With a single clash, Garp was severely wounded, his arm broken, and he was completely out of commission!
Watching from afar, Doflamingo and his two subordinates stumbled backward in shock.
The sheer disbelief refused to dissipate from their minds.
"One blow… and the top-tier Garp is out." Doflamingo said, trying to compose himself. "This level of power… El can no longer be described as human."
Diamante was silent for a moment. "Garp is arguably one of the strongest martial artists in the entire world. Yet, El easily overpowered him in a direct clash."
"I truly don't know… what kind of enemy could possibly stand against El?"
Trebol added in awe, "His offense, defense, martial arts, all his abilities…"
"It seems every single one of El's powers is top-tier. He has no weaknesses."
Doflamingo sighed deeply.
"I finally understand."
"As long as a man like El exists, I will never be able to become the Pirate King!"
He had a clear understanding of his own strength. He knew deep down that he could never reach El's level, let alone defeat him.
"Young Master…" Diamante looked at Doflamingo, a pang of sadness in his heart.
He too understood that as long as El lived, Doflamingo would have no chance. The truth was that cruel!
"I've decided."
But the light of ambition still burned in Doflamingo's eyes. "We must get that Op-Op Fruit!"
"Only then can El not dominate the world forever!"
Doflamingo had come to a realization. Preventing El from getting the fruit wasn't just the Marines' last chance; it was his last chance too!
Anyone getting the fruit was better than El getting it!
"Let's go!" Doflamingo said, his eyes filled with determination.
Behind him, Diamante, Pica, and Trebol frantically held him back.
"Young Master! Don't be reckless!" Diamante pleaded, holding on tightly. "If you don't go, we might lose our future. But if you do… we'll lose everything right now!"
They all knew that if the four top Marines couldn't beat El, their own lower-tier crew would be instantly annihilated.
"No! I have to try!" Doflamingo insisted. "If I die here today, then that is my fate! But if I don't try, I'll never forgive myself for my cowardice!"
"Let me go first!" Diamante suddenly interjected. "Young Master, if your mind is set, let me charge first, and you follow behind me! That way, at least, I can clear a path for you!"
Doflamingo nodded to his loyal subordinate.
Diamante looked at his comrades, his eyes filled with tragic resolve.
He activated his Float-Float Fruit and launched himself toward El.
Doflamingo followed, gracefully using his String-String Fruit.
The two charged toward the battlefield at their fastest speed!
Meanwhile, El had just shoved the unconscious Garp aside.
He heard the distant shouts and looked up.
Two chilling glints of light shot from his eyes!
El looked at the charging Diamante.
"What nameless nobody dares to attack me?!"
El was furious. This was a challenge to his absolute authority!
He unleashed a powerful burst of Conqueror's Haki!
BOOM!
In an instant, his Haki covered the entire island!
The terrifying, oppressive aura shot straight into the sky, scattering the dark clouds above!
El's gaze fell upon Diamante. His Conqueror's Haki solidified into black lightning and struck Diamante directly.
"GET LOST!" El roared.
His voice echoed like thunder across the island.
Diamante was hit by El's Haki. His eyes rolled back, foam appeared at his mouth, and he collapsed to the ground, unconscious!
Even Doflamingo, who also possessed Conqueror's Haki, felt a tremendous shock to his mind. His brain reeled, and he nearly passed out himself!
He looked at the fallen Diamante, then at his other subordinates.
They were almost all down!
El had taken out most of them with just a single glance. It was absolutely terrifying!
Doflamingo stopped dead in his tracks, cold sweat pouring down his face.
He knew that if he took another step forward… he would die! His subordinates would die! Everything they had built over the years would be destroyed!
In that critical moment, fear took hold. He finally understood. Their strength, in front of El, was nothing more than an afterthought.
Doflamingo gritted his teeth and hoisted Diamante onto his shoulder.
He led his remaining subordinates away from the battle.
They returned to their previous vantage point, watching El fight the four Marines from a safe distance.
Although they had nearly been wiped out, Doflamingo still wanted to see the final outcome of the Op-Op Fruit.
After a while, Diamante and the others slowly regained consciousness.
Diamante looked around and said to Doflamingo, surprised, "Young Master, you changed your mind?"
Doflamingo nodded silently.
At the same time, he felt a portion of his boundless ambition dissipate.
---
On the main battlefield.
Garp was completely out of commission.
Zephyr, though still able to fight, was operating at less than half his original strength.
Sengoku was heavily exhausted.
Only Tsuru remained in relatively good condition.
But she wasn't a frontline fighter.
Their combined strength had been more than halved.
If they couldn't beat El before, they certainly couldn't now.
The remaining three stood together. Sengoku spoke bitterly: "I thought that if the four of us risked our lives, we could stop El."
"I never imagined… that even risking our lives would only slow him down a little."
Zephyr said, clutching his severed arm: "Tsuru, escape with the fruit! Sengoku and I… we will stop him, even if it costs us our lives."
Tsuru shook her head. "It's no use. You three couldn't stop him before. You have even less of a chance now."
She looked at Sengoku and Zephyr, and a new resolve hardened in her eyes.
__________________
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