That evening.
Branch 321 Base Commandant's residence.
After finishing his training, Darren rinsed off and stepped out of the steam-filled shower.
Looking at his reflection in the mirror, at a body covered in scars and packed with the explosive power of a cheetah, he found himself momentarily lost in thought.
Physique: 58.418
Strength: 53.890
Speed: 57.548
Devil Fruit: 71.345
The final impact-resistance training had left him with plenty of new wounds, but most had already scabbed over. They would probably heal completely after a night's sleep.
This was reflected in the data provided by his bodily perception: his physique had successfully increased by 0.312, reaching 58.418 and bringing him another step closer to the 60-point threshold.
"Progress is definitely slowing down. Looks like I'll have to find time to move a few of the battleships' heavy guns to the training grounds."
Darren frowned at the dense network of hideous scars covering his body.
As his physique grew more resistant, ordinary swords and bullets had become virtually useless against him.
Saber slashes and flintlock bullets could only leave faint red marks on his skin.
Most of the injuries he'd sustained during today's training had actually come from Momonga's cannon fire.
Darren knew that if he wanted to keep improving his physique's recovery and impact resistance, he'd have to increase the "intensity."
That was the benefit of his "perception" talent.
With precise feedback from the data, he could control the intensity of his training with ease.
He could keep it within reasonable limits, avoiding injuries that wouldn't heal, let alone anything fatal.
Compared to when he'd started, his physical attributes were improving more and more slowly, but they were still steadily rising.
Although Darren had been promoted to North Blue Governor and taken control of the Navy's military forces throughout the entire North Blue sea, he knew better than anyone that power was one thing, but personal strength was the foundation for survival on these seas.
What he needed to do now was make the North Blue impregnable before passing the "inspection" and heading to Officer Training Camp at Marine Headquarters, turning the entire North Blue Navy into his own "territory" as much as possible.
More power meant better access to training resources.
On that foundation, he could improve his personal strength as much as possible.
Before he mastered Haki, improving his strength, speed, and physique was the best way to increase his power.
Darren knew he wasn't a gifted monster like Sakazuki, so he trained harder than anyone.
Based on his estimates, an adult giant's strength was around 60 points.
Once his physique reached 60 points, his body would be as tough as the standard Iron Body technique, even in his normal state.
And he was getting closer and closer to that goal.
That was right. Darren was following the path of a monster.
No weaknesses. Powerful in every way!
The kind of power that left people in despair!!
With the help of his "perception talent," he believed that one day he could achieve the same terrifying, inhuman physique as Kaido.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
Just then, someone knocked at the door.
Darren casually put on a bathrobe and went to open it.
"Base Commandant Darren."
Momonga was standing outside.
"Your ice has arrived."
Darren nodded and smiled.
"Sorry for the trouble."
Momonga gestured to the two Navy soldiers behind him, and they quickly carried box after box of ice into the residence.
With a rush of splashing water, the cold ice was dumped into the bathtub. The two soldiers looked at Darren with admiration before respectfully leaving.
"What's the situation with those two now?"
Darren slipped off his bathrobe and stepped into the tub full of floating ice without so much as a change in expression, submerging himself in the freezing water. He asked casually,
Ice baths were part of his routine.
After high-intensity training, an ice bath could boost circulation, aid recovery, reduce inflammation, and ease soreness.
Momonga looked at the tub full of icy water and felt goosebumps rise on his skin just imagining it.
At Darren's question, a strange smile crossed his face.
"They were probably provoked by you. They're training at the grounds now."
Darren paused, then laughed wryly.
"Looks like the geniuses from Headquarters have their pride."
But thinking about it, Gion's partner and Gion's reaction made perfect sense.
There was a hierarchy of disdain within the Navy, too.
The elite at Marine Headquarters looked down on the branches stationed along the Grand Line, and those branches looked down on the Navy bases in the Four Blues.
It was only natural.
After all, in terms of strength, discipline, and equipment, the Navy at Headquarters held an overwhelming advantage.
The Navy in the Four Blues, meanwhile, had more independence and was far from the center of power, so it was poorly managed and lax in its discipline.
Gion's partner and Gion had grown up at Headquarters, with impeccable backgrounds and doting support. They were both exceptionally talented, too. How could they have expected to come all the way to a place like the North Blue and be so easily crushed by Darren?
And now he'd stirred up their competitive spirit.
"But Darren, are you sure their arrival won't cause any problems?"
When they were alone, Momonga, Darren's right-hand man, usually called him by his name.
Darren narrowed his eyes.
"My actions here can't really be kept from Headquarters. This so-called 'inspection' is just a formality."
"That shrewd old man Sengoku sent Gion and Gion's partner over largely because he wants me to show them the ropes."
"The third Officer Training Camp is about to begin. They've already been selected, but they still need to go through the motions, polish their credentials, and build up their records and merits."
"If Headquarters wanted to deal with me, they wouldn't have sent those two hotheads. I'd be getting a 'visit' from Vice Admiral Tsuru instead."
Momonga fell silent for a moment.
"I can't shake the feeling that you're in a dangerous position. I'm sure Headquarters will uncover something before long."
Darren smiled and shook his head.
"The North Blue's too small. Headquarters doesn't care about it."
"And even if they do find something, so what?"
"Let them investigate. We'll show them the state of the North Blue openly and honestly."
Darren paused, then changed the subject.
"I hear that Vinsmoke Judge has been making quite a fuss lately?"
Momonga replied,
"That's right. He's been swaggering around, expanding his forces on a massive scale, and leading his troops on campaigns in every direction. He's declared that he'll behead the kings of four countries, including the Yadis Kingdom, to 'once again dominate the North Blue.'"
Darren sneered.
"Looks like the guy got his hands on some pretty advanced weapons technology. He's probably gotten carried away."
Vinsmoke Judge had once worked with Vegapunk, the genius scientist said to be "500 years ahead of the world."
In the original story,
after the World Government took Vegapunk away, Judge returned to the North Blue with some of Vegapunk's technology.
Back in the Germa Kingdom, Vinsmoke Judge used science to revive Germa 66. Later, he led Germa 66 in the major incident known as the "Beheading of the Four North Blue Kingdoms," cutting off the heads of the rulers of the four North Blue kingdoms and commissioning a massive painting to commemorate the event.
"Send him a message. Germa 66 can't do whatever they want in the North Blue. The inspection from Headquarters may be a mere formality, but I can't let Vinsmoke Judge turn the North Blue upside down under my watch."
He tapped the edge of the bathtub with one finger.
"I'm the North Blue's overlord, not Germa 66."
Momonga nodded, then hesitated, looking as though he wanted to say something but couldn't bring himself to.
"Is there something else?" Darren asked, glancing at him.
Momonga weighed his words, then spoke slowly.
"A new gang has arrived in the North Blue recently. They're powerful and extremely ruthless."
"They've defeated several well-known mafia families, including the Gallen Family, and taken over their businesses."
"I sent people to look into their background, and there's something unusual about them."
He drew a deep breath, his expression grave.
"The gang's leader is a kid who hasn't even turned ten."
"His name is..."
Momonga slowly let out a breath.
"—Donquixote Doflamingo."
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