"What… what is that...?"
"Did his arm just get bigger?"
"Is it muscle expansion? His strength has reached such an unbelievable level..."
"He looks just like a real giant warrior!"
The royal dignitaries stared in shock at the outrageous scene before them. Smoke and debris rolled across the ground like a coiling dragon, and a massive, gaping crater had formed in front of their eyes.
"That kid Daren is outrageous..."
Garp's eyes were wide as he watched the chaos unfold, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably.
Chinjao the Drill had been his long-time rival, and his strength was no joke—one of the top contenders on the seas. In his prime, his power had even come close to matching that of a Marine Admiral.
Even though Garp had dented his pointed head long ago, the sheer impact of that headbutt had been very real.
Garp figured that with Daren's current strength, he should be able to block it without issue—that's why he let him handle it.
But he hadn't expected Daren to go about it in such a crude and primal way!
Suddenly, a voice full of excitement burst out beside him. Kuzan had somehow thawed himself out of the ice and was now staring at the scene with a flushed, exhilarated expression.
"Amazing!! He really is my 'lifelong rival'!!"
Eyes blazing, he turned to Garp and asked eagerly:
"Garp-san, do you think I'm Daren's equal now?"
"No," Garp replied without hesitation.
Kuzan was momentarily stunned, but the joy on his face only deepened. He clenched his fists.
"This is so motivating!!"
"Not only did he get bigger, but he's really hard too!"
"That's what a real tough guy should be!!"
Tokikake, who had been cowering nearby, froze at Kuzan's words.
"He got bigger… and he's hard?"
Something clicked in his mind. His mouth slowly formed a shocked "O" shape.
"No way..."
His face flushed and then turned pale. Suddenly, he slapped himself hard, startling both Garp and Kuzan.
What's this guy on about now?
"Damn it!! No wonder he didn't want my medicine!!"
Tokikake howled in despair.
...
"Damn... you little brat, what the hell is going on..."
Chinjao groaned from the ground, barely conscious after being slammed down. Stars danced in his vision.
"I'm sorry, but Fish-Man Island isn't a place for you to cause trouble."
Daren straddled him, sitting squarely on Chinjao's chest. The overwhelming power of a giant bore down on him, almost knocking him out.
A cocky smile tugged at Daren's lips as he looked down at him.
"If this were any other day, you'd be losing at least an arm—if not your life."
"But today is King Neptune's wedding. On a day of joy like this for Fish-Man Island, it's best not to spill blood."
Chinjao's pupils shrank.
That look in this Marine brat's eyes... he wasn't bluffing!
"Vice Admiral Daren, please show mercy!"
Just then, a middle-aged man in traditional Chinese robes stumbled out from the crowd, gasping for breath as he shouted,
"Chinjao acted on impulse, he had no intention of defying the Marines!"
The king of Kano Country?
Daren cast a glance at him.
Before he could speak, the king of Kano Country bowed deeply and said sincerely,
"On behalf of Chinjao, and in the name of the King of Kano Country, I offer you my deepest apologies."
"For all the damage caused, Kano Country is willing to offer sufficient compensation."
His eyes were filled with urgency, cold sweat pouring down his face. He had no time to uphold his royal dignity.
Chinjao was the backbone of the Happo Navy, commanding Kano Country's military forces. He could not be allowed to fall here.
If Daren killed him now, the entire Kano Country would plunge into chaos—and might even be invaded by enemy nations taking advantage of the instability.
Daren's eyes glinted.
This king knew when to advance and when to retreat.
With Chinjao attacking Garp and disrupting the wedding at Ryugu Castle, as a Marine, Daren would've been fully justified in killing him on the spot.
But the King of Kano Country, a member of the World Government, had personally set aside his pride to apologize. That alone gave Daren more than enough face.
Far smarter than those arrogant, high-and-mighty royals from other allied nations.
"It's not my place to decide."
Daren suddenly smiled and turned to the other guests.
