THE STRONGEST CREATURE OF THE BEAST PIRATES

The true reason Trebol's body could withstand damage, even from powerful Armament Haki strikes, was finally revealed. His seemingly bulky figure was a facade—his actual body was a thin, rickety frame resembling a bamboo pole, concealed beneath a layer of viscous slime acting as camouflage.

However, there was one glaring flaw in this deception: his head remained exposed and vulnerable.

"It seems your weakness lies in your head," Sai of the Happo Navy sneered, his sharp grin exuding ferocity. "Then I'll treat it like a watermelon and split it open!"

A powerful surge of aura erupted from Sai, an unmistakable wave of Conqueror's Haki (Haoshoku no Haki).

Trebol's grotesque expression twisted further in shock as cold sweat dripped down his face. "Wha... what?! You... You possess Conqueror's Haki?!" he stammered.

Back when he had joined forces with Doflamingo, it was Doflamingo's overwhelming Conqueror's Haki that had initially compelled his loyalty. To think Sai—a warrior he deemed inferior—possessed the same legendary power left Trebol in disbelief.

Sai smirked proudly. "I am the future leader of the Happo Navy of the Kano Country. Do you think I'm some insignificant grunt like you? Now prepare yourself!"

With that, Sai launched a flurry of attacks, overwhelming Trebol. The latter could only barely defend, his mind shaken and his weakness exposed. It was only a matter of time before Trebol fell.

On the battlefield, Onimaru faced Pica, one of Doflamingo's top officers. Unlike the chaotic brawler style of Trebol, Pica was more cunning, utilizing his Stone-Stone Fruit (Ishi Ishi no Mi) abilities to blend into the environment.

From his vantage point within the earth, Pica sneered. "I am a Stone Man who controls the ground itself. This entire battlefield is my domain. You cannot defeat me!"

Suddenly, Pica emerged from behind Onimaru, aiming a powerful Armament Haki-imbued punch at his back.

Boom!

The attack connected, but Onimaru remained rooted in place, unfazed.

"What?! Why didn't you fly back from my attack?" Pica gasped.

Dark green scales glimmered on Onimaru's exposed skin. The transformation was subtle but undeniable.

"An Animal-Type Devil Fruit?" Pica's high-pitched voice cracked in surprise. "What kind of ability is this?"

Onimaru's cold, calm voice replied, "You'll find out soon enough—when you die."

Without warning, Onimaru executed a precise strike. His right arm, holding the legendary black blade Shusui, twisted unnaturally like a serpent before snapping forward at blinding speed.

"Snake Fang Strike!"

The sword pierced through Pica's chest before he could react, eliciting a scream of pain. Blood gushed from the wound, forcing Pica to retreat back into the ground, leaving behind a crimson trail.

Onimaru, having consumed the Snake-Snake Fruit, Model: Yamata no Orochi, had enhanced perception, flexibility, and precision akin to a serpent. Closing his eyes, he activated Observation Haki, combined with the sensory abilities of his fruit, to locate Pica's movements underground.

When his eyes reopened, a venomous green glint flashed within them.

"Found you."

With a single slash, Onimaru unleashed a devastating shockwave from Shusui, splitting the earth and revealing Pica's hiding spot.

"Impossible! How did you find me?" Pica roared, staggering out of the debris, clutching his bleeding chest.

Onimaru remained silent, his expression cold and unyielding. He struck again with lethal precision, each blow targeting Pica's vital points.

Pica, in desperation, coated his entire body in Armament Haki, turning his skin into a solid, jet-black armor. "I won't fall to the likes of you! No matter how sharp your blade is, I'll endure!"

Yet, Shusui, passed down from the legendary Ryuma, was no ordinary sword. As a fully forged black blade, its unparalleled sharpness and durability rendered even advanced Haki defenses futile.

Despite Pica's armored form, Onimaru's strikes broke through, leaving deep gashes with each swing.

Clang! Clang!

Blow after blow, Pica screamed in pain, his form faltering. He couldn't summon his Stone Giant due to the floating battlefield atop the Royal Plateau. Without solid ground to draw from, he was cornered.

"You're finished," Onimaru declared coldly. His blade gleamed ominously as he prepared the final strike.

As Pica faltered and Trebol barely clung to consciousness, Doflamingo watched the battlefield from above. A cold smirk played on his lips, though tension simmered beneath his calm demeanor.

"It seems your subordinates can't handle my allies, Doflamingo," a voice taunted from the side.

Doflamingo turned his gaze toward Trafalgar Law, who stood with his Room ability activated, Shambles ready to strike.

