One Piece: I Can Repel Anything

Chapter 26

"That's our captain for you! He's incredible! Wahahaha..."

Burgess threw both arms into the air and burst out laughing.

Lying atop Strong, Doc Q smiled mysteriously. "Even one of the strongest Shichibukai is no match for the captain."

"Heh. Crocodile won't stand a chance either. We'll be Shichibukai soon enough."

Lafitte twirled his cane and smiled faintly.

"You're underestimating Doflamingo. He hasn't even started fighting seriously. What comes next will be terrifying."

Bepo's eyes widened with admiration. "Captain, he's so strong! We're saved."

Luo shook his head. "It won't be that easy. Doflamingo isn't someone you can beat so easily."

"What's wrong with you? Why do you keep talking him up and bringing us down?"

Honey Queen glared at Luo and snapped.

Belo Betty shrugged. "Don't worry. He'll soon find out he was wrong."

Just then, Doflamingo, still embedded in the tree, let out an arrogant laugh.

"Rookies these days keep getting more impressive. You've actually surprised me."

"The seas really are stirring. A new era has finally arrived. Fuffuffuffu..."

With a crash, the tree fell, and Doflamingo shot toward Chris.

"Brat, it's been a long time since I met a rookie like you. You gave me quite a scare!"

"If you made it to the New World, you'd probably become a big name."

Doflamingo looked up at Chris and grinned. "But you ran into me today, so you won't get that chance."

"I love crushing young talent. With potential like yours, I have to nip it in the bud. Fuffuffuffu..."

Chris descended slowly to the ground. "Doflamingo, you really can't help yourself. Why do you talk so much?"

Veins bulged across Doflamingo's forehead. He was plainly furious.

"Do you really think you're that strong, brat?"

"You know nothing about these seas. You have no idea what true terror is."

"You're about to find out. Just don't die too easily. Fuffuffuffu..."

He kicked off the ground with a bang, cracking the earth around him as he flew toward Chris.

His right hand clenched into a fist and turned pitch-black. The force radiating from him changed completely.

He seemed like a different man.

"Sorry, Doflamingo."

"I think I know these seas better than you do."

Chris instantly coated his right hand in Haki. His presence shifted, and he drove his fist toward Doflamingo.

Their fists collided with an explosive crack.

Countless dark-red arcs of lightning burst from the point of impact, hissing and crackling.

Boom!

A violent force swept outward. The ground split apart, and every flower, blade of grass, and tree nearby was destroyed.

The shock wave kept spreading.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Below them, crew members' eyes rolled back one after another, and they toppled over.

"Bepo..."

Seeing him faint, Luo quickly turned toward the two fighters and frowned. "Their Conqueror's Haki is clashing. This guy really is something."

Doc Q looked over the crowd of fallen people and sighed, unusually moved.

"So this is the clash of Conqueror's Haki the captain told us about. It's terrifying."

Burgess clenched his fists, his face alight with excitement. "Strong! He's unbelievably strong! That's our captain!"

Lafitte straightened his top hat and smiled.

"When the captain told us about clashes of Conqueror's Haki, I thought he was exaggerating."

"Now that I've seen one, I know he wasn't. What a thing to witness."

Belo Betty took a drag on her cigarette and glanced at those who had fallen. "Quite a few people on our ship can't handle the pressure."

Baccarat gently shook her head.

"You can't blame them. Those two are simply too strong."

Doflamingo stared in shock. "Who are you?"

"You're just a rookie, yet you have Conqueror's Haki. Who taught you?"

Chris remained as calm as ever, his face expressionless.

"I already told you. Beat me, and you'll get your answer."

Hearing that again, Doflamingo grew even angrier. He bared his teeth in a grin. "A rookie with as much potential as you is getting more interesting by the minute."

"All the more reason to get rid of you now. I can't let you grow any stronger. Fuffuffuffu..."

As soon as he finished speaking, they flashed into the air. Their fists collided again, sending out more dark-red lightning.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...

Bang, bang, bang...

Both moved so fast their figures blurred, trading blows without pause.

In less than a few seconds, they exchanged more than a dozen strikes. The dark-red lightning never stopped flashing.

Everyone watching was stunned.

They could barely keep track of the fight!

Suddenly, the exchange shifted. The two stopped and stood facing each other.

Doflamingo looked exhausted. He breathed hard, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.

Chris stood quietly, his breathing unchanged and his expression as composed as ever.

The contrast made the outcome clear.

"Damn brat. How can he be this strong?"

Doflamingo was furious. He was worn out.

Yet Chris looked completely unaffected, standing there without a care.

How could Doflamingo, who cared so much about his image, accept that?

His rage blazed so fiercely he wanted to destroy the world...

(Some readers asked me to describe more of their fight. But I don't think there's any need. Doflamingo isn't Chris's match, so dragging it out would be pointless. The fight will end next chapter.)

Chapter 27

"Doflamingo, we'll be partners from now on. That's enough."

Chris folded his arms. "Luo is important to me. I'm not letting you take him. That's not up for debate."

"Partners?"

Doflamingo's fingers twitched, and he grinned. "Don't get ahead of yourself, brat."

"I can't rest easy while a rookie with your potential is still alive."

"How many years has it been since I last went all out? You should feel honored. Fuffuffuffu..."

Doflamingo spread his arms and threw back his head, laughing wildly. "Brat, I'll show you the true power of a Devil Fruit."

"Try not to be too shocked!"

Chris answered without a change in expression.

"It's just an Awakening. Why are you so excited?"

Uh...

Doflamingo's laughter cut off as though someone had grabbed him by the throat.

He was stunned.

Utterly dumbfounded.

"You know about Awakening?"

Doflamingo could no longer keep his composure. Astonishment filled his face as he muttered, "How does a rookie like you know so much?"

"Impossible. Something's wrong here!"

"Who are you? You can't be an ordinary pirate!"

Doflamingo was clearly in turmoil.

Otherwise, he would never have rattled off so many questions.

It wasn't like him.

Chris shrugged. "I don't want to say the same thing a third time."

"Fuffuffuffu..."

Doflamingo was so angry he laughed. He snarled,

"Put up a good fight. Don't die too quickly."

Whoosh...

White threads spread outward from Doflamingo in an instant.

The ground turned white, along with the rocks, trees, flowers, and grass...

Everything around him, without exception, turned white.

It was an eerie sight!

Everyone nearby froze, struggling to process what they had seen.

"This must be the Awakening the captain mentioned. Devil Fruit users can affect their surroundings. He was right."

Burgess stared wide-eyed, as though he had discovered something extraordinary.

Doc Q smiled mysteriously. "I wonder how the captain will handle this. I can't wait to see."

Lafitte planted his cane in front of him and spoke gently.

"Coming to this island was worth it. Now that we've seen a top Shichibukai fight, we finally know how wide the gap is."

Luo frowned. "Doflamingo's about to go all out. You'd better hope your captain survives."

Honey Queen looked at Baccarat and the others, fuming.

"He's so annoying. I really don't like him."

Belo Betty shrugged. "Leave him be. Chris will teach him a lesson."

Chris stood with his arms folded, still utterly calm.

He paid Doflamingo no attention and let him transform their surroundings.

"Good. I hope you can stay that calm. Don't disappoint me, brat!"