Doflamingo tossed the lifeless body of Diaz Barrels aside as if it were trash. He then fixed Wood with a cruel smile, the kind that seemed to say, "This is what happens when you don't know your place."
"I'll give you one last chance," Doflamingo said, his voice cold and menacing. "Whatever Diaz Barrels promised you, I'll double it. Hand over the Op-Op Fruit, and I'll let you walk away with your life. We're both players in the underworld. Who knows? We might need to work together again someday."
Doflamingo still believed Wood might accept his offer. On one hand, he wanted Wood to live so he could take the blame if things went wrong. On the other, Wood had caught the eye of a powerful figure in the underworld, someone even Doflamingo wasn't eager to cross unless absolutely necessary.
"Barrels offered me the Op-Op Fruit and three billion Berries," Wood replied, his voice calm. "So, Doflamingo, are you saying you'll give me two Op-Op Fruits and six billion Berries?"
At Wood's words, Doflamingo's face twisted in anger. In an instant, he lunged at Wood, his fingers pulling taut several strings as he slashed at Wood with his Goshikito (Five Color Strings).
"If you're so determined to die, then today is the day you'll meet your end, rookie!" Doflamingo snarled. He clearly believed Wood was mocking him. Not only was it impossible to find two Op-Op Fruits in the world, but the idea of offering six billion Berries was ludicrous. The World Government had brought only five billion Berries to negotiate—there was no way Doflamingo would go beyond that, let alone add another billion.
"Business is business, Doflamingo," Wood said, blocking the attack with his sword, Tenko. "Why are you getting violent all of a sudden? It's true that Barrels offered me 80% of this deal upfront. But even if you could give me two Op-Op Fruits in cash, I still wouldn't accept. I've already promised the Op-Op Fruit to someone else as payment.
"And let's be honest, dealing with someone as infamous as you is risky. After all, your last business partner is lying dead not far from here."
Wood countered Doflamingo's close-range attack, his other hand drawing his sword, Chouro, unleashing a blue energy slash toward his opponent. Doflamingo quickly leapt back to dodge, but the crescent-shaped slash dug a deep trench in the ground as it chased him.
"Ashisoriito!" (Foot Shave Thread!) Doflamingo executed a quick sweeping kick, releasing nearly invisible strings that sliced through Wood's energy attack, shattering it into pieces.
The battle was just beginning. As the energy dissipated, Wood vanished from his original position, using a rapid sequence of Soru techniques to close the distance.
When Doflamingo shattered the energy slash, Wood suddenly appeared behind him. The idea that "a wound on the back is a swordsman's shame" didn't mean much to Wood. To him, any opening was a chance to strike. Whether it was the back or any other vulnerable spot, it didn't matter.
The world of pirates was brutal, far from the simple games some might imagine. The key to survival was seizing every opportunity to bring down your opponent.
Doflamingo's Kenbunshoku Haki (Observation Haki) warned him of the danger from behind, but it was too late to fully defend with his Devil Fruit abilities. He quickly coated his arm in Busoshoku Haki (Armament Haki), using it to block Wood's blade.
As Tenko's blade clashed with Doflamingo's arm, the bright silver of the sword began to darken, turning pitch black. Wood had activated his own Busoshoku Haki.
Although Wood's Haki wasn't as refined or powerful as Doflamingo's, the sharpness of his blade compensated, causing black sparks to fly as their Haki collided—a hallmark of a true New World battle.
Despite Doflamingo's greater experience and strength in Haki, Wood's well-timed attack, combined with the cutting power of his blade and his swordsmanship, forced Doflamingo to his knees. The ground cracked beneath him as he struggled to hold off Wood's assault.
Anyone watching could see that if this continued, Doflamingo's Busoshoku Haki would give out first. Yet, even in this precarious situation, Doflamingo didn't show any signs of panic. Instead, at one moment, a sly smile spread across his face.
Almost simultaneously, Wood's own Kenbunshoku Haki alerted him to a new threat from behind.
Doflamingo's Kageuchiito (Shadow Rider Thread) stood poised to strike, its arm raised, ready to slash down with deadly precision. Five wires, sharp as blades, shot toward Wood like the claws of a predator.
Kageuchiito, a technique Doflamingo could use to create a clone of himself entirely out of strings. This puppet was indistinguishable from the real thing, making it a perfect tool for a surprise attack.
While Wood had been focused on the battle in front of him, Doflamingo had maneuvered the clone into position, waiting for the perfect moment to strike from behind and deliver a killing blow.
As the Kageuchiito brought its attack down on Wood, Doflamingo's grin widened.
"Let me show you, brat," Doflamingo sneered, "what happens when a real pirate who's sailed the seas for years faces a rookie like you. You're nothing but a joke!"
A betrayal met with another betrayal—Wood had thought he was the one launching a surprise attack, but Doflamingo had anticipated it all along, setting up a counterattack.
To Doflamingo, Wood's Busoshoku Haki was decent, but not exceptional. With his back wide open, Doflamingo was certain that once the Kageuchiito pierced through Wood, the so-called super rookie would be finished.
But Doflamingo didn't know that Wood's Kenbunshoku Haki was highly unique. Though the moment of danger lasted only a fraction of a second, Wood perceived it as if time had slowed down, the Kageuchiito's movements breaking into a series of clear, segmented images.
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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