"Doflamingo… before we came to this island, Ren Kuro told me something."
Kenpachi Zaraki slowly raised his arm, his chipped Zanpakutō pointing straight at Doflamingo.
"He said you're an anomaly—someone who might actually let me enjoy a good fight."
A savage grin spread across his face.
"So come on…"
"Let's have a proper slaughter inside this cage."
Kenpachi stood there like a beast awakened from deep slumber, excitement written all over his face. Out of everyone on this island—
he had chosen Doflamingo as his prey.
"Fight me… inside the Birdcage?"
Doflamingo paused for a moment—
then suddenly threw his head back and burst into laughter.
"Fufufufufu… I didn't expect a pirate worth a billion to be such an idiot!"
"The Kenpachi of the Shinigami Pirates… it seems you don't understand what the Birdcage truly means."
His grin twisted.
"The Birdcage… as the name suggests, is a prison that strips away freedom. Once you're trapped inside, no one escapes. No one is exempt."
"You breaking in from the outside was impressive… but that's as far as you go."
Doflamingo's fingers began to move.
A cruel smile spread across his face.
"If a billion-berry pirate were reduced to a mindless killing puppet… that would be quite entertaining, wouldn't it?"
In the next instant—
countless white threads descended from the sky.
They latched onto Kenpachi's body.
Wrapped around him.
Bound him like a puppet on strings.
Doflamingo's smile widened.
He believed it was over.
"Ohhh… now, just watch as your companions fall one by one right before your eyes!" he cackled, his fingers twitching as if manipulating a marionette.
But—
nothing happened.
Kenpachi didn't move.
Didn't twitch.
Didn't respond.
The Birdcage—
had no effect.
"…What?"
Doflamingo's expression froze.
"Why… why isn't his body responding?!"
Veins bulged across his forehead as shock flooded his mind.
In all his years, whenever the Birdcage was deployed, anyone trapped inside became prey—puppets to be slaughtered or forced to kill each other.
The Birdcage meant one thing:
endless massacre.
And yet—
this man stood there completely unaffected.
Even though dozens of threads were attached to his body—
Doflamingo couldn't control him.
At all.
"What the hell is going on?!"
He frantically moved his fingers again and again—
but nothing changed.
Kenpachi simply stood there…
looking at him like an idiot.
"…Hey."
Kenpachi tilted his head slightly, clearly annoyed.
"What exactly are you doing?"
"How long are you planning to waste my time?"
"I came here to fight you."
"This… this shouldn't be possible!" Doflamingo snarled, his composure cracking. "Why doesn't Parasite String work on you?!"
"Parasite String?" Kenpachi glanced at the threads on his body.
"You mean these?"
He grabbed them with one hand—
and tore them off.
Easily.
"You think something like this can control me?" he said, his voice dripping with disdain. "Don't make me laugh."
BOOM—
A surge of golden Reiatsu exploded outward.
The night lit up.
The air screamed under the pressure.
And in the next instant—
every single thread attached to Kenpachi's body disintegrated.
Gone.
As if they had never existed.
"…Impossible."
Doflamingo's voice trembled.
Those threads—
reinforced with Armament Haki—
were supposed to be nearly indestructible.
And yet—
before that overwhelming Reiatsu—
they were nothing but paper.
"…Monster."
"No… he's a complete monster!"
The sheer difference crushed Doflamingo's thoughts.
But instead of retreating—
rage took over.
"Don't you dare look down on me!"
With a furious roar, Doflamingo lunged forward.
"Five-Color Strings!"
His fingers curled into claws.
Five razor-sharp threads shot forward like blades, slicing toward Kenpachi's body.
If it had been anyone else—
their body would have been torn open instantly.
But—
when the threads struck—
they only left behind faint white marks.
Nothing more.
"…What?!"
Doflamingo's face twisted.
His full-power attack—
couldn't even break Kenpachi's skin.
"What was that supposed to be?" Kenpachi frowned, clearly disappointed.
"All that hype… and this is it?"
"Were you trying to scratch an itch for me?"
"If this is all you've got… you're not even worth fighting."
"Shut up!"
Doflamingo's fists clenched tightly.
Every word Kenpachi spoke felt like a hammer smashing into his pride.
For a brief moment—
he felt like he had been dragged back into his childhood.
That hellish past.
Those humiliations.
The memories he could never erase.
All of it surged back at once.
"I will never let anyone trample my pride again!"
"Fufufufu… you really are worthy of that billion-berry bounty," Doflamingo laughed, though his eyes were filled with killing intent.
"You're terrifyingly strong."
His hand stretched backward—
and from his palm, dozens of near-transparent threads burst out.
They twisted together.
Compressed.
Merged—
into a single massive thread pillar, thick like a rope of steel.
"Overheat!"
With a violent motion—
the massive thread slammed straight into Kenpachi.
◇ I'll drop one bonus chapter for every 10 reviews (leave a review/comment!)
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 100 Power Stones.
◇ Read 60 chapters ahead on P@treon: patreon.com/KageNaruto