On the wide, open plaza, Enel, Pica, and Diamante stood poised in a large triangular formation, each warily eyeing the other two.
Nearby, a crowd of spectators had gathered. Doflamingo, flanked by Robin and Ibes, watched the unfolding scene with great interest.
"Why haven't they started yet?" "What do you know? This is how experts build tension!" "It's called establishing presence, understand?" "Who do you guys think will win?" "Obviously Diamante-sama! His swordsmanship is masterful, he's already reached the level of a Swordmaster!" "Bullshit! It's gotta be Enel-sama! Didn't you see his divine power during the battle against the Five Families?!" "I think Pica-sama has the best chance! Just look at those muscles! So ripped!"
Doflamingo listened to his subordinates' enthusiastic analyses, dismissing them with an amused smile. Then, an idea struck him. He turned to the two beside him with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Robin? Ibes? How about we play a little game?"
"A game? Oh, yes, yes!" Robin's interest was immediately piqued, her eyes lighting up with excitement.
"What kind of game, God? It won't be too difficult, will it?" Ibes asked, slightly apprehensive.
"Relax," Doflamingo reassured them with a smile. "Let's just place a bet on who will win. The winner gets to have the losers do one thing for them. How about it?"
"Oh, like that?" Ibes found the idea intriguing and readily agreed.
"Anything at all?" Robin asked curiously, her eyes darting slyly as if already concocting a plan.
"Of course," Doflamingo confirmed. "But there can only be one winner."
"Then I pick first! I'm the youngest, Brother, Sister Ibes, no objections, right?" Robin declared cleverly, seizing the opportunity with a killer move.
"No problem. You choose first," Doflamingo agreed, genuinely curious about her selection.
"Mm," Ibes nodded her assent.
"Hmmmm..." Robin tilted her head, pursing her lips in thought. "Okay then... I choose Enel to win! And you two aren't allowed to pick the same person I did!"
Robin's choice genuinely surprised Doflamingo. This little imp has such sharp judgment? Her thinking aligns closely with mine... Damn, looks like I just shot myself in the foot.
"In that case, I choose Pica," Ibes said softly. She had initially wanted to support Enel, as they both hailed from Birka, but since Robin had already claimed him, she had to pick someone else.
"Well, it seems I'm stuck supporting Diamante," Doflamingo stated with a slight pout, feigning helplessness.
Seeing Doflamingo's expression, Robin and Ibes exchanged knowing glances and couldn't help but giggle.
"That's right, Brother! You can't back out now!" Robin added teasingly, covering her mouth to stifle another laugh.
"Relax. Donquixote Doflamingo's word is bond. I absolutely will not go back on it," Doflamingo declared, reaching out to pat Robin's head reassuringly.
The three combatants on the plaza remained oblivious to the wager being made about them. Their entire focus was on each other. This was a decisive battle – not only would the victor get first choice of their preferred Devil Fruit, but it was also a prime opportunity to assert their status and strength within the Family hierarchy. A chance to kill two birds with one stone. None of them wanted to lose; all craved victory. But there could only be one winner.
Everything outside their triangular arena faded away; their eyes held only their opponents.
"Half Moon Burial!"
Diamante made the first move. As the figurative 'big brother' among the three, Enel and Pica, recognizing his seniority, respectfully allowed him the first strike.
Understanding their implicit deference, Diamante didn't hesitate. With a swift motion, he drew his longsword, unleashing a sharp wave of sword energy towards both Enel and Pica simultaneously.
"Yahahahaha! Nice one!" Enel yelled excitedly. Seeing the slash hurtling towards him, he didn't evade but instead charged forward to meet it head-on.
Pica remained silent, focusing intensely, but unlike Enel, he nimbly dodged the incoming attack.
Diamante had anticipated both reactions. In his assessment, Enel was undoubtedly the more difficult opponent to handle. Seizing the opportunity while Enel was occupied dealing with the sword slash, Diamante rapidly closed the distance towards Pica, intending to eliminate him first.
