Two hours later.
The door suddenly burst open.
A hand gripped the doorframe as Daren staggered out, pale and unsteady, using the wall for support.
Practically fleeing from the family quarters, he finally found a stone bench, sat down heavily, and silently pulled out a cigarette.
Clenching it between his teeth, he lit it and took a few deep drags before he finally caught his breath.
"Insane... absolutely insane..."
"A woman with a burning desire to win is terrifying..."
Four times.
And that was Gion still holding back because of the pain.
Unlike the soft and delicate Amatsuki Toki, Gion had been training for years. Her stamina was off the charts, and those long, powerful legs of hers were no joke.
They could even launch a full-on Rankyaku!
Sure, the view from below was all pale and full—no, wait, beautiful. But that kind of thing just couldn't be endured...
Feeling his legs still trembling from exhaustion and his lower back sore and tight, Daren wore an expression like he wanted to cry but had no tears left.
Seven times...
His mouth twitched, and he suddenly flicked the cigarette to the ground with force.
What's the point of this monster-level physique to me!?
Shaking his head with a long sigh, he slowly stood up, oriented himself, and walked off toward a nearby restaurant.
Yeah... I need to refuel.
Clutching his lower back the whole way, Daren walked slowly, long since numb to the odd and pitying stares from the people he passed.
"Daren?"
As soon as he stepped inside the restaurant, he spotted Kuzan waving excitedly at him.
"What a coincidence!"
"Over here! I just ordered—come eat with me!"
Daren blinked in surprise, but didn't hesitate and sat down without fuss.
"What are you doing here?"
He asked casually, signaling the owner for a bottle of liquor.
Kuzan huffed.
"I live in this neighborhood, alright? You're my chosen rival—how do you not even know that?"
Daren rolled his eyes.
He took the bottle from the owner, poured Kuzan a glass, then filled his own and downed it in one go.
Kuzan eyed Daren's gloomy face and asked curiously,
"What's with the long face? You just got back from a mission at sea… fought monsters like Kaidou and Whitebeard!"
His eyes sparkled.
"Everyone in Marineford is talking about your epic feats!"
Daren's mouth twitched again.
Yeah, my "epic feats" are all over Marineford right now...
Just then, the waiter arrived with a stream of dishes—
Juicy roasted wild boar with crispy fat, fragrant strawberry pie, a giant vegetable salad, two bowls of hell ramen, and a variety of fresh seafood sashimi...
Not bothering with Kuzan and his non-stop chatter, the starving Daren dove straight into the food, devouring it like a beast.
"Incredible eating speed..."
Kuzan stared in shock, muttering under his breath. Then, as if struck by inspiration, his eyes lit up.
"Is this... the secret to your strength!?"
Daren: ...
Before Daren could respond, Kuzan's fighting spirit flared.
"I've decided! This is a duel!"
And with that, he started shoveling food into his mouth at full speed.
Both of them, eyes bloodshot, looked like starving ghosts as they swept through the dishes like a storm.
They kept yelling at the staff to bring more and more food.
Other diners in the restaurant gradually noticed the spectacle and stared in stunned silence as the plates stacked up like mountains in front of the two.
"This is insane..."
"The waitstaff can't even keep up..."
"How long have these two not eaten?"
"..."
Half an hour later...
Stuffed to the brim, the two finally put down their utensils and leaned back, their round, overfed bellies puffed up beneath them.
"I'm full..."
Kuzan let out a loud burp, then looked at Daren with excitement in his eyes.
"You really are my lifelong rival. In the end, I still lost to you."
A few dark lines appeared on Daren's forehead.
I was just hungry!!
I never had any intention of dueling you!
But he knew there was no reasoning with this hot-blooded youth. Shaking his head, he changed the subject.
"How's it been since you got to headquarters? Getting used to things?"
Kuzan scratched his head.
"There's nothing to get used to. It all feels the same."
"Training, eating, resting—that's the whole cycle at the training camp. Same thing every day. When I get back to the dorms, I just stare into space."
"But you—rumor has it you're dating someone now? Don't slack off on training just because of love..."
He looked at Daren with a face full of emotion.
...Yeah, and apparently not just one.
Daren muttered to himself.
Still, Kuzan's words served as a reminder.
With Toki's sharp mind, there's no way she hasn't noticed something.
If he went home tonight and her competitive streak kicked in, he was doomed.
Not even a man of steel could handle that.
Toki might appear gentle and serene, but she was every bit as driven when it came to winning.
Maybe it was best to lay low for a while?
More importantly, Daren now had enough strength to start seeking out some of the "treasures" only Transmigrators knew about.
There was one thing in particular he'd been fixated on for a long time.
If he could get it, even though he didn't need it personally, it would be a major asset for building up his power.
With his decision made, Daren got straight to the point.
"Kuzan, help me ask Zephyr-sensei for a few days off. And while you're at it, pass a message to my family... and Gion too."
Kuzan looked confused.
"Time off?"
Then his eyes lit up as he stared at Daren, practically vibrating with excitement.
"You're heading out to sea again?"
"Who are you going after this time? You've already fought Whitebeard and Kaidou—are you going to take on Big Mom? Or Shiki?"
"Daren, take me with you!"
"I'm strong now, I swear I won't drag you down!"
He flexed his biceps proudly.
"If we team up, we'll be the strongest pair in the entire Navy!"
Daren shook his head and snapped.
"You're overthinking it. I'm just going back to the North Blue."
"It's my hometown, after all. I haven't been back in ages—I miss it."
Kuzan wasn't exactly great at keeping secrets. Taking him along could lead to unpredictable problems, so Daren had no choice but to leave him out of this one.
"...Fine."
Hearing it was just a trip to the North Blue, Kuzan instantly lost interest.
Being from the South Blue, he knew the Four Seas were pretty weak in comparison.
What he longed for were stronger opponents—dangers only found in the boundless New World.
"Yeah. I appreciate it."
Daren patted him on the shoulder and walked out of the restaurant.
Standing on the street, he suddenly seemed to remember something and waved in a certain direction, small arcs of electricity flickering between his fingers.
Three seconds later, a long, pitch-black blade sliced through the air and came to a sudden stop, hovering steadily in front of him.
One of the twenty-one Great Grade Swords, the cursed blade—Enma.
Looking at the now noticeably more obedient Enma, Daren gave a satisfied smile.
A metallic hoverboard quickly formed beneath his feet. He stepped on, and propelled by magnetic force, shot into the sky at an incredible speed, vanishing into the distance.
"So cool..."
Kuzan watched Daren's retreating figure with admiration, eyes gleaming as he murmured to himself.
"The check, please."
The owner suddenly appeared behind him with a pleasant smile.
"That'll be 916,000 Belly."
Kuzan: ...
He pulled out his wallet with trembling hands, face full of despair.