You Gotta Pay More

North Blue, Batia Island.

A private residence.

"Please, this way. Captain Darren is waiting for you in the parlor."

Momonga looked at the CP0 member who had come knocking and gestured for him to follow.

The estate was massive, covering over 2,000 square meters, complete with rockeries, gardens, fountains, and even a training ground among its various facilities and structures.

As Momonga led the CP0 member through the lush garden, his palms, hidden beneath leather gloves, began to sweat without him realizing it.

For CP0 to show up in person, specifically requesting a meeting with Darren... had the government caught onto something?

Momonga forced himself to remain calm and instinctively quickened his pace, soon arriving outside the door of the parlor.

"Captain Darren."

Momonga raised his hand in a salute.

Inside the parlor, Darren, who had been sitting with his legs crossed while smoking a cigar, stood up with a beaming smile and walked over enthusiastically.

"Distinguished guests have arrived; please forgive this subordinate for failing to welcome you properly."

A mask with eerie patterns concealed the CP0 agent's expression, and a cold voice emanated from beneath it.

"Captain Darren, I come on behalf of one of the highest authorities of the World Government... Saint Damocles."

"Oh?" Darren raised an eyebrow, gestured for the CP0 agent to take a seat, and walked toward the bar to pour two glasses of whiskey, dropping a few ice cubes into the tumblers.

He had heard of this man.

This newly appointed member of the Five Elders hailed from a weak Celestial Dragon family, yet through his own formidable strength and cunning, he had aggressively secured the majority of votes in the Holy Land's Celestial Dragon assembly, rising in one fell swoop to become one of the highest authorities in the World Government.

It had to be said, it was truly a legendary tale worth singing about.

It was just that the name sounded a bit ominous.

In legend, the Sword of Damocles represented the possession of great power that was inherently insecure and easily snatched away.

Or, to put it simply, it was the fear of impending doom.

"I wonder what instructions Saint Damocles has for me?"

Darren handed the CP0 agent a glass of whiskey, sat down himself, took a sip of his drink, and asked with an air of casual indifference.

The CP0 agent did not drink; he simply set the glass down and glanced at Momonga with an expressionless gaze.

Momonga saluted once more, turned to walk out of the parlor, and closed the door behind him.

Only then did the CP0 agent take a top-secret Military Den Den Mushi from his coat, place it on the smooth tabletop, and dial a signal.

"Brrr... Brrr..."

The Military Den Den Mushi emitted a series of ringing sounds.

Seeing this, Darren narrowed his eyes.

Was it so confidential that it required a direct line to the Five Elders?

If he weren't one hundred percent certain that he hadn't left behind any evidence or traces, he would have started to suspect that the government was planning to move against him.

Soon, the Den Den Mushi connection was established.

Whoosh—

An image was instantly projected from the Den Den Mushi.

In a small, elegant, and majestic mansion, five elderly figures, some standing and some sitting, were scrutinizing the Marine Captain with peculiar gazes.

Upon seeing this, Darren immediately set down his glass with a look of trepidation, stood up from his chair, and bowed slightly.

"Marine Headquarters Captain, North Blue Admiral Rogers Darren, greets the Five Elders."

Seeing Darren's actions, the Five Elders sneered in unison.

"Enough, stop putting on a show."

"We all know exactly what kind of person you are."

"The 'scum' who is notorious throughout the Navy..."

"..."

Darren smiled slightly.

"You flatter me, my lords."

The Five Elders: ...

Darren laughed.

"I wonder why the Five Elders would personally contact a subordinate? What is the matter?"

"Admiral Sengoku is also on Batia Island; this subordinate can find him at any time..."

"...That won't be necessary." Saint Damocles waved his hand, cutting Darren off. "It is not appropriate for Sengoku to know about this matter."

He looked at the Marine Captain with a solemn expression.

"Regarding the attack on the Celestial Dragons in the North Blue, We have a different perspective."

Darren frowned, probing cautiously:

"Does Your Excellency mean..."

Saint Damocles sneered:

"We order you to begin a secret investigation, effective immediately, into the departure records of all Marine warships at the time of the incident... as well as the movements of all Marines possessing flight or near-flight capabilities."

