The conflict between Enel and Pica came to an end. Both men, setting aside their mutual displeasure, stood respectfully behind Doflamingo, uttering not another word.
"Young Master, what… what about these residents?" Doflamingo's subordinates asked cautiously, terrified of provoking his anger again.
"Let them lead the way. They'll accompany us to the temple," Doflamingo replied, his eyes fixed on the grand temple at the center of Birka. He could barely contain his anticipation.
"Pica, it's been a while. What are Diamante and the others doing? There hasn't been a peep from them. Take a few men and find them. Tell them to hurry it up. My patience is wearing thin. To think a few useless wastes could hold them up for so long. It seems it's time to increase your training intensity. Your skills are severely lacking. I'll be waiting for you at the central temple," Doflamingo said to Pica, his brow furrowed in annoyance.
"Yes, Doffy, I'm on it. Seriously, those guys are way too slow. Held up by a few nobodies..." Pica, equally indignant at Diamante's tardiness, echoed Doflamingo's sentiment. Without further ado, he led a few subordinates and sprinted towards the east.
"Lead the way!" The remaining underlings urged the Birkan residents forward.
Thus, Doflamingo, with Enel in tow, began his advance towards the temple.
East of Birka, the battle between Diamante and Guzman was reaching its climax. Their attacks grew increasingly fierce. However, due to his arm injury, Guzman was gradually losing ground.
Another clash of swords. This time, Guzman's strength faltered. The underlying issue finally surfaced, and the sword flew from his grasp. Diamante's blade lunged towards Guzman's heart, a life-threatening strike. If this connected, Guzman's life would be forfeit.
"Guzman-sama, be careful!"
"No!"
"How could this happen?"
Witnessing the imminent demise of Guzman, the people of Birka displayed a range of emotions. Some were worried, while others were gripped by fear and terror.
"Die!"
Just as Diamante believed victory was his, Guzman made a daring decision. Instead of retreating, he moved towards the gleaming blade.
Thwack!
The sharp sword pierced Guzman's chest. Though he managed to twist his body at the last moment, avoiding a direct hit to the heart, the blade still impaled him, causing a grievous wound.
Diamante, confident in his victory, relaxed his guard.
"Take this, Impact!"
Guzman seized the fleeting opportunity. As the enemy's sword pierced his chest, he spat a mouthful of blood at Diamante, aiming to obscure his vision. He then unleashed his final Impact Dial attack.
This suicidal tactic caught Diamante completely off guard. Guzman's unexpected move filled him with alarm.
"Damn you! If you want to die, don't drag me down with you!" Diamante cursed, but his body reacted instantly.
"Armament: Hardening!"
Diamante released his grip on the sword and swiftly used Armament Haki to defend against the impact.
Boom!
Both combatants were blasted back by the powerful force. Diamante coughed up blood as he was thrown to the side, his condition unknown. Guzman, the instigator, was in no better shape. The sword lodged in his chest caused a continuous stream of blood, weakening him considerably. The force of the impact made his arms tremble, further aggravating his injuries. His bronze complexion turned pale.
The Birkans erupted in cheers, overjoyed that Guzman had taken down Diamante. Diamante's subordinates, on the other hand, were terrified and worried. If Diamante were defeated, their own lives would be in danger. Doflamingo would never forgive them.
"Long live Guzman-sama!"
"Those damn pirates, now you know Guzman-sama's strength!"
"Guzman-sama is the strongest!"
The Birkans were swept up in joy. Ibes, who had collapsed to the ground earlier, was overcome with emotion and scrambled to Guzman's side.
"Guzman-sama, are you alright?" Her soft, sweet voice reached Guzman's ears, offering a sliver of comfort to his weary heart.
"I'm fine. I've never been better," Guzman replied, a smile spreading across his face as he saw Ibes. However, his pallor betrayed the truth of his condition.
While the Birkans celebrated, Diamante's subordinates rushed to check on him, refusing to believe he had been defeated so easily.
Diamante lay on the ground, staring blankly at the sky. If he hadn't been so careless, he wouldn't have been hit. The force of the impact had caused significant internal damage. If not for his Armament Haki, his organs would have been shattered.
"Diamante-sama, are you alright?"
"Diamante-sama, are you okay?"
His subordinates rushed to his side, anxiously inquiring about his well-being. Seeing him alive, they felt a surge of relief.
"Hahahaha..."
Suddenly, Diamante covered his eyes with his hand and burst into manic laughter.
The abrupt outburst startled the jubilant Birkans. A chill ran down their spines.
