It was not a roar, yet it carried more weight than one.
What followed was not sound, but something almost tangible-cold, viscous pressure reeking of rust and blood, crashing down like a tsunami.
The pirate who had leaped down suddenly stiffened, his knees buckling uncontrollably, his cutlass clanging
as it slipped from his hand. He slammed heavily into the ground and could not get up for a time.
The entire arena fell silent.
Only dust settled slowly through the light.
That presence brutally crushed its way through the air, carrying a pressure that threatened to tear everything apart, like an invisible hand closing around its prey's throat.
The pirate captain froze in place, his pupils suddenly dilating. His cutlass hit the ground with a clang.
His knees weakened, his body pitched forward, and his forehead struck the cold flagstones hard.
Drool ran from the corner of his mouth, soaking his collar. He had completely lost consciousness.
At the edge of the stands, Doflamingo rested his heel against the railing, his gaze sweeping over the arena below.
Rather than releasing that indiscriminate shock wave, he had twisted his power into a single thread and pinned it precisely onto his target.
The spectators around him averted their eyes, some lowering their heads to straighten their sleeves, others pretending to whisper to their companions.
The fallen man had a bounty of over twenty million, yet he had not even managed a grunt.
"Not bad."
In the main stand, Vinsmoke Judge tapped his fingers lightly against his armrest.
He watched the two young figures in the arena as though appraising two rare weapons.
Such fighting strength was enough to rival an entire well-trained army.
Two more weighty pieces had joined the board on which he plotted his kingdom's restoration.
"The winner is-"
He stood