371-375

Chapter 371: One-Shotting Over 100 Million Berry Pirates 

"'Lightning Killer,' Gheh gheh gheh, let's see what you're made of! Want to become a Shichibukai? You gotta get our approval first!" 

A large pirate ship, filled with a rowdy crew, sailed up and attacked. Leading them was a burly man with purple hair and a fur coat. His pirate flag bore a giant mammoth head. 

"Mammoth Ares, Bounty 167,000,000 Berries, Captain of the Mammoth Pirates!!" Yoru calmly announced the big man's name. 

"Didn't expect you to know me! Good! Since you do, that saves me the trouble of introducing myself! Yoru, taste my fist!" Ares was a hulking figure over two meters tall, muscles practically bursting from him – clearly a guy who relied on brute strength. 

"Mammoth Charge!" He charged like a dinosaur on the rampage, and Yoru felt his scalp prickle slightly. This Ares guy was rumored to be able to casually lift several tons, like they were toys. His strength was terrifyingly monstrous. Yoru wasn't about to fight him head-on. 

"Boom!" Yoru Flash-stepped back, landing on a tree branch. "Ares, I don't want to fight you. Just back off now, and we can pretend this never happened!" The most important thing for Yoru right now was finding a Navigator; he wasn't in the mood to waste time fighting random pirates. 

"Heh heh, what, scared? If that's the case, just step down from the Shichibukai, hand the position over to me, and I'll leave you alone!" Ares sneered, a cruel look on his face, and stomped forward again, charging. 

"Mammoth Impact!" Two massive tusks actually sprouted from his body, incredibly sharp and radiating a wild, savage aura. 

"Looks like I wanted to settle this peacefully, but you guys aren't planning on giving me that chance!" Yoru drew his long sword. "Yeah, I guess I was being a bit naive. How could pirates with bounties over 100 million Berries just back down this easily?! Since that's the case, I guess it's time for a little slaughter!" 

With a 'whoosh,' he vanished right in front of Ares. While his speed might not be his greatest strength overall, compared to Ares, it was more than enough. 

"Powang, assassinate him!" Yoru instantly appeared behind Ares, holding Powang aimed directly at him, muttering. 

"Thwack!" 

A flash of cold steel streaked past, and Ares's body was mercilessly pierced. It happened so fast, Ares didn't even have a chance to react. The long sword mercilessly shattered his heart. 

"How... How is this possible?! My defense... it's... it's supposed to be... invincible!" Ares stared with wide, disbelieving eyes at the long sword that had pierced straight through his chest and heart. Even people far stronger than him might not be able to break his defense! They usually had no way to hurt him! But Yoru... he just broke through his defense that easily? This is impossible! 

"Nothing's impossible!" Yoru said with a cold look, scorching flames erupting from his body. "Don't lump me in with the opponents you've faced before. I'm not the same kind of being they are!" While his strength might be suppressed after arriving in this world... Powang isn't! That's right, the long sword Powang possesses the full power it had back in its peak state! Its speed is so incredible that even Minato Namikaze, the fastest in the Ninja World, wouldn't have time to react. And its sharpness is something even Uchiha Madara's Perfect Susano'o couldn't possibly stop. Breaking through Ares's defense like that? Yeah, that's a piece of cake! 

Scorching flames spread from Powang, instantly engulfing Ares's body and making him scream in agony. 

"Ah!!!" These flames were so hot it felt like they could boil him dry; they instantly set him ablaze. 

"Slice!" Yoru pulled out the sword, then swiftly drew it across Ares's throat, ending his life. 

If Ares had run into someone else, even a big shot with a 300 million Berry bounty might not have been able to take him down! But hey, tough luck for him – he ran into Yoru! 

But witnessing that scene, the Mammoth Pirates were absolutely stunned! Every single person stared at Yoru in utter disbelief, their eyes wide with terror, panic, and shock... Everyone's expressions were different! Then... 

"Retreat!" "Quick, retreat!" A slightly shorter but still muscular guy screamed in alarm, cold sweat pouring down his face. 

