391-395

*Chapter 391: The Female Shipwright*

Human trafficking had become as common as drinking water—brazenly carried out in broad daylight.

Of course, the most common victims were beautiful women from various races.

Some were sold off as slaves, others as tools for pleasure.

Just looking at the lustful, bloated nobles bidding on them, it was clear what kind of fate awaited these women.

One day, you might even find their half-naked corpses dumped in the trash.

Yoru hadn’t planned on bidding on anything at all—he was just there to watch the show and kill time.

But fate can be unpredictable.

When the next “item” was brought out and introduced, Yoru’s eyes lit up with interest.

“Attention, everyone! This is a female shipwright from the medical kingdom on the Grand Line. Buy her, and not only can she repair your ships, but she can also… fulfill other needs. A true blessing for the gentlemen among you!”

“Alright, start the bidding! The base price is two million Berries!”

The auctioneer called out excitedly, his voice filled with energy. But—

“Pfft, what would I do with a woman like that? Hurry up and bring out the mermaid—we came for the mermaid, not some shipwright!”

“Exactly! We’ve seen enough women already. This one’s boring. Bring out the mermaid!”

Most of the attendees weren’t interested at all.

The auctioneer scratched his nose awkwardly, clearly annoyed. “Anyone willing to bid? If not, you’ll miss out!”

Still, no one spoke up.

Seeing no interest, the auctioneer sighed and was just about to move on when—

“Two million and one Berries.”

A calm voice rang out.

The auctioneer’s face lit up with joy as he turned to look.

“Oh ho! Bidder No. 81 has made an offer! Two million and one Berries! Any higher bids?”

He raised the gavel and looked around.

“Going once!

Going twice!

Sold! Congratulations to Bidder No. 81 for winning the female shipwright for two million and one Berries!”

The auctioneer's cheerful voice echoed through the room.

Everyone turned to look at Yoru, puzzled by why he would waste money on such an unappealing shipwright.

She wasn’t beautiful, nor did she seem special in any way. Did he have some kind of weird fetish?

“Alright, everyone’s been waiting long enough. Let’s move on to the final item of the night!” the auctioneer announced, raising the excitement once more.

A large object covered with a cloth was wheeled out onto the stage.

“Now then, let’s unveil our last item…”

With a dramatic flourish, the cloth was pulled away—and the auctioneer shouted, thrilled:

“From Fishman Island… it’s Camie the mermaid!”

“OOOOOH!!”

The crowd erupted in excitement.

And that was when he appeared—the same Celestial Dragon from the original story who was about to get wrecked by Luffy: Saint Charlos.

“I want the mermaid.”

With just those few words, the entire room instantly fell silent. The tension in the air was suffocating.

“Five hundred million. I’ll pay five hundred million. Hurry up and bring her to me!”

Sitting front and center, Charlos casually announced the staggering amount.

The declaration shook Nami’s confidence. Her pupils shrank, and her auction paddle fell from her hand.

Even Sanji, standing beside her, clenched his jaw.

“Damn it…”

They had scraped together two hundred million in hopes of rescuing Camie—but in front of Charlos, that seemed utterly meaningless.

“I thought we could solve this with money… but in the end, we may have to use force,” Sanji muttered through gritted teeth.

His words startled Hachi, the Fishman, who quickly tried to stop him.

“Calm down, Sanji! He’s a Celestial Dragon—if we mess with them, they’ll summon an Admiral!”

The auctioneer was equally troubled by Charlos.

Five hundred million was enough to end the auction then and there—but it was far below what a mermaid could actually fetch.

Still, with a Celestial Dragon involved, how could he dare to defy him?

Just as he was about to say “Sold,” Yoru suddenly looked up at the ceiling of the auction hall.

“They’re here.”

The next moment, BOOM!—the rooftop exploded.

Debris rained down, people screamed, and chaos erupted everywhere.

Then, a voice rang out from the smoke:

“What the heck, man?! Can’t you land properly?!”

A young man in a straw hat yelled out, clearly annoyed.

