A flurry of tense, hurried footsteps echoed from the shoreline, drawing closer.
At that moment, Tokikake's warship finally arrived.
Hundreds of Marines stormed forward with wary expressions, rifles in hand as they formed an assault formation, all weapons aimed squarely at Crocodile.
But as they took in the sight before them, every single one of them froze on the spot.
Wasn't this the target said to be incredibly powerful—capable of annihilating an elite Marine unit in mere minutes?
How was he... pinned under Vice Admiral Daren's foot?
That was... unbelievably fast.
Daren rose slowly, lifting his boot off Crocodile's chest and lighting a fresh cigar. A satisfied smile spread across his face.
A Marine rushed over, reverently offering a pristine set of dress blues with both hands.
Daren took the uniform, slipped it on, and threw his Marine cape over his shoulders.
He looked up at the sky, clear and deep as an ocean, and said with a light smile,
"Beautiful weather today, isn't it?"
Only you would say that right now.
He chugged a few gulps of water. His body, no longer shriveled like a half-dead husk, had mostly recovered. Climbing to his feet, he muttered,
"We're just leaving ?"
He gave Crocodile a wary glance and lowered his voice.
"What else can we do? He's now one of the Shichibukai. As long as that title stands, we Marines can't lay a finger on him."
Tokikake's mouth twitched.
"Oh, right—someone patch up our new Shichibukai. If he bleeds out and dies, that'd be a shame."
Daren said casually, then strode toward the shore without looking back.
As Daren led his men away in arrogant fashion, Crocodile clenched his teeth until they nearly cracked, his bloodshot eyes on the verge of bursting.
It took a full half hour before he managed to gather enough strength to sit up, trembling.
The area was deserted. Every Marine had already withdrawn.
His severed left arm had stopped bleeding. The wound had been simply bandaged and medicated to prevent infection.
Crocodile stared blankly at the stump of his wrist—then suddenly erupted with fury.
A massive surge of golden sand burst into the sky, morphing into a monstrous crocodile that blotted out the sun, its gaping jaws swallowing what remained of the ruined town.
The warship set sail once more.
Cool sea breeze drifted through the air under a radiant sun.
Daren stood alone at the ship's bow, a cigar clenched in his mouth, arms folded as he quietly took in the ocean wind.
Tokikake had long retreated to the cabin to sleep. While replenishing water could counter Crocodile's ability, sudden and massive dehydration still took a heavy toll. Full recovery would take rest.
The other Marines, diligently attending to their duties, sensibly avoided the bow, leaving plenty of personal space for their esteemed Vice Admiral Daren.
Daren muttered softly, falling into contemplation as he exhaled a long stream of smoke.
His eyes narrowed into dangerous slits. From inside his coat, he pulled out a Den Den Mushi and dialed a number.
"Buru buru... buru buru..."
A few seconds later, the Den Den Mushi connected.
A low, raspy voice came through— unmistakably Doflamingo.
A faint smile tugged at the corners of Daren's lips as he spoke casually,
"Doffy, how have things been on your end? Everything alright?"
North Blue, Rubeck Island. Inside the Donquixote Family's main hall.
Doflamingo stared at the Den Den Mushi with a complicated expression before answering slowly,
"Thank you for your concern, Godfather-sama. Everything is fine here."
He paused, then added,
"I saw your raid on Totto Land a few days ago. Congratulations on that."
Daren's voice came back with a relaxed chuckle.
"With your intellect, you should've realized it was just a show of force. Nothing worth celebrating."
Doflamingo responded calmly,
"Even so, it was impressive enough to make people take notice."
"Now then, I assume you contacted me for a reason, Godfather-sama?"
"There is something, yes... Doffy, have you heard of the Shichibukai initiative?"
Doflamingo furrowed his brow and shook his head.
Daren briefly laid out the situation, then his tone grew more serious. ʀᴇᴀᴅ ʟᴀᴛᴇsᴛ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀᴛ NoveI(F)ire.net
"...The government is currently selecting candidates for the Shichibukai. If you were to become one of them, it would greatly benefit your future."
"You wouldn't need to keep hiding in the shadows. You'd have a legitimate status, officially recognized as one of the government-sanctioned Great Pirates."
"This is a golden opportunity, Doffy."
At those words, a sharp gleam flashed behind Doflamingo's sunglasses.
With his foresight and intellect, he instantly grasped the immense potential behind the title "Shichibukai."
"What must I do, Godfather-sama?"
Suppressing his excitement, Doflamingo clenched his fists and asked in a low voice.
Daren let out a chuckle.
"I tried submitting your name... but the Five Elders rejected it."
Doflamingo's pupils contracted.
This meant Daren's influence in the Marines had grown strong enough to speak to those five old fossils directly?
For a moment, Doflamingo was torn between shock and doubt.
But then his thoughts turned to his past dealings with the Five Elders.
Their arrogant, hateful faces surfaced in his memory. His expression darkened with resentment as he clenched his fists tighter, knuckles pale, fingernails biting into his skin until blood seeped out.
"They said you're just a small-time pirate from the North Blue. Lacking the strength or fame to carry the title of Shichibukai," Daren said with a sly smile.
That same condescending tone again!
Doflamingo ground his teeth.
"Then tell me, Godfather-sama—what must I do to earn the title of Shichibukai!?"
On the other end, Daren's smile deepened.
That's it—fury and hate. Exactly what he wanted.
"Doffy, you know as well as I do—their rejection had nothing to do with strength or reputation."
Doflamingo went silent, gritting his teeth.
He understood Daren's implication.
Ever since being cast out from the Celestial Dragons, the Five Elders would never allow him that title.
To them, he was a traitor.
Which meant... they despised him even more than the average pirate.
"But Doffy, that doesn't mean we're out of options here."
p@treon com / PinkSnake