521-525

Chapter 521: I'm Done Playing with You Guys  

“Hey, this is getting interesting!”  

Rising from the rubble, Barrett wiped his face, grinning with wild excitement.  

On Yoru’s side…  

“Oh, come on, give me a break! This lineup is terrifying—it’s gonna get me killed!”  

Straw Hat Luffy! 

Fire Fist Ace! 

Revolutionary Sabo! 

Pirate Hunter Roronoa Zoro! 

Death Surgeon Trafalgar Law! 

Navy Vice Admiral Smoker! 

Former Warlord Crocodile! 

And Warlord Boa Hancock, in full-on rage mode.  

Not a single pushover in this crowd.  

Even setting aside the already battered Pirate Hunter and Fire Fist Ace, the rest of them were no joke either.  

“Talk about pressure, huh? Can we call a truce or something?”  

Yoru raised both hands in a mock surrender.  

“You think you can just talk your way out of this?!”  

Boa Hancock charged forward, furious, her long, pale legs carrying the weight of Conqueror’s Haki. The air felt heavy, and her Sweet-Sweet Fruit’s petrification ability loomed dangerously.  

Yoru tilted his head to dodge—hmm, black lace, nice taste.  

“Room!”  

Law teleported in front of Yoru with a flash, thrusting his long blade, Kikoku, imbued with the power of a Gamma Knife that could pierce through any defense.  

Yoru didn’t dare take it lightly. With a swing of his sword, he deflected the strike.  

But then Crocodile turned into a swirling sandstorm, closing in fast. Sharp sand blades, as deadly as any sword, slashed toward him. “Hand over the Eternal Log Pose!”  

Yoru’s body transformed into flames, split in two by the attack.  

On the other side, Sabo lunged with his Dragon Claw, coated in Armament Haki.  

“Seriously, you guys won’t even give me a second to breathe?”  

Yoru sighed, stepping back so fast it was like he vanished from sight.  

“He’s gone?”  

Ace, Sabo, and the others froze, stunned, as Yoru’s presence disappeared completely.  

“Watch out!”  

They immediately went on high alert, wary of a sneak attack.  

“Up there!”  

Crocodile suddenly shouted, pointing to the sky where Yoru had reappeared.  

“I don’t want to hand over the Eternal Log Pose, and you guys clearly aren’t letting me walk away. Ugh, what a mess!”  

Yoru’s voice carried a tone of exasperation. “If this drags on, that Fujitora guy’s gonna show up again, and he’s the worst matchup for me!”  

“Sorry, everyone, but you’re gonna have to take a nap for a few days!”  

As he spoke, the flames around Yoru flared brighter, growing more intense.  

The temperature spiked, distorting the air around him.  

In mere seconds, he transformed into a massive phoenix, its blazing flames covering the sky. The sheer pressure radiating from him was ferocious, chilling everyone to the bone.  

There was an innate nobility to it, a presence that made people instinctively want to bow.  

“Not good! He’s about to use that move! Get to the water, now!”  

Smoker, realizing what was coming, shouted in panic.  

His words left the others stunned.  

They stared at him like he’d lost his mind.  

Get to the water?  

Us, Devil Fruit users?  

Are you trying to kill us?  

“Forget that, there’s no time! Get in the water, or you’ll be roasted alive!”  

Without hesitation, Smoker bolted toward the sea.  

The others were dumbfounded.  

Roasted alive?  

What’s that supposed to mean?!  

But there was no time to think. From the sky, Yoru’s voice boomed, “Phoenix… Supreme Sun!!”  

In an instant…  

A massive, impossibly huge fireball erupted from the phoenix, as if it were cradling the blazing orb. It was like the sun itself had descended. 

Chapter 522: Have a Blast  

“Zzzzt!” 

In that split second… 

Sabo and the others finally understood what Smoker had meant earlier. 

A colossal, unimaginable wave of scorching heat crashed down. The air itself warped, and the ground cracked and dried up in an instant. 

Steam rose from their bodies as half the moisture in them evaporated in a flash. 

The searing pain was unbearable—it felt like they were melting! 

Right then, under the crushing weight of danger, they couldn’t care less about the devil fruit’s weakness to seawater. 

They bolted for the ocean. 

Staying any longer would mean melting—or at the very least, getting seriously wrecked. 

But they weren’t the only ones caught in the chaos. 

