Abandoned military port.
The afterglow of the setting sun had turned into a crimson haze, gradually tinting the distant horizon and casting its glow over the earth.
By now, the entire port had become a frozen landscape—crystal-clear ice shards jutted from the ground, and a faint white mist drifted through the air.
With a dull bang, Daren and Kuzan's fists slammed into each other's faces at the same time. Blood sprayed, and both staggered back before falling flat onto the icy ground.
"Huff... huff..."
They lay sprawled out on the snow-covered earth, gasping for air, their faces battered and swollen, blood streaking their skin.
"Dahahahaha! That was awesome! Fighting you is the only thing that really gets my blood pumping!"
Kuzan laughed heartily, not even bothering to wipe the blood off his face. His grin radiated genuine joy—it was the thrill of finding a worthy opponent.
Daren rolled his eyes and yanked his feet out of the ice, causing the surrounding ice crystals to shatter with sharp cracks.
"Your Devil Fruit ability restricts my movements too much. Kinda makes the fight dull."
Still, the exhilaration in his eyes made it clear he had enjoyed the match.
Kuzan turned his head to glance at Daren and grinned.
"You were holding back, weren't you?"
Daren didn't respond.
Kuzan had truly earned the title of "monster."
In just six months, his strength had undergone a complete transformation—far beyond what he was when he first arrived at the training camp.
Not only had he further developed his Devil Fruit powers, but he had also mastered Haki. Under Garp's training, he'd completely reshaped his biggest weakness: close-quarters combat.
From their clash just now, it was clear—Kuzan's strength now surpassed that of most elite Vice Admirals at headquarters.
Even so, he still had ground to cover before catching up to Daren, who was a monster in every sense—powerful across the board.
But even that much was enough to leave Daren genuinely impressed.
"You really are something, Daren... Looks like I've got to push myself even harder."
Seeing that Daren didn't deny it, Kuzan wasn't discouraged. Instead, the fire in his eyes only burned brighter. The spirit of rivalry surged within him.
Daren smiled, about to speak—
When a sharp, ear-piercing siren suddenly rang out from the distance.
Urgent. Tense. Filled with unease.
Both their expressions changed in an instant. They sat up straight, faces serious, staring toward the military zone.
That was... the Marineford alarm!
What happened?
With their sharp eyesight, they could faintly make out a fleet of patrol ships racing back toward the oval-shaped port. The rapid, heavy footsteps of Marines echoed from afar.
"Commodore Daren! Captain Kuzan!"
A panicked figure rushed into the abandoned port—it was a messenger.
The young Marine came to a breathless halt, saluted, and said gravely:
"Admiral Sengoku has ordered that Marine Headquarters in Marineford is now officially under martial law. Please return to your respective quarters immediately and report your current status."
"Ara Ara, something big must've happened. Mind telling me what it is?"
Kuzan dusted himself off and stood up, curiosity written all over his face.
The messenger glanced at him but said nothing.
Sensitive information like this wasn't something that could be shared casually—especially with Kuzan, who was still just a Captain at headquarters.
Daren frowned, quickly piecing it together.
"I'm a Commodore of Marine Headquarters. As you know, once I graduate from the training camp, I'll officially be promoted to Rear Admiral."
The messenger paused, then replied,
"A Celestial Dragon was killed in the New World. Admiral Sengoku has already set sail to handle the situation."
A Celestial Dragon... killed?
Daren's eyes widened slightly.
That was rare.
The Celestial Dragons, as world nobles, stood at the very peak of power and status in this sea.
With CP agents guarding them, small pirate crews wouldn't stand a chance.
And even among the powerful pirate groups in those waters, most either didn't dare or couldn't be bothered to touch a Celestial Dragon.
Killing one meant the Admirals would come after you personally—and the World Government would never let it go.
It was a surefire way to bring endless trouble.
No one in their right mind would do something so reckless and unprofitable—unless, like Daren, they had the cover of a Marine identity and the means to create diversions and erase their tracks.
But still... something about this didn't sit right with him.
He couldn't quite put his finger on it, but the feeling wouldn't go away.
"Then I'll head out first. I still need to relay the orders to the other departments."
The messenger saluted again, then hurried off.
"What a pain. I was hoping to squeeze in a bit of fun at sea before graduation."
Kuzan walked over, looking visibly annoyed.
Daren shook his head.
"Let's head back. With Admiral Sengoku already mobilized, we'll probably hear something soon."
"Alright."
Kuzan scratched his head, clearly bored.
The two of them quickly left the abandoned military port and made their way toward the family quarters.
The sharp, piercing sound of alarms continued to blare, accompanied by a low droning voice from the loudspeakers mounted on the streetlamps:
"Marineford is now under martial law. All citizens, please return home in an orderly manner… There's no need to panic. Stay calm."
"Once again, Marineford is under martial law. All citizens, please return home calmly and in an orderly fashion!"
As they made their way back, Daren and Kuzan frowned at the sight of anxious civilians hurrying about and Marines trying to maintain order.
A torn newspaper fluttered down the empty street, carried by the cold wind. A heavy, tense atmosphere hung over every corner of Marineford.
"Seriously… It's just one dead Celestial Dragon. Is this kind of response really necessary?"
Kuzan muttered under his breath, clearly frustrated that the lockdown had ruined his plans to go fishing.
Daren pressed his lips together.
In truth, this mess was partly his fault.
Ever since he killed Saint Xildes, the World Government's trust in the Marines had been fractured.
Then came Dragon's "defection," which only deepened their suspicions and mistrust.
So now, with another Celestial Dragon killed, Sengoku had chosen to put the entire Marine Headquarters under martial law—to "clear suspicion" and prevent the World Government from jumping to conclusions.
"I'm heading home."
Daren said abruptly, striding off toward his house.
He wasn't worried about Gion—she'd grown up in the military.
But when it came to Amatsuki Toki, he couldn't quite shake his concern.