The moment Doflamingo killed Crocus, Red Hair was still entangled with Enel. Red Hair, bent on wanting to flee, found Enel doing his utmost to interfere. The severe injury Red Hair had inflicted on him earlier was still fresh in Enel's memory, the wound on his body burning with pain.
"Red Hair, where do you think you're running!" Enel quickly exerted his full strength, countless clouds surging towards Red Hair.
Red Hair, however, didn't reply to Enel, simply slashing out with his sword once more, sending Enel flying again. Red Hair headed straight for the sea surface. But just before he could plunge into the water, someone else beat him to it. It turned out to be Crocus, who, one step ahead of Red Hair, crashed heavily into the seawater, kicking up a spray of water, beautiful in its own way – a fitting tribute for his funeral.
"Uncle Crocus!" Seeing his old friend gone, Red Hair's tears flowed uncontrollably, his heart filled with immense grief. But he dared not delay and was about to enter the sea.
"Don't even think about running, Red Hair!" Doflamingo teleported rapidly, rushing anxiously to Red Hair's side to prevent his escape.
Red Hair gave Doflamingo a deep look, then prepared to enter the seawater. This enmity, I will remember it, Donquixote Doflamingo, Red Hair silently vowed, the hatred in his eyes bone-deep and intense, a feud to the death.
"How could I let you escape? Anyone who dares to attack the Family is an enemy and must be eliminated, leaving no one behind!" Law's eyes were crimson as he stared intently at Red Hair.
The Donquixote Pirates, aboard their Ark, had been near Red Hair all along, the distance between them very close. Back when Red Hair was fighting Enel, Law had already enveloped this area with his 'Room,' just waiting for Red Hair to walk into his trap.
"Room: Takt!" Law shouted, under the expectant gazes of everyone.
Red Hair was astonished to find his body, which was already entering the water, suddenly suspended in mid-air.
"Good job, Law!" Doflamingo quickly appeared by Red Hair's side, instantly condensing a Thunder Blade and thrusting it towards Red Hair's heart.
"Damn it!" Red Hair cursed furiously, parrying Doflamingo's Thunder Blade with his own sword.
The two were once again locked in a chaotic battle. Diamante had also returned to the Ark and was lavishing praise on Law. Law, somewhat weakened and embarrassed, replied, "This is what family should do."
"Alright!"
The Ark was exceptionally lively, as if celebrating the impending victory. The battlefield on the other side, however, was not so cheerful. Both combatants were dancing on the precipice of death, unleashing their full power, struggling against their fatal destiny.
"Stop struggling, Red Hair!" Doflamingo punched Red Hair in the face. Red Hair's cheekbone was deformed by the powerful blow, his face turning a fiery red.
"Go to hell, Donquixote Doflamingo!" Red Hair also slashed Doflamingo across the chest. The wine-red suit tore open, leaving a deep, bloody gash on Doflamingo's chest.
Both were aiming for fatal blows with every move, their attacks ruthless and decisive. Originally, Red Hair's speed couldn't match Doflamingo's, but now Red Hair was fighting with abandon, completely disregarding his own life, trading injury for injury. This somewhat restricted Doflamingo; he wanted Red Hair dead, true, but he didn't want to be dragged down with him, unwilling to suffer severe injuries himself. Red Hair was already a spent force; Doflamingo had no need to risk his life against him.
Many times, things don't go as you wish. Red Hair also knew Doflamingo's advantage. He wouldn't let Doflamingo disengage. Every time Doflamingo tried to create distance, Red Hair would stop him. They fought in close quarters, the battle exceptionally fierce. Doflamingo was unable to finish Red Hair off quickly for a while.
"Damn it!" Doflamingo cursed under his breath, venting his dissatisfaction.
Red Hair showed no expression, merely staring deadly at Doflamingo, the sword in his hand brandished even faster. Red Hair had tapped into his life's potential, fighting with all his might, each thrust aimed at Doflamingo's vital points. Doflamingo, alarmed, had to quickly elementalize to dodge, narrowly avoiding being pierced. "Is this the last ounce of strength from burning his life?" Doflamingo looked at Red Hair, whose aura was growing stronger, his expression somewhat grave. The current Red Hair was even harder to deal with than before, but he wasn't flustered.
"Come, Red Hair! One last blow to send you on your way!" Doflamingo roared at Red Hair, his body simultaneously transforming into a Thunder Spear, the power of lightning, Conqueror's Haki, and Armament Haki all coiling around him.