Phoenix Sun’s attack, Yoru’s ultimate move, was a devastating, wide-range strike that hit like a natural disaster. 

Almost no one could stay on their feet… 

Except for Barrett, the madman fusing massive chunks of rock to shield himself from the heat. 

Everyone else—Kidd, Hawkins, and the rest—made a mad dash for the sea. 

That attack was just too terrifying. 

It was like the sun itself had crashed down in front of them—absolutely horrifying. 

Within a kilometer of the festival, the temperature skyrocketed. 

Even the spectators were left parched and on the verge of collapse in an instant. 

Their vision blurred, and they felt like they were on the edge of death. 

Even the Navy’s Justice Alliance, charging in from the sea, had to pull back. They didn’t dare get too close to the island’s blistering heat zone. 

The ocean around the festival steamed wildly, shrouded in a haze of scalding vapor that engulfed the venue and the nearby sea. 

It was stifling, swelteringly unbearable, and filled with a mix of dread and despair. 

“This… this is the power of an Emperor!” 

“It’s practically a walking natural disaster!” 

Out at sea… 

Countless marines muttered in shock. 

Good thing they’d retreated in time—otherwise, they felt their warships would’ve melted. 

Many of them were burned in that brief moment and had to be rushed for treatment. 

Luckily… 

The blazing Sun attack didn’t last long before it faded. 

A streak of crimson flame soared into the sky, moving at the speed of a meteor, slicing through the air and vanishing from sight. 

“Hahaha! Navy, I’ll leave the pirates on the island to you!” 

“Pirates, run! Be afraid! The Navy’s got a net waiting for you outside—let’s see if you’ve got what it takes to escape!!” 

“Barrett, have a blast! The festival’s just getting started—let’s turn this place upside down!” 

Yoru’s chaotic, trouble-stirring voice echoed, making Admirals Kizaru and Fujitora on the warships tense up. 

“Looks like things have hit the worst-case scenario,” Fujitora said. “Evacuate the island’s civilians immediately!” 

“Once they’re clear, launch the Buster Call. We can’t let these lawless monsters escape!” 

“I’m taking them all down!” 

If those words came from hardline Navy officers like Onigumo or Doberman, it wouldn’t be surprising. 

That’s just how they roll. 

But coming from Fujitora, known for his compassion? That was a shock. 

“Well, well, well,” Kizaru drawled, looking like he found it all a hassle. “That island’s crawling with monsters. Scary stuff!” 

But his actions didn’t match his lazy tone. He agreed with Fujitora’s plan and started directing the Pacifistas to set up a perimeter, making sure no pirates could slip away in the chaos or harm civilians. 

“It’s all gone to hell,” Hawkeye said, not even glancing back. “Let’s go, Perona. We’re not wading into this mess.” 

And with that, he turned to leave the chaotic island behind. 

Chapter 523: Encounter with Zephyr  

Perona was clearly worried about a certain green-haired swordsman. “But that guy’s still in there! What if he gets caught? Can’t you help him out? Please, I’m begging you!” 

She tugged at Hawkeye’s arm, her big eyes blinking with hope as she looked up at him. 

“Relax,” Hawkeye replied coolly. “That man won’t be stopped here. If this is where his journey ends, it just means he’s not cut out for more. He wouldn’t be worth my attention as a serious contender for the world’s greatest swordsman.” 

That’s what he said, at least. 

But his body betrayed his words. With a single slash, he tore through the mist and parted the sea itself. 

By sheer “coincidence,” that slash sent Zoro and Luffy flying onto the shore! 

“Don’t get the wrong idea,” Hawkeye said, sheathing his blade as he met Perona’s teasing smile with a calm explanation. “I was just clearing a path for myself. The mist would’ve made us lose our way.” 

“Hmph, you’re so not cute!” Perona huffed, puffing out her cheeks. 

Out at sea… 

Yoru streaked across the sky like a meteor, kicking up wild waves in his wake. 

“Time to find a place to rest,” he muttered. 

Even he wasn’t a god—flying forever wasn’t an option. He needed a spot to catch his breath. 

In the vast ocean, stumbling across a pirate ship was less likely than finding an island. So, when he spotted an island with signs of life, he landed, exhaling in relief. Flying over the endless sea was no joke. Food? Easy enough—grab a Sea King and call it a day. But fresh water? That was the real challenge. Without it, even the mightiest ability user was screwed. 

