Even though Yahn was furiously cursing Kuzan in his heart—mentally drafting dozens of creative "thank you" plans for him—the immediate problem still needed solving: more than ten submachine guns were spewing bullets nonstop in his direction.
But despite the dazzling cherry blossoms that suddenly bloomed in mid-air, those men in suits didn't panic at all. Clearly, as part of the underworld in the West Blue, they were well aware of the existence of Devil Fruits.
One of them, standing at the back, even calmly picked up a Den Den Mushi and started reporting the situation—requesting firepower reinforcement.
"Isn't that going too far? You're calling in backup now?"
Yahn heard the man's voice clearly and muttered with a hint of amusement.
With a flick of thought, the beautiful cherry blossoms that had surrounded him suddenly split apart, surging toward the suited men like a stormy tide.
"Huh?!"
The suited men responded immediately, firing madly. A few even pulled out two submachine guns at once, trying to mow down the wave of petals.
Unfortunately for them, these cherry blossoms were each a blade—thousands of deadly edges. Mere guns weren't going to stop them.
In the blink of an eye, the blossoms swept past them in a pink gale.
When the petals returned to Yahn's side, gracefully circling and drifting around him, the suited men were left standing frozen—until deep, bone-revealing wounds bloomed across their bodies. Blood sprayed out in torrents, staining the floor red in an instant.
Yahn shook his head in regret at their futile decision to shoot rather than run.
"Cherry blossoms... beautiful, fragile—but deadly all the same."
It was true that his shikai—Senbonzakura—lacked overwhelming attack power and destructive force. But that depended on who the comparison was made with.
If compared to monsters like Gion, a future admiral candidate whose strength far exceeded her rank... or the giant Vice Admiral Saul... or the soon-to-be admiral Kuzan... then yes, it was lacking.
But against—
"Mere mafia thugs?"
Yahn glanced back at Kuzan, who had found a corner to lazily lean against, then sighed and walked into the Capone Building.
In the end, these so-called mafia families of the West Blue were nothing but jokes to Navy Headquarters.
Of course, many underworld organizations had ties to nations allied with the World Government. And most of the time, they kept their activities away from the surface. As such, the Navy often didn't consider them within their jurisdiction.
Yahn's earlier concern about the West Blue Navy wasn't out of fear that these mafia groups posed any real threat, but because he worried their influence could gradually corrupt the local Navy forces.
"Well, I'm here now. Might as well take a look around."
Yahn muttered, stepping further into the Capone Building.
As for the issue of military merit... wiping out one mafia family would, at most, earn him the rank of a ensign. Nothing prestigious.
In the Navy system, that wasn't even a proper officer rank—but still within an acceptable range for Yahn.
More importantly, even if Yahn wanted to slack off, the guy behind him—Kuzan, who was even more lazy—would never allow it.
"So really, what else can I do besides console myself like this?"
With that thought, irritation began to rise in Yahn's chest, and he promptly channeled it toward the unfortunate mafia members trying to block his way.
His Observation Haki spread out, blanketing the entire building. Every trap, every ambush, every sudden attack—none of it escaped his perception.
Anyone who pointed a gun at him? Greeted by a storm of bladed cherry blossoms.
As for those who tried to fight with fists and didn't aim for fatal spots? Yahn simply knocked them out.
But truth be told, very few got away unscathed.
As Yahn fought his way floor by floor toward the top, the mafia threw every kind of weapon at him—yet none could even slow him down.
And the way their comrades died—shredded as though by a thousand blades—struck fear even into the most brutal among them.
"A... a monster…"
"We're not even on the same level…"
"No kind of firearm works—not even explosives. If those cherry blossoms touch you, you're done."
"We're finished. The Capone Family messed with a monster. We're so finished."
Soon, Yahn found fewer and fewer enemies in his path.
Eventually, it felt like he was strolling through the violence-ridden Capone Building as if on a leisurely walk—nobody dared to stop him anymore.
He glanced at a nearby elevator-like contraption but dismissed it. Too risky. Instead, he took the stairs, climbing steadily to the top floor.
Outside the final room, Yahn yawned, then casually knocked on the door.
According to his Haki, the strongest people in the building were all inside. And following the logic that the big bosses always stayed on top, this was clearly the place.
Inside the room, a middle-aged man—cigar in mouth, fur coat draped over his shoulders, oozing mafia boss vibes—gestured to the four burly guards flanking him.
Each of the four men immediately tensed. Their bodies swelled as they activated their Zoan-type Devil Fruit powers. Fangs and claws emerged, ready to ambush.
Only then did Capone Bell finally speak.
"Who's there?"
"It's me," Yahn answered.
"Who?!" Bell frowned, confused.
"I said—it's me," Yahn replied again.
"Who the hell are you—"
But before he could finish, a surge of cherry blossoms burst through the gap under the door and swept toward the four beastmen inside.
"AHH! AHHHH!!"
The petals sliced through flesh with surgical precision. The Zoan users who had been poised to strike now writhed on the ground in agony, their screams echoing.
Only then did Yahn leisurely push open the door. He adjusted his glasses as he looked at the pale-faced Capone Bell and calmly said:
"I told you already... it's me."
Capone Bell stared at the stranger, trembling in fear and confusion, and finally lost it.
"WHO THE HELL EVEN ARE YOU?!"
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Currently at chapter 265 for advance chapters
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