"Donquixote Doflamingo, go to hell!" Red Hair also roared with effort, Gryphon in his hand also enveloped in Armament Haki, Conqueror's Haki, and all the life potential erupting from Red Hair's body, carrying the hope of annihilating everything as it shot towards Doflamingo's Thunder Spear.
In the sky, a Thunder Spear, glinting with lightning and dark red light, flew towards Red Hair. Red Hair, also brandishing Gryphon, transformed into a stream of red light and collided head-on with Doflamingo. BOOM! The clouds in the sky split open once more, proving the power of the two men to the world. The sea below surged violently, the water constantly parting under the pressure of their clash, forcing the Ark Maxim to retreat continuously. The deafening sound of the collision was incessant, constantly ringing in the ears of everyone on the Ark, making them involuntarily cover their ears, each person nervously watching the confrontation between Red Hair and Doflamingo.
"Young Master, you will definitely win!" Monet, her heart tense, gazed at the Thunder Spear that was Doflamingo, firmly believing in his victory.
"Onii-chan, hang in there!"
"Young Master Doflamingo! We haven't reached the peak yet!"
"Young Master!"
"Doffy!"
Everyone on the Ark was fervently calling out to Doflamingo in their hearts, hoping to transmit their conviction to him as he fought with all his might, to give him an extra ounce of strength. The two combatants in the midst of the clash were straining to maintain it, yet neither retreated. Both channeled their entire will into power, displaying it all in this single strike. Doflamingo's will was to dominate, to be supreme, to reach the pinnacle, for his family. Red Hair's will was freedom, to be unrestrained, to revel wantonly, to live brilliantly, for his comrades. No one could say either of their wills was wrong; these were merely each individual's own choices. There are thousands of paths; only by persistently walking them can one ultimately reach the end.
"Red Hair!"
"Donquixote Doflamingo!"
Roars from the two men echoed from the sky. Both were squeezing every last shred of power from their bodies, blasting it all at their opponent. However, to those watching from the Ark, the stream of red light was clearly losing momentum. Though it was still resisting with all its might, defeat was an inevitable outcome.
From their initial encounter, the battle between Doflamingo and Red Hair had already raged for days. After so many days of fighting, both their stamina levels were rapidly depleting. Moreover, Doflamingo had been consistently wearing Red Hair down earlier, so Doflamingo's stamina was considerably better than Red Hair's. Their situations were vastly different. Red Hair was staking everything on this one desperate gamble; Doflamingo was ruthlessly determined to annihilate him. The power Red Hair unleashed by burning his life force was certainly stronger than Doflamingo's current output, which allowed the gap between them to narrow progressively, enabling them to remain deadlocked for a while longer. However, as Red Hair's burst of power ended, he gradually fell into a disadvantage.
Doflamingo, sensing the weakening of the opposing force, was overjoyed. He too squeezed out a final shred of power from his cells, aiming straight for Red Hair's heart.
It seems my road ends here! Goodbye, comrades! Uta! Sorry, Luffy, I can't fulfill our promise, Red Hair thought, closing his eyes, calmly accepting his curtain call.
The Thunder Spear that was Doflamingo smoothly pierced through Red Hair's body. Red Hair had already exhausted all his strength and was utterly incapable of blocking Doflamingo's attack. Red Hair silently felt his life ebbing away. Gryphon slipped from his grasp, falling with its master towards the sea below.
Doflamingo hovered in the air, calmly watching Red Hair's farewell, his thoughts complex. He wondered if Red Hair's end would one day be his own. Then, his eyes sharpened. He reached out his hand directly towards Gryphon, drawing Red Hair's signature sword into his grasp. Holding Gryphon, Doflamingo examined it carefully. Gryphon offered no resistance; it was very compliant in Doflamingo's hand. The victor is king, the loser is a bandit. It is just a weapon. Now, it belongs to Donquixote Doflamingo.
Doflamingo held Gryphon with one hand towards the sky and said softly, "Send off your former master! He was a good opponent! Goodbye, Red Hair."
Gryphon's blade glinted with lightning, then shot a beam that pierced towards the sky, bringing light to the previously dim heavens. A wide pillar of lightning connected heaven and earth, so bright that everyone involuntarily looked away. The sky-piercing pillar of lightning also caused distant Marines and pirates to turn their heads, curious as to what had just happened.
Ultimately, today, for the Donquixote Pirates, was an extraordinary day!