Beside him stood a green-haired man with a bare chest and three swords at his waist, rubbing his head with a pained expression.

“You’re the one who called me up here. If we were just going back to the Sunny, there was no need to rush…”

He paused and looked around.

“…Where are we?”

Nami and the others gasped.

“Zoro! Luffy! You’re finally here—hurry and save Camie!”

That’s right—making their dramatic entrance were none other than Roronoa Zoro and Monkey D. Luffy of the Straw Hat Pirates!

Luffy immediately spotted Camie on the auction stage and shouted with excitement,

“Camie! I finally found you! I’m coming to save you!!”

But just as he moved, Hachi jumped in to stop him.

If they fought the Celestial Dragons, it would bring down an Admiral—and that was big trouble.

But in doing so, Hachi accidentally revealed his identity as a Fishman—and that triggered Charlos.

Charlos looked at Hachi like a toy, raised his gun, and shot him several times, knocking him to the ground!

“Bullseye! Down he goes! Hahaha, look at my aim!”

Charlos was thrilled, jumping for joy.

“Looks like the real show’s about to start,” Yoru thought, watching as Luffy’s face darkened while he stepped toward Charlos.

But Charlos was too caught up in gloating to sense the danger.

“I did it! I shot the Fishman! Hehe, I got him!” he yelled proudly.

Yoru smirked, his eyes gleaming in anticipation.

“Witnessing this moment with my own eyes… not bad at all.”

He could barely wait for that satisfying punch to slam into Charlos’ smug, bloated face.

Once again, Hachi grabbed Luffy’s leg, desperately begging him not to cause a scene with a Celestial Dragon.

“Damn it…” Luffy gritted his teeth, visibly torn.

“You stupid Fishman! You still dare to talk after I shot you?! That’s annoying!!”

Charlos, clearly irritated that Hachi wasn’t dead yet, fired again.

Blood gushed from Hachi’s wounds as he collapsed, finally letting go of Luffy’s leg.

Tension skyrocketed—conflict was now inevitable.

Chapter 392: Beating the World Noble 

They originally thought that because two Shichibukai had been defeated by Straw Hat Luffy, who was also a Supernova, the Shichibukai weren't really anything to be afraid of. 

But now, it seems that even among the Shichibukai, the strength of each member is different. 

"Just how strong is this guy?" 

Everyone looked at Yoru, their thoughts heavy. 

"Killer!" 

Seeing this, Kid, who was in the middle of a fierce Taijutsu exchange with Burgess, was shocked. 

"You're in such an intense fight with me, and you still dare to get distracted!" 

"Eustass Kid, are you perhaps looking down on me a bit?" 

Burgess's fist was wrapped in unprecedentedly sharp Busoshoku Haki, and the vibrating power in his arm made the surrounding air ripple. Like a massive heavy hammer, it smashed into Kid's fist. 

"Crunch!" 

"Uwa!" 

The moment they clashed, Kid's face changed. The bones in his arm instantly made a snapping sound. 

He was no match for this power. Coughing up a mouthful of blood, he was sent flying back. 

"Wee ha ha, take this!" 

Burgess took another heavy step, closing the distance. His pitch-black fist, covered in Armament Haki, landed squarely on Kid's chest without any resistance. 

"Bang!" 

Kid's eyes bulged out in pain. 

Spitting out another large stream of blood, he was sent crashing into a deep pit more than ten meters wide, deeply embedded within it, having lost nearly half of his fighting capability. 

"Wee ha ha~" 

"You can't even beat me, and you want to challenge our Captain?" 

"You, the so-called 'head' of the Supernovas, are a bit clueless. I'm the weakest one in our pirate crew!" 

Hearing Burgess say this, Hawkins and the others couldn't help but narrow their eyes. 

Burgess had even defeated Kid, and he was the weakest? 

Just how strong was Yoru, then? 

"You expect them to be as strong as us?" 

"Frankly, they're just a bunch of kids who have just stepped out onto the sea. They still don't know what the real pirate world is like, or what true strength is. They still have too much to learn!" 

