Batiya Island
City Hall, conference room.
Everyone else had tactfully left the room. Only Darren, Momonga, Gion, Sengoku, and Borsalino remained seated.
This was a private meeting for the North Blue Marines.
Darren lit a cigar, give Borsalino wearing his signature toad shaped sunglasses a brief glance, then turned to Sengoku with a slight smile.
"Any news on how your operation against Byrnndi World went, Admiral Sengoku?"
Watching the clearly frustrated Marine Admiral before him, Darren couldn't help but find it a little amusing.
With only one of the three Admiral seats filled—Zephyr devoted to training and Garp refusing promotion—the entire burden had fallen on Sengoku alone.
A walking tragedy, Darren thought.
Sengoku shook his head. "Something came up. The operation was called off."
He lifted a teacup and took a small sip, his sharp gaze sweeping across the table before his tone grew solemn.
"The real reason I came here... is because of that."
Sensing the change in atmosphere, Gion and the others straightened up, their expressions grave.
Sengoku paused, then continued slowly.
"Yesterday, an event occurred in the North Blue that has shaken the World Government."
"Saint Shaldes, a Celestial Dragon returning to Mary Geoise from Batiya Island, was attacked en route—and killed."
Darren shot to his feet in feigned shock.
"What!? That—that's impossible!"
Momonga's face mirrored the perfect level of disbelief, while Gion and Tokikake stiffened in place.
Their eyes briefly flicked to Darren.
But seeing the stunned expression on his face, both hesitated.
Sengoku, too preoccupied with the gravity of the situation, failed to notice the subtle exchange. He pinched the bridge of his nose with a sigh.
Only Borsalino seemed to notice something—the smile on his lips growing just slightly more intrigued.
"The incident remains classified," Sengoku said wearily, "but I've been ordered to investigate thoroughly."
"Unfortunately, the surveillance Den Den Mushi aboard the government vessel failed to capture anything conclusive."
"All we can confirm is that the attack was instantaneous. The escort couldn't even react. The ship was sunk outright."
He passed a file across the table.
Darren flipped through the report, murmuring thoughtfully.
"To destroy an entire government vessel in an instant... Even in the Grand Line, there are only a few who could manage that. Let alone in the North Blue."
He handed the file to the others. Momonga skimmed it quickly. Though he'd expected the content, he was still amazed—Sengoku's investigation followed Darren's exact predictions.
"Admiral Sengoku... have you identified any suspects?" Darren asked calmly.
"Since it happened in the North Blue, part of the responsibility falls on us. My division will fully cooperate with your investigation."
Sengoku nodded, visibly pleased. "This is why entrusting the North Blue to you was the right call."
"I have a list of potential suspects, but so far, no real leads."
"I came to Batiya Island hoping to dig deeper. After all, Shaldes departed from here."
Darren nodded slowly, as if everything now made sense.
"You were in charge of his security while he was on Batiya Island," Sengoku said, tapping his fingers on the table.
"Before Shaldes set sail, did anything unusual happen? Any strange encounters or incidents?"
Gion and Tokikake flinched, their expressions uneasy.
"To be honest, Admiral..." Darren spoke up, his voice heavy with hesitation. "Something did happen."
Sengoku raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
Gion and Tokikake turned sharply toward Darren, stunned.
The Marine captain exhaled a long breath.
"It was an unfortunate event."
Carefully, he recounted the story of the flower-selling girl and her father.
...
Bang!
Sengoku's massive fist slammed down, splintering the table into pieces.
"Damn it!"
He stood, fists clenched and visibly trembling.
Whether his curse was for Shaldes, the CP agents, or himself, no one could say.
He saw in his mind the image of that small, trembling girl being dragged into the dark hull of a ship.
No one dared speak.
Eventually, Sengoku forced himself to calm down.
"The meeting ends here. I'm... tired."
Without another word, he left.
The others quickly followed.
Only Darren and Borsalino remained.
Both had faint, amused smiles on their faces.
"Sashi buri dana, Rear Admiral Borsalino," Darren said playfully, tossing him a gold-embossed cigar.
Borsalino caught it, sniffed it, and smiled. "Still the same as always, Darren. Always enjoying the finer things."
Lighting his own cigar, Darren shrugged. "Life in the Marines is hard enough. No need to make it worse by denying yourself comfort."
Borsalino studied him a moment, then grinned.
"Looks like you're doing quite well for yourself here."
He paused, tone becoming thoughtful.
"This is just the beginning, isn't it?"
Darren smiled faintly. "Who knows? I try to avoid trouble. A habit I picked up from you, actually."
Borsalino scratched his head. "Trouble's always bad."
"But trouble always finds us," Darren replied.
"As long as it doesn't involve me..." Borsalino muttered, stretching lazily.
He turned to leave, waving a hand.
"Thanks for the cigar."
Just as he stepped through the doorway, he paused.
Turning back, he flashed a smile.
"By the way, I have a theory about what really happened to the Celestial Dragon."
"Oh? Let's hear it, Rear Admiral Borsalino," Darren said, flicking ash from his cigar.
Borsalino's sunglasses gleamed.
"I think the ship was attacked by a Sea King."
"A vessel that big? Pretty hard to miss."
"Just an accident, wouldn't you say?"
Silence.
Utter silence.
Borsalino stared at Darren as if searching for something.
Darren, calm as ever, replied:
"A sharp observation. I completely agree."
They locked eyes for a long moment.
Then both men laughed.
Like a pair of cunning foxes.
---
To be continued...