"You are the supreme commander of the North Blue Marines; it should not be difficult for you to uncover this information."

Upon hearing this, Darren's eyes widened, his face full of astonishment: "What is it that you lords are suspecting?"

Saint Damocles said indifferently:

"You know full well what We are suspecting. If you wish to continue serving as the North Blue Admiral, then obey the order obediently."

Darren's expression turned grim:

"Are you lords asking me to investigate my own colleagues!?"

"I am a member of the Marines! Are you asking me to investigate my own comrades!?"

"Are you lords asking me to betray my partners and violate the trust they have placed in me!?"

The Five Elders frowned in unison:

"So, are you saying that you wish to defy the order of the World Government?"

Darren took a deep breath and said in a low voice:

"No, what I mean is..."

He clenched his fists and said fiercely:

"The rank of Marine Captain is too low."

The Five Elders were stunned, their faces full of shock, as if they had heard something absurd.

This brat... is he demanding power from them to their faces?

A mere Marine Captain, daring to insolently demand power from the Five Elders, the highest authority of the World Government!?

"Hahahaha..."

Saint Damocles suddenly burst into laughter, his eyes fixed on Darren with a hint of appreciation.

"Very good. I truly did not misjudge you."

The Marines are the facade of the World Government, the dogs in the hands of the Celestial Dragons.

To them, the more ambitious and gluttonous the dog, the easier it is to control.

What the Five Elders find most troublesome are those stubborn bones who are loyal to their own "convictions" and immune to all persuasion.

"Do your job well, little brat Darren."

"With your talent, the rank of Marine Captain is indeed a bit of a waste."

After saying this, Saint Damocles gave Darren a meaningful look before hanging up the Den Den Mushi directly.

The image vanished.

The CP0 agent put away the Den Den Mushi and stood up.

"Not having a drink?"

Darren said with a smile, "After all, we are colleagues working for the lords from now on."

The CP0 agent hesitated for a moment, picked up the glass, took a sip, and then vanished silently from the spot, his figure like a ghost.

Once the CP0 agent was gone, the smile on Darren's face gradually faded.

A flicker of purple-blue electric arc danced between his fingers, and an invisible magnetic field ripple instantly spread outward.

Hmm, the life magnetic field signature of that CP0 agent was gone.

Confirming that the CP0 had left, Darren tapped the table lightly.

Momonga walked in from outside the door.

"What happened?"

Darren lit a cigar and said calmly:

"The World Government has begun to suspect that the Marines might have been behind the attack on the Celestial Dragons."

"The Five Elders spoke to me personally just now. The one who raised the suspicion must be that newly appointed member of the Five Elders... Saint Damocles."

Momonga's pupils constricted.

Saint Damocles, the highest authority of the World Government known for his "wisdom."

At the recent coronation ceremony of the Five Elders, the master of ceremonies had publicly read the meaning behind the name bestowed upon him by his father:

"It signifies the supreme Sword of Judgment, suspended at the pinnacle of the world to command the submission of all, representing the ultimate divine authority over all power and profit!"

"Could it be that they have actually discovered something—"

Darren smiled and shook his head, cutting him off.

"No need to be nervous; they are merely suspicious."

"They have ordered me to begin a secret investigation into everyone in the Navy."

"That's trouble... damn it!"

Momonga cursed instinctively, only realizing something was off the moment the words left his lips.

"Wait!!"

He stared at the smiling Darren before him with an expression of utter disbelief.

"You mean... they ordered you to investigate!?"

Darren exhaled a plume of smoke like a dragon, his face full of smiles.

"Yes, they ordered 'me' to investigate."

He emphasized the word "me" heavily.

"It is, indeed, a wise decision."

Darren blinked.

"After all, a piece of naval 'scum'—notorious, riddled with a history of misconduct, sycophantic to superiors, and obsessed with power—could never possibly be the one to attack the Celestial Dragons, could he?"

Upon hearing this, Momonga's face flushed a deep red, his expression turning bizarre to the extreme.

What kind of logic was this?

They had effectively ruled out the correct answer?

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