Amid the swirling dust, cold steel continued its restless dance.
Vinsmoke Judge stood amid the ruins of the Germa Kingdom, his eyes bloodshot.
"Damn it! I'm the man destined to lead Germa to dominate the North Blue!"
Darren narrowed his eyes and smirked.
"The Navy is the true ruler of these seas. As for the title of 'King of the North Blue,' I won't let you have it."
He raised his hand and made a sweeping motion.
Dozens of twisted steel bars surged forward, slicing through the air with a shrill whistle, all aimed at Vinsmoke Judge.
With a hiss, the heels of Judge's combat boots emitted streams of white smoke. Propelled by built-in thrusters, his body shot upward like a strange bird taking flight.
"Let me show you the true power of Germa 66, Darren, you brat!"
Brandishing a metallic spear, Judge deflected the oncoming steel bars with sweeping motions, his golden hair flowing behind him as he dove from the sky.
Blue electricity crackled along the spear, illuminating it with dazzling brilliance.
"Electromagnetic Thrust!"
In an instant, Judge descended upon Darren, gripping the electrified spear tightly and thrusting it downward with lethal intent.
The scorching heat and penetrating force of the weapon created explosive bursts in the air.
"Technology, huh?"
As the spear, capable of piercing steel and fortresses alike, closed in on him, Darren merely chuckled.
The fierce wind from the attack tousled his black hair. The spearhead drew ever closer, its searing heat palpable, yet Darren maintained his smile.
A magnetic field suddenly rippled outward from his body.
In the next moment, the air seemed to warp and ripple.
The spear, so lethal just moments ago, slowed dramatically as though it had plunged into a pool of invisible glue, eventually freezing in place.
Judge's pupils constricted.
No matter how hard he pushed, the high-tech weapon in his hand refused to budge, as though an unseen force was gripping it tightly.
"Using technology against me? That's your biggest mistake."
Darren spoke calmly.
"Damn it! I won't believe this!"
Judge roared in frustration, abandoning the spear. Twisting mid-air, he launched a sidekick toward Darren's head, his boots sparking with a dazzling electric glow.
"Electromagnetic Smash!"
Yet the same scene unfolded again.
The boots, spewing white jets of vapor, were once again "frozen" mid-air by the mysterious force, unable to move.
A flash of fear crossed Judge's face.
His advanced technology was utterly countered by this man's devil fruit ability!
Before he could process this, Judge noticed Darren's figure vanish from sight.
So fast!
A powerful gust exploded by his side, and Judge felt a chill run down his spine.
Behind him, Darren's cloak seemed to come alive, wrapping itself around Judge's body.
Boom!
A heavy military boot slammed into Judge's abdomen.
The force sent Germa 66's Captain hurtling backward like a cannonball, crashing into a nearby military fortress.
The fortress crumbled instantly, cracks spreading across its walls before it collapsed with a deafening roar.
Amid the chaos of falling rubble, Darren landed gracefully.
"Damn it! This can't be! My technology is supposed to be invincible!"
Watching Judge stagger out of the ruins, Darren's lips curled into a satisfied smile.
He was testing the capabilities of his combat suit.
Unlike his genetically modified children, Judge's body lacked monstrous durability. His strength relied almost entirely on his advanced combat suit.
Without it, Judge was barely on par with a naval captain.
Although this was only the first-generation suit, far less potent than the ones in the Cake Island storyline, its power was still impressive.
Judging by the attacks and defenses displayed earlier, Darren was quite pleased with the suit's performance.
If mass-produced, such suits could elevate trained naval officers to a power level rivaling that of a rear admiral.
Just then.
"Hahaha! Allow me to assist you, Darren! The genius of Navy Headquarters, Kaji, will defeat the evil Captain of this army and save the war-torn Kingdom of Yadis, becoming a hero of the Navy!"
A loud, arrogant laugh echoed from afar.
Darren turned, puzzled.
From his ship, which had apparently docked unnoticed, Kaji charged forward, leaving a trail of dust in his wake.
Lines of exasperation formed on Darren's forehead.
That guy… trying to steal the spotlight again?
Just as Darren opened his mouth to speak, Kaji laughed boldly.
"Darren, don't intervene!"
After a moment of thought, Darren stood still.
Kaji's heart swelled with joy.
Seeing Judge panting heavily in the distance, Kaji couldn't help but smirk.
This guy isn't so tough.
If I take him down, Gion will surely see me in a new light.
Even if not, I'll still be hailed as the hero who saved the Kingdom of Yadis. Just think of how many noblewomen will await my affections!
Driven by such thoughts, Kaji charged faster.
"'Evil Captain' Vinsmoke Judge, I, Kaji, Major of the Navy Headquarters, shall bring you to justice in the name of—"
Before he could finish, a boot crackling with blue electricity slammed into his face.
With twice the speed of his original charge, Kaji flew backward, demolishing a fortress.
Nearby, Captain Dalmatian buried his face in his hands.
Judge didn't lose because he was weak. Darren was just far too strong…
Gion shook her head, speechless.
After kicking the clueless Navy officer out of his way, Judge turned his gaze back to Darren, his face twisted with rage.
"Damn you! One after another, you Navy scum are nothing but a nuisance!"
With another blast from his boots, Judge launched himself at Darren once more.
But as his attack closed in, Darren simply raised a hand and clenched it into a fist.
An invisible magnetic field rippled outward.
Judge froze mid-air, unable to move.
The next moment, intense pain shot through his hands and feet.
Sssss!!
The sound of flesh being pierced echoed.
The metallic spear in his hand and the war boots on his feet moved as though alive, writhing and piercing through his limbs. Blood gushed out, soaking the ground.
"Ahhhhh!!!"
The excruciating pain forced a heart-wrenching scream from his lips.
But before he could react further, thick steel rods shot up from the ground like serpents, coiling around him tightly and suspending him mid-air.
Clang!
A piece of metal sealed his mouth, cutting off his cries abruptly.
Bloodshot veins spread densely around his pupils.
"Shhh…"
The Navy Captain stepped forward, raising a finger to his lips with a graceful smile.
"Sorry, but your plan to dominate the North Blue ends here."