Three days passed swiftly.
"Admiral Sengoku, all preparations are complete."
"In three hours, our target—Byrnndi World—will arrive on an island north of Rubeck. It's uninhabited. I recommend launching the operation there."
Inside the Battleship's cabin, Sengoku listened to the calm, firm voice coming through the military Den Den Mushi. His brows began to furrow.
"Darren, can you confirm the intel's accuracy?"
"World has been slipping through our fingers for days. Even the World Government's CP units haven't been able to track the World Pirates. If this intel is false, and our operation is exposed, all our efforts will go to waste."
He glanced at Borsalino beside him—who was picking his nails with a bored expression—and sighed.
"You can rest assured, Admiral," Darren replied with steady confidence. "The source is reliable. According to my information, Byrnndi World recently acquired a massive cache of smuggled arms through underground channels in the North Blue. The deal will happen on that island."
Hearing Darren's unwavering tone, Sengoku allowed a small smile to surface.
"Good. I knew I wasn't wrong about you."
"Do you have any suggestions for the operation?"
Darren replied, voice laced with feigned humility:
"Admiral Sengoku, I'm only a Captain. A full-scale military operation against a pirate of World's caliber... it's not really my place to offer tactical advice."
"Don't give me that crap!" Sengoku snapped, chuckling. "If you've got a plan, say it now. If this mission succeeds, you'll be properly credited."
"Besides, I already submitted your promotion application. Once it clears review, you'll officially become a Commodore. That rank is more than sufficient to lead an operation of this scale."
Sengoku wasn't naive.
Known throughout the seas as the "Strategist Admiral," his political instincts and military cunning were second to none.
The Celestial Dragon Shaldes incident had forced Byrnndi World into retreat. Now, the pirate was more cautious and far more dangerous.
Even with the Marines and CP's combined intelligence network, World's whereabouts remained unknown. Sengoku had leveraged every political connection he had, reaching out to royals and ministers across the North Blue—and still found nothing.
And yet, in just two days, Darren had produced a precise time and location.
That alone spoke volumes.
An absurd idea took root in Sengoku's mind.
"Darren! That arms deal—did you set it up?!"
Sengoku's voice turned hard.
Then came Darren's calm, smiling reply:
"Admiral Sengoku's foresight is truly remarkable. Nothing gets past you."
"Yes. I arranged the deal."
"In the past few days, World's been recruiting and arming himself like mad. He even commissioned the creation of a massive cannon. He intends to use it to destroy your fleet."
Sengoku slammed a fist into the desk. His face was dark, veins showing in his temples.
"That bastard! Does he think he can blast Marineford off the map?!"
Sengoku, who had clashed with World several times, knew just how devastating the Moa Moa no Mi could be.
If World got his hands on a supercannon, there was no telling what he might do. He'd level Marineford in one shot without hesitation.
But at least now they had forewarning.
Sengoku exhaled slowly.
"You didn't really give him that cannon, did you? Darren... I trust you wouldn't do something that reckless."
"No, Admiral. I gave it to him."
Sengoku sprang from his chair, voice booming so loudly it nearly shattered the cabin ceiling.
Even Borsalino winced, rubbing his ear.
Smoke practically poured from Sengoku's nostrils as he stared at the transponder snail.
"Please, Admiral. Hear me out. I had my reasons."
Darren's voice remained unbothered.
"World seems unhinged, but he's extremely hard to bait. He has ambitions to destroy the world—but he's no fool."
"Without a prize worth chasing, he would never take our bait. Especially not while injured."
"This may be the only chance we'll ever get to trap him in the North Blue."
"If he escapes to the Grand Line or the New World, hunting him down later will be ten times harder—maybe more."
Sengoku listened. His brow remained furrowed, fingers massaging his temples.
"Darren... this is reckless."
"No, Admiral. Trust me."
There was something unshakable in Darren's tone.
"I wouldn't hand him a weapon like that unless I was confident I could deal with the consequences."
"And regarding this operation... I have a proposal."
Then, clearly and firmly:
"I want to command this mission myself."
"I will lead the North Blue fleet into battle!"