The dragon claw whistled through the air, emitting a ghostly, shrill howl. Daren's strike was so swift that by the time the pitch-black, three-fingered dragon claw closed in on his heart, the wind generated by his Haki tore through his solemn, ornate God's Knights Commander's uniform. A sharp, explosive sound suddenly rang out. Time itself seemed to slow in that moment.

Gazing at the razor-sharp claw, mere inches from his heart, Figarland Garling—who had only just ascended to the esteemed position of Commander of the God's Knights, bathed in glory—felt an unprecedented chill. He could almost perceive the startled expressions of the Five Elders in the corner of his eye.

The next second.

Clang!!

A silver-moon-like blade flash erupted, sending brilliant sparks flying. The colossal Gryphon vanished behind Saint Figarland Garling in an instant, unleashing a torrential storm of wind and waves. Dense, crimson-black lightning bolts continuously spawned in the void. His Gryphon Blade held Daren's dragon claw at bay, yet the claw's fingertips—capable of splitting clouds and shattering stone—barely grazed his skin, tearing a shallow gash across his chest.

Drip... drip...

Crimson blood seeped like a trickling stream from the wound on his chest, dripping at his feet, dripping onto the towering statue's summit. Yet, despite this, Figarland Garling's body trembled slightly, his eyes surging with an eerie crimson glow. The exhilaration of narrowly escaping death surged through his mind and nerves like a torrent.

Blocked!

"Is that so?"

As if sensing the fleeting joy on his face, Daren suddenly grinned and murmured softly. Figarland Garling froze.

In an instant, Daren changed his stance. His fingers clenched, and the dragon claws transformed into an indestructible iron fist. Driven by surging arcs of electricity, the muscles in his right arm erupted with rocket-like force, heart-stopping power. Like a magnetic thruster, it twisted immense energy into a brutal punch thrusting forward!

Figarland Garling's pupils instantly contracted to pinpricks. For he saw with his own eyes that his Gryphon Blade—wrapped in formidable Haki, unyielding even if a dinosaur stood upon its edge—was visibly bending under the colossal force of Daren's punch!

This guy's strength... how terrifying!?

"Those old fools can't be killed, but what about you?"

A bitter wind whipped Daren's disheveled hair as he grinned with arrogant malice, striking Figarland Garling like a thunderbolt. Before the commander could react, the pent-up strength behind Daren's fist erupted like a long-suppressed volcano!

"Blue Hole!"

The iron fist, locked against the Gryphon's Blade, struck with unstoppable force... Sending both blade and man crashing down, smashing Saint Figarland Garling, the commander of the God's Knights, into the ground beneath him!!

BOOM!!

As if the sea itself had fallen, or a Galaxy Impact, the colossal statue—towering dozens of meters high—collapsed instantly under Saint Garling's impact, sending a cloud of dust skyward. The earth shook violently, smoke and shockwaves radiating out in concentric circles, forming a shockingly massive crater in the vast plaza.

Witnessing such an exaggerated scene, the corners of Doflamingo and Stussy's eyes twitched wildly. Figarland Garling, the commander of the God's Knights and hailed as the "Strongest Celestial Dragon," was this... "weak"!?

Yet deep down, they both understood this wasn't Garling's weakness, but rather the sheer monstrosity of that madman, Daren. Magnetic Field Rotation... In this state, Rogers Daren had undoubtedly ascended into the ranks of the world's absolute elite combatants! While Figarland Garling undoubtedly possessed strength rivaling that of an Admiral, compared to legendary powerhouses like Roger and Whitebeard, his foundational strength still appeared profoundly lacking.

"Stop him!"

In the instant countless thoughts flashed through both their minds, Saint Saturn's hoarse, cold command echoed across the plaza.

Whether it was an illusion or not, Doflamingo and Stussy detected an unprecedented sense of urgency and panic in Saint Saturn's voice. Today marked the inauguration of Saint Figarland Garling as the new commander of the God's Knights. Though all Member Nations' representatives and guests had been evacuated, and the live broadcast via Den Den Mushi completely severed, if Garling were truly killed by Daren here, this day would become the greatest disgrace in the World Government's history!

As the words fell, a sinister crimson glint flashed in Gyūki's eyes.

Killing Eyes!

BOOM!

Daren's body staggered mid-Kong, suddenly erupting in a burst of flames and thick smoke, as if struck by a massive cannonball. Such an attack posed no significant threat to Daren in his current state, yet the explosive shockwave still momentarily halted his movement. That pause was enough.

In that single instant, the long-awaited CP0 agents materialized simultaneously. Like black-and-white specters, they leapt into the air, executing Geppo to trample through the air as they surged toward Daren. Though Daren displayed terrifying power, these were assassins trained from childhood by the World Government—every one of them charging forward with utter disregard for their own lives.

Yet before they could close in, their bodies were pierced clean through by several streaks of black light whistling through the void, exploding mid-air into a shower of blood. Driven by the raging magnetic field, the four Meito—Enma, Ame no Habakiri, Oto, and Kogarashi—unleashed terrifying might in aerial combat.

For the CP members, who could only briefly hover using Geppo and lacked the ability to maneuver swiftly in the air, those four razor-sharp streaks of light were like the cold scythes of hell's grim reaper, silently reaping their lives.

Daren, however, didn't even glance at them. His form plummeted like a cannonball, diving straight toward the shaky figure within the statue's ruins. His eyes flashed with a maddened killing intent.

The Five Elders might be untouchable, but this Figarland Saint Garling was a different story—he could be killed!

"Don't even think about it!"

BOOM!

A furious roar erupted from the earth as a colossal Sandworm burst forth from the ground. Its acid-drenched maw snapped open, lunging to devour Daren.

Daren sneered coldly, neither dodging nor retreating. Instead, he accelerated directly into the Sandworm's gaping jaws. The next second,

Zzzzzz!!

A hole exploded in the Sandworm's tail. Amidst the flying flesh and blood, the black-haired youth, enveloped in thunder and lightning, tore open the Sandworm's body like a madman, closing in on the staggering Saint Garling.

"No!"

A deathly pallor flashed across Saint Garling's face. Gritting his teeth, he roared, unleashing his full Haki and slashing out with a fierce sword strike.

The slashing sword energy roared like a Gryphon, spreading its enormous wings.

Daren transformed one hand into a dragon's claw, dragging the dragon's breath behind him. Crimson-black thunder blazed like a meteor's tail as he advanced with a savage grin.

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