Man and Spear as One

Conqueror's Haki relies on one's own spirit; it is often triggered by an intense outburst of emotion, capable of shattering the minds of the weak or even causing them to lose consciousness outright.

Vergo was no weakling, so the impact was minimal; even Doflamingo's Conqueror's Haki could not make him flinch.

He had intended to forgo defense and strike straight for Conrad's skull, but as he watched the spear thrust directly toward his throat, he suddenly felt a chill in his neck, a wind that cut to the bone.

He decided against a direct confrontation, opting to use his Armed Ghost Bamboo to knock the spear shaft aside first.

Yet, this chill did not vanish; instead, the moment Conrad shouted "Army-Breaking Overlord Spear," it was ignited and unleashed, causing a buzzing in his skull and a wave of dizziness.

Is that the Haki residue from that punch? Whale-Slaying Tyrant Fist?

At the same time, Rosinante, who had been trampled into a state of near-death by his military boots, endured his torn chest wound to grab Vergo's leg and pull with all his might.

His blood-soaked mouth opened in a roar, but it was soundless, as the area was shrouded by the sound-dampening wall of the Calm-Calm Fruit.

The dizziness and the tug did not inflict physical damage on Vergo, but combined with the deathly silence, he was unable to pinpoint his opponent's location by sound.

This ultimately caused his swinging arm to veer off course; the Armed Ghost Bamboo missed its mark, carving a deep trench into the snowy ground.

Meanwhile, the cold, sharp spearhead, imbued with the unique, tragic killing intent of a snowy night, pierced his throat, its matte finish reflecting the Armament Haki.

There was no sound of impact, only the violent displacement of air.

The black-red, blood-like tip of the spear pressed against the armor of Vergo's neck, even with his highly developed muscles.

A stalemate ensued; the muscles buckled, and a line of blood trickled down.

But it could not break through. The spear shaft began to bend; after all, the opponent was the first practitioner and representative of Armament Haki to appear in the entire pirate world, possessing a strength that bordered on despair.

Moreover, Conrad was a novice; even by exhausting all his Haki, he could not overcome such power.

Just as Conrad reached his limit, preparing to look up and sigh, laughing at the heavens for his defeat, the end of the spear shaft in his grip transformed, turning into two delicate, beautiful legs encased in high boots.

Conrad had thrust the spear from his right hip, so these legs bent at the knees, the high boots pressing against his chest from the left.

Then, the beautiful thighs instantly tensed, their graceful muscle lines snapping forward like springs. Baby-5 had always trained with great diligence, for she feared being abandoned once more.

This kick sent Conrad stumbling, causing him to fall backward onto his seat.

Yet, the spearhead drove forward, piercing Vergo's throat. The Armament Haki shattered, and blood gushed out in torrents.

As his vitality rapidly faded, Vergo removed his sunglasses, his eyes filled with indescribable confusion and disbelief. He did not know whether he should pull the spear from his throat—would that only hasten his death?

But Conrad did not hesitate. The moment he fell, he scrambled to his feet and lunged forward; he had to retrieve his Baby-5.

He hugged the legs beneath his waist and pulled the spear back.

Vergo reached out with a feeble grasp, but perhaps due to excessive blood loss or the intensity of the invading Conqueror's Haki, he grew dizzy and grabbed at empty air.

Blood sprayed like a fountain, exposing the gaping hole in his throat.

Conrad held Baby-5 close. He had exhausted his Haki, leaving only the meager strength of a sixteen-year-old boy. The girl transformed back into human form, her ribbon falling off as her loose black hair became matted with blood.

Despite their wretched state, they looked at each other and both smiled.

"You need me, right?" Baby-5 asked, confirming with nervous anticipation.

"Yeah." Conrad nodded solemnly, his smile gentle and clear. "You don't have to hope for others to need you anymore; I will always need you."

Baby-5 pushed him away gently and landed on her feet; she knew Conrad could barely stand. "Where to next?"

"Wherever you want to go!" Conrad jumped onto Baby-5's back and wrapped his arms around her neck. "Carry me for a stretch! You carry me once today, and I'll carry you from now on!"

Baby-5 broke into a run. The Birdcage in the sky was already descending, but birds were meant to fly out eventually.

As for Rosinante, he climbed to his feet and ran in the opposite direction. Though his body was covered in gruesome, terrifying wounds, none were fatal.

He had to find Trafalgar Law; he had promised that once Law was cured of Amber Lead Syndrome, they would travel the world together.

The biting wind suddenly ceased, and snowflakes drifted down like soft cotton. The silent sea reflected the starlight, as if trying to wash away the bloodshed and send them on their way.

But the destroyer would not allow it. An uninvited guest finally descended, his voice echoing from the firmament, oppressive and furious.

"My dear... little brother! You truly disappoint me! Hahaha!"

It was a figure in a pink feather coat, his blonde hair standing up like lightning, his pointed high heels treading upon transparent strings. He glided down from the sky beneath the Birdcage like a skater.

"Doflamingo!" Rosinante stopped in his tracks, the distorted expression of his clown makeup exposing the fear and despair in his heart.

He did not want to stop, but he did; he even turned back and ran toward Doflamingo, simply because the man's five fingers were twitching, manipulating the strings of the Birdcage to enslave his body like a marionette.

The pirates on the mountain were also slaughtering each other; even as they wept and wailed, they could not stop their blades and guns. Lives were being discarded for the sake of one man's twisted amusement.

But Doflamingo did care for his family, after all. He stopped beside Vergo and shot strings from his fingers to stitch the puncture wound in his throat, though he did so quite crudely—he was no doctor, after all.

"To think the first Corazon would fall at the hands of the second. Heh heh, my little brother, why? You knew I hated betrayal! Why force me to kill family again? To endure such heartbreak and pain? I didn't want this!"

Rosinante stopped before Doflamingo and began to dance a ridiculous clown dance.

"Tell me, obediently—where is the Op-Op Fruit?" Doflamingo licked his tongue.

If he could obtain the Op-Op Fruit and force a doctor to eat it, he could compel them to perform the Perpetual Youth Surgery at the cost of their own life.

The temptation of immortality, of eternal life, was something he could not resist.

That was the reason for this black-on-black heist, an operation where he, despite being an underground broker, was willing to stake his reputation.

Following closely behind, a series of bizarre figures emerged: an old man with a runny nose in a blue robe leaning on a cane, a giant wearing a steel helmet and spiked pauldrons, a woman with a colorful afro smoking a cigarette, and a beanpole over five meters tall with a long sword at his waist...

"Not talking? Heh heh..." Doflamingo laughed, veins bulging on his forehead, his mouth curling into the same arc as his sunglasses, "Pica! Smash that ship!"

The giant in the steel helmet bent over and pressed both palms against the ground.

At this moment, Baby-5 was already carrying Conrad on her back, having descended the sea cliff via a ladder and was currently boarding the ship under the escort of the marines.

Suddenly, a massive human face wearing a cross-shaped steel helmet emerged from the cliff wall, followed by shoulders and a rock fist over ten meters wide.

Pica, leader of the Spade Army and one of the four top executives, possessed the Stone-Stone Fruit; as the name implied, he could assimilate and control stone.

The colossal rock fist swung out, blotting out the sky and descending upon the marine surveillance ship with overwhelming physical pressure.

Without a doubt, the next scene would be one of utter devastation.

Conrad looked back; his internal organs were already bruised and bleeding, and he had been wiping his mouth on Baby-5's back, "Jump into the sea."

"Mm!" Baby-5 leaped toward the water, even though as a Devil Fruit user, she would be rendered powerless upon contact.