While the war raged outside, a starkly different scene unfolded aboard one of the Five Families' large passenger ships. Utterly devoid of tension, the main cabin hosted a raucous party. Around eight or nine fierce-looking pirates were laughing and carousing, women in one arm, wine in the other, thoroughly enjoying themselves.
"Sirs, the time has come. We need you to take action!" a subordinate, dispatched with orders, nervously implored the group. Truthfully, the regular crew members looked down on these hired guns. For weeks, all they'd done was eat, drink, party, and engage in scandalous activities with women. They hadn't shown any sign of actual skill.
"We fought half our lives on the Grand Line! Can't we enjoy ourselves a little? It's just the Donquixote Family! Look how scared you lot are. Since when does any Tom, Dick, or Harry dare to call themselves rulers of the North Blue?" Leif Sindersen, former captain of the Ghost Fiend Pirates with a bounty of 98 million Beli, snapped impatiently at the subordinate.
"Hahaha! Relax, little brother! We'll be right there," Rumaty Lima, former captain of the Lizard Pirates with a bounty of 100 million Beli, interjected smoothly, saving the subordinate from Sindersen's ire.
"Alright everyone," Lima addressed the cabin, "we took their money, time to earn it."
"Hmph, Lima, listen to yourself! As if we'd take the pay and not do the work!" Trif Hawke, former captain of the Demon Cat Pirates with a bounty of 78 million Beli, declared loudly.
"Then please, sirs, hurry! Our bosses are waiting for you to display your might!" the subordinate pleaded cautiously, terrified of angering them and getting killed for his trouble.
This little scene didn't dampen the Five Families' leaders' expectations. They knew what kind of men they'd hired. As long as these pirates had the strength to solve their Doflamingo problem, their behavior didn't matter. They had plied them with fine wine, good food, and beautiful women for weeks, all in preparation for this moment. Though they despised the pirates' arrogance, they needed their power now and had to swallow their pride – anything to eliminate the Donquixote Family.
Back on the battlefield, the hired captains finally made their appearance.
"Haha! Sindersen! Captain Lima! Now's the time for you to show us what you've got!" McNeil greeted the two leading figures enthusiastically.
"Relax! With us on the job, is there any enemy we can't handle?" Sindersen boasted confidently, though the reek of alcohol on his breath was so strong it made those nearby recoil.
Lima simply offered a polite nod as acknowledgement. He hadn't been hired by McNeil's family, so a nod was courtesy enough. The other newly arrived pirates followed suit, giving curt nods.
"Excellent! Then I need you to tear that big-eared bastard apart for me!" McNeil snarled, glaring venomously at Enel.
"Consider it done! Watch me rip him to shreds!" Sindersen declared, pounding his chest boastfully before launching himself into the air, rocketing towards Enel. Seeing Sindersen take the initiative, McNeil's eyes shone with eager anticipation.
"Lima, we're counting on you all," Coy addressed Rumaty Lima directly. "Doflamingo has a 300 million Beli bounty. We know he won't be easy. We hope you can take him down for us. Rest assured, you'll be generously rewarded afterward." Lima had the highest bounty among their recruits; finding capable pirates retired from the Grand Line wasn't easy. The truly famous ones wouldn't be swayed by mere mafia bosses. Coy and the others had only managed to recruit figures from the first half of the Grand Line, Paradise. Those who reached the New World were elites who rarely retreated, and even if they did, they wouldn't deign to get involved in the North Blue, viewing it as nothing more than child's play.
"Consider it done," Lima replied, his eyes narrowed, focusing on Doflamingo who hadn't yet moved. He could sense a faint, dangerous aura emanating from the man.
"Then we leave it to you all!" Coy said earnestly to the group of pirates.
"Get the banquet ready! And plenty of fine wine!" "Prepare lots of delicious food for me! The more the better!" "Not one Beli less than promised! In fact, multiply it by ten!" "I want women! Ten… no, make it a hundred!"
Hearing Coy practically beg, the hardened pirates sensed Doflamingo was indeed a significant threat. Naturally, they seized the opportunity to extort as much as possible – after all, they were the ones doing the dirty work.
"Yes, yes, yes! Don't worry, everyone! You'll have more than enough! Plenty for all!" Warner quickly interjected, trying to appease them.
"Just take care of the Donquixote executives first," Dole suggested darkly. "No matter how strong Doflamingo is, once he's alone, what can he possibly do?"
Hearing their employers agree to their terms, the pirates finally moved.
Most rushed off eagerly to find opponents, but Lima remained still, his sharp gaze fixed solely on Doflamingo, searching intently for any sign of weakness.
Sindersen shot towards Enel like a cannonball. Seeing him approach, Enel grinned, his battle lust ignited.
"Baldy! Come to die? Gotta say, that head of yours is certainly shiny. Could use it as a lamp!" Enel taunted maliciously.