"Leaving? Since you bothered to show up, where do you think you're going?!" Yoru leaped into the air, flames exploding from his body. A pair of crimson phoenix fire wings sprouted from his back, replacing his arms. 

"Whoosh!" Yoru flapped his wings and shot forward, streaking towards the Mammoth Pirates like a bomb. 

"Phoenix Fire Feather!" He swept his wings downwards, and a torrent of fire feathers rained down from the sky. 

"Boom boom boom!" 

The pirate ship immediately started exploding over and over, sending splinters of wood flying everywhere, like it was being hit by countless bombs. The Mammoth Pirates scattered in a panic, either blown away by the shockwaves from the fire feather blasts or hit directly, sent flying while screaming in agony from the burns. The pirate ship was engulfed in a raging inferno, burning fiercely. The crackling and exploding sounds were like a scorching symphony, almost intoxicating! 

Amidst the flames, countless pirates screamed and leaped into the sea to avoid being burned to a crisp. As for those who were injured and couldn't move... well, they could only hope for the best. The Mammoth Pirates were wiped out in just five minutes flat! 

Yoru looked at his handiwork with satisfaction. "Emmm, yeah, the flame power definitely got a lot stronger after that upgrade!" 

"But, looks like the Mammoth Pirates aren't the only ones who came to challenge me, huh?" Looking at the pirate ships gathering and heading towards him on the distant horizon, Yoru thought to himself. 

"Well, if that's how it is, I won't waste your kind intentions! Since you guys are practically delivering Reinforcement Points right to me, I guess I'll reluctantly accept them!" Sure, it's a bit less per ship, only a few tens of thousands of Reinforcement Points each, but they add up! Eventually, he'll get hundreds of thousands, right?! And then, he can upgrade again! 

"Tiger Pirates - WIPED OUT!" "Devil Pirates - WIPED OUT!" "Machine Band Pirates - WIPED OUT!" "Unicorn Pirates - WIPED OUT!" ... 

"Just as expected of a Shichibukai! He's seriously strong! All those big-name captains wiped out by him alone!" 

"Heh heh, this is massive news! Gotta spread it quickly!" 

"Who said the Marines are blind?! This guy's clearly super strong, isn't he?! Him being a Shichibukai makes total sense!" 

"'Lightning Killer' Yoru... Hmmm, I think 'The Fire Phoenix' sounds a lot more fitting, actually!" 

In the waters not far from Falui'isi Island, there was a cluster of news agency ships, packed with reporters. They were busy recording with Den Den Mushi and frantically scribbling down descriptions of the entire battle. They were starting to get really interested in Yoru. This guy... it's like he just popped out of thin air! Nobody knows where he came from! All they know is that he suddenly showed up in the Grand Line. Before this, there were absolutely no records of him. There's a lot about this guy that's worth digging into! The reporters were all eagerly looking forward to seeing what kind of juicy details they could unearth! 

... 

Chapter 372: Surrounded and Attacked 

"In just half a day, eight pirate crews were wiped out by Yoru!" 

"Captain, are we really going to keep getting closer? This guy seems a bit too brutal!" 

In the sea not far from Foolious Island, on a pirate ship that looked like a submarine, a white Mink wearing clothes, looking quite cute, asked nervously. 

"Yeah, Captain!" 

"How about we back off a little more?" 

"Even the 'Unicorn' with a bounty of 262,000,000 Berries was killed by him. If we go up there, it seems like we're no match for him either. If that 'Lightning Killer' guy targets us, aren't we finished!" 

Behind the white bear, a group of pirates frantically agreed, clearly not wanting to run into Yoru. 

"It seems a bit late to be thinking of retreating now." 

Trafalgar Law stood at the bow, saying this calmly. 

Hearing his words, the group was startled. Only then did they see Yoru's gaze was already fixed on them, scaring them and making their bodies tense up instantly. 

"The 'Surgeon of Death' Trafalgar Law, are you here to challenge me too? Or are you just here to watch the show?" 

Yoru flapped his wings and landed in front of Law, returning to his human form. 

"I'm just here to watch, of course. I think it's better not to provoke a strong person of your level." 

Law said calmly, indicating he had no ill intentions. 

"A strong person of my level, huh?" 

