Chapter 47: Until Cervantes Sheds Its Last Drop Of Blood

Instinctively, Sengoku pressed his hand against the wound, desperately trying to stem the relentless flow of blood.

Yet, to no avail; blood continued to gush forth, slipping through his fingers!

Within just a breath or two, the face of Admiral Sengoku turned ashen, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead.

Meanwhile, a grave look crossed Doflamingo's face.

Under normal circumstances, draining the blood of an ordinary person was a matter of mere moments for him, but with Sengoku, even after a couple of breaths, he was unable to drain his blood.

More so, at this particular time, not even a single drop of blood could be siphoned.

The explanation was quite straightforward. Sengoku's wound was fortified with rich Haki, rendering Doflamingo's blood-draining ability utterly ineffective!

It must be acknowledged, the man was a Marine Admiral, one of the world's foremost fighters. Even though he was momentarily caught off guard and lost a significant amount of blood to Doflamingo, his immediate countermeasure was impeccably precise!

It's also noteworthy to mention that Sengoku's blood volume was astonishing, befitting of his status as a Mythical Zoan user!

At that moment, around Doflamingo, a stream of blood flowed like red silk, swirling and twirling, all of it belonging to Sengoku!

Frankly, before his venture to North Blue, before his encounter with Doflamingo, Sengoku had never imagined he would face such a substantial loss.

His aura did seem somewhat weakened. Even for a Zoan's Mythical Beast user, the instant removal of nearly half the blood in one's body was a harrowing experience.

"Shadows... blood... extraordinary self-healing powers... bats, it should have dawned on me sooner..." Sengoku, looking at Doflamingo from a distance with a somber face, then spoke in a deep voice, "You... are you a Zoan, Bat fruit Mythical Beast Vampire user?"

Doflamingo, without uttering a word, simply nodded in confirmation: "Precisely!"

"It is indeed a formidable ability. Had I not been a Zoan user myself, this brief error in judgment could have very well led to my defeat," Sengoku commented, his eyes serious and contemplative.

However, Doflamingo didn't seem overly concerned. How could a top-tier fighter like Sengoku be defeated so easily?

Even if he weren't a Zoan user, Sengoku wouldn't have succumbed so effortlessly. After all, the esteemed status of a Marine Admiral isn't bestowed lightly.

Was the Marine Admiral's title of "highest combat power" merely for show?

Meanwhile, atop the higher floors of Miguel Castle, Vergo was observing the battlefield through binoculars.

Witnessing Doflamingo's use of his abilities and his near victory over Sengoku, the Marine Admiral, in a matter of moments, caused his eyelids to twitch uncontrollably.

Then, setting down the binoculars, his voice carrying a mix of helplessness, reluctance, and solemnity, he firmly declared, "Diamante, proceed as planned. Begin the evacuation of family members, key partners, essential goods, and resources."

Hearing this, Diamante, with a sense of gravity in his gaze, questioned, "Cervantes...?"

"Perhaps, depending on the aftermath of the war, it might be possible to reconstruct?" Vergo responded, his tone laden with complexity.

Indeed, from the moment Doflamingo became aware of the publication of the "Lineage Factor Theory," he had foreseen the eventual downfall of the MADS team. He was acutely aware that to preserve the likes of Queen, Caesar, and others, a confrontation with the World Government was inevitable.

Therefore, the likelihood of Cervantes turning into a battleground was high.

In anticipation, the Donquixote Family had formulated various strategies to address this conflict.

One such strategy came with severe repercussions.

When Doflamingo ceased to conceal his abilities and decided to go all out, it indicated that the war's intensity for the Donquixote Family had reached its zenith.

To speak in superlatives meant that Cervantes would be forsaken, transforming into a battlefield soaked in Doflamingo's blood!

Save for the "family members and important partners" Vergo had just mentioned, who would be safely evacuated, the rest of the island's populace would be left behind.

They were destined to become Doflamingo's 'blood bags'.

In Cervantes, Doflamingo, fueled by the blood and vitality of tens of thousands, would engage in a final, desperate battle with Sengoku, the Marine Admiral!

The fight would rage on, unceasing, until the very last drop of blood was spilled on Cervantes!

