Sabo and Doflamingo, entangled in a fierce struggle, vanished from the room and reappeared in the severed palace in the blink of an eye. A strong wind howled, making their clothes flap wildly.
Doflamingo was the first to attack, his hands moving like phantoms, countless transparent threads shooting from his fingertips like dense, sharp arrows, covering the sky and earth as they flew towards Sabo.
Sabo activated his Observation Haki to its fullest, sidestepping to deftly avoid the frontal assault, while simultaneously pushing off the ground with his feet, rocketing towards Doflamingo like a cannonball.
A cruel smile played on Doflamingo's lips as he instantly redirected the threads, coiling them around Sabo from all directions.
Sabo launched a 'Dragon Claw Fist' straight at Doflamingo's face.
Doflamingo, unhurried, easily dodged the fierce blow, while simultaneously weaving multiple layers of defense with his threads in front of him.
Fists collided with threads, emitting a dazzling light and creating a powerful shockwave that swept through the surroundings.
The two briefly caught their breath, glaring at each other, the tension in the air growing thicker.
Just then, Luffy's voice boomed like thunder. He looked at the two fighting, his face flushed red, stomping his feet in anger.
His features were almost crumpled into a ball as he shouted loudly,
"Sabo!!! Mingo is my opponent! Don't you dare steal him!"
Doflamingo glared fiercely at the troublesome Straw Hat Luffy, his teeth grinding, his heart seething with rage:
Did these people really think of him as a piece of dough to be kneaded by anyone? They were even lining up to challenge him!
"Pica! Throw these troublesome guys out for me!"
As Doflamingo's words fell, the palace high ground instantly shook violently, as if the very earth trembled in fear.
Immediately after, a colossal stone giant appeared within the palace.
Pica, controlling his ability, altered the palace's terrain. The giant rock arm lifted high, then descended like a small mountain, grabbing everyone in the palace and unceremoniously throwing them out of the castle like trash.
In the blink of an eye, within the vast castle, only the Executives of the Donquixote Family remained.
They looked at each other, their expressions grave, the oppressive atmosphere making it hard to breathe.
Has the Young Master finally been caught by Orochimaru's family? Has this day finally come? Are they finally about to face the moment of escape?
(Jianqiu, our heads hurt so much)
Doflamingo slowly turned his head, looking at Sabo, his eyes full of provocation.
"What, you coward, why didn't you leave with your brother?
When did the Revolutionary Army start actively attacking the Shichibukai?"
Sabo's gaze was sharp, staring unpleasantly at Doflamingo, and he said coldly, "Don't you know why I'm here? Stop beating around the bush."
Doflamingo scoffed disdainfully, his tone growing more arrogant.
"I'm not a coward like you. Those were consensual matters, so by what right do you question me?
Is it as a brother? Or as a covetous schemer?"
Sabo was instantly choked speechless, his face turning pale then green.
Seeing this, Doflamingo's sneer grew even more rampant: "Does Orochimaru know you have ulterior motives for him?
I'm afraid he doesn't care at all.
In his heart, you're nothing more than a brother.
An important brother.
At least I can be his lover.
As a lover, what's wrong with sleeping with him?
Could it be that you, as a brother, even want to meddle in your brother's bedroom affairs?
That's reaching too far."
Sabo trembled with rage, clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white, and he gritted his teeth, staring at Doflamingo: "I merely respect his choices."
Doflamingo laughed uproariously, his laughter sharp and piercing, as if it would tear the surrounding air, echoing freely in the confined space.
"You people, you're utterly ridiculous, you only know how to blindly obey and respect.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with that in itself.
After all, this ancestor responds to gentleness, not force.
But for you, that's a kind of confinement.
Although I don't know about his past.
But I also admit that it was you who slowly opened his heart, made him accept this complex world, and even gave him things he cared about.
I guess, Orochimaru was probably always abandoned before,
So he accepted you because you would choose him without hesitation, steadfastly.
Doflamingo stopped laughing, a hint of triumph and cunning flashing in his eyes as he continued,
"But do you really think Orochimaru doesn't understand those things?
No, he knows it all in his heart, he just doesn't care at all.
In his eyes, these things are completely unnecessary."
Doflamingo spoke as he paced, gesturing with his hands in the air.
"He doesn't care if he gets hurt, after all, with his abilities, wounds heal quickly;
He doesn't care what others think of him, with his strength, why should he care about others' gazes;
As for gender, in his eyes, it's merely one of many forms of existence, insignificant;
He even considers physiological desires to be nothing more than human instinct, whether they exist or not doesn't matter."
At this point, he suddenly turned, darted in front of Sabo, staring directly at him, his face full of arrogant yet ambiguous smiles, almost touching Sabo's face, enunciating each word:
"But what about me?
It was I who taught him
Those hidden emotions,
That ultimate pleasure.
Whether it's the intimate satisfaction of emotion or the fervent desire of physiology,
He can fully possess and boldly express them without any reservations.
That's why I became the one to take that step."
Doflamingo's tone was full of arrogance, his eyes disdainfully glancing at Sabo: "And you, you can only hover in the position of the considerate and gentle brother, right... Big Brother."
He deliberately emphasized the words "Big Brother," full of mockery.
In an instant, the air seemed to solidify, an eerie silence. Just then, Baby5 couldn't help but whisper, "Isn't Young Master really teaching people how to win over Orochimaru? It's almost like he's actively telling them that to succeed, they need to be shameless and proactive."
Baby5's complaint sounded particularly abrupt and loud in the silent palace high ground, especially since most of those present had their Observation Haki fully activated, so the sound was naturally heard clearly.
Sabo's expression was subtle for a moment, then he actually bowed very solemnly to Doflamingo, and slowly said,
"Thanks. Since that's the case... then I'll leave you to Luffy after all."
With that, he straightened up, his eyes firm, as if he had already made a certain decision.
Doflamingo looked at Sabo, who seemed to have made some major decision. The usually arrogant and unrestrained Doflamingo's face couldn't help but twitch a few times, and he cursed himself inwardly,
"...Damn... I told you to talk too much!"
Then, in a fit of anger, he turned and glared fiercely at Baby5, as if he wanted to devour her alive, his eyes seeming to blame his talkative subordinate for ruining his good deed.
Indeed, it's better to marry her off.
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