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Chapter 18: Then, Shall I Leave?
That evening, in the Kingdom of Yardis' capital, Vilna, within the palace's gorgeous side hall...
"Darren, you bastard! That's Germa! A member of the World Government; you almost killed him!" The furious roar emitted from the military phone bug on the coffee table, which vividly simulated the appearance of Sengoku from Headquarters, who appeared to be thunderous and smoking from his seven orifices.
"Do you realize that the Kingdom of Germa is not just any ordinary member country? It's one of the member countries eligible to participate in the World Summit! Do you know how much political pressure your actions will cause? It is the duty and responsibility of the Marines to protect the members of the World Government!"
Darren was sitting on a soft leather sofa with a glass of whiskey on the rocks and a lit cigar in one hand. He casually crossed his legs, smoked, and listened casually to Sengoku's scolding. Gion, known as Flying Squirrel, and Kake, whose face was swollen like a pig's head, stood still, hardly daring to breathe, as they focused intently on nothing particular.
"Damn! Darren, you bastard, did you hear what the old man said?" After ranting for two minutes, Sengoku grew even angrier at Darren's lack of response.
"Do you not want me to be an Admiral of the North Blue anymore?" Darren smiled and replied, "Then, shall I leave?"
On the other end of the phone bug, in the Admiral's office, Sengoku was suddenly taken aback and his face flushed red. He knew the situation in the North Blue was chaotic. He remembered the mess left by Borsolino and Sakazuki, who had served in the North Blue. Only Darren could keep the North Blue in line. Without his presence, the area might quickly become a haven for pirates and mafia families.
"Just kidding..." Darren's smile grew as he took a light sip of his whiskey, savouring the spicy and strong liquor as it flowed down his throat. "Sengoku, don't be so tense. I'll handle this."
Hearing the Admiral of the North Blue's calm reply, Sengoku almost jumped again, his eyes twitching uncontrollably. He took a deep breath, fighting the urge to rush to the North Blue and confront Darren personally.
"Darren, think about what you're doing... If this isn't handled properly, it could trigger a chain reaction," Sengoku advised in a low and serious tone. "The Germa Kingdom has been a member of the World Government for three hundred years since its establishment. The Marines taking action against a country member... If the situation escalates, even I won't be able to protect you."
Darren exhaled smoke and smiled. "Of course I understand, Sengoku. But this incident had a reason. Vinsmoke Judge led Germa 66 to attack the Kingdom of Yardis, which is also a member of the government... If I hadn't acted to stop the war, the Kingdom of Yardis would have been thrown into chaos and bloodshed."
Sengoku's mouth twitched at Darren's words. Stopping the war? You almost wiped out the entire Germa Kingdom's army!
Darren went on, "As for the situation in North Blue, I'm sure someone with your wisdom can understand, Sengoku. There are constant frictions and wars among countries. This incident serves as a signal and a warning to many countries in the North Blue... And regarding the casualties of the Germa Kingdom, Germa 66's army is mostly made up of clone soldiers. This product of cloning technology is essentially a weapon, not a civilian."
"Based on Vinsmoke Judge's ambition and recklessness, after careful consideration, I believe this is the only way to teach him a significant lesson. Without using overwhelming force to subdue him, his character will lead him to become increasingly arrogant, rampant, and unscrupulous. If we let this happen, the Yadis Kingdom will not be the only one plunged into the quagmire of war. Can we even imagine how many innocent civilians will suffer from the war, or how many happy families will be destroyed by Germa's ambitions?"
Upon hearing Rear Admiral Marine's justifiable speech, Gion and Kake, who were standing beside him, rolled their eyes simultaneously. They thought, "You don't care about civilian casualties; your real concern is that a war might affect your profits."
On the other end of the phone bug, Sengoku was silent as well. He was well-aware of Vinsmoke Judge, the ambitious commander of Germa. Indeed, as Darren suggested, taking over the Yadis Kingdom was merely the first step for Judge, whose ultimate aim was to dominate the North Blue.
"...So, Darren, what is your plan?" Sengoku asked after a moment, his tone less angry. Although he disapproved of Darren's methods, considering the situation had already unfolded, there was no point in assigning blame.
Darren's intelligence, strategies, and accomplishments solidified his role as a pillar of the Marine's future. Sengoku recognized Darren's knack for staying out of trouble, confident that no matter the political sensitivity, Darren could resolve it in some unexpected manner.
"I don't need you to worry too much about this, Sengoku," Darren said, flicking away his cigarette ash and smiling intriguingly. "I'll handle everything and make Vinsmoke Judge an offer he can't refuse. He won't protest to the World Government, Germa will retain its status among the member nations, the Marine won't face any repercussions, and peace and stability will persist in the North Blue..."
Darren leaned forward, his smile sharp, "...under the governance of our Marine."
The side hall fell silent, with only Darren's assertive voice lingering faintly.
After a brief pause, Sengoku's deep voice responded through the phone bug, "I'll entrust this to you, Darren. Either way, it needs to be resolved."
Darren smiled in satisfaction, "Consider the mission accomplished, Sengoku."
The communication cut off with the phone bug going silent. Darren then turned to Flying Squirrel, "What's the latest on Germa?"
Flying Squirrel replied gravely, "Ten warships and over 5,000 troops from other North Blue branches have been dispatched. We have managed to take control of the situation in Germa. Their fleet has already departed from Yadis under our 'escort' from the kingdom's waters. As for Vinsmoke Judge, he's been detained on our warship as per your instructions."
Darren nodded, confident in Flying Squirrel's competence after years of working together.
"What will happen to Vinsmoke Judge? After all, he is a sovereign," inquired Gion, who had been quiet up until now.
"There's no need to worry too much, Major Gion," Darren replied, glancing at her with a sudden smile. "We have more important matters at hand."
Gion, taken aback, asked, "What matters?"
With a clap of his hands and an amiable grin, Darren declared, "We shall celebrate our victory."