“Boil your water before drinking. Good habits save lives,” Yoru reminded himself. 

Luckily, he found a small freshwater source on the island—not much, but enough to drink. He crafted a crude clay pot, boiled some water, caught a big fish, and skewered it on a stick to roast over a fire. 

“Hm?” 

Just as he finished setting up, Yoru’s gaze snapped toward the island’s edge. 

His Observation Haki picked up a ship docking, carrying a powerful presence. 

“Who’s this?” he wondered aloud. A ship showing up in the middle of the ocean? His luck was something else. He’d landed without a hitch, got food and water sorted, and now a ship decides to appear? 

With a self-deprecating chuckle, Yoru headed toward the shore to see who’d landed. He didn’t bother hiding his presence. At this point, there were few people in the world he needed to be cautious of. 

At the shore… 

A tall man wearing sunglasses, one arm replaced by a massive mechanical limb, froze in place. He raised his other arm to stop the man and woman behind him. “Hold it. There’s a dangerous guy up ahead. You two, stay back!” 

His expression was deadly serious, his body instinctively tensing. 

The man and woman behind him were stunned. They rarely saw their teacher this on edge—bracing for a fight without even seeing the enemy. 

Curious, they peered ahead, trying to figure out who they were dealing with. 

Until… 

“No way!” 

“Seriously? What’s he doing here?!” 

When they saw the man approaching—a carefree smile on his face, messy hair, and a hand resting on the sword at his waist—their eyes widened in shock, their faces draining of color. 

“Well, well, my luck’s just too good today!” Yoru said, ignoring the pair and locking eyes with the older man in sunglasses. A grin spread across his face. “They say seeing is believing. Former Admiral, Black Arm Zephyr!” 

Chapter 524: Aokiji Arrives  

That’s right…  

This man in sunglasses was none other than the legendary figure who trained most of the Navy’s top officers, the former Navy Admiral, Black Arm Zephyr!  

“Hmph, I never would’ve guessed I’d run into an Emperor of the New World here!”  

“Talk about some damn good luck!”  

Zephyr’s voice was icy. “But I’ve cast aside the name Black Arm Zephyr. Now, I go by ‘Z’!”  

Yoru shrugged. “A codename’s just a codename. Doesn’t matter to me.”  

“Do as you please, then. I’ve got no intention of starting a fight, and I hope you won’t make things difficult for me, Mr. Z.”  

With that, he turned to leave.  

Whatever Zephyr was up to, it had nothing to do with him. As long as it didn’t threaten his interests, Yoru couldn’t care less what Zephyr did.  

But…  

Zephyr clearly didn’t see it that way. “It’s because of sea trash like you that the people of the ocean can’t live in peace!”  

With a furious shout, Zephyr charged at Yoru without warning, throwing a ferocious punch.  

The blow landed, but it only punched a gaping hole through Yoru’s fiery chest.  

The smile on Yoru’s face vanished, replaced by an eerie calm. “Is this really necessary, Mr. Zephyr? You know you’re no match for me now.”  

“Kid, you talk too much!”  

Undeterred by his failed attack, Zephyr’s mechanical arm began to hum, gearing up to unleash a crushing force.  

Yoru sighed. “Well, don’t say I didn’t warn you.”  

In an instant, Yoru’s aura sharpened, radiating a chilling, world-splitting intensity that sent shivers down the spine.  

“I’ve got fish grilling, so I don’t have time to mess around. Let’s end this in one move.”  

Yoru stepped back, drawing his blade, Broken Delusion, from his waist. His words, however, lit a fire in Zephyr.  

“One move to defeat me?”  

Zephyr’s face twisted with rage. “Don’t get cocky, you brat!”  

Who was he? A former Navy Admiral! For some rookie to spout such nonsense—even active Admirals wouldn’t dare say something like that.  

“Flash Annihilation!”  

A massive wave of killing intent surged outward, tearing through the sky.  

Yoru’s speed was so blinding that he became a streak of light, passing Zephyr in an instant. As he sheathed his sword and walked toward the island, a razor-sharp sword aura erupted, shredding the beach and slicing the sea itself.  

In the next moment, a torrent of blood gushed from Zephyr’s chest. He collapsed to his knees, unable to stand.  

“Teacher Zephyr!”  

Zephyr’s two students, Binz and Ain, cried out in panic, rushing to check his wounds.  

