North Blue.

Philseque Island.

The battle on the frozen sea outside the island remained locked in a tense stalemate. Yet, both sides couldn’t help but divert some attention, quietly focusing on the turmoil unfolding deep within the island.

Deep within the island.

As the harsh buzz of the military Den Den Mushi’s severed signal echoed through the air, a suffocating pressure slowly spread across the surroundings.

The silence was so intense, it made hearts race.

“So, this is the power of the World Government?”

Vice Admiral Daren’s playful voice shattered the stillness without warning.

The aura radiating from the Five Elders turned frigid.

“What the hell did you do!?”

Saint Saturn’s fury boiled over. His gaze turned vicious as he glared at the half-smiling Marine and growled hoarsely.

The persistent beep of the disconnected Den Den Mushi now sounded unbearably sharp—like a series of slaps echoing in his ears, making his face burn with rage.

Even worse were the strange glances Dragon and the others cast his way, making the veins on Saturn’s forehead bulge.

Why… had someone invaded the CP Department’s secret stronghold!?

Could this really be that Navy brat’s trump card?

Daren simply smiled and shrugged, his expression laced with open mockery.

“I didn’t do a thing... I’m right here in front of you, aren’t I, Your Excellency Saint Saturn-sama?”

Saturn faltered.

"You must have a death wish!"

His eyes glowed an eerie red. A black spider leg, wrapped in Haki, shot out like a spear, aiming to pierce Daren’s skull.

Boom!!

A violent shockwave exploded outward, forcing Kuma and Ivankov to stumble back several meters.

But just ten centimeters from Daren’s forehead, the spider leg came to an abrupt halt—severed cleanly by a large, firm hand.

Crack!

Dark green blood splattered. Saturn let out a muffled grunt and staggered back several steps.

Beside him, Warcury—transformed into the monstrous boar “Houki”—stepped forward with a thunderous stomp that made the earth groan in pain.

“Daren, you’ve reached the end of our patience!”

Rubble burst into the air as Houki’s deep, thunderous voice rumbled. He was clearly suppressing his anger.

“You think you can truly oppose the World Government?”

“I’ll give you one last chance—kneel before us... and submit!!”

In his blood-red eyes, the size of lanterns, a chilling threat flashed. With a roar, an overwhelming surge of Haki burst forth!

ROAR!

BOOM!!

A deafening roar erupted from Houki’s gaping maw, sweeping out a powerful wave of Conqueror’s Haki like a missile strike, radiating in all directions from the island’s core.

Black and red lightning crackled across the sky, shaking the cloud sea and casting the world in shifting light and shadow.

Dragon and the others’ faces twisted in alarm.

Kuma gritted his teeth, his massive frame unmoving like a cliffside boulder. But even he couldn’t help sliding backward under the force of that monstrous Haki.

“Kuma!!”

Ivankov’s face turned pale as he practically buried himself behind Kuma’s back.

Dragon didn’t fare much better. His eyes were full of dread.

Under this sheer pressure, he felt as if his body might dissolve into the wind.

Instinctively, he turned to look at Daren—

And froze.

The Marine Vice Admiral stood motionless, calmly enduring most of Warcury’s Haki head-on, as if unaffected.

That guy’s Haki… had grown stronger!

The unbelievable realization hit Dragon like a jolt.

At the same time.

The explosive wave of Haki surged out for several kilometers in the blink of an eye, even knocking out several young Marines fighting on the island’s outskirts!

“That Haki...!”

“What the hell is happening?!”

“Damn it... my body won’t move!”

“What terrifying Conqueror’s Haki!”

“...”

Marines in the midst of battle trembled, their expressions stricken with horror as they turned toward the island’s depths.

Some of the weaker ones rolled their eyes back and fainted instantly, collapsing where they stood.

Sengoku, Big Mom, and the others all froze briefly, their movements halting as they glanced toward the source of the blast with uncertainty.

“Wororororo! This suffocating pressure... it’s got my blood pumping!!”

Kaidou’s eyes blazed with violent excitement. His battle lust surged, and he could hardly wait to leap in.

Even under this crushing aura, Kuzan felt his heart pounding wildly.

“Not even Roger’s Haki was this intense, right...?”

But Kaidou suddenly sprang into the air, laughing as he brought his kanabō crashing down.

