__________________________________________________________________________________________________________
"Quick! Do something! Put out this damn fire!"
Doflamingo's veins bulged as he watched Diamante writhing on the ground, his screams growing weaker by the second. The warlord spun on his officers, voice breaking into a furious roar.
But no matter what they tried—water, slime, rocks, even ground-up seastone powder—the eerie black flames refused to go out.
Diamante's arm was burning to ash right before their eyes, the stench of roasted flesh thick in the air.
At this rate, he was going to burn alive.
Doflamingo snapped his head toward the small figure floating in midair, his bloodshot gaze locking onto him like a predator's.
"Brat! Stop that fire! Now!"
His voice was raw with rage—and something he refused to admit: fear.
Dan hung in the air, his round, cherubic face calm and unreadable. His dark eyes were deep and still as glass. He raised one pudgy hand, pointed at Doflamingo… then at the SMILE factory in the distance.
His soft, childish voice carried clearly through the chaos.
"Deal."
Doflamingo's whole body shook, his hands trembling as if they were trying to strangle the air itself. Behind his shades, his eyes blazed with fury.
"You little shit, you think you can negotiate with me?!"
"I'll kill you first!"
Before the words even left his mouth, Doflamingo's fingers spread wide. Almost invisible threads exploded from his fingertips, slicing through the air with lethal precision.
"Overheat!"
The threads twisted together into a massive white whip, howling as it tore through the air toward Dan.
The strike could have split mountains.
"Master Dan, look out!"
Jack bellowed, his massive tusk-blade flashing up to intercept the blow. Sparks burst from the impact as he forced the whip back.
He would never let anyone harm his young master.
"Doflamingo—you dare raise a hand against Master Dan?! You're dead!"
Jack's rage thundered across the docks. The Beasts Pirates behind him roared in unison, ready to charge.
A massacre was seconds away from erupting—
Then.
"Oh."
That soft, sing-song voice broke through the tension like a knife.
Dan turned his head slightly, his calm black eyes landing on Jack.
Then he looked past him—at the Beasts Pirates, who were also bristling for a fight.
"Don't."
"Anyone."
"Move."
The childlike tone carried a weight that froze every man where he stood.
"Oh?" Jack blinked, face full of confusion and worry. "Master Dan! But—!"
"I."
Dan puffed up his little chest.
"Will."
"Fight."
"Them."
"All."
Huh?!
Jack stared, dumbstruck.
So did every member of the Beasts Pirates.
Their young master wanted to take on the Donquixote Family, the Golden Emperor, and half the underworld—alone?!
The Donquixote officers exchanged stunned looks before breaking into sneers.
"Did that brat just say he'll fight us all?"
"Ten billion bounty or not, who does he think he is? Don't forget, the Drought's worth ten billion too—we're not scared of him!"
"One against all? What is he, Kaido Jr.?"
Even Doflamingo's fury warped into a twisted grin.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… interesting. So interesting!"
"If you're that eager to die, I'll grant your wish!"
He turned to Jack, eyes gleaming with malice. "You heard him, didn't you, Jack? He said it himself. If you interfere… that means you don't respect your precious 'young master.' Fuffuffuffuffu!"
Jack's jaw tightened. His fists cracked like breaking stone.
He didn't understand why Dan was doing this—but his loyalty was absolute.
"Yes, Master Dan!"
Grinding his teeth, he sheathed his blade and motioned for the Beasts Pirates to stand down. Reluctantly, they backed away.
Tezoro's golden eyes narrowed. Intrigued, he leaned forward slightly. What was this kid planning?
Doflamingo grinned wider, pure malice radiating off him.
"You asked for it, brat!"
"Bullet Thread!"
Shing—shing—shing—!
A storm of razor-thin threads burst from his hands, screaming through the air like machine-gun fire, blanketing the sky over Dan.
Each thread carried deadly force enough to pierce steel.
Dan didn't move.
He simply hovered there, perfectly still, not even blinking.
"Master Dan!"
Jack's voice cracked with panic. The Beasts Pirates could only watch, hearts lodged in their throats.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
The storm of impacts roared through the air, like rain hammering a tin roof.
The threads struck Dan dead-on, thousands of them, each blow strong enough to shred a battleship.
"Fuffuffuffuffu! Die!"
Doflamingo was manic now, laughing through gritted teeth as his attacks poured out faster and faster.
"Full Bright Thread!"
"Shadow Rider!"
Every technique he knew, unleashed in a storm of flashing white death.
The entire dock vanished into chaos—dust and stone flying everywhere, explosions shaking the ground.
Dan's small figure disappeared in the maelstrom.
Jack's eyes turned blood-red. His jaw trembled, teeth grinding hard enough to spark.
If not for Dan's direct order, he would've already torn Doflamingo apart.
The Beasts Pirates clenched their fists, their faces twisted with rage and dread.
"Hmph! Pathetic!" Pica snorted, his voice high and sharp.
"Thought he was some kind of monster—turns out he's just another loudmouthed brat!"
Even Diamante, still burning and groaning, managed a cruel grin.
Doflamingo finally stopped, panting heavily, face flushed with exertion. His lips curled.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… it's over."
"Kaido's son? Nothing special."
Tezoro and the underworld bosses exhaled in relief. That burst of Conqueror's Haki earlier had shaken them—but clearly, the boy hadn't been as dangerous as he seemed.
The dust began to clear.
All eyes locked on the settling smoke.
And then—
A small shape began to take form.
Doflamingo's grin froze.
His officers' sneers turned to stunned silence.
Jack and his crew went wide-eyed, breath caught in their throats.
When the last of the dust faded, Dan was still floating there.
Completely unharmed.
Covering his body was a faint, blue aura—shaped like bones.
Not a full skeleton, just thick ribs and part of a spine—but it radiated an overwhelming, bone-deep dread.
That glowing blue skeleton wrapped around Dan like armor, shielding his tiny form completely.
All of Doflamingo's furious strikes hadn't even scratched it.
"Wh–what the hell is that?!" Doflamingo's voice cracked. His signature laugh died in his throat.
Pica, Sugar, Trebol—every Donquixote officer stared as if they'd seen a ghost.
"How—how is this possible?!"
"He's not hurt at all?!"
"That blue… bone thing… what the hell is it?!"
"Every time we think we've figured this kid out, he pulls something crazier!"
Tezoro's golden pupils shrank, the smirk wiped from his face, replaced by raw disbelief.
Jack blinked—then threw back his head and roared with laughter.
"Worororororo! Master Dan, you're incredible!"
"I knew it! You're the strongest!"
The Beasts Pirates exploded into cheers, their voices shaking the entire port.
"..."
__________________________________________________________________________________________________