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

"You... you're insane..."

Saint Phepros looked at the maniacally grinning Doflamingo, then at the Vice Admiral casually sitting not far away, smiling as if enjoying a show. His heart trembled violently, disbelief written all over his face.

"How dare you lay hands on a Celestial Dragon..."

"Stop them!"

He suddenly shrieked, scrambling and stumbling back into the palace.

"You're dead!"

Saint Phepros' eyes burned with madness. Gasping for air, his flushed face twisted in rage.

Inside the palace, there was a Den Den Mushi that could directly contact Mary Geoise. As long as he dialed the signal, the Holy Land would immediately know he was in danger.

Once the "strongest shield of the Celestial Dragons" arrived, he would tear these two reckless bastards to pieces and make them suffer a fate worse than death!

At the moment he moved, the last remaining CP0 agent also sprang into action without hesitation.

With a single hand, he drew a sharp longsword from his waist and unleashed a powerful horizontal slash. A silver-white wave of sword energy tore through the ground, shooting straight toward Doflamingo.

"Fufufufu... so you're a swordsman."

Doflamingo grinned, licking his lips. He crossed his arms, and threads wrapped in Armament Haki wove quickly into a massive black net in front of him.

Clang!

The black net, like a beast's gaping maw, caught the blade's energy, causing a violent blast to erupt between them.

Dust exploded into the air. Beneath the CP0 agent's mask, his pupil contracted sharply.

Through the swirling haze, the flamboyant figure of Doflamingo charged forward, laughing wildly as the pink feathers of his coat whipped in the wind.

"Fufufufufu... it's been ages since I met such a decent opponent!"

Threads gathered and intertwined rapidly in his hands. Enveloped in Armament Haki, they lashed out fiercely!

A gigantic orange-red whip, stretching hundreds of meters, came crashing down like a falling meteor, tearing apart everything in its path before slamming into the CP0 agent.

"Overheat!"

Boom...

Pushed back by the force of Overheat, the CP0 agent crashed deep into the jungle, setting off plumes of dust and smoke as countless massive trees fell one after another.

"This is fun! This is too much fun!!"

Doflamingo howled with laughter, pursuing relentlessly, his whole body trembling with excitement.

"Fufufufufufu!!"

The two figures clashed wildly in the jungle. Sword light and thread strikes collided madly, sending shockwaves of sharp energy everywhere.

Wherever they fought, towering trees were sliced apart and collapsed with groaning creaks.

It was as if two terrifying beasts were battling, shaking the very earth.

Daren activated his Observation Haki, calmly watching the intense battle, nodding with satisfaction.

Doflamingo truly deserved the title of "chosen one" among villains. His rate of growth was staggering.

Though still not comparable to monsters like Kuzan, he was far beyond the likes of Yamakaji and the others.

Especially under Daren's training and pushing, Doflamingo had grown far beyond his original trajectory, covering his weaknesses in close-quarters combat and melee.

If he continued on this path, in time, this godson of his might even reach the threshold of the true elites—no longer the man who, in the original storyline, broke out in a cold sweat at the mere mention of Kaidou.

As for that Celestial Dragon...

Daren, cigar between his lips, turned his head casually. Exhaling a puff of smoke, he glanced toward the palace.

Inside, Saint Phepros stumbled frantically, finally reaching the Den Den Mushi. Gasping heavily, he grabbed it with trembling hands.

"Hahahaha!"

He suddenly burst into a savage laugh, whipping his head around. Through the fluttering curtains, his twisted face locked eyes with the Marine Vice Admiral standing outside the palace, a surge of brutality distorting his features.

"Rogers Daren! You ignorant little Marine brat! You'll pay dearly for your stupidity, arrogance, and foolishness!"

"If I'm not mistaken, that Celestial Dragon incident in the North Blue... Saint Xildes, that fool, was killed by you, wasn't he!?"

"You killed a Celestial Dragon—there's no place for you left in these seas!"

"Now, the moment I make this call, Pangaea Castle will immediately know what's happening here!"

"All the status, fame, and power you struggled so hard to obtain... will be wiped out! Hahahaha!"

Gripping the Den Den Mushi like it was a lifesaving treasure, the Celestial Dragon grew arrogant again, letting out a shrill, eerie laugh.

"Come on, if you don't want to lose everything, I can make you an offer."

"Kneel down like a lapdog and bark for me... If you satisfy me, I might just spare your pathetic life!"

Despite his words, a flash of violent killing intent gleamed in his eyes.

This damn brat had ruined everything for him, disgraced him utterly... He had to make him beg like a dog!

"Sorry, noble Saint Phepros-sama, but my Marine codename isn't something like 'dog'..."

Daren scratched his head with a slightly annoyed look.

"If you're gonna call the Den Den Mushi, I suggest you hurry up... Otherwise, Doflamingo will be back soon."

"Once he's finished dealing with CP0, I won't be able to stop him from slaughtering you."

He raised both hands with a helpless shrug.

"After all, I'm just an ordinary Marine. How could I interfere with the decisions of a Celestial Dragon?"

"You're begging to die!!"

Seeing that irritating, playful smile on Daren's face, Saint Phepros finally lost all control over his seething rage, his facial muscles twitching violently.

"Then just you wait!!"

He raised his hand and slammed it down on the red emergency button of the Den Den Mushi.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

Saint Phepros' expression slowly froze.

No response?

But in the next instant—

"Buru buru... Buru buru..."

The Den Den Mushi suddenly started vibrating, letting out the call tone.

Saint Phepros' eyes lit up.

"Hahahaha! The signal's connected! You're dead—!"

Just as he turned his head, the scene before him made the triumphant smile freeze on his face.

Like a rooster suddenly strangled by the neck, his flushed face turned deathly pale.

Sitting calmly there, the Marine Vice Admiral wore a smirk as he casually pulled a military Den Den Mushi from his pocket.

It too was vibrating and making the "buru buru" sound.

Then...

Under the horrified gaze of Saint Phepros...

The Marine Vice Admiral answered the call.

"Buru."

Both Den Den Mushi fell silent at the same time.

"Moshi moshi?"

The Vice Admiral said casually, and from his Den Den Mushi, the voice transmitted through to the other side...

Saint Phepros turned his head stiffly, staring in disbelief at the Den Den Mushi in his hand.

"Moshi moshi?"

A familiar, playful, mocking voice slowly came through.

"...This is Rogers Daren. Greetings, noble Saint Phepros-sama."

Two overlapping voices echoed one after the other in front of the empty palace, lingering eerily in the air.

Saint Phepros stood there as if struck by lightning.