"Heh, you're not weak either. At least you can't be compared to those idiots who died by my hand!" 

Don't let Law's two hundred million bounty fool you; that doesn't mean his strength is only at that level. 

"Is that so? That's high praise, Yoru-ya!" 

"Speaking of which, your enemies have arrived again!" Law looked behind Yoru and said. 

"The Kid Pirates, huh? Hehehe, interesting. A formidable enemy has arrived!" 

Yoru's gaze became fiery. "But, isn't that more of a challenge?" 

He leaped again, turning back into a blazing fire phoenix and soaring upwards, leaving Law's pirate ship. This made the pirates behind Law immediately breathe a sigh of relief. 

... 

"'Captain' Eustass Kid, is your purpose to watch the battle, or to fight!" 

Yoru landed on Kid's ship, asking with a sharp gaze. Seeing Yoru arrive, everyone, including Kid, immediately became alert. 

"Fight you?" 

"Hmph, why not? You want to be a Shichibukai, let me see your strength!!!" 

Kid grinned, and a terrifying magnetic force burst from his hands. He actually pulled all the steel from the surrounding ships that Yoru had destroyed, turning it into an angry steel dragon that roared and crashed towards Yoru from behind. Kid, meanwhile, came from in front of Yoru, a pincer attack. 

Swoosh! 

Yoru immediately leaped up, flying into the sky and turning into a crimson fire phoenix. 

"Phoenix Fire Feathers!" 

On the sea, as long as he controlled the air, Yoru could defeat many enemies stronger than himself. And against enemies of the same level, he had numerous advantages. 

Boom! Boom! Boom! 

Fire feathers, like cannonballs, rained down, turning the sky red. 

"Heh~ Attacking from the air, huh? Too bad, I won't let you succeed!" 

"Killer, let's go!" 

Kid grinned, speaking to a man behind him with a steel mask covering his head and long yellow hair. It was Kid's subordinate, 'Massacre Soldier' Killer, with a bounty of 162,000,000 Berries! 

Whoosh! 

Killer leaped up, rushing onto the steel dragon Kid created. Then, his spinning blades sliced out several sharp sword waves, blocking all the fire feathers! Meanwhile, Kid controlled the long dragon, chasing after Yoru in the sky! 

Puff! Puff! Puff! 

The long dragon's mouth actually unleashed an attack, like hidden weapons, reaching Yoru in an instant, startling Yoru who quickly dodged. But just as he dodged, he felt a sudden sense of crisis. 'Massacre Soldier' Killer had actually leaped onto the steel dragon and was now in front of him. Yoru could even see the sharp glint in Killer's eyes. 

Facing Killer's slashing spinning blades, Yoru blocked with a wing. 

Clang! 

The scorching wing collided with the cold spinning blade, creating a harsh metallic sound. Yoru forcefully flapped his wing, knocking Killer back, and then lashed out with his talons. If those sharp talons connected, things wouldn't go well! 

Killer understood this, immediately blocking in front of himself with his armed forearms. 

But— 

"Phoenix Feather Slash!" 

Yoru suddenly spun in the air, his wing like a blade, emitting astonishing sharpness, and heavily slashed down on Killer. 

Bang! 

Clang! 

Like exploding steel, the air itself seemed to crackle. Killer was sent crashing into the ocean like a cannonball, scarlet blood droplets still lingering in the air. 

"Killer!!!" 

Seeing this scene, Kid was greatly startled, then furious! 

"You bastard!" 

"Die!" 

Kid controlled the steel dragon, which roared and charged forward. The dragon itself emitted a powerful repulsive force. 

Swoosh! 

Yoru soared upwards, flying into the high blue sky. In the sky, he had a significant advantage. Kid's steel dragon, in the end, couldn't reach Yoru's altitude and could only reluctantly give up. 

But Yoru wouldn't give up just like that! 

"Phoenix Meteor Kill!" 

He coiled his wings, gathering power, and then, like a giant meteor, he swooped down, carrying astonishing power. The air was blurred by the heat, and the sky turned crimson. The terrifying high temperature could be felt by the Kid Pirates even a hundred meters away. 

