A Play

Meanwhile.

North Blue, Kiev Island.

Kiev Island is a neutral island located in the North Blue.

The island is not large, housing a town of only a few thousand people, and does not belong to the sphere of influence of any nation.

Precisely because of this lack of governance, Kiev Island has gradually become a gathering place for all sorts of illegal factions.

Thieves run rampant, the mafia holds sway, pirate ships dock recklessly at the dilapidated harbor, and the sound of gunfire rings out through the streets from time to time.

Darren and Momonga stood at the harbor smoking, their black hooded coats almost completely obscuring their figures, making it impossible for anyone to discern their identities.

The bustling crowd surged across the pier, and the sounds of arguments, hawking, and cargo being dragged across the ground filled the air.

The harbor pier reeked.

Rotten fish, decaying fruit, expired spices, excrement, and even severed limbs floated along the coastline; the stench assaulting the nostrils was nothing short of hellish.

"Is everything arranged?"

Darren squinted at the merchant ship slowly sailing out of the harbor, asking as he exhaled a cloud of smoke.

"Yes. I didn't show my face; the handover to the merchant caravan was handled through a mafia faction we control. It is impossible for anyone to trace it back to us."

"She will go to a brand new place and start a brand new life."

Momonga said in a low, grave voice. Beneath his seemingly calm expression, his heart was beating rapidly.

"No need to be so nervous..."

Darren sensed Momonga's unease and turned to pat him on the shoulder with a smile.

"Aside from her, there isn't a single living soul on that ship."

"Even if they launch an investigation, they won't be able to find any clues."

"As far as this world is concerned, that little flower girl has already sunk to the bottom of the sea along with the official ship."

Momonga took a fierce drag of his cigarette and couldn't help but roll his eyes.

You certainly make it sound easy...

Thinking back on the heaven-defying "feat" this guy had pulled off, Momonga still felt his palms sweating even now.

That was a Celestial Dragon!!

A "god" possessing supreme power and status!!

But then again, upon learning that Darren's "god-slaying" operation had succeeded, he felt an indescribable sense of gratification in his heart.

The innocent, clear smile on the little girl's face when they parted ways just moments ago couldn't help but surface in his mind.

Perhaps, for a smile like that, such a risk was worth it.

Darren, you were right.

That Celestial Dragon truly deserved to die.

"What about her father? How should we handle him?"

Momonga exhaled a long plume of smoke and asked in a deep voice.

Darren pondered for a moment.

"I estimate it won't be long before they send people to Batia Island to investigate, so we cannot tell her father the truth yet. We need him to cooperate in playing out a scene."

Momonga's pupils constricted slightly.

"Investigate? Didn't you say it was impossible for them to find any clues?"

Darren sneered.

"They won't find any."

He had used the power of the Magnet-Magnet Fruit to directly block the signals of the surveillance Den Den Mushi.

Even if the government investigated the surveillance footage afterward, they would only find that the connection had been suddenly interrupted.

In this way, the conclusion they would draw is that the entire official ship was destroyed in an instant.

Consequently, the focus of their investigation would naturally shift toward those powerhouses possessing terrifying strength.

As a "mere" Captain from Headquarters, he could never be suspected.

"But regardless, the investigation team has to go through the motions to provide an explanation to the government."

Momonga suddenly realized, then frowned again.

"Do you think the government will keep investigating?"

Darren shook his head.

"Impossible. They don't have that kind of patience."

"Most importantly, this 'Celestial Dragon Incident' remains classified. Aside from the members of the investigation team and the top brass at Headquarters, no one knows about it at all."

"Since no one knows, the government naturally won't face much political pressure."

This incident involving the Celestial Dragons is different from the Sabaody Archipelago incident in the original timeline.

In the original story, Luffy of the Straw Hat Pirates assaulted a Celestial Dragon in full view of everyone; because everyone on the island knew a Celestial Dragon had been offended and attacked, the World Government was forced by political pressure to take severe measures.

An Admiral was dispatched, and Kizaru's "crusade" against the Straw Hat Pirates ended in failure, leaving him no choice but to arrest 500 unlucky pirates just to fulfill his quota.

But this time, it is different.

No one knows that a Celestial Dragon has died.

The clues and evidence have been completely sealed off and blocked by This Humble One.

The final outcome of the investigation will only be a perfunctory conclusion.

Listening to Darren's analysis, Momonga could not help but sigh with emotion:

"I truly don't know how your brain is wired... despite coming from the North Blue, your understanding and analysis of the higher-ups are so clear."