"I'm just a Vice Admiral. Chinjao the Drill's behavior earlier offended many of the distinguished guests here."
"If you're willing to forgive him, I've got no objections."
As soon as he said this, the eyes of the other royal dignitaries lit up.
They looked at Daren with admiration and approval.
What a tactful move!
Not only did he speak with grace, but he also handled the situation flawlessly—humbling himself and giving full respect to the royals present.
Cobra and King Riku exchanged a glance, both catching the look of appreciation in each other's eyes.
No wonder Rogers Daren's rise through the Marine ranks was like a rocket.
Setting aside his monstrous strength, just this ability to handle things so smoothly was enough to make him a political powerhouse, able to navigate complex diplomacy with ease.
Hearing this, the King of Kano Country immediately turned and bowed toward the other World Government delegates.
"Please forgive us. Kano Country is willing to offer a token of goodwill as a gesture of sincerity."
Seeing his earnestness, the others began to speak up one after another.
"You're too kind. Commander Chinjao acted out of impulse."
"Yeah, exactly..."
"No one got hurt anyway."
"Let's put this matter to rest. The important thing today is to celebrate King Neptune's wedding."
As fellow member nations of the World Government, no one wanted to blow this out of proportion. Political compromise was par for the course.
"We defer to your judgment."
Daren smiled modestly and turned his attention back to Chinjao lying on the ground.
"Still, while he may be spared the death penalty, some punishment is necessary."
He suddenly grinned.
"Don't move. Bear with it for a bit."
Chinjao blinked.
Before he could react, Daren grabbed his head with both hands.
Zzzzt...
Violent power and Haki surged together, black lightning crackling from the clash.
With a loud roar, Daren pressed down with both hands!
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHHH!!"
Chinjao's scream of agony echoed through the hall, making everyone's scalp tingle and sending chills down their spines.
But soon, they noticed something strange—and their expressions began to change.
Under Daren's "brutality," Chinjao's dented skull began to shift... and something sharp started to reform, sprouting before their very eyes like a drill spike!
Seconds later...
Daren released his grip, exhaled slowly, and stood up.
He clapped his hands with a cheerful smile.
"All done."
Chinjao gasped for breath, eyes fixed on Daren.
"What... what did you do...?"
He instinctively touched his head—only to feel a sharp, familiar point. He froze.
"This... this is..."
His hands began to tremble. His eyes reddened. Tears welled up.
"My drill... it's back!!!"
So... this Marine brat restored it!?
Suddenly realizing the truth, he jumped up, bowed deeply toward Daren's back, and said with a trembling voice,
"Daren... thank you! Thank you so much!!"
Daren waved it off.
"Just a small favor."
Everyone present let out a quiet sigh of relief, smiles spreading across their faces.
Chinjao got his head spike back—he was satisfied.
Kano Country regained a powerful asset—their king was satisfied.
The other royals were shown proper respect—they were satisfied.
Everyone was satisfied. A perfect ending.
"What a smooth operator..."
The thought echoed in everyone's mind.
They turned back toward the arrogant Vice Admiral—only to see he was already surrounded by a crowd of flirtatious women.
The kings, dignitaries, nobles, and merchant reps all twitched with suppressed rage.
Their wives, daughters, and concubines were now draping themselves around the handsome Marine like moths to a flame.
One elegant woman in a Western gown boldly reached out and touched Daren's firm, muscular chest. Her cheeks flushed, her heartbeat racing, but her eyes sparkled as she giggled seductively,
"Giggle… Vice Admiral Daren, you're so big and hard…"
The other ladies followed suit, emboldened by her lead, fawning over him and filling the air with perfume and laughter.
The faces of the kings and envoys turned as black as charcoal.
Garp: "Bwahahaha!"
Kuzan, eyes blazing: "So cool!"
Tokikake, seething: "You damn animals!!"
Hidden in the crowd, Stussy curled her lips in disdain—but deep down, she felt a strange pang of irritation.
...
(100 Chapters Ahead)
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