"Boss, a beer and a cherry pie."
Daren walked into a small tavern, casually picked a seat, and called out to the man behind the bar.
The place was dimly lit. Many of the patrons, still reeking of blood, were tearing into their meat with gusto. But the moment they saw Daren, the room quieted noticeably. A few of the more timid ones even paled and slipped out, trying not to draw attention.
The arrival of a Marine Commodore instantly shifted the atmosphere into something tense and strange.
The first half of the Grand Line wasn't exactly a powerhouse, and any pirate who had made it from the four seas to Jaya was no fool. A Commodore from Marine Headquarters might not be a big deal in the New World, but here in Paradise, he could practically walk on water.
"Hey… that's really him, right?"
"Yeah, no doubt about it..."
"That height, that face..."
"He's the one who took down Byrnndi World, the 'World Destroyer'!"
"Rogers Daren, the 'King of the North Blue'!"
"Shit... what's someone like him doing in Mock Town?"
"You think he's here to wipe us all out?"
Whispers spread like wildfire. Every gaze in the tavern turned to Daren, filled with fear and awe.
Ignoring them, Daren grabbed his frothy beer, downed a gulp, then bit into the freshly baked cherry pie.
Not amazing, but at least edible.
As he refueled, his mind started turning.
The Goro Goro no Mi—touted as the "invincible" Logia-type Devil Fruit—was known from historical records to grant godlike power to every user it had ever had. In reality, it absolutely lived up to its title as the strongest Logia.
Lightning-speed teleportation. Cataclysmic destructive power. Innate Logia intangibility...
On top of that, it greatly enhanced Mantra—also known as Observation Haki—boosting it to the point where it could cover an entire island.
Such a terrifyingly well-rounded ability made the Goro Goro no Mi one of the most coveted Devil Fruits among countless transmigrators.
In the original storyline, the Goro Goro no Mi was wielded by Enel, the arrogant man who ruled over Sky Island and called himself "God." But at this point in time, Enel was probably just a little brat not even ten years old yet. The chances of him having already eaten the Goro Goro no Mi were slim.
Which meant that the Goro Goro no Mi was most likely still lying somewhere on Sky Island.
Since he had already eaten the Jiki Jiki no Mi, Daren couldn't possess another Devil Fruit. It was a bit of a shame, but he had no regrets. If he hadn't eaten the Jiki Jiki no Mi back then, he might not have survived this long.
Besides, the Jiki Jiki no Mi had already brought him plenty of unexpected advantages. As long as he kept developing it, its potential wouldn't be any less than the Goro Goro no Mi—maybe even greater.
Still, a power as overwhelming as the Goro Goro no Mi couldn't be left in just anyone's hands. It had to be entrusted to someone with real potential—someone he could trust.
Fortunately, Daren already had the perfect candidate in mind.
And beyond the Goro Goro no Mi, there was another immense treasure waiting for him on Sky Island—Shandora.
An entire city made of gold!
How much was Shandora's treasure worth?
Daren didn't know the exact figure. But even the tiny amount the Straw Hat Pirates had taken from Shandora had sold for 200 million Belly.
Sure, that was partly due to inflation and currency devaluation after the Great Pirate Era began, but the number was still staggering.
After a quick calculation, Daren arrived at a thrilling conclusion—if he could strip Shandora of all its gold, the city's reserves could easily expand the North Blue Fleet to more than ten times its current size!
Hundreds of refitted heavy warships, equipped with cutting-edge tech, heavy artillery, and a 30,000-strong elite combat fleet...
Just imagining it got his blood pumping.
The North Blue Fleet was still small for now. But because of all the investment in advanced tech and weaponry, plus soldier salaries, ship refits, and maintenance, even with Daren raking in money nonstop in the North Blue, he was just barely managing to break even.
But if he got his hands on all of Shandora's gold...
He wouldn't have to worry about military funding for the next five years—at the very least!
With such a massive gold reserve backing him, Daren could push the North Blue Fleet even further, rolling out plans that didn't exist in this world but had once existed in reality!
His eyes lit up at the thought.
What, the Marine Headquarters is short on funding too?
Well, that's Fleet Admiral Kong and Admiral Sengoku's problem.
The North Blue Fleet's payroll doesn't come from the headquarters anyway.
…
Three days later.
North Blue.
321 Branch.
Base Commander's Office.
"Are the gifts ready?"
Momonga, draped in a Marine Captain's cloak, looked up from a mountain of paperwork, his expression stern.
The young Marine nodded respectfully.
"Yes, everything is ready. Two hundred million Belly in gold and silver, along with a variety of high-end tobacco and liquor. The total value exceeds 300 million Belly. It's all been arranged and will be escorted directly to Rubeck Island by a warship."
He hesitated for a moment, then cautiously asked,
"But Admiral Momonga, the Donquixote family is just an underground force in the North Blue. Do we really need to show them this much respect?"
Momonga shot him a flat glance, then suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.
"Tell me, how does the North Blue Fleet treat you?"
The soldier blinked, then quickly straightened and answered honestly,
"Very well..."
"Our pay is more than triple the standard at headquarters, with generous bonuses and incentives. It's enough to provide a comfortable life for any Marine and his family."
"On top of that, we're given the best meals, the most advanced weapons, and the finest instructors. Honestly, there's no other military force on this sea offering anything close to this kind of treatment."
Momonga nodded slightly, then asked,
"Do you know why the North Blue Fleet gives you such generous treatment?"
The young Marine immediately snapped to attention and saluted.
"To carry out orders from our superiors without question!"
He froze mid-sentence, then seemed to realize something. His face flushed red as he stammered,
"Apologies, Admiral Momonga. I spoke out of turn."
Momonga gave a faint smile.
"There's a lot in this sea that doesn't follow reason. Just like I once followed Admiral Daren's orders without hesitation... For a soldier, the most important thing isn't thinking—it's absolute execution."
"Understood! Thank you for the guidance, Admiral Momonga!"
The young Marine stood tall again and saluted once more.
"Ah, right, Admiral..."
He picked up a document and added,
"For the next three days, we have three charity banquets, two card games, and an auction scheduled... Will you be attending?"
Momonga waved his hand dismissively.
"Decline all of them for me."
This time, the young Marine knew better than to ask further. He simply nodded and left the room.
"Sigh..."
As the office door slowly closed, Momonga leaned back in his chair, looking utterly drained.
He lit a cigar, took a long drag, then rubbed his temples.
"This North Blue Admiral position... It's a bigger headache than I ever imagined," he muttered to himself.
Then a voice rang out, laced with amusement.
"Oh? Funny you say that. Tokikake was practically on his knees begging me to let him transfer to North Blue and be your deputy."
Startled by the sudden voice, Momonga's expression sharpened as his hand instinctively went to the hilt of his sword.
But when he turned around, his face broke into a look of surprise and joy.
"Daren?"