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Chapter 68: Fair Game
After a long silence, Flying Squirrel took a deep breath, which was thick with the scent of foul air. He glanced once more at Darren's back as he stood before the floor-to-ceiling windows, peering through the glass at a man who others called "Marine scum." He saw in that figured spirit, one that persisted despite being in a body riddled with scars—a soul that was rebellious and ever pressing forward. Indeed, it was precisely because he was such a man that he was someone worth following for life.
"Those two guys have improved a lot lately," Darren abruptly shifted the conversation, his gaze drifting towards the school field in the distance. Under the reddish hue of the setting sun, sand whirled across the training ground. Amongst the Marine soldiers of the 321st Branch in their routine exercise, two figures stood out.
To the left, a man wielding a long sword, his cloak billowing behind him, concentrated intently as he repeatedly swung his weapon. The renowned golden sword moved with the ferocity of the wind, casting bright flashes of light and shadow. Even from this distance, Darren could discern the sparks that appeared and collided along the blade's edge with each movement. That was the glint of bullets—Gion was skillfully slicing through each round fired from tens of meters away with astonishing precision!
Opposite the field stood Kake, his face flushed and teeth clenched, as he struggled to drag a small, abandoned warship. His muscles taut and swollen, veins prominent as if they might burst at any moment, he chanted with determination, "I'm not a small dog! I am not a small dog!"
Observing the same scene, Flying Squirrel chuckled at Darren's comment, "They've been pushed to their limits by you, always talking about wanting to grow stronger..."
"They have indeed become much stronger, though they've yet to realize it," Darren responded, casting a sideways glance and internally adding, 'After all, they spar with you.'
Darren smiled and continued, "Let's leave Gion aside—she's always been a top student in old man Sengoku's eyes. What's surprising is Kake's resilience, despite his seemingly unreliable demeanor."
Flying Squirrel nodded in agreement, "Major Kake possesses unusual tenacity. He practices on his own after our intense training sessions, pushing way past the limits set. Despite being the one you pushed the hardest during training, coming away with numerous injuries, he always shows up the next day, ready to go again on the field. His relentless spirit and ability to bounce back after countless defeats is truly commendable."
"Yes... but his priorities are always peculiar," Darren mused.
"Peculiar?" Darren raised an eyebrow, intrigued by Flying Squirrel's comment.
A wry smile crossed Flying Squirrel's face as he explained, "Lately, there's been chatter around the branch about Major Kake's frequent visits to the female soldiers' dormitory."
Darren could only respond with a silent acknowledgment of Kake's predictable behavior. Flying Squirrel had another concern he dared not voice—that Kake often attended various noble parties under the guise of "caring for the people," only to return disheartened, yet never seeming to tire of it.
Shifting the subject, Darren inquired, "How's the Joker kid doing?"
Flying Squirrel's expression turned grave as he replied, "He's making rapid progress. In just two weeks, he's claimed thirty percent of North Blue's mafia territory and underground business. The Donquixote Family has grown, now nearly two thousand strong."
"Doflamingo is indeed capable. He's ruthlessly suppressed any resistance, employed the bloodiest methods to intimidate, shown mercy to those who yield, and continually bolstered his ranks. All the while, he's managed to keep his subordinates in check and minimized collateral damage to civilians."
"If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't believe he was just a 12-year-old kid."
"And his methods always remind me of someone else."
As he said the last sentence, his tone was extremely complicated.
"Who?"
"You."
Darren suddenly laughed.
"So, I did not make a mistake in choosing him as my godson."
He shook his head and spoke again.
"But behind your words, there's a 'but,' right?"
Flying Squirrel was taken aback by his words, then smiled bitterly and replied,
"...I really can't hide anything from you."
Darren raised his glass and took a sip of whiskey.
"Let's talk about it. After all, we are in North Blue. The underground world in this area is a tough one."
Flying Squirrel said slowly,
"Yes, the expansion of the Donquixote Family is very rapid, but the sudden rise of Doflamingo is too dazzling, making the mafia entrenched in other North Blue territories vigilant."
"Under common pressure, they have torn up their agreement with the Marines, continued to recruit troops, and have staged turf wars and bloodshed in their frantic attempts to expand their own power to counter the rise of the Donquixote Family."
Darren narrowed his eyes.
"I thought they would be a little smarter."
Seeing his slight change in expression, Flying Squirrel's heart suddenly tightened.
He knew someone was going to be unlucky.
"You mean?"
Colonel Marine sneered,
"If they could let go of their prejudices and unite against the Donquixote Family, I wouldn't intervene in this power struggle."
"After all, they showed me enough respect."
"The rules of the game are fair... The Donquixote Family broke North Blue's rules, so I executed all of his thousands of men as punishment."
"If he wants to become the overlord of the North Blue underground world, he has to start from the beginning, and I won't help him."
"He has to prove his worth."
"Donquixote Family versus the entire North Blue underground forces – that's my idea."
"If he fails and can't secure North Blue, it'll show he's nothing special."
"It's just that I didn't expect the North Blue underground forces to be so disappointing."
"They dared to break our agreement, violate my rules, attack civilians, and loot territories amidst the chaos."
Darren's eyes narrowed further.
"...I'm very displeased."
Flying Squirrel took a deep breath.
"When do we set off?"
He didn't ask for more details or reasons.
Because it doesn't matter.
In North Blue, no one can defy Rogers Darren's rules.
As for a fair game?
Such a thing has never existed in the world.
The dealer himself will end the game.
It just means the end will come swiftly.
After all, in North Blue, the so-called underground world is simply at Darren's command.
"Let's go now and give my dear godson a small gift."
Darren tore his uniform off the hanger and dressed neatly.
"After all, my time in North Blue is almost over."
Flying Squirrel was surprised,
"Have you reached a bottleneck?"
He was probably aware of Darren's special talent and understood that Darren was seeking to improve his physical limits through various grueling training methods.
Darren nodded in confirmation,
"That's right. I need stronger opponents. Staying in North Blue makes little sense now. The Grand Line is the most thrilling stage at sea."
Naval Headquarters Officer Training Camp!
There, he will compete with elite Marines from around the world, gain the inheritance of a Marine Admiral, master the superhuman skills of the Marine Six Styles, and learn the most powerful ability at sea – Haki.
As he spoke, Darren put on a black tie and donned a broad, white Marine cloak.
He said indifferently,
"Before I leave, I must completely unify North Blue's underground world."