One Piece: So What If I Sin, Lie, and Lust? I'm Still a Good Marine

Moria's pupils shrank into tiny pinpoints, and the smile on his face froze.

It was a scene of overwhelming visual impact for him.

As the user of the ability, he knew better than anyone just how sturdy and defensive the Black Box was.

But that hand... had actually pierced right through it, as easily as tearing apart a cardboard box.

There wasn't even any Armament Haki wrapped around it.

It was pure brute strength!

Moria could hardly believe his eyes.

Before he could react, the hand that had reached through the Black Box groped around for a moment, then grabbed the broken edge... Like an ancient beast, it ripped the box apart with brute force!

Rip!!

The sound of cloth tearing echoed through the air.

The tall, imposing figure of the Vice Admiral slowly stepped out from within.

Completely unscathed!

"How... How is this possible!?"

Gecko Moria stared in shock, his eyes fixed on Daren's body.

The body that should have been pierced clean through by his Tsuno-Tokage didn't even have a scratch on it!

"Hey, you know... sneak attacks like that really hurt..."

Daren sighed helplessly, looking bored as he pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a drag.

Momonga: ...

Seeing Daren's expression, the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.

Why did this guy feel more and more irritating? Was it just his imagination?

"Impossible!!"

Gecko Moria's face twisted in fury. He slammed his palms together and thrust them forward!

The shadow at his feet suddenly shot out, stretching forward and transforming into an extremely sharp shadow spear that hissed toward the Vice Admiral.

"Tsuno-Tokage!"

Facing Moria's attack, Daren acted as if he didn't even see it, simply puffing on his cigar!

Clang!!

The shadow spear struck Daren squarely in the abdomen, but all it did was spark off with a loud metallic crash, scattering a spray of sparks before bouncing off and falling limp.

Gecko Moria: ...

He stood frozen in place, his pale, sickly face flushed with a hint of red.

"Impossible... How is this possible... Not even a scratch..."

Moria stared blankly at the Vice Admiral smoking leisurely, unable to process what he was seeing.

Daren lazily blew out a smoke ring and said with a hint of annoyance,

"I said it hurt, okay? You almost broke the skin."

Gecko Moria felt a mouthful of blood surge up in his chest. His face flushed red and purple as he clenched his teeth tightly.

"No..."

His eyes suddenly bloodshot, and he roared in fury,

"I don't believe it!!"

He clasped his hands together again and thrust them forward!

"Tsuno-Tokage!"

Another spear shot out, only to be deflected once again.

"Tsuno-Tokage!"

"Tsuno-Tokage!"

"Tsuno-Tokage!"

"..."

Again and again, Gecko Moria refused to give up, repeatedly launching the strongest move in his Devil Fruit arsenal, desperately trying to break through Daren's defense.

But in the end, it only left him utterly hopeless.

Facing Moria's most powerful attack, Daren didn't even bother to dodge, standing there as if he were out on a picnic.

After the ninth attack, Gecko Moria could no longer keep up with the rapid expenditure of energy. He was left panting heavily, both hands braced against his knees.

"Well, got anything else up your sleeve?"

By now, Daren had finished his cigarette. He casually stubbed it out, yawned, and said,

"If not, I'm going to kill you."

At this point, Moria was still a formidable figure, proud and defiant.

To fully break a guy like him, he had to be shown true despair.

Only an overwhelming gap in strength could completely crush him.

That's why Daren wasn't rushing.

Hearing Daren's casual words, Moria's pupils shrank, and a chill ran down his spine.

He instinctively took two steps back...

But he quickly pulled himself together, gritting his teeth before letting out a sharp, eerie laugh.

"Kishishishi! As expected of the legendary 'King of the North Blue'—your strength really is terrifying..."

"But that's exactly why! Defeating you is the only way I can prove myself!"

Moria laughed maniacally, a powerful aura rising around him.

Momonga: ...

Daren: ...

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the same speechless look in each other's eyes.

This guy... could he be an idiot?

Sure enough, every so-called "hero" in their youth seems to lack common sense.

"You've trained your physique to such a monstrous level... It looks like relying solely on Devil Fruit powers won't be enough to take you down,"

Moria muttered coldly, slowly tightening his grip around the exaggerated serrated blade in his hand.

"Kishishishi, let me show you the true power that allowed me to dominate the West Blue!"

As his words fell, boom!

An overwhelming aura exploded from his body, spreading like an invisible tide.

A raging purple storm engulfed the battlefield, distorting the sky and earth as it surged wildly toward Daren!

"Conqueror's Haki!"

Momonga's expression shifted slightly.

Gecko Moria... he actually awakened Conqueror's Haki?

A flicker of surprise crossed Daren's eyes too.

He hadn't expected that Gecko Moria—before his defeat at Kaidou's hands—had already awakened Conqueror's Haki.

After all, after being crushed by Kaidou, Moria's strength had plummeted so badly he couldn't even use Armament Haki against Luffy.

It really was unbelievable.

Feeling the heavy pressure from Moria's unleashed Conqueror's Haki, a surge of fighting spirit gradually welled up in Daren's gaze.

He could feel his blood starting to boil, the Conqueror's Haki within him stirring violently, almost breaking free from his body on its own.

Sensing this sudden change, Daren froze for a moment, then quickly understood.

When Conqueror's Haki clashed, it triggered a collision of spirit and will.

The pride of kings and indomitable will would instinctively ignite against each other... That's why when top-tier fighters met, they often couldn't resist greeting each other with an explosive clash of Conqueror's Haki.

It was because the spirit and will belonging to kings simply refused to be provoked!

"Kishishishi, you feel it, don't you?"

Seeing Daren remain motionless with a furrowed brow, Moria assumed he was frozen under the weight of his aura and burst out laughing.

"This is Conqueror's Haki! A power only fit for kings!"

"A power that lackeys of the World Government like you will never be able to wield—huh!?"

His face twisted abruptly.

Boom!!

A terrifying aura, deep and vast like the sea, suddenly erupted from the Vice Admiral's body.

A flood of dark red lightning rippled out like a massive web, blanketing the sky.

The blood-red Conqueror's Haki was so violent that it crushed Moria's purple vortex instantly, forcing it to shrink back rapidly.

Moria stood there dumbfounded, every pore standing on end, a chill running straight down his spine.

His Conqueror's Haki was shattered on the spot!

And in that instant, Daren moved!

With his Conqueror's Haki unleashed, the surging battle spirit within him could no longer be contained.

With a deafening boom, he stomped hard into the ground.

What happened next left Moria horrified—

Centered on the Vice Admiral, the ground within a hundred meters suddenly sank two meters, and towering pillars of earth shot skyward like erupting fountains!

"This monster!!"

Moria's spine froze with dread, his pupils contracting to the limit.

Just pure, physical strength alone had caused such devastation!

...

(40 Chapters Ahead)

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