49 Chapter 49: Doflamingo: I Can Do This For Ten Days!

Sengoku, this time, altered his attack so swiftly, combined with the sheer ferocity of the strike, that Doflamingo found himself utterly unable to resist.

In a slowed perspective, it was Sengoku's claws, wrapped in Haki, that, under Doflamingo's horrified gaze, pierced his heart swiftly and accurately.

First, the skin was torn, followed by the shattering of ribs, with blood and flesh scattering in all directions. In the end, Sengoku's hand plunged deep into Doflamingo's chest cavity.

"Cough..." Doflamingo, regaining consciousness, spewed a mouthful of fresh blood.

However, what surprised everyone was that even though Marine Admiral Sengoku clearly stabbed Doflamingo's heart, his own expression was one of utter disbelief.

"Your heart!?" Sengoku's eyes widened in shock as he gazed down at the heart he expected to find in Doflamingo's chest, then looked directly into Doflamingo's eyes.

Doflamingo, appearing grievously injured yet with a smirk on his lips, responded, "Expected of a Marine Admiral, to discern my heart's vulnerability in such a brief encounter. But... if it's a weakness, wouldn't I have prepared for it in advance?"

As his words fell, the bat wings behind Doflamingo fluttered, pulling him back, away from Sengoku's lethal reach.

Sengoku's arm, drenched in blood, bore remnants of Doflamingo's shattered ribs and torn flesh, but notably, there was no heart to be found!

Indeed, Sengoku had seized an opportunity for a decisive strike, only to discover that Doflamingo, this bastard, had no heart in his chest!

At that moment, in a dark cave on a mountain behind Cervantes, a blood-red bat hung upside down from the cave's ceiling.

Upon closer inspection, this blood-colored bat appeared heart-like, beating with vigorous vitality.

Yes, from the moment Doflamingo chose to wage a bloody battle with Sengoku to the bitter end, he had decided to externalize his vulnerability.

Through the blood mist, connected to Doflamingo's will, he could remove his heart from his body, transform it into a bat, and conceal it.

Many functions of the heart remained linked to Doflamingo through the blood mist, ensuring his abilities' performance remained unaffected.

Thick blood mist surged into the gaping wound in Doflamingo's heart, and within mere moments, under Sengoku's vigilant gaze, the wound was completely healed.

Watching this unfold, Sengoku felt a profound sense of disheartenment.

Was Doflamingo truly strong?

In terms of raw strength, Doflamingo was formidable, but not overwhelmingly so. For a top-tier master like Sengoku, defeating Doflamingo within a hundred moves would not be an insurmountable task.

Within the Marine ranks, Sengoku could rate Doflamingo as an elite Vice Admiral, perhaps even on the cusp of Admiral status.

However, while Doflamingo's strength was not exceptionally overwhelming, his ability to recover was proving to be a formidable hurdle.

This was Sengoku's first encounter with Doflamingo, his first battle against him, and his first realization of Doflamingo's abilities.

The lack of prior intelligence had left Sengoku unprepared, both tactically and strategically.

Thus far, although Sengoku could be said to have the upper hand, he was unable to secure a decisive victory over Doflamingo.

After all, what can he do if this despicable fellow doesn't die when killed?!

Sengoku wasn't the only one facing difficulties. Tokikake, having returned to the warship, was also troubled.

Initially, he had thought his defeat to Doflamingo was due to a lack of caution. Now, it seemed that even at full strength, he might not be a match for Doflamingo.

If he hadn't observed Sengoku, why involve him?

Tokikake had also planned to ambush on the island, waiting for the right moment to assist Sengoku in defeating Doflamingo.

However, when the blood mist erupted, Tokikake noticed that the wounds on his body were continuously emitting blood mist, impossible to stop. It seemed as if there was a strange power within the mist, assimilating all flesh and blood creatures.

After careful consideration, Tokikake decided to withdraw first. Remaining would only hinder Sengoku's efforts.

The battle on the island resumed after a brief pause.

