Chapter 419: What Are You Trying to Do, Daren?
Just thinking about how he'd have to spend the foreseeable future flattering the cold-hearted Five Elders made Sengoku feel utterly sick.
Suspicion could be born in an instant, but rebuilding trust took months—sometimes even years.
At least for now, unless he accomplished something truly outstanding, regaining his standing in the eyes of the Five Elders was out of the question.
It had already been half a month since the "accidental" death of Michael, the Commander of the God's Knights.
And yet he, a Marine Admiral, only learned of this world-shaking event three days after it happened.
The worst part?
The Five Elders weren't even the ones who informed him. It was Fleet Admiral Kong, working behind the scenes for the World Government, who passed the information on in secret.
That alone was proof of how far the Marines had fallen in the government's eyes.
"...Then let's cooperate closely for the upcoming inauguration ceremony. I look forward to working with you, Ms. Fox."
Sengoku let out a silent sigh, forced himself to focus, and managed to squeeze out a smile.
"Also, congratulations on your promotion. I'm sure your elevation to the 'Strongest Shield of the Celestial Dragons' is just around the corner."
Stussy gave a polite smile.
"You flatter me, Admiral Sengoku. It's an honor to work alongside Marine Headquarters."
"As for any promotion... I'm well aware of my own limitations. I doubt I'm qualified for a title as lofty as the 'Strongest Shield of the Celestial Dragons.'"
They exchanged a few more pleasantries before ending the Den Den Mushi call.
...
Marine Headquarters, Admiral's Office.
Sengoku set the Den Den Mushi down and let out a long, heavy breath.
This CP0 agent codenamed "Fox" was different from the rest.
As a Marine Admiral, he'd interacted with plenty of CP0 agents serving the Five Elders and the Celestial Dragons—and almost without exception, they were all insufferably arrogant.
Even when dealing with someone of his rank, they acted superior and bossed him around without a shred of respect. Every encounter with them was a headache.
They were a smug, self-important bunch who believed serving the Celestial Dragons placed them above everyone else. They looked down on others without hesitation.
But this woman was different.
Her words, her demeanor—there was something refreshing about it. It was an unexpected, pleasant surprise.
"At least this time around, I won't have to be ordered around by those damn CP0 agents like before."
Sengoku shook his head and let out a bitter laugh.
So much for the dignity of a Marine Admiral—he didn't even have the face to stand on anymore.
"Daren, you've caused me no end of trouble…"
Sengoku rubbed his temples with a weary hand, staring out the window at the vast expanse of sea, and murmured softly.
He was genuinely shaken by Michael's death.
He never expected that Daren had grown so powerful—strong enough to take down Michael, the "strongest Celestial Dragon," in a head-on fight.
And Sengoku could already see what was coming: as Daren stirred up more and more chaos, the Five Elders' distrust and resentment toward the Marines would only deepen.
Just thinking about it made his jaw ache.
"Don't let me catch you."
Sengoku clenched his fist and muttered to himself,
"Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?"
A voice laced with a faint chuckle suddenly echoed through the office, eerily picking up where Sengoku had left off.
The moment he heard that familiar voice, Sengoku's pupils contracted and his expression shifted.
Without hesitation, he spun around and hurled a punch behind him.
Bang!
A muffled shockwave rang out as a rough, solid hand caught Sengoku's fist mid-air.
In that instant, Sengoku's eyes widened in disbelief.
"This is impossible!"
It felt like his punch had landed against an immovable mountain. All of the force he'd put into it had been absorbed by that well-defined palm, completely nullified.
Even though he hadn't used his full strength—holding back out of concern for the office—this bizarre scene was already outrageous enough.
How had this kid Daren gotten so much stronger?
Sengoku stared at the black-haired young man standing before him, grinning as if nothing had happened. His face darkened as he growled through clenched teeth,
"You little brat—why are you here!?"
The moment the words left his mouth, Sengoku's body began to radiate a grand golden light, the Buddha's aura swelling as he prepared to transform into his Mythical Zoan form.
Seeing this, Daren immediately let go of his fist, stepped back two paces, raised both hands in mock surrender, and grinned,
"Easy now, Admiral Sengoku. You know how expensive the office renovations are."
Sengoku's expression froze for a second, then he barked,
"So what!?"
"Don't try to change the subject... I told you clearly last time: the next time we meet, I'll arrest you—or even execute you on the spot!"
"And now you have the nerve to sneak into Marineford... into my office, no less!"
"I ought to drag you out of here right now, you damn criminal—"
"Alright, alright, enough of that. I'm not here to fight today."
Daren cut him off with an irritated wave, completely ignoring the Admiral's fury. He dropped onto the leather sofa nearby and casually poured himself a cup of freshly brewed tea.
"I checked around first. Vice Admiral Garp isn't here today. Borsalino, Sakazuki, and Kuzan are all out on assignment..."
He swirled the cup, then blew gently on the steaming tea before taking a slow sip.
"If I had to guess, they're escorting Member Nation representatives to Mary Geoise for the inauguration, right?"
With a relaxed smile, he added,
"With the other Admiral-level forces away, you're not enough to stop me… but I could give you a real headache if I felt like it."
As he spoke, Daren raised one hand, and blue arcs of electricity began dancing across his fingertips—causing Sengoku's expression to darken immediately.
A strange crimson gleam flashed deep in Sengoku's eyes. In the future glimpsed through his Observation Haki, he saw a terrifying image—the entire central military fortress collapsing into rubble.
He also quickly noticed that the rows of encrypted Den Den Mushi in his office had all gone completely silent, as if they were dead.
This damn brat...!
"What the hell do you want!?"
Sengoku's eyes burned red with fury as he glared at Daren, beard bristling in anger.