding those toys was already mysterious and unfathomable, but what was truly terrifying was that it could directly erase everyone's memories of those transformed into toys from the laws of causality.
This ability, capable of directly affecting all humanity, was why the Toy-Toy Fruit was called the most overpowered.
In other words, once King Riku and the others were turned into toys, everyone would completely forget them. Naturally, no one would be able to use the old king to attack Doflamingo, who had only just ascended the throne of Dressrosa.
Leaving aside Violet, who had been turned into a toy, and Sugar, who had gone to the dungeon to make new toys, Doflamingo had already led his men without hesitation toward the source of the Conqueror's Haki.
The moment he sensed the fighting intent within that Conqueror's Haki, Doflamingo had known that this battle was unavoidable.
However, after leaving the King's Plateau and seeing the ship on the distant sea, Doflamingo could not help but furrow his brow.
"They're from the Charlotte Pirates! What timing... I thought it was the Marines or the World Government."
If it had truly been the Marines or the World Government, Doflamingo could still have thought of some way around it. After all, he was now a Shichibukai. As for the Coup Plan, as long as he denied it to the bitter end, the Marines and World Government could do nothing to him without evidence.
But against pirates, especially pirates under the Four Emperors, it could only be settled with fists.
"They're here."
Minos, who possessed Clairvoyance, was the first to speak. Then Katakuri, whose Observation Haki was the most formidable, stirred and looked toward the edge of his vision.
Doflamingo appeared there, dressed in a pink coat and sunglasses, looking arrogant and overbearing, his feet splayed outward as he walked.
"This guy really lives up to his nickname, Sea Rogue," Minos muttered softly. In his old world, he would have been a typical street punk. Generally speaking, anyone who strutted around like that every day would get his legs broken before he turned thirty.
Of course, if you ever met someone like that who had passed thirty without getting his legs broken, you had better be careful. If he could live that long without being beaten to death, he definitely knew how to fight.
Doflamingo naturally counted among those who could fight. He was not a first-rate contender, but among second-rate fighters, he was absolutely at the very top. Across the entire sea, there were only perhaps a dozen or twenty people stronger than him.
Those stronger than him were often even more eccentric. In their eyes, Doflamingo's arrogant strut was nothing at all—after all, those people were usually even more arrogant than Doflamingo.
"Sea Rogue—Doflamingo!" Katakuri, standing at the very front, looked at him. "I truly didn't expect you to do something so reckless."
Veins bulged on Doflamingo's forehead as he said coldly, "I think you'd better just call me by my name."
Doflamingo did not particularly like the nickname Sea Rogue. If it were Heavenly Yaksha instead, he would have been quite pleased.
"Besides, Dressrosa's king acted wantonly and even slaughtered his own people. He was defeated by me, a Shichibukai, and then the people of Dressrosa supported me as their king. What is wrong with that?"
Katakuri sneered and did not argue with Doflamingo. He was neither the Marines nor the World Government. What did Doflamingo's occupation of Dressrosa have to do with him?
"Cut the crap, Doflamingo! You should know I didn't come here to trade words with you!"
Doflamingo fell silent for a moment before finally speaking. "What do you want?"
"Dressrosa's Glint-Glint Fruit, and one billion Beli!" Katakuri answered without hesitation. Surprisingly, it was not far from the price Doflamingo had initially offered King Riku.
Doflamingo laughed in anger. "Fufufufufu, you came straight here to extort me! Do you think I'm afraid of you just because you're part of a Yonko Crew?"
Katakuri slowly pulled the spear named Earth Dragon from his arm. "The facts will tell you that you should fear the Yonko Crew!"
The moment he finished speaking, two bursts of Conqueror's Haki erupted. The two figures crossed paths in an instant!
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