THE STRONGEST CREATURE OF THE BEAST PIRATES

Calculations, plots, deals, and threats—none of it mattered against this lunatic.

In the face of such desperation, there was only one option: fight to the death.

This dire situation ignited the latent madness in Doflamingo's heart. With his face twisted in a malevolent grin and his entire being radiating malice, he growled ferociously:

"You forced me to this point! Even if I die, I'll take a piece of you with me!"

A domineering aura erupted from him, sweeping through the battlefield like a violent storm.

Those caught within its radius, whether members of the Donquixote Pirates or the weaker forces of Alastor, collapsed to the ground in an instant.

"Brother Doflamingo is going mad!" Viola whispered, her wide brown eyes fixed on the distant clash between the two figures. A hint of unease flickered in her gaze.

"It's just his last frenzy before death," Rebecca said calmly, stepping forward in her human form to stand beside Viola. "It's nothing compared to my brother."

Viola glanced at Rebecca in surprise. Unlike Rebecca, she had witnessed Alastor's imposing presence firsthand. She pursed her full lips, the worry in her heart lessening slightly.

Doflamingo's outburst was indeed formidable, but Alastor's side remained indifferent.

What of it?

He was still no match for Alastor.

Unaware of his own limitations, Doflamingo unleashed every ounce of his power, laughing maniacally.

"Hey, lunatic! Let me show you the true might of an awakened Devil Fruit!"

Slamming both hands to the ground, Doflamingo activated his ability.

The ground and surrounding buildings morphed into white threads, creating a vast ocean of string that engulfed King's Plateau.

Alastor's interest was piqued. The awakening of a Devil Fruit truly was the pinnacle of its potential.

Straw Hat Luffy's Fifth Gear was also an awakening.

In the One Piece world, few individuals had attained such mastery. Among them were Doflamingo, Katakuri, Luffy, and members of CP9 like Rob Lucci and Kaku.

Among the Beast Pirates, Kaido likely achieved awakening, but Yamato had not. The other Calamities and Tobi Roppo fell short, especially given that they wielded Ancient Zoan types, which were more difficult to awaken.

Alastor speculated that the strength of a Devil Fruit directly influenced the rigor of its awakening process. Ordinary Paramecia fruits, like Doflamingo's String-String Fruit and Katakuri's Mochi-Mochi Fruit, seemed more accessible for awakening when developed to their limits.

On the other hand, Zoan awakenings, particularly Mythical Zoans, demanded extraordinary conditions. Even Luffy, with the protagonist's edge, only awakened after being pushed to death.

If Alastor could unlock the secrets of Devil Fruit awakening, the possibilities for his future power were limitless. It reinforced his belief in the value of scientific research.

Anticipation flickered in Alastor's eyes. "Let's use Doflamingo as a test subject," he murmured.

Electricity coursed through Alastor's brain, enhancing his computational capacity to its peak. He recalled every detail from Vegapunk's Introduction to Lineage Factors and began piecing together new insights.

"Come on, Doflamingo," he said with a taunting smirk. "Show me the full extent of your awakening."

He gestured with a finger, as if inviting his opponent to try harder.

This disregard stoked Doflamingo's fury further.

"Die, Ever-White!"

The sea of strings surged forward like a tidal wave, tens of thousands of threads descending upon Alastor.

The threads coiled tightly around him, binding and squeezing with crushing force.

[Host receives moderate damage. Defense +15.]

Inside the writhing cocoon of strings, Alastor's bones creaked under the immense pressure. Yet, his expression remained unfazed—if anything, he looked exhilarated.

"This kind of awakening, assimilating external matter into one's ability… It's fascinating," Alastor mused.

It was different from Tsuru's Wash-Wash Fruit, which he had encountered before. Although her fruit had also awakened, it didn't alter the environment like Doflamingo's.

This difference underscored the unique qualities of Devil Fruit awakenings. Paramecia awakenings could assimilate surroundings or amplify their abilities dramatically. Zoan awakenings, on the other hand, seemed to focus on enhancing durability, recovery, and vitality.

"Interesting."

With a burst of strength, Alastor flexed his arm, tearing free from the constricting threads. Grabbing a handful of strings, he pulled them taut in his grasp.

The thread had originally been a stone, but under the effects of Doflamingo's Devil Fruit, it was assimilated into thread, its essence seemingly transformed.

This transformation appeared to occur on the lineage factor level.

It hinted at a revelation: not only living beings, but even inanimate objects could acquire lineage factors when exposed to the power of a Devil Fruit.

