Chapter 255: The Hidden Plan
Seizing the instant when Donquixote Doflamingo and Marco passed each other in the air, Axel pretended to launch a normal attack toward Jozu.
After their previous exchange, the moment Jozu saw Axel move, he immediately widened his eyes, sharpened his focus, and prepared to meet the upcoming attack in his best condition.
An indestructible blow formed from diamond was unleashed once more.
But this time, Jozu did not choose to clash head-on.
Instead, he struck the ground.
Under that punch, the earth for dozens of yards cracked and heaved upward, constantly raising barriers in Axel's path.
Axel gently swept his hand, as if brushing aside thin branches blocking his view.
The massive chunks of rubble hurtling toward him were effortlessly deflected.
His body passed through the gaps without slowing, and with a few sidesteps, he arrived in front of Jozu.
Seeing this, Jozu immediately raised his arms to counterattack.
However, the expected clash between the two did not occur.
Instead, Axel was sent flying in a completely one-sided manner.
Jozu stared strangely at the fist he had just swung.
In truth, the force he had used was even weaker than before.
Yet with that one strike, he had sent the kid flying.
He instantly sensed that something was wrong and wanted to shout a warning.
But it was already too late.
At that moment, Axel's body suddenly reversed its momentum.
Like a stone thrown into the distance that neither continued forward nor fell to the ground, his body defied normal physics and shot straight into the sky.
Doflamingo and Marco clearly had not expected this turn of events either.
By the time they reacted to Axel's sudden close-range approach, they found that he already held a bundle in his hands.
The wrapped-up Sugar.
"I think we can pause for now."
Doflamingo's gaze remained fixed on Marco, whose foot was planted firmly against his arm.
Marco's expression stiffened.
He had not expected this situation either.
A single moment of negligence had allowed Axel to snatch the person tied behind him.
To Marco, that was undoubtedly a provocation and a mockery.
His gaze shifted to Doflamingo.
Should they really stop the fight as Doflamingo suggested?
Marco hesitated.
The reason for his hesitation came from the previous battle.
During that fight, he could clearly sense that Doflamingo had not held back in the slightest.
In other words, Sugar seemed both important and insignificant to him.
Would someone like that truly risk his life for a crewmate?
Marco doubted it.
He did not think for long.
Then, with a click of his tongue, he slowly withdrew his attack, seemingly accepting Doflamingo's suggestion.
"What do you mean by this?" Marco asked.
"Don't you think that brat is always a variable?"
Doflamingo's fingers moved nimbly, pulling at unseen threads while his mind worked quickly.
"How about we deal with him first?"
Marco did not agree immediately.
He first asked, "How?"
"You're worried that I'll choose to flee while you attack."
Doflamingo smiled.
"But what if I attack that brat, and you supervise from the side?"
Marco did not believe him.
Aside from within the Whitebeard Pirates, what trust could possibly exist between pirates?
If one asked which group of people in the world told the most lies, the answer would undoubtedly be criminals.
And if one asked which type of criminal deceived people the most, then aside from con artists, it would be pirates.
Judging from Doflamingo's actions just now, this man was undoubtedly cunning.
Would he be considerate enough to weaken his own combat strength just to help others?
Even if it was for revenge, it was hard to believe.
Seeing Marco's reaction, Doflamingo laughed loudly.
"I never expected the mighty Whitebeard Pirates to be so timid and afraid of trouble."
He spread his arms slightly.
"Don't worry. I naturally wouldn't do something so disadvantageous."
Marco felt anger.
Anger because Doflamingo had once again mocked the Whitebeard Pirates.
But there was also confusion.
His tone turned hostile.
"Only someone blindly arrogant like you would fail to understand Pops' strength."
His eyes sharpened.
"But you won't have the chance to find out in the future. Because you'll die by my hand."
Doflamingo laughed.
"I look forward to it."
Then he glanced below.
"Have that big guy attack the brat with me. You stay on the side and stop either of us from escaping."
"Isn't that a good option?"
Marco could not discern Doflamingo's purpose.
After exchanging a glance with Jozu, he finally nodded.
Standing in the middle, Axel spread his hands, wearing the helpless expression of a victim.
Having recaptured Sugar seemed to have backfired.
Instead, it had pushed the situation in an even worse direction.
Yet when he glanced at Doflamingo, a mischievous grin appeared on his face.
Was that really the case?
The battle resumed.
This time, it was an assault formed by Doflamingo and Jozu.
Doflamingo's threads created barriers in the air, interfering with Axel's agile movements.
Meanwhile, Jozu's powerful attacks forced him into direct combat.
After only a short while, Axel was pushed onto the defensive.
His disheveled appearance made it seem as though he would be defeated with just a little more time.
Marco hovered in the air, his gaze fixed on the battlefield below.
However, his focus was not truly on the fight itself.
Compared to Axel, he was more concerned about Doflamingo.
Doflamingo's current actions were like those of a reckless fool, strenuously helping an enemy defeat another enemy.
The enemy of my enemy is my friend.
That saying existed, but it did not always apply.
There was also another phrase.
The enemy of my enemy is still my enemy.
And that was precisely the awkward situation between Doflamingo and them at this moment.
So what exactly was his intention?
What was he scheming?
Jozu attacked.
Axel deflected the punch, dissolved its force, and firmly locked onto Jozu's fist.
At that moment, Doflamingo also moved.
He flicked his fingers, and the threads connected to them began to move under his control.
However, he did not attack Axel as Jozu expected.
Instead, he targeted the bundle behind Axel.
Sugar.
The threads instantly stripped away the blanket restraining her, then flung Sugar toward Jozu and Axel.
Axel had anticipated this.
He shifted his stance at once and evaded.
Sugar was hurled directly onto Jozu.
The power of the Hobby Hobby Fruit activated instantly.
Jozu's massive body abruptly shrank, transforming into a bound toy.
The sudden turn of events stunned Marco.
It was not that he had been unprepared.
He had simply prepared for the wrong person.
He never imagined that Doflamingo and that kid would set their sights on Jozu.
After all, with Jozu's defense, even a direct attack from Doflamingo should not have mattered.
But he had not expected that little girl's ability to be so bizarre.
At that moment, Marco launched an assault, charging straight toward Doflamingo.
Doflamingo was prepared.
He pulled his threads, creating barriers that bought him just enough time to dodge and evade.
"What have you done, Doflamingo!"
Facing Marco's furious question, Doflamingo smiled.
"As you can see."
Then Axel chimed in from the side.
"That was close. Way too close."
He patted his chest with exaggerated relief.
"If I'd been touched, I'd probably be done for too."
Then he glanced at Doflamingo and smiled.
"Luckily, I knew from the start you'd stab me in the back, so I was prepared."
.....
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