“Nope! Roger’s Haki was way stronger than that old fossil’s!”

“Otherwise, Rocks wouldn’t have lost to him back then!”

Raimei Hakke!!

Kuzan hastily summoned a massive ice bird to block the blow.

Pheasant Beak!

BOOM!!

The thunder-charged kanabō shattered the ice bird with ease. As Kaidou grinned, ready to press the attack—

A dark red magma hound suddenly burst from the icy debris, leaping with a roar.

“Inugami Guren!”

A violent collision!

Lightning and magma exploded in tandem, tearing apart the icy ground for a kilometer, shockwaves soaring skyward.

But just then—

Another fearsome aura suddenly erupted from deep within the island, clashing head-on with the previous Haki blast.

The impact unleashed a cataclysmic storm, black-red lightning swirling around the island and ripping through the clouds.

In the stunned eyes of the Marines, the two overwhelming auras pushed against each other—

Forming a sharply divided world of black and white.

An even match.

…

“Honestly, if this had happened half a day earlier, your Haki might’ve actually overwhelmed mine.”

Daren smiled as his aura surged forth like an unending series of crashing tsunamis.

After being baptized in the blood of 238 noble Celestial Dragons, he had long felt his Haki stirring restlessly.

Conqueror’s Haki Intensity… 89.999!

Compared to before the World Noble Hunting Tournament, it had jumped by nearly ten whole points!

As he unleashed his Haki without restraint, Daren felt utterly invigorated.

“Damn it! Your Conqueror’s Haki!!”

Warcury, who had been certain of victory, now stared in shock—his pupils shrinking to pinpricks as he gaped at the overwhelming Haki erupting from the “insect” before him.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

This Marine brat’s aura... was actually on par with his own!?

“How is this possible!?”

Based on the World Government’s intelligence on Vice Admiral Rogers Daren, his Haki shouldn’t be anywhere near this level...

Wait!

“Jaygarcia Saturn! What the hell did you do!?”

Warcury, sharp as ever, suddenly grasped something and whipped around to glare at Gyūki, who was still regenerating his body. He roared through clenched teeth, furious enough to use Saturn’s full name.

There was nothing wrong with the intelligence. That meant the root of the change had to be something that happened here on Philseque Island.

Saturn’s face darkened. His tone was laced with anger.

“That brat slaughtered a massive number of Celestial Dragons and used their blood to strengthen his Haki!”

Dragon blinked in surprise.

Slaughtering Celestial Dragons... had that kind of effect?!

Before he could process it, Warcury’s tone turned cold and threatening.

“Daren, do you really think you can win?”

“Even if you survive... will your loved ones survive?”

The moment he spoke, Dragon, Kuma, and Ivankov’s expressions all changed.

They immediately thought of the same person—

Amatsuki Toki.

Daren’s pregnant wife.

Dragon seemed to realize something. His face went pale as he staggered back.

“Didn’t see that coming, did you, Daren?”

“CP0... has already entered Marineford.”

The Five Elders turned to Daren, their eyes filled with mockery, searching for any flicker of fear, panic, or dread.

But there was nothing.

The “insect” in their eyes didn’t flinch. He simply met their gazes—calm and steady.

“I already told you... My power, my status, my network, and my resources—none of it came from you.”

“...And you can’t take any of it away.”

Just as he finished speaking—

“Bru-bruu, bru-bruu...”

A short ringtone rang out from Saturn’s coat.

He immediately pulled out a military Den Den Mushi and answered.

“Reporting to Saint Saturn-sama. The target has been located.”

Saturn shot a look at Daren and sneered.

“Restrain the target. Bring her back to Mary Geoise.”

“But, sir... the target has a protector.”

The voice that came through the Den Den Mushi was hoarse and cold, yet carried a palpable note of caution.

Saturn froze.

Warcury froze.

The other Five Elders froze.

Protector?

Marineford was a fortress. Aside from the World Government itself, no one else could possibly get past the Gates of Justice and into the base.

And nearly all of the Navy’s top elites were here, on Philseque Island.

So how the hell could there be a protector?

Where did the protector come from!?

“—Who is it!?”

Saturn’s bloodshot eyes burned with rage as he demanded an answer.

The CP0 agent on the other end swallowed hard, then rasped:

“...Former Admiral of Marine Headquarters—‘Black Arm’ Zephyr, and his students.”