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

"How is this possible..."

Feeling the overwhelming aura, no weaker than his own, Doflamingo's heart gave a slight jolt. A flash of astonishment flickered deep behind his sunglasses.

A lowly slave, once trampled, insulted, and tortured... actually possessed the "qualities of a king"?

For a moment, Doflamingo struggled to accept it.

"Doffy, in your opinion, what is the true cause of awakening Conqueror's Haki?"

At that moment, Daren suddenly spoke.

He slowly took out a cigar, clamped it between his teeth, lit it, and stood calmly against the expanding wave of pressure, unmoved like an unshakable cliff.

Doflamingo paused, then reflexively answered,

"Talent...?"

"No..." Daren shook his head and smiled. "Talent certainly plays a part, but that's something I'll need to verify with further experiments."

The Vice Admiral's indifferent voice, mingled with drifting smoke, echoed through the raging winds of the dense forest, sending an unsettling chill through the air.

"But in my view, it's an unwavering will that truly determines the awakening of Conqueror's Haki."

"An unwavering... will?" Doflamingo muttered, half-understanding.

"Yes. The courage to defy overwhelming power, even if it means being shattered into pieces... the fearlessness to stand tall even knowing that the person before you is the most noble and powerful in the world."

Daren's gaze grew thoughtful as he glanced at Doflamingo.

"Or when, pushed into absolute desperation, emotions are driven to the extreme, forcing the strength hidden within the heart to erupt."

Doflamingo froze.

Those words instinctively pulled him back to the moment he himself had awakened Conqueror's Haki—

Blazing fires, towering walls, the jeers, the assaults, the whips, the blood...

Pain, rage, roars—and the unyielding will to destroy everything.

"Of course," Daren continued with a faint smile, "without the innate quality to begin with, no amount of suffering or oppression would allow one to rise up and resist."

Doflamingo fell into a deep silence.

If Daren's theory ever spread beyond this place, it would surely cause a massive upheaval.

But what was truly terrifying... was that he treated the lives of the Celestial Dragons as mere experimental material.

So that's why you chose Fisher Tiger?

Because you knew... he had that kind of quality.

"How do you feel, Tiger-san?"

Just then, Daren turned, smiling toward a certain direction.

Doflamingo quickly snapped out of his thoughts and followed his gaze.

A tall fishman, covered in scars, slowly emerged from the jungle. His eyes showed no visible emotion, and blood still dripped steadily from his right hand.

Bathed in crimson and illuminated by the scattered jungle light, Fisher Tiger seemed almost ablaze—like a blood-red sun.

"I... killed a Celestial Dragon."

Fisher Tiger's eyes trembled slightly as he looked up at the Marine Vice Admiral and spoke in a hoarse voice.

"Yes, you killed a Celestial Dragon."

Daren nodded. "How does it feel?"

Fisher Tiger lowered his head, staring at his wide, bloodstained palm. His expression was clouded with confusion and doubt.

"It feels... strange."

"I should be afraid... After all, they are the noblest beings in this world. But I don't feel any fear."

"Daren-san, should I be afraid?"

Daren smiled meaningfully.

"Tiger-san, that's not a question you should ask me."

"Then who should I ask?"

"You should ask your own heart."

"My heart..."

Fisher Tiger murmured.

"My heart tells me..."

He raised his hand and pressed it against his chest, covered in scars from countless torments. Some wounds had long since healed, some had scabbed over, but many were still bleeding fresh. More precisely...

His hand pressed against the brand of the "Hoof of the Soaring Dragon" burned into his chest.

"...It feels exhilarating."

A strange, stiff smile tugged at his thick lips.

"An exhilaration I've never felt before."

"The moment I killed that Celestial Dragon, it felt like every muscle, every cell in my body, was cheering and screaming."

"I even had a ridiculous thought... that the blood of 'gods' is also red."

Daren chuckled lightly.

"Yes, the blood of gods is red too."

As the words fell, Fisher Tiger's pupils contracted sharply, as if realizing something. He locked his gaze tightly on the Marine Vice Admiral before him.

Daren continued casually.

"They're no different from ordinary people."

"...Or rather, they were never truly 'gods' at all—just people who seized enormous power and elevated status."

"Ordinary people..."

Fisher Tiger clenched his fists tightly.

"So, Daren-san... why did you go to such great lengths to save me?"

He wasn't naive.

Rogers Daren was one of the most prominent figures in the Marines today, known not just for his shining accolades, but also for his notorious reputation as the "scum of the Marines."

Such a man, one who held immense influence, who was ruthless, who thirsted for power, would not go to all this trouble without a reason. It could only be that he wanted him as a subordinate.

Now that the conversation had reached the heart of the matter, Daren didn't bother with pretense.

"Tiger-san, it's actually very simple."

"A little over a month ago, I visited Fish-Man Island and had a friendly discussion with King Neptune."

"Shyarly-chan received a new prophecy: a new era is about to arrive, and Fish-Man Island may soon face an unprecedented disaster."

"The five million residents of Fish-Man Island will need a leader... more precisely, they need you to stand up."

"Me?"

Fisher Tiger gave a bitter shake of his head.

"Daren-san, I'm just a lowly fishman from Fish-Man Street."

"Besides, now that I've stained myself with Celestial Dragon blood... going back will only bring disaster to them."

Daren smiled calmly.

"No one will ever know what happened here."

"And even if they did, no one would suspect you."

A flicker of hope sparked in Fisher Tiger's eyes.

If anyone else had said it, he wouldn't have believed a word.

But coming from the man standing before him...

He took a deep breath and looked solemnly at the Marine Vice Admiral.

"Daren-san, what do you need me to do?"

Daren smiled, satisfied.

He exhaled a thin stream of smoke like a dragon coiling into the sky.

"Fisher Tiger, become one of my Shichibukai."