The air trembled around them as Solian's body pulsed with naked power, each strand of his being straining against the crushing force of Doflamingo's hold. His solar flames still roared, their strength fluctuating like a flame in a hurricane's gust. But it was more than his Devil Fruit powers now. Solian sensed something else stirring deep within him—something beyond even the fury of his flames.
Doflamingo had underestimated him once again. Arrogance still burned in the King of Dressrosa's eyes, but it was already starting to fade. Solian was no longer the boy who had entered this battle unsure of his abilities. No. He had learned, grown, and now he could feel something awakening within him—something that aligned with the very essence of his being.
Doflamingo eyed him, the smirk still growing on his face, but now there was the glint of curiosity in his eyes. "You're certainly persistent. I'll grant that, kid. But this is far from done. You truly think you have what it takes to beat me? That you're the one to control this world?"
Solian did not react at first. His eyes were locked on Doflamingo's, the will and rage blazing in his eyes for all to witness. Breathe deeply, he closed his eyes as he focused on it all. This wasn't brute force. This wasn't perfecting his Devil Fruit or unleashing additional solar energy.
It was control. And willpower.
His chest labored as he stood, the weight of Doflamingo's Haki bearing down on him from all sides, but Solian felt something shatter deep within him, as if the last wall had crumbled. The weight of the battlefield—the strings, the strength—started to dissipate as something more primal stirred. His heart thudded like a drumbeat in the quiet of his mind.
And then it came. A flood, such as he had never known. An enormous, great, and overwhelming force burst out of him, rushing outward like an explosion. It blasted across the field like a storm—feral, wild, and full of fury. The world around him transformed, the very air apparently pushed and pulled by some unseen force.
Solian used his Haoshoku Haki for the very first time.
Energy that burst from Solian could not have been anticipated by Doflamingo. He felt as though the power of nature itself descended on the field. His barrier of strings shuddered beneath the pressure, and the ground under him creaked with the sound that came from splitting. The aerial strings staggered, their aim collapsing for an instant.
Doflamingo's eyes widened in shock. His self-satisfied grin wavered as he instinctively brought up his arms to shield himself from the naked, uncontrolled power Solian had just demonstrated. The Haoshoku was a wave that engulfed him, and for a moment, he took a step back, his hold on the battlefield wavering.
"You. you're employing Conqueror's Haki?" Doflamingo growled, his tone as dark as his incredulity.
Solian's power continued to emanate outward, but it was not the same. He was not just blasting his opponent with raw power. He was focusing the power inside him, drawing on it. He could feel the weight of his will as it exploded outward, but he was not allowing it to consume him. His thoughts cleared as the world around him snapped into focus. His Observation Haki burst, and his senses expanded, as if the very air itself had become infused in him.
Solian could now feel the rhythm of Doflamingo's movements, every little vibration of his fingers, every little shift in his stance. He comprehended more about the fight, and now he could envision the strings of Doflamingo's strings in detailed color. The battlefield was like it slowed, and Solian could perceive all things in distinctness, as if reality's fabric had unwrapped before him.
Doflamingo's eyes narrowed as he realized Solian was no longer just reacting to his movements. The boy was expecting them.
"You've been holding back, haven't you?" Doflamingo sneered, but a hint of uncertainty crept into his tone now. "So, you can control Haoshoku. but that won't be enough."
He thought for a moment about all of those he wanted to rescue: his men that he had struggled shoulder to shoulder, the nation for which he wanted to make a difference, and then himself. Solian's determination tightened and might blazed hotter. His fire roared in the background; like it has been waiting for his Haoshoku, fire were reacting with pure power force to that.
"I won't lose," Solian muttered to himself, his own eyes burning with a ferocity that was almost as intense as the energy radiating from his body. "I can't lose."
Forcing his way forward, Solian, Doflamingo's strings cut towards him with deadly precision, but Solian's upgraded Observation Haki allowed him to counter with unsettling speed. Each movement appeared to be choreographed, his body moving in perfect sync with the battlefield that stretched out before him. He dodged and weaved, barely avoiding the razor strings that tried to tear him asunder. The strings sliced through the air, but Solian's Haoshoku aura held Doflamingo back, making him work harder in an attempt to maintain his control.
"You think you can keep up with me?" Doflamingo growled, his face twisted with anger. "I've controlled empires! I've broken hundreds of wills! You're just a stepping stone!"
Doflamingo attacked, his string powers amplified by his own Haki. But Solian was ready. He created a portal at his feet, disappearing in the blink of an eye. Doflamingo's strings sliced through the air, but missed. Solian reappeared behind him, unleashing a focused beam of solar flame at close range.
"Solar Nova!"
The explosion of light and fire ignited like a supernova, surrounding Doflamingo with a furnace of solar energy. The power of the explosion lit up the sky, covering the battlefield in an irresistible light. For an instant, the entire world came to a freeze.
But Doflamingo, ever the survivor, didn't stay down for long. His strings exploded outward, cutting through the flames and pulling himself back from the brink. His body was singed, and his clothes burned, but his malicious grin never faltered.
"You're strong, boy. But strength alone won't win this."
Doflamingo's strings cut through the air, faster than ever, truer and deadlier. His Haki glowed again, and he regained his grip on the battlefield. Solian could feel the fatigue that came from maintaining his Haoshoku—it was a tremendous drain on his body, but he had no choice. He had to keep pushing forward.
Solian's mind was a blur of calculation as he opened portals around him, dodging and weaving through the barrage of string attacks. His Observation Haki was guiding him now, allowing him to anticipate each of Doflamingo's next moves. He was seeing the world with clarity, predicting Doflamingo's actions before they even happened.
"You're mine now!" Doflamingo shouted as he spun around, his strings flying faster than before.
Solian narrowed his eyes. He saw the strings heading for him with terrifying precision, but he didn't stumble. He created a second portal, evading barely, and materialized just in front of Doflamingo. The battle was not yet over, and Solian understood he needed to sacrifice everything he possessed.
His Haoshoku pounded once more, his Conqueror's heart forcing itself to the forefront. He was no longer just fighting for himself; he was fighting for everyone he loved.
The true battle had begun.