Upon hearing this, Nozdormu looked at the members of the Kid Pirates, who were full of apprehension but didn't dare to act rashly, and said disdainfully. 

He glanced at Burgess again and said, "Let's go, time to head back. We just ate a few bites of food and were interrupted. I'm starving!" 

"Wee ha ha, you said it!" 

Burgess laughed loudly and returned to the restaurant, leaving the Kid Pirates to retreat dispiritedly. 

"One day, I'll show you how strong I am. Next time, I won't lose to your subordinate, Yoru, you remember that!" 

But being Kid, not saying anything after losing face would be too degrading. 

"I'll be waiting!" 

Yoru grinned upon hearing this, not taking it to heart at all. 

... 

After a satisfying meal, Yoru and the other two continued to stroll around. 

"Well, you two should both have things you want to buy, right? Go ahead, go look around on your own. You don't need to stick with me the whole time!" 

As a good captain, you naturally have to understand what's on your crew's minds. 

"Understood, Captain!" 

Hearing this, the two looked happy. Just as they were about to leave, Yoru added, "Oh, right, there are World Nobles (Tenryubito) appearing on this island. If you don't have to, don't provoke them. If you see them, just walk around them!" 

"Messing with them is a bit troublesome, and it wouldn't look good with Fleet Admiral Sengoku either!" 

Upon hearing this, the two nodded, indicating they understood. 

"Go on!" 

Yoru separated from Nozdormu and Burgess. 

"Did you hear? They've got a rare item like a mermaid at the auction house!" 

"What? There's actually a mermaid? Let's go, let's go, hurry and check it out!" 

"Speaking of which, did you know, it's said that those World Noble guys have also shown up on this island!" 

"Yeah, I saw that scene with my own eyes just now. As expected of World Nobles, they're just arrogant and overbearing. They openly snatch women in the street, and no one dares to say a thing even if they kill or set things on fire. You still have to watch them leave respectfully!" 

"World Nobles, they really are something. They can get anything they want!" 

Walking through the commercial district of Sabaody Archipelago, Yoru suddenly heard such discussions around him. 

"A mermaid? From Fish-Man Island?" 

The corner of Yoru's mouth curved up. "Well, looks like we'll get to see a good show!" 

Sabaody Archipelago, World Nobles, mermaid... 

These keywords together immediately brought a scene to Yoru's mind – Monkey D. Luffy beating up the World Noble Charlos Saint! 

"This seems like a very interesting scene!" 

Thinking of this, Yoru turned around and headed towards the auction house. 

If Rayleigh ultimately didn't show up, then he would just have to make a move himself and save the mermaid. 

After all, he had a bit of a connection with King Neptune of Fish-Man Island. 

Having drunk so much of their sake, he at least owed them a favor. 

"Look, that guy, isn't that the Shichibukai...?" Someone spotted Yoru and was about to speak, but was stopped by the person next to them. 

"Shh, are you crazy? What if he sees you pointing at him? That guy made his name by slaughtering pirates! If he spots us, we're finished!" The person who stopped them was full of panic. 

"Oh, so Yoru-san is also interested in mermaids? How interesting!" 

Not far behind Yoru, Trafalgar Law also spotted him. 

And so, he also followed him inside. 

And when Yoru entered, the gazes of many people in the venue fell upon him. 

"That guy, isn't he a Shichibukai? Why is he here? What's going on? Did he also take an interest in something at the auction house?" 

The people who could enter the auction house were not simple, and they naturally all recognized Yoru. 

"World Nobles, heh heh, interesting!" 

Yoru's gaze, however, swept over the faces of the three World Nobles at the very front of the auction house. Then, he just casually found a seat and sat down. 

Not long after he came in, Trafalgar Law, Eustass Kid, and Nami of the Straw Hat Pirates also entered one after another. 

"Yo, Eustass-ya, we meet again!" 

Yoru smiled and greeted Kid, causing the other party's face to instantly turn gloomy. 

"I'll make you pay for this eventually!" 

