A dazzling golden light instantly lit up the sky.

"Yasakani no Magatama!"

Borsalino struck a pose. As his broad white cloak billowed behind him, countless golden light bullets, radiating searing heat, poured down like a torrential storm toward the blood-soaked figure of the Marine Vice Admiral.

"Hey, hey, hey... not holding back at all, are you?"

Daren grinned. A strange red glow surged in the depths of his eyes as his figure suddenly vanished into high-speed motion, turning into afterimages as he skillfully weaved through the barrage of light bullets.

The projectiles screamed past, bypassing Daren entirely and continuing toward Itsumade, who was flying toward them with wings spread wide.

"Damn it!"

Saint Mars let out a bloodshot roar. His massive beak opened and spewed out a sea of crimson flames, clashing with the incoming barrage in a thunderous explosion.

Even so, many of the light bullets pierced through and slammed into Itsumade's massive frame, exploding into chunks of scorched flesh and fire.

Itsumade howled in agony, his enormous body rolling across the ground.

Flames surged outward, and thick black smoke billowed into the sky.

"My bad, my bad. I was just a little careless, Mars-sama."

Borsalino raised his hands in mock surrender, a sheepish look on his face.

Daren smiled, just about to take a step forward, when a deep crimson light suddenly surged in from the side.

Crack!

The ground beside him split open, and a column of dark red magma erupted from the fissure.

Sakazuki emerged from the molten stream, his entire body radiating a frenzied fighting spirit. Bathed in magma, he thrust his arm forward like a rocket, launching a devastating punch at Daren.

"Inugami Guren!"

Daren's eyes narrowed. His Haki-clad fist shot forward without hesitation to meet the attack head-on.

Boom!

Their fists collided.

It was like a meteor striking the earth. A red and a black whirlwind exploded outward, clashing and devouring each other in a violent stalemate.

The ground convulsed with shockwaves. Sand and debris surged like a storm.

"So, you're going to stop me too, Sakazuki?"

Daren squinted, looking at the solemn man with lava dripping from his brow, and asked with a smile.

"At the very least, I can't let you leave so easily."

Sakazuki's expression remained grim, his tone cold and sharp.

"That so? What a shame. I've got no interest in fighting you today."

Daren shrugged. The instant a burst of Haki forced Sakazuki back, his figure suddenly shot into the air without warning.

Sakazuki's gaze turned cold. He was about to use Geppo to pursue when a wave of freezing cold surged up from beneath his feet.

Looking down, he saw his legs had been covered in a sheet of white frost.

"Kuzan..."

Sakazuki turned to look back.

Kuzan knelt on one knee, a stream of frost curling from his mouth like a dragon. His expression twisted in reluctant frustration as he grit his teeth and muttered,

"Damn it! That bastard Daren dodged me!"

Sakazuki: "..."

He fell silent for a moment, then looked up toward the airborne Vice Admiral. Slowly, his clenched fists began to loosen.

"Daren, you brat! You're not getting away!!"

Just then, a hoarse roar tore through the black smoke and flames.

Itsumade's massive form burst out of the inferno, his colossal wings shaking the air as he surged toward Daren like a battering ram.

The sheer speed of his charge caused rings of white shockwaves to explode outward from the surrounding air.

"Tornado!"

The ground suddenly heaved.

A violent whirlwind rose from the earth, visible to the naked eye, twisting into a powerful tornado that instantly wrapped around Itsumade's body, locking him in place.

Within the gale, Dragon's figure emerged, racing swiftly to Daren's side.

"Are you ready?"

As Dragon spoke, Kuma and Ivankov appeared silently beside him.

"Let's go."

Daren nodded with a smile.

Dragon chuckled and raised his hand, summoning a towering wall of wind. In an instant, the other Five Elders charging toward them were completely cut off.

The distorted, swirling wind wall was like an impassable gorge, separating Daren and the others from the Five Elders and the countless Marines. Both sides stared at each other across the divide.

"Even if you escape today, Daren, do you really think there'll be a place left in this sea for you to hide!?"

Topman Warcury snorted hot steam from his flaring nostrils, his eyes bloodshot with fury as he locked onto the Vice Admirals behind the wind wall and roared like rolling thunder.

The other Five Elders also glared with wrathful eyes, their enormous bodies radiating a suffocating killing intent.

"I never intended to run or hide."

Daren smiled, flicking his fingers as sheets of metallic plates assembled beneath them, lifting Dragon and the others higher into the air.

"Starting today, the only ones who should be afraid… are the noble, mighty Celestial Dragons."

As he floated ever higher, he looked down at the supreme authority of the World Government, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

"I'm someone who prefers peace and profit. As long as no one crosses the line, I usually try to avoid conflict."

"But you left me no choice."

"You desperately wanted to see me kneel before your arrogance and pride... and when I refused, you pushed me to rebel—just so you could have a justifiable excuse to eliminate me."

"So let me just say this—congratulations."

"You've succeeded."

"From this day forward, I'll become exactly what you wanted me to be: the most dangerous and terrifying enemy the World Government has ever faced."

"I'll stop at nothing to keep you all awake at night, to make the Celestial Dragons of the Holy Land fear for their lives, and to make the entire world tremble before the name of the North Blue Fleet."

Saint Saturn sneered, his voice cold with disdain.

"And you really believe you're capable of that? You still can't do anything to us—even now."

Daren smiled calmly.

"But I've already gotten the intel I came for, haven't I?"

"Maybe next time, I'll know how to deal with you."

"And when that time comes, I just hope... you won't panic."

The Five Elders' pupils narrowed slightly.

Daren wasn't bluffing. That icy confidence in his eyes—he'd found something. Something real.

"So it's true... You actually do have a weakness."

Daren grinned wickedly.

He'd clearly noticed the shift in their expressions.

"You sly little brat!"

"Bastard!"

"Damn it!"

"..."

Realizing they had been tricked, the Five Elders erupted in fury.

Boom!!

The wind wall trembled under their blows, cracking and splintering as if the sky itself was about to collapse.

Daren laughed heartily, bowed deeply, and gave a graceful farewell.

"Well then, until next time, my esteemed Lords."

With that—

Under the stunned and enraged stares of the Five Elders, Kuma patted Daren, Dragon, and Ivankov on the back one by one.

Then, as if they were never part of this world at all, their figures quietly vanished.

...

(100 Chapters Ahead)

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