The sword energy blazed through the stormy sky, its brilliance slicing through the darkness like divine wrath descending from the heavens.
In an instant, the massive black pillars that once raged across the battlefield were severed cleanly, collapsing like cut grass. The oppressive gloom lifted, and daylight broke through once more.
Doflamingo stared, disbelief and terror freezing his smile.
"How… how is this possible…?"
Before he could react, the air around him cracked with thunder. Lightning flashed, trailing a sharp gleam of sword light that screamed toward him. He had no time to dodge—only to watch death approach.
"Go, Dover!"
A loud voice echoed as a towering rock giant surged between Doflamingo and the incoming strike. It was Pica, one of his most loyal officers.
A burst of viscous slime shot out, forming a chain that wrapped around Doflamingo and yanked him backward in retreat.
Boom!
Lightning tore through the sky again. The blade of energy shattered the stone colossus in an instant, exploding it into countless fragments. Amid the destruction, Pica's true body emerged—bleeding, broken.
Ignoring his wounds, he cloaked himself in Armament Haki, his body darkening like polished steel as stones flowed to cover him once more.
Kaito's expression hardened, his eyes glinting coldly.
"You really don't know when to quit."
With a casual flick of his finger, gray-black lightning erupted. It pierced through Pica's skull faster than sound, the crackling arc filling the air before silence fell. Pica dropped lifelessly, following Diamante's fate.
Kaito took a single step—and space itself warped. The landscape blurred and folded, and when he appeared again, he was already behind Doflamingo and Trebol.
"Did you really think you could escape?"
Both men froze, shock spreading across their faces.
"Dover! Hurry! The ship's ready, the crew's waiting!" Trebol shouted, voice trembling but determined. "I'll hold him off!"
"Trebol! Be careful!" Doflamingo growled, casting one last glance at Kaito before turning to flee toward the port.
Trebol gritted his teeth and spread his arms wide.
"If you want to reach Dover… you'll have to go through me first!"
"Sticky Launcher!"
Globs of viscous mucus shot toward Kaito like bullets.
Kaito's brows furrowed in disgust.
"Pathetic."
A wave of red flame surged from his body, spreading into a blazing sea of fire. The sudden heat twisted the air, evaporating Trebol's sticky projectiles instantly.
Trebol's face contorted. His fruit power was useless against fire. The flames licked closer, and his body began to dry and crack. Desperation flashed across his eyes as he turned to run—only to find Kaito already standing in front of him.
"You… how did you—"
A black-gloved fist was the last thing he saw.
Boom!
The punch sent Trebol flying into the inferno, his scream echoing as the flames devoured him.
"Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!"
A gust of wind roared from Kaito's mouth, feeding the fire until it became a raging inferno that consumed everything in its path.
Once the deed was done, Kaito vanished in a streak of black lightning, heading toward the port.
Doflamingo sprinted down the sunlit streets like a hunted animal, his coat whipping behind him. The port was close—he could almost hear the waves and his crew shouting aboard the ship.
But behind him, that crushing presence drew nearer and nearer.
"Damn you, Kaito! I'll remember this! I'll avenge them all!"
His voice cracked, full of venom and fear.
He could already see the pirate ship waiting, and for a fleeting second, hope flickered.
Then it died.
A figure was standing there already, calm and unshaken—waiting for him.
"You're late, Doflamingo," Kaito said, his tone light but cold. "Where's Trebol?"
"With your intelligence," Doflamingo sneered, "you should already know."
A long silence.
Then, rage twisted Doflamingo's face. The threads around his fingers gleamed like glass.
"I'll kill you and avenge them!"
"Then come," Kaito said simply. "It ends here."
Ten razor-thin threads shot forward, slicing through the air like bullets. But the moment they touched the lightning that surrounded Kaito, they burned to ash.
"Damn it!" Doflamingo cursed, horror slowly replacing defiance.
At that moment, he finally understood—the attack on Turner Village had been a mistake.
This man before him wasn't just strong.
He was untouchable.
Then came the sound of a distant horn.
A massive pirate ship appeared on the horizon. On its deck stood Jack the Drought and Ginrummy, the latter holding a large trumpet.
Doflamingo's eyes widened, relief washing over him.
"Fufufu… finally! Jack's here!"
He glared at Kaito with renewed fury.
"Let's see how you handle both of us now!"
Kaito shook his head.
"Two? You think too small."
He stepped forward. Space distorted, reality bending like shattered glass.
In an instant, Kaito's hand pierced through the air itself—grasping Doflamingo by the throat before he could even blink.
The sky crackled with lightning as Doflamingo's eyes widened in horror.
"This is your end," Kaito said softly.
The air split with thunder.
--