Chapter 75
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Chapter 75: Encirclement and Suppression
"You really are a madman..."
Upon hearing Darren's astonishing remarks, Flying Squirrel couldn't resist a wry smile and said, "Are you sure I should be hearing these words?"
"Why not?" Darren responded with a smile. "From the day you said you'd join me, I recognized your potential."
"The long-standing World Government, with its history of brainwashing, has divided the sea into disparate levels. Celestial Dragons stand apart, controlling everything. But as times change and heroes rise, such entrenched concepts are bound to evolve."
He reclined in his chair, elegantly lifted his wine glass, and took a sip.
"Of course, my thoughts are only speculation. More evidence and data are required to confirm it."
Flying Squirrel felt a chill as his eyes met Darren's half-smiling gaze. With a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth, he managed to say, "Are you trying to make a guinea pig out of me?"
"Your name is Flying Squirrel, right?" Darren asked, still smiling.
Flying Squirrel had no response.
Darren reveled in the discomfort evident on Flying Squirrel's face but soon turned serious.
"It's not entirely a joke. I wouldn't entrust North Blue to anyone else. Once I leave for Marineford, you will be in charge of this sea."
His demeanor was solemn.
"Doflamingo may seem subdued after his defeat, but he's an ambitious man. We can still play Jerma's card, provoke conflicts with him, and intervene as mediators. It's better to intervene minimally; the players should fold their own hands."
"Yet, tactics are only part of it. Strength is essential."
"I won't neglect my training," Flying Squirrel assured him with resolve.
Darren nodded in acknowledgment. Then, their conversation was interrupted by the sudden ring of a phone.
"Buru Buru, Buru Buru..."
Both men looked at the military Den Den Mushi on the desk, surprised.
"This is Darren," he said, picking up the receiver.
"Darren, it's me," came the stern voice of Admiral Sengoku, tinged with gravity.
"Admiral Sengoku, what's the problem?" Darren asked, exchanging a worried glance with Flying Squirrel.
They knew Sengoku was likely coordinating with World Government CP members to hunt "World Destroyer" Byrnndi Waldo.
Sengoku reported an issue with the campaign against Byrnndi Waldo. His increased caution following a bounty hike had allowed him to evade capture, even with headquarters blocking North Blue's access to the Grand Line. Now, Waldo and his crew were lurking somewhere in North Blue's waters.
"Darren, you've operated here for years and wielded influence... I need your North Blue contacts to pinpoint Byrnndi Waldo's hideout," Sengoku stated.
Darren's brow rose in interest. Marine had doubled Byrnndi Waldo's bounty to 400 million beli, making the World Destroyer exceedingly wary — an unexpected development for Darren.
Darren thought for a moment and said slowly, "Admiral Sengoku, to use the power of the North Blue fleet and my connections is not a problem. But what I want to know is, has your side taken action against Byrnndi Waldo again?"
"Are you assessing the extent of his possible counterattack?" Sengoku, worthy of being "The Resourceful General," instantly realized the intention of Darren's question.
"Yes, Admiral Sengoku. If Byrnndi Waldo is injured, he will most likely seek drastic revenge," Darren pondered and added, "I'm not just concerned about us Marines, but about civilians as well."
Sengoku fell silent for a moment and then said slowly, "I did fight with him several times during this period... he was injured."
Darren smiled with satisfaction. "I understand, Admiral Sengoku. I will arrange for personnel to search for and track Byrnndi Waldo's whereabouts as soon as possible." I can't miss the meritorious service delivered to my door. The North Blue Sea has been completely blocked. With the navigation technology of this era, it is impossible for Byrnndi Waldo to enter the New World through the Calm Belt. This means that this is a game of catching a turtle in a jar. The legendary great pirate, a powerful man as famous as Whitebeard and Roger, is someone Darren certainly wants to see for himself to gauge how far he is from such existence.
At the same time, in North Blue, on Roubek Island at the port, a dilapidated pirate ship with traces of war on its surface slowly sailed in. On the bow of the ship stood a tall, powerful figure with his arms folded, wearing a horned helmet, sporting a gray-green beard, and dark green eyes that held a turbid, sinister look – Byrnndi Waldo, with a bloody bandage on his chest.
"It's really a boat in the gutter... that damn yellow-skinned monkey..." Byrnndi Waldo raised his hand and pressed the bloody bandage. The wound from the laser beam had stopped bleeding but still caused him slight pain. No one expected that the tall Marine Rear Admiral was capable of such a vulgar sneak attack while fighting with Sengoku.
"Waldo, are your injuries okay?" an old, small man approached with difficulty, with a sling bottle on his arm, and his expression sluggish.
"Don't worry, brother, I'm fine," Byrnndi Waldo replied, smiling honestly at his brother, Byojack, the vice-captain of the Ward Pirates and the group's thinker, akin to Wald's brother. Since childhood, Byrnndi Waldo had been dependent on his brother and had always dreamed of a great adventure around the world.
Byojack glanced at Byrnndi Waldo with concern but finally said nothing.
"So brother, are you sure that North Blue's largest underground organization is on this island? That guy named Doflamingo..." Byrnndi Waldo raised his head, squinted his eyes, and gazed sorrowfully at the bustling islands and ports before him.
"Yes, the Donquixote Family is the largest mafia force in North Blue. According to the intelligence we have collected, their influence is huge and their methods rampant... Even the North Blue Marines have to keep their distance," Byojack confirmed in a weak voice. "But Waldo, are you sure you want to do this? We can still turn back now."
Byrnndi Waldo burst out laughing. "Brother, our dream of traveling around the world has not come true yet! How could the great adventure of the Ward Pirates end in this mere North Blue?" He waved his hand with rising momentum, "Let's find that kid named Doflamingo. We will get the power to destroy the Marines from his hands!"