A streak of silver tore through the clouds at a terrifying speed, plummeting from the sky into the earth below.
A deep tremor shook the island's center.
A great cloud of dust exploded at the impact site, spreading in brownish ripples across the ground, engulfing the surrounding trees.
The cool sea breeze soon blew away the haze.
Through the toppled forest, a massive crater came into view.
A small metallic ark was half-buried in the earth, its hull twisted beyond recognition.
"You bastard... Ever heard of flying slow for once?"
Bullet rubbed his head as he walked out of the dust cloud, neck cracking audibly as he moved, visibly irritated.
"Not leaving you behind to die was already kind. Try being less picky with your savior."
Darren, panting, climbed out of the crater, carrying Senor over his shoulder.
As he spoke, he gently laid the blood-soaked Senor down against a tree trunk, careful not to jostle his wounds.
Senor groggily opened his eyes, parched lips barely forming the words.
Darren slumped down beside him, pulled out a crumpled pack of cigarettes, and gave him a crooked smile.
"I checked your injuries."
"Don't worry. You'll live."
He drew out a cigarette and handed it over.
"I told you—we'd smoke one together once you made it."
Senor stared at him for a moment, then accepted the cigarette without a word.
"Oi, got one for me too?"
Bullet called from a short distance away.
Darren lit Senor's and his own, then tossed one to Bullet without looking.
"Snagged it off some pirate's corpse when we broke out."
Bullet bit down on the cigarette, scoffing:
"You're starting to act more and more like a pirate."
The three sat in silence, smoke curling upwards.
They tilted their heads back, staring at the broken canopy above—blue skies, white clouds drifting.
Warm sunlight fell upon their faces. A sea breeze blew gently, as if it could wash away all pain and fatigue.
Their eyes drifted closed, savoring the rare calm after war.
"Oi, Darren... Think Kaido's losing his mind about now?"
Bullet exhaled a long stream of smoke, glancing sidelong at Darren with a grin.
"We turned his stronghold inside out. Every arms factory, blown to hell."
Darren shrugged, letting a smoke ring rise lazily.
"But still... I didn't expect us to sync so well."
That "Combination Technique: Nation Shatter"—their joint move—was something they'd cobbled together during practice in prison.
It was inspired by Bullet's bloodlust that once razed a nation, and Darren's conceptual grasp of the Giants' move: Hakoku.
By unleashing immense Armament Haki simultaneously and combining their superhuman strength, they'd managed to stop Kaido's full-power strike, infused with Conqueror's Haki.
Though Kaido hadn't reached his future peak in this era, it was still a feat worth boasting.
Their coordination had been brief and imperfect. Even so, "Nation Shatter" had potential.
Darren speculated that once perfected, it might rival even Kaido and Big Mom's "Ocean Sovereignty."
The name wasn't metaphorical—done right, it could tear a nation apart in one strike.
"Kahahaha!! Who would've thought—two sworn enemies crafting a move together!?"
Bullet laughed heartily, golden hair billowing, bloodied face wild and unrestrained.
He flicked his ashes expertly.
Darren chuckled, drawing a deep breath of smoke, eyes tracing the sky.
"Yeah. Pretty damn mad."
Senor watched them silently. Both men slowly lowered their gazes to the cigarettes in their hands.
Birds darted through the trees. The sunset glazed the distant sky.
As the last ashes fell—
Senor's eyes widened.
A violent shockwave swept the clearing, tossing his hair.
In a blink, Darren and Bullet collided—fists clashing, elbows locked.
The impact of Armament Haki sent trees crumbling in a wide radius.
A near-cataclysmic surge of Conqueror's Haki burst from them both.
Crackling lightning filled the air. The world turned monochrome.
Senor stared, dumbfounded.
They were just... joking a moment ago. How did it come to this!?
But the clash was as brief as it was intense.
With a muffled boom, they both staggered back, feet gouging deep tracks in the ground.
Two spent cigarette stubs fell slowly through the air.
"If you weren't a Marine... we could've been great friends, Darren."
Darren shook his head with a soft smile, lighting another smoke.
"I thought you weren't the kind who needed friends."
Bullet paused—then burst into laughter.
"You're right. I'm not."
He turned to the wrecked metallic ark, placing a hand on the twisted hull.
Activating his Clank-Clank fruit, the metal reshaped itself, forming a small submarine.
Darren didn't stop him. He simply watched, calm.
Bullet dragged the submarine to the nearby shore and pushed it into the water.
Then, with a leap, he stood atop it.
The sunset dyed him crimson. The sea sparkled.
Bullet turned, flashing a savage grin.
"Don't get soft. Next time, if I kill you too easily, it won't be any fun."
Darren waved, grinning.
"Get lost. Before I change my mind."
Bullet laughed again, clenched his fists, and dove into the sub. It vanished beneath the sea.
Darren stood still, eyes on the rippling waves.
"Next time we meet... it could be our final battle, Bullet."