Doflamingo had no choice. Luo had taken Caesar's heart long ago, and unless he spoke up, Caesar's life would remain in grave danger.
He had wanted to interrogate Luo, but Luo had escaped.
Doflamingo immediately gave chase, shooting threads into the sky and hooking them onto the clouds to move quickly. But he still couldn't match Luo's speed, and Luo's goal wasn't to flee with Caesar.
Before long, the Thousand-Mile Sunny drew close to shore. Luo immediately transferred Caesar aboard, then threw himself into holding Doflamingo back.
As long as Caesar could no longer help produce Devil Fruits, Doflamingo's deal with Kaido was finished.
Doflamingo seethed with rage. Someone he regarded as an insect had played him for a fool right under his nose. How could he let that stand?
He attacked in fury and defeated Luo in a few moves. This time, he took no chances: he knocked Luo unconscious, bound him tight with masses of thread, then charged toward the Thousand-Mile Sunny.
"You two again!"
At the sight of those two familiar faces, Doflamingo lashed out without mercy, flinging a line as thick as a bowl from his right hand. He meant to sink the Thousand-Mile Sunny outright.
Sanji leaped out first. He was no longer the man he had been two years ago. Someone as strong as Doflamingo might not have gained much in that time, but Sanji's progress was plain to see.
"Diable Jambe: Spectrum Kick!"
Sanji kicked a barrage of fireballs into the air, each one slamming into the oncoming line. After more than a dozen impacts, he kicked the line away and saved the ship.
A thick, long thread shot from Doflamingo's palm. He whipped it at Sanji, and if it struck, Sanji's current Armament Haki would never hold up.
But Sanji didn't retreat.