CHAPTER 384: CHAPTER 27: PLEASE ME

One minute before the world began to watch...

Oven-Baked Snack Island – Swollen Town, Big Mom Pirates’ Stronghold

The scent of roasted meat hung thick in the air.

Dozens of pirates gathered under the heavy shadows of a timbered hall, feasting around a long, grease-slicked table. Grilled bread and skewers piled high, beer flowed freely, and laughter rolled like thunder across the room.

Discarded newspapers—oily, crumpled—lay scattered beneath their feet. On the front page: headlines from days ago screaming of the Marineford assault.

Golden Lion, Big Mom, and Kaido—three titans crashing down on Marine Headquarters.

"Hahaha! The Marines got their teeth kicked in!"

"Mom’s unstoppable! Not even ten Admirals could stop her!"

"And that so-called Vice Admiral Darren? Hah! He actually said he’d invade the New World?"

"What a joke!"

"If he dares step into Totto Land, he’s dead. End of story."

"Tch. That speech was all hot air—typical Marine bravado. They never back it up."

"This is pirate territory. Marines don’t last long out here."

Roars of laughter followed, laced with contempt and wine.

No one around the table took Darren seriously. His speech might’ve riled up a few Marines, but to the pirates of Totto Land, it was nothing more than a bedtime story.

"Hey, Brother Oven," a younger Charlotte asked, leaning forward. "Is it true? They say Mom wants to marry that Darren guy."

Charlotte Oven’s eyes narrowed.

"I don’t know," he said gruffly. "Heard she argued with Katakuri about it."

He was massive—towering, broad-shouldered, bare-chested beneath an orange cloak. Orange hair swept into three stiff fan-like spikes above his head, and a thick beard ringed his chin. The air around him shimmered faintly with heat.

But when Darren’s name came up, a cold hatred ignited behind his eyes.

He hadn’t forgotten. Charlotte Perospero and Daifuku—both crushed by that same Marine.

"If he ever shows his face in the New World..." Oven’s voice dropped to a growl, fists clenching until they began to glow with searing orange heat, "I’ll roast his skull clean off his spine."

The pirates roared again, smashing mugs and slamming fists on the table.

A Marine invading them? It was the biggest joke they’d heard all week.

Then—

"Watch closely..."

The voice echoed suddenly from the plaza, smooth and unhurried.

All conversation ceased.

The pirates turned.

A giant screen had lit up, projecting the feed from a Visual Den Den Mushi. Static cleared to reveal an aerial view—clouds swirling below, and in the distance, a familiar flag flapping in the wind.

"The hell?"

"Who hacked the signal?"

"Wait... that’s—"

"That’s our flag!"

Every pirate froze. The blood drained from their faces.

Their laughter died.

Silence fell like a hammer.

Darren’s voice continued—casual, almost amused.

"See that island?"

"That’s Oven-Baked Snack Island. A key territory of the Big Mom Pirates."

"In the next three minutes..."

He paused. The silence hung, heavy.

"...I will completely annihilate every pirate on that island."

The words hit like a cannon blast.

Swollen Town erupted into chaos.

Thousands of pirates poured into the streets, eyes scanning the sky, weapons drawn. Shouts and orders overlapped in a frenzied storm.

He’s here?!

Where is he?!

Judging from the angle of the broadcast, he had to be hiding in the clouds.

"Looking for me?"

The voice didn’t come from the screen this time.

It came from behind them.

Time stopped.

Every muscle tensed. Every hair stood on end.

A shiver ran through the gathered pirates as they turned—slowly, fearfully.

There he stood.

Draped in white, his coat fluttering gently in the breeze. Darren strolled toward the campfire as though he were visiting an old friend.

Without a word, he picked up an unopened beer bottle, popped the cap with a flick of his thumb, and took a long pull, letting the bitter taste settle.

After a moment, he plucked the Visual Den Den Mushi from his forehead and set it atop a nearby barrel, adjusting the angle with a surgeon’s care.

"There," he said with a satisfied nod. "Much better. The first-person view can get a bit... bumpy."

Then he set the bottle down, pulled out a cigar, and lit it.

The flickering flame cast sharp shadows across his face.

A reckless smile crept across his lips as he faced the stunned crowd.

"So, you all heard that too."

Smoke curled lazily from his mouth as he scanned their expressions—confusion, rage, disbelief.

"You have three minutes," he said. "Please me."

The words weren’t loud, but they cracked through the air like a lightning bolt.

"YOU BASTARD!"

"HOW DARE YOU—"

"GET HIM!"

Fury exploded.

A thousand weapons rose at once. Guns flared. Cannons roared. Swords gleamed in the light as the Big Mom Pirates launched a full-scale assault on the lone Marine.

Ratatatat! Boom! Boom!

A hurricane of bullets and fire enveloped him. Smoke and shrapnel filled the plaza.

Then—

Clang. Clang. Boom...

Bullets ricocheted off his skin like pebbles against steel. Explosions burst against his chest, leaving nothing but ash.

The smoke cleared.

Darren hadn’t moved an inch.

Not. A. Scratch.

Gasps rippled through the town. Pirates stared in horror.

A dozen fighters charged him next—elite enforcers of the Charlotte Family. They circled him with blades, clubs, and steel claws, striking in unison.

The sound was deafening.

But then—

Crack!

A pulse tore through the air. Sparks flared as every weapon touching him shattered.

The Den Den Mushi captured it all—their shocked faces, their broken weapons falling in slow motion.

Darren stood unmoved, still smoking his cigar.

This Marine...

His body’s like Mama’s...

"Is that it?" he asked, voice low, almost disappointed.

"Is that really the best you’ve got?"

A soft hum echoed from his palm.

Blue arcs of electricity crackled between his fingers.

Then—

Thwip!

The shattered weapon fragments lifted from the ground and shot forward like bullets—each one finding a throat, a heart, a vital point.

Tssht!

Blood sprayed like a fountain.

Bodies flew backward and collapsed.

The plaza fell silent.

Darren stood alone.

Calm. Untouched. Smiling.

To be continued...