Chapter 54

Future chapters (15+) at patreon.com/FFAddict.

Additionally, I have many new works readers may be interested in. Go look, if you wish! 

Chapter 54

Rumbling...

Peering through the looking glass at the buildings crumbling in the ruins of a distant town, with smoke and dust rising from the ground like a dragon dancing wildly, the muscles at the corners of Flying Squirrel's eyes twitched.

Even as his adjutant, Flying Squirrel did not know the full extent of Darren's strength. However, from the inhuman cultivation he pursued day after day, Flying Squirrel inferred that—in the North Blue sea area—aside from a very few "big pirates" who arrived due to various reasons, no one could match Darren.

Darren's Magnetic Fruit ability allowed him a wide range of attack and control methods comparable to those with Logia abilities. And in close combat? Aside from Sakazuki, who used to work in North Blue, who could engage in hand-to-hand combat with that madman Darren? Flying Squirrel had certainly never seen anyone as ruthless.

Darren approached his enemies with a resolve to go all out, not stopping until he achieved his goal. He showed no mercy to himself, let alone to his adversaries.

What about the arrogant, paranoid, pathologically childish Doflamingo? Fortuitously, his life hung in Darren's hands.

The civilians had been evacuated, the town sealed off, and it seemed impossible for news of the events here to spread. A former Celestial Dragon? If one dies, they are simply gone. It's not as though Celestial Dragons haven't perished in North Blue before...

The moment this thought crossed his mind, Flying Squirrel suddenly snapped to attention, realizing the gravity of his "disrespectful" musings about the supreme Celestial Dragons. Unbeknownst to him, cold sweat had broken out on his back.

Taking a deep breath with a wry smile, Flying Squirrel whispered, "Darren, you're right. The meanings represented by zero and one are indeed different."

---

Rubeck Island, central town. Rumbling...

The pierced buildings fell, raising clouds of dust. The earth groaned under the strain, sending out alarming vibrations.

Click...

The sound of a lighter resonated. Darren, standing on the barren, cracked ground, took out a cigar and lit it. His military uniform was in tatters from the battle. He bit the cigar, casually unbuttoned his Marine cloak, tore off the black tie, and with one hand, gave a hard pull at the ragged uniform.

Tear!

His uniform ripped open, revealing his wild, muscular upper body. Each bulge and indentation in his sculpted muscles moved with a rhythmic undulation. Scars adorned his skin, and with his untamed, intense eyes, he resembled a ferocious beast.

"Ah, that's better," Darren said with a grin.

Suddenly, a furious voice erupted. "I told you, how dare you!"

Trebol, bleeding at the mouth, waved his cane, from which a disgusting mucus oozed, sticking to the debris of a four-meter-tall house and dragging it forcefully toward Darren.

"Sticky Meteor!"

The house's wreckage was hurled into the air, buzzing dully as it descended at high speed. The howling wind reddened the recently lit cigar as it came at Darren.

Squinting, Darren raised his hand and waved slightly to the left. Steel rods from the wreckage shot forward, instantly piercing the building.

Tear!

The building's remains split in half around the twisted steel and rushed by Darren's sides, ploughing deep furrows into the ground. With a swift gesture, steel bars and other metals erupted from beneath the surface, slicing, dividing, and stretching like animate beings.

Dozens of gleaming metal spikes hovered around Darren. Under Torrebol's astonished gaze, he smiled and waved toward him. Whoosh! The metal spikes shot out at a speed surpassing sound, heading toward Torrebol's position with astonishing velocity. The earth erupted in billows of dust, and slime splattered as the metal spikes penetrated it.

Darren took a step forward but suddenly shook. In front of him, the land fluttered like a flag, waving as if it were weeds in the boundless wilderness. He raised his eyebrows, quickly focusing on a figure. It was Diamanti, dressed as an Indian, squatting nearby with red hands, pressing one on the ground.

"Flag Flag Fruit!" he muttered, recognizing the ability of the Flag Fruit. It could turn the surrounding ground into a light, fluffy substance, causing the surface to ripple like cloth in the wind. This effect threw opponents off balance, making it difficult for them to counterattack.

However, as Darren tried to steady himself, a figure leaped high behind him. The boy, wearing sunglasses and an expressionless face, had traces of leftover steak on his bearded face and was holding a clump of emerald green bamboo. It was Virgo!

"Ghost Bamboo!" Virgo's eyes turned cold as he brought the bamboo down heavily toward the back of Darren's head. With a snap, the bamboo shattered into countless pieces. Virgo's heart pounded; Darren's bodily structure was beyond human.

Before Virgo could gather his wits, Darren vanished. In an instant, the sound of air bursting echoed. Virgo, turning with difficulty, saw a black military boot enlarging in the reflection of his sunglasses. Boom! Virgo was sent flying like a cannonball into a building, which then collapsed amidst a storm of noise.

Through the billowing smoke, Darren, cigar clenched between his teeth, emerged with a long spear made of twisted, condensed metal. It pierced the air and sank into Diamanti's abdomen before nailing him to a wall. Diamanti spat out a pool of blood and looked at Colonel Marine with intense fear.

At that moment, a nearby building exploded, and a rock swelled into a gigantic rock giant. With its massive fists, it pounded down toward Darren, determined to seize the opportunity. "You are dead!" shrieked a sharp voice. It was Pica.