"The King of the Dark World?"
Yuno's mind raced, though his body remained still. He raised his palm, and a pale, blazing flame erupted—engulfing everything around him.
With the explosion, severed limbs flew through the air!
Yuno, of course, knew who the Kings of the Dark World were.
They were the shadowy powers that ruled the criminal underbelly—underground giants who controlled vast local resources.
Leaders of their respective industries, their influence was so immense that even the Navy hesitated to cross them.
While they couldn't compare to the likes of the Yonko, their names were enough to stop a child's cries in an instant.
Yuno barely remembered the specifics of these Kings.
He only had vague impressions—faces he couldn't recall.
Among the few he could identify were the infamous bird from the World Economic News... and one of the former Shichibukai.
"I wonder who they're referring to this time?"
Yuno chuckled. He wasn't afraid—he was intrigued.
Suddenly, his gaze shifted.
The captain of the EVIL Ghost Pirates, sensing danger, had started to flee. But Yuno's perception caught him instantly.
In a blink, Yuno vanished—then reappeared in front of the fleeing pirate.
Looking at the terrified man, Yuno smiled faintly.
"Where do you think you're going?"
The pirate—nicknamed Evil Ghost—froze in his tracks.
Trembling, he stammered:
"Y-You can't kill me! One of the Kings of the Dark World is backing me! I'm here on their orders—if you kill me, you'll be offending more than one King!"
"Heh..." Yuno sneered.
"You think I care? The last group I killed also claimed to have backers. Look what happened to them."
Yuno didn't believe in such convenient coincidences. Killing a few people and somehow offending two Kings of the Dark World?
If it were true, that'd be pretty lucky.
And even if it was true—so what?
Just as Yuno prepared to end the man's life, another voice called out nearby:
"I suggest you stop. What he said is true."
Yuno turned.
The group he'd spotted earlier was now approaching. Despite his overwhelming show of strength, they remained calm—unshaken.
At the front stood a tall young man, nearly two meters in height, with a sword at his waist, a red cloak draped behind him, and a skull-embroidered hat. He looked at Yuno and grinned.
When the Evil Ghost saw him, it was as though he had seen a savior. Relief flooded his face.
He knew this man!
But before he could say a word more—
Crack!
A bolt of white lightning burst from Yuno's palm, piercing his skull.
His joyful expression froze.
All hope faded in an instant.
Yuno didn't spare him a glance.
Calmly, he said:
"Sorry, I didn't catch that. Mind saying it again?"
The young man's face darkened.
"You idiot… are you trying to die?" he spat coldly.
"You keep saying that like you're somebody important."
Yuno scowled at the arrogance. He raised his hand again—explosive flames roared to life, engulfing everyone in range!
"Arrogant brat!"
The young man snorted and drew his sword.
With a sharp slash, he cut through the air—sending a powerful wave to clash against Yuno's flames.
Boom!
The attacks collided mid-air, exploding into a shockwave that scattered in all directions!
"You clearly don't understand what it means to face the Kings of the Dark World," the young man said coldly, sword still in hand.
"Let me enlighten you."
"These men you just crossed? They control the entire underground of the New World. Each one is a legendary figure!"
He stepped forward, raising his chin arrogantly.
"Maybe you're just some backwater fool who's never even heard of the New World. So let me make this simple: even the Navy avoids provoking them."
"Now that you've disrupted their deal… you'll be hunted by both of them."
The young man sneered at Yuno, confident that, after offending such a powerful figure, Yuno would finally show fear—panic, even.
He couldn't wait to see that look on Yuno's face.
It would be satisfying.
The Baro Pirates—led by their captain, Barofia, whose bounty reached 43.96 million berries—were notorious across the Grand Line and the four seas.
On the surface, they were just another pirate crew. But in truth, they operated under the shadow of the Shipping King.
That EVIL Ghost pirate earlier? He was one of the Shipping King's subordinates. Just like Barofia.
And their presence on this island wasn't random.
There was a secret deal underway—between the Shipping King and another one of the Dark World kings.
These men had been deployed as escorts.
Even Evil Ghost had fled here, hoping to hide in the chaos of this covert meeting.
But Yuno remained calm.
"And so what?" he said flatly. "Aren't those people supposed to stay in the shadows? They don't dare show their faces in public."
Yuno's voice held nothing but contempt.
He remembered how these underground forces had been portrayed in the original story—they were nothing compared to the Four Emperors.
And even if he stood before one of the Emperors themselves, Yuno wouldn't flinch.
He might not be on their level yet, but given time?
He only needed minutes.
What caught his attention instead was the deal Barofia mentioned.
"A deal…?" Yuno's eyes narrowed, already calculating ways to exploit it.
Barofia's face darkened in rage.
His master—insulted—by a mere rookie?
"You little—!"
"Enough talk," Yuno interrupted. "Let me kill you first."
He had already spotted the box in their possession.
Was that the item being traded?
He smiled.
Then, in a flash, Yuno vanished.
A streak of white lightning burst through the air as he surged forward. His shoulder seams tore open, his aura flaring violently.
"Boom!"
Yuno's punch split the air like a sonic shockwave. The sheer force sent tremors across the battlefield, kicking up a cloud of dust.
But these opponents were clearly stronger than the Dia Mafia.
Barofia's men coordinated, attacking together to neutralize the shockwave!
"Come on!" Barofia roared, charging in with his sword drawn.
The blade lunged for Yuno's heart—
—but missed.
Yuno sidestepped it with ease, twisted mid-air, and delivered a powerful spinning kick.
CRASH!
Barofia was sent flying, crashing through several buildings before slamming into the ground with a deafening boom. The crater he left behind was massive.
Yuno moved to pursue—
—but a blast of artillery forced him to veer away.
"Tch."
The explosion shook the street below.
In the air, Yuno's eyes sharpened.
He extended his hand—
—FOOM!
A surge of flames erupted downward. The fiery explosion swept through the battlefield, launching a dozen pirates into the air like ragdolls.