Perhaps not as strong as a Giant, but certainly not weak.
Plus, with the strength covered by Haki, he should be able to easily break free from those strings. But now it seems that if he uses too much force, these strings might even break through the Haki and cut his body under the backlash.
The strength of the strings... doesn't seem right.
Sage frowned, looking at Doflamingo sneering below, before glancing at the strings restraining his body, and couldn't help asking, "Birdcage?"
"Fufufufu, you know quite a lot."
Doflamingo laughed eerily low, "I get it now, why it felt strange from the start. You, such a person, seem to know a lot about my abilities? What gave you the illusion that you could easily break through my abilities? Is it the bounty?"
Four hundred and twenty million bounty?
That's at most a decent newcomer!
His bounty is three hundred and forty million, but that was years ago...
Break through his strings easily?
That's impossible.
This guy may be quite powerful and skilled in Haki, but so what.
It's just Haki...
The degree of development of his abilities, once used, is something that ordinary people find very difficult to break through.
Sage nodded thoughtfully, "I see, it really is the hardness of the Birdcage, as expected of the Seven Warlords of the Sea."
As someone on par with the Four Emperors, also renowned across the seas, Sage certainly had an impression.
In his memory, this guy was defeated after releasing the Birdcage, and he seemed to have been injured before that.
Thinking about it, it makes sense. The level of the Seven Warlords must have an ability described as unsolvable.
Even if the old Sand became lackadaisical leading to a regression to an ordinary Logia-type, he wasn't something an average Haki user could handle.
His defeat was purely due to underestimating the enemy, plus he regressed due to prolonged wear and tear of will.
After all, the bounties from the East Sea still maintain the intensity from decades ago, low in bounty but powerful in strength.
Recruits from Demon Valley Town can testify to that.
Even during the East Sea period, Gin could be considered outstanding in Demon Valley Town.
The old Sand was too complacent, leading to his defeat by a thirty million Straw Hat.
The other Seven Warlords, in some way, can be described as unsolvable.
The pinnacle of Swordsmanship, possessing a Haki and Swordsmanship that can cut through anything.
The World's Number One Great Sword Master, Dracule Mihawk.
Whether energy or matter, even will and soul, everything in the world could be repelled, sending people miles away with a wave.
The Tyrant, Bartholomew Kuma.
A standout among female pirates, with an unsolvable ability to petrify anyone moved by her, and her abilities can achieve that even if one is not moved by her.
Pirate Empress, Boa Hancock.
As a Fishman, possessing near-invincible strength in water, able to summon Sea Beasts via the sea, she can traverse the ocean single-handedly.
Sea Hero, Jinbe.
Transforming into shadows, plundering and consuming them, even gaining other's abilities and strength through them, those looted can only hide in darkness forever.
Moonlight, Moriah.
And now this one...
The strength of his Birdcage's strings rivals the toughness and hardness of an absolute barrier, impossible to break, only able to tighten and cut.
Since the Birdcage's strings are strings, before releasing the strongest ability 'Birdcage', Doflamingo can certainly use such strings.
Compared to the intensity of the previous attack, the strings binding Sage now are evidently the Birdcage's strings.
"Fufufufu, dependent on the extent of development, an Ability User can have numerous unimaginable effects."
Doflamingo stuck out his tongue, revealing a vicious look. He raised a hand and dropped it, "How long can your Haki withstand this? Overheat String!"
In the sky, several strings like fine javelins quickly descended towards Sage's body, aiming to pierce him.
"How long can it withstand?"
Sage didn't even glance at the sharp strings plunging down from above, a smirk tugging at his lips, "Why don't you see for yourself?"
Bear!
The technique of Overheat String collided with a mass of black fire, stopped within, unable to progress further.
Doflamingo's expression froze, barely reacting before that mass of 'black fire' suddenly appeared right in front of him.
Bam!!
His body bent backward, the immense force making him instinctively gag, but he quickly clenched his teeth, his entire body following the momentum, shooting straight back, crashing through the building and wall behind, flying through one-fifth of the town, smashing countless buildings before halting.
"Cough, cough cough cough!"
Doflamingo crawled out of the rubble, coughing several times, spitting out a mouthful of blood, holding his chest with one hand as fresh blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, incredulously screaming, "How is that possible!"
The strength of the Birdcage only weakens according to his own physical stamina depletion, and he hadn't consumed his stamina yet, so even if it weakens, it should merely dissipate. Up till now, no one has been able to break it.
Impossible!
And this attack... What is going on?!
Where he was hit, the internal organs and muscle tissue were completely shattered!
Internal Destruction?
Probably so, but even more potent, bearing a kind of explosive force. In that instant, he felt several times the normal attack's pain, numbness, and weakening...
A bizarre attack!
His fingers tapped rapidly across his abdomen, lines appearing within his body, reconnecting the shattered organs and bodily tissues, and then he glanced ahead.
Lines are still unbroken.
The moonlit glistening lines still covered the sky, but as they gathered and bound, they abruptly stretched, and at the forefront, a mass of black flames gradually manifested in his view.
That was Sage!
He was enveloped entirely in black fervor, like burning flames...
The fervor radiated from his skin, allowing the sharp strings to scar the surface, forcing open the binding, advancing this way.
"Haki?!" Doflamingo gritted his teeth, revealing clear astonishment.
What is that supposed to mean?
"How's the strength of my Haki?" Sage advanced, permitting the strings to constrict around the fervor, revealing a sinister smile at Doflamingo.
Once Haki reaches a certain level, Sage wasn't sure if it could break through the Birdcage's strings, at least not now with his Haki.
But...
It can pry open!
Covering the entire body with Haki hardens the skin, indeed could block the Birdcage's strings, but only block them. Forcefully exerting too much strength would inversely cut himself.
However... if the Haki is externalized, then it wouldn't be cut.
These strings make no contact, thus unable to slash his body, nor would excessive force inversely lead to an attack.
Would Haki break?
That depends on strength, also on the amount consumed.
As consumption exceeds capacity, Haki naturally diminishes until exhaustion.
As for Sage...
Consumption doesn't exist, it always remains at MAX level.
With Haki externalized, even if slashed through, it wouldn't matter, it wouldn't affect Sage's core.
The strings ensnaring the fervor, with his actions embedding them into the fervor, but that's the limit, unable to go further.
However, such full-body Haki externalization couldn't be coiled into one point for a maximum attack, its intensity slightly reduced as the area expands.
Correspondingly though, Sage gains an ever-lasting Haki defense, which conveniently blocks the Birdcage's strings.
"You... bastard!"
Doflamingo's eyebrows twitched, black lines forming at his temple, he could see the strings embedding into the fervor prolonging with Sage's actions.
Such high-speed movement, even with Haki, should have broken that strength, yet now it only embedded halfway into the fervor.
It's as if there was a limitless supply of Haki pouring in, resisting the Birdcage's string slicing.
Does this guy have such a vast amount of Haki?
No, didn't feel it...
That Haki's strength is decent, yet just decent, not outstanding in power.
Yet now...
Seeing Sage advancing with black fervor coiling around, Doflamingo clenched his teeth, his face growing increasingly grim, cold sweat trickling down his temple instinctively.
He seemed to envision that sprayer battling the sky and earth, yelping 'Oh lululululu', the Strongest Creature on Land, Sea, and Air!
Kaido!