Chapter 156: Fierce Battle Against Doflamingo, Siano Emerges from Seclusion

"No!"

The little girl's face instantly turned deathly pale, yet she still gritted her teeth, leaped out, spread her arms, and stood before the bear.

Alas, the size difference was too great; at only twenty centimeters tall, she couldn't even block the bear's face.

"Mr. Bear is a good person, Doflamingo! Let him go! As long as you stop hurting him, I will obediently follow you back and never run away again!"

"Fuffuffuffu... Let him go?"

Doflamingo tilted his head, looking down from above at that tiny figure:

"What foolish words are these, Mansherry? Both you and he are spoils of war that I must take back."

With a slight curl of his finger, invisible threads instantly wrapped around Mansherry's limbs, lifting her entire body up and suspending her in midair.

"This man is a rare Bucaneer; although he paid lip service while disobeying, unwilling to heed my orders, even his corpse holds value and can serve entirely as a bargaining chip in dealings with the World Government."

"Moreover, this fellow is astonishingly strong; I set so many traps before finally capturing him. How could I possibly let all that effort go to waste just because of a single word from you..."

"Ugh!"

Mansherry struggled, tears swirling in her eyes yet stubbornly refusing to fall. "You... you villain!"

"Villain? Fuffuffuffu!"

Doflamingo laughed even more wildly. "Call me whatever you like, little thing. In any case, today..."

"Let her go."

A cold, sharp voice suddenly rang out, cutting off his words.

Immediately, a flash of cold light struck!

Swish!

A sword qi slashed through, severing several threads at once; Mansherry's body fell from the air, caught steadily by a rough, large hand.

"Are you alright?" Jack looked down, smiling honestly.

"Thank you, I'm fine!" Mansherry, still shaken, hastily added, "That guy is incredibly strong; you all must be careful..."

"Rest assured."

Jack laughed heartily, lifting his gaze to the figure stepping forward step by step. "With Vice Captain Sister Sister Guyina here, this fellow won't be able to harm you no matter what."

"Hey..."

Doflamingo frowned, looking over with clear displeasure.

The one who acted was a seemingly young black-haired girl, who expressionlessly returned her blade to its scabbard.

Her appearance seemed somewhat familiar, as if seen somewhere before.

"A wanted criminal? If she left an impression on me, she must be a Supernova with a bounty exceeding one hundred million."

Doflamingo suddenly pushed up his sunglasses, revealing an expression of keen interest:

"Swordsmanship... Hey, wait a moment... I seem to remember now. Aren't you, little girl, the Vice Captain of that Fallen Pirates crew, the Sword Master of Falling Rain, Sister Sister Guyina, with a two-hundred-million-berry bounty?"

"It's an adventure team; do not lump me together with you, pirate."

Sister Sister Guyina spoke coldly.

"What difference does it make!"

Doflamingo's gaze swept over the others. "Then the rest of you must be officers of the Fallen as well. I see, so after that man died, you didn't scatter like birds and beasts but instead all hid in a place like this..."

"Fuffuffuffu!"

He spread his arms, his mouth stretching into an exaggerated grin. "Interesting, interesting! To think there would be such an unexpected harvest. If I recall correctly, your bounties are all quite high. Now that you've lost your captain, why not consider joining my ranks..."

"This dead okama starts spouting a bunch of nonsense right off the bat; he's really asking for a beating."

His words were interrupted once again. Nami crossed her arms indignantly, turned her head, and asked, "Who exactly is he?"

"One of the Seven Warlords of the Sea, Doflamingo."

Robin smiled gently and calmly interjected, "A very famous man. He's a user of the Supremacy-type String-String Fruit, with a former bounty as high as three hundred and forty million berries."

"Supremacy-type? A bounty of only three hundred-something million? That's nothing special!"

Nami scoffed, casting a contemptuous glance at the other party. "And he talks about wanting to recruit us? I thought he was some formidable figure, but turns out at his age he only has such a small bounty; isn't he ashamed?"

