Aboard the command vessel of the Marine fleet, both Captain Hina and Captain Smoker watched in shock as the masked man standing on the deck of the pirate sloop threw a single punch into the empty air.
The very atmosphere shattered like glass, and the entire barrage of heavy iron spears was blasted aside by the resulting concussive shockwave.
Turning to Smoker, Hina pushed her sunglasses up onto her forehead. "Hina asks... are you absolutely certain you were ambushed by the 'White Emperor' and fell into the sea, rather than being punched directly into it by a monster?"
Witnessing the air-shattering punch Darian had unleashed, Smoker wore a look of utter astonishment. He paid no mind whatsoever to Hina's sarcasm. Instead, he gripped the railing, his knuckles turning white.
"How is that possible?" Smoker exclaimed. "Whitebeard is still alive and well in the New World. How could the White Emperor possibly possess the Tremor-Tremor Fruit abilities?"
Hearing Smoker's words, Hina pondered the matter for a moment, taking a drag from her cigarette. "The ocean is vast. Even the Devil Fruit Encyclopedia doesn't contain records of every single fruit in existence. We already know the White Emperor possesses electrical abilities, and now he has demonstrated vibrational powers as well. However, his output is clearly far weaker than Whitebeard's. Perhaps it is simply a previously undiscovered Paramecia that mimics other effects."
No sooner had Hina finished speaking than the localized tremors generated by Darian's punch reached their fleet. The water churned, and the massive warship began to rock violently on the artificial swell. Hina had to grab the railing to keep her footing.
Clearly, his abilities were not quite as "weak" as she had just claimed.
Having regained his balance, Smoker gazed at the distant pirate ship, his expression growing dead serious.
"When I first saw the wanted poster for a 66-million Berry rookie from the East Blue, I thought the brass at Headquarters had finally lost their minds," Smoker grunted, his cigars glowing red. "But now... it seems the bounty they placed on him is actually too low. Judging by this performance, they've underestimated him. We absolutely cannot let him enter the Grand Line proper. If he reaches the New World, he is bound to become a grave threat to the World Government."
Smoker turned to Tashigi, who was standing by the communications relay. "Tashigi! Pass the word down to the flanking ships: commence a full-scale artillery barrage! Do not let them escape the firing arc! We must capture the White Emperor today!"
"Yes, Captain Smoker!" Tashigi replied crisply, drawing her sword and hurrying off to relay the command.
The barrage of black steel spears had been repelled by Darian's sheer kinetic force, allowing the women aboard the ship to breathe a collective, trembling sigh of relief.
As Darian lowered his fist, Robin wore a highly analytical expression. Mikita felt a renewed sense of intense relief that she had chosen to surrender to the right man. Even Alvida's eyes revealed a glint of genuine admiration for the raw power Darian had displayed.
Having already survived his bedroom stamina, Nami found it entirely unsurprising that he could effortlessly neutralize a Marine spear formation with a single move.
"We're saved!" Vivi gasped, patting her chest and heaving a deep sigh. She had been terrified just moments before. "We're safe!"
Yet, even as she rejoiced in their rescue, a new thought began to solidify in the back of the Princess's mind. If Mr. Darian is this powerful... maybe he really can defeat Crocodile. Maybe he can resolve the crisis plaguing my kingdom.
That formation of steel spears—raining down like a torrential downpour—would undoubtedly have riddled their small sloop like a sieve; had anyone been struck, their fate would have been gruesome indeed. Given the gravity of the situation, Carmen and Marianne—who possessed absolutely no combat capabilities—had already retreated deep into the ship's lower cabins to take cover.
Darian glanced around the deck. Standing behind him were Nami, Robin, Vivi, Mikita, and Alvida. While a few of them had Devil Fruits, against a fleet of five Marine warships, they were severely outgunned.
"Nami, how did we run into a Marine blockade?!" Darian asked, pulling his white mask down over his face to hide his identity from the Navy spyglasses.
Nami gripped the helm, equally bewildered. "How should I know?! It's as if they were waiting for us on purpose. The moment we sailed past that patch of fog, they came charging out of a cove!"
"It seems the Navy was deliberately waiting for you, Captain," Robin interjected calmly, walking up to him.
Robin's Devil Fruit ability allowed her to sprout body parts on any surface within range. She had sprouted eyes and ears on the hull of the closest Navy ship the moment they appeared to gather intelligence.
"They were tipped off by an agent on Summer Solstice Island," Robin reported.
Darian glared toward the Marine fleet. Standing at the bow of the lead warship—with his short silver hair and cigars—was Smoker. Standing beside him was a tall, striking woman with light pink hair, wearing a burgundy suit and a Navy justice cloak.
"Black Cage Hina," Darian muttered.
"Damn it, Smoker!" Darian grumbled in extreme annoyance, adjusting his mask. "Can't you take a hint? You're stationed in Loguetown! Why aren't you chasing the Straw Hat Pirates? Why are you obsessed with me?!"
Hoisting her massive iron club over her shoulder, Alvida—looking every bit the bloodthirsty pirate captain—stepped up beside Darian. "The Navy is closing in fast, and they have us boxed in. Do we engage them in a naval battle, or do we run?"
As the captain, the decision of whether to fight a prolonged battle or flee rested entirely with Darian. Every woman on deck turned their gaze toward him.
If he had his way, Darian would have preferred to avoid a full-scale confrontation with two Marine Captains at once. He needed to get to Alabasta, not wage war against the World Government here. However, he currently had no choice. They were trapped in the firing arc.
After a brief moment of rapid calculation, Darian issued his orders.
