"Wood, the Navy's traitor," Doflamingo began, his voice laced with both frustration and a grudging respect. "I'll admit it—I underestimated you before. Or perhaps many on the Grand Line have underestimated you, thinking you were just a clown propped up by the Navy."
"In terms of personal strength, I'll concede that at this moment, I'm no match for you. But even if I lose this fight, the ultimate winner will still be me!"
It seemed Doflamingo had come to terms with the fact that, despite gaining new power, he still couldn't defeat Wood. Rather than continuing a futile offensive, he shifted his strategy, fully committing to defense.
Of course, this "defensive stance" didn't mean Doflamingo was surrendering. Instead, he abandoned any thoughts of attacking Wood and focused entirely on fortifying his defenses.
Doflamingo knew his strings couldn't keep up with Wood's speed in an offensive capacity; they would only end up trailing behind, hitting nothing but air. However, when used defensively, his strings were more than sufficient.
Even if his all-out defense couldn't entirely block Wood's attacks—attacks that rivaled those of a master swordsman—Doflamingo knew it could buy him time. If this turned into a battle of attrition, he knew he would eventually lose, but it was also his only chance to force a stalemate.
Wrapped in his "White Shield" technique, forming a large spherical barrier around himself, Doflamingo glanced at the "Birdcage" overhead. Wood immediately understood his plan.
The "Birdcage" was one of Doflamingo's strongest abilities, an impenetrable dome of razor-sharp threads that trapped everyone on the island while also severing any communication signals. Over time, the Birdcage would gradually contract, forming a massive pillar of death.
The threads that made up the Birdcage were the toughest strings Doflamingo could produce, capable of slicing through buildings and even the ground itself. If it could cut through such sturdy materials, it would make short work of flesh and bone.
Not even the strongest swordsmen, armed with Haki-infused strikes, could break through the Birdcage. The only way to escape its grasp was for Doflamingo himself to deactivate it or lose consciousness.
Of course, maintaining such a powerful ability was extremely taxing, even for Doflamingo. Moreover, once the Birdcage was deployed, he had no control over the speed at which it contracted.
"You think I'll be killed by the Birdcage, even when you couldn't kill me yourself?" Wood scoffed. He wasn't the least bit intimidated by the Birdcage—if he were, he wouldn't have lured Doflamingo into this duel in the first place.
The Birdcage was part of Wood's plan all along. He knew that using a Devil Fruit ability drained the user's stamina, especially something as vast as the Birdcage. Add to that Doflamingo's recently awakened power and his numerous injuries, and Wood was confident he could outlast him.
Even if the Birdcage shrank to its minimum size, Wood was certain he could endure it with a combination of his "Iron Body" technique and Armament Haki. It would come down to a battle of endurance, a contest to see who would collapse first: Wood from the Birdcage's pressure or Doflamingo from sheer exhaustion.
"I know killing you with the Birdcage alone is unlikely, but it's more than enough to kill the others on this island," Doflamingo replied, his voice thick with malice. "It became clear to me when you saved Rosinante and Law from my clutches earlier. They're more important to you than Diaz Barrels ever was, aren't they?"
"I don't know what other connection you have to them beyond being partners, but one thing's certain—you won't let my troublesome little brother and that brat Law die here, will you?"
As he manipulated the tide of white strings to block Wood's attacks, Doflamingo carefully studied Wood's expression. His earlier suspicions were just guesses, based on how desperately Wood had saved Rosinante and Law while ignoring Barrels' death. But now, seeing the hesitation flicker across Wood's face and the brief pause in his movements, Doflamingo knew he had struck a nerve.
A wicked grin spread across Doflamingo's face, followed by a burst of manic laughter.
"So, Wood, what will it be? If we keep this up, we'll both end up battered and bruised, leaving the Navy and the World Government to swoop in and claim victory. But perhaps it's time we talk, find a solution that benefits us both."
Doflamingo wasn't against continuing this fight to the bitter end, but he wasn't foolish enough to ignore the reality of his situation. He knew his current state better than anyone.
The Birdcage might kill everyone else on the island, but it wouldn't kill Wood. And when it came down to just the two of them, with Doflamingo already heavily injured, a war of attrition would only end with his death.
Doflamingo had always prided himself on being adaptable. Years ago, he had swallowed his pride to beg for his noble status back at Mariejois. Now, he could swallow his pride again and compromise with Wood.
There would be plenty of opportunities for revenge later, but he only had one life. In the end, the one who laughed last was the true "King."
"So you're trying to threaten me with Rosinante and Law's lives? But don't forget, Doflamingo, there are more people on this island than just the World Government agents and Rosinante. Your Donquixote Family officers are here too," Wood countered, his voice as cold as steel.
"The Birdcage doesn't discriminate, does it? Once it shrinks to its limit, your so-called 'family'—those officers you hold so dear—won't survive either."
Wood's words were calculated to cut deep. Doflamingo prided himself on his loyalty to his crew, often proclaiming that they were his true family. Now, Wood wanted to see just how much those words meant to him.
Would Doflamingo risk their lives just to force a concession? Or would he relent, knowing that if the Birdcage killed Rosinante and Law, it would also kill his most trusted allies?
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P/S: If you are interested, you can read up to chapter 330+ at p@treon.com/Betek and change @ to a