Boom! Boom!
As soon as he approached Upper Yard, Doflamingo caught sight of a struggle taking place on Island.
Diamante and Trebol were locked in a contest of strength against a massive, thick black tail.
Observing the expressions and muscle exertion of the three, Doflamingo evaluated the situation.
"Not completely useless… At least they know how to push themselves."
Seeing that they weren't just putting on a show, he gave them a silent nod of approval before calling out.
"Trebol, Diamante, Nora."
"Doffy." x2
Hiss—
"Not bad. It's never too late to work hard. The likes of Golden Lion and Roger—none of them got to where they were without forging their bodies through relentless training. I hope that when I stand at the pinnacle, you two will still be at my side."
Trebol and Diamante exchanged guilty looks. They had grown accustomed to indulgence and pleasure. But after hearing Doflamingo's words, they straightened up and declared in unison:
"Doffy! We will see you crowned as king!"
"Good."
"Pica, go with Trebol and find Dr. No. 15."
With no need for further conversation, Doflamingo had more pressing matters to attend to. Tossing the golden ship—along with Pica—to Diamante, he took to the air, flying toward the divine palace nestled within the vines.
He waved off the attendants who came to greet him.
His current size wasn't exactly suited for company.
Arriving at a quiet chamber at the back of the palace, Doflamingo glanced at the cloud bed—now an inch smaller than before.
He frowned instinctively.
"I've entered a rapid growth phase. I don't really care how tall I end up, but I can't just be a walking target. It's time to fully master Seimei Kikan."
This was the predicament he faced.
His natural talent for strength had pushed his physique beyond that of an ordinary human. His boundless energy now allowed him to go three days without sleep.
Bone enhancement didn't just mean increased hardness, it also affected the bone marrow.
And the bone marrow governed three essential functions: blood production, immunity, and defense.
With both factors combined, his adolescent body was experiencing an explosive growth spurt.
His height had already surpassed four meters, and there was no sign of it stopping.
But Seimei Kikan could change that.
Mastering Seimei Kikan required a strong foundation—one rooted in the Rokushiki of the Navy.
At its core, the Rokushiki were a method of conditioning the body, gradually pushing it beyond human limits.
And the three fundamental techniques?
Soru: Achieved by kicking off the ground ten times in 0.36 seconds, generating an explosive burst of speed. Tekkai: Manipulating blood flow to accelerate muscle contraction, increasing hardness in targeted areas. Contrary to popular belief, it wasn't just for taking hits—CP9 members like Jabra and Blueno could use it while moving. Kami-e: Unlike Observation Haki, which senses presences through willpower, Kami-e was about surrendering perception to instinct. Every inch of skin, every pore, and every hair became a receptor for airflow, allowing the body to dodge attacks automatically.
At this stage, the technique already bordered on the supernatural.
A true master—like future CP9 agent Fukurou—could use Kami-e, reshaping themselves like clay to evade attacks.
It was practically a low-tier Paramecia Devil Fruit ability.
Geppo and Rankyaku were simply advanced applications of Soru—one allowing movement through the air, the other creating high-speed vacuum slashes.
Shigan applied Tekkai to a single point, turning fingers, fists, and even noses into deadly weapons.
And Seimei Kikan was the next evolutionary step—a seventh technique, granting total control over one's body.
Doflamingo wasn't sure how others used it.
Among his crew, no one had a higher mastery of the Rokushiki than him.
But he had his own method.
Clearing his mind, he exhaled slowly.
"Demon Form."
A perfected Demon Form was the fusion of Armament Haki and physical prowess—where the body remained dominant, but Haki seamlessly integrated, enhancing strength, speed, and endurance.
However, what Doflamingo had achieved was a minor breakthrough.
With his immense willpower, something changed.
His consciousness made contact with his first cell.
Like a fish slipping into water, there was no resistance. His will merged with his body at the most fundamental level.
To an observer, his fingers began to tremble ever so slightly.
In his subconscious realm, the indicators for the Rokushiki, Armament Haki, and Observation Haki flickered, shifting subtly.
In reality, his body responded in turn.
From fingers to hands.
From hands to limbs.
From limbs to his entire body.
It was as if every cell beneath his skin had awakened, writhing like seaweed.
If someone had been watching, they would have thought insects were about to burst from under his flesh.
Then—suddenly—the movement ceased.
Silence returned to the chamber.
After a long pause, Doflamingo opened his eyes. Twin gleams of light shot forth.
Raising his right hand, he gently leaped.
Without a sound, he clung to the ceiling wall.
No strings.
No superhuman grip strength.
Purely through microscopic control over his pores and sweat glands, he adhered to the surface—like a gecko.
"Fufufufufu… What a fascinating power. Seimei Kikan could just as well be called absolute self-mastery."
A deep chuckle echoed through the chamber.
Doflamingo was pleased.
From today onward, he was the Spider-Man of the pirate world.
"Pop—"
With a soft sound, his fingers detached from the ceiling, and he landed back onto his bed with feather-like grace.
Crossing his legs, he began adjusting the fusion points of his epiphyseal plates, redirecting the energy he absorbed each day into strengthening his bones, muscles, and organs.
These were his true foundations—his real trump cards.
"Crack, crack, crack!"
A sickening sound rang out.
His right arm… began shrinking.
No, not shrinking—compressing.
"Snap, snap, snap!"
The compressed limb returned to normal, blood seeping from the skin.
"Still too reckless. Carbon-based lifeforms aren't metal. You can't just force them into shape."
He rubbed his sore muscles with a sigh.
But he wasn't too concerned.
Before mastering Seimei Kikan, a minor injury like this would have healed overnight. Now? It was barely worth mentioning.
He had attempted to compress his muscles to increase their density—but failed.
Seimei Kikan granted control over flesh, hair, and even organs.
But that didn't mean he could treat himself like metal and hammer his body into shape.
"Hah… but at least my mastery has deepened. There's still room to refine artificial fibers. And this so-called Ryuo doesn't seem so difficult, either."
Exhaling softly, Doflamingo clenched his fists.
A dark sheen coated his hands, flowing with a near-liquid elegance.
Unlike the dull gray of basic Armament Haki, this had a glossy finish—polished, pristine.
"Fufufufu… The strong must always have the best visual effects."
Shaking off his whimsical thoughts, he exited the chamber.
"Lord!"
Four priestesses bowed in unison.
With a wicked grin, he pulled them into his arms.
The bed was still a little small…
But he could always make himself thinner.
The door shut.
Tonight, it was time to indulge.
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+145 chapters on p@treon/tambeerg