The Only Hope

Two people stared at each other from opposite ends of the hospital corridor.

Snowflakes drifted outside the window.

Momonga felt that it was even colder inside than out.

Cold to the bone.

Darren's smile grew broader, defiant and even crazed.

"You said nothing like this had ever happened before..."

"Yes. It truly never has."

"But 'never happened before' doesn't mean it's impossible. And it certainly doesn't mean it's wrong."

His tone suddenly turned meaningful.

"There's a world of difference between one and zero."

At those words, Momonga felt as if he'd been struck by lightning. His hands trembled slightly.

An unprecedented terror seized him, making it impossible to breathe, nearly suffocating him.

But the next moment, he clenched his fists, raised his head with a resolute gaze, and gritted his teeth.

"I'm going with you."

Darren smiled with satisfaction, as if he'd finally gotten the answer he wanted.

But he immediately refused.

"No need. It'll be easier for me to act alone."

"And even if something really does happen to me, I'll feel at ease leaving the North Blue fleet in your hands."

"Stay here and keep an eye on those two."

"I'll be back soon."

With that, Darren turned and left without hesitation.

Only after Darren's figure disappeared at the far end of the hospital corridor did Momonga, who'd been standing motionless like a statue, slowly let out a breath.

He realized that his back was already slick with cold sweat.

He was silent for a moment, then solemnly saluted toward the end of the corridor.

Even though no one was there anymore.

Suddenly,

Momonga found himself looking out the window.

Snow blanketed the sky, casting a gloom over the whole world.

The clouds in the distance were pitch-black, lightning flashing and thunder rumbling within them, as if a tremendous storm were brewing.

"The times are changing..."

Momonga murmured, then turned around, his gaze quickly regaining its usual resolve.

"You truly live up to your name, Captain Darren."

His voice trembled as he murmured, though a heartfelt smile appeared on his lips.

"Being your adjutant... is an honor."

He clenched his fist.

Darren was right.

There was no point in going with him.

With his own strength, he couldn't be of any help to Darren.

But perhaps he could do something by staying behind.

One minute later.

After leaving the hospital, Darren arrived alone in the northern part of Batia Island.

A range of rolling mountains stretched across the area. The dense forests that had once covered them in lush green had turned into a world of white under the heavy snow.

After making sure no one had seen him, Darren took a crumpled piece of white paper from his coat.

It was only half a sheet, with a clear tear along one edge.

A Vivre Card.

His own Vivre Card.

He laid it flat on his palm. As if driven by some invisible force, the card slowly drifted in a certain direction.

Once he'd determined which way to go, Darren put the card away.

Though acting now was certainly risky, Darren wasn't one to act recklessly.

He'd risen from the lowest ranks, starting as a common soldier, to his current position and authority. He hadn't relied on strength alone.

Caution, vision, strategy, analytical ability... He believed he was second to none in any of those.

During the handover, he'd already confirmed that all the Cipher Pol agents assigned to escort Saint Childers belonged to CP1.

They were a group of intelligence agents who were even less capable than the CP9 agents stationed at Enies Lobby.

That meant the guards escorting Saint Childers... didn't know Haki.

That was all he needed to know.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, faint arcs of electricity suddenly danced between Darren's fingers.

An invisible field of force expanded from his body in an instant.

The metal bracer on his right arm melted, writhing like liquid metal as it quickly stretched into a very thin metal board.

It was about a meter long and less than half a meter wide, with a triangular front end and a sleek, streamlined shape.

Like a silver-white skateboard, it floated steadily in midair.

Darren stepped onto it, bending his knees and leaning forward.

The next moment—

Propelled by a magnetic force that raged and surged,

the metal board shot forward with astonishing speed, carrying the Marine Captain past the speed of sound in the blink of an eye. Deep sonic booms burst through the air.

It soon disappeared into the dark clouds, where lightning flashed and thunder rumbled, vanishing into the distant sky.

At the same time.

On the open sea off Batia Island.

A luxurious passenger ship bearing the World Government flag sailed slowly across the water.

"Achoo!"

"Damn this weather. It's midsummer, and it's snowing. This isn't the New World."