"Magnetic Steel Palm!" 

Facing the descending Yoru, Kid's scalp couldn't help but tingle. He thought to himself that fighting Yoru on the ocean wasn't a wise choice, but now he couldn't retreat. He could only deal with it first! 

Under Kid's control, the steel dragon transformed into a giant steel palm that blotted out the sky, then clenched into a fist, charging forward wildly to meet the attack. 

Boom! 

It was like a meteor crashing into the earth, creating a thunderous roar. The terrifying force sent the Kid Pirates' ship sinking into the ocean, waves surging around, hot air rolling, and the air trembling violently – a scene of doomsday. 

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz! 

The clash between the two continued to shake the air, continuously generating terrifying waves. 

This scene made many other pirate crews nearby dare not approach anymore! Because they had already realized that Yoru's strength was not something they could match! 

"Captain... Kid, you... are no match for me!!!" 

Yoru roared, the flames on his body instantly becoming even more violent. His strength surged, making Kid show an expression of extreme effort. 

Chapter 373: Defeating the Heroes 

"Y-you want me to surrender...?! Not... that easy!!!" Kid roared back, a sound like a beast howling in his throat. Veins bulged on his forehead as he poured his full power into his ability. His strength surged dramatically, and an even more powerful repulsive force erupted from his fist. 

"Boom!" 

Their attacks reached their limit. With a loud bang, Kid's giant steel hand exploded, and Yoru was blasted skyward. 

"Stomp stomp stomp!" 

Kid stumbled backward several steps across the deck, and the entire ship rocked violently. 

"Careful, he's coming again!" Before anyone on the Kid Pirates' ship could even take a breath, Yoru in the air was diving down again. 

"Bastard!" Kid felt his scalp prickle, but all he could do was gather nearby metal into a fist again and brace for the clash! 

"Boom!" 

"Stomp stomp stomp!" 

But this time, the instant they collided, Kid was knocked back several steps. He was no match. 

"Captain Kid, you lost!!!" Yoru roared, adding even more power. His flames surged. Kid's giant steel fist exploded with a bang, and Yoru went straight for Kid's neck. 

"Look out!" "No!" "Captain!" 

Seeing this scene, everyone around was stunned. Their eyes widened in disbelieving horror. They wanted to help, but it was completely too late! 

"Tch... Is this really it?!" Kid looked at Ye Liang Nai, who was descending with sharp talons aimed at him, saying with a hint of unwillingness. 

But the pain he expected never came. He only heard Yoru's voice: "Alright, guess I'll just let you keep your life. That way you can keep sailing these seas and stir up even more exciting storms!" 

Kid looked, only to see Yoru had already flapped his wings and was flying away, heading towards the other pirate crews. 

"This guy... Bastard!!!" Kid watched the retreating Yoru, clenching his teeth in pure hatred! A warrior can be killed, but never humiliated! But Yoru had utterly humiliated him! From now on, he'd be stuck with the label of "defeated by Yoru," and everyone on the seas would laugh at him! How could Kid, with his immense pride, possibly stand that?! 

But Yoru didn't have time to worry about Kid! He flapped his wings and landed among the remaining pirate crews. 

"Alright everyone, you guys planning on having a go at me too?" Yoru's gaze swept over the faces of everyone below, a look of excited killing intent on his face. 

"No no no, don't get the wrong idea! We were just here to watch!" "Yeah yeah yeah, just here for the spectacle! We're leaving right now!" 

Are you kidding?! Captain Kid, with a bounty over 300 million Berries, was defeated! What could pirates like them, with bounties under 100 million, possibly say or do?! And just like that, the whole group quickly turned tail and sped away. 

"Let's go too!" Kid shot a dark look at Yoru in the air. He swore that someday, he would make Yoru regret this! 

... 

"Captain, should we also leave?" On the Heart Pirates' ship, the polar bear Bepo asked. 

"Let's go!" Trafalgar Law glanced at Yoru, then turned to head into the ship's cabin. 

"Wait..." Just then, Yoru's voice suddenly reached them. 