"Diamante! Who are you looking down on?!" Pica snarled, his face darkening as Diamante charged him. Does he really think I'm weaker than that Big-Eared freak? Diamante easily read Pica's thoughts; the constant rivalry between those two made their intentions transparent.
"Let's see!" Diamante didn't waste time arguing. Facts would speak for themselves. His sword glinted coldly as he lunged at Pica.
"Armament: Hardening!"
Pica didn't dare underestimate Diamante, especially acknowledging him as a dangerous swordsman deserving respect. He quickly coated both his fists in black Haki and met Diamante's blade.
"Well now, you've got some skill!" Diamante complimented, genuinely impressed. Doflamingo's training had clearly yielded significant improvements in Pica's abilities.
They exchanged several rapid blows. Though Diamante's sharp strikes felt incredibly dangerous, Pica's Haki reinforcement allowed him to hold his ground, preventing an easy victory for the swordsman.
"Yahahahaha! How can I possibly miss out on such fun?!" Just as Diamante's sword was about to clash with Pica's fist again, Enel's boisterous voice echoed from the point of impact. He had intervened, blocking Diamante's blade with one Haki-coated hand and Pica's fist with the other. Seeing this, Diamante and Pica simultaneously increased the force behind their attacks, intending to teach Enel a lesson for his arrogant interference.
Naturally, Enel anticipated their move. This played perfectly into his plan; he intended to overpower both of them convincingly. In his mind, aside from Doflamingo, he was the strongest in the Family. The Cloud-Cloud Logia fruit rightfully belonged to him.
"Big-Ears! So arrogant! Lose to me!" Pica yelled, his long-standing irritation with Enel boiling over.
"Enel, Pica," Diamante interjected, adopting the tone of a lecturing elder, "You can't handle the Cloud-Cloud Logia. It should be left to me." A bit of trash talk entered the fray.
"No need for that! Whether I can handle it or not, let's let our fists do the talking!" Enel retorted sharply, already considering the fruit his property.
Doflamingo watched the three-way struggle from the sidelines. Diamante and Pica had effectively teamed up against Enel, yet Enel wasn't giving an inch.
Looks like I'm definitely going to win, Robin thought happily, watching Enel effortlessly handle both opponents. A small, satisfied smirk played on her lips. Doflamingo noticed her expression and felt his earlier headache returning. What on earth is little Robin going to ask me to do? I can't exactly refuse her...
The battle raged fiercely. However, Enel's superior natural talent, particularly his mastery of Observation Haki, gradually became undeniable. He began dodging their combined attacks with increasing ease, sometimes even casually counterattacking Pica while simultaneously defending against Diamante.
Damn it! How is Enel's Observation Haki so strong?! Diamante thought, frustrated. He launched another powerful sword wave, but Enel, anticipating the now-familiar move, dodged it effortlessly, even finding an opening to launch an attack back at Pica.
Pica felt no resentment, only envy towards Enel's advanced Haki. Seeing Enel handle two opponents so casually fueled his own frustration at not having awakened his Observation Haki yet.
Enel decided to go all out, maximizing his speed. Combined with his innate Observation Haki talent, his near-unpredictable velocity made him almost impossible to hit. Diamante and Pica found themselves unable to keep up, unable to even pinpoint Enel's exact location consistently.
Still, they weren't ready to give up.
"Half Moon Burial - Full Moon!" Diamante unleashed a wider, arcing slash, attempting to box Enel in and restrict his movements.
Enel saw Diamante's intent but decided he didn't want to drag this out any longer. A one-versus-two battle, even for him, was draining.
"Judgment! Fall, Diamante!" Enel yelled, suddenly appearing directly in front of the swordsman. His fist, charged with immense power, slammed into Diamante's abdomen.
"How--?!" Diamante gasped, caught completely off guard. He barely managed to coat his stomach with Armament Haki in time. Even so, the blow sent him staggering back, forced down onto one knee.
"You win... I lost," Diamante conceded, his face etched with disappointment but accepting his defeat gracefully.
