Chapter 245: Battle Against Marco
Marco wasted no more words.
The moment he said he would use force, his body transformed into a phoenix wreathed in pale blue flames, and he charged straight at Axel.
He could tell that the little girl in Axel's hands was extremely important to Doflamingo.
If he subdued Axel and took the girl as a hostage, then he would not have to worry about Doflamingo escaping either.
However, Marco had miscalculated one thing.
If that situation truly occurred, Doflamingo would not necessarily mind escaping.
Because although Doflamingo regarded his family members as family, they were also tools.
Facing Marco's assault, Axel controlled the wind wings behind him as skillfully as if they were his own arms.
The four wings twisted and shifted, allowing him to change direction with incredible agility and dodge Marco's charge.
At the same time, Axel turned toward Doflamingo and said, "Doflamingo, let's make a deal. I'll help you deal with this opponent first, and then we can talk about other matters. What do you think?"
"The tables have turned now."
Doflamingo shrugged and smiled faintly.
"I don't want to help you at all."
He sat on his threads with great interest, his body naturally sprawled out in a relaxed and comfortable posture.
Behind those flashy sunglasses, his smile was completely unhidden.
He watched Axel, who had distrusted him one moment and wanted to negotiate the next, with the attitude of a bystander enjoying the show.
Axel was stunned for a moment, somewhat surprised by Doflamingo's response.
Since when had this guy become someone who threw tantrums?
Although Axel had gone a little too far in some matters, Sugar was still in his hands.
Given Doflamingo's character, he should not easily give up on a family member unless his own interests were at risk, or unless something even more important appeared.
"You're getting distracted during a fight?"
Marco's voice rang out.
"I won't go easy on you."
Talking to someone else in the middle of battle could be considered extremely disrespectful to an opponent.
It even gave off the feeling that Axel was looking down on him.
Marco was somewhat annoyed by it.
Although this was a perfect chance for a sneak attack, as a member of the Whitebeard Pirates, he could not bring himself to do something so damaging to his reputation, even in a situation like this.
After giving his reminder, Marco's offensive accelerated.
His body, transformed into a phoenix, was wrapped in a storm-like gale as he suddenly dove down.
It was a speed that would make any bird seem sluggish in comparison.
In almost an instant, Marco appeared above Axel's head.
A normal person facing such an attack would inevitably freeze for a moment.
After all, an aerial attack from directly overhead was different from one coming from the front.
When a fist flew toward someone's face, the body would naturally want to close its eyes.
For experts, that brief hesitation was enough to decide victory or defeat.
But Axel seemed completely unaware.
He did not even glance at Marco.
He simply stood quietly in the air.
However, he was not waiting for death unprepared.
Instead, he shifted his judgment from his eyes to his Calculation Power and Observation Haki.
With the two working together, he clearly sensed Marco's assault.
Only at the moment the attack reached his head did Axel judge its direction and momentum based on the changes in the surrounding energy.
Then, almost subconsciously, he dodged to the side.
The movement was fluid, yet strangely illogical, almost like teleportation.
Marco was slightly shocked.
He had not expected such a fierce aerial attack to be avoided so easily.
However, his rich combat experience allowed him to react at once.
Marco's wings, which had been in a diving posture, suddenly twisted ninety degrees.
The pale blue wings bent and distorted as if they were about to break.
It was like a plane in a vertical dive being pulled sharply back upward in an instant.
Incredible.
Without a doubt, such a maneuver would damage the body.
Yet Marco launched another attack at Axel in that same instant.
The speed of his attack proved that he had not been harmed at all.
The entire process was extremely fast.
So fast that even Axel had no time to react properly.
Axel knew that even if he used the wind wings for a micro-adjustment now, Marco would definitely be able to swing his wings and follow up with another strike.
Since he could not dodge, he might as well put all his remaining Calculation Power into defense.
He hurriedly raised his arms, blocking the path of the incoming attack.
At this moment, one had to admire him.
Marco truly was the First Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates.
He reacted at almost the same moment Axel did.
In that tiny fraction of a second, Marco changed the direction of his wings, forcibly altering the trajectory of his attack.
Instead of striking Axel's arms, he hit Axel's undefended abdomen.
Bang!
The attack landed.
But Marco's forehead furrowed.
His countless combat experiences and the sensation from his strike told him that the attack had not worked.
Yet he had clearly hit his target.
That contradictory feeling made Marco uncomfortable.
What confirmed it was Axel's body.
He had not been knocked back even a single step.
Anyone struck by an attack would be affected by the reaction force.
Although Marco had not used his full strength, that blow was definitely not something that should have been blocked so easily.
Even he himself would be forced back several steps if he took such an attack directly.
"This is the punch from just now."
Axel ignored Marco's expression and turned defense into offense.
"Have a taste."
His crossed arms instantly unfolded, attacking Marco at close range.
The force attached to Axel's arm was precisely the force of Marco's attack that he had just redirected.
The punch landed squarely on Marco, forcing him back several steps in the air.
Marco flapped his wings, dispersing the remaining force, and almost instantly returned to his original state.
"Tch. What terrifying regenerative power."
Axel clicked his tongue and shrugged helplessly.
Marco did not continue attacking.
The greatest taboo in battle was attacking rashly.
Right now, he was the only one capable of fighting in the air.
Jozu, who remained on the ground, clearly could not provide much help.
So Marco had no choice but to stay in the air, keeping his attention on Axel while thinking.
That feeling just now had definitely been the force he struck with.
Clearly, that kid had converted Marco's attack into his own and blasted it back.
Was it a Devil Fruit ability?
If so, what kind of ability was it?
Marco did not ask.
No one in a normal battle would be stupid enough to ask the enemy that kind of question.
If you asked an enemy about their ability and they answered, it usually meant one of three things.
First, the opponent's advantage was so overwhelming that even if you knew their ability, they believed you still could not win.
Second, it was the complete opposite, the enemy was on the verge of death and had lost all hope, so they answered randomly.
Third, they were simply lacking intelligence.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Right at that moment, Doflamingo, who had been watching from the side, began to clap.
.....
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