"You're dead! You damned big-eared bastard! Watch how I deal with you!" Sindersen roared, infuriated. His gleaming bald head seemed to radiate killing intent. He hadn't expected Enel to insult him right off the bat; it struck a nerve. He swore he'd tear Enel limb from limb.
"Alright, Baldy, let's see what you've got! And for the record, I hate it when fakes call me Big-Ears!" Enel retorted, equally incensed, his own killing intent flaring towards Sindersen.
"Die, you damn bastard!" Sindersen bellowed, lunging forward with a powerful punch.
Enel planted his staff beside him and met the attack head-on with his own fist.
CRACK!
Their fists collided with incredible force, the shockwave palpable.
Such a heavy punch! Sindersen thought, stunned. He hadn't expected this seemingly slender, clean-shaven man to pack such a wallop. He'd barely managed to block it.
"Again!" Enel snarled, unsatisfied that his blow was stopped. He swung his other fist towards Sindersen's face.
Sindersen quickly raised his arm to block, but the force sent him staggering back several meters, a clear red mark already forming on his forearm. His face flushed with anger and embarrassment; he'd just been boasting moments ago, and now he was being pushed back so easily with his employers watching. He couldn't accept this.
"RAAAGH!" Sindersen roared in fury, and his body began to change. Two massive horns sprouted from his shiny bald head, and his frame swelled, becoming larger and more muscular. The transformation drew gasps from onlookers.
A Zoan fruit user, Doflamingo observed from a distance. The Ox-Ox Fruit, it seems. Wonder which model?
The Five Families' men stared in shock; they'd never seen a bison quite like this before.
"So, you're just a bald bison! Alright then, show me what you can do!" Enel remained unimpressed by the transformation. He was familiar enough with Devil Fruits now; they were just tools for enhancing strength, not guarantees of invincibility.
"Damn you! Let's see you talk tough after this!" Sindersen growled, his voice deeper, making no attempt to hide his murderous intent. "Savage Bull Rush!"
He charged low and fast, the sharp tips of his horns aimed directly at Enel's stomach. A direct hit would undoubtedly disembowel him.
Enel wasn't foolish enough to take it head-on unprepared. Planting his feet firmly, he poured all his strength into his arms and caught the charging horns just inches from his body. The immense force of Sindersen's charge sent Enel skidding backward dozens of meters, carving deep gouges into the earth and scattering unfortunate fodder caught in their path.
The charge finally halted, leaving two long tracks scoring the battlefield. The two were locked in a temporary stalemate, horns against hands. Sindersen was stunned that Enel had managed to stop his charge, but he didn't pause, immediately launching another attack.
Elsewhere, the other Donquixote executives had met their opponents.
Pica found himself facing Trif Hawke, the Demon Cat. Recognizing the strength of his opponents, Hawke had immediately transformed into his full Zoan form – a large black cat. Put a hat on him, and he'd look just like Sergeant Black Cat, Doflamingo mused idly, referencing a well-known children's character. Hawke's sharp claws kept Pica constantly on the defensive, forcing him to rely heavily on dodging.
Pica seems determined to awaken his Observation Haki, Doflamingo noted, watching the fight. He won't use Armament unless he absolutely has to.
Nearby, Diamante and Trebol were surrounded by five or six of the hired pirates. Doflamingo wasn't concerned about them; their skills were considerable, and possessing Haki made a world of difference against those who didn't. In this era, any pirate worth over 100 million Beli should know Haki. It's standard for the strong. He briefly contrasted this with the future Luffy would encounter, where Haki users were much rarer in Paradise, leading New World veterans to call it a "playground." Most relied on just brute strength, swordsmanship, or Devil Fruits back then. Few even knew what Haki was.
Only Rumaty Lima and one other hired gun hadn't engaged yet. This last one, Shahram Barajas, bounty 90 million Beli, had sly, darting eyes and was clearly planning something malicious. He was the user of the Poison Butterfly Fruit, known on the Grand Line for once using his poison to wipe out half a Marine fleet before mysteriously fleeing to the North Blue.
Suddenly, Barajas transformed. Sprouting vibrant, powdery wings, he flew high into the air above the Donquixote Family forces and began scattering a fine dust downwards.
"Not good!" Doflamingo instantly recognized the danger – poison. He couldn't stand by any longer. Raising his right hand, lightning crackled around it. Using Observation Haki to pinpoint Barajas's exact location high above, he unleashed his judgment.
"God's Punishment!"
Barajas, still gloating mid-air, pleased with his insidious attack, never saw it coming.
A colossal pillar of pure lightning erupted from the heavens, engulfing him completely in a blinding flash. The sudden, terrifying display of power stunned everyone on the battlefield into silence, their eyes turned skyward in awe and fear.
Watching Barajas plummet from the sky after the electrifying baptism, Robin couldn't resist a cheeky comment, her voice carrying clearly in the sudden lull.
"Guess you shouldn't fly too high, lest you get struck by lightning."
Hearing her words, Doflamingo chuckled softly. Such dark wit... Robin, you really are something else, he thought, a genuine smile touching his lips. But I like it.