With the ultimate strike infused with Conqueror's Haki Infusion and the devastating Grand Perfume Femur, those threads—far tougher than ordinary steel—were instantly torn apart.
That graceful foot rapidly enlarged within Doflamingo's field of vision.
With a loud bang, Doflamingo's head exploded on the spot.
However, what burst forth was not red and white matter…
But threads.
Hancock froze for a moment, then muttered through clenched teeth:
"He… actually escaped again!"
And far away in the sky, Doflamingo clung to a strand of thread with one hand, hanging from a cloud that had drifted back over.
Watching from afar as the decoy he had created was kicked to pieces, he felt lingering fear.
But even more than that… was jealousy.
"We both possess the talent for all three types of Haki… so why is Hancock able to wrap her attacks with Conqueror's Haki Infusion, while no matter how hard I try, I can't do it at all?"
"Ever considered that maybe… you're just a bit trash, Doffy?"
Doflamingo's entire body shuddered violently.
He hadn't expected his muttering to actually get a response.
And that voice—he knew it all too well.
He had only faced that voice head-on three or four times…
Yet it appeared again and again in his nightmares.
His reason screamed at him—
Run! You must run!
But his body didn't respond at all, as if it were completely numb.
Until…
A hand pressed down on the back of his neck.
Gripping his throat, flipping him around.
And in that instant, Michael's Holy Light flames coursed across Doflamingo's entire body.
All the detonation threads he had been controlling were severed at their source.
"I've been watching you for a while now… looks like all those explosions were your doing, kid."
The moment he was turned around, Doflamingo nearly collapsed to the ground.
Just as expected…
"Michael… are you here to kill me?"
"Kill you? Why would I kill you?" Michael smiled warmly and gave Doflamingo a thumbs-up. "Sure, you're a bad kid, but you did a pretty good job in Dressrosa… so I've decided, magnanimously, to spare your life and let you go back to Dressrosa to keep shining—be the wise king in the eyes of the people. Sounds good, right?"
"No… no…"
"Oh? You think that's a wonderful ending too?" Michael said cheerfully. "But before you go back to Dressrosa, the SWORD Secret Special Force will take you to Marineford for a visit… Granny Tsuru has been talking about you nonstop."
"Michael! Kill me! Please, kill me!"
"Good boy, good boy~ Doffy. Turning bad children into good children is also a part of justice, you know."
Under Michael's gentle, spring-breeze-like comfort, Doflamingo's emotions completely collapsed.
He was born evil!
He absolutely did not want to become some so-called "good child"!
This… was worse than death!
"You! You're not an angel!"
"You're a devil!"
...
Charlotte Linlin, who had placed Kaido atop the thundercloud Zeus, witnessed this scene and couldn't help but look at Michael a few more times.
Those gentle smiles and casual words truly felt like the devil's whisper…
Even Charlotte Linlin shivered slightly.
A man with such terrifying charm—yet he refused to become her husband. What a pity.
...
"Everyone! Arrest all the remaining members of the Beasts Pirates!"
Rosinante stood shoulder to shoulder with Kozuki Oden, directing the samurai as they rounded up the Beasts Pirates.
The battle, which had nearly fallen into a stalemate, ended swiftly once several Logia users unleashed their power.
Rosinante glanced at the four Logia users again, a bitter smile curling at the corner of his mouth.
Today, the four of them had taken a massive beating at the hands of Douglas Bullet…
And the Beasts Pirates had become their outlet.
But no matter what, ending the fighting here as quickly as possible…
Was the only way they could join forces to face the already imminent Bullet.
"Rosinante! Is it over?"
"It's over with the Beasts Pirates…" Rosinante said as he looked at Hancock running over, then pointed into the distance. "But don't forget—there's still the real monster."
"So this is what Father was talking about—the biggest and coolest combined robot in the world!"
Kozuki Toki, who arrived a step later, stood beside Kozuki Oden, looking up with childlike excitement shining in her eyes.
"Toki, looks like you took action today."
"Yeah… it's been a long time since I've seen blood."
"For the sake of the children, you've worked hard…"
"Don't say that, Oden… compared to the old days, this kind of battle is just a warm-up."
Watching the overly affectionate couple, Rosinante shuddered violently.
Broad daylight, under the clear sky!
Too painful to watch!
And the SWORD Secret Special Force, along with Jack and Yamato, all gathered beside Rosinante.
"Hey, do you think we really stand a chance against that thing…?" Shu frowned. "If Michael were here—"
Before Shu could finish, a man bearing a pair of Holy Light wings descended from the sky.
In his hand, he was carrying Doflamingo, whose eyes had completely lost all focus and light.
"Mi—"
"All right, enough chatter. While my ultimate move hasn't ended yet…" Michael said calmly. "Let me take care of Bullet."
He casually tossed Doflamingo onto the ground, then soared back into the air.
"Mamamamama! You SWORD Secret Special Force really showed up in full force this time!"
...
The instant Michael departed, Charlotte Linlin descended together with Kaido.
"Charlotte Linlin!? You… why are you here!?" Rosinante's eyes filled with instant wariness.
"I'm just here to keep Kaido alive…" Charlotte Linlin said with a smile. "And maybe see if I can make Michael my forty-third husband while I'm at it."
Of course, she had no intention of revealing the details of her deal with Michael.
Even though everyone present could be counted as Michael's confidants…
They were not her confidants.
Among them, she still hadn't seen anyone truly qualified to stand shoulder to shoulder with him…
Well, that little one called Hancock could count as half.
And just as Rosinante was about to speak again—
A shout rang out from the distance:
"Amplification! Thirtyfold speed!"
In the next instant, that familiar figure came flying back at an even greater speed.
Michael flapped his Holy Light wings and finally hovered to a stop in front of everyone.
Looking at the stunned crowd, Michael smiled shyly.
"Slip-up, slip-up."
"Let's try that again!"
-----------
Fanfic is finished. 583 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg