The moment that figure appeared, the entire square erupted.
Reporters from every news agency surged forward like wolves, desperately jostling for the best angle.
"Hahaha, it's Daren! Daren's finally here!"
Kuzan, who had been lounging about in boredom, suddenly leapt to his feet, eyes blazing with excitement as he waved enthusiastically.
Beside him, Tokikake glanced at the cheering crowd—especially the screaming women—and couldn't help but scoff and mutter,
"Tch, stealing my spotlight again."
He didn't notice that Gion, who had been cold and indifferent all along, suddenly brightened the moment she saw Daren.
Sengoku let out a long breath, the weight in his chest finally easing.
If that brat Daren still hadn't shown up, Fleet Admiral Kong might have actually exploded.
The crowd's cheers surged like a tidal wave.
"That's Commodore Daren!"
"I heard he took down the entire Beasts Pirates headquarters on his own!"
"That's old news! He wiped out the Great Pirate Shiki's flying fleet solo!"
"Is that sword at his waist the Enma? The one that pierced an island in one strike?"
"No, Enma's said to be a black cursed sword. That one's silver."
"The Marine Headquarters' monster... Not just powerful, but ridiculously good-looking too..."
"Seriously, he's less like a monster and more like the perfect knight!"
"He's so handsome! Daren-sama, marry me!!"
"I love you, Daren-sama!!"
The entire venue buzzed with excitement and admiration.
Power, wealth, rank, fame, looks, charm... To put it bluntly, Rogers Daren was the very definition of perfection.
Men wanted to be him. Women wanted to be with him.
Soaking in the admiration, Daren walked down the red carpet with a calm smile.
There wasn't a trace of nervousness or hesitation.
He felt like he was born for moments .
Step by step, the Commodore made his way toward the platform. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he climbed up and gave a crisp salute.
"Fleet Admiral Kong! Admiral Sengoku! Zephyr-sensei!"
The three men broke into simultaneous smiles, full of pride and approval.
Putting aside strength, talent, and potential—Daren's looks alone were disarming.
Sakazuki's brooding glare, Borsalino's sleazy grin, Kuzan's lazy fire... Compared to them, Daren was practically the Marines' golden boy—their perfect poster face.
Just standing there, he exuded likability.
Even Kong and the others, who never considered themselves shallow, had to admit—when it came to representing the Marines' image, Daren was a flawless choice.
"You brat, what took you so long?"
Sengoku shot Daren a glare.
Zephyr chuckled and waved it off.
"Let it go. It's not like we're behind schedule."
After dealing with Kuzan and Tokikake's antics earlier, Zephyr found Daren all the more pleasing to the eye.
"Daren, you've been waiting for this day a long time, haven't you?"
"Yes, Fleet Admiral."
Kong's grin widened, clearly satisfied. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn NoveI(F)ire.net
He raised his head, and his deep, commanding voice echoed through the massive square via the microphone.
"Commodore Rogers Daren of Marine Headquarters has achieved remarkable military feats, distinguished himself in the defense of Marineford, and graduated top of his class from the Marine Headquarters Officer Training Camp..."
Kong stood tall, chest out, and took a brand new Marine cape from the hands of a guard.
"After careful deliberation by the Marine Headquarters, I, as Fleet Admiral of Marine Headquarters, hereby grant Rogers Daren a special promotion to the rank of Vice Admiral!"
As his voice rang out, thunderous cheers and applause swept through the venue like a tidal wave. Kong unfurled a fresh cloak of justice and draped it over Daren's shoulders with a warm, satisfied smile.
"Daren, I hope you live up to all of our expectations—and more importantly, the honor and justice this rank represents."
Daren straightened and saluted solemnly.
"All glory belongs to justice!"
A roar of applause erupted again. Kuzan was so fired up he nearly clapped his hands raw, murmuring to himself, "As expected of my lifelong rival..."
"You brat, now tell everyone how you feel," Zephyr said, giving Daren a subtle wink.
Daren glanced at Kong and Sengoku, both of whom gave him encouraging nods.
The newly promoted Vice Admiral smiled, gave a slight nod, and stepped up to the microphone.
The moment he moved, the thunderous crowd quieted instantly. The venue fell into an eerie silence.
Reporters scrambled to pull out their recorders and notepads, faces filled with anticipation.
Countless eyes locked on Daren, their silent pressure weighing down on his shoulders.
Looking out over the crowd, the faces of the Marine officers below, and the hundreds of cameras trained on him, Daren felt an unfamiliar ambition rapidly swelling in his chest—burning like fire behind his eyes.
Zephyr-sensei had told him to deliver a rousing speech, something to lift the spirits of the Marines.
Daren's eyes narrowed slightly. A slow smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
Oh, he would stir their spirits, alright.
Just maybe... not in the way they expected.
This speech—could very well be his chance.
Daren took a deep breath, then began, his voice steady and full of confidence.
"Today is a day worth celebrating."
"As everyone knows, today's promotion ceremony is largely a result of the recent battle in defense of Marineford."
"In that grand and turbulent war, our righteous forces crushed the wild ambitions of the legendary pirate, Shiki the Golden Lion."
"He dreamed of storming Marineford, of sinking the world's strongest fortress into the sea. He even went as far as dropping an entire island to make it happen!"
Daren raised his hand and clenched it into a fist.
"Yes, he was destined to fail!"
"We proved one thing—without a doubt—the Marines are the strongest military force on the seas! Not even the combined might of Shiki, Big Mom, and Kaidou could break through the Holy Land of Justice!"
At his words, the Marines below unconsciously straightened their backs, their faces lit with pride.
Some of the younger ones couldn't help but shout out, their voices rising above the crowd:
"Justice will prevail!"
"The Marines are the strongest!"
"We really are amazing!"
Even the civilians started chiming in with cheers.
Seeing this, the three standing behind Daren—Kong, Sengoku, and Zephyr—exchanged glances and smiled.
This kid... he's not bad at all.
Daren nodded and smiled as he waited for the wave of cheers to fade.
"Yes, justice will prevail. Of that, I have no doubt."
Suddenly, the Vice Admiral slammed his palm down on the podium, shattering it into splinters. His face twisted with fury.
"All of that... is nothing but delusional bullshit!"
The sharp, cold scream pierced through the air like a shockwave. Everyone in the square froze as if struck by lightning, gasping in disbelief.
"This wasn't some glorious victory!"
Daren's eyes flared with murderous intent as he swept his arm out fiercely. Behind him, Kong, Sengoku, and Zephyr's faces changed drastically.
"The Battle of Marineford... was a complete and utter failure!"