"Nami, turn the ship hard to port and catch the wind. You guys take the ship and go on ahead. I'll go intercept the Navy to buy us some time to break the blockade."
No sooner had the words left his lips than the Marine cannons roared.
BOOM! BOOM!
Several heavy cannonballs landed in the water directly around the *Little Fish*, sending up massive plumes of sea spray and causing the sloop to lurch violently.
Hearing Darian's plan, Nami panicked. "Are you crazy?! You don't know how to steer a ship, and you can't fly! If you jump over there, how are you supposed to get back to us? Are you trying to get yourself killed?!"
Seeing the genuine look of terror on Nami's face, Darian smiled beneath his mask. "It's fine, Navigator. I have a new trick."
He turned to Robin. "Robin, use your abilities to target their cannoneers. Try to stop them from firing so the Little Fish can safely get out of range."
Although Darian was a lecherous pirate who had essentially taken her hostage, they were currently on the same ship—and she certainly didn't want to get captured by Smoker—so Robin nodded in agreement. She crossed her arms. "Treinta Fleur."
"Vivi, Mikita, Alvida—you three work with Nami to secure the rigging and steer the ship!" Darian ordered.
Feeling desperate to offer any real assistance, Vivi nodded hurriedly. "No problem at all, Mr. Darian!"
Since Darian had given a direct order, Mikita also nodded her assent, running to grab a rope.
Given her own status as a former captain, Alvida was annoyed to find herself relegated to the role of a deckhand. She let out a disgruntled "Tch," but went to help anyway.
"Nami, I'm leaving the ship in your hands! I'll catch up with you soon!" Darian called out, walking to the bow.
Nami really didn't want Darian going off to hold back five Marine ships all by himself. However, since he had already made up his mind, and cannon fire was raining down around them, she could only nod in reluctant agreement.
"Alright! Just make sure you stay safe, you idiot!" Nami yelled over the sound of the wind, spinning the helm.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The Navy opened fire on the small boat once again, sending plumes of spray into the air. As the distance closed, the *Little Fish* was in danger of being blasted to splinters at any moment.
There was nothing inherently wrong with the Navy hunting pirates. But Smoker's relentless, personal pursuit—coupled with the false accusations that had landed him his massive bounty in the first place—had left Darian thoroughly fed up.
Faced with the Navy's overwhelming firepower, Darian decided it was time to test out his late-night training.
Darian raised his hand toward a heavy wooden barrel he had secured near the bow earlier.
Arcs of blue-white electricity began to crackle and dance violently across his body.
Pulled by an invisible, powerful magnetic force, the lid of the barrel was abruptly blown off with a loud *thump*. The black iron sand contained within surged upward, flowing toward Darian like a liquid shadow.
A portion of the converging iron sand coalesced in Darian's right hand. Guided by intense electromagnetic fields, the grains compressed and rapidly vibrated, forming a long, jagged, pitch-black sword.
The bulk of the iron sand flowed behind his back, splitting into two streams. The sand gathered and shaped itself, forming a massive, six-foot-wide pair of black, metallic wings.
As the iron sand vibrated at high speeds to maintain its shape, it emitted a low, terrifying hum—much like the collective buzzing of a swarm of mechanical bees.
Through the manipulation of electromagnetic forces, the Iron Sand Sword acted like a high-frequency chainsaw, capable of slicing through steel. The Iron Sand Wings functioned in much the same way: by manipulating the magnetic fields and utilizing the rapid vibration of the sand to displace air, they provided the lift and thrust necessary to carry Darian into the sky.
Arcs of raw electricity occasionally sparked and danced across the sword and the wings forged from black sand. Combined with his stark white mask and imposing physique, Darian—clad in this otherworldly guise—looked every bit like a mechanical Fallen Angel of death.
Among the women present, Vivi's eyes lit up with starry-eyed wonder. Even the usually composed and intellectual Robin was left utterly dazzled by the breathtaking, terrifying display of Devil Fruit mastery.
As the Navy's barrage intensified, Darian gave a powerful, sweeping flap of his magnetic wings.
Propelled by the electromagnetic thrust, Darian launched himself off the deck, soaring straight into the air toward the enemy fleet.
Hina and her crew noticed the sudden, crackling commotion on the pirate ship.
"Look!" a Marine yelled, pointing at the sky. "He's flying! He's charging right at us!"
"I never expected... that he'd actually developed the ability to fly!" Smoker couldn't help but exclaim, his jaw dropping slightly.
Before either of them could dwell on the thought, several heavy cannonballs fired by the flanking ships went hurtling through the air toward Darian.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Soaring through the sky, Darian swung the vibrating Iron Sand Sword he held in his hand. Under his precise control, the sword lashed out, elongating like a whip yet maintaining its razor-sharp structural integrity. He sliced cleanly through every single incoming cannonball in mid-air.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Instantly, a continuous roar of explosions erupted in the sky. Flames and black powder smoke engulfed Darian.
A second later, he burst straight through the billowing haze, completely unharmed, his wings buzzing loudly as he closed the distance to the command ship.
Just days ago in Loguetown, Darian had fled the moment he saw them. Now, armed with a sword of vibrating sand, he dared to charge at a fleet of five warships all alone.
Recalling the humiliation of being electrocuted and knocked into the sea, Smoker roared in fury. "You bastard! 'White Emperor'! Don't you dare underestimate the Navy!"
Roaring, Smoker drew his Seastone-tipped jitte from his back. His lower legs transformed into billowing white smoke. Propelled by the smoky jets, he launched himself into the sky to intercept the Fallen Angel.
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