Marine Headquarters, Marineford.

Military Port.

Dozens of Marine soldiers were already in disarray, their faces a mix of shock and terror as they drew their weapons and began attacking each other right on the dock.

"What are you doing?! I'm your teammate!"

"No, this isn't what I want... My body... I can't control it!"

"Why?!"

"Damn it!!"

The sound of clashing blades echoed non-stop—chaos engulfed the entire port.

"Fufufufufu... So this is Marine Headquarters? Seems a little weak, doesn't it..."

A haughty figure slowly descended from the sky. A pink feathered coat billowed behind him in the breeze, and his golden short hair shimmered in the sunlight like a regal crown, radiating brilliance.

His fingers were curled like claws, twitching rhythmically—as if pulling the strings of some unseen force.

With each subtle movement of his hands, the Marines in the port fought even more ferociously, their expressions twisted in agony.

The moment his figure came into focus, the Marines in the distance who were aiming their rifles suddenly paled.

"It's Donquixote Doflamingo!!"

"Bounty: 250 million Belly!"

"One of the incoming Shichibukai!"

"So it's his ability!"

"Damn it! Should we open fire?!"

"..."

Hundreds of rifles were raised in unison, all aimed at the blond youth.

But no one dared pull the trigger. Cold sweat trickled down their faces.

Without explicit orders from a superior officer, no Marine was allowed to attack a Shichibukai candidate.

"Kishishishi... What a lively crowd!"

A chilling laugh rang out suddenly.

Everyone froze and turned toward the voice.

A pirate ship flying a bat-themed Jolly Roger was slowly sailing into port. At the bow stood a tall, ghostly pale figure.

He stood over six meters tall, with flaming red hair and devilish features.

Two horns protruded from either side of his forehead. His ears and teeth were sharp, and his head and neck were marked with thick, crisscrossed stitches, like surgical scars. He wore a bat-collared shirt and a gothic ensemble.

He had only one arm.

"Bounty: 218 million Belly!"

"Gecko Moria!"

"Another Shichibukai candidate!"

The Marines grew increasingly tense.

"Hey, kid—you're the one who was added to the Shichibukai list at the last minute, right?"

Moria sneered, casting a scornful glance at Doflamingo.

"Kishishishi... Don't tell me you pulled some strings to get the title?"

Doflamingo casually looked over at the emaciated, bat-like man and chuckled coldly.

"I don't waste time talking to weaklings with only one arm."

"You bastard!!"

Bloodshot veins surged in Moria's eyes as he let out a sharp roar and swung his lone arm fiercely.

His shadow twisted violently, transforming into a sharp black spear that shot forward like an arrow, piercing straight toward Doflamingo.

Those words had struck a raw nerve deep inside him, sending his fury soaring.

"Tsuno-Tokage!"

Clang!

A massive web of razor-sharp threads blocked the incoming shadow spear, triggering a deafening explosion. Sparks flew as violent shockwaves rolled outward.

Doflamingo narrowed his eyes at the trembling spear of darkness hovering less than half a meter from his chest. Behind him, his pink feathered coat billowed in the wind as he let out a cold, mocking laugh.

"Fufufufufu... Is that all you've got?"

"I'd say you're not even qualified to stand on equal footing with me... Gecko Moria."

"Then try me!"

Moria let out a murderous cackle. With his lone arm, he raised a massive serrated blade and leapt from the prow of the ship.

Countless shadow bats swarmed around him with a disorienting screech. Purple lightning crackled around his jagged blade as he charged at Doflamingo like a madman.

"Once I slice your head clean off, let's see if you can still act so smug!!"

His killing intent surged wildly!

"Fufufufu... Now that's more like it!"

A gale burst forth with his pressure, sweeping through the air. Battle lust gleamed in Doflamingo's eyes as he released control over the possessed Marines and launched himself forward.

Like a flamingo in a low-flying dive, he covered the distance in an instant—arriving before Moria in a heartbeat.

Their eyes flashed simultaneously with a bloody gleam.

One arm slashed out!

One blade swept forward!

Clang!!

Steel collided violently as threads infused with Armament Haki clashed with the serrated broadsword. Shockwaves rippled out in waves.

Their auras burst outward with terrifying force. Purple, red, and black lightning crackled in the air, distorting space itself.

The sky changed color.

Cracks split the ground beneath them, sending debris flying in every direction.

"A clash of Conqueror's Haki!!"

"Those two... They've both awakened Conqueror's Haki!!"

"..."

The surrounding Marines were forced to retreat by the sheer pressure of the collision. They raised their arms to shield themselves from the flying debris, their faces pale with horror.

They were the elite of Marine Headquarters. Neither man's Haki was enough to knock them out, but the oppressive aura still made their scalps tingle and their backs break out in cold sweat.

"Only one arm, huh... Still got some bite in you."

Doflamingo grinned as he felt the force behind Moria's strike.

"Don't underestimate people, you punk!"

Moria snarled back.

"Even with just one arm, I can still kill you!"

Their eyes flared with killing intent, ready to unleash even stronger attacks—

Buzz!

A sharp, resonant hum echoed across the harbor—the unmistakable sound of a blade being drawn.

Both Doflamingo and Moria felt it instantly. Their eyes narrowed, and without needing a word, they leapt apart in perfect sync, instinctively widening the distance between them.

Hiss!!

The moment they parted, a tremendous dark green slash swept across the battlefield like an unstoppable tide.

The earth split effortlessly beneath its path. The sword light surged forward and bisected a ten-meter-high gun turret in the distance—its cut surface smooth as polished glass.

"H-holy...!"

Every Marine on-site gasped in unison.

The sheer power of that slash was beyond comprehension.

They whipped their heads toward the source—only to see a vast crack slicing through the port and stretching all the way over the sea's surface.

At the end of the crack floated a black, coffin-like boat.

Green candles burned faintly on its deck, casting an eerie glow.

Seated upon it was a youth in a black top hat and burgundy shirt, composed and silent. A massive black blade taller than himself was strapped to his back.

He slowly lifted his head, revealing sharply defined features... and a pair of dull yellow hawk-like eyes that gleamed with piercing clarity.

He, too, had only one arm.

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

p@treon com / PinkSnake

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.