Pica, witnessing this sudden turn, was stunned. He hadn't expected Enel to possess such a decisive finishing move.
"Squeaky," Enel called out triumphantly, looking down arrogantly at Pica, "still want to fight?"
"Big-Ears! I won't just admit defeat like that! Come and beat me!" Pica retorted stubbornly. Though he likely knew he was outmatched, he wouldn't surrender verbally. His fighting words remained defiant.
"Fine," Enel replied curtly, wasting no more breath. He immediately charged towards Pica.
What followed was a brutal slugfest. Fist met flesh as the two powerhouses exchanged heavy blows, their raw, straightforward combat thrilling the watching subordinates, who erupted in cheers of encouragement for both fighters.
Diamante, having retreated to the sidelines, watched the final duel with a thoughtful, perhaps slightly somber expression, as if coming to some kind of realization.
Soon, Pica's stamina began to wane. Enel, seeing his opponent falter, showed no mercy and pressed his advantage, decisively ending the fight.
"Big-Ears... you win," Pica gasped, acknowledging defeat, but added defiantly, "but I will catch up to you!"
"Yahahahaha! I'll wait for you! But the winner will still be me!" Enel replied, clearly in high spirits, playfully mocking his rival.
With the contest concluded, Doflamingo stepped forward and formally declared the victor.
"Since it has been decided," Doflamingo addressed the three executives, "Enel, you have the first choice."
"I... I want the Logia-type Cloud-Cloud Fruit!" Enel declared, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.
"No problem. You've earned it," Doflamingo replied. He took the designated fruit from Robin and casually tossed it towards Enel.
Enel fumbled slightly to catch it, shooting Doflamingo a mildly reproachful glare. This is a Logia fruit! What if I'd dropped it?!
Composing himself, Enel eagerly examined the fruit in his hands – white, with swirling cloud-like patterns. Then, under the watchful eyes of everyone present, he shoved the entire thing into his mouth and swallowed it whole.
Everyone waited for his reaction, though likely not the one they expected.
"Ptooey! That's disgusting! What is this awful taste?! Trying to kill me?!" Enel sputtered, grimacing intensely at the notoriously foul flavor of Devil Fruits.
Doflamingo then held up the remaining two fruits. "Pica, Diamante, how do you wish to choose between these two?"
"Doffy," Diamante spoke up immediately, having clearly considered this, "let Pica have the Stone-Stone Fruit. I believe the Flutter-Flutter Fruit suits me better."
"Doffy, I..." Pica hesitated. He desperately wanted the Stone-Stone Fruit, but felt awkward accepting it through Diamante's concession, as they hadn't definitively determined who was stronger between the two of them. Yet, he couldn't bring himself to refuse; it felt like the fruit was meant for him.
"Fuffuffuffu... Then it's settled!" Doflamingo decided cheerfully, saving Pica the awkwardness. "Pica is indeed a better match for the Stone-Stone Fruit, and Diamante, you'll make excellent use of the Flutter-Flutter Fruit." This outcome conveniently aligned with Doflamingo's own preferences for assignment; if not for wanting to avoid resentment among his top men, he would have simply assigned them from the start. It was a pleasant, albeit predictable, resolution.
The two men took their respective fruits from Doflamingo. Following Enel's example, they each downed their fruit in one go.
"Ugh! So disgusting!" "Blech! I never want to taste that again!" Their reactions mirrored Enel's, filled with grimaces and complaints about the flavor.
With that, the fruit distribution was complete. The three new Devil Fruit users began tentatively exploring their newfound powers, while the spectators started to disperse, the main event concluded.
Doflamingo seized the opportunity. Before Robin could remember their wager, he quickly and quietly slipped away from the plaza.
A short while later, Robin realized Doflamingo had vanished. Pouting, her small lips puffed out indignantly, she began searching the base for her elusive 'Big Brother.'
Meanwhile, Doflamingo, relaxing comfortably on his favorite lounge chair somewhere secluded, savored the sweet taste of victory and manipulation. Another beautiful day!