Michael's ravaged body hovered midair, his spine still slowly reconstructing itself. His lower half dangled like a blood-soaked rag, limp and lifeless.

As the black-haired youth raised one hand and curled his fingers, arcs of purple lightning surged through Michael's mangled flesh, crackling eerily.

Move... I can't move...

"My body... What did you do to me?"

The blood drained from Michael's face. His dry lips trembled as he spoke.

Daren's words seemed to trigger something in his mind—an ominous sense of dread rising deep in his gut.

"Ever since that battle on Philseque Island in the North Blue, I've been stuck on the same question."

Thick blood spilled from Daren's mouth. He casually tossed the half-severed, flesh-streaked white spine in his hand to the ground with a wet slap.

"What exactly is the nature of the Five Elders' 'immortality'?"

"Is it the result of some high-tech genetic modification? The innate power of a Mythical Zoan? Or something… even more alien in origin?"

"Are they truly immortal? Or have I simply not been strong enough to kill them?"

"So during this time, aside from pushing myself in training... I've also been doing my own research."

His body swayed suddenly—nearly collapsing.

"I came up with a few methods."

Panting, Daren looked up at Michael and gave a twisted smile.

"The first was obvious—tear monsters like you limb from limb, beat you until you explode into a mist of blood. But it seems like that's easier said than done... You monsters aren't exactly defenseless livestock... Well, you are now."

Michael's eyes bulged, rage burning so hot it could ignite the air.

"You bastard! I'll kill you!!"

He tried to struggle, his body jerking stiffly as he resisted—but the more he fought, the more violently the purple lightning raged across his skin.

Even with his cold flames swirling like Kaidou's flame clouds, granting him flight, he still couldn't break free from the overwhelming restraint.

Because that restraint wasn't external.

It was coming from inside his own body.

"So yeah, first plan's off the table. Already tried it—didn't work out."

Daren let out a rasping chuckle.

"But I discovered something else. When I wrecked your body... you still felt pain."

"That alone makes you different from the Five Elders."

"They don't react the same way to pain—or to damage at all, really. No flinching, no hesitation."

"So maybe... they're no longer human? Of course, that's a theory for later study."

"But you..."

A glint of amusement flashed in Daren's eyes.

"Set aside that monstrous healing factor of yours—you still fall within human limits. When seriously injured, you lock up from the pain. When your spine's destroyed and hasn't regenerated yet, you lose control of that section of your nervous system."

"In other words..."

"You're not a god."

"You're just a powerful human with ridiculous regeneration."

At that moment, a swirling, dark green hurricane rose behind Daren, quickly forming into a towering silhouette.

"So what you're saying is... he can be killed?"

Dragon's face was pale, and his breathing shallow as he asked.

A deep gash across his abdomen revealed bone—it was clear that taking down all three CP0 agents in such a short time hadn't come without a cost.

As he spoke, Dragon raised one hand, summoning a spiraling gust of stormwind.

The compressed vortex surged forward, engulfing Michael.

The razor-sharp winds tore into his flesh again, flaying his body and leaving him completely immobilized.

Daren shot him a glance, his tone laced with dissatisfaction.

"You're too slow."

Dragon's face flushed as he snapped back.

"I was up against three at once!"

"Then how about we switch next time?"

"You're right, I was too slow!"

Daren: "..."

He shook his head and turned his gaze back to Michael.

"So... you still can't kill me..."

Michael, his body shredded by the storm, looked like a blood-soaked wraith, letting out a guttural, broken growl.

His voice echoed intermittently from within the twisting vortex, chilling and inhuman.

"I'm not done talking yet..."

Daren chuckled, wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth. He pulled a crumpled cigar from his pocket, bit it between his teeth, and lit it.

"Since you still fall within the realm of humanity, I've been wondering... does that overwhelming regeneration you gained from awakening a Mythical Zoan have a limit?"

"From what I understand, whether it's Haki or Devil Fruit powers, they all run on stamina—on life force. It's the fuel that drives everything."

"So, doesn't it stand to reason that if your stamina—or life force—runs dry, your freakish healing would shut down?"

"I'm a firm believer in evidence-based conclusions... So, Saint Michael-sama, I'll need your help with a little experiment."

He flicked his fingers.

A crackle of electricity arced through the air as a strange magnetic field suddenly surged outward.

From the clouded sky above, four streaks of brilliant light ripped through the atmosphere.

Ame no Habakiri, Enma, Oto, Kogarashi—four legendary Meito drawn by the magnetic field—unleashed an overwhelming force as they tore through the storm, repeatedly piercing Michael's body with inhuman speed.

Blood burst in all directions, quickly lost in the swirling hurricane.

Michael let out an agonizing scream, unable to resist as the four blades impaled him again and again, subjecting him to a grotesque, unending execution—like a living dismemberment.

One minute.

Three minutes.

Five minutes.

...

Ten whole minutes passed. Michael's anguished howls and curses had dwindled to a weak rasp.

Dragon, who had initially watched with interest, now stood frozen, his face stiff, eyes vacant.

By now, he was staring at Daren in silent horror.

Watching Daren calmly puffing on his cigar, completely unfazed, Dragon twitched.

These methods...

How the hell was this guy ever a Marine?

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