Yoru's voice stopped Trafalgar Law in his tracks. He turned around, a questioning look on his face. "Something else, Captain Yoru?" Yoru returned to human form, his eyes narrowed into a smile. "I'd like to invite you to join my pirate crew. What do you think? My pirate crew is still missing a doctor!" 

"I'm very interested in you. Just happened to run into you today, and I really don't want to miss this chance!" 

Hearing this, Trafalgar Law's face showed a hint of a smile, utterly devoid of emotion. "Unfortunately, Captain Yoru, you don't currently possess the strength to convince me. I have a certain goal I need to achieve, and I'm afraid your strength might not be enough to help me accomplish all of it." 

Hearing this, Yoru's eyebrow twitched. "A goal? Getting revenge on Doflamingo?" 

For the first time, Law looked genuinely surprised. "How did you know that?!" If he remembered correctly, he definitely hadn't told anyone about this! This was something only he knew about. It should be absolutely impossible for anyone else in this world to know! But why did Yoru know? 

"Heh heh, don't worry about how I know. If you think my strength isn't enough, then fine. But don't worry, I'll prove to you very soon that I do have that strength. When that happens, I hope you won't be so quick to turn me down again!" With that, he leaped into the air and flew away, leaving Law behind, filled with questions and forced to become intrigued by Yoru. 

"Let's go, Bepo!" Law walked into the ship's cabin and closed the hatch. 

... 

Two days later! 

"Alright, you're hired, Norvus Timan!" After two days of searching and screening, Yoru finally managed to find himself a pretty decent Navigator. The best part? This Navigator was also a pirate with a 75,000,000 Berry bounty. So, his abilities were definitely decent. 

"It's a pleasure to work with you, Captain!" Norvus Timan was a young man with short brown hair. He had a quiet, refined look about him and was a swordsman. Though maybe his sword was a little... short. 

"The pleasure's all mine, Norvus!" Yoru was pretty happy to be able to recruit such a promising Navigator. "Alright then, let's set sail on our journey! Our next stop is Mock Town!" 

Since the official Shichibukai invitation hasn't arrived yet... he might as well head to a Sky Island in the meantime and make a rubbing of the Poneglyph that's said to be there. 

"Got it!" Norvus replied, then started checking the weather and plotting their course. After confirming the next few hours looked smooth sailing, the two set off on the Mandevus. 

... 

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the sea! 

News of Yoru's big battles with the pirate crews quickly spread throughout the seas via the newspapers. 

"'Lightning Killer' Yoru, huh? Sounds interesting!" 

"Not even Captain Kid, with his 300 million bounty, could beat him? Looks like this guy isn't someone to be underestimated!" 

"Yeah, I guess nobody's gonna doubt his strength now. His spot as a Shichibukai is probably locked in!" 

... 

Things like becoming a Shichibukai always grab a lot of attention. Because of this, Yoru, who was practically unknown before, suddenly became world-famous. 

New World! On a ship that looked like a giant whale! 

"Gurararara, an interesting kid. Heard he even tangled with Ace for a bit. Sounds like he's got potential!" 

"But can relying on a kid like that really keep the world stable? Sengoku, you're seriously underestimating the big players in this world!" A massive man with a crescent-shaped mustache said with a wide grin. 

The 'World's Strongest Man'! A super-powerful pirate with a bounty of 5,046,000,000 Berries! The man known as Whitebeard! Edward Newgate!! 

... 

Chapter 374: Walking into Their Own Deaths 

New World! 

"Yoru? Fuffuffuffuffu, seems like an interesting little kid!" 

A swaggering man wearing a coat like a flamingo let out a strange laugh. It's worth noting that he was wearing incredibly exaggerated sunglasses. One of the Shichibukai, the giant of the underworld, 'Heavenly Yaksha' Donquixote Doflamingo! 

... 

Mock Town! 

"Enhancement complete. Congratulations to the host for further refining your strength, successfully reaching the 'passing line' strength standard for this world!" 

"The journey to the final destination is long and arduous. Please continue to work hard, Host!" 

