Night fell.
A crescent moon and sparse starlight hung in the sky above Dressrosa, the pitch-black night illuminated by the crimson glow of roaring fires.
"Run!!"
"Help!!"
*Boom!! Boom!!*
"Requesting backup at Lover's Lane!"
"Put out the fire!"
"Kill them!!"
Flames spread through the town. Panicked screams, the explosions of artillery shells, and the sounds of slaughter mingled together in an endless cacophony.
The streets had been reduced to a sea of fire, with countless people and living toys running desperately for their lives.
The executives of the Donquixote Family led a massive number of soldiers, chasing the members of the Straw Hat Crew and the Dwarves who had destroyed the SAD factory all across the city.
Meanwhile, under the command of various officers, the Marines were desperately covering the civilians' evacuation.
What started as a disturbance on the island in the afternoon had escalated into a massive riot, turning the entire country into a chaotic mess overnight.
Inside the Royal Palace, situated on the King's Plateau at the center of the island, Doflamingo, draped in his pink feather coat, was engaged in a fierce battle with Luffy and Trafalgar Law.
Doflamingo stretched his arm back, shooting dozens of nearly transparent strings from his palm that intertwined to form a thick, three-finger-wide pillar of string.
"Overheat!!"
Doflamingo roared, thrusting his palm forward. The whip of string lashed out at extreme speed, sharp enough to cleave a building in two!
*Swish!*
Luffy and Law hastily split up and dodged to the sides. The whip extended at high speed toward the top of the palace tower, instantly slicing off the spire, which came crashing down.
Luffy's skin turned red, emitting white steam. In his Gear Second state, his two arms rapidly stretched backward while his body flashed right in front of Doflamingo.
Doflamingo reacted swiftly, curling his fingers to create a sharp string at each fingertip, hardening them with Armament Haki.
"Gum-Gum Eagle Bazooka!!"
Luffy's eyes widened in fury as he shouted, his arms snapping back rapidly before his Armament Haki-hardened palms blasted forward with ferocious power!
"Five Color Strings!!"
Doflamingo's expression turned savage as he swung his large hand down, the strings on his fingertips acting as blades that slashed against Luffy's incoming palms!
*Bang!!*
The two attacks collided violently, sending a powerful shockwave rippling outward in all directions.
"Room!"
A translucent blue spherical barrier suddenly expanded, enveloping Doflamingo and Luffy in the blink of an eye.
Law's eyes were cold. He raised his cursed sword, Kikoku, holding it horizontally at his side. The tip of the blade gleamed with a chilling light as he aimed at Doflamingo and rapidly thrust it through the air!
"Injection Shot!!"
Doflamingo looked startled and hurriedly tried to jump back.
However.
*Whoosh!*
An invisible blade aura ignored the spatial distance, instantly piercing Doflamingo's abdomen!
Even though no visible wound appeared on the surface, he was sent flying backward as if struck by an unseen force.
*Thud!*
Doflamingo's back slammed heavily against the wall. A trail of blood trickled from the corner of his mouth as he glared at Law with a gloomy expression.
Before he could make a move, Luffy seized the opportunity to pursue, once again bursting forward with high-speed movement to appear right in front of him.
"Gum-Gum Red Hawk!!"
Luffy's wrist was coated in pitch-black Armament Haki, flames erupting from his fist as he furiously slammed it into Doflamingo's stomach!
*Boom!!*
The immense force pierced through Doflamingo's body and erupted from his back, instantly shattering the entire wall into countless pieces of rubble.
"Ugh!"
Doflamingo gritted his teeth, forcefully swallowing the mouthful of blood he nearly spat out. Spreading his arms, he swung his large hands forward, whipping out ten thin strings!
*Swish! Swish!*
A piercing whistle tore through the air as the sharp, tough strings lashed out at extreme speed, all of them slicing into Luffy's body and sending large splatters of blood flying!