After leaving just that one sentence with a dark face, Kid closed his eyes. 

Yoru also leaned back in his chair, quietly waiting for the auction to start and for the mermaid to appear. 

If the Straw Hat kid didn't follow the original plot progression, storm the auction house, beat up the World Noble, and take the mermaid, then he would just have to take matters into his own hands. 

Soon, the auction began! 

The dark side of this world was slowly revealed. 

People of various races, or pirates who were once full of spirit on the sea, were now displayed on the stage like goods and cargo, to be bid on by anyone, with no personal dignity whatsoever. 

Chapter 393 – This Really Puts Me in a Tough Spot 

“Thank you so much!” Camie blushed as she thanked Yoru. 

Though, deep down, she was still a little confused. Why would a Shichibukai like Yoru go out of his way to save her? 

“Eh, I owed King Neptune a favor. Just thought I’d repay the debt.” Yoru noticed the doubt in her eyes and replied with a casual grin. 

“Well then, see you all around!” 

Just as he turned to leave, a sound rang out from inside his coat. 

“Bererere~” 

It was the sound of a Den Den Mushi! 

He pulled it out and answered, “Moshi moshi, who’s calling~?” 

A deep, commanding voice came through the other side. At the same time, the Den Den Mushi's face changed into one with braided whiskers—Sengoku the Fleet Admiral himself! 

“‘Lightning Killer’ Yoru, right?” 

“Oh? Fleet Admiral Sengoku, what’s with the sudden call?” Yoru sat down, grinning as he spoke. 

“You're at the auction house now, right? I’m giving you a direct order: capture the criminal who attacked a Celestial Dragon—Straw Hat Luffy. Bring him back to Marineford. With your strength, this should be easy.” 

“Admiral Kizaru is on his way too. I expect you to coordinate with him.” 

Hearing this, the Straw Hat Pirates all stiffened. Their gazes turned uncertain as they stared at Yoru. 

Friend… or foe? 

He had just saved Camie—clearly an ally… 

But now, Sengoku was ordering him to arrest them. That made him an enemy, right? 

Yoru laughed lazily, “Ahhh, Fleet Admiral Sengoku, you’re really putting me in a tough spot. Straw Hat Luffy’s a terrifying pirate, y’know. So scary~ I'm just a small-time Shichibukai, not sure I can handle that!” 

“Besides, there's a big shot here right now. I wouldn't dare make a move!” 

Yoru’s response caught everyone off guard. 

With that cheeky expression on his face, the thought on everyone’s mind was: Luffy, terrifying? You’ve got to be joking! 

“A big shot? Who?” Sengoku’s tone turned sharp and impatient. “You better not be stalling or lying. If you are, I won’t hesitate to revoke your Shichibukai status!” 

“Who would dare lie to you, Fleet Admiral? I’m serious. There really is a big name here.” 

Yoru’s eyes shifted toward the auction stage—specifically to the elderly man who had just stepped out from behind Luffy. 

“Right, Dark King Rayleigh?” 

“?!!!” 

Sengoku’s voice rose in alarm, “Dark King Rayleigh? Are you sure?!” 

A weary voice replied on Rayleigh’s behalf, “Ara ara, young man, don’t go accusing an old guy like me. I haven’t done anything, you know.” 

Despite the calm tone, Sengoku could tell Yoru wasn’t lying. 

“Silvers Rayleigh… Are you planning to oppose the Navy? You’d better think long and hard about the consequences.” 

Rayleigh chuckled. “Sengoku, relax. I’ve got no intention of fighting the Navy. I’ll be gone shortly. I won't interfere with your business.” 

“But before that, my friend’s been hurt. I need to tend to him first.” 

Rayleigh looked over at Hatchan, who was lying injured, then turned to glare at the guards who had been attacking the Straw Hats. 

Suddenly, a wave of overwhelming pressure exploded from him—Haoshoku Haki. 

The air trembled. The world seemed to lose its color for a moment. 

Then, with a dull thud, every single guard collapsed unconscious. 

