Long-Cherished Desire

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Dressrosa citizens notice the Birdcage starting to move. People shout, "The fence of threads is moving!" and "Look!! It really is moving!!" Someone calls it "the game of death" closing in. As buildings and streets are squeezed, panic spreads through the city: "Run! No where's safe!" and "Kyaaaaai!" Others yell for everyone to head for the town center. The page establishes the immediate civilian disaster: Doflamingo's cage is no longer a passive barrier but an advancing execution device driving the population inward.

Reports spread across Dressrosa: "The Birdcage appears to be contracting all over!!" "This is eastern town 'Calta'..." and "It's the same on the west side!" At the Royal Palace, someone realizes, "Everyone will die...!!" Doflamingo tells Luffy, Law, and Trebol, "Ahh, you'll have to pardon me... apparently I forgot to let you know that I changed the rules of the game...!!" Luffy snaps, "'Game'?!! What the hell are you talking about?!" Doflamingo answers that he will need their undivided attention.

Doflamingo explains the Birdcage: "You see, the 'Birdcage' that's surrounding the town right now... is, little by little, shrinking and contracting." He says to think of it as someone slowly closing an umbrella, and then, before they know it, the entire country will be filtered. Luffy reacts in shock, and Doflamingo estimates, "Let's see... I'd give it about an hour." Across the city, Rebecca and the others worry about Traffy being beaten and the cage shrinking, while citizens cry for help, beg someone to untie their legs, and are told the weaker citizens have already been evacuated to the country's edges.

The people watching the palace understand that all lives in the country now rest on Luffy's shoulders. Someone says, "That's our only way out!!!" and others shout, "Beat the living crap out of Doflamingo...!!!" and "Luffy!! Hurry!!" Doflamingo mocks that nobody wants to come save Luffy after he let the people who know the country's secret live: "After all, what merit is there... in letting the people who know this country's secret live...?" He threatens everything Luffy cares about: "The town, its people, its animals...!! Even your comrades!! Your everything!!!"

Doflamingo tells Luffy that his dear friends have gone and died just a little bit before him, asking if that is what "Mugiwara-ya" called him. Luffy, furious, answers that the story has a different ending. Trebol tries to rattle him too, saying there is no need to make that face because they can always make another country, and tells "Mingo" that he just beat the shit out of them. Luffy starts, "Gomu Gomu nooo," but a black panel interrupts with Law's ability: "Chambres." Law swaps positions as Doflamingo laughs that he despises alternate endings.

Law suddenly appears behind Doflamingo and thrusts his attack into him while Luffy shouts, "Law!!!" Doflamingo makes a sharp "Vnn!!" sound as the strike lands. Luffy declares, "You're the one that's gonna disappear, Doflamingo!!!" Law explains, "This 'Ope' is going to destroy you from the inside out." Luffy urges him, "Do it!!" The page reveals that Law was not dead and that his earlier apparent defeat was part of setting up this one decisive internal attack.

Law names the attack: "Gamma Knife"!!! The blade of energy pierces Doflamingo at close range inside the Room, and Doflamingo screams, "Gwwwwooooaaargh...!!!" Trebol panics that the little bastard is still alive and kicking and asks how Law can do an "Ope Ope" attack without his damn "Room." Law clarifies the trick: "This whole place is the inside of a 'Room'!!" The attack is presented as a precise surgical strike, using Law's Devil Fruit space to target Doflamingo from within rather than through normal surface wounds.

Law reveals that he had prepared the battlefield in advance: "It's probably numbered my days a little bit... I've created a giant Room so big that you didn't even realize it... and I just kept it up while clinging onto life...!!" Trebol reacts, "Wh-whaaat~!!" Law says it was all for the sake of waiting for an opening, for this instant, to get in this one attack. Doflamingo, however, realizes Law missed his vitals. He collapses as Law uses "Chambres," and the body double falls away with a cry of "Deaaaad."

The swapped body double apologizes: "Sorry 'bout that, body double...!!" Luffy sees Law alive and yells, "Heeey!!! Traffy!!!" Law shouts, "Wait!! I'm alive!! Listen to me, 'Mugiwara-ya'...!!" Luffy is enraged at Doflamingo and Trebol for the deception and yells, "How dare you!! You fuckers!!!" Law promises that when this is all over he will put his own severed arm back, then warns Luffy not to look back at him: "I've got a plan!!!"