"However, if an investigation is conducted, Gion and her partner might guess something... aren't you afraid they might let something slip?"

He turned to look at Darren, his tone laced with faint concern.

Regardless of anything else, to the North Blue Marines, Gion and her partner are ultimately "outsiders."

Not to mention that their initial impression of Darren was not very good.

Darren smiled.

"Even if they guess something, they wouldn't dare to speak, and they certainly won't."

He looked at the filthy, blackened harbor before him, his expression relaxed, as if he belonged right here.

"They are good people—better than me, better than you, and even better than the vast majority of people in this world."

"They are too clean, too clear; that is their greatest strength, but also their greatest weakness."

"I have done what they wanted to do but dared not, so naturally, they won't say anything."

"And once they have made their choice..."

The Marine Captain's eyes suddenly became profound.

"They are tied to our ship."

Momonga felt a jolt in his heart and took a deep breath, then could not help but smile bitterly:

"You even utilized them? You really are a devil."

Darren laughed, unbothered.

"Momonga, do you know?"

"Life—I mean real life—is never a war between good and evil, but a choice between the greater evil and the lesser evil."

"This world has long been inverted; pure justice has no soil in which to survive."

"The vast majority of Marines either swallow their pride to become the government's guard dogs, or they can only watch crimes happen, powerless to change anything and eventually succumbing to impotent rage."

"But unfortunately, I don't want to be a dog, nor do I want to be a bystander."

He turned his gaze to look squarely at his adjutant, comrade-in-arms, and partner of many years, his eyes filled with unyielding defiance.

"All of this will change one day."

"But before that, I must be a devil..."

He exhaled a plume of smoke like a dragon, saying meaningfully:

"...because we are already living in hell."

Momonga listened to these words, stunned and silent.

After speaking, Darren's expression returned to one of ease; he stubbed out his cigarette and stretched lazily.

"Let's head back, too, and welcome our Admiral Sengoku."

He said with a smile.

Batia Island.

A massive, battle-scarred warship slowly pulled into the dock.

The prow of the ship was shaped like a Great Buddha, and the deck was stationed with grim-faced Marine soldiers, looking every bit like the most elite force in the Navy.

Civilians and merchant caravans at the port stared in stunned silence at the behemoth, which was equipped with oversized cannons and radiated a stern aura of war; they instinctively retreated, their hearts filled with shock.

—This was practically a floating fortress of war.

Sengoku led a group of Marines down from the deck, while that masked CP0 member remained hidden among the crowd.

"This island..."

Sengoku looked at the blue-roofed, white-walled architectural style of Batia Island and could not help but frown.

A personal guard walked to his side and whispered a few words into his ear.

"So that's how it is..."

Sengoku sighed inwardly; although he felt some aversion toward the conduct of the Batia Island government, he could only shake his head helplessly.

Tap, tap, tap...

At this moment, a flurry of hurried footsteps echoed from the far end of the street.

Sengoku looked up, and a gentle smile quickly bloomed across his face.

He saw Gion and Gion's partner leading over a hundred marines, rushing toward them.

"Admiral Sengoku!"

The two arrived before Sengoku and stood at attention, offering a solemn salute.

As their voices fell, the surrounding crowd of onlookers was shocked.

This plain-looking middle-aged man, wearing black-rimmed glasses and a peculiar seagull hat, was actually an Admiral of Marine Headquarters... the highest combat power of the World Government!?

"Mm, very good. You two have grown quite a bit during this trip to the North Blue."

Sengoku looked at Gion and her partner, his eyes gradually suffusing with a look of appreciation.

Through the perception of his Observation Haki, he could tell that the auras of Gion and her partner were significantly stronger than when they had left Marineford!

"It's clear that the brat Darren put quite a bit of effort into training you."

At the mention of that name, expressions of dissatisfaction and anger flashed across the faces of Gion and her partner.

"But speaking of which, why are there only the two of you?"

"Where are Darren and Momonga?"

Sengoku scanned his surroundings and asked.

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a voice accompanied by a light chuckle drifted over from the other side of the street.

"It is truly an honor for the North Blue that Admiral Sengoku has graced us with his presence."

The crowd turned to look toward the source of the sound.

They saw Darren and Momonga, both dressed in military uniforms, walking over with quick strides.

However, the moment Darren appeared, Sengoku clearly sensed through his Observation Haki that the gazes the people of Batia Island directed toward Darren were filled with anger, resentment... and fear.

They looked like people who dared to be angry but dared not speak.

This is...

Sengoku frowned, almost imperceptibly.