The Greatest Disgrace in Marine History-Chapter 121 - 23: Sakazuki

His dark, oppressive gaze slowly swept the room — lingering for a moment on Dragon — before finally settling on Darren, who lay on the hospital bed surrounded by tubes and machines.

Darren calmly met his eyes.

For a moment, the two simply stared at each other.

"I heard Roger cut you down," Sakazuki said suddenly, his voice low and rough as grinding iron.

"Almost cost you your life."

Darren nodded.

"Yeah."

"He strong?"

"Like a demon."

"Did you fight back?"

A crooked, rebellious smile tugged at Darren's lips.

"What do you think?"

Sakazuki paused.

Then, against all expectations, the corner of his mouth twitched upward.

Seeing that rare, stiff smile, Dragon raised an eyebrow in astonishment.

Sakazuki... smiling?

Meanwhile, Tokikake shivered slightly.

Somehow... he looks even scarier when he smiles...

Drip.

A bright red droplet fell from Sakazuki's gloved hand onto the floor.

"You didn't shame the North Blue."

Seeing the blood drip onto the floor, Darren frowned.

"You're injured?"

At this point in time, although Sakazuki was only in his twenties, there were already very few people on the seas capable of wounding him.

"I just returned from the New World," Sakazuki said nonchalantly.

"Had a little clash with that lunatic, Big Mom — Charlotte Linlin."

Hearing this, Tokikake and Gion both stiffened, their pupils contracting sharply.

Big Mom — Charlotte Linlin — once a member of the Rocks Pirates.

After the God Valley Incident, she had formed her own crew and expanded her power rapidly through marriage alliances, becoming a dominant force in the New World.

Rumor had it she was born with strength rivaling the giants and an unbreakable body.

Even as a five-year-old, blades shattered against her skin, and not even bullets could leave a scratch —

a true "steel balloon."

Her monstrous natural power had earned her the title of "Natural Calamity."

Thinking about it, both Tokikake and Gion couldn't help but glance at Darren.

After all, Darren, too, now possessed a body nearly impervious to blades and bullets.

But they understood the difference clearly —

Charlotte Linlin's steel body was a birthright.

Darren's was forged — through endless battles, near-death experiences, and relentless hellish training.

They were not the same.

"Charlotte Linlin..."

Dragon frowned slightly, as if recalling something.

"Wasn't there word a while ago that she was planning to marry into the Kingdom of Barda?"

Sakazuki gave him a brief look.

"Correct.

That's why I went to the New World — to stop the marriage."

"Barda is a wealthy, strategically important nation.

A major arms producer, known for its cannons and firearms.

We couldn't afford to let it fall into Big Mom's hands."

Dragon eyed him skeptically.

"With your strength... there's no way you could match Big Mom head-on.

How exactly did you 'stop' it?"

At those words, Sakazuki smirked coldly.

"During the wedding ceremony, a battle broke out between the Marines and Big Mom's pirates."

"In the chaos... the Prince of Barda was unfortunately caught in the crossfire.

Critically wounded.

Dead on the spot."

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The blood drained from Gion and Tokikake's faces.

Dragon's eyes narrowed sharply.

Darren chuckled softly to himself.

Typical Sakazuki.

Efficient.

Ruthless.

Uncompromising.

There were countless ways to sabotage a marriage alliance.

Sakazuki simply chose the most direct and brutal one.

No groom, no wedding.

"Damn it, Sakazuki!! You've disgraced justice!!"

Dragon snapped, voice filled with anger.

"Do you realize what a political disaster you've caused!?"

The two had always been natural rivals —

not just as elite Marines, but because of their fundamentally different views on justice.

Dragon had long despised Sakazuki's "end-justifies-the-means" approach to missions.

Sakazuki's sneer only deepened.

"Better a dead prince...

than letting the Kingdom of Barda fall into the hands of that pirate scum."

Blood continued to drip steadily from his torn uniform sleeve, staining the floor crimson.

"As for Fleet Admiral Kong's questioning —

I'll take full responsibility."

"Not your concern, Dragon."

He glanced at Dragon with a mocking smirk.

"At least my mission was successful, wasn't it?"

"Which is more than I can say for certain people...

who fancy themselves strong,

yet can't even complete the most basic escort assignments."

The jab was obvious — and brutal.

Tokikake and Gion both stiffened, sensing the crackle in the air.

Instantly, cold hostility filled the room.

"What's that supposed to mean, Sakazuki?"

Dragon's expression darkened, his clenched fists beginning to distort the air around them into twisting winds.

"You know exactly what I mean," Sakazuki replied coldly.

"I've read the battle reports."

The arm dripping blood began to morph —

transforming into molten magma.

The terrifying heat filled the room with a suffocating red glow.

"Vice Admiral Garp was tied down by Roger — fine.

But you, Dragon — you had made it onto the deck of the Oro Jackson."

He stared up, the shadow of his cap hiding his brutal, merciless gaze.

"With your strength, even against the Dark King Rayleigh —

you had the chance to sink the Oro Jackson."

"If you had —

none of Roger's crew would have escaped."

Dragon gritted his teeth.

"There were hundreds of Marines on that ship!

If we sank it —

they would've died!"

"And so what?"

Sakazuki laughed coldly.

"A few dozen lives — in exchange for wiping out the Roger Pirates —

seems like a fair deal to me."

"So to you, the lives of comrades and subordinates...

are just bargaining chips?"

"On the battlefield,

everyone is a bargaining chip."

"You bastard, Sakazuki!!"

The fury in their eyes erupted —

their bodies bursting with killing intent.

Red and blue auras surged violently from them, clashing midair, whipping their cloaks into wild frenzy.

The room felt ready to explode.

---

To be continued...