“Rayleigh! What did you do?!” 

Sengoku’s voice returned, tense and suspicious. “You’d better not have interfered with the Navy!” 

Rayleigh, now crouched beside Hatchan, smiled as he hoisted him onto his back. 

“Of course not. I’m already leaving.” 

He turned and looked at Yoru. “Hey, kid, how about a drink?” 

Yoru chuckled and said into the Den Den Mushi, “You hear that, Fleet Admiral? It’s not that I didn’t want to help—it’s that I just can’t handle someone like the Dark King Rayleigh!” 

Sengoku snapped back, “Hmph. You’d better not be putting on a show with him.” 

Then the call cut off. 

“Well then… Straw Hat Luffy, until we meet again.” 

With that cryptic farewell, Yoru followed after Rayleigh and left, leaving the Straw Hats behind in confusion. 

“We need to get out of here too!” 

Having seen enough chaos, both Eustass Kid and Trafalgar Law gave the same order. 

Luffy and his crew wasted no time making their exit, leaving behind only the unconscious Celestial Dragons and guards. 

But outside the auction house, the Navy had already set up a full blockade. 

“Everyone, stay sharp! Don’t let a single pirate escape, understood?!” A Marine Rear Admiral barked at the soldiers behind him. 

“Sir, yes sir!” 

They responded in unison. 

Thud, thud, thud... 

Footsteps echoed. The marines tensed, raising their rifles toward the entrance. 

“Whoa whoa whoa, easy there, guys. I’m not your enemy.” 

To their surprise, it was Yoru—arms raised in surrender, with a young girl riding on his back. 

“Shichibukai ‘Lightning Killer’? What are you doing here?” The Rear Admiral narrowed his eyes. 

“I didn’t expect a fight to break out, okay? Now, don’t mind me—I’ll just get out of your way. You guys are scary!” 

With that, Yoru slipped away through the stunned soldiers. 

None of them noticed the old man walking calmly behind him—because their attention was now entirely focused on the next arrivals. 

“Be alert! These guys are all pirates with bounties over 100 million. They’re not your average thugs!” 

“That Straw Hat Luffy especially—he’s already taken down two Shichibukai. He’s no pushover!” 

As Eustass Kid, Straw Hat Luffy, and Trafalgar Law burst through the doors in dramatic fashion, the Rear Admiral’s face turned grim. 

Meanwhile, back with Yoru… 

He hadn’t gone far. In fact, he was relaxing on a nearby rooftop, watching the chaos unfold like a spectator. 

“Yoru-san… Luffy-san… He’s going to be okay, right?” Camie nervously watched the ongoing battle and swallowed hard. 

“Don’t worry. That level of manpower won’t even slow them down.” 

He then glanced at her. “But what about you? Shouldn’t you be leaving with Rayleigh-san? Sticking with a Shichibukai like me probably isn’t the best idea.” 

“I-I just wanted… to see with my own eyes that Luffy-san made it out okay. That’s all… I swear!” Camie’s face turned red again. 

Yoru chuckled softly. “Don’t worry. Luffy and his crew will be just fine.” 

“But you should leave this island with Rayleigh-san. Soon, this place will belong to the Navy. Staying here won’t do you any good.” 

“Not every Marine is friendly toward merfolk like you.” 

Hearing that, Camie gave a soft “Okay…” in response and turned away—disappointed, but understanding. 

Chapter 394: Entering the Fray 

“Straw Hat Luffy… I’ll see you at Marineford. No—maybe even sooner, in Impel Down,” Yoru thought to herself, then turned to the female shipwright beside her. “Let’s go, Luli.” 

“Yes, Captain!” 

Luli, age 27, stood tall at 2.52 meters and was a skilled fighter. She hailed from Batula Island, a famous shipbuilding island in the first half of the Grand Line. 

She’d been captured during a pirate raid and ended up being sold at the Human Auctioning House in the Sabaody Archipelago. 

Behind her, Luffy and his crew were running wild, overwhelming the Marines with ease. 

