"Kairos Flint, don't push your luck!"
Doflamingo's voice echoed through the Den Den Mushi.
Kairos could hear the resentment in his voice—it was so intense, he could practically hear Doflamingo grinding his teeth.
But that was expected.
After all, Kairos never intended to spare him. From his provocations to the conditions he offered, every word had been aimed straight at the Donquixote Family—people Doflamingo saw as his own kin.
It was like asking someone to turn their back on their blood relatives.
The odds of Doflamingo cutting ties with his own were almost nonexistent.
But even if he did… Kairos wouldn't lose anything.
"I am bullying you. What are you going to do about it? Hit me if you can," Kairos said flatly.
Rebecca was stunned by his shameless words. She hadn't expected him to be this… domineering.
This was what a true captain was like. The way he carried himself—it was overwhelming.
"Kakaka—!"
Doflamingo didn't reply, but the Den Den Mushi mimicked his laughter with a strange twitch. Even that tiny bug deserved applause for managing to capture Doflamingo's rage so well.
You could hear it in the background—Doflamingo was livid.
The next second—
"Attack!!!"
Doflamingo roared through the Den Den Mushi.
The Donquixote Family members in front of Kairos instantly launched their assault.
Sticky Shotgun!
Black Feather Arm Cannon!
Half-Moon Funeral!
Blizzard!
Octopus Spin!
…
Even though the attacks came from multiple directions, their coordination was near perfect. Each strike flowed in succession without clashing with the others.
Kairos and his allies were instantly surrounded.
"Disgusting," Kairos muttered, visibly nauseated by Trebol's sticky assault.
One Sword Style – Autumn Equinox!
Kairos unsheathed his blade.
His sword—the legendary Third Generation Ghost—crackled as it became engulfed in a massive surge of Conqueror's Haki.
This wasn't just regular Conqueror's Haki.
Kairos had concentrated and compressed the energy to a terrifying degree—ten times more potent than the norm.
With a swift backhand slash, he unleashed a massive wave of Haki.
The attack tore through every incoming strike from the Donquixote members, completely obliterating them. The shockwave blasted the attackers into the air like ragdolls.
Boom!
In the blink of an eye, Kairos appeared in front of Trebol, who had been knocked to the ground.
His sword gleamed, raised high.
"No—!" Trebol screamed in desperation.
But Kairos didn't hesitate.
Autumn Equinox – Second Slash!
With ten times the usual Conqueror's Haki infused into the blade, Trebol didn't stand a chance. The strike ended him in one blow.
Just like that, Trebol—a trusted veteran under Doflamingo for years—was killed instantly.
Clang!
Kairos didn't even spare him a glance. He turned and, in a flash, was at Pica's side.
One clean slash.
Pica fell too—killed before he could even react.
…
In less than a minute, the majority of the Donquixote Family lay defeated across the street.
Only three people were left standing:
Violet, spared because she was Rebecca's aunt.
Baby-5, kept alive because Perona was overworked cleaning the ship by herself—and Baby-5 could be useful.
And Diamante, whose limbs Kairos had sliced off, leaving him completely incapacitated.
"Rebecca, that woman is your aunt, so I let her live," Kairos said casually.
"Cyrus—this man killed your wife. You want to deal with him yourself, or should Rebecca do it? Your call."
Then he walked up to Baby-5, his sword resting on her neck.
"I'll give you a choice. My ship needs a maid—someone who can cook, clean, and manage chores. Join my crew, and I'll let you live. Refuse, and you die here."
His voice was calm, unwavering.
Truth be told, if Perona hadn't been struggling so much and cooking only average meals, Kairos wouldn't have even considered it. But Baby-5… she was experienced. She'd make a fine crew member.
"Y-You… need me?" Baby-5 blinked in surprise.
"Yes. I need you," Kairos answered.
People like her—who only wanted to feel needed—were the easiest to manage.
Of course, he didn't plan to treat her like a comrade. She'd be a maid, nothing more.
"I'd love to join your team," Baby-5 said, smiling without hesitation.
Too easy, Kairos thought.
"Where's Doflamingo now?" he asked her.
"In the palace," she replied instantly. "Captain, do you want me to take you there?"
Kairos raised an eyebrow.
Wow, he thought. She's switching sides this fast?
What a first-class traitor.
But that didn't matter. With strength like his, no betrayal could touch him.
"Lead the way," he said.
Baby-5 smiled and began guiding them toward the palace.
Everyone else was frozen in disbelief.
Who would have thought… that the Donquixote Family would be wiped out so effortlessly by Kairos?
They couldn't even withstand one move from him.
"Good thing I'm Rebecca's aunt," Violet whispered, relieved. "Otherwise I'd have been next."
Rebecca looked at Diamante, then back at Kairos as he walked away.
"Mr. Soldier, I'm going with Captain Kairos," she said.
She didn't know who killed her mother. But if Kairos said it was Diamante… then she'd let her father decide what to do with him.
"Diamante!!!"
Cyrus's eyes blazed with fury as he picked up a weapon from the ground.
He walked toward the man who had murdered his wife.
Meanwhile, Kairos was heading for the palace.
Suddenly, a mechanical voice rang out in his head.
[Beep]
Pickable items detected. Do you want to collect them?
"Pick up," Kairos said.
[Ding!] Picked up:
Legendary Physique Crystals ×19
Legendary Soul Crystals ×25
Legendary Talent Crystals ×21
Legendary Physical Arts Crystals ×16
Legendary Swordsmanship Crystals ×3
Perfect Armament Haki Crystals ×31
Perfect Observation Haki Crystals ×29
Legendary Logia: Snow-Snow Fruit ×1
Legendary Paramecia: Ton-Ton Fruit ×1
Legendary Paramecia: Boom-Boom Fruit ×1
Legendary Paramecia: Art-Art Fruit ×1
Legendary Paramecia: Sticky-Sticky Fruit ×1
Legendary Paramecia: Stone-Stone Fruit ×1
Legendary Paramecia: Water-Water Fruit ×1
All items stored in portable space.
What a massive haul.
The Devil Fruit crystals alone were priceless.
But the real win?
The physical combat crystals.
He already had 9 Epic-Level Physical Arts Crystals, and with his own refined base, he was now set to evolve his martial abilities from emperor-level to True God.
When that happened?
Even Garp wouldn't be able to match him in hand-to-hand combat.
"I didn't see Sugar earlier… Doflamingo must be protecting her," Kairos thought. "Makes sense—if she's taken out, all the toys will revert to humans. That would ruin Doflamingo."
He hadn't held back during the earlier fight—even Monet, despite her beauty, had been killed.
To Kairos, enemies were enemies. He didn't show mercy just because they were women.
Even if Sugar stood in front of him… he'd cut her down without hesitation.
"Doflamingo… you've lost almost everything. You must be trembling now."
Kairos stared at the palace in the distance.
Just as he expected, inside the palace, Doflamingo's rage was uncontrollable. He had heard the screams of his subordinates through the Den Den Mushi. He knew—if they'd fallen into Kairos Flint's hands, their fate was already sealed.
In his fury, Doflamingo trashed everything in sight—furniture, walls, even priceless ornaments.
"Kairos Flint, I'm going to kill you!!!" he roared.
But it was just rage from a man who could do nothing.
Powerless anger.