"I hereby declare the North Blue Parliament officially established today!"
On Maidan Island, inside what had once been Shiki's Palace, Darren stood on the podium in his naval governor's dress uniform and made the announcement in a ringing voice.
The effects of the battle at Marineford on other powers had yet to become apparent, but Darren, who presided over the North Blue on behalf of the World Government and the Navy, was undoubtedly its greatest beneficiary so far.
Shiki's disappearance and the destruction of the Flying Pirates had transformed Darren from the seemingly most constrained naval governor into the most powerful, making him the undisputed local power in the North Blue.
Although Darren was slightly weaker than Dragon and Kizaru, his political methods and administrative abilities far surpassed theirs.
After years of cultivating his influence in the North Blue, Darren's reach already extended throughout the region. With covert support from Oran Island, he commanded more elite troops and trusted subordinates than any other governor, even though his territory was smaller.
This also allowed Darren to swiftly take over Shiki's holdings after the Flying Pirates were destroyed, giving the remnants of the Affiliated Nations no chance to act.
As parliaments were established in each city, island, and kingdom, Darren took direct control of Shiki's former territory in the North Blue.
In some respects, his hold over these new territories was even stronger than his control over the old ones he had managed for years.
With the establishment of the North Blue Parliament, the North Blue faction led by Darren had already become independent of the Navy to a certain extent, emerging as a new power that could not be underestimated.
The North Blue Navy, the region's local powers both large and small, and its merchant associations would all become Darren's staunch