"How is that possible? He survived such a powerful blow. Is he even human?" Guzman was shocked and in disbelief.
"Impossible! How could he still be alive?"
"A monster! He's unkillable!"
"What do we do? Guzman-sama is also severely injured."
"Is there any hope for us?"
The Birkans were equally incredulous, their faces etched with despair as they slumped to the ground.
"Hahaha, you almost killed me there. As a reward, let me send you on your way." Diamante slowly rose from the ground, addressing Guzman with a mocking smile.
"Run! I'll hold him off," Guzman urged the young woman beside him, pulling the sword from his chest and discarding it.
"Guzman-sama, no! You'll die!" Ibes cried, tears streaming down her face.
"Everyone dies eventually. To die protecting others is a death without regrets," Guzman stated resolutely, having made peace with his fate.
"Guzman-sama, no!"
"Everyone, let's fight together! If we die, we die together!"
"We can't let Guzman-sama sacrifice himself! Damn pirates, we're not afraid to die!"
The despairing Birkans, moved by Guzman's selfless words, were reignited with fighting spirit. They clamored to fight alongside him.
"What a touching scene."
A sharp, piercing voice cut through the air, instantly drawing everyone's attention.
The newcomer was tall and imposing, with wavy hair. His high-pitched voice created a stark contrast with his appearance, but the Birkans didn't dare mock him. His lack of wings, a clear characteristic, instantly signaled that he was another enemy.
"Diamante, what the hell are you doing?! We found them. Doflamingo sent me to get you. He's been waiting so long the flowers have wilted, and you're still messing around here. You know Doflamingo's in a really bad mood right now," Pica shouted at Diamante, ignoring the Birkans.
Diamante, who had been about to finish off Guzman, stopped his attack upon seeing Pica. Hearing that Doflamingo had found their target while he was still wasting time, his mood worsened.
"It's all their fault. They wasted my time and made me delay Doflamingo's plans," Diamante thought to himself.
"I'll finish this quickly and join you," Diamante said hastily.
"Diamante, you're injured?" Pica finally noticed Diamante's wounds, expressing surprise.
"I got careless. This guy's pretty strong," Diamante admitted, feeling a bit embarrassed and losing face.
"Then hurry up and finish him off. Doflamingo's waiting for you at the central temple. I'm going to look for the others," Pica said casually, before leaving with his subordinates.
"Trebol and the others haven't finished either? Then I'm not the only one who hasn't completed the task, hehe," Diamante gleaned a different meaning from Pica's words, which slightly improved his mood.
"It's over. Our Young Master has run out of patience. I can't waste any more time on you," Diamante declared to Guzman, delivering his final verdict.
"Even if I die, I'll take you with me," Guzman said calmly.
"Is that so? Prepare to die."
Diamante wasted no further time. The severely injured Guzman was no match for him. He was quickly beaten to the ground, unconscious.
The Birkans, unarmed and helpless, could only watch as Guzman was defeated. Their earlier bold pronouncements were nothing but empty words. Reality was cruel and unforgiving.
"Let's go. We need to meet up with Doffy," Diamante said, retrieving his sword. "And bring that woman with us."
Meanwhile, the battle between Trebol and Jeremiah was also drawing to a close. Under Trebol's relentless, if somewhat cowardly, assault, Jeremiah's flames finally dwindled. Even the Heat Dial in his spear ceased to provide high temperatures. The gap between the two widened dramatically.
"Behehehe, your flames are out, aren't they? You made me look pretty pathetic back there, kid. Prepare to die!" Trebol laughed boisterously, his spirits soaring as he shook off the frustration of being on the defensive.
"You disgusting creep! It's not over yet! How could it end so easily? With so many lives at stake, how can I ignore it? The anger in my heart gives me strength! You're the one who's going to die!" Jeremiah remained defiant, refusing to yield.
"Sticky-Sticky Hell Trip! Let's see what you do now!"
"It's just a little disgusting. Die!"
Although he had lost his weapon advantage, Jeremiah's spearmanship remained sharp, preventing Trebol from gaining any ground. Trebol grew impatient. He couldn't tolerate being on the back foot.
"Snot Sword Snatch!"
"Sticky-Sticky Chains!"
"Sticky-Sticky Meteor Shower - Birdman Attack!"
Trebol began to exert his full power. First, he launched several Snot Sword Snatch attacks at Jeremiah, forcing him to focus on parrying. Then, he seized the opportunity to use Sticky-Sticky Chains to lift nearby citizens and hurl them at Jeremiah, forcing him to abandon his advantage and rescue them. Simultaneously, Trebol launched a sneak attack, employing underhanded tactics.