[Attribute Panel] Host: Yoru Age: 19 (Body age, not soul age) Tori Tori no Mi, Phoenix Form: Intermediate (55/100) Swordsmanship: Lv3 (Flash) Weapon: Powang (破妄) Enhancement Points: 0 Dimension: One Piece Body Attributes: Strength: 120 (Normal person 5) Speed: 75 (Normal person 5) Agility: 70 (Normal person 5) Stamina: 120 (Normal person 5) Defense: 115 (Normal person 5) Strength Level: 56 (Marine Admiral 95) 

... 

Fighting those attacking pirates brought Yoru a total of 320,000 Enhancement Points. However, after enhancing, his Strength Level only increased by 4 points. But with this strength now, he could pretty much walk sideways in the first half of the Grand Line! There would be almost no opponents he couldn't handle. 

Yoru now had the strength equivalent to Straw Hat Luffy during the Summit War in the original story. And while Straw Hat Luffy's maximum potential was limited to that, if Yoru knew Haki and could compensate for his weakness against Logia users, his strength using Powang could be even greater! Instantly killing a Giant Vice Admiral wouldn't even be a problem! 

... 

"Captain, we've reached Mock Town!" 

Nowus's voice woke Yoru, who was meditating with his eyes closed. He got up and said, "Let's dock!" 

"We'll rest on the island for a bit and resupply before moving on to the next task!" 

Nowus nodded and sailed the ship into the harbor, dropping anchor. 

"Heh heh, kid, is it just the two of you?" 

But as soon as the two got off the ship, they were surrounded by a few people who looked like they meant trouble. 

"Are you guys the trash from the Hyena Pirates?" 

Yoru looked at the markings on their bodies, confirming their identities. They were subordinates of Hyena Bellamy, the captain of the Hyena Pirates and ruler of Mock Town! 

"I'll give you three seconds to leave, otherwise..." 

A cold light flashed in Yoru's eyes, "Don't blame me if your heads roll for not warning you!" 

Gulp~ 

These guys were all terrified at this moment. When that cold light flashed in Yoru's eyes just now, that chilling and heavy aura made them feel like they were suffocating! 

"Seeking death!" 

Looking at these people, Nowus snorted coldly, a hint of disdain flashing across his lips. They clearly didn't know who his captain was! A dignified Shichibukai, were these guys someone they could afford to provoke?! 

... 

"I heard a formidable guy arrived in town, Bellamy. Don't you have any thoughts?" 

"His ship looks like it's worth quite a bit, seems like a rich guy!" 

In a certain bar, a man wearing a fur coat and two quick swords tucked into his waist spoke to a man with short yellow hair and a fierce face. 

"Oh, a rich guy, huh? Then it's definitely worth checking out!" 

"Perfect, if he's rich, I can contribute a lot of money to Joker. That way, I can join the Donquixote Family!" 

"Go, take me to that guy. We'll go meet him!" 

The yellow-haired man was indeed the ruler of Mock Town, Hyena Bellamy! Bounty of 55,000,000 Berries, a promising rookie pirate in Mock Town! 

"Heh heh, another good show to watch. Captain Bellamy is about to start his cruel plundering of someone again!" 

"Hahaha, just thinking about the desperate and hateful eyes of the person being plundered gets me incredibly excited!" 

"Captain, it seems like we're being targeted!" 

Yoru and Nowus, who were eating in a restaurant, suddenly had a group of people who clearly didn't look like good guys walk in behind them. And the young man leading this group walked directly towards Yoru and Nowus. 

Smack! 

The young man leading them was naturally Bellamy. With an arrogant and fiery look, he walked up to Yoru and slapped the table. "Hey kid, I heard you're rich. How about lending your brother some money to spend?" 

"Hehehe, yeah, lend us some money to spend, kid!" 

The group behind Bellamy couldn't help but laugh, their eyes full of ill intentions. Nowus had already placed his hand on the sword at his waist. 

But Yoru didn't even raise his head, continuing to eat his rice. "You're interrupting my meal. Get lost before my mood turns bad!" 

But there was no way Bellamy would listen to his words. 

"Kid, you're acting tough with me? Looks like I need to teach you a lesson!" 

Bellamy threw a punch at Yoru's head, making Nowus exclaim, "Watch out!" 

Bang! 