“Straw Hat! I’ll see you in the New World!!” Before leaving, Eustass Kid shouted a challenge to Luffy. “When that time comes, I’ll show you who’s really going to be Pirate King!” 

Luffy fired back, “I’m the one who’s gonna be Pirate King! I’m not handing that over to you!” 

And with that, he made a quick exit. The Marines had mentioned that Admiral Kizaru had arrived on the island—there was no time to waste. 

Chaos had taken over Sabaody Archipelago. Pirates were fleeing in every direction, desperate to escape before Admiral Kizaru showed up. 

No one wanted to be caught and dragged to Impel Down to rot away. 

But some pirates, clearly not thinking straight, decided to try and attack rival crews during the retreat. 

And so— “Oh? You want me to surrender?” Yoru looked at the pirate in front of her, who was swinging around a massive, shark-toothed blade. She smirked. “Now that’s funny.” 

Flames erupted around her, the temperature spiking dramatically. Flaming feathers appeared, radiating explosive heat. 

“Too bad for you—I’m not looking to join anyone. Looks like I have no choice…” 

Her eyes gleamed coldly. “Guess I’ll just make you disappear!” 

“Phoenix Fire Feathers!” 

The flaming feathers rained down like a meteor shower, too fast to dodge. The pirate finally recognized her and panicked. 

“No—wait! It’s a misunderstanding—ahhh!!” 

He never got to finish his plea. The explosion engulfed him completely. 

When his body hit the ground, it was torn and bloodied beyond recognition. 

“Bounty: 81 million Berries. ‘Sharktooth’ Gambis—taken care of.” 

Yoru smiled calmly as the surrounding pirates trembled, their faces pale with fear. 

“So? Still want me to join your crew?” 

The pirates frantically shook their heads—they just wanted to run. 

“Too bad. You’re not getting away.” 

She looked past them with a bright, almost dazzling smile. “Right, Kizaru-san?” 

“Wha—K-Kizaru?!” 

They turned around in shock and horror. 

There he was—a laid-back, older man with his hands in his pockets, walking toward them with a bored expression. 

“So scary~ You took down a pirate worth 81 million in an instant!” he said lazily. 

It was none other than one of the Navy’s top three powers—Admiral Kizaru, Borsalino. 

Gulp. 

If Yoru had made them panic, Kizaru’s appearance pushed them into pure despair. 

“Well then… I’ll leave the rest to you, Kizaru-san.” “I think I’ll be heading off now. You people are just too terrifying… someone small like me would get torn apart if I stayed!” 

Hearing this exchange, the pirates twitched. Seriously? Have some shame. Who’s the terrifying one here? You don’t know?! 

“What a shame… If only you weren’t one of the Shichibukai,” Kizaru muttered, glancing at Yoru. “The Celestial Dragons are unharmed, right? That would be a bit of a headache otherwise.” 

Yoru shrugged. “They should be sleeping like babies right now.” 

With that, she turned and left. 

“Well then, everyone,” Kizaru said with a smile, “please come with me—to the underwater prison!” 

The Marines behind him were already itching to move. 

“Damn it!” “We’re not just gonna give up!” “Don’t underestimate us!” “Let’s fight!” 

The pirates tried to resist—maybe they had a slim chance. 

But it was hopeless. Faced with overwhelming strength, they were all taken down swiftly. 

“Scary~” Kizaru said mockingly as he looked at the fallen pirates. 

Aboard the Mandefus 

“Captain, what the hell just happened? Why is an Admiral here all of a sudden?” 

“Yeah! I was just shopping and boom—surrounded by Marines! If you weren’t a Shichibukai, I’d have had to fight my way out!” 

Burgess and Noos looked around at the chaotic Sabaody Archipelago in disbelief. 

“Nothing big. Straw Hat Luffy punched a Celestial Dragon, that’s all.” 

“WHAT?!” 

“He punched a Celestial Dragon?!” 

Their eyes went wide in shock at Yoru’s reply. 

“That guy’s got guts!” “Wahahaha! What a fun guy!” 

