Devil Fruit Awakening

A pillar of lightning pierced Donquixote Doflamingo, then exploded with a BOOM. It was as if a mushroom cloud had risen in the arena, countless arcs of electricity intertwining!

A figure shot out of the mushroom cloud like a cannonball. After flying more than a hundred meters, he slammed viciously into the ground, blasting a huge crater into it!

From high above, spiderweb-like cracks spread outward from the crater!

"How... how is this possible..." The rear admiral beside Onigumo could not help swallowing.

"Is it over? I didn't expect that kid to be this strong... Lightning? Is he a Logia-type Rumble-Rumble Fruit user?" Onigumo's Observation Haki was exceptionally powerful, and he had naturally seen everything that had just happened. Seeing Ian blast Donquixote Doflamingo away with a single strike, shock filled his eyes!

Who exactly was this kid?

A lightning ability... Could it be the Rumble-Rumble Fruit?

"That man should be Donquixote Doflamingo, one of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, right? Did he really lose just like that?" Deuce stared wide-eyed at the battlefield and could not help drawing in a sharp breath.

Ace was equally astonished. Though he had already obtained the Flame-Flame Fruit and was far from weak, he did not think he could unleash an attack like that...

He had only been at sea for a short time. His experience and horizons were still lacking, and the strongest person he had encountered was Onigumo, who had previously tried to capture him!

A Marine vice admiral was a renowned powerhouse even in the first half of the Grand Line. Ordinary pirates would flee in panic at the sight of one.

Yet Onigumo did not feel nearly as powerful as the two people before him!

Had Donquixote Doflamingo really been defeated just like that?

Of course not!

Ian's Observation Haki had been locked onto Donquixote Doflamingo the entire time. Observation Haki had many uses, one of which was sensing another person's "presence." In Ian's perception, Donquixote Doflamingo's presence had not weakened much at all!

Besides, Ian did not believe Donquixote Doflamingo would be defeated so easily.

Most people in the pirate world had cockroach-like vitality. A powerful physique meant they could take a beating, and Donquixote Doflamingo was among the strongest of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, with virtually no obvious weaknesses.

He had developed the String-String Fruit to an extremely high level and possessed all three types of Haki. How could a man like that be defeated by Ian so easily in a single blow?

Sure enough, under Ian's gaze, Donquixote Doflamingo slowly rose from the crater, his aura still surging!

Donquixote Doflamingo looked utterly miserable. Several parts of his body were charred black, and his hair was scorched as well. His expression was cold to the extreme as he stared fixedly at Ian ahead of him.

How long had it been? Even he did not know how long it had been since he had suffered injuries like this!

The pain radiating from every part of his body filled him with fury. His gaze grew ever colder, as though he wanted to carve Ian into a thousand pieces!

"Kid, I don't know what Devil Fruit power you have, but you use it well! I admit that you're strong, but don't think you've already won!!" Donquixote Doflamingo twisted his neck, producing a series of cracking sounds. He stared at Ian as killing intent surged from his entire body!

"There are countless people on the seas who have developed their Fruits better than you! Do you know... that Devil Fruits can awaken? Wild Wave White Line..."

Donquixote Doflamingo bared his teeth in a cold grin as a strange ripple spread from his body. He stepped forward, and with every step he took, the ground twisted and warped into white strings that spread outward.

Silently, the ground, the buildings, even the flowers and grass, all turned into white strings!

With every step Donquixote Doflamingo took, the white strings on the ground spread farther. Behind him appeared countless white tentacles woven from fine threads, lashing about madly. Their tips in particular were coated in Armament Haki, becoming sharp, pitch-black spikes!!

This was Devil Fruit Awakening!

Even across the world, it was a technique only a very small number of powerful people could master!

Only when one's mind and body caught up to their Devil Fruit powers could one reach the level of awakening!

The Marine rear admiral stared at the sight, his mouth hanging wide open. "What kind of technique is this? Isn't Donquixote Doflamingo's power the String-String Fruit? Why does this feel so similar to a Logia..."

"Devil Fruit Awakening! It is proof that a user has developed his power to its limit. Even in the New World, not many people can reach such a level! I never expected Donquixote Doflamingo to have been hiding this move!!" Looking at the area that had completely transformed into an ocean of white strings, Onigumo was deeply shaken. He sounded as though he were talking to himself, yet also as though he were explaining it to the rear admiral.

Devil Fruit Awakening was an advanced application of Devil Fruit powers!

Even among the Marines, where talent gathered in abundance, not many could achieve it!

There were, in fact, very few!

It could be said that countless people across the seas possessed Devil Fruits, but those who reached awakening were the truly dangerous figures of the sea!

And every one of those people was a renowned presence in the New World!

"This is practically the same as a Logia!!" Ace and Deuce stared at the white strings spreading across the entire area, their faces filled with shock!

"Devil Fruit Awakening..." Ian watched the wildly dancing white strings, his expression turning slightly serious.

That guy Donquixote Doflamingo had actually developed his power to awakening at this point in time?

There were still several years before the original story even began!

But this makes things interesting. Ian laughed softly. Ever since obtaining Hyorinmaru, he had wanted to find out what level his current strength stood at!

This Seven Warlord of the Sea, Donquixote Doflamingo, would make a fine test subject to determine exactly what level Ian's current strength occupied in this world!

"Sit upon the Frosted Heavens, Hyorinmaru!" Ian directly released Hyorinmaru in its initial form. Hyorinmaru in his hand underwent several changes, and a chain with a crescent-shaped end appeared behind the hilt.

"Birds of Ice Pillars!" Frigid energy surged from Ian's body. With a swing of his sword, the cold formed one ice pellet after another. Like flying birds, they shot toward Donquixote Doflamingo.

"You really do have plenty of tricks. This time, it's ice?" Suspended in midair by threads, Donquixote Doflamingo narrowed his eyes and casually waved a hand. A wall made of white strings rose from the ground, blocking Ian's ice pellets.

But Hyorinmaru's attacks were not so easy to stop. The ice pellets collided with the string shield, and frigid energy condensed into ice crystals. Cracking sounds rang out as the entire string shield was frozen solid!

This prevented Donquixote Doflamingo from controlling the frozen strings any longer!

What Devil Fruit does this guy actually have? Sensing this, Donquixote Doflamingo's expression darkened as he began guessing at Ian's ability...

In this world, intelligence was of paramount importance, especially information about an enemy's abilities.

If he knew what the ability was, dealing with it would be far more convenient!