PIRATES: I WORK IN NAVY FROM NINE TO FIVE

Bang!

Doflamingo's trademark sunglasses shattered on impact.

Fragments scattered across the sky like shooting stars.

And before he could even register the moment, the crushing wave of Conqueror's Haki surged forward, engulfing him like a tsunami.

The pressure was so intense that his flamboyant flamingo-feather coat whipped wildly in the wind, pieces tearing off and flying in every direction.

As the tangible shockwave filled his widening pupils, Doflamingo let out a furious, almost panicked roar:

"Spider's Web!"

Boom!!

Countless strands of white string erupted around him, lashing out in all directions to block the oncoming Haki storm.

The clash of forces echoed like heavenly drums, a violent symphony that rippled through the clouds and churned the sea.

An explosive blast of wind whipped outward, and towering waves surged, slamming directly into Doflamingo's ship.

CRACK!

A splintering impact echoed through Marineford's harbor as the Donquixote Pirates' ship slammed into the dock barrier and broke apart.

Sheets of seawater poured down like a torrential storm, drenching the area and rudely awakening the Marines who had collapsed earlier under the Haki clash.

As they blinked awake, soaked to the bone, they saw what was left of Doflamingo's ship—its hull crushed, mast broken, debris everywhere.

For a moment, utter disbelief spread through the crowd.

So this is what happens when you act cocky in the beginning… and get absolutely wrecked in the end.

Even Vice Admiral Tsuru, who had pulled back earlier, was momentarily stunned.

Her aide behind her had just reached for the alarm when Tsuru sighed and raised a hand to stop him.

"No need… Inform Fleet Admiral Sengoku that Admiral Luo Yu has returned."

"Only that guy… Only he can turn Conqueror's Haki into a shockwave. Doflamingo really misjudged things this time."

She pressed her fingers to her temple, rubbing it with a helpless sigh.

"Still, figuring out how to clean up this mess is going to be a real headache."

But even as she said it, watching Doflamingo's ship bounce off the dock and crash back into the sea like a skipping stone, a rare smile tugged at her lips.

"Then again, maybe this isn't so bad. Someone needed to teach the Heavenly Yaksha some humility. Otherwise, he'd really think becoming a Warlord meant he could treat Marineford like his backyard."

"Vice Admiral Tsuru… I never thought I'd hear you talk like someone hoping for chaos," Rear Admiral Kibin muttered, still shaky from the encounter.

"But… this is one of the Seven Warlords… and a World Noble, no less. Cleaning this up isn't going to be easy, is it?"

Tsuru chuckled dryly, her eyes following the approaching warship.

"Doflamingo's troublesome, sure… but have you ever seen Admiral Luo Yu fail to come up with a 'legitimate reason' for a bonus claim?"

"Trust me… it'll be harder for Doflamingo to swallow this one."

Kibin was left stunned.

He had expected meticulous crisis management from the head strategist of the Marines.

Instead, Tsuru had thrown in the towel, letting Luo Yu handle things his way.

But when he thought back on all the things he'd heard lately about Fourth Admiral Taiote Luo Yu—how even Fleet Admiral Sengoku got headaches over the man's obsession with bonuses and pay…

He realized—

Not even a hundred people could win an argument with that gluttonous Admiral.

CRACK!

Back on the shattered pirate ship, its broken hull groaning, the battered Donquixote family slowly regained their footing.

One by one, their eyes turned toward their "Young Master."

Doflamingo, normally the very image of flamboyant arrogance, now stood—feathers torn, glasses shattered, and expression twisted.

He had never looked more… humiliated.

The gazes of his subordinates weighed heavily.

Their once-untouchable leader now looked like a plucked bird.

And Doflamingo felt it.

He could feel the change in how they were looking at him.

His expression contorted in rage. Veins bulged across his forehead.

"You… You damn Marine upstart!!"

"How dare you lay hands on a Warlord of the Sea?! You're challenging the laws set by the World Government itself!"

From the sky above, Luo Yu descended.

With his usual calm, he took a swig of local brew and said lazily:

"For a second there, I thought Kaido had shown up to deliver a bonus. Turns out it was just a Warlord making noise… No wonder that Haki felt so weak."

"And you… you're 'Molting Yaksha,' right? You've lost so many feathers, maybe keep your appearance in check next time."

"Otherwise, if I mistake you for an enemy again, I'll have to charge extra."

"Molting Yaksha"?

Even Trebol and the others stood dumbfounded.

But one glance at Doflamingo's ruined cloak—now just a few lonely feathers hanging in place—and they realized...

The nickname… was painfully accurate.

As for the Haki clash earlier?

Compared to the crushing, physical manifestation of Luo Yu's Conqueror's Haki, Doflamingo's seemed like a toy in a storm.

Silence fell over the deck.

Even the air felt heavy.

Doflamingo's rage boiled over again.

He crushed the ship's railing in his bare hand.

"Fine. Fine!! Now you're telling me there's a surcharge for beating me up?!"

"You arrogant brat… You clearly don't understand how terrifying the Four Emperors are!"

"One of Kaido's Calamities alone could flatten you!"

"As for why we were chosen as Warlords—I'll show you firsthand the true fear we bring!"

CRACK!

The railing exploded in his grip.

He was ready to strike—

But Luo Yu's calm voice interrupted again.

"Warlords? Oh, funny you mention that. I've got one tied up on my ship."

"No idea what they're worth… but I hope it's at least a few million berries."

"As for those so-called 'Calamities'—turns out I've got one of them too. If he's not worth at least 20-30 million in bounty credits, I might start demanding hazard pay."

As the warship finally dropped anchor nearby, everyone instinctively turned their gaze toward it.

On the deck stood multiple figures—

Bound, wrapped in bandages, and slumped in defeat.

Trebol sniffled and tried to save face for his captain:

"Y-Young Master! Don't worry! There's no way both a Warlord and one of Kaido's Calamities are on that ship! Use your head—it's obviously not real—"

"…Wait. No. I… I think they're tied up."

Doflamingo's heart clenched.

His pupils shrank to pinpoints.

As a Warlord—and a shadow ruler of the underworld—he was well-informed.

He already knew the one who replaced Crocodile…

He even had hopes for Blackbeard, thinking the man could be a powerful ally.

But now…

For his first real encounter with that Warlord to be this—wrapped in five layers of bandages and unconscious?

This… this can't be how a criminal mastermind makes an entrance…