Speeding through the clouds like a bullet, Darren cut through the sky, the wind howling past his ears and tearing at his skin like knives. His gaze sharpened, his expression hardening against the pain.
The Paw-Paw Fruit was a miracle of speed and precision—capable of hurling a person across islands, even over seas, in the blink of an eye. But it had limits.
Without exact coordinates, a single miscalculation could send the target plunging into the ocean to drown.
That was why Dragon and his team, despite having Darren's coordinates for Felsek Island, had taken so long to reach it. They weren't dragging their feet—they were cautious, performing multiple short-distance "flights" to ensure a safe landing.
If Kuma had personally been to Marineford, he could've sent Darren there instantly. But he hadn't.
So Darren chose to rely on himself.
"Wait for me, Toki," he muttered, fists tightening.
His wounds still burned, but thanks to Kuma and Ivankov's combined treatment, the bleeding had stopped, the worst of it already healed. He wasn't at his peak—but he could still fight.
And time was running out.
The North Blue Fleet's bombardment had shaken the World Government, likely keeping the Gorosei pinned within the Holy Land. But the CP organizations spanned every corner of the seas—and Sengoku, loyal to the Government to the core, might already be moving against Toki.
Darren trusted Zephyr-sensei to protect her.
But even Zephyr had limits.
"Don't do anything stupid, Sengoku," Darren thought, the words slicing through his mind like the wind across his face.
The magnetic field crackled around him, surging with power. The air warped as he accelerated—sonic booms rolling across the sky like thunder.
---
Marine Headquarters, Marineford.
A vast, crushing aura erupted outward, shattering the rain in midair. Crimson-black lightning streaked across the sky like a storm unleashed from hell.
"What… what is this?"
"Conqueror's Haki!"
"Impossible!"
"Zephyr-sensei… awakened it at his age?!"
The Marines stared in disbelief as the former Admiral's presence tore through the heavens. They raised their arms to shield their faces, fighting to stay upright beneath the weight of his power.
Sengoku's face drained of color. Even he took a step back.
He knew this feeling too well. Conqueror's Haki—the rarest form of power, beyond training or discipline. The mark of a king.
Those who possessed the Aptitude for Kingship usually awakened it in youth, triggered by trauma or conviction. If it didn't surface then, the chances dwindled with age, until it became nearly impossible.
He had known Zephyr for decades—had fought beside him, bled beside him—and never once sensed a trace of it. Not even after the murder of his wife and child.
He had thought Zephyr incapable of it.
But now…
The impossible had come to life before his eyes.
"This… this is Conqueror's Haki awakening!"
At the rear, Kuzan's eyes gleamed with awe. His fists clenched as his breath caught. "To protect his students' families… to defy his comrades for his own Justice… Zephyr-sensei is truly magnificent."
"Vice Admiral Kuzan, quiet!" the Marines around him hissed, gripping his arm. "Don't let Admiral Sengoku hear you!"
Sakazuki stood silently nearby, arms crossed, face carved from stone. Beneath the brim of his cap, however, a flash of conflicted emotion crossed his eyes.
Borsalino, hands in his pockets, smirked faintly. "My, my… Zephyr-sensei really is terrifying when he's angry."
He tilted his head toward Sakazuki. "You're not planning to step in, are you?"
Sakazuki's answer came cold and flat. "I see no pirates committing crimes here."
Borsalino's grin widened, eyes curving into lazy crescents.
The world seemed to hold its breath as the storm raged overhead.
"Zephyr, are you sure you want this?"
Rain poured down in silver sheets. Sengoku's voice was low, heavy with grief.
He had never imagined Zephyr would go this far—for Darren of all people.
"Spare me your sympathy, Sengoku," Zephyr rasped, his breath uneven. "Losing a wife and child… it breaks a man beyond repair. No one knows that pain better than I do."
Black lightning sparked around his clenched fist, seething with fury.
"I've dreamed of this moment for years!"
His roar shook the heavens as his purple hair whipped in the storm. With the ferocity of a beast unleashed, Zephyr launched forward, tearing through the rain like a thunderclap.
"Come, Sengoku! Show me the Justice that rules the world!"
The pressure struck like a tidal wave. Sengoku's heart thundered, cold sweat pouring down his back.
He had fought beside Zephyr countless times—but never against him. He knew the strength that came when Zephyr truly let go. It was the kind of power that could devastate an entire battlefield alone.
"Don't get cocky, Zephyr!" Sengoku bellowed. His body erupted in blinding gold.
The Golden Buddha rose, glowing like a second sun, the light piercing through the storm.
Both men met each other's eyes—old comrades, now enemies. Battle lust burned red within them.
They struck at the same instant.
Boom!
Boom!
The black iron gauntlet and the golden Buddha fist collided—each blow landing squarely on the other's face at the exact same moment.
To be continued...