Marineford — Fleet Admiral's Office.
The air was stifling.
Every senior officer from Marine Headquarters had gathered, and not a single one looked calm. The heavy silence clung to the room like a wet cloak, broken only by the occasional scrape of boots shifting uneasily on the polished floor.
Then—
Bang!
Kong's fist slammed into his desk, the force fracturing the surface into a spiderweb of cracks.
"Still no word from Darren?!" he bellowed. "Not a damn update, Sengoku?!"
Sengoku flinched. He had been pacing relentlessly, worry etched deep into the furrows of his brow.
"N-no… nothing yet, Fleet Admiral Kong."
"Damn it all..." Kong hissed, pressing his fingers to his temple. His frustration bled into every line of his face.
It had been over twenty-four hours since Darren had checked in—his last transmission coming through a secure Den Den Mushi line from Wano Country. Since then, total silence.
Not a whisper. Not a trace.
Had something gone wrong?
"Did he cross paths with Kaido…?" one Vice Admiral murmured.
The possibility sent a ripple of unease through the room.
The longer the silence stretched, the heavier their concern grew.
"Well, you lot are acting like he's dead already."
The voice came lazily from the sofa.
Garp sat reclined with his legs propped up, a half-empty bag of senbei in hand. He crunched one into his mouth, unfazed by the tension around him.
"That kid's way too slippery to die so easily."
He chuckled. "Besides, it wouldn't be the first time Kaido caught him."
Kong and Sengoku both twitched.
Several Vice Admirals turned to glare at Garp, faces darkening.
"Garp, you damn geezer—!"
Before they could finish, Sengoku marched over and snatched the senbei straight out of his hand. Without a word, he dumped the remaining contents into his own mouth.
"Hey! That was mine!"
"Too bad! You've had enough!"
"You can't even chew properly, old goat!"
"Want me to beat you to death with the empty bag?!"
Within seconds, the two were locked in a petty scuffle, grappling on the floor like quarrelsome schoolboys. Dust and curses flew in equal measure.
"Enough!"
Kong erupted, his voice shaking the walls.
He rose from his chair, Conqueror's Haki bursting forth like a storm. A violent gust surged through the office, black lightning crackling across the air.
The entire room recoiled. Several Vice Admirals staggered under the weight of it, raising their arms defensively against the sheer pressure. Their knees nearly buckled.
Even Garp and Sengoku froze, instinctively straightening like schoolchildren caught red-handed.
"Hmph."
Kong withdrew his Haki with a huff, returning to his chair with a weary sigh.
Though they hadn't sounded a public alarm, Marineford's docks were already prepared: five elite battleships stationed in port, fully manned, ready to deploy.
Sakazuki and Borsalino had already departed and were presumed to be en route to the New World. Tensions were high, and the window for inaction was rapidly closing.
Kong rubbed his forehead, brow deeply furrowed.
We can't afford to wait much longer.
Darren's disappearance wasn't just a personal matter. Not anymore. Since his devastating raid on Totto Land, he had become something far greater—an icon, a deterrent. A strategic asset.
They couldn't risk losing him.
Just then, the door burst open.
One of Sengoku's personal guards rushed inside, breathless and flushed with urgency. "Report! Urgent news from the New World!"
Sengoku stepped forward instantly. "Speak!"
"Vice Admiral Darren has been sighted—alive!"
A moment of stunned silence filled the room.
Then cheers erupted.
"Excellent!" Sengoku slammed his fist into his palm, a rare, genuine grin lighting his face.
Relief swept through the room like a cleansing tide.
Darren had become too important—not just for morale, but for Marine strategy itself. In a single operation, he'd acquired over a billion berries in military 'support'—not to mention his growing reputation as a one-man army.
Sengoku's chest swelled with pride.
To think… Darren may even surpass Sakazuki or Borsalino in influence someday.
Then the thought struck him—and his smile wavered.
Could he even surpass... me?
He blinked. No—ridiculous. I'm next in line for Fleet Admiral. Obviously.
Still, the grin he wore was no longer as confident.
And that was all the opening Garp needed.
With speed belying his years, Garp snatched the remaining senbei back, cradling it like treasure. "Hah! I told you! That brat's not going down anytime soon!"
Laughter exploded from him, tears springing to the corners of his eyes.
"Rogers Darren—Marine Headquarters' Greatest Disgrace!" he roared.
Kong exhaled slowly, the knot in his chest finally beginning to loosen.
He wasn't naive. Darren was a magnet for trouble—a walking offense to every major pirate in the Grand Line.
But he was alive.
That was what mattered.
"That's all that matters," Kong muttered, his voice barely audible, yet filled with relief.
Sengoku turned to his guard. "Where is he now?"
The soldier hesitated.
"Well... Admiral Sengoku, that's…"
Sengoku frowned. "Spit it out. We're all core personnel here. No secrets."
The guard looked around the room nervously before leaning in.
"Sir... Vice Admiral Darren is currently… in the Pleasure District."
Silence.
Sengoku's smile froze on his face.
Kong: …
Tsuru: …
The officers: …
And then—
"PfffffHAHAHAHA!" Garp doubled over, pounding the armrest of the sofa with abandon. "That damned brat! Straight from Wano to the Pleasure District?!"
He wiped tears from his eyes. "Marine's greatest disgrace, indeed!"
Kuzan smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Fight hard, play harder. The man lives what he preaches."
"This is… so cool."
To be continued...