Yuno leaned back, a hint of impatience in his tone. "Okay, stop wasting my time and get down to business!" He produced a Devil Fruit—its swirling patterns unmistakable—and spun it lightly on his finger like a basketball.
He looked at Diamante, an executive of the Donquixote Pirates under Donquixote Doflamingo, and asked calmly:
"Can you tell me what kind of Devil Fruit this is?"
Diamante's eyes flickered. Was this stranger after the fruit? He stayed silent, gaze locked on Yuno.
Yuno smirked. "It doesn't matter if you don't tell me. Since your Donquixote Family mobilized so many troops, I think this fruit must be very important to you, right?"
"Just know that it is important to you."
Diamante finally spoke, eyeing the man in the black-and-white mask. "What is your purpose?"
"Purpose?" Yuno's eyes glinted. "Didn't I tell you before? Isn't it natural for bounty hunters to hunt pirates?"
"Then why didn't you kill me? Are you afraid of offending our Young Master?" Diamante tested him.
If Yuno hadn't killed him, it was either calculation—or fear of Doflamingo's revenge.
Yuno gave a cold grin. "I can still tell the difference between less than 100 million and 1 billion."
Diamante frowned. "What do you mean?"
Then the realization hit him. "Are you sparing my life so you can negotiate terms with the Young Master?"
Humiliation surged—he was a bargaining chip.
Yuno snapped his fingers. "Not stupid."
"Aren't you afraid of playing with fire and getting burned?" Diamante growled.
Yuno laughed, unrestrained. "If that can make me burn myself, then it only proves I'm nothing more than that!"
Diamante's heart trembled. This was either madness—or immense self-confidence. The way Yuno spoke… it reminded him of the Conqueror's Haki-wielding monsters of the New World. Could this man possess the aura of a king?
"There are nine days left," Yuno continued. "If the Donquixote Family doesn't come, then you can only die! Power, fame, status—which of these isn't built on war? It's a pity I was born in the wrong era. Otherwise, I'd have liked to meet the greatest warrior—Gol D. Roger! The era he ushered in is truly delightful! Hahaha!"
With wild laughter, Yuno left, as if the Donquixote Family was beneath his concern.
Diamante, bound in seastone shackles and gravely injured, could only rage. "Madman! But if you dare attack the Donquixote Family, the Young Master will not let you go!"
The moment Yuno emerged from underground, his expression returned to calm—his arrogance earlier nothing but a calculated act.
Sometimes, those who are both powerful and unhinged are the most feared of all.
And no matter what such a person does, no one dares to question them.
Yuno was carefully cultivating this very image—step by step.
As he walked, he muttered under his breath, "Even after being reborn, I still deceive, perform, and disguise myself so easily. Alas… I really just want to be a good person."
Then he smirked. "But I'm a Marine now—a man of justice."
…
A few days later—
A ship cut steadily across the turbulent waters of the Grand Line.
On deck, Donquixote Doflamingo, sunglasses glinting in the sun, stared at the distant crimson cliff face. The light in his eyes sharpened.
Trebol slid to his side, his gaze fixed on the same sight. His voice was cold.
"Doffy… tomorrow we'll reach the North Blue. Have you decided how to deal with that damned Quincy?"
Ahead loomed the Upside Down Mountain—the gateway to the Red Line itself.
Doflamingo gave a low chuckle, his tone calm but dangerous.
"If he's dared to declare war on the Donquixote Family… I'll make sure he learns what fear tastes like."
"Want us to come with you?" Pica's shrill voice cut in from nearby.
Doflamingo shook his head.
"I'll go first. Right now, rescuing Diamante is the priority. He was in charge of the deal with the Shipping King. If he's been captured, the situation might have shifted. I have to see it for myself."
"Besides—he's just a bounty hunter. Never even set foot in the North Blue. The whole Family doesn't need to mobilize for that."
In truth, even if Yuno had defeated Diamante, Doflamingo wouldn't take him too seriously.
Bounty hunters were never true powerhouses.
After all, they always ended up with only two fates:
Join the Marines.
Or turn pirate.
The Navy would never allow such an unpredictable force to roam free.
No—the real reason for Doflamingo's haste was to confirm whether the deal with the Shipping King had gone through. That Devil Fruit… it was a linchpin in his larger plan.
"With you on the move, Doffy," Trebol said, "that bounty hunter won't stand a chance of escape."
None of the Family's top officers doubted their young master's strength.
Doflamingo said nothing more, eyes still locked on the horizon, mind churning.
Was that bounty hunter really after nothing more than ransom?
Was it just coincidence?
Or… was someone deliberately targeting the Donquixote Family?
These doubts only strengthened his resolve to move quickly.
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