The two had completely different reactions—one shocked, the other thrilled. 

“Let me introduce you—this is our shipwright, Luli. From now on, she’ll handle all repairs and upgrades on board.” 

Yoru gestured to Luli, who was carrying a huge hammer on her back. 

“Nice to meet you!” 

“Welcome aboard!” 

Burgess and Noos greeted her warmly. 

Luli bowed. “I look forward to working with you!” 

“Well, I think it’s about time we got out of this mess,” Yoru said. “Let’s—” 

Before she could finish, a voice cut in from behind. 

“Hey now… Fleet Admiral Sengoku is asking you to help suppress the pirates on the island, Yoru-kun. You’re not gonna say no, are you?” 

Like a phantom, Kizaru appeared behind them. 

Burgess, Noos, and Luli all stiffened in an instant, eyes wide in terror. 

The sudden wave of pressure was overwhelming—pure despair. 

Yoru sighed and turned to Kizaru, exasperated. 

“Seriously, Kizaru-san? You’re a Marine Admiral—shouldn’t that be enough? Now you want me doing your job too?” 

“Looks like I won’t be escaping this mess after all…” 

In other words—she accepted. 

“It’s orders from Sengoku-san,” Kizaru replied, raising his hands in a mock gesture of helplessness. Then he vanished into a shower of glowing light particles. 

In and out like the wind. 

“Well, everyone,” Yoru said to her crew with a resigned sigh, “looks like we won’t be setting sail just yet.” 

“Give me a little time—I’ll wrap this up quickly.” 

With that, Yoru leapt into the air, transforming into a fiery red phoenix that soared into the sky. 

Chapter 395: Crushing Force 

On the Sabaody Archipelago... 

"Hahaha, this is just too exciting!" Scratchmen Apoo was dashing for his life alongside his crewmates, yet he couldn’t help laughing as he ran. 

Behind them, a squad of Marines gave chase! 

"Oh? Exciting, huh? Then how about I make things a bit more exciting for you?" 

A voice suddenly rang out from above Apoo’s head. 

In the next instant, a wave of searing heat surged toward them. Apoo froze in alarm and quickly came to a halt, just in time to see Yoru descending with wings spread wide. 

"Sorry, but the Fleet Admiral asked me to lend a hand with rounding up pirates like you!" 

"So, no hard feelings..." 

Wasting no time, Yoru dove down like a hawk, exuding a violent, overwhelming aura. 

"Phoenix Meteor Strike!" 

“Crap, move!!” 

Apoo was horrified as Yoru fell toward them like a massive meteor. 

The scorching heat made him feel like he was about to evaporate! 

Whoosh! 

But Yoru was too fast! 

Before Apoo could even finish warning his crew, Yoru had already crashed into the ground behind him. 

Boom!! 

It was like a mushroom bomb exploded. A terrifying shockwave, laced with blazing heat and destructive power, swept across dozens of meters. 

“AAAH!!” 

Apoo’s crewmates screamed in agony as they were blown away, their bodies scorched beyond recognition — dead or alive, no one could tell. 

Even Apoo himself couldn’t hold back a scream of pain. 

That one blast burned over 60% of his skin and shattered his ribs, arms, and other vital bones. 

Just a single strike—and he was completely incapacitated! 

“So this is... the power of a Shichibukai... Damn it, this is way too overpowered!” Apoo thought, unwilling to accept his defeat. 

The On Air Pirates: Annihilated. 

“Scratchmen Apoo—target secured!” 

Yoru grinned, then turned toward the shaken Marines. "Well? Why are you all just standing there? This is your chance for glory—don’t you want some credit?" 

The Marine rear admiral at the front hesitated, which made Yoru shake her head in disbelief. 

“Uh... Oh, r-right! Move in!” 

Snapped out of their daze, the Marines finally rushed in to secure the unconscious Apoo. 

Yoru took off again, soaring toward her next destination. 

“Oi, oi... You’re kidding, right? You expect me to fight you?” 

The monk Urouge stared grimly at the man blocking his path. 

