CHAPTER 389: CHAPTER 32: THE UNEXPECTED SURPRISE

"Donations? What donations?"

Sengoku’s voice cracked like a whip. His eyes snapped toward the young messenger, blazing with sudden intensity.

The room went still.

Too still.

A beat passed—then Sengoku blinked, catching the startled expression on the messenger’s face... and the barely suppressed smirks of the other officers around him.

He coughed twice and quickly smoothed his expression, adopting a grave tone. "Ah... yes. Donations. The Member States are far too generous."

He folded his arms, nodded solemnly.

"Of course, rebuilding Marineford should be a matter of internal discipline. Accepting foreign contributions too early... well, that would be inappropriate."

Tsuru rolled her eyes.

Zephyr’s mouth twitched, but he said nothing.

The messenger gave a slow, reverent nod. "Understood. Admiral Sengoku is a shining beacon of Marine virtue. I’ll inform the Member States that their donations have been—"

"Wait."

Sengoku’s voice dropped an octave. He took a step forward, eyes darkening. "Hold on."

He cleared his throat again.

"Ahem. However... since the Member States are offering their goodwill, it might be ungracious to turn them down entirely. Wouldn’t you say, Fleet Admiral Kong?"

He shot Kong a pleading side-eye.

Kong didn’t even look at him.

His lip twitched slightly.

Sengoku: ...

Everyone else: ...

---

Snack Island — Swollen Town (or what remained of it)

The call ended with a soft click. The Visual Den Den Mushi, its windproof goggles blinking, fell silent atop a half-melted barrel.

Darren exhaled and rolled his shoulders, the sound of shifting rubble echoing behind him.

With a casual wave of his hand, a black streak of light zipped through the scorched sky.

Enma—his Demon Blade—returned to his palm in a flash of darkness, humming with barely restrained power.

He turned, ready to leave.

But then—he paused.

His brow furrowed.

A slow grin crept across his lips. "I expected Big Mom to come herself," he murmured. "But it looks like she’s sent someone even more interesting."

He turned back toward the blackened ruins, where smoke still curled like grasping fingers through the air.

And from that smoke...

A figure emerged.

"You destroyed Swollen Town," the man said, voice low and thick with rage. "You killed my brothers."

Heavy boots crunched over rubble. A long shadow stretched forward.

"And you thought you could just leave?"

He stepped fully into view.

Leather pants clung to long, powerful legs. A bare torso rippled with muscle, crisscrossed with angry crimson tattoos. Dark red hair, short and tousled, framed a face mostly hidden beneath a wide scarf. But the eyes—

The eyes were unmistakable.

Bloodshot.

Blazing.

Locked onto Darren with a fury that transcended words.

The trident in his right hand gleamed in the light of the fires behind him.

A tide of killing intent surged through the air.

Darren’s smirk widened, genuine amusement dancing in his eyes. "Well, well... Charlotte Katakuri."

Vice-Captain of the Big Mom Pirates.

The "Great Master."

And the only person aside from Kaido to hold second place in the original world rankings.

A walking fortress. A master of Observation Haki. A prodigy whose future sight ability had become the stuff of legend.

Darren tilted his head.

This... could be fun.

Especially since his own Observation Haki had only recently awakened. It remained his weakest talent by far.

This could push me.

"This isn’t a matter of whether I can stop you," Katakuri growled, lifting his gaze.

"It’s a matter of whether I must."

He stepped forward—

Boom!

—and hurled his trident, Earth Dragon, with terrifying force.

The weapon screamed through the air, shockwaves rippling in its wake.

It was upon Darren in a heartbeat.

Zzzzt...

Blue arcs of electricity flickered across his body.

Boom!

The trident stopped—just five centimeters from Darren’s face—caught by an invisible magnetic field.

Dust whipped into the air. Darren’s coat billowed behind him, caught in the swirling winds.

He stood unmoved.

An arrogant smile tugged at the corner of his mouth.

"You do take after that madwoman," he muttered. "Raw strength. No tricks. I respect that."

His eyes narrowed.

"But if this is all you’ve got... you’re not ready to avenge anyone."

"Shut up!" Katakuri’s roar split the sky.

In the blink of an eye, he was gone.

Then—suddenly—there, in front of Darren, fist cocked back, coated in jet-black Armament Haki with a crimson sheen.

It flew toward Darren’s face with the force of a meteor.

Darren didn’t dodge.

He met the punch with his own, their fists colliding mid-air.

BOOOOM!

The ground shattered.

Lightning-like arcs of Conqueror’s Haki burst from the point of impact, red and violet bolts searing the sky. A storm of energy exploded outward, flattening the landscape and sending debris flying for kilometers.

A clash of kings.

Crack!

A faint sound echoed from Katakuri’s forearm.

His expression twisted. His right foot slid back slightly.

He’s strong, Katakuri realized, alarm flashing in his eyes. Terrifyingly strong.

The pressure rolling off Darren... it was nearly as suffocating as Big Mom’s.

"You think that’s enough to kill me, Katakuri?" Darren laughed, taking a step forward.

"Damn it!"

Katakuri’s hand shot out.

His trident, still hovering midair, flew back into his grasp.

In a single motion, his right arm transformed—mochi twisting, coiling, engulfing the trident like a living rope.

He spun.

Thrust.

"Mochi Thrust!"

The trident spiraled toward Darren’s abdomen like a drill, its tip howling through the air.

Darren moved calmly.

His left hand—hardened into a jet-black dragon claw—snapped up and caught the trident mid-spin.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Sparks exploded. The impact rang out like a forge struck by lightning.

Darren’s right hand followed instantly—aiming for Katakuri’s face.

But—

Squish.

His fingers met mochi.

Half of Katakuri’s face had shifted—transformed into a rippling mass of white dough. His remaining eye glowed with eerie crimson light.

And Darren understood.

Observation Haki that sees the future...

Katakuri had predicted the attack and altered his body before it happened—mimicking the elemental evasion of a Logia-type user.

Darren’s eyes lit up with interest.

"Well," he murmured, grinning.

"Now we’re getting somewhere."

To be continued...