"Even you don't know where Daren-san went...?"

Hearing Crocodile's reply, Mihawk simply frowned, his expression troubled. He paid no attention to the exasperated look on Crocodile's face. Inside the tavern, the pirates had disappeared without a trace, leaving only the owner cowering behind the bar, clutching his head and trembling.

"Wait, what do you mean 'even I'?" Crocodile suddenly caught something, his expression turning strange as he looked at Mihawk.

Mihawk shook his head. "I went to see Moria earlier too. At first, he refused to answer my questions."

"Then what happened?" Crocodile began to ask, but before the words could leave his mouth, he quickly realized the answer. His mouth twitched.

No need to guess—that fool Gecko Moria had almost certainly been beaten by this kid.

Glancing at the huge black broken sword behind Mihawk, Crocodile suddenly lost all interest in drinking.

When the World Government and the Navy established the Shichibukai system, the candidates underwent extremely strict screening before being chosen. Of course, this "screening" mainly meant being beaten half to death by that bastard Daren, losing an arm in the process. That was the rule.

Crocodile couldn't figure out why Doflamingo and Fisher Tiger had been "exempted" from this rule.

Fisher Tiger was understandable—based on the events at Mary Geoise, that Rogers Daren fellow seemed to have a pretty solid relationship with Fisher Tiger. But Doflamingo...

Crocodile quickly glanced at the screen, catching a glimpse of the defiant figure with golden hair. Could it be that when selecting the Shichibukai, Daren already knew about Doflamingo's Celestial Dragon identity... and held back out of caution?

Hmm, that was entirely possible.

That said, while strength was the highest criterion for selecting the Shichibukai, it didn't mean all of them were equally powerful. At least in Crocodile's eyes, setting aside Fisher Tiger, who had been stripped of his title, he felt no apprehension facing any other member of the Shichibukai.

It was only the "Hawk Eyes" Mihawk in front of him that constantly gave him that uneasy, prickling sense of danger. That crazy kid's strength was absolutely on a whole different level compared to the rest of the Shichibukai.

"So that rumor... did you really challenge Whitebeard?" Mihawk suddenly lifted his head, his gaze drifting to the terrifying scar that nearly bisected Crocodile's face. Even though the wound had fully healed, the centipede-like scar still carried a faint dark red hue. One could only imagine how severe the injury had been at that time... Perhaps just a little more and it would have split his skull clean in two.

"You could say that..." Crocodile muttered, his teeth grinding together as a flash of resentment and anger flickered in his eyes.

"How strong is he?" Mihawk pressed, his tone curious.

"...As strong as a monster." Crocodile remained silent for a moment, then finally let out a low, frustrated response.

Mihawk's expression turned thoughtful.

Crocodile downed a shot of hard liquor, looked up at Mihawk, and suddenly said:

"If you're looking for an opponent, Whitebeard would actually be a pretty decent choice."

Mihawk glanced at him and replied:

"I'm merely obsessed with perfecting my swordsmanship, not a fool."

Crocodile: "..."

"What do you mean by that!?"

He glared at Mihawk, grinding his teeth.

"Isn't it obvious?"

Mihawk, calm as ever, crossed his arms over his chest, leaning back in his chair. His tone remained detached.

"You haven't fully developed your strength yet, but you insist on issuing challenges. Then you make a huge spectacle of it, and almost everyone hears about it... that's just setting yourself up for embarrassment."

Crocodile's face flushed bright red.

Dark yellow grains of sand began to seep from his body, writhing and twisting like living creatures.

"Calm down, Crocodile. Don't forget who we are... A fight between the Shichibukai would bring all sorts of trouble."

Mihawk's voice remained cool, his gaze serene, showing no intention of fighting.

"You wouldn't want the Government and Marines hunting you down, would you?"

Seeing Mihawk's calm demeanor, Crocodile let out a deep sigh, suppressing his anger. He lifted his glass and sneered:

"I thought you'd be interested in Whitebeard."

"His 'Murakumogiri' is ranked among the Supreme Great Swords."

Mihawk shook his head.

"Whitebeard doesn't use a sword."

"Pfft!"

Crocodile couldn't hold back, spitting out his drink.

What kind of logic is that?

Both swing heavy blades, both wield Meito—so Daren's is swordsmanship, but Whitebeard's isn't?

...

Inside Pangaea Castle.

The Hall of Power.

"It's been a while, Fleet Admiral Kong."

Daren turned his gaze away from the passageway and slowly turned around.

A towering, imposing figure had appeared, exuding an overwhelming pressure.

With his Mohawk-style hair, bronze skin, and stern, resolute face, he stood with his powerful arms crossed over his chest, projecting an almost granite-like solidity and hardness.

A wide Marine cloak draped over his broad shoulders, with golden wheat ears gently swaying in the sunlight coming through the windows, adding a sense of solemnity and grandeur.

Simply standing there, he emitted an oppressive force, like an unbreakable iron wall.

Fleet Admiral, "Steel Bone" Kong!

"It's been quite a while, Daren."

Kong's expression was grave as he looked at Daren, his voice deep and serious.

Daren smiled faintly:

"If I'm not mistaken, our last meeting was also here in Mary Geoise?"

"Hm, when was that again? Ah, yes. That was after I took down Shiki. To cover the Marine Headquarters' operation against the Roger Pirates, I led the Shichibukai to intercept the Whitebeard Pirates in the New World..." I remember thinking then, having completed the tasks the Government and Headquarters gave me, what kind of reward I'd receive..."

"Unfortunately, the reward I received was—the Five Elders deciding to schedule the Celestial Dragons' race extermination tournament in my North Blue."

Kong was silent for a few seconds before speaking slowly:

"That was a test from the Government, and the series of events that followed proved... it was necessary."

"With the North Blue under your control, severed from the World Government's Member Nations, nations plunged into chaos. The entire world fell into panic because of the North Blue Fleet..."

"Do you know how the Government historians describe this time?"

"'What was once a peaceful world, driven into silent fear by the ambition of one man—Rogers Daren. The people now walk with their heads down, afraid to look up, because they never know when that ghostly, terrifying fleet might descend, bringing death and destruction...'"

"'From that day forward, the world entered a unique, eerie age—one that could be called...'"

He paused, staring at Daren intently, then said each word with careful deliberation:

"'The Age of Threat.'"

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