Yuno's posture was unabashedly arrogant now.
But if those words had come from a long-oppressed victim, they would have stirred fury in the hearts of the masses!
The freshmen, still writhing in pain from earlier beatings, were livid. If not for the sharp, aching pain in their bones, they would've leapt to their feet and fought beside him.
While the freshmen's blood boiled with newfound admiration, the seniors felt utterly humiliated.
"A mere freshman… dares to act this high and mighty?!"
Unable to take it any longer, one of the upperclassmen lunged at Yuno, fists clenched tight.
Yuno didn't flinch. With effortless grace, he sidestepped the blow and sent the attacker flying with a swift kick—only to crash into Jas, who had just struggled halfway to his feet.
"Wahh—Ouch!" Jas yelped as the two went tumbling together.
"Don't hesitate!" someone shouted. "He's only one guy! If we swarm him, we can crush him like a bug!"
"Everyone, together!"
Fueled by rage and shame, the seniors rushed Yuno with a collective battle cry.
Clatter—!
The sound of boots and blades filled the air as they charged forward like a stampede.
"How can you fight us now, punk?!"
But they still underestimated Yuno.
In a blur of motion, he vanished—and bam! someone was launched skyward by a vicious roundhouse.
Another scream.
Another thud.
One after another, the seniors dropped like flies.
Within moments, the training grounds were littered with groaning bodies, none able to withstand even a single exchange.
The remaining seniors hesitated, fear in their eyes.
They had done this before—every year, the same old initiation games.
But they had never encountered a freshman like this.
He didn't just beat them—he humiliated them.
He toyed with them.
Yuno looked down at them with calm indifference. "Seniors, do you still wish to continue?"
His tone was mild, almost gentle.
But to the beaten veterans, it was the height of arrogance, the voice of a tyrant in the flesh.
"Y-You…" Jas clenched his teeth, but when Yuno's cold gaze met his, the words withered in his throat.
Yuno let out a soft sigh. "We're all comrades here. Why create division? The instructors will be here any moment. If this gets out of hand… we'll all be making fools of ourselves."
His words were rational, diplomatic.
A soft retreat to preserve dignity—for now.
Yuno didn't want to escalate it further. Giving the veterans some face today would make it easier to earn respect tomorrow.
In the end, this was the Navy. If they wanted to rise through the ranks, influence mattered just as much as strength.
The veterans exchanged glances. They knew he was right.
But deep down, none dared move—not after that beating.
Still, just as they were about to grumble some half-hearted truce...
Boom—!!
A figure burst onto the field at blinding speed, kicking up a whirlwind of dust.
He had been watching ever since Yuno sent Jas flying.
And now, after witnessing the one-sided massacre of his comrades, his blood surged with excitement.
A sharp glint burned in his eyes.
Roy.
"Freshman," he said with a grin, muscles tense with anticipation. "Care for a duel?"
Gasps rippled across the field.
"The voice… That's Roy!"
"Roy's stepping in?!"
"Haha! This freshman's done for!"
"He's already chosen for the Elite Camp—his strength is insane!"
"Let's see how arrogant that brat is now!"
The defeated seniors brightened, their pain forgotten as hope returned to their eyes.
If anyone could teach Yuno a lesson—it was Roy.
...
Elsewhere, the instructors watched the unfolding battle with growing interest.
Maynard chuckled. "I was wrong about that kid. He's quite capable."
Layton added with a grin, "But now that Roy's stepped in, let's see how long he can hold out. Ten minutes, maybe?"
Mandel laughed. "If Roy's forced to activate his Devil Fruit, he'll be proud for the rest of the year."
Standing nearby, Cage kept his thoughts to himself, lips twitching with restrained amusement.
"More than just capable… That kid would rank among the best even in the Elite Battalion."
Then aloud: "How long? You mean Roy?"
Layton nodded. "He's got an Animal-type Devil Fruit. With that speed and toughness, ten minutes should be his limit."
But if Cage's colleagues could hear his inner thoughts, they might wonder—Were they even talking about the same person?
On the field, Yuno's gaze sharpened. A muscular figure—a young man exuding wild, beastlike power—was tearing across the ground toward him with blistering speed.
The veterans' chatter earlier had given Yuno enough context. This wasn't just some hot-headed senior. This was Roy—the chosen one, the monster already marked for the elite camp.
"So this is the elite camp's prodigy?" Yuno thought. "Perfect. I needed someone solid to test my progress."
Calmly, he called out, "Private duels are forbidden in the training camp, senior. You've already broken the rules, and still you persist?"
Roy smirked. "You think the instructors don't know what's happening here? Then why aren't they stopping it?"
He took a step forward, his sneer sharpening.
"Let me teach you something! The strong are always treated differently—wherever they go!"
In the blink of an eye, Roy vanished—then reappeared behind Yuno like a ghost, swinging a hammer-like fist aimed to crush bone.
But Yuno dodged effortlessly, eyes gleaming.
"The strong will be treated preferentially?" he echoed with a slight smile.
Roy didn't flinch. After Yuno's earlier performance, he had no illusions—this freshman wouldn't fall easily.
"Damn right," Roy growled. "So come on. Show me what you've got, freshman!"
A battle light surged in his eyes. He vanished again, and in the next instant, charged forward like a missile.
But Yuno stood calm and steady.
"Who gave you the right to act so superior?"
This time, he didn't evade. Instead, his body blurred—and he met Roy head-on.
BOOM!
Their fists collided mid-air, a shockwave rippling outward like a thunderclap.
Both fighters staggered back from the impact.
Roy broke into laughter, exhilarated.
"You're the real deal! I didn't misjudge you!"
He surged forward again, his speed increasing further with each burst of energy—too fast for ordinary eyes to follow.
But Yuno's perception was razor-sharp. His gaze locked on to Roy's every move, reading through the blur.
"There!"
Yuno lunged, fist flying. At that same moment, Roy reappeared—and struck back.
BANG!
Another thunderous clash. Again, they both withdrew.
Then Yuno grinned.
"Now it's my turn, senior."
He lunged. His movement blurred as he darted in, his fist a black flash of compressed force.
Roy's expression twisted in surprise—he hadn't expected Yuno's speed to leap again—but he reacted swiftly, tilting his head just in time to avoid the blow.
In the same breath, Roy spun and delivered a whipping kick toward Yuno's forehead.
But Yuno raised his left arm in defense, absorbing the blow—and with a sneer, drove his right fist toward Roy's chest with ruthless precision.