“Cough, cough… I’m fine!”  

Blood poured from Zephyr’s mouth, unstoppable. The gash across his chest nearly split him in two, stretching up to his shoulder. His organs were visible through the gruesome wound, a ghastly sight.  

This was far from fine.  

“Teacher, stop pretending you’re okay!”  

Tears streamed down Ain’s face as she turned to her companion with resolve. “Binz, we need to get Teacher to the island for treatment, now!”  

Binz nodded, ignoring Zephyr’s protests. He hoisted Zephyr onto his back and used Moon Step to rush toward their warship, desperate to get away.  

As for Zephyr…  

He didn’t have the strength to resist. Not long after boarding, he slipped into unconsciousness.  

Back with Yoru…  

“Man, one monster after another showing up—it’s starting to get on my nerves!”  

Yoru looked at the stylishly dressed man riding in on a bicycle across the sea, his tone dripping with exasperation. 

Chapter 525: I Really Don’t Get How You Guys Think  

“Well, well, meeting like this must be fate, right?”  

“Besides, I’m not a Navy Admiral anymore. There’s no bad blood between us, so why all the tension?”  

The tall, curly-haired man plopped down by the fire, and the ground instantly frosted over.  

Acting like they were old pals, he carved off a piece of fish with an ice fork. “You don’t mind, do you?”  

Yoru rolled his eyes. You’re already helping yourself, so why even ask?  

“So, what’s the deal, former Navy Admiral Kuzan, Mr. Aokiji? You just happen to show up in front of me, staging this little ‘chance encounter’ for what, exactly?”  

Yoru took a bite of the fish—ugh, a bit fishy—and glanced at Aokiji. “Don’t tell me this is just a coincidence. I’m not buying that kind of luck!”  

Aokiji opened his mouth, tempted to claim it was just a coincidence.  

But knowing Yoru wouldn’t buy it, he paused before saying, “Thanks for going easy on them.”  

Yoru just shrugged. “That’s the Navy’s mess. I’m not getting involved.”  

“But this Dynamite Rock stuff? Not exactly a toy. One wrong move, and the whole sea could go up in flames. So, what’s your plan to deal with it?”  

“What, Sakazuki gives the order, Borsalino carries it out, and you, Kuzan, clean up the bodies?”  

Aokiji choked on the comment but, after a moment’s thought, couldn’t entirely disagree.  

Yoru smirked, a teasing glint in his eye. “Zephyr really trained some stellar students, huh?”  

He took another bite of fish. “But seriously, if the Navy can’t handle it, just say the word. We’ll take care of it, no baggage attached!”  

Aokiji looked up, his gaze sharp. “I’m curious—how’d you even know about Dynamite Rock?”  

“Zephyr only just stole it. I barely found out myself. How’d you get wind of it?”  

Yoru grinned. “Big Mom’s not called the Queen of Intelligence for nothing.”  

“If her network couldn’t get info like this in real-time, I wouldn’t bother working with her!”  

Aokiji scratched his head, conceding the point. Fair enough.  

“So, what’s your next move? Heading to Raftel?”  

Aokiji’s eyes gleamed with curiosity as he looked at Yoru.  

Yoru shrugged again. “Why else would I be collecting Eternal Log Poses and Poneglyphs?”  

Aokiji nodded, seeing the logic. Then he sighed. “You know the World Government and the Navy will come after you. You ready for that?”  

“The World Government’s power is way bigger than you might think.”  

Yoru patted his stomach. “Oh, I’m ready. It’s the World Government we’re talking about—can’t afford to be careless, or I’m dead!”  

“Honestly, the pressure’s insane. I really don’t want to go up against them, but I’ve got no choice. I have to get to Raftel.”  

He had to return to the Naruto world.  

This place wasn’t his home.  

The One Piece world was just a stopover, a place to clear his head. To this world, he was just a passing traveler.  

“I really don’t get you guys,” Aokiji said, scratching his head in frustration. “All this obsession with Raftel and the One Piece treasure.”  

“With your strength and influence, couldn’t you just kick back and enjoy life in the New World?”  

“Be an Emperor of the Sea—pretty cool title, right? Why not take a page out of Whitebeard’s book?”  

“Why go picking a fight with the World Government and the Navy?”  

“It’s just bad business!”  

Aokiji sighed, looking genuinely baffled.