The ferocious battle between Solian Flare and Donquixote Doflamingo intensified. The smoldering leftovers of Solian's solar beams hung in the air, radiating heat as the two warriors were frozen in a dance of death. The battlefield itself quivered under the sheer power that the two opponents possessed. Solian's solar fire blazed with intensity, but Doflamingo's control of his strings and Haki allowed him to hold the upper hand.
Solian had already proven himself, yet Doflamingo's pride, never again. He was a veteran kingpin, an expert at manipulating and dominating countries. And now, Solian, though powerful, was a newcomer at this level of fighting. He was aware of the building wave of his own strength with each strike, yet somehow it seemed that Doflamingo's proficiency was too refined, too unfitted to compassion.
Doflamingo's laugh echoed through the field, a mocking cackle that merely increased Solian's anger. "You think you can defeat me with your gates and your flames, child? I am King of Dressrosa, a master at twisting the world to his command. Your power is but a flicker in the wind.".
Solian's teeth were clenched. His solar flames blazed, the energy of his Devil Fruit flared again, burning hot and hotter, but he wasn't just relying on his Devil Fruit anymore. His body hummed with the strength of his Haoshoku Haki, his own budding Conqueror's power. It wasn't fully developed yet, not yet, but with each fight, he could feel it growing, his will clashing and mingling with Doflamingo's own.
But even as Solian unleashed more solar energy, Doflamingo was ahead of him. With the finesse of a master, he danced with his strings, creating a web around Solian's actions. The cutting threads sliced through the air, slashing at him in every direction.
"It's over, Solian." Doflamingo sneered, his confidence never wavering.
Solian quickly moved, his gates opening up below him in rapid succession, lifting his body just in time. He felt the sharp bite of one strand on his arm, but it did not have enough to slow him down. He had been training for moments like these—when every reflex would matter, and every movement would be the difference between winning and losing.
The battle raged on for as long as hours, Doflamingo with the upper hand. Solian found himself being pushed back slowly, cornered, his solar flares fighting against the deluge of Doflamingo's relentless stream of attacks. His portals provided him with little relief, but even those were not enough to break the chains of domination Doflamingo had on his battlefield.
Doflamingo's eyes glowed with cold satisfaction as he watched Solian strain. "You truly are powerful, but your powers are too raw. Too rough."
The words cut into Solian as a physical blow, but only strengthened his resolve. He would not surrender. He would not lose here. Not when he had come so far, not when his dream of claiming Dressrosa, of changing this world of filth, lay within his grasp.
"Shut up!" Solian shouted, his voice laced with rage. His solar flames burned hotter, his body trembling under the exertion as he pushed himself harder, unleashing a concentrated Solar Burst that devastated the battlefield. The massive wave of energy swept across the area, repelling Doflamingo's strings for a brief moment.
But Doflamingo didn't flinch. With a snap, he wound his strings back around themselves, drawing the threads back into place. The energy around him swirled, and Doflamingo's eyes focused on Solian, his grin spreading wider.
"You're getting desperate. But you'll never defeat me with such childish passion. You still don't understand about you and me." The tone of Doflamingo was mocking, yet he succeeded in delivering a deep viciousness with it. The man lifted his arms, and the sky seemed to darken, the air around them thickening with his capability.".
Suddenly, the temperature dropped, and the battlefield froze for a moment. Solian blinked in confusion before he realized what was happening. Doflamingo wasn't just manipulating the strings. He was manipulating the battlefield itself with his Conqueror's Haki—altering the environment itself at his will. It was a level of control Solian had never felt.
The strength of Doflamingo's Haki descended upon Solian like a tempest, and Solian found himself faltering for the very first time. His limbs froze and stayed frozen for a moment before the overpowering strength of Doflamingo's will brought him crashing down.
It was then that Solian realized the chasm between the two of them. Doflamingo was not a powerful fighter—that was something everyone knew. What he was was a man who had twisted reality itself to bend to his will. He wasn't fighting to win; he was fighting to remind Solian who he was. Solian was only a boy with a dream, an inner flame, but he was still discovering. Doflamingo was the King of the Underworld, an expert at instilling fear and manipulating others.
But Solian wasn't done. Not yet.
Taking a deep breath, Solian pushed back, his solar energy coursing through his veins once more. He would not let Doflamingo win. He would not let him shatter his will.
This battle is far from over.
With renewed determination, Solian gritted through the oppressive weight of Doflamingo's Haki. His solar flames erupted, strengthened, rolled across the air. He clenched his fists, hot between them as he committed all his strength to a titanic, devastating blow.
"Solar Phoenix.!" Solian roared, launching the attack at the very edge of his ability.
The vast expenditure of energy shot through the air like a comet, impacting Doflamingo's string barrier. The noise was ear-shattering, the intensity of the blast sending shock waves throughout the battlefield. For a moment, everything was blinded by light.
Doflamingo's expression faltered for just a moment, his smirk replaced with a glimmer of something like surprise. But just as quickly, the string master recovered, his fingers flicking in a blur of motion, reshaping his threads and blocking Solian's attack with ease.
"Impressive," Doflamingo said, his voice barely a whisper amidst the chaos. "But you're still not on my level."
Solian's heart was racing as he took the landing on his feet, his body bruised but not broken. He knew this fight wasn't over yet, but he had a feeling in his stomach that the tide of the fight was shifting. He'd gotten Doflamingo to slow down, to listen for a second.
And in that brief moment of hesitation, Solian understood this battle wasn't one of strength. It was one of will. Doflamingo had spent his life controlling and overpowering, but Solian's heart burned brighter than any string he ever held.
The battle for Dressrosa had begun.