Dressrosa Palace.
Banquet Hall.
Before Doflamingo could speak, Kane sat down at the head of the long table, crossing his fingers and resting his legs on the table, silently watching Doflamingo.
Jack, Ulti, Page One, and Speed stood behind Kane like guards.
Kane's condescending attitude instantly enraged the other Donquixote Family executives who were accompanying Doflamingo to meet the guest.
From the time they found their Young Master Doffy until now, they had never been treated like this.
"Too arrogant!"
"We must show them what we're made of!"
The executives stared at Kane with ill intent, eager to make a move.
They were just waiting for their Young Master's command to make the Beasts' visitors bleed on the spot.
"They're not here for a friendly visit," Kane said with a mocking sneer.
"You are the visitor," Speed reminded him in a low voice.
"Am I?" Kane feigned surprise.
This is too much!
A mere All-Star, someone who isn't even a Vice-Captain, dares to give me attitude!
Kane and his companion's performance, as if no one else was there, made the veins on Doflamingo's forehead throb with anger.
He was here to seek cooperation with the Beasts, not to be a slave!
Doflamingo suppressed the rage in his heart and squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth: "Is this Kaido's intention?"
Kane scoffed: "Doflamingo, do you think I came here to have a friendly meal with you? You wouldn't think the Emperor's prestige is so easily offended, would you? No way, no way~"
"Must we make this unpleasant?"
Doflamingo's brows furrowed into a 'river' character: "The Beasts cooperating with me is absolutely a win-win situation. With me, the Beasts' weapons can be fully distributed to all four seas. This is something that previous good-for-nothing couldn't do at all!"
"Are you done talking?"
Kane retracted his legs, stood up, and stretched his arms: "Since your objective has been achieved, it's now your turn to help me complete my mission."
Doflamingo's expression stiffened, "What do you mean?"
Kane pulled at the corners of his mouth, mimicking Kaido's voice: "Go test the mettle of that clown for me."
"There, Mr. Kaido said it himself," Kane smiled politely: "Please don't make it difficult for me, Mr. C-L-O-W-N."
Facing Kane's blatant provocation, the Donquixote Family executives could no longer tolerate it.
"Young Master, let's fight!"
"Yes, they're just the Beasts!"
"Let them witness the power of the Donquixote Family!"
The executives shouted.
"Fufufufufu~"
Doflamingo covered his face with one hand, veins throbbing on his forehead, his furious laughter echoing through the hall: "I've been doing business for so long, I almost forgot I was a pirate."
Since everyone is a pirate, then naturally, disputes should be resolved in a pirate's way.
If verbal negotiations are useless, then let's settle it with our hands.
The next moment, Doflamingo's gaze sharpened, and a powerful Conqueror's Haki erupted from his body, heading straight for Kane and his group.
So what if it's Conqueror's Haki? Who doesn't have it?
Kane's expression remained unchanged, as a powerful Haoshoku also burst forth from his body.
Boom!
The two wild Haki collided, and a terrifying shockwave swept through the entire hall.
With the two Haki as the center, streaks of black and red lightning spread out like a spiderweb.
Crack!
The long table in the center of the hall was the first to give way, breaking apart.
Immediately after, the hall's ceiling and the pillars supporting it cracked, and debris showered down.
Thud!
One by one, the Donquixote Family executives foamed at the mouth, rolled their eyes, and collapsed.
The remaining executives stumbled about, swaying unsteadily like small boats facing a stormy sea, their expressions panicked.
"Such terrifying Haoshoku!"
Trebol, wearing a cloak and with half a snot hanging from his face, gritted his teeth and held on, his heart filled with dread.
It was the first time he had seen a man whose Haoshoku could rival Doffy's.
However, facing Doflamingo's back, he couldn't see the latter's increasingly grim expression.
"Ugh!"
In just a moment, Doflamingo's body uncontrollably tilted backward, his face extremely pale.
He lost, he actually lost in the clash of Haoshoku!
"Doffy!"
Pica, clad in armor with wavy hair, quickly supported Doflamingo, preventing him from making a fool of himself.
Looking at the calm-faced Kane, Pica was even more astonished.
He looked like he hadn't even exerted much effort!
What surprised the Donquixote Family even more was that not only Kane, but even Jack and the others were unharmed in the Haki collision.
Even the weakest Speed, under Kane's intentional protection, was in good condition.
Lost.
Their Young Master lost in the Conqueror's Haki collision.
Even the most stubborn family executives, looking at the state of the two groups, had to admit this point.
I haven't lost yet!
Conqueror's Haki doesn't determine a person's strength.
Doflamingo shook off Pica's hand, forcefully steadying himself.
"Don't get too arrogant, you bastard!"
Doflamingo slightly bent his fingers: "Five Color String!"
Nearly transparent, sharp threads extended from the tips of his five fingers, and then Armament Haki covered them.
Following Doflamingo's finger movements, five pitch-black threads menacingly shot towards Kane's neck.
The String Berry, a Berry that sounds useless just by its name, but under Doflamingo's years of development, its flexible threads are enough to cut through stone and metal!
Die!
Doflamingo, who absolutely could not accept that he couldn't even defeat Kaido's All-Star, had a bloodthirsty glint in his eyes.
On the other side, Ulti, who was watching the battle's progress, frowned.
"Hmm? Why isn't Kane using his ability yet?"
Even though she wasn't directly facing Doflamingo's Haoshoku, from the aftershocks just now, she could feel that Doflamingo was no ordinary foe.
Even within the talented Beasts Pirates, he would be worthy of a Headliner position.
"Hmph, you have to believe in Kane," Jack said, crossing his arms, his face showing no signs of worry.
Among those present, no one understood Kane's strength better than him.
That's a genuine monster who can use himself as a punching bag!
Screech! Screech! Screech!~
The five pitch-black threads scraped across Kane's neck, erupting in a shower of sparks.
What's going on?
Why didn't it feel like it was cutting into flesh as usual?
Doflamingo's eyes, hidden behind his red sunglasses, widened.
In the Four Seas, in the Grand Line, even if the opponent had Armament Haki, they would never be able to defend against his threads.
"Is this all you've got, Doflamingo?"
Kane shook his head in disappointment, gently extended a large, pitch-black hand, and gripped the five threads.
With just a squeeze of his fingers, the five threads shattered like soda crackers in Kane's palm.
"You truly disappoint me. You can't even force out my ability?"
Looking at Doflamingo, who was losing his composure before him, Kane finally understood Kaido's joy.
No matter what tricks you use, I remain unmoved.
That kind of satisfaction is like a Sett with a thousand stacks of Heartsteel, standing still and letting the AD attack him, only to leisurely unleash a Haymaker to finish them off after the AD has been wailing on him for ages.