Looking at the way the young Marine was encased in candy, Daren could picture the scene clearly in his mind:
Just as Charlotte Perospero and Charlotte Daifuku had tried to flee amidst the chaos, Arthur—stationed on perimeter duty—must've crossed paths with them.
Driven by a strong sense of justice and the resolve to wipe out pirates, Arthur had charged in recklessly, much like a young Dragon might have done. He'd tried to stop the two escaping pirates head-on.
He must've known he stood no chance against the Charlotte brothers—but still, he'd raised his blade and rushed forward with everything he had.
All to uphold the justice in his heart.
Daren let out a quiet sigh.
You just couldn't bring yourself to dislike someone like that.
He reached out and touched the candy wall, then, after a brief pause, turned to the flustered Marines nearby.
"This candy has incredibly high durability and resilience. What you're doing won't work. The only way to melt it is with high temperatures."
"Allow me."
A calm, almost lazy voice suddenly came from behind.
Daren turned to see Borsalino had quietly walked over at some point, a surprised look on his face.
Meeting Daren's puzzled expression, Borsalino smiled and raised his hand.
A golden glow slowly spread across his palm, and the surrounding air shimmered with the sheer heat radiating from it.
"Take it slow, Rear Admiral Borsalino…"
Daren's heart skipped a beat. He couldn't help but warn him.
Borsalino's Devil Fruit was too destructive. If he miscalculated even slightly, Arthur could be reduced to cinders.
But Borsalino just smiled teasingly.
"Relax. I'll make sure not to melt him along with it."
Daren: …
The surrounding Marines: …
That tone's not exactly reassuring, you know.
As everyone held their breath, watching with nervous tension, Borsalino gently pressed his glowing palm against the surface of the pink candy.
There was no violent burst, no blinding light...
Everyone's eyes slowly widened in disbelief.
The heat from his hand radiated outward at a steady, controlled pace. No scorching flare, just a gradual rise in temperature.
And then, like ice under the sun, the wall of candy began to soften and melt, syrup trickling down to the ground in rivulets visible to the naked eye.
Daren's pupils narrowed slightly.
Seeing Borsalino's utterly relaxed expression, he couldn't help but feel a jolt of awe.
He knew better than anyone how terrifying Borsalino's Devil Fruit really was.
Even a casual shot could punch straight through a red mangrove hundreds of meters tall.
Yet here he was, channeling that destructive power with such delicate precision...
To control such intense energy with that level of finesse—that took not only exceptional Devil Fruit mastery but terrifying control over one's own strength.
To step on an ant… without killing it.
That kind of precision was beyond belief.
...Just how strong was Borsalino, really?
Daren's eyes narrowed in deep thought.
In under two minutes, the massive candy casing had completely melted, pooling around the ground in a sticky syrup.
"It worked!"
"Hurry! Get the medic over here!"
"How's Arthur?!"
"He's not breathing—damn it!!"
As the last of the candy dissolved, the Marines rushed forward and gently laid Arthur out on a flat surface.
But no matter how they called his name or tried to rouse him, he remained unresponsive.
Not even a sign of breath.
The medic moved in quickly, checking his condition. His brows gradually furrowed.
"Doctor—how is he?!"
Sengoku had arrived in a rush, worry etched across his face.
The military doctor looked at Sengoku with a troubled expression and shook his head.
"Admiral Sengoku, Lieutenant Arthur has stopped breathing, and there are no signs of life. I'm afraid…"
The air grew heavy in an instant.
"Damn it!!"
Sengoku clenched his fists, his face clouded with anger.
He had high hopes for the young Arthur. Whether in training or actual combat, the kid had always excelled.
His innate sense of justice and sincere loyalty to his comrades had made him well-liked throughout the ranks.
And now...
"Let me try."
Daren suddenly stepped forward.
"You have a plan?" Sengoku asked in surprise.
Daren shook his head.
"I'm not sure. But doing something's better than nothing."
He crouched down beside Arthur and raised his hand.
A faint arc of electricity began to crackle between his fingers.
"An electric shock?" The medic's eyes lit up.
"You think it'll work?" Sengoku asked, curiosity tinged with concern.
Daren didn't answer.
Carefully controlling his power, he pressed his hand against Arthur's chest, right over the heart.
The Jiki Jiki no Mi's main ability was magnetic field manipulation, but it could also generate small electrical currents.
Not strong enough to injure—but maybe just right for this.
He'd never tried this technique before. This was all on instinct. Whether it would work or not… was up to fate.
"Electromagnetic CPR!"
With a sharp breath, Daren drove his hand down.
A jolt of electricity surged into Arthur's body.
His frame jerked violently.
Everyone held their breath.
One second. Two. Three.
No response.
Gritting his teeth, Daren went again.
A pulse of blue electricity flashed through Arthur's chest.
Another tremor.
One second. Two. Three...
And just as despair began to set in—
Arthur suddenly coughed hard, syrup-like fluid spilling from his mouth and nose.
"It worked!!"
"He's alive!!"
"Arthur! Are you okay?!"
Tears filled the eyes of the nearby Marines as they rushed forward, hugging their revived comrade tightly.
Sengoku finally let out a long, relieved sigh.
...
An hour later, aboard the returning warship.
Daren and Borsalino lounged comfortably on beach chairs, sipping glasses of chilled watermelon juice.
"Rear Admiral Borsalino! Commodore Daren!!"
Arthur jogged over, his young face flushed with emotion. He bowed deeply, voice trembling.
"I'm deeply grateful to you both for saving my life!"
Borsalino shrugged.
"I didn't do much... That was all Commodore Daren's doing."
He gestured toward Daren.
Daren smiled.
"How's your recovery?"
Arthur straightened up and gave a crisp salute.
"I'm good as new! Ready for action anytime!"
Daren chuckled.
"Don't be so reckless next time. Those two are officers from the Big Mom Pirates. You're not ready to take on enemies like that yet."
Arthur's face turned red with embarrassment. He scratched his head and said awkwardly,
"I just didn't want to let you down, Commodore. You said it yourself—we were going to wipe out every pirate on the island."
Daren blinked.
That was just for show, you hot-blooded rookie… you really took it to heart?
"..."
He let out a long sigh and waved a hand.
"Back to work."
"Yes, sir!"
Arthur saluted again, then jogged over to the ship's gun deck. He pulled out some paint and began meticulously maintaining the cannons, his focus sharp, expression dead serious.
"You can tell he really looks up to you,"
Borsalino said with a quiet chuckle.
Daren watched Arthur for a few moments in silence.
Then, without a word, he downed the rest of his juice and stood up.
"Tell Admiral Sengoku I've got something to handle. I'll be back soon."
Borsalino raised an eyebrow.
"Need a hand?"
Daren shook his head, eyes narrowing toward the distant sea.
"No. Arthur is my subordinate."
With that, he summoned Enma and launched into the sky, vanishing into the horizon in a streak of light.
Borsalino sipped his juice and smiled.
"Where's Daren headed?"
Sengoku walked over, frowning.
Borsalino raised both hands, feigning innocence.
"No idea... But right before he left, he did say something like, 'Arthur is my subordinate.'"
Sengoku froze—then realization dawned, and his face darkened.
Daren... He's going after the Charlotte brothers!
Wait!
A sudden thought hit him.
The Charlotte brothers were Big Mom's blood relatives. If Daren really killed them...
A cold sweat trickled down Sengoku's forehead.
That brat's on a mission to offend every Great Pirate on the sea!!