After Daren and Borsalino left the Fleet Admiral's office, Sengoku remained where he was, looking like he had something on his mind.
"If you've got something to say, say it."
Kong gave him a sideways glance and spoke impatiently.
Sengoku, clearly holding it in for a while, couldn't wait any longer.
"Old man Kong, are we really just handing the Moa Moa no Mi over to Daren like that?"
Kong raised an eyebrow, paused for a few seconds, and said,
"Sengoku, I know what you're thinking."
He slowly exhaled a puff of smoke, his aged eyes glinting with wisdom.
"The Moa Moa no Mi is indeed a force to be reckoned with—but that's all it is."
"Compared to the uncertainty of the Moa Moa no Mi, the strength and potential Daren showed in this operation are clear as day."
"If he hadn't taken part, you might not have even secured the Moa Moa no Mi, let alone wiped out Shiki's flying pirate fleet."
"And since Daren has already spoken, sure, I could use my authority to take the Moa Moa no Mi back from him. Outwardly, he might not say anything—but he'd definitely carry a grudge."
"You know that kid's personality... If we don't let him handle the Moa Moa no Mi this time, he might come up with all sorts of excuses to skip the next mission."
Sengoku froze at that.
He thought seriously about Daren's temperament and realized that Kong had a point.
That kid held grudges and was clear-cut about who he liked and disliked.
Treat him well, and he'd repay you just as generously.
Tick him off, and he'd make you pay double.
Looking at it from that angle, the answer became obvious.
A powerful Devil Fruit? Or a monster with unrivaled strength and potential in this era?
Sengoku knew which one truly mattered.
"Sengoku, no need to worry... Even if the Moa Moa no Mi is in Daren's hands, who's he going to give it to?"
Kong suddenly chuckled, eyes gleaming with confidence and authority.
It was the look of someone who had the whole board in his grasp.
"In the end, that Devil Fruit will stay within the Marines."
"And who ends up with it doesn't really matter."
"As long as they're one of ours—that's enough."
Hearing this, Sengoku remained silent for a long time. Then, with a look of sincere respect, he raised his hand and saluted.
"I understand, Kong-sensei."
"My perspective was too narrow."
Kong nodded, then frowned.
"How many times do I have to tell you—use my title when you're working!"
Sengoku saluted sharply.
"Yes, Fleet Admiral Kong-sensei!"
Kong: "..."
…
Leaving the Fleet Admiral's office, Daren and Borsalino chatted idly as they strolled.
"So, who are you planning to give the Moa Moa no Mi to?"
Borsalino asked casually, as if it were just small talk.
Daren smiled.
"Who knows? There's no rush."
The Moa Moa no Mi, if properly developed, had terrifying potential.
But for now, Daren didn't have an ideal candidate in mind.
That young man named Arthur had left a decent impression. Even when facing powerful pirates like Charlotte Perospero and Charlotte Daifuku, he had resolutely fulfilled his duties.
Daren respected that kind of resolve.
It was also why he wanted to bring Arthur over from Sengoku.
Anyone afraid of death wasn't qualified to be one of his subordinates.
But just willpower and courage weren't enough.
In this vast sea, without exceptional talent, no amount of hard work made someone worth investing in.
Reality was harsh like that.
Those clichéd scenes from anime—shouting about friendship and bonds to defeat the villain—might happen in fiction, but Daren had never seen it happen in real life.
And knowing his own personality, even if he did see it, he probably wouldn't care.
Whether Arthur was truly worth cultivating, he'd need to keep watching for a while longer.
Borsalino gave Daren a glance and changed the subject.
"The North Blue fleet has recently purchased a whole batch of laser weapons from the Science Department."
He looked at Daren with a half-smile.
"Looks like their budget got a generous bump."
Daren replied with a smooth smile,
"I heard from Admiral Momonga that the North Blue's economy has been doing quite well lately."
Borsalino's grin deepened.
"Is that so? Well then, something worth celebrating..."
As they neared the training camp gate, he stretched lazily.
"Well, I'll head back for now. The Science Department's had a few breakthroughs lately. If Rear Admiral Daren is interested, you should drop by sometime."
Daren nodded and smiled.
"Of course I'm interested. I'll make time, Vice Admiral Borsalino."
Borsalino gave a faint smile, and in the next moment, his body scattered into countless photons and vanished.
Daren stood still, murmuring to himself,
"What a cunning guy... What exactly are you scheming, Borsalino?"
...
"Daren!!"
An excited voice suddenly echoed from the training camp gate.
Daren looked up to see Kuzan and the others approaching with cheerful grins.
"You guys came all the way out here?"
Kuzan and the group flashed forward, fists clenched in excitement.
"Of course we came to welcome you back!"
"I still can't believe you really took down Shiki's fleet. That's just too cool!"
Yamakaji asked expectantly,
"So, is Shiki the Golden Lion really that strong?"
Doberman gave Daren a light punch to the chest and laughed,
"Welcome back."
Onigumo, keeping his usual cold demeanor, rasped,
"I want another match. Let's see how strong you really are now."
The others gathered around Daren with enthusiasm, throwing questions at him nonstop.
They weren't part of headquarters' core leadership, so they hadn't seen the detailed battle report. All they had were newspaper clippings and rumors about the Coin Island incident.
Seeing all these familiar faces, Daren felt himself relax a little. He answered each of their questions with a smile.
At the back of the crowd, Tokikake watched the scene with a sour expression. He clicked his tongue and muttered,
"Tch. So what if he destroyed a bunch of ships... It's not like he killed Shiki."
He thought back to the end of the press conference, when a bunch of ladies and girls were throwing Daren flirty glances. The memory made his teeth itch in frustration.
Just then, a cold voice cut through the air.
"Commodore Daren."
The group froze.
Daren turned and saw a tall figure standing stiffly at the training camp gate, face impassive.
"Commander Gion."
Daren greeted her with a smile.
Gion said expressionlessly,
"Come with me. I need to talk to you."
Daren blinked.
"Alright."
With a swoosh, the crowd instinctively stepped aside to make way.
Tokikake's eyes sparkled, and a sly grin curled on his lips.
"Hehehe, Gion's pissed for sure... That bastard Daren is done for!"
"Beat him up! Beat him good! Hehehe!!"
...
Half an hour later.
In the administrative office of the military academy.
The room was a mess—like it had just been through a war.
A pink cropped top, black hot pants, purple heels with red soles...
Clothes, stationery, and papers were scattered everywhere.
Daren reclined comfortably on a spacious sofa, happily puffing on a cigar.
Gion, drenched in sweat and wrapped in his white shirt, nestled against him like a kitten, her gaze hazy.
"Feeling better now, Commander Gion?"
Daren looked down at the beauty in his arms and grinned playfully.