Sengoku stared down the tight-lipped, stone-faced officers before him, fury simmering to the surface.
"If Darren's determined to stay hidden, no one is going to find him…"
From his chair, Kuzan leaned back, fingers laced behind his head. "...He knows our deployments and intelligence nets better than any of us."
A tic jumped at the corner of Sengoku's eye as he drew a long breath.
Garp, crunching on a senbei nearby, chuckled as if to soothe him. "Don't blow a gasket, Sengoku. The Government already called off all operations against Young Darren, yeah?"
Sengoku ignored him, lost in calculation.
Then—
Bang!
The conference room door slammed open and a frantic figure stumbled inside.
"F-Fleet Admiral Sengoku! We've found him!"
"Vice Admiral Darren—no, Rogers Darren… we found him!"
Sengoku went rigid.
"Where?"
Whoosh.
Sakazuki and Kuzan snapped to their feet, eyes cutting to the messenger.
"He's… he's on… a world broadcast!" the man panted, voice shaking.
The room fell into stunned stillness.
Sengoku lunged for the Visual Den Den Mushi. The projection flared, steadied, and brought a clear image into view that froze every face in the room.
On the screen,
their former comrade stood under blinding lights in a perfectly tailored suit, ringed by hundreds of reporters.
He straightened his tie and smiled into the lens.
"Hello, everyone. I'm Rogers Darren."
Bang!
A chair clattered to the floor.
Sengoku shot to his feet, palms slamming the table, bloodshot eyes locked to the screen.
"What is he planning?"
---
The former Marine Vice Admiral's voice rolled out calm and sonorous, carrying across the world on the live feed of the Visual Den Den Mushi.
It reached every corner of the sea.
Fish-Man Island.
"Is it starting, Darren?"
Douglas Bullet sat on a headless corpse in a CP uniform, a vicious grin splitting his face as he watched the screen. He squeezed the severed head in his lone hand until it burst, blood spattering his cheek and sharpening that feral smile.
"Kahahaha! Let's flip this world… upside down!"
Boom!
A crushing aura erupted from him, black and crimson lightning crackling through the air.
Nearby, Dracule "Hawk-Eye" Mihawk, Gecko Moria, and Crocodile stood amid the wreckage of Government vessels and the bodies of dozens of CP agents.
A violent wind tore at their cloaks and coats, cloth snapping like thunder.
Four one-armed titans stood atop Fish-Man Island's highest peak, their presence alone daring anyone to draw near.
---
"Heh heh heh heh… it's about to begin."
New World—the main hall of the Donquixote Family's base.
A young, golden-haired Celestial Dragon threw his head back and laughed at the Den Den Mushi screen, upending a glass of dark red wine.
It ran from the corners of his mouth like blood, staining his loose white shirt.
"Come on, Godfather… don't let me down."
---
"Mamamama! Now that's a man worthy of my eye!"
In Totto Land's towering Whole Cake Chateau, Big Mom watched the figure on the screen, fervor burning in her gaze as she licked her bright red lips.
"See that, Katakuri? He's no longer a Marine. Which means he'll be mine soon…"
Behind her, Katakuri knelt with his head bowed, veins standing out along his temple. A crimson edge of killing intent flashed in his narrowed eyes.
---
Wano Country, Onigashima.
"Boss Kaido! Th-that Marine brat!"
In the Chamber of Deliberation, a fat man in black-and-white overalls jabbed a finger at the screen, disbelief etched across his face.
"He's still alive!"
"No kidding!" Kaido bellowed, eyes bloodshot, reeking of sake as he glared at the image. "If a brat like that went down easy, what would that say about my 'Indestructible Body'?!"
Queen scratched at his scalp. "Is that right? I still figure you'd lose to those three monsters at Marine Headquarters…"
BOOM!
A massive, dragon-scaled hand smashed Queen's head into the wall with bone-grinding force.
The Beasts Pirates shrank back into the corners, holding their breath under Kaido's fury.
At the doorway, a small head with white hair and crimson oni horns peeked in. The child's eyes sparkled as she watched the black-haired youth on the screen.
"It's Darren-san…"
---
The sudden world broadcast seized the attention of factions and powers everywhere.
Across the globe, people stopped mid-task, eyes glued to their screens, waiting for the most notorious criminal alive to speak.
"I won't waste time on introductions."
The broadcast continued.
On-screen, the former Vice Admiral planted both hands on the podium.
"I'm sure the recent reports about me have stirred your curiosity—your questions."
"This world broadcast is meant to answer them."
"So, the first question…"
Whoosh.
Every reporter in the hall raised a hand at once, a tide rising in unison.
Darren smiled and pointed casually.
"Darren…-san. May I call you Darren-san?" The reporter clutched his notes, face flushed, voice trembling. "There are widespread—uh—rumors that you've assembled an incredibly powerful Flying Fleet, with extraordinary mobility and devastating long-range firepower."
"And the great fire at the Celestial Dragon Holy Land, Mary Geoise… that it wasn't solely Fisher Tiger's doing as one of the former Seven Warlords, but largely the result of a bombardment by the North Blue Flying Fleet. Is this true?"
Silence fell as if a bell jar had dropped over the hall.
You could hear a pin drop.
Every gaze fixed on Darren, breath held for his answer.
The World Economic News Paper had run the story, but one photo and sensational copy weren't proof. Given its flair for exaggeration, most nations and factions had stayed skeptical.
"An excellent question."
Darren cleared his throat, eyes crinkling with amusement.
"As for whether I possess a Flying Fleet—such a large-scale weapon of mass destruction—I do need to make one thing clear."
"It's no rumor."
For the space of a heartbeat, the world held its breath.
Then the uproar hit like thunder.
To be continued...