The Greatest Disgrace in Marine History-Chapter 257 - 159: The Claws That Shatter Tyranny

"The North Blue is my territory."

In the shade of the trees, the Marine commodore's soft smile carried an aura of overwhelming confidence and unshakable dominance.

Hearing those words, Dragon paused, then couldn't help but laugh.

"Ah, that's right—I almost forgot. You're the one they call the 'King of the North Blue'."

He didn't know if it was just his imagination, but the moment he saw Darren standing before him, all the restlessness and confusion in his heart seemed to vanish.

As though in that instant—facing death or the abyss of despair—the sudden appearance of a true friend had brought a deep sense of relief and calm.

Looking at the man across from him, weary from travel and with fatigue still clinging to his face, Dragon found himself wondering just how far Darren must have come to arrive before anyone else.

And so, his smile grew even brighter.

The shadows of the trees shifted in the damp breeze, sunlight scattering dappled light and shadow across the ground.

For a time, the two of them sat in silence across the small table, their stillness a striking contrast to the bustle, noise, and crowded flow of the street beyond.

"Quit grinning like an idiot."

Darren's voice broke the silence abruptly, half-exasperated.

He pushed the brimming cup of liquor closer to Dragon.

Then he took up his own cup, sipping lightly to ease the dryness and exhaustion of the long journey.

"You shouldn't have acted so impulsively."

Dragon's smile immediately faded.

Seeing this, Darren let out a long sigh.

"One of us had to bring it up eventually."

Dragon fell silent for a moment. He pursed his lips, lowering his gaze to his bloodstained hands resting on the table. In a low voice, he said:

"I couldn't control myself at the time."

The quiet murmur was soaked with a bitterness he could hardly put into words.

"How bad is it?"

"It's very bad."

Darren didn't mince his words as he shook his head.

"Vice Admiral Garp has already been ordered to remain at Headquarters. Marineford's port is completely sealed."

"The high command has issued a kill order—if they must, they'll have you executed on sight."

"Besides me, Sakazuki and Borsalino have already set out. It won't be long before they find this place."

Boom!

Thunder rumbled in the distance.

A gust of wind swept down the street, and dark clouds gathered in the sky above.

Fallen leaves tumbled in the wind, and the steps of the passersby grew quick and urgent.

The light dimmed, and the sky turned ominous.

The rain... was coming.

Dragon's parched lips pressed into a tight line.

Darren showed no impatience. He simply waited quietly.

"It was just a child."

After a long moment, Dragon finally spoke, his voice hoarse.

It was a low voice, carrying a blend of grief and helpless fury that echoed against the crowded street's hurried corners.

"His kite had accidentally fallen on a Celestial Dragon's mount, and the string had nicked the edge of that monster's robe."

"It was nothing—just a tiny tear at the corner. Something that should have ended with a quick apology and compensation. But the Celestial Dragon demanded the child's life."

"The boy's parents knelt on the ground, begging in agony. They smashed their heads against the pavement until they were bleeding everywhere."

"But it did no good."

"I happened to be there."

"Though I'd never seen a Celestial Dragon up close before, I'd heard all the rumors of their cruelty. Even so, I couldn't quite believe it—how bad could a person truly be?"

"So I stepped forward. I revealed my identity and offered to apologize on the boy's behalf."

"To me, it was such a trivial matter—at least, that's what I thought."

"But I was wrong. So very wrong."

"I underestimated their evil. I never imagined there were truly devils in this world."

Here, Dragon let out a faint, almost self-mocking laugh.

"When that Celestial Dragon heard who I was, he didn't flinch. Instead, he flew into a rage and grinned, ordering that the entire family be slaughtered."

"Darren... I don't understand."

He lifted his empty gaze to meet Darren's.

"Why... why would he demand their lives for something so small?"

Darren said nothing.

He pulled a crumpled pack of cigarettes from his pocket, taking one out and lighting it.

All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.

That was how the world worked.

Yet in the face of those "supreme" Celestial Dragons, all unhappy families seemed to meet the same fate.

"For some people, causing pain—even taking lives—is nothing more than a demonstration of their power."

Darren's calm eyes met Dragon's through the drifting smoke as he spoke softly:

"And so you killed him."

Dragon nodded with effort.

"Yes. I killed him."

"It was the only way to end it."

Even now, the terror of having killed a Celestial Dragon still clung to him. His face shifted uneasily, his breath coming faster.

"I didn't let myself hesitate—not even for a second. Because I knew if I paused, I'd lose my courage."

"In that moment, my mind went completely blank. My chest felt like it was going to explode if I didn't act."

"...And when I came to, everything around me was chaos."

"People screaming, people running, some fainting dead away... and that so-called 'god'—his head crushed to pulp by my hand."

"It was so easy... like crushing a watermelon. I could hardly believe it myself—that even a Celestial Dragon could die."

He didn't know if the laugh that escaped him was scornful or simply dazed.

"Turns out gods can die too."

"But you know what, Darren? Before I struck... I was terrified."

"Truly... terrified."

"I knew I was a Marine. I wasn't allowed to touch a Celestial Dragon."

"I knew that once I did it, everything I had would be gone."

Darren raised an eyebrow.

"Do you regret it?"

"No."

Dragon's mouth curved into a smile.

"Because in that instant, when I crushed that bastard's skull, everything in me became crystal clear."

"With the spray of his blood, a rush of fierce, unstoppable exhilaration surged into my mind."

"That feeling... it was overwhelming. Liberating. Do you understand, Darren?"

Darren paused a moment, then said quietly:

"I understand." freeweɓnovel.cøm

"No! You don't understand!"

Dragon cut him off sharply.

"And I hope you never do."

Darren thought to himself—I actually do understand.

But before he could say it aloud, Dragon suddenly raised his bloodstained right hand.

His five fingers bent slightly.

His middle and index fingers pressed together, while his ring and little fingers folded in unison—forming the three-finger claw.

"Do you remember this move?"

Darren nodded.

"Dragon Claw Fist."

Dragon's eyes lit up, and he laughed.

"That's right—Dragon Claw Fist!"

"It was your offhand comment that inspired me to create this technique."

"But did you know? Ever since that day, I've been trying to find a way to unlock its true power. No matter how I trained, it always felt like something was missing..."

"But in that moment, as I struck down that Celestial Dragon... I finally found what the Dragon Claw had been missing all along."

He drew in a deep breath.

"It's soul."

"It's will."

"The Dragon Claw Fist isn't just about the force of your fingers. It's about the true force of the 'claw' itself."

"This... is a claw forged to shatter the tyranny of brute power!"

As his words fell, a peal of thunder split the sky overhead.

A flash of white lightning illuminated the dark clouds for an instant.

In the glint of that lightning, the Dragon Claw—shrouded in black Armament Haki—gleamed with a cold, unstoppable might.

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To be continued...