The Shichibukai' Betrayal

"Donquixote Doflamingo!!"

The moment Moria saw the transparent threads beneath him, he knew it was the unique power of Donquixote Doflamingo's String-String Fruit ability.

He never expected that, as a fellow Shichibukai, he would be betrayed by his fellow Shichibukai.

At this moment, his heart was filled with shock and immense fear.

Under Doflamingo's control, he found himself completely immobilized, utterly powerless to resist.

"Fufufufufu!" Standing behind Moria, Doflamingo laughed wildly.

The scene unfolded too quickly, completed in an instant.

However, Teach who's not far away, noticed the internal strife among the Shichibukai.

Moreover, he sensed two powerful auras locking onto him, thick with killing intent.

It was Bartholomew Kuma and Boa Hancock.

Without hesitation, Blackbeard's aura surged and he explosively retreated dozens of meters.

"That was close, those damn bastards!!" Blackbeard now stood among the Marines, looking at Doflamingo and the others with lingering fear.

He felt that if he had been even a step slower, the consequences would have been the same as Moria's—instantly losing all his combat ability.

Meanwhile, Mihawk reacted even faster than Blackbeard.

His sharp, eagle-like eyes flickered.

After a brief moment of thought, he chose not to intervene.

Instead, like Blackbeard, he distanced himself from the group.

As a Warlord, he had no obligation to handle such special incidents for the Marines.

Besides, the strength of those two didn't compel him to act.

Such sudden conflicts among the Shichibukai were better left to the higher-ups of the Marines to manage.

****

"Donquixote Doflamingo! What are you doing?"

For the world's top-tier fighters like Sengoku, the events among the Shichibukai were instantly detected.

Sengoku's voice boomed with authority as he roared at the Warlords.

"Do you wish to incur the wrath of the World Government?"

He never imagined that, before the battle with the pirates even began, internal conflict would arise among the Shichibukai.

The power gap between the two sides had already widened significantly, and now this internal strife only made things worse.

"Fufufufufu!"

"The World Government? Fufufufu, I never fear the World Goverment to begin with!"

Hearing Sengoku's words, Doflamingo's smile grew even more unrestrained.

Then, his wild laughter abruptly ceased, and his aura surged.

The threads he controlled with his fingers tightened instantly.

In the next moment, he leaped lightly into the air and the transparent threads, guided by Doflamingo, moved upward within Moria's body.

Immediately, the sound of flesh being sliced echoed.

Looking at Moria now, under Doflamingo's actions, he was in so much pain that his eyes rolled white and blood gushed from his body.

In an instant, the ground beneath him was dyed red, forming a small pool of blood at his feet.

In an instant, Doflamingo's fingers jerked sharply and the transparent threads snapped.

He then raised his foot, bent his knee and kicked Moria in the backside.

The already severely wounded Moria was sent flying off the wall like a toy.

The sensation of weightlessness brought his white eyes back to normal, and his consciousness, which had been on the verge of fainting from the pain, returned.

Then he realized he was plummeting rapidly towards the ground.

"BOOM!"

With a deafening crash, Moria made intimate contact with the ground.

"Fufufufufu!"

"Sengoku! What can you do to me!"

After dealing with Moria, Doflamingo spread his arms wide, laughing loudly, his words dripping with mockery towards Sengoku and disdain for the World Government.

As Moria crashed onto the icy surface, the tremendous noise reached the ears of the Marines.

The soldiers, who were charging toward the pirates, noticed that one of the Seven Warlords had fallen from the city wall, and it seemed another Warlord had been the one to strike.

Their faces instantly paled, and even their charge towards the pirates slowed considerably.

"What's going on? Why did Doflamingo attack Moria?"

"They're both Shichibukai! How could this happen!"

"It's over. The Shichibukai must be fighting among themselves. This major faction is collapsing from within!"

"Our side's strength has been invisibly weakened. Damn it!"

"Damn it, these pirates have turned on us at the last minute!"

"..."

The Marines were left dumbfounded by the sudden turn of events.

They never expected that, aside from the three Admirals and legendary figures, the largest faction on their side would be weakened in such a manner.

Some of them felt a chill run down their spines, as this battle had already shown them a glimpse of despair.

"Damn it, Doflamingo! I swear I'll personally arrest you!"

"And Boa Hancock, Kuma, I officially declare you as the top wanted criminals!"

"Your status as Shichibukai is revoked, and the areas you control will no longer be peaceful!"

Sengoku's anger reached its peak, his voice trembling with rage.

These words were directed at the rebellious Shichibukai, as well as the Marines and pirates present.

Doflamingo and the others had openly rebelled against the World Government, which was a massive blow to their strength and reputation.

At this moment, as the Fleet Admiral, Sengoku had to make an immediate statement.

He needed to make it clear to everyone the consequences of betraying the World Government, to serve as a warning to others, to stabilize morale and to announce to the world that these individuals had been stripped of their World Government status and would no longer receive protection from the Marines.

However, Doflamingo paid no attention to Sengoku's words, not even bothering to look at him.

Kuma remained completely calm, showing no emotional reaction, while Hancock stood with her hands on her hips, utterly indifferent.

***

"These useless Shichibukai!"

"These people are indeed not to be trusted!" said Marcus Mars, his voice cold as he observed the Shichibukai.

As the ruling figures of the World Government who had established this faction, the Five Elders had created the Shichibukai to balance the powers at sea.

Each member of the Shichibukai had joined for their own reasons—some to facilitate their killing sprees, others to protect their homelands, and some to engage in shady dealings.

However, none of them were truly loyal to the World Government; they all prioritized their own interests.

They were like a pile of loose sand, scattering at the slightest breeze.

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