Only the terrifying sounds of collapsing buildings and splitting earth echoed across the island, accompanied by the arrogant, savage laughter of the great pirate in the sky.
From afar, the auction house area began to ring with the screams and sobs of civilians. Flames spread rapidly through the city, and thick black smoke billowed into the sky.
Sengoku’s eyes instantly filled with bloodshot lines. He clenched his teeth, seething with fury.
The pirates present were frozen in place, their faces blank as they stared at the apocalyptic devastation in the distance. It was a sight too harrowing to believe.
"This... this power... it’s simply beyond human capability..."
"One slash... and it almost tore half the island apart."
"This is the Golden Lion, Shiki the Great Pirate... a man who stands at the very peak of power in these seas..."
At that moment, the pirates looked like their souls had been ripped from them. Their gazes were panicked and vacant.
Bullet’s expression showed clear shock—then rapidly twisted into wild excitement.
"What overwhelming combat strength... So this is the opponent Captain Roger once acknowledged? I must... I must fight him!!"
His fists were clenched tightly.
King’s face, on the other hand, darkened grimly.
"Jihahahaha—Did you see that..."
The Golden Lion seemed immensely pleased with the power of his attack. Hovering above, he looked down upon the pale, horrified faces below, laughing wildly.
"Only I, the Golden Lion, have the right to seize this Devil Fruit. If you don’t want to die—then get the hell out of my way!"
He had barely finished shouting when—
A tall figure suddenly leapt from the wreckage of a auction house high above.
Bullet’s expression changed dramatically. He gritted his teeth in outrage.
"Darren! You bastard—that’s my opponent!!"
The abrupt development instantly seized everyone’s attention.
Sengoku’s pupils shrank.
He looked up at the Marine Commodore hurtling through the sky toward the Golden Lion. A thought surged up in his mind—one too unbelievable to accept.
Could it be... this damn brat actually intends to face death head-on!?
The surrounding pirates were just as stunned, staring blankly at the Marine commodore.
What was he trying to do?
After witnessing the terrifying power the Golden Lion had just unleashed, who among them—besides Admiral Sengoku himself—could possibly be his match?
Everyone stared breathlessly at the scene, holding their breath without realizing it.
"Come on, Golden Lion... kill me, and the More-More Fruit is yours!!"
From high above, Darren’s lips curled into a fearless, reckless grin.
The wild wind whipped at his face and hair, his snow-white cape billowing madly behind him.
His eyes locked onto the flying great pirate ahead, blazing with a glint of madness—borderline hysterical.
The Golden Lion raised an eyebrow.
This Marine brat... is he courting death?
He glanced at the charging Darren.
Their eyes locked across the space between them.
A savage smile suddenly spread across the Golden Lion’s face.
"Jihahahaha!! That look in your eyes—not bad!!"
In Darren’s eyes, he saw something—obsession, madness, and a desperate resolve.
The Golden Lion smelled it—
The scent... of a kindred spirit.
"Interesting Marine brat... then don’t blame me for not holding back!"
With a twisted roar of laughter, his aura erupted.
His famous sword lifted high into the sky, golden hair flaring in the wind—
Then it came crashing down!
The clouds split open as if torn by a colossal blade, the sky churning like a boiling sea.
A devastating golden sword aura descended like a crescent moon from the heavens—bearing the judgment of a god.
In that instant, Darren felt an overwhelming pressure of death consume his entire mind.
Facing that golden arc of destruction, every pore on his body exploded open in primal fear.
He tried to summon his power—but the seastone cuffs on his wrists clashed together, their suppressive force locking all strength inside him.
He was suspended in midair, without footing;
His power weakened by seastone;
His Devil Fruit ability as inert as dead water;
The complete shadow of death—like the overcast sky above—fully enveloped him.
Sengoku roared, his eyes blood-red.
Everyone else’s eyes widened in disbelief.
But Darren showed no fear.
His grin grew even wilder.
Every cell, every muscle in his body was burning. His bones felt like they were screaming.
His pupils, under the flood of adrenaline, began to blur.
He let out a cry—but no one could hear him.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl.
The golden slash drew closer and closer to his body.
The blinding light almost swallowed him whole.
And just as he was about to lose consciousness—
"Darren, remember... the greatest strength of Observation Haki is that no matter how close death is, you must stay calm."
Zephyr’s voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
Darren’s eyes snapped wide open.
"I... will not die!!"
In that split second—
It felt like something deep inside him had been pierced—and then burst wide open.
From that single point, a surge of power spread rapidly through his entire body.
And in that moment, all sounds faded away.
Despite the looming death, his mind became cold and crystal clear.
Darren felt his soul and senses detach from his body, rising to an omniscient, all-seeing state.
His breathing eased. Countless images and details flooded his mind—Sengoku’s tense expression, the horrified faces of the Marines, the Golden Lion’s cruel grin, Bullet’s rage...
What kind of sensation was it?
Yes—an absolute stillness, just a breath away from madness.
A supreme quiet spread through Darren’s mind.
He could hear everything.
The Observation Haki he had spent half a year training, always one step away from awakening—
And then—the sword fell!
A shattering sound split the air—something impossibly hard had been broken.
In that fraction of a second—
The Marine commodore, to the stunned disbelief of all watching, twisted his body without warning.
That sword aura, powerful enough to tear apart an island, just barely missed his body—
And shot toward the distant shore, slicing through a small trading port and sending seawater surging into the sky.
Darren’s body slammed into the ground like a cannonball, blasting out a massive crater.
Dust exploded in all directions.
He stepped out from the crater.
His wide cape fluttered gently behind him.
The seastone cuffs had been shattered, and now clattered to the ground with a crisp metallic sound.
Darren calmly flexed his wrist, then lifted his head—
And looked straight up at the pirate in the sky.
A strange glimmer of red flickered deep in his pupils.
His lips curved into a defiant, fearless smile.
"Now... the real fight begins."