The room had gone still—deathly still.
Clack…
Two broken fangs hit the wooden floor with a chilling clarity, the sharp sound echoing like a verdict in the quiet.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Stussy: ...
Darren: (￣∀￣)
Stussy: (._.)
Shock slowly dawned across Stussy's elegant features. Her lips parted in disbelief.
Her fangs had shattered.
Her vampire fangs—capable of piercing through steel like paper—had snapped like brittle glass against this man's skin.
What in the hell was his body made of?
She had seduced kings, sunk her teeth into warlords, and assassinated enemies whose skin was said to be tougher than armor. And yet Darren's neck remained unblemished, not a drop of blood spilled.
Her thoughts scrambled.
Charlotte Linlin's "Steel Balloon" body was already said to be invulnerable—an iron fortress of flesh.
But this… this might be something even more terrifying.
The realization struck like lightning.
Could it be... the Indestructible Body?
Stussy's breath hitched.
How? How could that be possible?
"Well," Darren said lazily, rubbing his neck where her fangs had barely left a mark, "I didn't expect you to be a vampire..."
There was a glint in his eye—amused, curious, dangerous.
His fingers traced the faint dent where she'd bitten, and he cocked his head. "So, is this Vegapunk's doing? Lineage Factor manipulation? Or an Artificial Devil Fruit?"
Stussy's heart skipped a beat.
He knows.
Artificial Zoan Fruits, created by Dr. Vegapunk, were one of the government's deepest secrets—still unstable, highly experimental, and locked down behind layers of classified clearance. Even CP0 agents whispered about them in code.
Only those closest to Vegapunk—those like her—knew the truth.
And this man had just guessed it.
Not only that—he knew about her secret allegiance. Her loyalty to Vegapunk, her deep-cover status within the World Government.
Just how much does he know?
Stussy's mind raced, trying to piece together how she'd lost control so quickly. Her mission, her layers of deception—shattered in mere minutes. The Vice Admiral who was rumored to be a brute… was anything but.
She recalled the dossiers: Lustful. Extravagant. Arrogant. Volatile. Dangerous.
Yet closer analysis always hinted at something else—something colder, more calculating.
Was this fall into the Pleasure District truly an accident?
Had he staged it, knowing who she was? Was all of this just a trap to lower her guard and draw out her secrets?
And if that was true…
Then what did he really want?
What card was he planning to play next?
A chill swept through her spine, drowning out the simmering heat.
If Darren had seen the tangle of thoughts in her mind, he probably would've sighed and muttered, "You spies always think everyone else is playing 5D chess. Sometimes, people just fall out of the sky."
"It's definitely artificial," Darren said aloud, thoughtfully. "Vegapunk never ceases to amaze. Five hundred years ahead of the world… they weren't exaggerating."
He wasn't lying. A part of him was fascinated. The idea of combining science with power—of marrying technology to raw strength—held immense appeal. If he could get his hands on even a fragment of Vegapunk's research…
The North Blue Fleet would become unstoppable.
But Egghead Island remained under heavy lock and key. Not even Vice Admirals had clearance to approach. Only Borsalino, as head of the Special Science Group, might get close.
And Darren, for all his growing power, wasn't ready to burn that bridge just yet.
Not unless the World Government forced his hand.
But his smile turned cold as he looked at the woman before him.
And then, without warning, he pinched her cheek.
Hard.
"You've been a very naughty girl," he said, voice low and amused. "We were having such a nice conversation, and then you decided to bite me. That's not very polite, is it?"
Stussy's eyes flared. Panic touched the edge of her features for the first time.
His grip tightened. Her body was locked against him, completely immobile.
She squirmed, but Darren didn't budge.
CP0 agents were killers—masters of espionage, assassination, subterfuge. But raw strength was never their forte.
Darren, on the other hand, had already surpassed the level of a giant in terms of sheer power. His ability, Giant's Strength, combined with his monstrous constitution, made him an immovable wall of muscle and might.
Stussy's breath caught.
Her fangs had broken.
Her secrets were laid bare.
And now… she couldn't even move.
The fear crept in like ice under the skin.
"So tell me," Darren whispered, his smile humorless, "how should I punish you?"
She clenched her jaw, crimson eyes blazing. "Who the hell are you? Even as a Vice Admiral, there's no way you should know all this!"
Darren laughed. "Didn't you just list all my titles? Don't pretend you didn't memorize them like a fangirl."
He tilted his head.
"But you missed one."
Her breath caught. "...What?"
With a flick of his wrist, Darren hoisted her up like a rag doll. Her bat-like wings flared wide, sending a windstorm roaring through the room, whipping curtains and furniture into chaos.
Still, Darren stood unmoved, calm as a statue.
"You missed my favorite one," he said, eyes gleaming.
"The greatest disgrace in Marine history."
And with that, he threw her—hard.
Thud!
She crashed into the bed, her dress ripping open, threads catching and tearing. Her body sprawled across the sheets, pale skin exposed, wings twitching behind her, crimson eyes wild.
The woman who once reigned as the Queen of the Pleasure District now looked both otherworldly and helpless—an angel fallen in disgrace.
Darren approached slowly, his shadow falling across her trembling form.
He leaned down, his voice low, deliberate.
"So come on, Empress of Temptation. Show me what all the fuss is about."
For a moment, Stussy couldn't breathe.
Her composure collapsed completely.
This wasn't seduction anymore.
This was power.
This was the Indestructible Body.
And at last, as her pupils trembled and her voice caught in her throat, the unthinkable passed her lips.
"No..."
To be continued...