As they spoke, Daren watched the blonde woman before him with amused interest. She truly embodied the phrase "a woman of a thousand charms."
With those faint dimples and striking crimson lips, the corners of her mouth naturally curled upward, as if she looked at the world—and everyone in it—with a teasing, mysterious smile. It gave her a sharp, alluring edge.
Even just lounging there, she exuded a lazy, seductive elegance. Every move she made carried a pull, every smile a hook.
What a knockout...
Daren considered himself quite the connoisseur of mature women. Back when he was stationed in the North Blue, he had enjoyed "diplomatic exchanges" with noblewomen from several kingdoms. But even he had to admit—this woman was something else entirely.
Her allure was perfectly measured. Her eyes sparkled like liquid light, and her subtle smile hinted at countless unsaid things. She outshined the others—Gion, with her youthful arrogance; Toki, with her gentle obedience; even the ripe, unhinged madness of Big Mom. None of them had this kind of bewitching pull.
Wait. Why the hell did I just lump that lunatic Charlotte Linlin into a beauty comparison?
Daren's mouth twitched involuntarily.
Yeah... definitely the injuries. His brain must still be a mess.
That's the only explanation.
"You seem to be in a rather good mood," the woman said suddenly, smiling. "Not exactly what I'd expect from someone on the verge of death."
As she smiled, those delicate dimples deepened.
"It's hard not to be," Daren replied smoothly. "With such a delightful sight before me."
He didn't miss a beat.
"In fact... I think my wounds might not even hurt anymore."
She giggled, the sound soft and charming.
"My, who would've thought the famous 'King of the North Blue,' Vice Admiral Daren of Marine Headquarters, would be such a playful man?"
She laughed behind a hand, a trace of blush blooming perfectly across her porcelain cheeks.
Then she leaned forward slightly.
It was the kind of move that would seem aggressive coming from a man—but on her, with that tempting curve of her chest...
Yeah, that was a different kind of "aggression."
She winked.
"I'm glad I personally took the time to check your injuries... and clean your wounds. Up close, of course."
Nice acting.
Keep it up, lady...
Daren smirked inwardly.
He knew that leg-crossing move earlier had been deliberate.
She was trying to seduce him.
But who did she think he was?
Trying to play mind games with a veteran officer?
He was a seasoned Marine commander!
As for her identity—Daren had recognized her the second she walked through the door.
The enchantress in front of him was none other than one of the Underworld Emperors of the New World, ruler of the largest red-light district in the New World—Pleasure Street!
The "Queen of Pleasure Street"... Stussy.
Of course, that was just her public persona.
In truth, the Queen of Pleasure Street was a façade to cover her real role: a senior agent of CP0, the World Government's top intelligence unit.
Then again, that identity was just another layer of disguise.
Daren, well-versed in the truth behind the scenes, knew all too well—this woman had never truly worked for the World Government.
Her loyalty lay with the man known as the genius who was "500 years ahead of the world"—Dr. Vegapunk.
She was the product of his cloning experiments—specifically, a clone of Buckingham Stussy, a former member of the Rocks Pirates. She was the very first successful creation of the MADS cloning project.
For reasons unknown, she had been embedded within the Celestial Dragons' intelligence agency, CIPHER-POL-AIGIS-0, for over twenty years!
This woman was born to be a spy. To put it bluntly—she had more tricks than a pig in lingerie.
She excelled at espionage, assassination, surveillance, infiltration—and she used her beauty like a weapon to get whatever intel she needed.
Which meant, everything about Stussy—her words, her actions, her expressions—was completely unreliable.
She was a master manipulator, a skilled actress, and a high-level seductress trained to control hearts and minds.
Watching her now, with her flawless delivery and unreadable expressions, Daren felt a sudden thrill rising in his chest.
When it came to acting, he prided himself on being second only to Borsalino.
In the womanizing department, he saw himself as second only to Tokikake—who hit on anything that moved.
And when it came to smooth-talking? Maybe only Dragon-san had him beat, thanks to that natural leader's charisma.
But now, facing this dangerous and captivating woman, Daren felt something awaken inside him.
It's been a while... Nothing like the thrill of meeting a worthy rival.
This wasn't just flirting.
This was the ultimate showdown—
The King of Players vs. the Queen of Tease!
"That's a real shame. Why don't you help me tend to my wounds now?"
Without the slightest hesitation, Daren stripped off his open shirt and pants in one fluid motion—so fast it was nearly a blur.
In an instant, his scarred and battle-hardened body was laid bare to the air, radiating a powerful surge of masculine energy.
For a brief second, the smile on Stussy's face froze.
That was way too fast...
But more than that, as she stared at Daren's physique—lithe and coiled like a predator, brimming with restrained power—and that unruly yet strikingly handsome face, something unexpected happened.
Her heartbeat sped up.
Her throat went dry.
It was true that women could captivate men with their bodies—but the reverse was just as true.
And Daren? Daren was devastating.
Even the most elite male escorts on Pleasure Street couldn't match his looks. Compared to the bizarre, mismatched cast of the sea, he was a crane among chickens.
Honestly, even if Daren had no strength or talent to speak of, just his face alone could've earned him a living in the red-light district.
Back in the North Blue, he hadn't just caught the eyes of noblewomen and royal princesses—they had taken risks to be with him. Some had even come back for more, unable to resist.
Now add to that his flawless appearance, his commanding position in the Marines, his world-shaking feats, and the legend his name carried...
Rogers Daren wasn't just a woman-slayer.
Among men, he was the "King of Pleasure Street."
Damn it... I actually had a physical reaction to a man.
Stussy bit her crimson lip and, without a sound, pressed her thighs together.
For someone who'd mastered the art of seduction and control as the queen of the New World's most decadent district, that brief flicker of panic was rare—and it rattled her.