Wood, a former Marine turned traitor, known for causing havoc at Impel Down, clashing with Marine branches, and assaulting Enies Lobby—a pirate with a bounty of one billion Berries.
To most uninformed people, he must seem like a powerful and ruthless villain. However, only someone who had been in the Donquixote Family and understood Doflamingo's true nature, like Corazon, could see that his own brother was the real demon.
Wood's reputation on the seas was notorious, but Corazon had initially believed that in a direct confrontation with Doflamingo, Wood would be at a disadvantage.
Yet, after witnessing their ongoing battle, Corazon's opinion of Wood had completely changed.
There was a reason why Wood had been given the codename "Dark Serpent" and why Fleet Admiral Sengoku held him in such high regard. First, he orchestrated events to create conflict between the Donquixote Family and the World Government. Then, he lured Doflamingo into a trap, planning an ambush. Finally, he demonstrated his strength, living up to the rumors and proving that his bounty was entirely justified. In fact, he managed to suppress someone Corazon had always viewed as the epitome of evil—Doflamingo.
"Corazon-san, maybe we should just forget it," said the boy with the spotted hat beside Corazon, his voice full of worry. "I'm not worth risking so much."
The boy's skin was marked with gray spots, the telltale signs of Amber Lead Syndrome, a mysterious and incurable disease that plagued the seas.
"There's no such thing as whether it's worth the risk or not. Life has its own weight, and that weight is equal for everyone. I understood this when I was just eight years old. Even the World Nobles, as high and mighty as they are, will die when they fall ill. Without their noble status, they, too, struggle for survival just like anyone else.
"Just as I was saved once, I believe it is fate that I met you, Law," Corazon replied, gazing at the boy suffering from Amber Lead Syndrome. Images of his mother, who had died from illness, and of the time when Sengoku rescued him, flashed through Corazon's mind.
The battle in the clearing continued to rage, growing even more intense as time passed.
Blades clashed, and invisible threads filled the forest, slicing through entire trees, reducing them to mere stumps scattered across the ground. What was once a smooth surface was now a landscape of trenches and craters of varying sizes and depths.
The two combatants had taken their fight from the ground to the sky, with their exchanges growing faster by the second.
Doflamingo's physical abilities might not have been overwhelming to someone like Wood, who had mastered the Six Powers and trained at the Marine Academy. However, Doflamingo's mastery over his Devil Fruit and his expertise in using Haki were exceptional.
In terms of Haki, Wood's Observation Haki was superior, allowing him to read Doflamingo's movements better. However, in terms of Armament Haki, Doflamingo had the upper hand.
And while Doflamingo's Observation Haki wasn't as unique as Wood's, it was still formidable, capable of sensing and evading attacks even from far above the island.
Moreover, Doflamingo also wielded something Wood had yet to attain: Conqueror's Haki.
Of course, the most potent use of Conqueror's Haki is through its infusion—wrapping it around oneself to enhance attacks, allowing one to strike an opponent without even making physical contact. But only a select few top-tier warriors can achieve this advanced form, and Wood didn't believe that Doflamingo was among them.
Aside from Conqueror's Haki infusion, the typical use of Conqueror's Haki in combat against another strong opponent was nearly pointless.
Despite being labeled as a power that only those with the potential to rule can awaken, Conqueror's Haki only works effectively against those weaker than the user.
A powerful individual could unleash their overwhelming spirit to intimidate, frighten, and even knock out weaker opponents en masse. In the midst of a large-scale battle, someone with Conqueror's Haki could stand alone, and with a burst of their will, they could make most of the weaklings collapse as if they were pests being sprayed with insecticide.
However, in a one-on-one battle against another strong opponent, unless infused into one's attacks, Conqueror's Haki held little significance.
Just as Wood and Doflamingo were demonstrating. Unable to overpower Wood, and having been repeatedly suppressed, Doflamingo, in a desperate attempt to reclaim his lost dignity, unleashed his Conqueror's Haki, flaunting it to Wood, as if to prove he possessed the qualities of a king.
Unfortunately for Doflamingo, Wood met the surge of Conqueror's Haki with a calm expression and responded with a quick slash.
He wasn't one of those mindless locals who would grovel before someone with Conqueror's Haki, eagerly submitting as a follower.
As a transmigrator, Wood knew that in the world of One Piece, there were far too many so-called "one in a million" individuals with kingly potential.
Conqueror's Haki might symbolize the potential to rule, but it didn't always equate to strength. Some of the most powerful figures didn't possess Conqueror's Haki, yet they were still fearsome warriors.
Doflamingo's Conqueror's Haki might be enough to intimidate the weak, but against a powerful swordsman with a strong will, like Wood, its impact was negligible.
The twin crescent-shaped slashes from Tenku and Asatsuyu severed Doflamingo's web-like threads. The diminished slashes that followed were easily kicked to pieces by Doflamingo, his long legs coated in Armament Haki.
However, before Doflamingo could retract his leg, Wood had already appeared in front of him, using Soru to close the distance. Without hesitation, Wood's size-43 boot smashed into Doflamingo's face!
Crack! A sharp sound echoed through the air. Whether it was Doflamingo's sunglasses shattering or his nose breaking under the impact, it was hard to tell.
What was clear was that the force of the kick sent Doflamingo plummeting from the sky like a meteor, creating a massive crater upon impact with the ground.
And by some twist of fate, Doflamingo landed right near Corazon and Trafalgar Law.
At that very moment, Corazon and Law were about to retrieve the heart-shaped Ope Ope no Mi from its case.
Doflamingo, who had just showcased his "kingly potential" with Conqueror's Haki, had not only failed to intimidate Wood but had taken a boot to the face for his troubles. As he dragged his battered body out of the crater, he suddenly found himself locking eyes with the startled Corazon and Trafalgar Law.
At first, Doflamingo thought they had been clever enough to take advantage of the chaos to snatch the Ope Ope no Mi. However, when he saw Corazon trying to shove the priceless fruit into Law's mouth, Doflamingo's expression finally changed.
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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