Bellamy's punch was caught by Yoru's outstretched hand. His face was completely cold now. "I told you to get lost, but since you won't listen, so be it!" 

He didn't even give Bellamy a chance to react. 

He just saw Yoru draw his sword, a cold light flashed, and amidst the spurting blood, Bellamy's right arm was cleanly cut off. 

"Aaah!!!" 

Bellamy immediately screamed, clutching his arm and retreating sharply. His face was contorted with pain, but then he saw Yoru pointing his sword at him, saying heartlessly and coldly, "Stab him, Powang!" 

Another cold light shot through! Bellamy only felt a pain in his chest and abdomen, his strength rapidly draining away. He looked down and saw that Yoru's long sword had indeed pierced through his chest. 

"You...!!!" 

Bellamy felt the fear of death, his pupils shrinking tightly. 

"Phoenix Fire Feathers!" 

A cluster of crimson fire feathers appeared in the air beside Yoru, and the temperature in the entire restaurant instantly increased several times over. 

Bang bang bang bang! 

The bomb-like fire feathers violently blasted Bellamy away, the terrifying temperature making Bellamy scream repeatedly from the scorching heat. 

When everything stopped, and Bellamy landed outside the restaurant. When everyone looked, they couldn't help but gasp in shock! 

Bellamy was only breathing out, not in, barely alive! 

"Do... you still want money from me?" 

Yoru glanced sideways, staring at Bellamy's subordinates like a fierce beast, spitting out cold words. 

Gulp~ 

The group swallowed nervously in fear, their bodies trembling non-stop. Many of them felt wetness below, smelling foully, but their bodies felt like they were filled with lead, unable to move an inch... 

"Get lost!" 

Yoru said dismissively. Only then did the group feel as if they had received a great pardon, scrambling and crawling out of the restaurant. 

Chapter 375: Learning Haki 

The scene that just unfolded had everyone else in the restaurant stunned, shocked even. Of course, there were quite a few folks who felt a sense of relief too! 

But one thing became crystal clear to everyone: 

You do not mess with Yoru! 

... 

"The Knock Up Stream won't be here for another two days, Captain. Looks like we're stuck on this island for a bit," Nouthis said after they finished resupplying. 

"Guess that's how it is," Yoru replied, looking at the bustling but chaotic Mock Town. "But hey, it's a good chance to really soak in the 'glamour' of the human world!" 

Nouthis chuckled at that. Yeah, fair enough! 

"In Mock Town, huh? Zehahaha! Ran pretty far, didn't he?" 

Just offshore from Mock Town, a small ship was slowly approaching. 

Aboard the ship sat the Blackbeard Pirates. Among them, a cold-faced man with a sniper scope said, "Target sighted. Shall we attack now?" 

That was Van Augur, the Blackbeard Pirates' sniper! 

"Nah, let's wait 'til night," Blackbeard grinned. "That Yoru guy isn't simple. Fighting him in broad daylight isn't a smart move." 

"He is a recognized Shichibukai after all. Better to be careful," Van Augur said, lowering his rifle. 

Meanwhile, with Yoru! 

He seemed to sense something and glanced out towards the sea. 

"What's up, Captain?" Nouthis asked, seeing Yoru looking out at the ocean. He was a bit curious. 

"Just now, I felt a slight sense of danger," Yoru murmured, a slight frown on his face. "Must have been my imagination, though." 

Hearing that, Nouthis's expression turned serious. To Yoru's surprise, he closed his eyes. 

Yoru felt a strange flow of energy emanating from Nouthis, a really mysterious feeling. 

"Captain, that feeling you had just now might not have been your imagination." 

About a minute later, Nouthis suddenly opened his eyes. "There's a group of really strong guys who've landed on the island!" 

"?!?!?!" 

Yoru was startled by his words. "You used Observation Haki just now?" 

Seeing Yoru's surprise, Nouthis was also taken aback. "Captain, you know about Haki too?" 

"You can use Haki?" 

Yoru's heart skipped a beat. He felt a surge of pleasant surprise. 

"I can use Observation and Armament Haki. How did you know about Haki, Captain? I thought you weren't supposed to know how!" Nouthis said, a little surprised. 

