The sea breeze swept away the lingering smoke from Darren's cigarette. His voice faded into the sound of the waves.
He held a calm smile, eyes fixed on Toki's breathtaking face, waiting for her answer.
Then, to Darren's mild surprise, a soft smile slowly bloomed on Toki's face.
"No, Mr. Darren. I don't regret it."
Her eyes lit up with brilliance, staring straight into his.
"My father once told me, a true man stands tall not because he hides his shame, but because he owns it."
"The fact that you could say to me, so plainly, 'I'm not a good man'—that alone proves your honesty and the openness in your heart."
"To praise your enemies, to belittle yourself, to dare to admit your faults and flaws... That is what makes you a true hero."
Her voice rang with clarity and conviction, allowing no room for doubt.
Darren was momentarily stunned.
He stared into Toki's eyes, trying to discern whether she was joking.
His mouth twitched slightly, expression frozen for a beat.
Taking a deep breath, he forced himself to maintain composure and dignity, and muttered:
"Hm. You make a good point."
A herd of a thousand wild donkeys thundered through his brain.
Are you sure you're not confused?!
Even I want to laugh hearing that!
And yet, looking at Toki's earnest face—radiating such trust and certainty—he couldn't bring himself to say a single word in protest.
Honestly... I didn't even know I was this great!
Say what you will, the people of Wano... they definitely think in mysterious ways.
Still—less explaining to do.
Darren rubbed his temples in resignation and gave a helpless smile, as if saying "so, you saw right through me".
"You've got quite the imagination. But fine—I'll do my best to help you get back to Wano."
Toki shook her head gently, smiling with warmth.
"It's alright, Mr. Darren."
Her gaze shimmered like starlight.
"With Wano's situation so tense, I imagine even the Marines can't easily interfere, right?"
"Please—continue on your original path. I'm not in a rush."
What a kind, thoughtful girl!
Even Darren—who prided himself on being ruthless, aloof, and cold-blooded—was moved by her understanding.
"Wano's situation might not be as troublesome as we think... and while the Marines can't intervene officially, that doesn't mean I can't."
Darren thought for a moment, then smiled slowly.
Since Oden had set sail, that meant there was no one left in Wano strong enough to stop him.
As for Oden's retainers—the so-called "Nine Red Scabbards" of legend—he wasn't worried in the slightest.
Which meant... perhaps it was time to set things in motion.
He had long coveted Wano's vast Seastone resources.
If he could bring Wano under his control, he'd gain a monopoly on the world's entire supply.
And beyond its mineral wealth, Wano's ancient samurai families preserved rare and powerful legacies—
Like the Kozuki Clan's secrets of Poneglyph carving and reading.
Or the Shimotsuki Clan's sword-forging techniques.
The Marines had never dared touch Wano—not because of strength, but because of politics.
The World Government had long maintained a cooperative relationship with Wano due to its resources.
An open military invasion by the Marines would contradict their supposed values of "justice" and "order."
It would also provoke unnecessary tension with the World Government.
To the Marines, Wano was a land too hot to hold.
But Darren wasn't the Marines.
He didn't care for political posturing.
And if the World Government came knocking later—well, by then, he'd be strong enough to face them.
It's just a matter of negotiation. Of sharing the spoils.
That? He was good at.
"The only thing I'm unsure of... is whether Kaido's forces have made it into Wano yet."
Darren murmured with a frown.
His priority now was to reconnect with the main Marine force, gather intelligence, recover from his injuries, and return to peak condition—before acting further in Wano.
"They should be here by now..."
He'd already left a message with HQ at the hotel, including his coordinates.
Even at their slowest, the Marines should have found him by now.
Just then, Toki's delighted voice rang out:
"That looks like a Marine ship!"
As soon as she spoke—
A brilliant light suddenly bloomed in the air behind Darren.
Golden photons gathered from every direction, coalescing into the tall figure of a man.
Striped yellow-and-white suit. Round cap on his head. A crisp, snow-white coat fluttered in the sea breeze.
Seeing his face, Toki flinched and took two steps back—hiding behind Darren.
This guy... looked really sleazy.
The man pushed up his oversized sunglasses with one finger, gave Toki a strange look, then rubbed his stubbled chin with amusement.
"Well, well... after all that effort scouring the seas for you—turns out you were just relaxing here, on vacation... Commodore Darren."
"I haven't had a single minute of rest, you know..."
Darren smiled. Somehow, that lazy, slow voice filled him with a strange sense of comfort.
"And yet... when I was imprisoned by Kaido, I kept imagining you bursting in from the sky to rescue me."
He turned with a grin, facing that ever-infuriating face.
"Too bad. You're late as always, Rear Admiral Borsalino."
Borsalino shrugged helplessly.
"Well, what can I say? You never struck me as someone who needed rescuing."
"And look—you proved me right."
"Oh, almost forgot..."
"Thanks to your actions and the intel you provided—the Beasts Pirates' main base has been completely wiped out."
"Kaido himself and a few others escaped, but aside from them..."
"The entire crew has been destroyed."
"Congratulations, Rear Admiral Darren."