Thunder roared across the night sky.
From the storm curtain, a massive ship with a carved mammoth head on its prow surged forward, cutting straight toward the flamingo-shaped vessel of the Donquixote Family.
At the very top of the mast, the lookout braced himself against the pounding rain, telescope in hand. His face went pale the moment he saw the approaching figure.
"Enemy attack!!!"
At his cry, the Donquixote ship erupted with movement. Soldiers and several officers poured out from the cabins, weapons clutched in trembling hands.
Whoosh !
Boom !
Cannonballs streaked through the sky, slamming into the waters around the flamingo ship. Waves surged high, explosions shattering the night.
Inside the cabin, Donquixote Doflamingo had only just lain down when the commotion reached him. His expression darkened as he pulled himself up and stalked outside.
Of all times… why now? Why, of all nights, when Ozz was aboard, did this have to happen?
His forehead veins bulged as he clenched his jaw. Throwing on his trademark pink feathered coat, he stormed onto the deck, rain pelting his tall frame. He seized a panicked underling who was still shouting.
The subordinate's feet barely touched the ground as the towering Doflamingo lifted him by the collar.
"Shut your mouth!!!"
His voice was low and dangerous.
"Panicking like this over a skirmish at sea? What are you, children? Do you want to wake Ozz-sama and ruin his rest?"
He hurled the hapless soldier aside. The crew froze, swallowing their fear.
"Nothing but enemies at sea. What's there to scream about? Keep your heads."
With that, Doflamingo strode toward the officers who had gathered. Among them stood Lao G, younger than he would one day be, but already a formidable martial artist.
"Lao G, what's going on?"
"I don't know yet," Lao G admitted, eyes narrowing toward the storm. "The lookout saw something. I only just got here."
Everyone turned to the lookout, who looked ready to collapse under their stares. His voice trembled as he tried to explain.
"I I saw the flag. Four bones crossed, a jagged symbol, and two enormous curved horns…"
Doflamingo froze.
That emblem…
His mind raced.
"Beasts Pirates?! They dare launch an attack now of all times?!"
His tone carried weight, but his hands tightened with unease. Even so, with Ozz aboard, there was no need for fear.
"Who's commanding their ship? Tell me exactly what you saw."
The lookout swallowed hard, his words tumbling out.
"A giant man… at least six meters tall… with massive horns by his head."
The words hit Doflamingo like a hammer. His eyes narrowed sharply.
No… it couldn't be… Kaido himself?!
A shiver crawled down his spine, though the storm rain quickly masked the cold sweat. Then relief followed.
Fortunately… fortunately, Ozz is on board tonight.
A wicked grin tugged at Doflamingo's lips as he waved his men into formation.
"Fufufufufu… if that's the case, then we have no choice but to disturb Ozz-sama. After all… Beasts Kaido is one of the Emperors of the Sea!"
At his command, the soldiers scrambled. Cannons primed, lines drawn, and runners sent rushing below deck.
They hammered at Ozz's door, voices loud over the storm.
"Ozz-sama!!!"
"We've encountered a powerful enemy!!!"
"Doflamingo-sama requests your command!!!"
From within, Ozz sighed.
These idiots. He'd been awake the whole time, already aware of the enemy. He hadn't intervened yet because, in his eyes, this was nothing more than a boy's tantrum at sea. Yet Doflamingo couldn't even handle that much?
Pathetic.
The door creaked open.
Ozz stepped out. His crimson suit gleamed even under the dim stormlight, his black coat draped loosely over his shoulders. His towering presence made every soldier outside snap rigid, their voices dying instantly.
They parted into two lines, heads bowed.
"You useless lot…"
Ozz rubbed his temple as he walked past, his tall frame cutting through the silence. He emerged onto the deck.
The storm winds tore at the ship, rain lashing in sheets yet none of it touched him. Not a drop stained his coat. His steps were casual, his expression unreadable.
Doflamingo exhaled when he saw him, tension easing. But Ozz's next words made his blood run cold.
"You disappoint me, Doflamingo. To think you can't even handle something this trivial."
Ozz leaned lazily against the railing, hands in his pockets. In the distance, cannonballs still arced toward the ship… only to explode harmlessly midair, detonating before they landed. Some even curved in flight, slamming back into the Beasts Pirates' ship.
The crew gaped in stunned silence.
Doflamingo's jaw tightened. He wanted to protest this was no trivial enemy. The Beasts Pirates weren't someone he could simply swat aside.
His voice came out low, almost defensive.
"This is the Beasts Pirates…"
"Yes. The Beasts Pirates."
Ozz's eyes gleamed red. He snapped his fingers.
Snap.
BOOM!!!
The storm split apart in an instant. Rain and waves vanished as if erased. The sea grew still, the skies cleared, and moonlight illuminated everything.
The enemy ship came into sharp focus.
At its prow, a towering figure stood, muscles bulging, dual scythes gripped in both hands. An iron mask covered his face, his fury visible even from afar.
"Seize Doflamingo!!!"
The Beasts Pirates lookout, now clearly seeing who stood on the flamingo ship, nearly collapsed. His voice broke into a panicked scream.
"C-Captain Jack!!! T-that's… that's HIM!!! That's the Black Emperor!!!"
Cold sweat streamed down his face. His legs trembled, and he almost fell to the deck.
"Captain, we should retreat immediately! This is suicide!"
Who would have imagined? A routine ambush against Doflamingo… and they had blundered right into the Black Emperor himself.
But Jack only snarled, bloodshot eyes fixed on Ozz's faint smile. His grip tightened on his scythes.
"The Black Emperor? Hah… so what!"
He roared to his crew, his voice cutting across the sea.
"Bring the ship closer!!!"
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