Not just Sengoku—even Momonga couldn't help twitching at the corners of his mouth.
He already knew Daren could be outrageous, but this was next level.
Then again, thinking it through, it didn't seem impossible. With the Marines' influence, issuing a gag order and scrubbing Dragon's presence from the Battle of Edd War wouldn't be difficult at all.
The battlefield was already cloaked in a violent storm, and Dragon had struck fast and left even faster, without leaving a single trace... Under those conditions, covering it up was practically effortless.
After the initial shock, Sengoku quickly came to his senses and started grasping the deeper meaning behind Daren's words.
On one hand, this would sever all ties between the Marines and Dragon. On the other, the credit and glory for defeating Shiki would go entirely to the Marines—something that would significantly boost their global prestige and influence.
Sengoku gave Daren, who was calmly smoking, a deep, thoughtful look.
This kid's political maneuvers were downright filthy...
But he liked it.
A satisfied smile crept onto Sengoku's face as he chuckled.
"You really are the face of the Marines. I knew I didn't misjudge you, Daren."
Daren offered a modest smile.
"You flatter me, Admiral Sengoku. I'm just trying to fulfill my duty as a Marine."
"Mm." Sengoku nodded, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.
He liked Daren more by the minute. Strong, reliable, resourceful, and—most importantly—someone who knew when to push and when to pull back. A subordinate like that was gold for any leader.
Even though the plan to hunt the great pirate Shiki had been completely orchestrated by Daren, Sengoku had still benefited plenty from the victory. It would no doubt shine brightly on his path toward becoming Fleet Admiral.
Still, Daren was a little too reckless. If something had gone wrong...
Sengoku gave it some thought and decided to give him a gentle warning.
"That said, Daren, if something like this comes up again, I hope you'll consult me beforehand."
"You're no longer just representing yourself. Every word and action of yours reflects directly on the image of the Marines. Especially when dealing with someone as dangerous as Shiki, you can't just act first and report later."
"If you inform HQ ahead of time, we can coordinate support and backup more efficiently."
Daren nodded.
"Thank you for your concern, Admiral Sengoku. I was indeed too rash this time."
"You're right—if I had spoken with you beforehand, the operation might not have been as risky."
Of course, he wasn't going to argue. The key was to stay respectful and make sure Sengoku felt heard.
Next time? He'd do it the same way anyway.
With a sigh, Daren feigned a deeply emotional look.
"I just want to keep improving, Admiral Sengoku."
Momonga: ...
Sengoku: ...
Watching Daren's utterly composed face, Sengoku rolled his eyes in exasperation.
He stood up, patted Daren on the shoulder.
"Get some rest and heal up. I'll be waiting for your return."
With that, he turned and walked toward the door.
Just as he was about to step out, he suddenly paused.
"Oh, and Daren—earlier I invited Captain Momonga to join the training camp at HQ. If you've got time, try to talk him into it. Someone with his talent is wasted in the North Blue."
Sengoku looked back as he spoke.
Daren's eyes flickered, but he kept a calm smile.
"Is that so? That's great news."
He exchanged a glance with Momonga, then nodded.
"I'll talk to him, Admiral Sengoku."
Sengoku nodded and stepped out of the ward.
"Well, I'll be going too. Looks like you two probably have a lot to talk about," Borsalino said with a grin, before suddenly dissolving into countless golden particles of light, vanishing on the spot.
The room fell quiet, leaving only Daren and Momonga.
"We actually pulled it off…"
Momonga looked at Daren, a relieved smile spreading across his face.
"But are you sure pinning it on Dragon won't backfire?"
His expression was a little uneasy.
"Of course it won't. Sengoku's not about to track down Dragon to verify anything. He's in the middle of a crucial promotion to Fleet Admiral. Dragon is the last person he wants to deal with—he's avoiding him like the plague."
Daren grinned, completely at ease.
"And if things really get messy, we just throw another billion or so his way."
Momonga twitched.
Honestly, at their level, a billion or two didn't mean much anymore.
But then he remembered the look on Dragon's face when he came to the North Blue asking for 3 billion Belly—grinning from ear to ear—and decided to let it go.
"But are you really sure you're not coming to headquarters for training?"
Daren shook his head and looked at Momonga seriously.
Momonga gave a wry smile.
"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't tempted. North Blue's just too small. When it comes to training resources or chances for promotion, headquarters definitely has the edge."
Daren nodded in agreement.
That much was true.
Now that Momonga had taken over as Admiral of the North Blue, he was already sitting at the peak of power in that sea. If he wanted to move forward, joining the training camp at headquarters was the fastest—and really, the only—way.
"But right now, there's no one else who can take command of the North Blue fleet. Honestly, I don't feel comfortable handing it over to anyone else. Let's hold off until this matter is settled."
Momonga paused in thought.
"Besides, the Goro Goro no Mi still has a lot of potential left to unlock. At least for now, I'm not hitting any kind of ceiling."
Daren took a slow puff of his cigar.
"If it really comes to it, I can train you myself."
"The training camp's not bad, sure, but it's still just that. I can always make more trips to the North Blue."
"You?" Momonga looked at him, surprised.
Daren grinned.
"What's wrong with that? You're talking to the 'King of the North Blue' here—the guy who took down Shiki. You've no idea how many people would kill to be trained by me…"
Momonga smirked.
"Training and teaching are two different beasts. Your kind of reckless training? I wouldn't survive it."
Daren chuckled with a knowing look.
"Relax. I don't plan on doing it myself. I've already lined up a few masters just for you."
The moment he caught the glint in Daren's eyes, a wave of dread washed over Momonga. His instincts screamed that something wasn't right.
Just then—
"Husband!"
The hospital room door burst open.
Momonga turned and saw a petite figure standing at the entrance, panting slightly.
It was a young woman, about twenty or so, stunningly beautiful. Her long, pale green hair cascaded like a waterfall, damp with sweat, the ends clinging to her forehead. She wore a delicately tailored pink kimono and radiated a gentle, lovely aura.
But her eyes were red-rimmed, and worry clouded her expression.
"Lady Toki."
Momonga immediately recognized her and quickly stood, greeting her with a hint of formality.
"Toki? You're here?"
Daren was surprised as well.
Amatsuki Toki didn't respond. Her reddened eyes locked onto Daren, and the next second, she rushed forward and threw herself into his arms, holding him tightly.
"Thank goodness… thank goodness you're okay…"
Tears glistened at the corners of her eyes and slid down her cheeks—enough to tug at anyone's heart.
Daren froze for a second, then smiled gently and patted her head.
"Me? How could anything happen to me? I'm a monster of Marine Headquarters, remember…"
"Really?"
Toki looked up at him like a frightened kitten, her voice barely above a whisper.
"But… Commodore Tokikake said you were already dying…"
Daren: …
Momonga: …
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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