On deck, the Celestial Dragon Saint Childers sneezed, tightened his fine clothes around himself, and cursed under his breath.

Heavy snow fell from the gloomy gray sky, swirling down to cover the ship's deck and masts. A thin layer of frost spread over the vessel, which had been painted white from bow to stern.

The icy sea wind blew straight into his face. The cold had even fogged the glass dome he used to keep out the air.

"Saint Childers! According to the planned route, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the ship will arrive at the Holy Land in two days."

A Cipher Pol agent in a black suit came over respectfully, knelt on one knee, and offered him a soft fur coat with both hands.

"The World Government's CP1 has twelve members, all at your service during this return voyage!"

Saint Childers took the fur coat, which looked extremely expensive, draped it over himself, and said with some displeasure,

"Why is it only CP1? Where are the CP0 agents?"

Celestial Dragons each had their own personal guards, but Saint Childers's guards had been almost entirely wiped out when they encountered the World Destroyer, Byrnndi World.

Among the World Government's intelligence agencies, CP0 was the highest echelon of Cipher Pol and had the authority to deploy all personnel from CP1 through CP9.

Under normal circumstances, after facing such a threat and danger, the Holy Land should have sent at least one CP0 agent to handle his security.

Not CP1, whose main responsibility was intelligence work.

The CP1 leader answered with anxious deference,

"Saint Childers, the CP0 agents are currently working with the Marines to hunt down the great pirate Byrnndi World. Many of their forces have been called away."

"The Cipher Pol department has already assessed the safety of this return voyage. There will be no problems at all. Please rest assured."

Hearing this, Saint Childers reluctantly nodded.

Celestial Dragons had the authority to summon CP0, but only for important matters or times of crisis.

Under normal circumstances, the real authority to deploy CP0 rested with the World Government's highest authority, the Five Elders.

"Sir, the weather is cold. Please return to your cabin and rest."

The CP1 leader spoke respectfully.

Saint Childers waved a hand.

"No. Take me to see my wife first."

The CP1 agent nodded, turned, and led the way into a separate cabin.

The cabin was dim, filled with the smell of damp and rot, with a faint trace of blood in the air.

A slave's cage stood in the middle of the room.

A little girl sat there trembling, shackles on her hands and feet and a gag covering her mouth.

The moment she saw the Celestial Dragon enter, her eyes, red from crying, hardened with defiance. She glared at him.

"What a wonderful look in your eyes..."

Saint Childers's heart pounded with excitement.

This was exactly the feeling...

Everyone else, when they learned who he was, became as obedient and fearful as a dog.

There was no fun in that.

He wanted that defiant look. That was what made conquering her worthwhile.

Watching her gradually break under his torment, seeing the light in her eyes slowly fade...

That process was truly the most enjoyable thing in the world.

"Just a little longer... my sweet wife. Just a little longer. Once we're back at the Holy Land, we'll live happily ever after."

He couldn't help throwing his head back and laughing. His irritation over the weather vanished, and he left the cabin.

Though his blood was already racing and he was struggling to hold himself back,

how could a noble Celestial Dragon amuse himself in this filthy, lowly cabin?

Besides, she was covered in dirt. He'd have to clean her up at the Holy Land first.

Otherwise, that lowly smell might get on him, too.

The cabin door closed again.

In the darkness,

the dim light swayed with the motion of the ship, casting shifting patterns of light and shadow.

The little girl sat there without moving.

Fresh scrapes marked her knees and arms, likely from being dragged into the cage.

Her small body curled tightly into the corner, hidden in shadow.

No one noticed that

her little hand was clenched into a fist.

She gripped a piece of paper hidden in her palm.

It was something the handsome Marine big brother had slipped into her hand while "restraining" her.

She didn't know what it was.

But for some reason,

she hadn't let go of it.

As if it could give her safety and protection, and... in this dark world,

the only hope.

(A Vivre Card, also known as a Life Paper, is a special item from the anime One Piece. It can neither be soaked nor burned and is made by mixing the owner's fingernail into its material. The paper represents its owner's life force. People usually tear it up and give the pieces to family or friends before parting; the pieces then all point toward their owner. The white paper Ace gave Luffy in Alabasta was a Vivre Card.)