2 new fruits!

"Dragon!"

The sudden appearance of Nicolas and Dragon in Dressrosa was something Doflamingo never anticipated.

At this moment, he was smiling while staring at Dragon across the street.

Diamante, gripping his sword tightly, couldn't help but remind, "Young Master, we're in big trouble."

Senior Pink, the suited man with a cigarette in his mouth, exhaled smoke, dropped his cigarette, and stomped it out, his expression turning serious.

Nearby, Lao G, Trebol, and Pica also prepared for the worst.

A person's reputation precedes them, and as one of the World Government's top three enemies, they had every reason to be cautious.

"Dragon..."

Seeing the man before him, Doflamingo chuckled, then adjusted his hair. "Dragon, how about we make a deal?"

Dragon looked him up and down. "A deal?"

"Yes, a deal. In this world, there are no permanent enemies or friends, only interests," Doflamingo said with a faint smile.

In his view, as long as he knew what the other party wanted, he could potentially win them over or use them.

"Hey, what are you saying! Sir, don't believe his words!"

Hearing Doflamingo's proposal, Scarlett was displeased, glaring at him. If Dragon was swayed, they would be doomed. They couldn't rely on their non-combatant selves to fight Doflamingo's officers.

"What can you offer?"

Dragon's calm inquiry stunned Scarlett and Viola.

"Doflamingo laughed. "Fufufu…"

Hearing Dragon's question didn't bring him any joy. Instead, Doflamingo tensed, readying sharp strings in his hands, prepared for battle.

Seeing Doflamingo's combat readiness, the other family members also prepared for a fight.

Dragon stared at Doflamingo. "Is this your sincerity? Not all pirates are trustworthy, after all."

"Fufufu… I can't help it. Facing a monster like you, if I don't go all out, I'll be swallowed whole."

Doflamingo laughed nonchalantly. Through this exchange, he realized there was no room for negotiation. His desire to control Dressrosa was fundamentally opposed to the Revolutionary Army's goals.

As for Dragon's question about what he could offer, Doflamingo saw it more as a way to gauge his assets.

After a moment of eye contact, Doflamingo relaxed and shook his head. "It seems we can't cooperate. Haha, I'm leaving."

He turned, then paused and added, "Don't worry, Dragon. Since you and Nicolas are here, I'll abandon Dressrosa. I don't want the World Government's attention. I'll send a thousand armed men as an apology."

"And to the princesses of Dressrosa, don't think these two can save you. Be wary, the World Government will target anything related to them. Their ruthlessness far exceeds your imagination."

"You don't need to worry about that, Doflamingo."

A voice rang out as Nicolas appeared atop a nearby building.

Following the voice, Doflamingo turned sharply and saw Nicolas holding two distinct Devil Fruits.

Veins bulged on Doflamingo's forehead as he recognized Giolla's Art Fruit and Gladius's Pop Pop Fruit in Nicolas's hands. Their appearance meant Giolla and Gladius were dead, and likely Corazon too.

The two men stared each other down, tension thick in the air.

Senior Pink drew the flintlock pistol from his waist, Pica's massive body began to show rock-like textures, Lao G assumed a fighting stance, and even Trebol raised his staff, aiming at Nicolas.

Behind Dragon, the women, including Scarlett and Viola, swallowed nervously and clenched their fists.

Clearly, the impending battle had them on edge.

Although the Donquixote family appeared fierce, they hesitated to act. Despite being outnumbered six to two, Doflamingo knew that in the pirate world, numbers didn't always determine the outcome.

Doflamingo understood that Lao G, Pica, Diamante, Trebol, and Senior Pink together probably couldn't handle even one of their two opponents.

If a fight broke out, it could spell the end of the Donquixote family. Only monsters could fight monsters.

At this moment, Doflamingo regretted his past decision to eat the String-String Fruit in haste. While it granted him immense power, he wondered if he could have reached the pinnacle of the sea with a stronger fruit, such as a Logia or Mythical Zoan, given his talents.

In the end, strength was paramount in the world of pirates.

Despite his resolve to leave, Doflamingo couldn't swallow his pride. His eyes widened, and with a loud roar, an overwhelming aura erupted from his body, sweeping away everything in its path and causing ordinary people nearby to collapse.

Conqueror's Haki!

Facing the overwhelming Conqueror's Haki, Dragon and Nicolas remained unfazed, as if they were being brushed by a gentle breeze.

Doflamingo's Conqueror's Haki was formidable on the seas, but it paled in comparison to what Nicolas had faced before: Rocks, Whitebeard, Roger, Shiki, Sengoku, and even Kaido and Big Mom.

"Tsk, Doffy, your Conqueror's Haki... still lacks a bit of heat. Over-reliance on your fruit abilities has stunted your Haki development, hasn't it?" Nicolas said, squinting at Doflamingo through the oncoming wave of Haki.

[AN- Look who is talking]

In the world of pirates, the strongest have distinct characteristics. Whitebeard was known for his unrivaled destructive power, which is different from attack power—destructive power can cause large-scale devastation like a natural disaster.

Roger excelled in Haki, standing among the strongest without relying on a Devil Fruit, much like Garp of the Marines, who also dominated through sheer Haki prowess.

Kaido's unmatched physique, combined with his Mythical Zoan Azure Dragon form, made his defense and resilience unparalleled.

Although Charlotte Linlin (Big Mom) had fallen from the top tier, her innate strength and nearly invulnerable skin were her main assets, with the Soul-Soul Fruit offering limited additional power and even being somewhat of a burden.

Doflamingo had certainly mastered the String-String Fruit, pushing its abilities to their limits, but the fruit's inherent limitations were apparent. Claims of time manipulation or strings of fate control were mere fantasies.

Despite his strong Conqueror's Haki, Doflamingo hadn't achieved the advanced application of Conqueror's Haki coating.

Had he mastered Conqueror's Haki coating and combined it with his awakened String-String Fruit, he might have joined the ranks of the top-tier fighters.

Instead, even years later, he remained a gatekeeper to the elite.