From afar, Tokikake could vaguely see that within the blood mist enveloping Cervantes Island, a faint golden light erupted and flickered – the manifestation of Sengoku's formidable abilities.

Tokikake understood that this was Sengoku's power in action. However, it was also evident that even with Sengoku going all out, Doflamingo seemed to withstand these efforts for a considerable time.

Carefully observing the situation, Tokikake noted a subtle thinning of the blood mist shrouding Cervantes Island. This observation was minute, but the blood mist remained dense, eerie, and pervasive. It was only because Tokikake was paying close attention that he was able to detect this change.

Just as Tokikake was contemplating these developments, the 'Blu-Bru-Bru' sound of a Den Den Mushi rang. He quickly answered the call: "Great Staff...."

"What's happening? According to the report from your fleet this morning, you should have reached Cervantes by now. Has the MADS research team been successfully captured? Why can't we reach Sengoku's Den Den Mushi?" The voice of Chief Staff Officer Tsuru inquired from the other end.

Tokikake, feeling a bit uneasy, replied, "We have successfully captured Dr. Vegapunk, but the MADS research team has fled to Cervantes Island. As for why Admiral Sengoku's Den Den Mushi is unreachable... probably because he is currently engaged in an intense battle with Donquixote Doflamingo on Cervantes Island."

"Fierce battle!?"Tsuru sounded surprised. "Is Doflamingo really capable of standing toe-to-toe with Sengoku?"

Tokikake, with a solemn expression, responded, "We have severely underestimated Donquixote Doflamingo before. Our knowledge about him is quite limited... That man is a formidable ability user!"

"But with Sengoku's strength, there shouldn't be any surprises, right?" Tsuru's tone carried a hint of disbelief.

Sengoku was a Marine Admiral, renowned not for his combat prowess but for his shrewdness, strategy, and tactical acumen, earning him the title "The Resourceful General."

But could it be said that an Admiral would be incapable of overpowering an opponent?

Who was Donquixote Doflamingo, after all? A mere twenty-year-old smuggler from North Blue, lurking in the shadows of the underworld, a guy who has no major achievements so far in life. How could he possibly stand against Sengoku in fierce combat?

Indeed, judging by the battle's progression, Sengoku had inflicted numerous fatal injuries on Doflamingo. However, Doflamingo's Mythical Zoan ability, coupled with his vampiric traits, bestowed him with extraordinary resilience and regenerative abilities.

Tokikake proceeded to relay the current situation in detail to the Chief Staff Officer.

"He slaughtered all the people on Cervantes Island and turned them into his blood mist? He's sustaining himself with their vitality, using this immortality to combat Sengoku?" Tsuru questioned.

"It appears so. With Admiral Sengoku continuously dealing heavy blows to Doflamingo, subtle changes are occurring. I'm certain that the blood mist enveloping Cervantes Island is gradually weakening. If we can't find an effective countermeasure, defeating Doflamingo might require the Admiral to exhaust the entire blood mist on the island. In other words, he would need to continuously and severely injure Doflamingo until the blood mist dries up, nullifying his self-healing and resilience," Tokikake analyzed.

Pondering over the situation, Tokikake couldn't help but comment, "The power of this Mythical Zoan Devil Fruit is truly terrifying..."

"No, it's just that he wasn't effectively countered this time. If Kuzan or Sakazuki were present, Doflamingo wouldn't stand a chance," Tsuru replied after some thought.

Even without being at the scene, she quickly deduced Doflamingo's weakness based on Tokikake's report. Among other things, both Sakazuki and Kuzan could counter the blood mist ability – Sakazuki could incinerate the mist with his volcanic powers, while Kuzan could freeze it solid.

From this perspective, Doflamingo's peculiar ability, which temporarily stymied Sengoku, wasn't insurmountable. It was just a matter of the Marines failing to counter it effectively this time.

"How long do you estimate Doflamingo can last under the current circumstances?" Tsuru inquired.

Observing the blood mist covering the island, Tokikake hesitated before responding, "Judging by the current situation, if Admiral Sengoku doesn't devise an effective strategy, ten days... should be feasible for Doflamingo to endure."