Caesar, overhearing the conversation, exclaimed in surprise, "But with the Marines blockading all of Cervantes' ports, how will we manage to evacuate?"

To this, Diamante replied with a sly smile, "Ah, Your Excellency Judge wouldn't pose such a query..."

Judge nodded in agreement, "My haste in reaching Cervantes upon learning of the Marine blockade was because those of us who frequent the underworld always maintain hidden ports and submarines on our islands. We've surveyed the Marine fleet; they lack submarine capabilities. Thus, arriving in Cervantes signifies a viable escape route."

Shortly thereafter, the castle buzzed with methodical evacuations. Members of the Donquixote Family, along with significant materials, goods, and collections, took to the island's clandestine dark port through a secret passageway within the castle. Here, a plethora of ships and submarines awaited their arrival. Everyone swiftly boarded, initiating their escape.

On the other side, neither Sengoku nor Doflamingo pursued further actions.

Doflamingo was acutely aware that Sengoku was now on high alert against him. In truth, the notion of defeating the Marine Admiral in a straightforward battle on his turf was a pipe dream.

Mythical beasts and their formidable nature? But was Sengoku not the epitome of such a being?

The initial upper hand Doflamingo had gained was merely due to exploiting the opacity of intelligence. He wasn't delusional enough to believe he could triumph over a Marine Admiral in such a direct confrontation.

Therefore, Doflamingo's goal was not to emerge victorious but to avoid defeat for as long as possible. The longer the delay, the better the odds.

"I'm refraining from making a move, focusing on restoring my strength and recovering the blood I've lost. If you're not taking action, what exactly are you waiting for?" Sengoku inquired, his voice soft yet piercing, as he gazed at Doflamingo.

He was genuinely puzzled. Logically speaking, after inflicting a wound, shouldn't Doflamingo be seizing the opportunity to press for victory?

Why had Doflamingo suddenly ceased his aggressive tactics?

At that very moment, a bright red firework exploded above Miguel Castle.

Upon seeing the fireworks, Doflamingo, his expression a mix of various emotions, said, "I was waiting for this very signal..."

The firing of the flare signified that Virgo and the others had safely evacuated.

In other words, Doflamingo, now devoid of any constraints on Cervantes, could unleash his full fury!

"Signal..." mused Sengoku, his thoughts racing as he quickly analyzed its significance.

What could this possibly imply? Did Doflamingo have reinforcements or some other backup plan in place?

However, before Sengoku could formulate any conclusions, he observed Doflamingo's bat wings flapping twice, propelling him skyward over the island.

Sengoku, perplexed by Doflamingo's actions, refrained from pursuing him in such uncertain circumstances. His priority at the moment was to recover his own physical strength.

On the island and within the towns, the inhabitants were visibly confused and inquisitive. "What's happening down there? What's that flying in the sky? It almost looks like the young master of the Donquixote Family?"

"The dock port battle appears to have ceased?"

"Indeed, it's been eerily quiet for some time."

"What's the current status?"

"Where did the Donquixote Family go? They were defending this area just moments ago, weren't they?"

"I didn't notice anything."

"I ventured to the castle a short while ago, and they mentioned something about a change in plans..."

"So, has the battle concluded now? Who was Master Doflamingo engaged with? There seemed to be quite a commotion."

"Who really knows..."

In the midst of their discussions and confusion, the blood torrent swirling around Doflamingo abruptly shot into the town.

"What's that?" a hapless individual pointed to the crimson stream in the sky.

In the very next second, the blood torrent impaled him, piercing through his chest and bursting out from his back. As the torrent of blood left his body, he was transformed into a mummified figure and collapsed to the ground, shattering upon impact.

And with that, the blood torrent seemed to swell in size, the intensity and mania of the blood within it growing exponentially.

Screams of terror rang out as the crowd descended into panic. Caesar, in particular, turned and fled in terror.

But it was to no avail; the blood rampaged through the town, sparing no one in its path. Wherever it surged, people were instantly drained of their blood, collapsing lifelessly to the ground.

Initially, it resembled a thick, python-like flow of blood, but within the span of a mere two minutes, the entire city transformed into a nightmarish hellscape. The blood torrent, having absorbed the lifeblood of thousands, had evolved into a monstrous, raging river!