Luffy's feet skidded against the ground, forcing him back over ten meters.
"Blergh!"
After forcing out that attack, Doflamingo couldn't hold it in anymore and coughed up a mouthful of blood. He looked up at Law in the distance, a dark glint flashing in his eyes.
*Smack!*
Doflamingo slammed his large hand onto the ground. Instantly, a layer of white covered the floor, rapidly spreading outward with him at the center!
Under Luffy and Law's astonished gazes, the hard floor gradually softened, undulating like waves.
"The stone turned into string! Traffy, what the heck is this?!"
Luffy looked down at his feet as the white waves spread toward him, hastily jumping back.
Even though he didn't know what it was, it was obvious at a glance that it was nothing good.
Doflamingo spread his hands and swung them fiercely toward Law's position. Suddenly, tens of thousands of white strings rose from the ground!
"Thousand Arrows Pierce the Heart・Flap Thread!!"
*Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!*
Strands of white string intertwined into whips, their sharp tips coated in pitch-black Armament Haki. Taking the shape of flamingo wings, they surrounded and shot explosively toward Law!
Faced with this powerful and rapid attack, Law's face paled in panic; it was already too late for him to react.
*BOOM!!!*
Countless string whips crashed down like piercing spears, riddling the floor with massive holes and instantly swallowing Law's figure where he stood!
"Traffy!"
Luffy cried out in alarm, immediately snapping his head to glare at Doflamingo.
"Fuffuffuffu~ I'm genuinely surprised you managed to push me this far, but this farce ends here!"
Doflamingo smirked playfully, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. He raised his arm, firing a bundle of strings from his palm straight into the sky!
"Fuhahahaha! Neither you nor your accomplices are leaving here today!"
"Birdcage!!"
Doflamingo roared, and the bundle of white strings burst open in the sky like a blooming firework.
Thousands of thin strings shot down toward the coastlines in all directions, forming a hemispherical cage that completely enclosed the entire island!
"This guy... is he planning to lock down the whole island?"
Seeing this, Luffy couldn't help but reveal a grave expression.
However.
"As long as I send you flying, all these problems will be solved!"
Luffy shouted in a low voice. He puffed out his chest, took a deep breath, bit his thumb, and blew hard. His rubbery arm rapidly inflated like a balloon.
At the same time, Luffy's gaze darkened as he fully activated his Armament Haki. Pitch-black patterns quickly wrapped around his arms, legs, and various parts of his body.
Gear Fourth activated!
Doflamingo's eyes narrowed. He activated his Awakening ability once more, rapidly turning all the surrounding buildings into white strings!
The next instant.
"Ever-White!!"
Doflamingo crouched down and slammed his large hands onto the ground. Two massive waves of intertwined white strings surged up from the floor!
Their fierce battle continued.
Meanwhile, at the same time, far off in the sky near the island, a winding giant dragon flew into the waters of Dressrosa.
"I can see the island now, Allen!"
Atop the dragon's head, Nami held onto a horn with one hand. She gazed at the distant island, which was ablaze with fire and enclosed by the Birdcage, and frowned slightly.
"The island doesn't look very peaceful. Could we be too late?"
"It's too early to jump to conclusions. I'm going to fly at full speed, hold on tight, everyone," Sanji reminded them in a deep voice.
Immediately after, the dragon's head dipped down, suddenly accelerating and sprinting toward the island!
Allen walked to the front of the dragon's head. As they drew closer, his Observation Haki sensed a powerful presence on the island with increasing clarity.
At the same time.
On the outskirts of the town, the Marines were directing the evacuation of civilians.
Atop a tall building, facing the Birdcage that was continuously closing in from the coast, Fujitora's expression gradually grew solemn.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, he raised his head and looked toward the distant sky.
Although he was blind, his Observation Haki was exceptionally sharp, clearly projecting the distant scene into his mind.
Especially those few incredibly powerful presences, which were as dazzling as fireflies in the dark of night.