That was his former bounty!

From many years ago!

Where did this wild girl come from? Can a Warlord's bounty even increase?!

Doflamingo's face darkened, a blue vein clearly throbbing at his temple. Just as he was about to speak, Nami interrupted him again: "Then, Sister Robin, what about that man lying on the ground?"

"That is Bear."

Robin said softly, "We once crossed paths on Drum Island; our captain had a fairly good impression of him, so he counts reluctantly as an old acquaintance."

"So, on one side we have a whining dead okama, and on the other, an older brother's friend."

Nami suddenly realized, striking her fist into her palm. "Then who we should help seems pretty obvious."

"Sister Sister Guyina!"

She cupped her hands before her mouth, shaping them like a megaphone. "Then I'll leave it to you; knock him down and show no mercy, OVER!"

"Fuffuffuffu..."

Doflamingo was nearly laughed into anger. "What do you take me for... a bunch of ignorant brats!"

If that Siano himself were still alive,

these people would have the capital to speak so boldly before him; constrained by Siano's reputation and strength, he would have simply endured it.

But Siano is dead! Surrounded front and back by a Yonko and a Navy Admiral, he is dead beyond any doubt!

Without their captain's protection, do they still dare to be so arrogant against a New World powerhouse like himself?

Whoosh—

A sharp sword qi suddenly attacked from the side; Doflamingo dodged in haste, yet a corner of his feather coat was still sliced off.

Sister Sister Guyina gripped the Wado Ichimonji and said coldly:

"So much nonsense; if you want to fight, then fight, but if you don't dare, then scram immediately—I'm protecting these two!"

"Very good... very good!"

Doflamingo laughed in extreme rage, "Since you insist on seeking death, then I shall grant your wish! Remnants of Siano!"

Five Color Strings!

His right hand suddenly splayed open, and five sharp threads immediately whistled like venomous snakes, twisting and killing as they surged forward!

Sister Sister Guyina narrowed her eyes slightly, immediately activating her Observation Haki to its fullest.

In her perception, time seemed to slow down at this moment; the trajectories of those deadly threads were each clearly visible.

Step-Forward Slash!

Her figure shifted, dodging continuously almost like teleportation, her speed actually a notch faster than "Soru."

When she reappeared, she had dodged all the threads, and somehow appeared behind Doflamingo; with cold eyes, she slashed out with her sword.

Not good!

Doflamingo's pupils contracted; he hurriedly sidestepped to dodge, yet a bloody mark was still carved across his cheek and shoulder.

Able to break through my defense?

Has she mastered Armament Haki as well...

Doflamingo wiped the blood from his cheek, his eyes narrowing slightly; to have mastered two types of Haki while still in Paradise, plus such formidable swordsmanship...

It seems I have somewhat underestimated the strength of this swordswoman girl.

However...

This level is still insufficient to challenge me!

Doflamingo flicked threads from his fingertips, hooking onto the clouds in the sky, and his body suddenly shot off the ground, surging upward into the air.

"Hey!" Nami, who had been watching with great excitement, stamped her foot in fury upon seeing this, "What's going on? Are you trying to flee already?"

"Flee?"

High above, Doflamingo snorted coldly.

What is this stupid girl talking about? How could he possibly take the initiative to flee today?

It was merely because he was high in the air that he didn't need to fear the swordswoman closing in, allowing his Devil Fruit abilities to be unleashed without restraint!

"Next, I will let you witness my true strength!"

Doflamingo's sinister voice suddenly rang out; he raised his right arm high and slammed his five fingers downward!

"Overheat String!"

Five thick threads intertwined, carrying a ear-piercing sound of tearing air, plunging straight down toward the top of Sister Sister Guyina's head!

Hiss—

Amid the faint sound of air being severed, Sister Sister Guyina's pupils contracted slightly; she abandoned trying to block head-on and hurriedly retreated, dodging this startlingly powerful strike.

