"Nice tension!"
Doflamingo's gaze swept over the buildings below.
A circular colosseum came into view.
The entire structure resembled a round altar. Around the edges was a deep trench lined with sharp blades, followed by the spectator stands, and on the side stood a tower.
At the center was the designated dueling ground.
This was the perfect battlefield—ideal for the upcoming clash without causing too much damage to what he envisioned as his future kingdom.
Doflamingo tossed the Empress upward.
The worried eyes of the Kuja tribe followed her movement.
Seeing their beloved Empress suspended high in the air, arms outstretched, their eyes widened in fury.
To treat Empress-sama like this—it was a humiliation to the entire Kuja tribe!
In a flash, Doflamingo appeared at the center of the arena. His oppressive gaze swept in all directions. He opened his arms and beckoned with a mocking smile.
"Come on then. Now there's no risk of hurting your Empress."
"Let me see how much resolve you really have."
"If you can manage to hurt me—I'll consider that your victory."
His arrogant, mocking tone instantly ignited the prideful fury of the warriors around him.
"Who the hell do you think you are?! Damn man!"
"Let's go, sisters! Don't bother reasoning with some filthy guy."
"Die! How dare you treat Empress-sama like that?!"
"Kill this bastard!"
"...."
"Thwip thwip thwip..."
The bowstrings stretched to their limits in the hands of the Kuja warriors, then snapped forward with explosive force.
Arrows tore through the air with powerful momentum, whistling like deadly sirens.
The swarm of arrows blanketed the central platform like a curtain of death.
Each arrow was also wrapped in Armament Haki—strong enough to pierce through steel and stone!
"The Kuja's mastery of Haki... it's truly impressive how widespread it is!"
Doflamingo's eyes gleamed.
Armament Haki, in theory, exists within everyone.
But it remains theoretical—just because it exists doesn't mean one can wield it.
Even in the New World, where conflict brews in every corner and pirates gamble their lives every day to unlock their potential—not all manage to grasp this power.
Yet the Kuja tribe had achieved widespread proficiency. It was... enticing.
"Too bad your control and technique are far too weak."
Just wrapping Haki around an arrow? That only puts you slightly above the average foot soldier.
Not even qualified to watch a real battle between top fighters.
"Fufufufufu~ Allow me to grant you eternal defeat!"
As the arrows came within inches of kissing his beloved sunglasses, Doflamingo's gaze sharpened. Veins bulged across his forehead.
Black and red lightning burst forth like a physical tide.
A wave of Conqueror's Haki surged outward.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
All the arrows that had been on course to hit him bent mid-flight and were flung away by the tsunami of Conqueror's Haki.
Crack—crack—crack!
Fractures spiderwebbed across the stone floor of the arena beneath him.
The moat of blades surrounding the stage began to sink, inch by inch.
Thud! Thud!
The Kuja warriors who had rushed into the arena collapsed one after another, eyes rolled back, unconscious.
"That's the same Haki as Empress-sama!"
Those still conscious gasped, barely managing to stay on their feet.
They hadn't expected a man to possess the same Conqueror's Haki as their empress.
That was a power said to be granted only to those born to rule!
"Don't panic! He can't keep it up for long!"
"Even Empress-sama can only maintain it briefly!"
"Wake the others—quick!"
The remaining warriors scrambled to strategize, determined to rally for a second round.
Unfortunately for them, Doflamingo wasn't interested in wasting any more time. A cruel smile curled on his lips as he cranked up the pressure.
"Pathetic."
His Conqueror's Haki flooded outward like a raging torrent.
In the blink of an eye, the rest of the Kuja warriors collapsed with foaming mouths and blank eyes—completely out cold.
But amidst this overwhelming surge of Haki, a new challenger began to stir.
Tritoma looked around at the fallen warriors of her tribe.
Her mind, still rebooting from unconsciousness, suddenly clicked into full awareness.
The enemy had already reached the heart of the Kuja territory.
There was no time to question why she hadn't died, or how her wounds had changed.
Tritoma's eyes narrowed. Her own Conqueror's Haki flared up from above and burst downward, trying to resist the creeping sleepiness threatening to drag her back under.
She glared down.
"What the hell did you do to my people?!"
"Isn't it obvious?"
Doflamingo tilted his head with amusement.
Her wounds had already been treated, but for her to wake up this fast—she had a decent constitution.
"I healed you, of course. But I always collect interest."
"Interest?!"
Tritoma's brows shot up. Her fists clenched, veins bulging as raw power exploded from her limbs.
Snap! Snap! Snap!
The threads binding her arms and legs snapped under the force.
Tritoma launched into the air, her long legs raised high.
Her golden boots came crashing down, glowing with black-and-red Armament Haki.
"Get the hell out of Kuja!!"
Smack!
Doflamingo casually raised a hand. Her foot practically placed itself in his palm as he caught it mid-strike.
That devastating kick didn't even shake the ground beneath them.
"Damn it!"
Tritoma's eyes shrank as she pulled with all her strength, trying to wrench her foot free from his massive hand.
Nothing.
Doflamingo's body stood like an immovable mountain.
In power, in Haki—she was outmatched in every way.
She couldn't even scratch him.
So this... was a Four Emperor?
"Fufufufufu~ Is that all the resistance you've got? According to our deal, that means you're now my second wife."
"What the hell are you talking about?!"
Seeing that gleaming smile fill her vision, Tritoma's scalp prickled.
With a furious shout, she brought up her other leg, aiming a swift, instinctive kick between his legs.
"Such a disobedient woman... Let your husband teach you how to be a proper wife!"
Doflamingo's eyes gleamed as his fingers tightened.
Before Tritoma could even scream at the pain from her twisting bones—
Her vision spun wildly.
BOOM!!
The entire arena and colosseum shook with a thunderous impact, raising clouds of dust.
A massive crater appeared at the center of the platform, with Tritoma's upper body embedded inside it.
Her organs, which had only just started to heal, now felt like they were about to explode again.
Her face turned red with pain, agony written all over her features.
Doflamingo looked down at her broken figure.
He gently brushed aside the messy hair stuck to her flushed face.
Then, grabbing her by the throat, he adjusted his sunglasses with his middle finger and looked at her heaving chest.
"So? Do you feel the urge to become my wife now?"
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Fanfic is finished 527 chapters in total on p@treon/tambeerg