The tide of the battle was shifting.

Alastor stood calmly, his piercing gaze fixed on Doflamingo, who had been sent flying into the rubble yet again.

The once-dominant figure of the Warlord, with his trademark bird-feather coat, was now a shadow of his former self. The coat hung in scorched tatters, blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his body bore deep wounds. Even his internal organs had taken significant damage.

Gone was the overconfident tyrant who once played with people like pawns on a chessboard.

Doflamingo struggled to his feet, placing a trembling hand on his chest. Using the powers of his String-String Fruit (Ito Ito no Mi), he deftly sewed up his injuries, his threads working furiously to patch himself back together.

Though his mastery over his Devil Fruit was unparalleled, even extending to intricate self-repair, the limitations of the fruit were glaring. His regeneration paled in comparison to the mythical healing capabilities of Zoan fruits, and his offensive prowess couldn't rival the destructive might of abilities like the Magma-Magma Fruit.

Worse still, despite his considerable skill in Armament and Observation Haki, Doflamingo had yet to achieve the mastery of Conqueror's Haki infusion—an ability that separated the true legends from the rest.

No matter how he fought back, his attacks barely left a scratch on Alastor, whose defenses were impenetrable. Even when Doflamingo struck with full force, it felt like hitting an unyielding wall.

Meanwhile, his family was crumbling. His most trusted officers, the executives of the Donquixote Pirates, were falling one by one. Diamante, the leader of the Diamante Army, had already perished, and the others were struggling against Trafalgar Law.

Doflamingo clenched his fists in frustration, his mind racing. His ambitions, his empire, his hard-earned status—all of it was slipping through his fingers.

Despite the fury boiling within him, he forced himself to remain composed. His expression darkened as he looked at Alastor and spoke in a grave tone:

"Alastor... There's no reason for us to fight. Whatever grudge you hold, whatever Law has promised you—I can match it. No, I can pay ten times the price. Just name your conditions, and I'll deliver."

For the first time, the infamous "Heavenly Yaksha" set aside his pride, offering terms of peace.

Alastor's lips curled into a mocking smile. "Ten times, you say? That's an interesting offer."

Doflamingo's heart leaped with hope. "Name it," he urged. "Wealth, weapons, influence—whatever you want, it's yours!"

Trafalgar Law, who was busy dismantling Doflamingo's subordinates with his Room ability, overheard the exchange. His heart sank momentarily, but when Alastor's voice rang out again, Law couldn't help but smirk.

"Ten times the price?" Alastor repeated, his tone dripping with mockery. "Fine. Law agreed to serve me for five years. If you want me to spare you, Doflamingo, you'll serve me as my slave for ten years. How's that sound?"

Doflamingo froze. The triumphant smirk that had briefly returned to his face twisted into a grimace of rage and humiliation.

"A slave?!" he snarled, his voice trembling with fury.

Alastor crossed his arms, his tone indifferent. "Don't act so surprised. You've enslaved countless people, run slave auctions, and ruined lives for your own gain. I'm simply offering you a taste of your own medicine. Don't worry—I won't sell you off. As long as you serve faithfully, you'll remain mine."

"SHUT UP!" Doflamingo roared, his voice reverberating across the battlefield. His anger reached its peak as he screamed hysterically, "I am Donquixote Doflamingo! A celestial dragon! A descendant of the gods! I am not some lowly scum like you!"

Alastor's expression turned cold, his disdain evident. "A Celestial Dragon?" he sneered. "That makes you worse than a slave. What's the difference between a dog and a Celestial Dragon, anyway? Both are worthless in my eyes."

The words cut deeper than any blade. Doflamingo's face twitched violently, his pride as a former Celestial Dragon shattered.

But there was no room for argument. Alastor wasn't someone who could be reasoned with, least of all with noble lineage. After all, this was the same man who had dared to slay Celestial Dragons without hesitation—a man who defied the very system Doflamingo once upheld.

Alastor stepped forward, his movements deliberate and menacing. Doflamingo, despite his injuries, prepared for one final stand. His threads spun rapidly, forming a defensive cocoon around him.

"I won't fall here!" Doflamingo screamed, his voice a mixture of rage and desperation.

But Alastor was unfazed. Raising his hand, he channeled his devastating attack: Hell Spike—One Hand!

The air crackled with power as Alastor's attack descended. It pierced through Doflamingo's defenses with ease, shattering his cocoon of threads and striking him directly in the chest.

Blood sprayed from Doflamingo's mouth as he crumpled to the ground, defeated.

For the once-mighty "Heavenly Yaksha," this was the end of the line.