Of course... it was only a thought.
Severing one of Kozuki Oden's arms and seizing Enma had already been a herculean feat.
Especially with Marco—the wielder of the Mythical Zoan, Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: Phoenix—guarding him closely, and Edward Newgate, the "Strongest Man in the World," watching from afar with predatory eyes.
That "invincible" samurai might not yet have reached Admiral-level strength... but he was close.
Had he not lacked real experience battling physical combat specialists, Darren might never have gotten the upper hand.
And even now, Oden was still far from the peak state he would later reach—where, with a single slash, he'd cleave the mighty Kaido.
It was clear now—Oden's true leap in power came during his time with the Whitebeard Pirates and later, the Roger Pirates.
Especially during the final voyage around the Grand Line with the Roger Pirates—he learned to infuse Conqueror's Haki into his attacks. That milestone had pushed him into Admiral-level combat power, one of the few peak-tier warriors even Kaido acknowledged.
"Next time we meet... it won't be this easy,"
Darren murmured under his breath, clenching his fist instinctively.
In raw talent alone, Kozuki Oden—who stirred the world from the moment he was born—surpassed him without question.
Like one of those so-called "chosen ones," Oda had clearly written Oden as a larger-than-life legend.
At under one year old, he hurled his nursemaid across the room.
By two, while other toddlers were still tottering, he caught two rabbits barehanded—his leg strength astonishing.
At four, while other children played with mud, he was lifting boulders to crush bears.
And by six, his body had matured enough to frequent the red-light district...
That kind of physical talent wasn't quite on par with Charlotte Linlin, the "Natural Calamity," but it was extraordinary nonetheless.
An unmatched natural gift.
And after this defeat, Oden would certainly take it to heart. Even if he didn't reflect on it himself, with Whitebeard's insight, he'd be warned—and trained—to patch the gap.
Which meant, next time they crossed paths, he'd be an even more formidable threat.
As for losing an arm? That wouldn't hold Oden back much. In this ocean, missing limbs were practically a badge of honor.
True powerhouses learned to fight as if nothing had been lost.
"But even so... next time, Oden—will you still have the nerve to raise your blade against me?"
Darren's lips curled into a faint grin.
Oden was growing. But he himself was not idle either.
Darren's gaze fell upon the floating Enma before him. His smile deepened.
After everything, he had begun to forge a combat system all his own.
Close-range slaughter, powered by monstrous physique, Haki, and inhuman martial skill;
Magnetic sword control—for mid to long-range and area-of-effect attacks.
The two facets complemented each other, filling in the gaps where his Devil Fruit lacked direct offense.
Now all he had to do was keep training, steadily improving his Haki, and collect more famed blades to integrate into his magnetic arsenal...
At this rate, it wouldn't be long before he reached Admiral-level strength.
As Darren contemplated his future, a rumbling stomach cut through the silence.
He looked up and saw Toki's face flushing scarlet. He couldn't help but smile softly.
"My apologies, Toki. I've been careless."
"You've spent the whole day looking after me... You must be starving."
Toki bit her lower lip lightly, then shook her head.
Her traitorous stomach betrayed her, and color flushed even her translucent earlobes.
He gently flicked his finger.
With a flash, Enma shot forward, vanishing beneath the sea's surface without even a splash.
"Mr. Darren... what are you doing?"
Toki's eyes widened with curiosity.
Before she could finish the question, Enma burst back out of the water—hovering before Darren, several silver-scaled fish skewered along its blade. Their tails twitched, catching the sunlight in dazzling arcs.
"This... is that even possible?"
Toki covered her mouth in wonder.
Wasn't this blade supposed to be one of the world's greatest treasures?
Darren casually picked up a few stones and built a campfire, smiling as he asked,
"Sashimi or grilled?"
Toki tilted her head thoughtfully.
"Then we'll have both."
From the silver hoverboard planted in the sand, Darren separated two portions of metal and shaped them into plates and chopsticks.
Under Toki's astonished gaze, he deftly cleaned and gutted the fish. Two were skewered and placed over the fire, while the other two were expertly sliced into thin sashimi.
There weren't any seasonings—but in this world, with no strange radiation or pollutants, the sea provided pristine, high-quality seafood. With ingredients like these, the simplest preparations brought out their purest flavors.
"Your meal, my lady."
Darren presented the grilled fish and sashimi with a graceful flourish—like a five-star chef—which made Toki giggle.
"Thank you, Chef Darren."
Smiling, she tidied the hem of her kimono and kneeled properly across from him with all the grace of a noble daughter raised in refinement.
She reached out her pale, slender hand, picked up her chopsticks, and brought a bite of grilled fish to her mouth.
Her eyes narrowed in satisfaction as she chewed gently.
"Mmm... it's delicious."
In contrast to her poise and grace, Darren ate like a starving beast—scooping several slices of sashimi at once and swallowing them whole with barely a chew.
His body, desperately depleted, needed energy fast.
After downing an entire fish, a faint flush of color returned to his face, lifting him from his corpse-like pallor.
He exhaled slowly, then asked offhandedly,
"Toki... you're not afraid of me?"
Toki's gaze was gentle as she looked at the Marine commodore before her. She shook her head with a smile.
"You mean... the way you fought those pirates earlier?"
"You were protecting me. Why would I ever be afraid?"