The air was deathly silent.
Clack...
Two broken fangs dropped onto the wooden floor of the hotel, their fall unusually crisp and clear in the stillness.
Daren and Stussy locked eyes.
Stussy: ...
Daren: (*￣︶￣)
Stussy: (._.)
A look of disbelief slowly crept onto her stunned face.
Her vampire-form fangs... had snapped just like that!?
What in the world was this guy's body made of?
Even high-grade steel could be crushed with ease by her bite—let alone mere flesh and bone!
Yet now, her bite hadn't even pierced Daren's skin.
The resilience and defense of his physique... might surpass even Charlotte Linlin's famed "steel balloon" body!
This was... an "Indestructible Body"!
The realization made Stussy involuntarily gasp.
This... this couldn't be real...
"I really didn't see this coming. A vampire, huh..."
Daren looked at the frozen Stussy with an amused glint in his eyes. He touched the faint imprint of her bite on his neck and spoke with interest,
"Vegapunk's work, is it? Lineage Factor? Or an Artificial Devil Fruit?"
Stussy's heart skipped a beat.
He actually knew!
Artificial Devil Fruits were part of Dr. Vegapunk's research—still experimental, nowhere near ready for public deployment.
Even the higher-ups in the Marines or the CP divisions of the World Government had no idea about this project.
If not for her close relationship with Dr. Vegapunk—if she hadn't been created by the doctor himself as a "clone human"—she wouldn't have had access to this secret either.
But the truly terrifying part was how this man had casually exposed her biggest secret: her loyalty to Dr. Vegapunk, and her infiltration of the World Government's intelligence apparatus.
Who knew what else he might be aware of?
And judging by how calm and fearless he was... Wait!
Stussy suddenly realized something else.
She recalled the profile on Rogers Daren from her intelligence dossiers:
"Lecherous, indulgent, greedy, ruthless, cunning, insidious... While his actions often appear erratic and insane, deeper analysis suggests they may all be calculated with extreme precision."
In that case... could it be that his "accidental" fall into the Pleasure District from above due to severe injuries wasn't an accident at all?
Had he discovered her true identity beforehand, and deliberately staged the fall to lure her out—using the illusion of vulnerability to make her drop her guard, so he could leverage her biggest secret against her?
If that was the case, then did this man still have another trick up his sleeve?
What was his true goal?
What did he want from her?
Countless tangled thoughts surged through Stussy's mind. Shock, panic, suspicion, and unease swirled together, making it impossible for her to regain her composure.
Of course, if Daren had known what she was thinking at that moment, he probably would've snorted and said,
You spies really do have the darkest minds—always assuming the worst.
"Looks like it really is an Artificial Devil Fruit. Vegapunk truly lives up to the name of a genius five hundred years ahead of his time..."
Daren muttered with some admiration.
That Einstein-looking guy—if given the chance, Daren genuinely wanted to meet him.
Whatever the politics, he was intrigued by Vegapunk's scientific achievements.
If he could bring Vegapunk's insane technology into the North Blue Fleet, there was no doubt he could forge the most powerful army in the world.
Unfortunately, Vegapunk was still tightly guarded by the government. Even in the Marines, only Borsalino, head of the Special Science Group, had access to him.
As of now, Daren didn't have that clearance.
Though the exact location of Egghead Island could be uncovered through various means—with his current influence, resources, and network, it wouldn't be difficult.
The issue was, if he trespassed on Egghead Island without proper authorization, he'd risk crossing the World Government's red line, and that could lead to serious conflict.
Not that Daren feared the World Government. With his strength now, they couldn't do a thing to him—Shiki had already proven that.
Still, challenging the government carried a steep cost. Once he broke ties, all his previous efforts and achievements in the Marines would go up in smoke.
Of course...
Daren smiled and pinched Stussy's delicate cheeks, his fingers pressing hard enough to leave marks.
"But you're really being naughty... I was having a perfectly nice conversation with you, and then you suddenly bite me? That's not very polite, is it?"
Seeing the Marine Vice Admiral looking at her like she was some kind of toy, a wave of panic surged in Stussy's heart.
She struggled desperately, but Daren's other hand held her firmly in place.
Though a CP0 agent of the World Government and far from weak, Stussy excelled more in assassination, ambushes, and maneuvering—not in brute-force close combat like this!
After surpassing 80 in strength and obtaining a "Giant's Strength," Daren possessed power on par with an adult Giant warrior by default... How could Stussy possibly withstand Daren's raw force?
Her greatest secret exposed, her body completely overpowered, and her once-proud vampire form rendered laughable...
The series of blows shattered Stussy's composure, and panic crept onto her face.
"So, tell me... how should I punish you?"
Daren spoke with a half-smile.
Stussy gritted her teeth, her blood-red eyes glaring fiercely at him.
"Who the hell are you!? Even with your rank, there's no way you could know so much!"
Daren simply shrugged.
"You're not more aware of my identity than I am, are you?"
"Just now, you listed all my titles like reciting a cherished collection."
"But…"
The Vice Admiral's tone suddenly shifted. He narrowed his eyes and smiled.
"Actually, you missed one."
"W-What…?"
As Daren's grip tightened, Stussy felt her breath grow short, as if she were suffocating.
She stared hard at the man before her, her black bat wings trembling violently, stirring up a fierce wind in the room.
The gusts whipped Daren's hair into disarray as he held Stussy's petite body aloft with one hand.
"You forgot my personal favorite title…"
Daren suddenly grinned.
"The biggest scoundrel in Navy history."
As the words fell, he swung his arm.
Shhhk!!
Stussy's pupils contracted sharply.
Her snow-white dress was instantly torn to shreds.
Her flawless, delicate body was exposed to the air—paired with those dangerous black wings, the freshly grown vampire fangs, and her uniquely blood-red eyes… she looked both mysterious and dangerously seductive.
Before she could react, Daren flung her onto the bed with a single motion.
"Well then… Queen of the Pleasure District, entertain me to your heart's content."
He leaned down over her.
In an instant, Stussy's mind went completely blank.
Her pupils lost focus.
At last, she experienced firsthand the power of the "Indestructible Body."
"Wait…"
...
(40 Chapters Ahead)
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