Boom!

The missed threads still embedded deeply into the ground, plowing out a terrifying trench over ten meters deep.

Amid the flying dust, Sister Sister Guyina steadied her figure in time; the long sword in her hand illuminated her cold, fierce eyes, drawing a arc of snow-white light.

"Steel-Cutting Flash!"

A violent tornado suddenly erupted from the ground, actually sweeping toward the high sky with an overwhelming force, rolling directly toward Doflamingo.

Swordsmanship that commands the wind? Unheard of; or could it be that the opponent is actually a Devil Fruit user as well?

Facing this fierce offensive, Doflamingo's eyebrow twitched slightly.

He hadn't expected that even while he was high in the air, the opponent could pose a threat with such bizarre swordsmanship.

However, he wasn't particularly panicked; he leaned his fingertips forward and lightly tapped the mid-air, causing countless transparent threads to gush out, intertwining before him into a huge net-like barrier.

"Spider Net: Wall!"

The threads rapidly extended, and in the blink of an eye constructed a defensive net with a diameter of several hundred meters, dense and thick, blocking out the sky and sun.

That seemingly majestic tornado actually appeared tiny before this giant wall.

Boom!

The two collided; after a stalemate lasting merely a few breaths, the seemingly indestructible web actually snapped from the middle, the threads crumbling apart one after another!

Though its power was slightly diminished, the tornado still irresistibly rushed toward the area behind the net, enveloping him from above.

How is this possible!

Doflamingo's pupils contracted sharply.

He knew clearly the toughness of this Spider Net Wall; as long as it could fully extend, facing this kind of large-scale attack, it was nearly indestructible.

Yet the result... it was actually broken so easily?

Cannot block this head-on!

The power of this tornado seems even more terrifying than I estimated; if my body takes it directly, I will definitely vomit blood and suffer heavy injuries!

In a flash of lightning and spark, Doflamingo made an immediate decision.

He flicked threads from his fingertips to hook onto clouds even higher up, his body suddenly soaring upward by over a hundred meters, narrowly avoiding the lingering force of the tornado.

On the ground, Sister Sister Guyina frowned slightly.

Her Wind-Style Swordsmanship had already reached perfection, and combining it with her previous swordsmanship attainments, she had improved its techniques; the tornado roaring out along with "Steel-Cutting Flash" had been infused by her with Haki, greatly increasing its destructive power.

However, although this move could easily cause terrifying damage to large targets on the ground, its flaw... was also obvious.

It was difficult to threaten an opponent like Doflamingo, who was agile and could move freely in the high sky.

As her thoughts raced, her gaze locked once again onto that pink figure in the mid-air.

At this moment, Doflamingo had already adjusted his posture and was rapidly approaching in a diving motion; his right palm gathered power then opened, countless threads gushing out, immediately converging into an extremely thick white line, resembling the arm of a giant.

"Super Strike Whiplash!"

Carrying the momentum of Lei Ting, the giant thread slashed straight down from a hundred meters in the air, as if to split Sister Sister Guyina on the ground, along with the castle behind her and all the crew members, cleanly in two!

"Perfect timing!"

Facing the transparent thread attacking like an overwhelming tide, Sister Sister Guyina's eyes flashed with cold light; she swung her blade, and over a dozen sharp sword qi poured out like a rainstorm.

Hiss! Hiss! Hiss!

Amidst the dense sounds of tearing air, that giant thread, capable of slicing through an entire town, instantly snapped upon impact, turning into countless fragments that drifted and vanished in mid-air.

Since the tornado couldn't handle you, then I'll just close the distance!

Moon Step!

In the next instant, Sister Sister Guyina lightly tapped the ground with her toes, her figure shooting upward like an arrow leaving the bow!

After closing more than half the distance, she fiercely unleashed "Forward Slash" again; her form flickered, appearing directly above Donquixote Doflamingo, as Wado Ichimonji changed from a slash to a thrust, diving straight for the vital point of his heart.