When Jeremiah saw Trebol flinging the citizens towards him, he knew he was in trouble. But he couldn't abandon them. They were already seriously injured, and if he didn't catch them, they would surely die. Without hesitation, Jeremiah chose to save his people.
"Sticky-Sticky Launcher!"
Following closely behind the citizens came a barrage of sticky mucus. Jeremiah had to catch the people and dodge the attacks, increasing the difficulty exponentially. He held the citizens with one hand and wielded his spear with the other, struggling to defend himself. Trebol wouldn't let this golden opportunity slip away. He maintained his relentless attack. Finally, Jeremiah was hit by the mucus. Its powerful adhesive properties made it difficult to remove. More and more mucus continued to solidify his confinement. Now, with his hands and feet bound by the sticky substance, he was unable to continue.
"It's over! Die, you bastard!" Trebol exclaimed excitedly, watching Jeremiah struggle within the sticky cocoon.
"No way! I won't die so easily!" Jeremiah refused to give up, but no matter how hard he struggled, the mucus held firm.
"Sticky-Sticky Cannon! This is my parting gift to you! Goodbye!" Trebol delivered his final judgment, launching his attack.
"Utter foolishness. Sacrificing yourself for the lives of the citizens. Do you think you're a hero?" Trebol sneered.
There were no surprises. Jeremiah was unable to escape and was killed by Trebol. This battle had left Trebol in a sorry state. Almost all of his subordinates were dead. Although he didn't care about their lives, if the others found out, they would think he was incompetent. Trebol was one of the most cunning members of the family, and messing up a mission was a serious problem.
Just as Trebol was wracking his brain, wondering what to do, he heard a voice that sounded like music to his ears.
"Trebol, are you done here? Doflamingo found them. He's waiting for us at the central temple," Pica's voice rang out, saving Trebol from his predicament. He had been so focused on venting his frustration that he had forgotten about the mission. If Doflamingo found out, he would be in deep trouble.
Hearing Pica's words, Trebol thought his voice was truly beautiful at this moment.
"Yes, I'm done here. What about the others? Let's head out and meet up with Doffy," Trebol said urgently, not wanting Pica to see his disarray.
"Then you go ahead. I've already found Diamante. I still need to find Vergo," Pica, a simple-minded brute, didn't sense anything amiss and explained everything.
"Then I'll go first. Pica, hurry up and join us after you find Vergo," Trebol said, leaving with his one or two remaining subordinates.
Doflamingo, Trebol, and Diamante, with their respective forces, were about to converge at the temple.
At the temple, the battle raged on, though it was far from an even fight. Vergo was completely dominating the guards.
"Super String Whip!"
Vergo's emotionless voice, like a reaper's call, echoed in the ears of the guards. Each time it sounded, it meant the death of another comrade.
"Damn it! What kind of power is this?" Roida, watching his fellow guards fall, said with a pained expression.
"Retreat! Let me handle this! Take this, Powerful Thrust!"
Roida charged at Vergo with his sword, determined to stop his deadly assault.
"Spider Web Wall!"
The tip of the sword collided with the Spider Web Wall, unable to advance any further.
"Why are you so stubborn? Since you're so keen on protecting them, let's play a little game," Vergo said coldly, devoid of any emotion.
"What? You bastard! Die!" Roida, enraged, charged at Vergo again, knowing full well he was outmatched.
"Parasite String!"
Dozens of strings spread through the air, then fell like a meteor shower, piercing Roida's body. His attack halted. Roida didn't understand what was happening, only that he could no longer control his own body. He was being manipulated like a puppet.
Roida, now under control, suddenly turned and attacked the remaining guards.
"Dodge! I can't control myself!" Roida cried out, his eyes wide with horror.
"Aaaah!"
The guards, caught off guard, were impaled by the oncoming swords.
"Why? Why is this happening?" Roida was on the verge of breaking down, screaming and crying.
Vergo, the orchestrator of this tragedy, found the scene highly entertaining. He admired Doflamingo's intelligence. To allow Vergo to fully utilize the power of the String-String Fruit, Doflamingo had taught him all the techniques he had used in the original story. This allowed Vergo to develop his fruit abilities with remarkable proficiency.
While Vergo was enjoying the dramatic spectacle, Doflamingo and the others were nearing the temple. And God was also rapidly approaching. The final battle was about to begin.
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