Doflamingo coughs blood and admits, "You really got me good..." but claims that even killing him would be useless because Luffy would not be able to stand up to his attack. Trebol panics over Doflamingo's condition and shouts, "Doffy!! You're royalty!! Don't let your knees touch the ground!!!" Luffy starts another attack, "Gomu Gomu no!!!" while Law calls out, "Laaaw!!!" The page shows Doflamingo badly damaged but still arrogant, and Trebol's desperation underscores how shocking it is to see Doflamingo actually brought low.

Luffy follows through with "Jet Stamp!!!" and kicks Doflamingo hard while Doflamingo is still reeling from Gamma Knife. The blow sends him crashing away amid huge impact SFX, dust, and chunks of rubble. Trebol screams, "Doooff-fyyy!!!!" as Doflamingo is driven into the ground. This page is mostly kinetic action, showing Luffy capitalizing on Law's opening with a direct physical strike and keeping pressure on Doflamingo before he can recover.

Trebol cries, "You bastard!!" and tries to get between Luffy and Doflamingo, shouting, "Wait, Mugiwara-ya!!" Law, still bleeding and panting, insists, "He... he's mine...!!" Luffy is shocked that Law can even move. Law activates "Room" again, despite his condition. The page shows Law refusing to let Luffy take the kill or the final blow for him yet, because his revenge against Doflamingo is personal and still unfinished.

Law addresses Doflamingo directly: "Doflamingo. You are beyond saving now... The 'Gamma Knife' destroys your organs without leaving any external wounds. As a doctor, this is my absolute diagnosis." Trebol shrieks at Law, "Laaw!!!" and "You've really done it now!!! What have you done to Doffy...!!!" Then Trebol lunges with his sticky body, screaming as he attacks. Law's statement makes the medical severity of Gamma Knife explicit, while Trebol's rage shows he believes Doflamingo has finally been critically damaged.

Luffy tells Trebol, "You stay put!!" as Trebol charges. Law, dripping blood, turns the conversation back to Corazon and Doflamingo's old betrayal. He says Doflamingo shot Corazon dead when Corazon tried to stop him from flying off the deep end, and that Doflamingo just calls whatever group of shits happens to be convenient for him his family. Law adds that Doflamingo knew Corazon would never actually pull the trigger, saying, "To think that he would ever point a gun in my direction..." Doflamingo coughs and says that after all, Law and he are the same. Law answers, "Yeah, I'm fine with that," and says, "But I can."

Law asks if he should say the words Doflamingo so desperately wants to hear. He declares, "That day... the one that should have died was you!!!" Law says that to Doflamingo, Corazon was nothing more than a burden, a hindrance and an eyesore, and that what a relief it was when Corazon was slaughtered. He then unleashes "Counter Shock"!!! Electricity erupts through Trebol, who gasps and burns as Law attacks him at close range. Law finishes the outburst by shouting, "...!! Go to hell you fucking demon!!!" while Trebol cries for Doffy.

Luffy reacts in surprise as smoke and dust hang over Doflamingo. Trebol, still loyal, says, "As expected of our wondrous king!!!" Doflamingo reveals why he is still moving: "As long as I have ample time... I can perform emergency medical treatment upon myself...!! Right now, inside of my body... my 'strings'... are performing operations and repairing and mending my organs." Trebol marvels at how versatile his ability is. Doflamingo admits it is not exactly regeneration or restoration, then says, "Anyways... congratulations on your suicide attack...!! Now... allow me to end your life!!!"

Doflamingo steps forward despite the damage, forcing Law and Luffy to stare at him in silence. Law mutters, "...God... damnit..." Trebol watches in awe as Doflamingo stands over the battlefield, still upright after the Gamma Knife and Luffy's follow-up. The final caption reads, "Carrying everything on his back, the curtain rises on the fated final battle!!!" The chapter ends with Luffy facing a bloodied but still dangerous Doflamingo, making clear that Law's long-prepared strike hurt him badly but did not finish him.

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