"Never mind how I know! Just tell me one thing: Can you teach me Haki? I really need to learn Haki right now!" 

Facing Yoru's expectant look, Nouthis nodded readily. "No problem, Captain!" 

Yoru breathed a sigh of relief, then thanked him, "Thanks, you're a huge help!" 

Then, he continued, "What were the characteristics of those strong guys you sensed with Observation Haki?" 

Since strong individuals had arrived on the island, Yoru couldn't afford to be careless. What if they were here specifically for them? 

Nouthis replied, "The leader of this group is a fat guy who looks like a standard pirate, and he's missing a few teeth!" 

Hearing that, Yoru was shocked. "Then is there also a sickly-looking old man riding a scrawny horse, and a martial artist?" 

"Captain, how did you know?! Do you know them?!" Nouthis was surprised again by Yoru's description. Just how many things about his captain did he not know?! 

"I do know them, yes. But this group? They're not good news," Yoru narrowed his eyes slightly. "Their target is very likely us." 

Thinking back to Blackbeard's plan in the original story, Yoru was 80% sure he was the target. Blackbeard needed the Shichibukai title to get into Impel Down and recruit crewmates. So, he would definitely set his sights on him, the Shichibukai! 

He had to get rid of Yoru, the current Shichibukai, so he could rightfully enter Impel Down under the Shichibukai title after capturing "Fire Fist" Ace. 

"Looks like our sightseeing for today is over, Nouthis. Let's go find a place to lay low for now." 

"And while we're at it, you can teach me Haki!" If he had Haki, Yoru was confident he could significantly boost his strength. 

"Understood!" 

Nouthis's face also became serious after hearing Yoru's analysis. 

... 

Over with Blackbeard! 

"Captain Teach, we might have been exposed. One of their crewmates can use Observation Haki," Van Augur said. Just a moment ago, he'd felt a faint Haki fluctuation. 

"Nani?! We're exposed already?" Van Augur's words left Blackbeard a bit bewildered. He just got to the island and they're exposed? No way his luck was that bad! 

"Wehahaha! If we're exposed, we're exposed! We have to fight them eventually anyway, Captain Teach! Why don't we just take down 'Lightning Killer' now? That way we can go after 'Fire Fist' Ace's trail sooner!" the fighting champion Burgess said excitedly. 

"Agreed!" The ghost-like Laffitte, also known as the "Demon Sheriff" and user of the Bird-Bird Fruit, Model: White Pigeon, strongly agreed. 

"If we're fighting now, I'm fine with it. Daytime combat has more advantages than nighttime," the sound-supersonic Van Augur said coolly while cleaning his weapon. 

"No way. Fighting now puts us at too much of a disadvantage. That guy can fly, and daytime is his home turf. We have to wait for night, otherwise he'll just get away!" Blackbeard vetoed the idea of attacking during the day. He wanted a permanent solution, to take care of Yoru in one go and not let him escape. 

Hearing Blackbeard's firm insistence on waiting until night, the others had no choice but to give up. 

"Alright, let's go find a place to grab a good meal first!" 

"This place really brings back memories. The last time I was here, I ran into that interesting guy, Straw Hat Luffy! Now, I've run into this 'Lightning Killer' guy!" 

"Mock Town, you and I really have a connection!" Blackbeard let out his peculiar laugh. 

... 

Back with Yoru! 

"Haki... it's a power that exists within everyone, but only one in a hundred people can guide and use it!" 

"In the New World, Haki is an essential skill to master. It's divided into three types: Observation, Armament, and Conqueror's!" 

"Among them, Observation and Armament Haki are the most common. Conqueror's Haki is a power only possessed by kings among millions." 

"Therefore, those who possess Conqueror's Haki are also said to have the 'qualities of a king'!" 

"Observation Haki gives you the ability to sense and predict. Armament Haki has the effect of strengthening your attack power and boosting your defense. I don't have Conqueror's Haki, so I'm not entirely sure about it, but I've heard it's an incredibly powerful ability!" 

"Alright, Captain, let's start learning!" 

After giving Yoru a rough overview of Haki, Nouthis began the lesson.