The punch from Luffy had truly set Doflamingo off.
So what if you're "Straw Hat" and come from some lofty background?
You think you're the only one with a pedigree?
Back in the day, I was a noble of the Celestial Dragons. And now? Look at me — living like some common thug.
The more he thought about his own fall from grace, and compared it to the brat in front of him with his privileged upbringing, the more the rage boiled inside him.
His attacks and strikes began to grow sharper and more ruthless.
But even so, the brat across from him refused to fall.
No matter how savage the onslaught, the other stood his ground — like a tiny boat in a raging sea, swaying but never capsizing.
Bang!
A terrifying shockwave erupted. Luffy's body was swatted away by a surge of white threads, blood spraying from his mouth as he crashed into the ground. His eyes rolled back, his body trembled.
Yet after a few moments — when he should have been out cold — his consciousness returned.
Slowly, painfully, he forced himself up again.
He could still fight.
That stubborn spirit of never giving in refused to let him retreat. He knew full well the man before him was too strong to beat head-on, but he wouldn't back down.
Because if he stepped back now, it wouldn't just mean losing the fight — it would mean betraying the dream he and his friends were chasing.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… good!"
Doflamingo's eyes narrowed into a dark smile, part shame, part anger.
His arms spread wide, fingers curling, the powers of the String-String Fruit flaring again. Countless threads surged forth, swelling into a massive tidal wave to crush Luffy below.
Rumble!
The wave of white threads slammed into Luffy's chest. The tearing force behind it made his small frame grit his teeth in agony.
"I told you — I'm gonna send you flying!"
From beneath the pounding waves, Luffy roared skyward. With his shout, an overwhelming aura burst from within him — like some ancient beast awakening.
"Nani?!"
The surge of Conqueror's Haki made even Doflamingo lose his composure.
The crushing pressure swept across the battlefield, spilling into Zoro's fight nearby. Even Zoro and his opponent felt cold sweat bead on their foreheads.
Bang!
The surging wave of threads was smashed apart by an enlarged fist. Smoke and dust billowed.
Thump… thump…
From within the haze came the sound — strong, steady, like a beating heart.
As the smoke dispersed, Luffy's new form emerged into view: a powerful body wrapped in ribbon-like white steam, black markings curling across his skin like some ominous Devil Fruit pattern.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… what is that?"
Doflamingo scoffed at the strange, springing movements before him.
"I'm gonna send you flying!"
Luffy, ever single-minded, didn't waste a single extra word. The moment he finished speaking, his bouncing figure vanished.
"What—?!"
Even Doflamingo's Observation Haki failed to sense him.
Before he could react, a gale howled beside him — and when he turned, a massive black fist was already there to greet him.
Bang!
Spurt!
The brutal impact sent a searing pain through Doflamingo's skull, forcing blood from his mouth.
Boom!
His body shot downward like a cannonball, smashing into a hillside. The impact ripped open the earth, sending grass and soil flying, shredded by the shockwave.
"I told you I'd send you flying. And I will."
Hovering above in his new form, Luffy bounced steadily, eyes locked on the dust-covered hill below, his voice dead serious.
No matter how strong his opponent was, he wouldn't yield — not even against his monster of a grandfather.
Cough… cough…
"Fuffuffuffuffu…"
From within the swirling dust, Doflamingo's distinctive laugh echoed.
When the sea breeze cleared the haze, he was on one knee, coughing blood — but grinning.
Rage and battle-lust boiled inside him, surging through his veins like boiling water.
"Straw Hat… I'm going to kill you!"
Doflamingo, who had never suffered such humiliation, was now truly enraged.
No matter the brat's pedigree — it wasn't going to save him.
His ten fingers dug deep into the ground before he sprang upward. Armament Haki coated him, and from the earth rose a tidal wave of razor-sharp white threads — their crests tipped in pitch black.
This was an attack he hadn't unleashed since awakening his Devil Fruit powers.
"Gomu Gomu no… GATLING!"
Facing the overwhelming tide, Luffy didn't flinch. His arms stretched back and snapped forward, fists slamming down in a furious barrage.
Fist after fist hammered into the surging waves, black knuckles colliding with blackened thread-points, each impact like a thunderclap.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!
The collisions birthed shockwaves that rolled outward in layer after layer, merging into a violent storm.
Even Zoro's battle was forced to a halt. Shielding himself against the tempest, his eyes widened at the sight before him.
This wasn't a fight on the level of ordinary pirates anymore — this was the kind of clash you'd only expect from the Emperors of the Sea.
And then —
BOOM!
An explosive burst of energy hurled Luffy skyward, while below, Doflamingo was driven back toward the ground.
It was a brief exchange, but the two had fought to a standstill.
"Fuffuffuffuffu… impressive. But you're still a long way off."
Landing lightly, Doflamingo spread his arms again. The moment he did, the ground, the buildings — everything within hundreds of meters — turned pure white.
In an instant, the world around him became one of threads.
Standing on the crest of the thread-waves, Zoro's expression changed drastically. Without a second thought, he bolted out of the white zone.
In the air, Luffy's eyes widened at the sight — even his stubborn mind knew this was dangerous.
And he could feel it: his form wouldn't last much longer.
No more hesitation. His arms retracted and trembled, fists drawing inward into shapes like aircraft engines — and then two more of the same appeared beside them.
On each side, three engine-like fists gave off the sharp hiss of air being compressed to its very limits.
"What's with that ridiculous pose? Die for me!"
On the ground, Doflamingo sneered at the bizarre sight above before crooking his fingers.
The white waves beneath his feet surged upward, threads condensing into two colossal hands.
In the sunlight, the giant palms gleamed with a deadly sharpness that no one could doubt.
Thump, thump… BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
At that same moment, the "engines" at Luffy's sides roared to life.
One after another, pitch-black fists fired like shells — faster, harder, each wreathed in flickering purple-black lightning. The punches tore through the sound barrier, leaving behind explosive sonic booms.
Along his stretching arms rippled visible shockwaves — the distortion of air smashed aside.
If any of the Yonko themselves had been here, they would have recognized it instantly:
This was the embryonic form of Conqueror's Haki coating.
Just what had this brat gone through in those two years training under Garp…?