A prime example was weapons "eating" Devil Fruits. Though weapons lacked mouths, the most plausible explanation lay in the manipulation of lineage factor technology, granting weapons the life-like abilities of Devil Fruits.

Alastor, deep in thought, subconsciously delved into this mystery.

Meanwhile, Doflamingo stared at Alastor in disbelief.

This lunatic was distracted in the middle of battle!

His face contorted in rage. He trembled with anger, his voice a feral snarl.

"You dare to look down on me!"

"I'll kill you! Kill you!"

With a ferocious cry, Doflamingo unleashed one of his strongest attacks.

"Thousand Arrows Piercing Heart: Feather Strike Line!"

Countless white threads gathered into spear-like clusters, their tips coated in his most potent Armament Haki. The spears surged toward Alastor, their piercing force evoking the sensation of a thousand arrows striking at once.

Alastor, still preoccupied with his musings, failed to register the incoming attack.

When the threads pierced his body, they left a series of bloody holes across his chest and back, jolting him out of his thoughts.

He looked down at his battered body with mild curiosity, as though analyzing damage to a machine rather than a human form.

Doflamingo's triumphant laughter echoed around him.

"Jiehahaha! Fufufufu! You arrogant bastard! You dare lose focus in battle? Now, you'll regret it in hell!"

Overcome with euphoria, Doflamingo readied himself for the kill. The tide of battle had shifted, and victory seemed within reach.

He directed his threads toward Alastor's heart, aiming for a decisive blow. But no matter how much force he applied, the threads wouldn't penetrate any further.

"What... What's happening?"

Doflamingo's confidence faltered as he stared at the resistance.

"What's inside your body? Why is it so hard? Are you some kind of cyborg?"

He couldn't have guessed the truth: Alastor's organs were simply that durable, strengthened beyond comprehension.

Ordinary reasoning wouldn't account for such a phenomenon.

Alastor calmly summoned lightning to his hand, severing the threads surrounding him. He stretched, as though shrugging off the damage, and spoke:

"You interrupted my thoughts. If you don't have anything stronger, I'll end this now—and extract your lineage factor for study."

Doflamingo's confusion deepened.

"Lineage factor? You… you want to study my Devil Fruit awakening? Are you insane?!"

He couldn't tolerate being treated like a mere experiment. His pride as a Celestial Dragon swelled to the surface.

"I am a god among men! The descendant of the Creator! Show me some respect, you worm!"

"Sixteen Holy Bullets: God Thread!"

In a fit of rage, Doflamingo unleashed his ultimate move. Sixteen colossal threads, hardened with the purest Haki, radiated an ominous purple glow and hurtled toward Alastor with destructive intent.

Alastor stepped forward, unfazed, eager to test the attack's power.

"Finally, something decent," he muttered. "At least you'll contribute some value to the world before your death, you Celestial Dragon scum."

The threads pierced his body, leaving devastating wounds. Yet, to Doflamingo's horror, Alastor didn't falter.

"Impossible…"

Without hesitation, Alastor launched his counterattack.

"Hell Spike: Single Hand!"

Lightning crackled around Alastor's body as he moved at blinding speed, his fingers charged with electricity and black flames.

In a flash, his strike pierced Doflamingo's throat. Blood sprayed into the air as the once-mighty warlord collapsed.

Doflamingo clutched his neck, blood gushing through his fingers. His voice was barely a whisper:

"I… I am not done… I am… a Celestial Dragon…"

Before he could finish, Alastor stomped on his head, silencing him forever.

In the One Piece world, individuals possessed extraordinary resilience. Only a fatal blow to vital areas like the head or heart could guarantee death. Alastor made sure there were no loose ends.

"Don't be so resentful," he said coldly. "Soon enough, every one of your kind—all the Celestial Dragons on the Red Line—will join you in hell."

With Doflamingo dead, the battle turned decisively in Alastor's favor. Pica and Trebol were eliminated by Onimaru and Sai, respectively.

The remaining Donquixote Pirates, seeing their leader's defeat, surrendered in fear, begging for mercy.

But Alastor was merciless.

Not only did he refuse their pleas, but he also slaughtered them all. He couldn't risk information about his appearance leaking to the Navy or the World Government. Moreover, these pirates had long terrorized Dressrosa's civilians, their hands stained with innocent blood. They couldn't be trusted.

In the end, Alastor spared only two individuals:

Baby 5, a loyal but naïve girl who craved being needed.

Senor Pink, a man of unwavering loyalty and honor, whose principles sharply contrasted with the Donquixote Pirates' cruelty.

The battle was over. Dressrosa had been liberated, but its future remained uncertain.