The reason Doflamingo was so terrified of Kaido was precisely because in their battle back then, he had exhausted all his stamina and still couldn't leave a single scratch on him. Now, a similar scene was about to play out with Bellamy. He had already used half his stamina, yet Bellamy still looked as energetic as ever. Doflamingo looked at the wounds again and, sure enough, found that they had already healed, without even a scar remaining.
Drake's condition, however, brought him some comfort. The awakened strings were continuously leaving bloody marks on Drake's body. In the blink of an eye, he was covered in wounds, his breathing ragged.
So it's not me who's wrong! It's Bellamy!
"Parasite String."
Dozens of transparent threads scattered in the air fell like shooting stars and pierced into Drake's body. He had tried this ability on Bellamy before, and all the strings had been instantly snapped, rendering it almost useless. But now, since some nameless underling had arrived, he wasn't going to be polite. Doflamingo didn't recognize Drake at all, nor did he care. As long as he could distract Bellamy for a moment, this pawn would have served his purpose.
What Doflamingo didn't know was that Bellamy had the exact same idea when he called Drake down to help. If Doflamingo was determined to run, this fight would become incredibly difficult. Drake's role, aside from guarding his back, was to serve as a distraction for Doflamingo. As for whether Doflamingo would be tempted to counterattack, Bellamy had already considered that.
Right now, Dressrosa had the users of the Heal-Heal Fruit, the Op-Op Fruit, and the Slow-Slow Fruit. Even if Drake were killed on the spot, as long as he wasn't brain-dead, Bellamy was confident he could bring him back. The abilities of these Devil Fruit users were so outrageously powerful that ordinary death seemed to have become trivial.
"Drake, full defense."
This stalemate was exactly what Bellamy wanted to see. As long as Doflamingo didn't flee, Bellamy could stay here and wear him down all day. Secretly, he was also looking for an opportunity, trying to use his Observation Haki to lock onto Pica's position. The user of the Stone-Stone Fruit had been lurking in the nearby earth, not daring to get close. If the chance arose, Bellamy certainly wouldn't let him go. If he could take out that troublesome guy, in this environment, Doflamingo would have nowhere to run.
I can't let this drag on any longer.
Doflamingo had realized that continuing this stalemate would do him no good.
"Fuffuffuffo, enjoy this little betrayal from your subordinate."
He curled his finger, and the colorless Parasite Strings immediately pulsed. Drake's body suddenly trembled, and then, against his will, he launched an attack on Bellamy.
"What's happening? My body!"
Drake tried to shout a warning, but found he had no control over his body. Exhausted from dealing with the awakened strings, he hadn't noticed when he had fallen into the trap. This sudden development horrified him. Fortunately, he had absolute faith in Bellamy and knew that such an attack posed no threat to him.
The moment he noticed something was wrong with Drake, Bellamy immediately understood what had happened.
Parasite String, huh?
A treacherous trick used to toy with the weak, completely useless against powerhouses of the same level. Breaking it was also simple. Bellamy casually swiped his hand around Drake, and dozens of transparent strings were instantly sliced into pieces.
"A perfect chance."
This was the moment Doflamingo had been waiting for. Bellamy's speed was simply too fast. To catch him off guard, one had to wait for the right opportunity. Now was a very good one. The assassination thread that had been lurking for so long immediately shot toward the vital point on Bellamy's back.
"A perfect chance!"
At almost the same instant, Bellamy sensed the attack. For him, this was also a rare opportunity. A mere vital point like his heart, even if it were pulverized, wouldn't cause him too much damage. But to launch such an attack, Doflamingo would have to expend a great deal of energy. Seizing this chance, Bellamy decided to settle the fight with his next blow.
Pica's ability must envelop Doflamingo to work.
That process would take about a second. And for his attack to break through this great wave of strings and reach Doflamingo would also take about a second. This one second was the most critical moment that would decide the outcome of the battle.
But Bellamy had the capital to gamble. Even if he lost, the worst that could happen was his heart getting blown out. If Doflamingo lost the gamble, however, a punch into which Bellamy poured his very life was not something just anyone could withstand.
"Six Powers Secret Art: Maximum Ring."
Bellamy had mastered many secret techniques, but the one he was most proficient in was undoubtedly the Six Powers.
"Six King Gun!"
This technique integrated all the essence and skills of the Six Powers, and was unquestionably the pinnacle of human martial arts. To use it, one had to have reached the highest level of mastery. Before firing, all the body's power is concentrated in the fist. The slightest mistake could result in a backlash, or even cause the user's body to explode.
As Doflamingo's assassination thread shot out from the shadows toward Bellamy's back, Bellamy raised his fist toward Doflamingo and fired, completely ignoring the attack coming from behind.
Seeing this, Doflamingo's pupils contracted rapidly.
"Not good! Pica, go!"
Pica, who had been waiting nearby, heard the command and quickly enveloped his Young Master's body to sink deeper into the earth. But Doflamingo had focused too much energy on the assassination thread, and his reaction was a beat too slow. Just as his body was halfway into the ground, the Six King Gun, carrying a violent gale, arrived before him.
"It's too late!"
Doflamingo raised his hand to form a string shield, but a sudden, explosive roar echoed through the void.
"ROAR!"
Bellamy let out a furious shout, shaking the narrow underground space to its foundations. This seemingly meaningless roar caused Doflamingo's movements to pause for a fraction of a second.
At that exact moment, the assassination thread, heavily infused with Armament Haki, pierced through Bellamy's chest, impaling him completely. It continued on, pinning Drake, who was behind him, to the earthen wall.
The moment his heart was pierced, the Armament Haki exploded inside his body, and a fountain of blood erupted from Bellamy's mouth. But at almost the same time, his Six King Gun had reached Doflamingo's face.
"You madman!"
Is he trying to take me down with him?
To the very end, Doflamingo could not understand what deep-seated hatred existed between them that would make Bellamy risk his own life just to kill him.