Again?

This move seemed to be part of her swordsmanship too, far more elusive than "Soru"; even with his Observation Haki, he couldn't warn or lock onto her presence in time.

Donquixote Doflamingo's expression changed slightly; he dodged sideways immediately, yet the sword light had already arrived, leaving a deep, bone-visible wound on his shoulder.

Great gouts of blood sprayed out, staining that iconic pink feather coat red, and intense pain followed immediately.

Pierced into the bone?

Donquixote Doflamingo lowered his head to gaze at the wound on his shoulder, his eyes turning cold; it had been a very, very long time since anyone could inflict this level of injury upon him...

"Fuffuffuffu..."

A hair-raising laughter echoed in the air; the corners of his mouth stretched, gradually twisting his face into a ferocious visage.

Then let's end this here!

He was thoroughly enraged.

This girl's swordsmanship strength indeed far exceeded expectations, making him unable to underestimate her, but... she was merely a rookie with a mere 200 million bounty, yet she managed to injure him first?

Who was he?

A member of the Donquixote Family, a true Celestial Dragon, the King of Dressrosa, and the renowned Heavenly Yaksha who shook the seas!!!

"You are the first rookie to make me go all out!"

Accompanying Donquixote Doflamingo's low voice, a suffocating, terrifying aura erupted with a boom!

Conqueror's Haki!

The sky suddenly turned gloomy; clouds were churned by violent energy, forming a massive vortex, from which terrifying noises like lightning and thunder occasionally erupted.

Donquixote Doflamingo, like a god, looked down upon the ground from above; his full head of blonde hair danced wildly in the wind, and beneath his sunglasses, his eyes emitted a terrifying red glow.

"Fuffuffu!! Are you ready... to bear the Heavenly Yaksha's fury, little girl?"

"..."

Is this guy finally going to use his full strength? Sister Sister Guyina gripped her sword hilt tightly; while her expression became exceptionally Solemn, a hint of eagerness also flashed in her eyes.

Then let's continue!

After the exchange just now, she was already certain that after more than two months of bitter cultivation, she could now fight evenly against an enemy at the Warlord level.

With both sides playing their trump cards, who would win and who would lose was still unknown!

But... just at this moment.

Crack!

A thick black-red lightning bolt suddenly shot up from the edge of the island, illuminating the entire world!

"Fuh..."

Donquixote Doflamingo's laughter stopped abruptly.

He suddenly looked up, his eyes beneath the sunglasses revealing confusion—

The sky, originally shrouded by his Conqueror's Haki, was now forcibly torn apart by another, even more violent aura!

That black-red lightning bolt which had just shot into the sky split into countless strands, writhing through the clouds like mad snakes.

The entire sea area suddenly felt as if pressed down by an invisible giant hand; a suffocating atmosphere spread out, and the Conqueror's Haki Donquixote Doflamingo had released, as if encountering some terrible natural predator, instantly retreated in terror like a tide, shrinking back into his body.

Who is it?

The terror of this aura's magnitude is simply comparable to those few old monsters standing at the pinnacle of the world!

A bad premonition rose in Donquixote Doflamingo's heart; with an ugly expression, he gazed toward the seabed.

There, a pitch-black Haki vortex was spinning wildly, as if a giant beast sleeping in the abyss had finally awakened, opening its blood-stained maw.

Boom—!!!

In the next instant, the sea surface suddenly exploded into a water column a thousand meters high; a figure entangled with black-red lightning burst through the waves, standing in mid-air, wet black hair plastered to his forehead.

This person lifted his head; as if he hadn't seen the outside sun in a long time, he first took a satisfying breath of fresh air, and only then turned to look over unhurriedly.

What came into view was unmistakably the handsome, extremely familiar face of a youth.

Donquixote Doflamingo's pupils contracted sharply; his body froze, and cold sweat rolled down his temples.

(End of Chapter)