“Not my choice either. But, well... let’s play a little, shall we?” 

Yoru drew her blade. "I’m coming!!" 

In an instant, she was right in front of Urouge, thrusting her sword at him. 

“Now this... is exciting!!” 

Urouge roared, swinging a massive iron pillar to clash with her strike. 

Squelch! 

To Urouge’s shock, Yoru’s blade pierced straight through his weapon. 

“Oi, oi—seriously?! She cut through steel like paper?! What kind of monster is she?!” 

Urouge’s crewmates were frozen in terror at the sight. 

“Surprised?” 

Yoru smiled, raising her leg for a kick. Urouge instinctively tried to block. 

But— 

"Nnngh!" 

The force behind Yoru’s strike was beyond imagination. He could hear his bones cracking as he was blown back. 

“You let your guard down, Urouge the Mad Monk!” 

Yoru appeared behind him like a shadow, delivering another sword thrust. 

Squelch! 

The blade pierced his chest. Urouge coughed up a mouthful of blood but clenched his fist, trying to counterattack. 

Boom! 

Suddenly, flaming wings flared out from Yoru’s back, shielding her like twin arms and catching Urouge’s punch. 

His pupils shrank as he looked at Yoru’s smile—an icy chill ran down his spine. 

“Well then... sayonara.” 

Yoru launched an uppercut—her fist black with Busoshoku Haki—straight into Urouge’s jaw. 

Boom! 

Urouge’s massive frame flew through the air, blood and teeth flying as he crashed into the ground, leaving a deep crater with his white eyes rolling back. 

“Well then, Sentomaru, I’ll leave the rest to you.” 

Yoru turned to the sumo-like figure with an axe and a belly bib standing nearby. 

“Che. You can count on me, boss,” grunted Sentomaru as Yoru shot back into the sky. 

“Now then... who’s next?” 

With a clear view from above, Yoru could see every pirate fleeing through the archipelago. 

“Hmmm... Alright. Guess you guys are next.” 

She locked in on her next target and shot forward. 

“Damn it—we need to get out of here fast. But unless we take this thing down, there’s no escape!” 

The Straw Hat Pirates stood their ground, teeth clenched. 

Blocking their path was a Pacifista—a living weapon created by the Navy’s science division! 

“Zoro, Sanji—let’s do this!” 

Luffy decided to end it quickly. Steam burst from his body as he activated Gear Second, his skin turning crimson. 

“Three-Sword Style…” 

“Diable Jambe…” 

The trio dodged multiple laser blasts and closed in. 

“Gomu Gomu no... Gigant Bazooka!!” 

“600 Pound Cannon!” 

“Mutton Shot!” 

The combined force of the Straw Hats’ top fighters dented the Pacifista’s chest armor, cracking it. 

Seeing the opportunity, Chopper, Franky, and others rushed in with backup attacks, dealing more damage. Sparks and arcs of electricity began crackling across the cyborg’s body. 

“Beep-beep-beep!” 

But the Pacifista wasn’t done yet—its mouth lit up, preparing another laser shot. 

Before it could fire, Nico Robin activated her powers and slammed it mid-charge. The blast misfired and detonated inside its mouth. 

“Careful! Storm’s coming!” 

The finishing blow came from navigator Nami, who launched a lightning spear that pierced the Pacifista’s chest. 

“Yoshi! One last hit!” 

The machine was heavily damaged but still standing. Luffy jumped high into the air. 

“Gear Third...!” 

Sanji, with his flaming kick, launched the Pacifista toward Zoro, who was already unleashing: 

“Asura: Nine-Sword Style!” 

Squelch! The technique tore through the Pacifista’s internal structure, weakening it drastically. 

“Gomu Gomu no... Giant Rifle!!!” 

A monstrous punch slammed the cyborg to the ground, dragging it across the floor in a devastating finisher. 

Just as the crew was about to celebrate— 

“Well, well... What a coincidence. We meet again!” 

Everyone turned, and there she was: 

Yoru, descending from the sky, landing right in front of the Straw Hats.